All This Time

Unexpected Visitor

NOTE: IF YOU PLAY FE HEROES, THE CHOOSE YOUR LEGEND POLL IS UP! EVERYONE GO VOTE FOR CLAUDE RIGHT NOW PLEASE AND THANK YOU.

After the bloody battle at Gronder Field, the troops were exhausted. Byleth and Claude could barely hold themselves together, but they kept pushing in order to keep morale up. Once they got back to the monastery, they both collapsed on her bed.

"...Teach," He sounded almost delirious, as if his voice would float away from his body at any moment. "Tomorrow, I'm going to send a letter...Asking Edelgard to meet us."

"...She won't compromise," Byleth said softly. If there was anything Byleth remembered about Edelgard, it was the fact that the girl would never give up. She always had a determined look in her lavender eyes. "She hasn't given up in five years, nothing will change now."

"We need to try," Claude responded, and Byleth rolled around in the bed to see the determined look in his eyes. "I won't allow us to go in and fight without giving her a chance."

"You gave her a chance earlier, and she didn't take it."

"Well, we cant give up on her."

"Claude..." Byleth sighed heavily. "I want to save Edelgard too. But I don't think she'll give up. I don't want to kill her, she was my student. But we can try. Maybe you should try to arrange something."

"I will tomorrow..." Claude's voice slowly drifted off, and Byleth watched as his eyes closed and his breathing slowed. She smiled drowsily, pulling his arm around her as she curled up beside him.

They had never slept so well.

———

A frantic knocking on their door woke them up.

Claude groaned, and Byleth quickly pushed herself up so that he didn't have to. She grabbed her Sword of the Creator from the top of the dresser just in case. Byleth opened the door, and upon seeing an unknown figure, she swung her sword.

The person ducked under Byleth's blade, nimbly weaving and dodging all of her sloppy attacks. The intruder held her hands up in surrender.

"Please, stop! I am not here to hurt you!"

Byleth finally stopped swinging her sword and took a good look at the invader as Claude placed a hand on her shoulder. The person had magenta hair braided eloquently, and markings on her darker skinned face. Her clothes were distinctly different from Fódlan culture. Wait...

"Petra, is that you?" Claude finally questioned for her, and she nodded. Petra bit her lip nervously, lowering her hands.

"I...I ran," Petra took a deep breath as Byleth slowly lowered her sword, eyes wide in disbelief. She...came back...? Even though she wasn't part of the Deer...? "Edelgard was not rude. She told me I could commit to leaving. So I tried...and Hubert caught me. He did the tripping of guilt... and ever since then, guards have been watching me constantly. Edelgard did not know, and Hubert stuck even closer to her..."

"Damn. They really held you hostage like that?" Claude pressed his lips into a thin line, a tense look on his face. "For five years...?"

"I finally have escaped," Petra lowered her hands cautiously. "I hope to join your army, but I can understand if you could not choose to trust me."

"No, Petra. I believe you," Byleth nodded. She was about to step forward to hug her student when a hand axe came flying between them. Petra flipped backwards, immediately on alert as they looked over to see a overprotective Seteth.

"Step away from them!" Seteth held another axe in his hands, worried for Byleth's and Claude's safety. If the situation wasn't so dire, Byleth would have felt flattered by his concern. "We cannot just let her join! What if she is a spy? She was coinciding with the enemy!"

"Are you serious?" Claude crossed his arms and frowned. Perhaps he had been a little too trusting, but after all the death they had watched, he was desperate for a respite. "She's a defector, and I'm almost certain that we can trust her, Seteth. Petra had never given us any trouble before, and I don't think Edelgard would send her of all people to spy on us."

"Seteth, please lower your weapon," Byleth was quick to keep her tone steady and calm. She didn't want to cause any more panic as it would lead to hostility. "Edelgard would have been better off sending someone we didn't know if she wanted a mole. I believe Petra is telling the truth."

"I...I do not have to stay if I am unwelcome," Petra shifted from side to side uneasily as Seteth still looked tense and uncertain. She didn't want them to fight over her. "I will just head back to Brigid."

"No. We need you with us, Petra," Claude disagreed, shaking his head quickly. He turned to Seteth pleadingly. "Trust our judgment, please. I know you've been betrayed before, but Petra won't do that. I promise."

"Well, Professor? Is this what you believe to be the best choice?" Seteth eyed Byleth. She felt a little bit annoyed that he was trusting her so willingly; just because Rhea was infatuated with her didn't mean that her opinion was more valuable than Claude's. Still, she knew that she had to reply, or Seteth would ignore Claude and act on his own judgment.

"Yes," Byleth nodded, walking over and standing in front of Petra. After a brief moment, Seteth sighed and lowered his weapon. Claude smiled, relief flooding his features.

"Welcome back," Claude offered Petra a handshake. The princess of Brigid accepted his gesture, a smile slowly growing on her face.

"Thank you very much, Professor, Claude..."

"No worries," Byleth placed a hand on Petra's shoulder comfortingly. "I'm always here for my students...You know, I really wanted to recruit you. I just lost track of time when Edelgard...well, declared war and everything..."

"Is that true? I was not aware...I thought you were purposely seeking to avoid me," Petra responded awkwardly. "I am the glad to be here."

"I'm glad you're here too," Byleth nodded. After the horrible battle of Gronder, finally, she felt...relief.

Finally...My Golden Deer are coming all back together.