Marianne and the Forbidden Codex: A Fire Emblem Three Houses story

Heartbreak, Part one

Leonard had no idea what he should do. He wanted to tell Marianne everything and have her despise him for cheating. Another part of him wanted to be forgiven, just like a helpless puppy. But another part of him wanted to wipe it all out at once and leave Marianne alive. He did not let any of the three prevail: only the most rational and mediocre option remained: wait.

He went to talk to Claude to check how everything would continue with the trip. The next objective was to stop by the Fódlan's Locket to stock up a little and thus continue the journey through the mountains until the Monastery of the Church of the East was reached. He found the young heir chatting with some soldiers, trying to convince them to stay. The mere presence of Leonard there seemed to scare them away.

"Ugh, good to know you're better," Claude said, watching his partner approach. "Don't worry about those guys. They should return home if they are afraid."

"At least you let them go," Leonard replied, his head down. "In the monastery, those who refused to fight were locked up to death."

"That's done much more than is necessary," Claude replied. "Well, while we're alone, I need you to know I found out what happened last night. I will try to find a way for Hilda to calm down... But I can tell you in advance that it will be complex. At first, I wanted to kill you. But I doubt that you... I don't know how to say it."

"I see... Thanks," Leonard said.

"You have to go to see your love," Claude said, smacking Leonard on the shoulder. "You have terrible luck, but you have someone who loves you. If you are honest and reflect on your feelings, the setbacks will dissipate."

"I see..." he replied, still embarrassed. "I came to something else, in any case: I wanted to know how we were doing with the itinerary."

"We will reduce the size of the Alliance and the Empire by a third. The rest of us will be sent to a quick reconnaissance post, along with the Faerghus prisoners. It is not worth taking so many people who will only be cannon fodder, especially if morale is so low. All the boys volunteered to continue, Lorenz included. Fear eats at them, but it is not the first time we have fought in this way."

"And what will they do with Dimitri and the other students at the Academy?" Leonard asked curiously.

"Most likely, we'll take Dimitri with us," the Alliance heir replied. "Edelgard is adamantly opposed, but enough people sacrificed themselves for him to escape his home alive. I will protect him so he stays alive, and we will leave him for a few days in the Locket's Prison. He can do whatever he wants afterward... I guess."

"I understand..."

"Regarding the others," Claude continued, sighing before continuing. "Mercedes has acted as their spokesperson, and they have promised to fight alongside us, almost as a form of capitulation. I assume it's an attempt to secure the life of Dimitri himself."

"Thank you all, really," Leonard showed a downcast attitude as he sighed.

"You don't need to say thank you," Claude answered, smiling, despite the tiredness that his face reflected. "Now go get ready and see Marianne. I don't understand everything that happened. Marianne is understanding, but it all depends on how you express yourself; the more honest, the better. Remember that this situation can come down to Hilda's version against yours."

Leonard listened to Claude and went to visit Marianne. He shouted outside her store and heard no answer. He waited outside for a few moments, then called again. There was no response either. He considered that she was tired, so he would retire to return later. Just as he left, he heard a soft, high-pitched, slightly excited voice telling him to stay.