Chapter Text
“The mere suggestion is ridiculous!” Lysithea slammed her hand down on the table before her. All eyes were on her as the ambassador to Fodlan. “If we were to divert the dam in such a way, it would destroy all of the farmland here.” Upon the table was a great model of the lands of Fodlan that had once been used by the Empire to plan battle strategies. Lysithea moved her hand slightly and placed it on the depiction of a field in what was once Kingdom territory.
“That is a sacrifice your people in Fodlan must make,” an Almyran council member remarked. “It is your idea that the walls separating our borders come down in the first place.”
“Walls that it was your people’s idea to put up in the first place,” added another council member.
“Yes. Therefore, if redirecting the dam made by those walls is part of the price, then you should be ready for it.”
“And how do you suggest that we do that? Quite literally, I mean. If we destroy farm lands, those farmers ought to be compensated. Where do you suppose we get the money?” Lysithea snapped back.
“Why don’t you pull from your military budget? If you are so insistent on entering an era of peace, why do you still need one?” the council member suggested.
“Negative.” Byleth, the ruler of the new United Fodlan, chimed in. “Yes, Fodlan seeks peace with you, and any other nation that wishes, but we have just gone through a terrible war. There are thousands of soldiers left dead or disabled from it. We barely have enough money in that budget in the first place to maintain a standing militia, let alone provide for those who served.”
The room reached a standstill. This was commonplace in the Almyran council room-- now more than ever before. Claude thought back to when he was a child, observing council meetings from a small seat next to his father. At least back then, all the Almyran council had to bicker about was more local matters. Now, a new and united Fodlan took center stage, and so did a chance to make history. Almyra had a warfairing culture. This was the first time in their memories that they stood to make a new ally through peace instead of force. Any politically inclined person was jumping at the chance to carve their name in history alongside this accomplishment. Everyone wanted to leave the mark of their views and ideals on this negotiation. Every council meeting was a fight to etch a legacy, often at the expense of the people. Controlling the situation to actually solve the issue at hand was a deeply political game that few knew how to play.
Claude let out a sigh. He had always been good at games-- however, that didn’t necessarily mean he always enjoyed them. He looked over the model of Fodlan and at the location of the dam in question. Suddenly, something clicked. He marched forward to Lysithea’s side. He grabbed her hand off of its resting place on the model and moved it to a nearby landmark.
“What if we flood Ailell?”
Lysithea looked up at him with a glare.
“Ailell? What is that?” the other council member asked.
“It was once a holy valley, but the monks no longer use it, all it is now is a vacant and dangerous piece of land. If we flood it, the water could help restore the surrounding lands to a point where they’re finally farm-able.”
Byleth raised an eyebrow. Unsure of Claude’s claims, he looked to Lysithea for some kind of confirmation. The gears in her brain visibly turned for a moment as she search her memory for information to validate Claude’s claim. Suddenly, she found it, and her eyes lit up
“Yes… I believe it is possible! And volcanic soil is some of the most fertile in the world! Instead of destroying farmland, we’d be increasing it.”
“Exactly,” said Claude, who was still holding Lysithea’s hand gently over Ailell. “I think that would be a lovely gift to start off our alliance with.”
“An interesting proposal…” Byleth mused.
“Wait--” Lysithea blurted out. “I remember the heat there being basically unbearable. What if the water boils? A giant boiling pond would be more dangerous than the valley itself. Additionally, creating such a danger in the sake of tearing down the border walls that the old dam was part of may make our people turn cold against the idea of the alliance.”
Claude looked to Byleth. “My friend.”
Byleth stood at attention and nodded.
“Could we arrange to bring a group of scientists from our countries to Ailell to research if the flooding could actually be beneficial?”
“Your highness, do we have the time for that?” a council member asked. “The current work on tearing down the walls has already put increased strain on the dam. If we do not redirect the water soon, we risk a burst.”
“Bring Lindhart. He’ll figure it out within twenty minutes.”
Byleth chuckled as he recalled the remarkable antics of his former student.
“I’ll return to Fodlan and send for him immediately. If you would excuse me, your highness,” Byleth said before giving a respectful bow and leaving the room.
“Have we reached a decision, then?” Claude asked the flustered council members.
“I suppose, your highness.”
“We shall reconvene once we receive a report from our researchers,” he added.
“Very well,” said a council member.
With that, the members of the Almyran council nodded respectfully and exited the room. It was only Claude and Lysithea who did not move. They listened to the door click close. Once they were completely alone, Claude, who was still holding Lysithea’s hand, leaned down and kissed her. Lysithea would like to say that she was taken off guard, but this bliss had become usual. She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy it for just a moment before pulling away.
“What are you doing?” Lysithea said in a harsh whisper.
Claude smiled.
“It's fine, Princess, no one’s here,” he said at a normal volume.
“I suppose it doesn’t matter,” Lysithea replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I see we’ve abandoned all forms of subtlety in front of other people anyway.” She pulled her hand away from Claude’s.
“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” Claude’s expression shifted towards regret. He walked away from the council table and towards a small bench in the corner of the room. He sat down with a thud, exhaustion taking over. “I just… I don’t know how you do this, Lysithea. All these meetings, all these selfish people. It's exhausting…”
Lysithea felt a pain in her heart. Claude rarely showed vulnerability when it came to leadership. Everyone sang his praises as a tactician and now again as the ruler of Almyra. He played the game and played it well. Lysithea was one of the only people in the world who saw him when the exhaustion caught up. It hurt to see someone so precious to her like this. Lysithea walked over and sat down beside Claude on the bench. She placed a hand on his leg and pressed into his side.
“Politics is increasingly difficult,” she said sympathetically.
“Ha, you could say that again.”
“You are trying to do something amazing-- something no one in either of our countries has ever even considered-- and you are succeeding. That, however terrifying it might seem, is something to take great pride in.”
Claude shook his head.
“If this is how difficult it is just to figure out the semantics of physically taking the walls down, what will it be like once they’re actually gone?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! You can do this!”
“I don’t think I can do it without you.”
Lysithea leaned up and planted a gentle kiss on Claude’s cheeks.
“Of course you could,” she said, her lips still close enough to Claude’s skin that he could feel the breath of every syllable. “Do not underestimate your independence! You have ended wars, defeated legendary enemies, it is because of you that our lands finally have hope!”
“But Te--”
“Don’t you dare bring up the Professor. He was your teacher, there to guide you. Yes, he had a part in our success, but only because you so masterfully implemented his teachings. You must stop being so down on yourself. You are both rulers now, meaning you are equals. Have confidence!”
Claude turned his head to get a better look at Lysithea. Her voice carried hints of frustration, but her expression was filled with nothing but love. Her voice was harsh, but her hand caressing his leg was gentle. This was the affection he needed most. He was the master of the silver tongue, he knew how easy it was to falsify comfort. Lysithea, on the other hand, had no silver tongue. Her words were almost always blunt. It’s what made her so good at strategy and such an excellent ambassador for her country. She was so well-studied yet blunt that Claude knew everything she said was the truth-- including her affections. Her criticisms, her compliments, her love-- it was never sugarcoated. She was the only person in the world he could trust when she said “I love you.”
Claude turned fully and wrapped Lysithea in a hug to which she returned. She nestled her head in his chest, taking in the scent of wind and sweat.
“To think,” Claude began, stifling a laugh. “I’m getting lectured in confidence by a kid.”
Lysithea pulled away and playfully punched Claude’s chest.
“Oh curse you--”
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. As the pair had done so many times before, they sprung apart. Lysithea remained seated while Claude moved back to the council table.
“Come in!” Claude called.
The big wooden doors opened and revealed a young Almyran woman. She nodded politely to both Lysithea and Claude before speaking.
“Pardon me, Sir Riegan, Ambassador Ordelia,” she said, “Sir Riegan, you sent for Hilda Von Goneril. She has just arrived and is waiting for you in the lower chambers.”
“Hilda is here?” Lysithea asked, deeply confused about how she didn’t know such a dear old friend was making a journey all the way to the Almyran capital.
A hint of red grew across Claude’s cheeks and his calm expression faltered.
“Ah! Yes, yeah,” Claude stammered. “I’ll meet her there at once, thank you.”
The lady nodded to the pair again before taking her leave. Claude began to follow her, meanwhile Lysithea stood up from the sofa and moved to follow too.
“I shall come greet her as well--”
“No!” Claude stopped and turned. Lysithea was taken off guard by his sudden rejection. Noticing her offended expression, Claude attempted to recover. “I need you to go help Teach locate some researchers to go to Ailell.”
Lysithea narrowed her eyes, clearly sensing something was up.
“Surely that is a task that can wait… I’ll have the entire journey back to Fodlan to help the Professor with that. I am only in Almyra for one more day.”
“It definitely cannot wait-- that damn is under more and more pressure every moment. I’ll give Hilda your regards myself.”
“Alright…”
Without another word, Claude exited the room and disappeared down the hallway toward the lower chambers. Lysithea was confused. Claude had always been a good liar, but this was beyond plainly obvious. Still, she could not disagree that the Professor would probably benefit from her help so she decided not to pursue the issue further. She had always looked up to Hilda and her beauty, so it was unfortunate that she wouldn’t be able to greet her. However, she knew Claude had his secrets and trusted his judgment.
The rest of the afternoon passed without much incident. Lysithea and Byleth began writing letters to researchers, including Lindhart. Lysithea recommended several researchers she had begun working with in Almyra, who were able to meet them at the capital would be accompanying them on their journey back to Fodlan. Afterwards, Lysithea tended to her other various duties as the ambassador between Fodlan and Almyra. She attended meetings, conducted research, met with officials, practiced her magic, and more. The sun had well set before she was able to take a moment of repose. However, she liked it this way. Ever since the Professor taught her how to stop overworking herself, Lysithea found her perfect limit of business and rest. She was able to go longer than most, only needing a few breaks for sweats throughout the day. Her work continued uninterrupted until she ran into a familiar pink-haired figure in the hallway.
“Lysithea!” Hilda cried as she ran up and hugged her old friend. “How are you? Oh my gosh, it has been so long! You look all grown up!”
“Hilda!” Lysithea exclaimed, her voice a little choked from being hugged so tightly. Hilda always underestimated her own strength. “Y-you’re crushing me a little…!”
“Oops!” Hilda let go. “Sorry about that!”
As Lysithea was freed, she finally got a chance to get a good look at Hilda. She looked relatively the same as their time at the academy, although her hair was now even longer and her clothing grander. However, there was one glaring difference.
“Oh, Lysithea! Notice anything different about me?” Hilda placed a hand on her rounded belly.
“Hilda-- are you pregnant?!”
“Yes!” Hilda gave a small jump in excitement. “I’ve been meaning to write to tell you, but I knew I would see you soon so I thought I’d surprise you. You’re gonna be an aunt!”
Lysithea chuckled. Hilda had called Lysithea her little sister since the academy, and although she despised when anyone else compared her to a child, she didn’t mind considering Hilda her big sister.
“This is wonderful! I’m sure Caspar is thrilled.”
Hilda rolled her eyes and smiled.
“Oh you know him, he’s freaking out but it's pretty endearing.” Hilda paused for a moment before suddenly switching gears. “Hey, Lysithea, you’re, like, super knowledgeable about flying, right?”
“I wouldn’t say it is an expertise, but I am proficient in it.”
“Oh, don’t be modest! You practically invented flying units for casters. I’d definitely call you an expert.”
“Well, I guess when you put it that way…”
“You know, this pregnancy has been real rough on me lately. I always thought my mom was kidding when she said her feet got all swollen but here we are! Its been really hurting to walk lately.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe you could ask Marianne if she has any medicinal herbs that might help reduce the swelling?”
“Oh, she and I already tried that. She’s amazing at what she does but unfortunately I’m still all achy and sore-- especially after the long journey to visit Claude up here. I’ve been thinking that I need a more long term solution…”
“And what exactly have you been thinking?”
“Well, since such a delicate flower like myself shouldn’t be walking around in this state… I’ve been thinking about adopting a pegasus.”
“Oh!” Lysithea said, “Yes, that most certainly would be helpful for long journeys.”
“Right? That’s exactly what I was thinking, plus they’re super cute!”
“We are actually not far from the flight stables, I keep my pegasus there when I’m here on duty if you would like to maybe go for a quick ride with me to see how you would like it.”
Hilda smiled brightly and pressed her hands together.
“Yes! Thank you so much, Lysithea! That would be lovely. Let’s go!”
Without another word, Hilda linked arms with Lysithea and began to make their way to the flight stables. It was a little strange. Hilda didn’t seem to be walking like she was in pain and she seemed to be leading the way to the flight stables more so than Lysithea… and if she was truly in such pain from her pregnancy, why would she choose now to make the rough journey to Almyra? Unfortunately, Lysithea didn’t have much time to dwell on the thought as the two were too busy catching up with one another on their walk. Soon, the pair reached the royal flight stables. Just as they were about to enter, Hilda suddenly stopped.
“Oh! I’m so sorry, but I gotta use the lady’s room. Pregnancy things, you know?”
“Oh-- that’s quite alright, Hilda.”
“Why don’t you go on inside without me and, like, get the saddles ready or something?”
“Okay…” Lysithea once again noticed something strange. There always seemed to be an ulterior motive lurking somewhere in Hilda’s voice, but today it seemed more pronounced than usual. Before Lysithea could call her out on it, Hilda had already turned tail and practically ran back towards the nearest bathroom.
“Why is everyone acting so strange today…?” Lysithea muttered as she opened the stable doors.
Lysithea was taken aback when she noticed that the stable was lit up with beautiful candlelight. Not only were the typical candles lit, but there were extra ones scattered about, giving the place a soft glow. The other wyverns and pegasuses that called this place home were gone, making the place quieter and a lot less smelly than it ever had been before. As Lysithea hesitantly took a step inside, she even thought she smelled a sweet smell like melted sugar.
“What in the world…?” Lysithea looked further and saw her ebony pegasus, which she had named Persephone, waiting for her in her normal stall. Unsure of what else to do, she made her way to Persephone. The path was decorated with flower petals sitting atop the usual hay on the ground. They ended at Persephone’s paddock.
Persephone happily trotted up to her rider as Lysithea opened the gate and entered the paddock.
“Do you know what’s going on, girl?” Lysithea asked as she stroked her mane.
As her hand reached the base of Persephone neck, she felt silk touch her fingertips. She glanced down, noticing a silk collar around Persephone. Lysithea ran it between her fingers to inspect it and noticed it had surprising weight. She looked to the front of the collar where she saw it. She didn’t believe it at first, but it was there. Lysithea grabbed the small shining object dangling from the collar.
“What is this…?” she muttered to herself as she inspected it.
“A ring.”
Lysithea jumped in surprise and whipped her head around to meet the sudden voice. There, she saw Claude. She had no clue when he arrived, but he was standing just behind her with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.
“Hilda made it. Do you like it?”
“Claude!” Lysithea cried. “Why do you always scare me like that?”
“I’m sorry, Princess.”
“Don’t call me--” What Claude had actually said slowly registered in Lysithea’s head. “Wait…” she said slowly. “What do you mean a ring ?”
“What else could I mean, Lysithea?”
Wide-eyed, Lysithea looked back to the ring in her hands. She turned it over and over, inspecting it. She knew magic rings were common gifts-- the professor had even given her some for protection back during the war-- so she prayed that was what was happening here. The band was golden in color and the center held a brilliant white diamond. Sticking out from the band was what appeared to be small gold antlers framing the diamond. She did not sense any magical properties. It was, without a doubt… an engagement ring.
“Lysithea von Ordelia…” Claude began while Lysithea’s breath picked up pace. “Since the day we met in the Academy, I’ve depended on you. I have valued you as my ally more than any other. We’ve both helped each other grow through fighting together, leading together, and laughing together.”
“Claude… what are you doing?”
“As I’ve told you before, Lysithea… you are special to me. I could never be the man people need me to be without you at my side. In a world full of war and backstabbing and lies, you are the only person I truly believe I can trust my whole heart to.”
“Your whole heart…?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Well, either way, what I’m trying to say is… I’ve always admired you-- your work ethic, your poise, your power. Hell, I’ll admit, you scare me, Lysithea. You scare me not only because I know you could obliterate me with a spell at any moment if I ever ticked you off, but because… I’ve never felt like this with anyone else before. I’m not normally this vulnerable, but here I am. The most vulnerable I’ll ever be. I’m here to ask you--”
“Claude wait--”
“Will you marry me, Lysithea?”
The universe froze at that moment. Lysithea stood here with wide eyes and her mouth agape. The weight of the ring in her hand felt immeasurable and her heart beat quicker than it ever had before. Nothing felt real. She was split in two.
Part of her had been waiting for this moment since atop the Goddess Tower all those years ago. That part was elated-- ready to jump into Claude’s arms and cry tears of joy. Lysithea never saw the appeal of romances. She remembered listening to Hilda talk about boy problems and the whole class teasing Lorenz when yet another girl launched a complaint about his advances back at the academy. She used to find it all quite silly. To her, love or lust had always been just a distraction from doing better things. That was until Claude opened her eyes to what love could truly be. It could be inspiring, empowering, and fun. It could feel like taking flight and feeling the wind dance against you, except instead it is your lover’s embrace. It could be one of the more beautiful things in life. The other half of her, however, was solemn. It was the part that knew the truth. The logical side that always came about to ruin moments like this for Lysithea.
“I…” Lysithea took in a deep breath before softly saying, “No.” Claude’s face fell. “I cannot accept.”
“What?” he said, saddened and confused. “I thought we…”
“It is simply an inappropriate request,” Lysithea added, forcing her voice to sound as formal as possible. “I am the Ambassador to Fodlan. A member of your royal council. I cannot be married to you.”
Claude raised an eyebrow.
“And why not?”
“It would make both of us look like fools!” she replied a little harsher than intended. “If we are public with our relationship, people will come to question whether we built this alliance because it was truly the best decision for our people, or if we were blinded by our feelings for each other. This alliance is already risky, Claude, we cannot risk casting such doubt on those pioneering it.”
“We’ve been together in secret since the end of the war and you’ve never seemed to think that was a bad idea before.”
“This is different. No one knows about us now-- despite your lack of subtlety-- and if they find out we might risk permanently tarnishing our reputations. For that reason, I must humbly decline your offer.”
“Reputations…” Claude muttered. His emotions were hard to read. His shoulders and expression were sullen, but his hand balled into a fist. Lysithea could only guess that what she was witnessing was heartbreak. Suddenly, however, his expression changed. It was as if something clicked in his head. He looked Lysithea in the eyes. “Is that the real reason?”
“What?” Lysithea stammered defensively. “Of course it is!”
“Tell me the truth. Please, Lysithea.”
There was no response. Lysithea turned away from Claude. She couldn’t look him in the eye any longer without bursting into tears.
“This is about your lifespan, isn’t it?”
Lysithea didn’t need to reply. Even though Claude couldn’t see her face, the sudden tense in her body language and the soft sound of sniffles were enough to confirm his suspicion.
“Lysithea…”
Lysithea dropped the ring on the ground and turned to Persephone. She buried her head in her ebony fur, stroking her back for comfort as she attempted to muffle the sound of her cries. The pegasus whined and looked at her rider with sad eyes, rubbing her snout against the side of Lysithea’s head in an attempt at comfort.
Claude slowly stepped forward and entered the paddock.
“Go away…” Lysithea said through tears, her face still buried in Persephone’s side.
Claude gently put his hand on her shoulder and bent down. His heart was aching, especially from seeing the woman he loved so distraught.
“It's alright. You’re okay…”
“Y-you… you don’t understand,” Lysithea said through sharp breaths. “I didn’t tell you…”
“What didn’t you tell me?”
Lysithea moved her face slightly so her voice was no longer muffled by Persephone’s body but still refused to look at Claude.
“The mages… they never told me what they meant when t-they said I’d live a short life… But Hanneman looked into it. He… He gave me an estimate. It ended.”
“What…?”
“Two weeks ago… Twenty-four years, seven months, and thirteen days.”
Claude tried his hardest to stay calm for the small, quivering woman before him. He slowly moved his hand from her shoulder to her hand. He brushed it through his fingers softly, as he often did to comfort her when cuddling.
“Well, isn’t that a good thing?”
“H-how could it possibly be that?”
“You outlived it, didn’t you? That could mean Hanneman was wrong entirely--”
“Or that I could die any second…” Lysithea finally lifted her head from Persephone’s side and turned to face Claude. Her eyes were red and cheeks wet with tears. “I love you, Claude. I truly do. As annoying and stubborn as you are… But I can’t marry you. I want to, I do, but who knows if I will survive long enough to see our wedding day?”
“I don’t see that as any reason to stop. I love you too, Princess. Even if it's only for a few short moments, I’d do anything to call you my wife.”
“Claude, I am temporary… but your dream? Your dream of a new dawn for our countries? That’s forever. You must prioritize that.”
“No--”
“You will leave a legacy that will better lives for hundreds of generations to come--”
“But that legacy will mean nothing if my name is not etched beside yours.”
“Claude, listen to me,” Lysithea said, staring directly into Claude’s eyes with a heart-piercing gaze. “Fodlan is fragile right now. Look at what the war did to us-- how hard it is to trust now, how fear still has us in a death grip. Now, imagine that on a whole country-scale. If someone from Fodlan was to marry the Almyran King, only to die days later… what would the people think? They will lash out in fear that they are being attacked again and any hope for your alliance will be gone.”
Claude took a moment to let Lysithea’s words truly sink in. Now she, just as she has always been before, is the perfect counsel. Even in the face of her own pain, she gave the most logical and sound advice. Claude couldn’t deny that Fodlan was fragile. Winning the war was not enough to erase the deep despair it caused in his people. It would likely take generations to truly do so. Lysithea was right that any further tragedy might throw them back into the pits of despair they were so desperately trying to crawl out of. From a purely strategic sense, it was best for him not to marry Lysithea knowing full well she would soon tragically die. From a human perspective, however, it shattered his heart into a million pieces.
“Is… is this what you want, Lysithea?” Claude asked.
Lysithea nodded.
“Yes. I couldn’t bear to leave you a widow.”
“But…” Claude began, a foolish glimmer of hope in his voice. “If we find out the mages and Hanneman were wrong and that you don’t have a shortened lifespan… In that world, would you marry me?”
“In that world? Nothing would make me happier.”
“Even cake?”
Lysithea laughed through her tears.
“Hm, I don’t know about that one,” she replied, a small smile returning to her face.
Claude pulled Lysithea into his arms and kissed the top of her head. He was trying so hard to fight his own tears. Lysithea felt horrible. Her whole life, she has never been particularly bothered by the prospect of death. She had known it was coming for as long as she could remember. However, before then, all she had to worry about was pleasing her parents-- a goal she had already accomplished. Now, she had Claude. She had dreams of falling in love and starting a family and so did he. Lysithea knew that falling in love with him was the biggest mistake she would ever make.
Claude squeezed Lysithea tighter for a moment before releasing her from his embrace. He stood back up and let out a long-held breath.
“I… I have to go,” he said. “Do you want me to walk you back?”
Lysithea shook her head.
“No… I think I want to be alone.”
“But the dark--”
“Please, Claude.”
Claude frowned but nodded before walking away. Lysithea could see Hilda approach as Claude exited the stable doors. She looked incredibly excited, only to see Claude’s sullen face. She saw him wave her off and Hilda’s expression drop before the door closed behind him. Lysithea stayed in the flight stables for a few hours with Persephone, talking to her in between bouts of tears. By the time Lysithea finally dragged herself to her bed chambers, she had made a decision. In the morning, she would resign from her position as Fodlan’s Ambassador to Almyra. She believed it was something she should have done long ago. Their secret relationship had gone too far and now it would only cause them, and their people, pain. She needed to distance herself.
When the morning came. Lysithea gathered her things and drafted a letter of resignation. It was sad sitting at her desk as the morning light streamed in through the windows and onto the letter. She truly loved her work, she truly loved Claude. However, this departure would at least give her time to pursue the more “beautiful things in life,” as Claude called them, before she died. Once she was satisfied with the letter, Lysithea went to find the head of the Almyran Royal Council. She knew she couldn’t hand the letter directly to Claude, he wouldn’t accept it. She reached the council office and outstretched her hand to knock when suddenly the door opened. The head council member stopped in his tracks when he noticed Lysithea standing before him.
“Ah! My deepest apologies, Lysithea,” He said with a small bow.
“It’s alright--” Lysithea took note of the man’s appearance. His hair was frazzled and his demeanor seemed all around disheveled. “Is something the matter?” she asked.
“It is fine-- do you know where Claude is?”
“No, I have not seen him yet today. He’s still in his chambers at this hour, I’m sure. Now, Sir, if you’re not busy, may I speak with you for a momen--”
The Head Council Member grit his teeth and groaned.
“Wonderful, just wonderful. I need to send for.. Gods, I don’t even know!”
Lysithea put her resignation letter in her pocket. She had seen this man look so distressed. As much as she wished to leave as soon as possible, she also knew she could not leave in the middle of a crisis.
“Tell me what is going on. Now.”
He looked at Lysithea with wide eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but words failed him.
“It’s Claude-- Well.. He--”
“Spit it out!”
“He’s gone!”
“What?!” Lysithea exclaimed, unsure of what he was trying to say.
The Head Council Member took in a deep breath, allowing him to return to his normally well-put-together and formal self.
“This morning I awoke to a letter from him on my desk. It indicated that he was abdicating the Almyran throne.”
Lysithea felt as if she was about to faint. She was shocked but more so furious. Claude often did unexpected things, but this was utterly ridiculous. A single line Claude often muttered kept ringing through her head.
“I can’t do this without you.”
“Was it possible he knew I’d resign…?” Lysithea whispered to herself.
“What was that? Resign?!” exclaimed the Head Council Member.
“No, it’s nothing! Don’t worry about it,” said Lysithea. She stuck her hand back in her pocket and crumbled the resignation letter. “You said you just found the letter on your desk? You don’t know where Claude is?”
“No! No one in his entire palace has seen him!”
“The stables. If he’s not in his chambers at this hour then he’s at the flight stables!”
The pair both instantly took off towards the flight stables. Sweating and panting, they arrived just in time to throw open the doors and see Claude adjusting his saddle from the back of his wyvern.
“Your Highness!” The Head Council Member cried out.
Claude’s gaze snapped up at the sound of his name. When he saw Lysithea and the head of his council in the doorway, his expression turned pained.
“I’m sorry,” was all he said before flicking the reins, signaling Alli to jolt up into the air.
“Lysithea, go after him! I will send for more wyvern knights--”
“No.”
The Head Council Member blinked in confusion as Lysithea stood there and watched Claude fly off into the dawn.
“Whatever do you mean--”
“He won’t come back.”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
Lysithea kept watching until Claude disappeared into the Almyran sky. Tears began to fall from her eyes. She knew this would be the last time she ever saw him.
“Because of me.”