In Times Flow

Dear Stepsister...

They had left from Garreg Mach almost a week after conquering Fort Merceus.

The Empire was weakened greatly and the time to attack was quickly drawing close. Or... Maybe not.

Byleth and Dimitri parted from their army and set track for what used to be a former imperial camp.

Dimitri had written a letter to the Emperor... To Edelgard to meet with her, before... Well before they forced their way into Enbarr.

In all honesty Byleth was nervous about how things would play out, well... If she showed up that is.

Dimitri's eyebrows were furrowed as they rode in silence till, they reached the abandoned camp.

They dismounted and tied off their horses to a tree and waited.

A couple of minutes had passed, and Dimitri sighed and looked to her, "Byleth... Do you think that Edelgard will show up?" he asked quietly.

Truthfully Byleth didn't have the faintest idea, but... Dimitri looked... So sad. "She'll come" Byleth replied and gave him a reassuring smile.

Dimitri nodded and opened his mouth to say something but was cut off, "Well, well. It's been a long time, Byleth. And hello to you too, Dimitri".

Edelgard.

Byleth turned and sure enough there she was walking to Byleth and Dimitri with Hubert in her step.

Dimitri's lone eye widened, "I did not think you would actually accept my request" he replied.

Edelgard looked... Amused, "Call it whim" she replied "Now, what did you want to talk about?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Right" Dimitri said and nodded his head, "I will get to the point then. Why did you start this war?" he questioned "There had to be a way to change things without the need for so many senseless casualties" he declared.

Edelgard shook her head, "No. As hard as it is to accept this is the only way" she replied "Don't you see, this is the path of least destruction".

Least destruction? Byleth killed former Professors, watched allies and soldiers alike die.

Dimitri's face remained neutral, "Countless lives have been lost to this conflict, how is this the greater path" he said.

The Emperor sighed, "The longer we took to revolt, the more victims this crooked world would have claimed" she began "I weighed the victims of war and the victims of the world as it is now, and I chose the former" she said then paused for a moment "I have chosen the best path. The only path" she declared.

The Prince remained silent for a moment, taking in her words. "After seeing all those have suffered because of the ravages of war, you would still force them to throw their lives away for the future?" he asked calmly then shook his head as if he no longer wished for her answer. "You are obsessively devoted to this war and deaf to the screams of its victims" he said "The system of the strong trampling the weak will not be changed with that method."

Edelgard shook her head, "You are wrong" she replied, "That very cycle is exactly what I have devoted my life and power to destroying" she began "If you believe that the weak will remain that way, that is only because they are too used to relying on others instead of themselves" she declared.

Dimitri frowned slightly, "Perhaps someone as strong as yourself can say that, but you cannot force that belief onto others" he began "People are not as strong as you think they are" he said "There are those who need something to live for. And those who once that is lost cannot go on living" he added, "Your path will not save them. It is a path of the strong and will only benefit the strong" Dimitri declared.

An amused smile fell over the Emperor's lips, "You think I'm strong?" she chuckled then shook her head and a frown settled over her face, "Regardless of faith, the goddess will never answer them" she began "Countless souls will be lost, living with no purpose..." she trailed off then looked up at Byleth "Not everyone is as fortunate as you to have heard and seen the goddess" she said sternly "The rest are waiting in despair for hope that won't come" she sighed "That is why I must change this world, on behalf of the silent and the weak!" 

Dimitri crossed his arms and sighed, "And in doing so you plan to become the goddess yourself? Steal the power to take action from the broken- hearted masses that you claim to defend?" he retorted "The people are the ones who can change the world, not the rulers" he sighed and shook his head "This is nothing more than self- righteousness, to impose your sense of justice and ideals onto even one other person" he concluded.

Edelgard frowned slightly, "Perhaps it is self- righteousness, but someone must take action and end this world's blood-stained history!".

"And what of the power of the people to rise up and join together" Dimitri replied "Humans are weak creatures who rely on each other, support one another, and find the right path, together" he declared.

Edelgard's frown deepened, "I doubt a highborn person like yourself could know how the poor feel, or what motivates them" she said coolly then shook her head, "But through this nonsense I am finally beginning to understand how you feel" she sighed "Which only makes it clearer that we will never fully understand each other".

Dimitri sighed and nodded, "I feel the same. I finally understand what you believe is right" he murmured.

Edelgard nodded and began to turn around, "Good- bye Dimitri" she said.

"Halt, Edelgard there is something I must give you" Dimitri called out and pulled out-

Oh.

Edelgard looked confused but grabbed the dagger from him, Hubert was on edge waiting to see if either of them would attack. "This is for you" Dimitri began "Use it to cut a path to the future you wish for, El".

Edelgard's eyes widened, "You... You gave me this dagger all those years ago.

Dimitri nodded, "Heh, I'm still sorry about that. I should have given you something that would have made you happier" he replied.

Edelgard stared at the dagger for a moment then gripped its handle, "Perhaps, but at the time I was flustered by such a dangerous gift" she replied "And I left before I gave you a proper response" she added.

"Indeed" Dimitri said with a nod, "A sweet memory with a bitter ending" he added.

The Emperor was silent for a moment, "It will do you no good to reminisce, Dimitri" she began "The girl you knew then is as good as dead" she sighed "But... Thank you" she said with a soft smile "My dear forgotten friend, because of you I never lost my heart" she said then turned around swiftly "As for our future... That will be decided in battle" she began "King and Queen of Faerghus, as the Emperor I will await your arrival in Enbarr'' she declared then walked away with Hubert following in her step.

Dimitri stood there in silence for a moment then sighed, "In the end... It was all for nothing" he muttered.

Byleth shrugged, "Perhaps... But you made the first step and reached out your hand to the enemy despite everything" she began "Edelgard has made her choice, just as she did then Dimitri" she sighed "We cannot force her to cease this, just as she cannot force us" she concluded.

Dimitri sighed and nodded, "You're right my beloved" he murmured and grabbed her hand, "Come, we should rejoin the others now... We have done what we could" he sighed.

That was true. Dimitri tried to see if there was any way for them to exist in each other's worlds, but... For Edelgard... There is no way for Byleth nor Dimitri to live in the world she wishes to create.

And so... To Enbarr it is.