All This Time

I Wish I Could Stay...

The next few days passed by in a blur.

There were many celebrations, feasts, and overall just rest. The Golden Deer had cried together, laughed together, and just enjoyed their time together.

It was over.

Well, sort of.

"Hey, Teach...Could you meet me in the Goddess Tower tonight?" Claude requested, fidgeting. Byleth had nodded, a smile on her face. "Great. I'll see you there."

So here she was, walking up the many stairs winding up to the tower. Upon reaching the top, she saw Claude staring out the window forlornly.

"Hey," Byleth greeted, and he turned to face her. Claude smiled, but for the first time in awhile, it didn't reach his eyes.

What's going on?

"Hey, Teach. Sorry for calling you out here like this," Claude apologized, a nervous look in his eyes as he fiddled with something in his pocket. What...What could be wrong? The war is over, our struggle is done. "I wanted to talk...just the two of us."

"Okay," Byleth nodded, patiently waiting for him to continue. It must be important if he's so worked up. "Go on."

"First of all, I wanted to say thank you for all your hard work," Claude walked over to hold her hands tightly. "It seems like our long struggle may finally be coming to an end."

"Do you think it's really the end?" Byleth questioned, a sigh forming on her lips. They'd both been busy with meetings lately, both from excited individuals and angered nobles.

"Ah, the way forward will certainly be rough. Right now, Fódlan is like a newborn. Frail and easily upset," Claude shrugged, squeezing her hands in his. "If we don't create a new ruling system soon, the Empire and Kingdom will descend into chaos."

"Well, we already have a system. You're the king,
plain and simple," Byleth chuckled, but the smile slipped off her face when he didn't join her. Hesitancy filled her body with dread. "C-Claude..?"

"...Teach...Not exactly. The coronation ceremony is the first step of all this," Claude released her hands so he could run a hand through his dark, smooth hair. His nervous habit. Oh, Sothis, what's going on...? "Only then will Fódlan truly be a single, united land."

"Claude-"

His breathing was growing more panicked as he shifted from side to side.

"I'm...sorry that I won't be by your side at such an important event, but I'm certain you'll do great."

I'm...not following this conversation.

"You won't...be there?" Byleth furrowed her brow, confused. What is he saying...? "For your own-"

"It...It won't be my coronation," Claude looked down, refusing to look at her in fear of what he'd see. What do you mean it's not your coronation? "I must return to my homeland. As for ruling this new, unified land...Well, I'll leave that to you."

WHAT!???

I'm not fit to be a queen! Or an Archbishop, whatever!

Wait.

C-Claude, you're...you're leaving...?

"The Fódlan blood that flows in my veins...I've made use of it as best I could. Now I've got to use my other bloodline to change my home for the better," Claude explained, still refusing to look up at her. As he explained, Byleth could feel tears bubbling in her eyes. No, my love. You can't leave. I can't rule, not without you... I'm not good enough. "I have royal connections there too, insignificant as they may be," He paused for a brief moment, still fiddling with something in his pocket. "It's time for me to struggle all over again and see what good I can do. If I don't change things in both Fódlan and the lands beyond, I'll never set eyes on the kind of world I've dreamed of creating."