Fire Emblem Three Houses: Wanderer

Tratior in the Lion's Den

Ignatz pulled back his bow, ready to fire whenever he was ordered as the Chimerias looked over the city Cornelia was using as a base for her troops.

"A traitor in the den of the Blue Lions," Dimitri chuckled, "A traitor in the lion's den. I might have known..."

"You couldn't have known," Leonie assured him.

"We need to focus," Marianne added, "Cornelia has golems from the church and if we rush in recklessly we will be killed."

"Byleth you got a plan?" Claude inquired.

Byleth explained, "There's two fortress knights and archers on the left flank, so Dorthea, Annette, and Lysithea will hand that as Ignatz and Claude go with me to clear out the golem in the center so Lysithea can warp us right to Cornelia. Dimitri is our strongest one on one fighter so he will be the one warped. Where is Lysithea anyways?"

Everyone fell dead silent. No one wanted to tell Byleth about Lysithea's condition and none made eye contact with him.

"Wait where's Lysithea?" Byleth demanded, more sternly this time, his tone no longer upbeat, but upset and concerned.

"Lysithea..." Dorthea sighed, "Her illness is terminal Byleth."

Byleth sighed. He looked at his ring and once more heard the cries of the Eagels ring in his ears. Losing one more person. One more...

"They're not going to take her from me," Byleth muttered to himself.

He collected himself and ordered, "OK Linhardt, you warp Dimitri. Raphael will handle the archers. Let's get ready people."

The Chimeras prepared for combat as Byleth stayed behind, looking at the ring with a sigh. He clenched his fist, enraged at himself and his failure.

"Is he OK?" Claude whispered to Dorthea.

"I'll talk to him," Dorthea assured Claude, "Get ready. We won't be long."

Claude nodded and asked, "I take it you don't love him like the rest of us do?"

"Not really," Dorthea shrugged.

"I understand," Claude replied, "Do keep in mind you can't magically heal his mental wounds even if he does love you in a romantic way. Sure having a partner can help mental health but you shouldn't try to save him. Just be there for him as he heals."

"I know don't worry," Dorthea smiled.

"Well best of luck to you," Claude smiled, "We're ready when he is."

Claude exited, which left Dorthea to speak to Byleth alone.

"Do you have a moment?" Dorthea inquired.

Byleth sighed, sitting on the grass upon the hill over the city Cornelia defended.

"I mean I guess," Byleth sighed stroking the ring.

"I miss her too," Dorthea explained, "Her and I were... closer than you think."

"What?" Byleth inquired.

"It was two years before you returned," Dorthea explained...

"Look I appreciate the dinner," Dorthea explained as the two walked back to Garreg Mach after an evening away from the front lines, "But don't you still love Byleth? It's pretty obvious you're trying to woo me Edelgard."

"Oh come on you do too," Edelgard reminded, "Anyways I was thinking about that and... OK this is hard to explain but hear me out. Does the term polyamours mean anything to you?"

"Isn't that when one dude marries a bunch of girls?" Dorthea inquired.

"No that's polygamy and actually in my opinion immoral," Edelgard explained.