In Times Flow

Fhirdiad:

"So... Are you nervous?" Catherine asked as she tied the saddle on her horse.

Byleth frowned slightly "You mean to see people who probably thought I was dead for the past five years, then explain how I have been asleep the whole time and only woke up the other day in a river because some random person was nice enough to fish me out?" she retorted "I don't think nervousness begins to cover it" she sighed.

Catherine nodded her head slightly, "You know a simple yes would have sufficed" she hummed.

"What a great friend you are Catherine" Byleth murmured "In that case yes. I am nervous" she sighed.

"Oh, calm down, we both know His Highness is going to be thrilled to see you again, the same goes with Flayn and Seteth" Catherine replied, "The only one who will probably pester you for answers is the King Regent, maybe Cornelia" she said "But you shouldn't worry about them" Catherine concluded.

Byleth was silent for a moment then nodded, "I see" she murmured "In any case there is no getting out of this, whether it is pleasant or not, I still have to face them" she remarked.

"Agreed" Catherine retorted "Ah! But you'll be glad to know that Alois, Shamir, and some of the other knights are there as well" she added.

Oh goddess, "I have five years' worth of bad jokes ahead of me, don't I?" Byleth asked.

Catherine let out a loud laugh and patted her on the back, "My dear friend he's been filling that journal of his to the brim with his jokes".

Byleth groaned, "On second thought I think I'll go back to the river" she hummed "If we speed, we can beat the express messenger, then never have to hear the jokes" she suggested.

The older woman paused to consider it for a moment, "Nah, I think my Father would sell us out" she replied "Looks like we're stuck going" she added.

Byleth let out a dramatic sigh, "Fine" she said then looked to the others "Are you all ready to go?" she asked.

Linhardt nodded, "Yeah, the sooner we get to Fhirdiad the sooner this war will end" he replied.

"That's the spirit Lin!" Caspar beamed.

Ferdinand grimaced slightly, "It's a bit morbid, but so long as it motivates you, I suppose there is no harm" he called out.

Bernadetta shifted uncomfortably, "I don't know" she murmured "Going to the Kingdom seems pretty scary" she sighed "And it'll be freezing there no doubt" she added.

Byleth chuckled, "We'll be fine Bernadetta" she replied "But... You are very right about the Kingdom being cold, Fhirdiad is especially cold because of how close it is to the Northern part of Faerghus" she remarked.

"Ah, you've been there before?" Ferdinand asked.

She nodded, "Yes it was a few years ago as a child" she confirmed.

Catherine groaned, "Come on we can talk about this on the trip there" she began "We've got a long trip ahead of us" she concluded and began to mount her horse.

Fhirdiad...

Goddess, Byleth wasn't ready.

...

"There it is" Catherine murmured "Oh? And it looks like we have an audience waiting" she added.

Byleth looked up from the head of the horse towards the gates and sure enough she saw them.

Flayn and Uncle.

She watched as Flayn gripped on to Uncle's arm and began to shake it with excitement, "Byleth!" Flayn beamed then released Seteth's arm and came running at her "I am so very glad to see you again!" she shouted.