All This Time

Reach for my Hand...

Like Claude had promised, he had sent out a letter requesting the Emperor of Adrestia's presence.

No foul play.

They just wanted to know why.

Byleth didn't have a lot of hope that Edelgard would surrender, but she figured it was still worth a shot, and it would appease Claude's conscious. At the very least, Claude needed to know just why Edelgard had declared war, and Byleth needed to know why she had such an infatuation with her.

Was it something Byleth had done? In a way, she felt partly responsible for the war, even though her mind and common sense told her that she had no part in Edelgard's decision. Still, Byleth couldn't help how she felt.

"My teacher. Claude."

Edelgard had come.

Of course, the Emperor of Adrestia hadn't forgotten to bring along her trusted servant, Hubert. Soldiers from each side surrounded around them, and Byleth stood with Claude at her side. While they had their weapons, everyone has sworn not to attack.

Byleth didn't intend to break her promise, but if Edelgard attacked...

Well, she wasn't above rewinding time.

"Edelgard," Byleth greeted tensely, and Claude instinctively shifted closer towards her protectively. They had the upper hand, not that Edelgard knew that.

"Your teacher?" Claude raised his brow, annoyed by the term of endearment that Edelgard called his Teach. Oh, dear. They're not going to get along very well, are they? He narrowed his eyes at her. "That's a new one, Edelgard. Did you come up with it recently?"

"She will forever be my teacher, regardless of if she chose my house or not," Edelgard replied smoothly, her appearance as impeccable and ornate as ever. "My most valued teacher."

"Oh please," Claude scoffed, protectively puffing his chest out slightly. "She's not your teacher. She didn't choose the Black Eagles. She chose the Golden Deer, she chose me."

"She is wrong minded to choose you," Edelgard tensed up slightly as Claude rubbed his victory in over her head. She turned to Byleth. "New hairstyle, my teacher? It suits you."

"I did it," Claude announced, and Byleth reached out to grasp his hand. She pleadingly looked up at him, hoping he'd stop the arguing. She knew he couldn't help but tease and insult Edelgard whenever they saw each other, but they were here for a peace meeting.

"I could have done better."

"Enough," Byleth interrupted them with an authoritative tone, stopping the two from bickering any longer over her. Since they both respected her opinion, they stopped staring each other down immediately and glanced at her. She uncomfortably shifted her eyes away from the Flame Emperor. "Edelgard, we came here to ask you just why you have started this war, not to bicker. Truly. We've been left in the dark like everyone else."

"The crest system is flawed. Perfectly capable rulers were cast aside simply because they were not born with a crest," Edelgard frowned. "It's wrong and unjust. The Church of Seiros must be stopped!"

"You know...I actually agree that the crest system is wrong," Claude crossed his arms, his bow strapped around his shoulder. "It's wrong indeed. Just like the closed border. But we can't achieve our goals through bloodlust and violence!"

"Hmm. Perhaps you would have been a suitable successor for my empire," Edelgard mused instead, ignoring what he had said. "But you know too little, and you're not strong willed enough to support bloodshed. Only I can bear the weight of the truth."