All This Time

Bonus: Secret Song

"Come on, Jer!"

Magnolia von Riegan mischievously urged her older brother along. Now she was eight, and more than eager to continue exploring the monastery alone! Their parents were off together on their anniversary or something, leaving Seteth as their babysitter. Naturally, the children had taken the opportunity to run off as soon as possible before the man could go and make them file boring paperwork or something.

"You really want to go get in more trouble?" Ten year old Jeralt von Riegan questioned, an unsure look on his face as he slicked his brown hair back with one hand. "You know mom is gonna kill us for disrespecting Uncle Seteth...again."

"If we're gonna get in trouble, we should do it right!" Magnolia snickered, her emerald eyes shining in complete mischief. "Come on! I've always wanted to check out everyone's rooms!"

"Ah, you mean the ones upstairs? Ah...Fine," Jeralt relented, a smile appearing on his face. "I can't say no to exploring. Especially when Uncle Lorenz's old stuff is rumored to still be there!"

"What kind of things do you think he kept?" Magnolia mused as they snuck up the stairs. "Some weird stuff, I'm sure."

"Well, we're about to find out."

They finally made it up, and in the process of trying to find Lorenz's room, actually found their father's old room. Naturally, curiosity overtook them...and they headed inside.

"Wow. It's a lot messier in here than I expected," Jeralt admitted. Their father wasn't exactly known for being clean, but this was above him. Papers were scattered all over the floor, and a vase of dead flowers was still seated on his desk. "Do you think mom gave him those?"

"Oh, I hope so!" Magnolia smiled, looking through the papers. Most of the writing was so frantic she couldn't understand it, or a mess of battle plans and schemes that Magnolia didn't quite get. However, her eyes caught upon some words that she could get; The Edge of Dawn. Magnolia grabbed the paper, surprised to see...a poem? "Dad writes poetry?"

"Hah! No way!" Jeralt shook his head. "Let's see...No, this has to be a song. Dad sings!? What!? I mean, I know he has a guitar, but-"

"No, no," Magnolia her head, directing her finger to another line. "It says right here that this is...Dorothea's...Aunty Dorothea's part! But what is Aunty Dorothy's stuff doing in Claude's room?"

"Meh, no idea," Jeralt shrugged. "Come on, let's go snoop around some more! We're in too deep now, hehe!"

"Yeah..I'm coming," Magnolia answered, but the wheels began to turn in her head. She had an idea...she could only hope it turned out well.

———

Little Magnolia had called for a meeting about four weeks later, and the parents were wildly confused.

"What do you think she has to say?" Byleth questioned, a suspicious look on her face. "If it's about her wanting a pegasus, the answer is still no-"

"She's old enough if she wanted," Claude defended his little girl, and he ran a hand through his chocolatey brown hair. "But I doubt this meeting is about that...Ah, geez. We're being ordered around by our daughter."

"That happened even before her. Jer was the same way," Byleth argued, and the little boy just sighed at their bickering.

"Mags is taking forever," Jeralt whined, leaning backward onto his mother. He closed his teal eyes, a frown prominent on his face. "Just what could she be doing?"

"Pre-paring-for-you-guys!"

Magnolia emerged from seemingly nowhere, out of breath as she carried a guitar with her. Claude's guitar.

"Hey, where'd you get that-" Claude crossed his arms, and Magnolia only smiled innocently up at him.

"Your room, thanks," Magnolia grinned. "But I prepared something for all of you-guys-" Magnolia strained herself to lift the guitar, finally settling it into her lap. It dwarfed her tiny body, but she cleared her throat and pretended as if she was just fine. "I...am going to sing a song for you guys!"

"A song?" Claude raised his brow, confused. Suddenly, a look of realization snuck over his features. "You...You didn't find that, did you?"

"This song is called...The Edge of Dawn," Magnolia revealed, and while Claude facepalmed, Byleth looked pleasantly amused. "I devote it to my lovely parents!"

"That's not your song-" Claude tried to protest, but Byleth merely hit him on the shoulder. "Hey!"

"Just let her do it."

"Okay!" Magnolia plucked the guitar string lightly, a smile on her face. She was nervous, but she was already in front of them. She might as well do it! "Are you ready?"

"Yes, we are, darling."

"Okay! Then here we go-!"

(enjoy :) it took freaking forever to make btw so i'm glad it worked out)

love you all sm, i hope you'll take the time to watch!