Chapter Text
When Byleth passed by the archery range early that morning, she was surprised to spot Claude, his bowstring still vibrating and his arrow firmly planted in the target's centre. "Shooting practice before breakfast?" she asked as she joined him.
He shrugged and drew another arrow from his quiver. "It helps me clear my head."
"Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all, Archbishop Byleth. That has a nice ring, don't you think?"
Byleth winced. "I'm not so sure. And it's not official yet. We may not even use that title." She went to fetch a practice bow of her own; she could use some head-clearing herself. She strung the bow and slung a quiver over her back and returned to Claude. She drew the bowstring back, feeling the strain of her muscles where once she could have done it with unthinking ease. She breathed deep, centred on the target, and loosed the arrow. It struck the target with a satisfying thwump. "So what's on your mind?" she asked him—before he could ask her.
"Oh you know, trying to get my head around everything that's happened. After all, I was expecting to come back to find you defending Myrddin not sieging Enbarr—oh and missing to boot."
She reached for another arrow. "When Epimenides was injured it was too good an opportunity to pass up."
He ran his fingers along the fletching of one of his arrows. "I'd have made the same call in your shoes, but you took a real gamble on Edelgard. I'm just glad it worked out. Otherwise I'd have had to come up with a plan to save you and take the city."
Her lips curled into a smile. "Sorry if I worried you."
He pulled a second arrow from his quiver. "The fighting on the eastern and western fronts has settled too. I hear Count Varley couldn't surrender fast enough. Duke Aegir fought to the death though."
"I know," she said softly. Edelgard had been composing a letter to Ferdinand late into the night. Claude notched both arrows and shot them, both striking the target dead-centre. It paled against what he could do with Failnaught.
"What about Dimitri? Have you decided what to do about him? I heard some of the Kingdom nobles have been petitioning for his release."
Byleth grimaced. "Mad as he is that won't stop them from using him—making him into a figurehead."
Claude nodded approvingly. "That's just what I was thinking. Best keep him out of their clutches. But if you keep him in the empire they can use that too and argue that the rightful king is being held against his will by the emperor."
"Exactly. Which is why I think we need to take him to Garreg Mach. He can be safely cared for there and the Kingdom won't dare argue with the decision if it comes from the Church."
"And that way you can retain the goodwill of all your allies."
She sighed. Thinking about tactics on a battlefield was something she'd done all her life and understanding the movements and motives of armies was second nature. Guessing at the ploys and plots of corrupt nobles, though, was exhausting. Exhausting and necessary if she really was going to take on leadership of the Church of Seiros. But even before that, there was still another war to be planned and fought. "I need everyone to be willing to cooperate to take on these Agarthans. I hope you and the others will come when we're ready to go to Shambhala."
"I wouldn't miss the chance to see this so-called underground city for myself. I want to know more about these Agarthans." She'd recounted much of what Rhea had told her to both Claude and Edelgard. Claude had been intrigued; Edelgard had been incensed. It was what she'd expected. " And I'm sure the others will show up for us. Actually I don't think you could stop Lysithea from coming."
Byleth nodded. "I promised her she'd be there when the time comes."
Claude was wearing one of his cheeky smiles as he went on. "Have you got Her Majesty, Emperor of all Adrestia on board?"
She notched another arrow, ignoring the mocking tone in his voice. "Edelgard is just as eager to put an end to them as anyone else."
"Or more so."
Byleth stiffened mid-draw. "What do you mean?"
Claude twirled an arrow between his fingers, a familiar glint in his eye, the one he always had when he'd discovered a secret. "Oh just that I've finally put a few things together. Lysithea's mages are the same ones who were here in Adrestia. And Edelgard… she's just like Lysithea, isn't she?"
Byleth kept her eyes on the target, in one smooth motion drawing back the string and loosing her arrow. "You should ask her yourself."
"You don't seem surprised. That tells me all I need to know."
Sighing, Byleth let her bow hand drop and turned to look at Claude. "Please try to stay on her good side. I need to keep everyone working together."
"Don't worry, Teach. I may needle her a bit but I'm planning to hold her to that pact with the Alliance. Leicester is in a strong position, just how we wanted it."
Some of the tension drained out of her shoulders. She nodded and turned back to the targets. She pulled another arrow from her quiver. She'd notched it and was drawing back just as Claude added, "But just in case, I did suggest to Edelgard that we could tie the knot to really solidify the arrangement."
Her arrow buried itself in the ground.
She spun to face him, the curve of the bow narrowly missing him. "You what?"
His eyebrows shot up. "Just as a backup plan in case Lady Rhea doesn’t follow through."
Her heart was banging against her ribs, pulse thundering in her ears. "I thought you were going back to your homeland. You told me you wouldn't be around once I was Fódlan's leader."
"I am, but not until things are stable. And if either Rhea or Edelgard back out of their part of the bargain—"
"They won't." Byleth's voice had a hard edge, like the monstrous bone used to make the Sword of the Creator. "I'll make sure of that."
He peered at her for a beat, brow furrowed. "Did I… get in the way of some plan you had up your sleeve?"
"Yes!" she snapped.
He raised an eyebrow. "Okay, Teach, so are you going to share your plan?"
Byleth waved a hand while also shaking her head vigorously. Her thoughts buzzed. "Later." Her feet were already moving. "When I'm sure of it myself," she called over her shoulder.
Edelgard. She needed to talk to Edelgard.
#
Byleth found Edelgard at breakfast in deep discussion with Lord Hevring who'd finally arrived from his territory. As Rhea's successor Byleth regularly had a seat reserved for her next to Edelgard. She sat and leaned in to whisper, "I need to speak to you as soon as possible."
Edelgard's eyes darted over to her and she nodded minutely before returning her attention to Lord Hevring. Byleth forced herself to consume her breakfast, the sweet apricot jam on bread and the saffron-seasoned eggs disappearing from her plate without her ever tasting them. Shez, she noted, was at a table with Dorothea and Petra, gesticulating wildly as she recounted what Byleth guessed would be an adventure from her mercenary life. At least her day seemed to be going well. She did her best to be attentive to Lord Hevring's report but it was a relief he when finally concluded and Edelgard excused herself from the table with Byleth in tow. Shez caught Byleth's eye and waggled her eyebrows. Byleth scowled at her in return which only earned a grin from Shez.
Byleth's nerves buzzed like wasps until they were finally in Edelgard's office with the door shut behind them.
"Has anything happened?" Edelgard asked, her emperor's mask dropping as she looked at Byleth with obvious concern.
"No but…" Byleth fists clenched at her side. She wished she had her sword just to have something to wrap her hands around. "Did Claude talk to you yesterday?"
For a moment Edelgard's brow crinkled as if in puzzlement but then it came to her. "Yes, he did, now that you mention it. It was just before we received the news about Duke Aegir so it had completely slipped my mind."
Byleth's mouth went dry. "Did he propose a… political alliance?"
Edelgard quirked an eyebrow. "Is that what you're concerned about?"
Heart in her throat, Byleth stepped closer to Edelgard. "Don't marry him."
"I doubt it would be necessary and besides that I think Claude was only jok—"
"Marry me instead."
The words rushed out of her mouth… and then silence descended on the room. Edelgard stood frozen, staring at her, her face violently pink.
"Perhaps we should sit down," Edelgard suggested after a long pause and, without waiting for Byleth's reply, moved to the padded bench against the far wall and sat.
Byleth dropped down onto the bench next to her, the strange racing heart of hers threatening to claw its way up her throat.
Edelgard took a deep breath. "Are you serious or was that your idea of a joke?"
"I'm serious," Byleth said, taking Edelgard's hands in her. "Hear me out." Edelgard nodded soundlessly. "We still haven't settled on how to navigate a peace agreement between the Church and the empire."
"That's something of an understatement," Edelgard said wryly. Their attempt to broach the subject with Seteth had resulted in both sides demanding restitution for harms. It had grown very heated very quickly and Byleth had ended the discussions before Edelgard could declare war all over again.
"Lady Rhea is agreeing to release the reins of the Church but only to me. She and Seteth are still invested in the Church holding on to its influence and power—" Seeing Edelgard was about to interject, she raised a hand to forestall interruption. "—which is why they need to make it look like the Church isn't ceding anything. Just as the empire needs to maintain a strong front because of how weakened it is at present. Is that a fair assessment?"
Edelgard sighed. "It is."
Byleth squeezed her hands. "We need to appease both sides so that they can each claim that they've won."
"And you believe a political marriage will accomplish that?"
"Yes. The Church will see it as the empire being kept on a short leash and vice versa."
"I think you're overestimating the importance of a symbolic union," Edelgard said shaking her head. "If you're in Garreg Mach and I'm in Enbarr no one will see either of us as being on a leash."
A sly smile tugged Byleth's lips. "I agree. We would both have to compromise. We'd need to spend half the year at Garreg Mach and the other half in Enbarr."
Edelgard's eyes widened and then her face crumpled into a frown as she attempted to work out the implications of such an arrangement.
"It can work," Byleth said, her voice eager, excited. Over the past days a thousand half-formed plans had swirled in her head about how to handle one problem or another, how to address the concerns of this or that political figure, and how she and Edelgard could carry out the plans they'd talked of on all those sleepless nights. But only now when Claude had mentioned marriage had those disparate notions and fragmentary plans come crashing together in her mind. "Both sides will think they have the better deal, that they're the ones pulling the strings. But all the while we can work together. What looks on the outside like compromise will be what we agreed to and worked out." Byleth tugged on her hands. "Even the people around us have trouble imagining us working together. They'll see what they want to see."
"It would require a great deal of effort convincing the Ministers. And then the arrangements for how I would manage the court while I was at Garreg Mach…"
Byleth's heart surged. "So you're considering it?"
Edelgard's lips curled into a smile. "I certainly wasn't expecting two proposals in as many days—both from former enemies. But yes… the idea has merit."
Something that Byleth decided must be hope swirled through her veins. "Please, Edelgard," she said softly. "I can't do this without you. You have a clearer vision of what needs to change and how to change it." She squeezed Edelgard's fingers. "Guide my hand."
Edelgard freed one of her hands so that she could press it against Byleth's cheek. "And is this what you want?"
Byleth huffed. "I still don't particularly want to be archbishop—or Chief Cleric or whatever title they decide to give me, but I'll do it if it gets me what I do want."
"Which is?" It was barely more than a whisper.
"To walk with you. To change Fódlan together and stand in the light of a new dawn side by side."
Edelgard leaned in, resting her forehead against Byleth's, and when she sighed, Byleth could feel the warmth of her breath against her skin. "I want that as well."
Byleth captured her lips, drawing her close and basking in the heat of her skin and the softness of her touch. This felt certain, real. It felt… right.
When Edelgard drew back, she was smiling, her gaze soft as she looked at Byleth. And then, wryly, "We may need to pretend to be on somewhat less good terms with each other for this arrangement to work."
"I'll do my best imitation of the Ashen Demon," Byleth said very seriously, allowing her face to drop into that neutral expression that had been the norm for most of her life.
Edelgard nodded approvingly. "I'm afraid I'll have to act quite cross with you during our public negotiations."
"And I'll have to make a show of fighting for the Church's interests just to make sure our compromises seem hard-won."
Edelgard wrinkled her nose. "I suppose you will." And then leaning close to whisper, lips brushing against her ear, "You'll have to make up for that when we're alone."
Byleth shivered. "At least I'll have something to look forward to then," she said, stroking Edelgard's cheek. She drew back, her expression growing serious again. "I'll need to tell Claude about our plan so he doesn't work at counter purposes to us. The whole thing might even go over better if it's presented as his idea."
"And you… trust him?"
Byleth reached for Edelgard's hand again and held it to her beating heart. "I do."
Edelgard nodded slowly. "Very well." And then, sighing, "I'll need to tell Hubert once he's recovered." She raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure he'll approve of this development."
"Maybe I can win him over," Byleth said. "Someone did once tell me I was notorious for being able to win anyone's good will."
Edelgard chuckled, her violet eyes holding Byleth's gaze. "And so you are." After a beat, her eyes flitted to her office door. "We should probably head out. There's a good deal to be done in Enbarr still and you and I will need some time to plot out this little scheme of yours."
"In a minute," Byleth whispered before leaning in to kiss Edelgard one more time. Edelgard's hands tangled in her hair and Byleth pulled her in tight. Byleth's heart was a pounding thing in her chest, but pressed close to Edelgard, she found she didn't mind its racing. Enveloped in Edelgard's warmth, Byleth let the knowledge that she was wanted, trusted, loved, sweep over her. An abiding sense of rightness settled over her like a warm blanket after a long journey, something comfortable, something that felt like home.
The End