Exalted Lioness

A New Dawn

Seventeen years.

That's how long it had been since the five year long war that plague Fodlan. Much had changed but there was still the odd conflict that had to be solved here and there. Walking down the halls a young teenage boy with blonde hair in a short messy ponytail and striking fern green eyes could be seen. He was very handsome as he sported the officers academy's uniform with an azure blue cape signaling that this boy was the current leader of the Blue Griffin House. Walking in stride with him was a a young woman of around the same age but had clear Almyrian heritage as her long braid of burnette hair rested over her shoulder. She too wore the same uniform but her cape was white with silver. 

"Lior, Ceila wait up!"came a frantic cry. The two looked over to spot the source of the outburst had been a young man with pale strawberry blonde hair and orange amber eyes. He, like the other two wore the same uniform but his had a scarlet cape. With him was a lavender haired woman that looked rather annoyed as she too was a student but had a golden yellow cape.

"Aidan, I thought I told you not to sleep in. Mother does not take kindly to anyone being late for the month's mission briefings."sighed the stoic blonde. This was the eldest child of the kingdom's royal family and crown prince, Lior Jeralt Blaiddyd and the current leader of Azure Griffin House. The young prince also had a younger sister, Elysia Sitri Blaiddyd whom would take over the church herself one day. 

"This is so unbecoming of a noble, Aiden I kept trying to pull you out of bed but would you listen? No."huffed the lavender haired woman beside him. This was the daughter of Yuri and shockingly Constance. How the heck they got together nobody knew but it had happened. Her name was Maria Von Nuvelle.

"Says the same noble that fired mana at me last night!"sighed the strawberry blonde. This was the only son of Mercedes and Ferdinand, Aidan Von Aegir. 

"Chill guys, we're only a few minutes late."said the young Almyrian teen with a cheeky grin. There was no doubt who her father was even with her accent being a bit heavy. This young woman was the crown princess of Alymria and eldest daughter of King Khalid, Ceila Von Wyverain. 

"Can't you take things serious for once, Ceila?"sighed Maria.

"Enough. We need to get going or do you want my mother to put us all through one of her seminars of terror!?"scolded Lior. All of them shuddered as they were swiftly reminded that Her Grace was counted as a professor too. Actually Lady Byleth was even scarier right now with a third child on the way. So the group leaders made a v-line for the audience chamber fast as their feet could take them.

Unfortunately with the recent death of Professor Lysithea Von Ordelia this year had been started with a rather somber start. Having been subjected to such cruel experiments in her youth the Golden Wyvern's precious professor's life was cut short. But her life had not be an unfruitful one despite not having married or having kids. She had been a good teacher and her last fifteen years had been happy ones. Lior though remembered how sad his mother and father had been for months, only now the wound of the loss healing. His sister, Elysia had been born when he was just three years old during the Blue Sea Moon. Now once more Lior would be an older brother come Garland Moon. They weren't sure how but Elysia had inherited the their mother's crest of flames while he had their late grandfather, Jeralt's Crest of Seiros. It gave him similar problems his father had as poor Lior went through weapons quite easily. 

"Hm? Li-Li!"giggled a green haired, blue eyed teenager robed in white. Her hair fell past her hips and she had such a shocking resemblance to Lady Byleth it was no mistake. This was the holy princess herself, the one that had some how been born with the Crest of Flames. The precious and most loved princess of the kingdom of Fodlan for her optimistic smile and gentle heart and skills as a white mage. 

"Eeii!!" The girl eagerly tackled her brother to the ground as the other three leaders stepped out of the way as the siblings crashed to the ground. "El get off me!"

"Oops, sorry big brother."she giggled as she got off so he could get back up.

"Energetic as always are we lil princess?"grinned Ceila in a teasing manner.

"I'm not small, Ceila take it back!"snapped Elysia.

"You know I'm happy to see you but we're late because somebody decided to be a sleepyhead."huffed Maria.

"Oh yeah that reminds me why I came. Mom said she's busy welcoming the new professor so your briefing will come tomorrow."Elysia quickly informed. Resulting in them all sighing or groaning in some form of frustration.

As they parted ways Lior stopped at spotting a unfamiliar young woman with long fiery green colored hair and green eyes with cat-like pupils as a cloak covered much of her head and body. Did she come from the continent overseas perhaps?  Wrapped in her arms he could see new academy uniform so clearly she was a new transfer student. But she looked a little lost however to him so he walked over and offered a small smile.

"Hello, you seem lost miss, maybe I can help?"he offered. 

"I-If not too much trouble, that would be great."she said, slightly long canines revealed as she spoke and slowly removed her cloak to reveal elfin ears as she smiled. 

"None at all. I'll be happy to show you around."he assured. This girl before him was such a mystery and her eyes were not tame, actually they seemed quite feral like a beast was looking at him. Yet Lior wasn't scared he was intrigued by this transfer student that appeared about his age. "My goodness where are my manners. Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm Lior and I lead the Azure Griffins."

"Oh so your the one Seteth and Lady Byleth told me to find."she said looking relieved while Lior looked at her curiously. "My name's Asteria Argent, I'll be transferring into your class tomorrow."

Meanwhile leaning against the balcony rail were two familiar figures watching over the scene in amusement. Both had been aged through the years but time had been kind, aging the blonde king and the green haired queen archbishop gracefully. The man fondly held his wife from behind around her bulging belly that promised the new life that would arrive soon. His good eye watching with wisdom and kindness his hardships brought him. The woman in his arms no different as she leaned into his embrace as nostalgia and amused mirth twinkled in her fern green eyes. Before them once more history began to repeat as another thread of fate was tied in these familiar halls. This time hopefully nothing so tragic would happen like over twenty-two years ago. Yes let Prince Lior's and Asteria's future dawns be happy ones, not ones filled with war.

~The End~

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[A/N: I hope you enjoyed Exalted Lioness! I also hope you like Prince Lior and Princess Elsyia as well as some of the Next Gen I introduced here. If you have suspected and guessed yes, Asteria is in fact a Nabatean from overseas. She comes from a land far beyond the Fodlan continent. In fact she is similar to Flayn/Cethlean as she's a second generation Nabatean. Her mother becomes the new teacher of Golden Wyvern House and is in fact the daughter of the Star Dragon(Yes she has a Major Crest of Reigan). 

For those that don't know Asteria in mythology is the titan/goddess of the stars. Lior is a Hebrew name that means "My Light". Byleth named him that out of love but also as reminder of what Dimileth went through together. Would Asteria and Lior end up together? I leave that up to you imagine.]