Fire Emblem Three Houses: Wanderer

Promises

Claude wrote a letter to Dimitri, "Dear Dimitri, Byleth has arrived safely in the Alliance and is under my care. He knows much of Edelgard's plans and tactics and has informed me she intends to focus on the Alliance first. This means she would not expect reinforcements to come from your kingdom. We may be able to push back and retake the Monastery if we are given adequate troops. As for Byleth..."

Claude sighed and put his pen down, he looked at the ceiling of his room, he leaned back in his cushioned chair and continued, "I fear Byleth has begun to go mad. He rarely eats if at all and claims to have lost sense of taste. He seems distant and while he will appear happy for a moment when interacting with friends, he will often weep when alone, and he stares at his blade, almost as if he intends to turn it on himself. A physician informed me recently that his vomit was pink because it contained blood. His body has begun to decay from the inside out. I intend to ask him to tea to confront him about his physical and mental state, in addition, I have contacted a physician in order to offer treatment for his mental state. A specialist in the field. I only hope Byleth is not to far gone..."

That courier of that letter never arrived however, as the Holy Kingdom had become a war zone, and the courier was intercepted by Seathe, who read the letter, and sighed to himself.

He looked at the church and what it has become. He knew that Rhea was becoming consumed by hatred, and that if such things continued it would be possible for her to use Flayn's blood and...

That thought caused him to make a decision.

"Flayn we are leaving," he demanded, "Byleth is no longer our enemy. We are going to deliver this letter to Dimitri..."

Byleth took a seat outside, the air cool and calm in the yard of Claude's estate where he had been staying.

"Have a seat," Claude offered.

Byleth complied and sat down.

"It's your favorite tea," Claude explained as Byleth took a sip, "How's it taste?"

"I don't taste anything," Byleth sighed, "I'm sorry you had to go through the trouble to pick it out."

Byleth sighed. He felt like such a burden. To trouble Claude like this. To be such a burden to all his friends from Golden Deer.

"I..." Claude looked over his malnourished frame, Byleth's thin, decaying body, "See you... have lost weight."

Byleth did not reply and looked away.

"You can talk to me," Claude explained, "You are my friend and-"

"How many of my friends have died?' Byleth demands, "How many more will die?"

"I..." Claude sighed, "I don't know... Byleth... I don't personally believe in it but... do you believe in a place after death?"

"I don't know," Byleth sighed, "Why do you ask?"

"I just sometimes think," Claude explained, "That, when we win this war, we will live our lives, grow old, and someday, die. When we do, wouldn't all of us, being, well, I think anyways, good people, go to Heaven? I sometimes hope that such a place exists, that when we all end up there, maybe we just, all get to be friends again. Forever. Just like before."

Byleth smiled wearily, "In a weird way, that brings me peace of mind."

"Glad to hear it," Claude smiled, "How does the tea taste now?"

Byleth took another sip and smiled, "Exquisite."

"I'm glad to hear it," Claude smiled, "We're all here for you and we're worried."