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[flame_emperor]

This is Edelgard von Hresvelg. I'm afraid I am not currently available. Please leave a message and I will respond to it when able. Thank you.

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after... lorenz...

[hegemonwings]

El, we need to tell Ferdinand the truth.

Text

[flame_emperor]

[Edelgard had been waiting to hear from Byleth after she went off to speak to Lorenz. When the notification comes through she's quick to check, and sighs in frustration, shoulders sagging.]

I take it Count Gloucester is insisting is he? It must be very easy for him to make demands of a Fódlan that is not his own when there is already a plan

[Damn Lorenz. Damn him! Because as much as Edelgard is angry at Lorenz inserting himself into this matter and upsetting the careful planning that has gone into ensuring her Fódlan doesn't suffer another bloody conflict it cannot afford...

...she knows Byleth is right. Lying to the rest of the Black Eagles had made sense at the time, was a necessary evil. But it had always sat uneasy with her, deep down in her gut. The same justifications that had led her to remain secretive about her plans and identity as the Flame Emperor, things she wanted to believe she was past. And that was Thales' influence too. Everything in Edelgard she hated about herself came from him, and even now he poisons her still. So she takes a moment to collect herself before she starts again.]

You're right. I know that you are. But these are less than ideal conditions. I can't be certain how Ferdinand will react.

How much time do we have before Count Gloucester takes matters into his own hands?

[hegemonwings]

Easy, little flower.

[ she sends that quickly after edelgard's initial rant, knowing lorenz has set her furious. ]

I don't like him sticking his nose into our business either. But he isn't wrong about this.

He didn't say. But he was clear that if we didn't, he would. We parted on something of an understanding, so I don't believe spite is driving him

[ she pauses, hesitant, typing and retyping, until: ]

We should have told them sooner. I want to make it right.

[flame_emperor]

It's all right, my teacher. I apologize.

No. No he isn't. I can admit that much. And Ferdinand's support when we move will be critical.

I wish this was...easier.

[She knows Byleth knows what she means.]

Lysithea knows. I know she does. I think she's almost asked me directly a few times but changed her mind at the last moment. We will need to tell Caspar as well, but I don't foresee much difficulty there, at least.

I'll reach out to Ferdinand myself. Ask him to meet.

[hegemonwings]

[ she does. byleth can't help smiling as she reads the followup texts. ]

I'll be there with you. The blame is just as much with Hubert and I. It's not just your problem to fix.

[ translation: it's not All Your Fault, we both screwed up, let's fix it together. ]

Have you eaten lunch yet? I can stop somewhere.

[flame_emperor]

...I know. Thank you, Byleth. I love you.

No, I haven't. I was waiting to hear how things with Lorenz went. I...lost track of time. I'd like that.

[hegemonwings]

[ she wishes she knew how to properly convey her feelings over text, especially now that checking in this way has become more and more a part of their days here. ]

I love you too, my heart. No matter what.

[ it doesn't feel like enough, and something about it feels artificial. like it's just not suited for this way of speaking. she sighs, leaning her head onto the top edge of her phone for a moment in mild frustration. ]

Any preferences, or something you've wanted to try? Real food, El, not just sweets.

[ she knows edelgard's favorites, of course. but this place has such a fascinating mix of cuisines... ]

[flame_emperor]

[Edelgard's fingers run along the screen, tracing the words of Byleth's reply. She knows the turmoil her wife feels about her ability to feel such emotions, but she wanted to say it, and will do so again in person where Byleth can express herself more freely. It won't ever stop being true.]

There was a restaurant advertising something called "Pad Thai". I don't know what it is exactly, but the smells coming from within were absolutely delightful. Shall we give that a try?

[hegemonwings]

[ now that sounds like edelgard. she smiles fondly at the screen, pulling up a search for the likely spot. and since she's been talking to claude and flayn... guess what she knows how to do. ]

Excellent suggestion, Your Majesty. I'll see to it at once. ❤

[flame_emperor]

[Edelgard stares at the screen, blinking in surprise before an amused smile creeps across her face.]

...You've been getting up to things I see.

I'll want to be shown how to do that particular trick when you get home.

[hegemonwings]

I'll be happy to demonstrate. It should be less than an hour.

[ true to her word, she opens the door in around 40 minutes, a bag of takeout containers in one hand and a white paperboard box in the other. ]

El? I'm back. [ she calls that as she steps in, closing the door behind herself. time to step in and see what pad thai is. ]

text - post-event

[leicesters]

Hey Edelgard. I heard you helped fight the dragon that attacked Celliwig.

Are you okay?

[physically, emotionally? both, really.]

[flame_emperor]

I was, for all the good it did.

I am...tired. Celliwig was not a sight I'd hoped to ever lay eyes on again, and certainly not so soon after Fhirdiad. I was so sure we could prevent it, Claude. I had a plan in place that would have stopped the dragon dead in its tracks and made it easy to finish off.

But I was not prepared for so many people to rush to the beast's defense. My own plan was ruined by some naïve fool who thought he could talk it down. And now Celliwig is gone. It's hard not to feel bitter to have defeat snatched from the jaws of victory like that.

[Even now the sheer bloody arrogance Darin had demonstrated, that violence against the dragon was in no way permissible even as it rampaged ever closer to Celliwig. For someone who crowed about "preserving as much life as possible" he'd certainly let a great many innocent Fae die for his ideals. And the dragon repaid him by running off and disappearing. She'd managed to put aside her anger afterwards because there were far more important matters to attend to, but if it were up to her, Darin would be rotting in a prison cell, just as much Celliwig's murderer as the dragon. It was unforgiveable.]

[leicesters]

I don't think it was wrong to try to talk to the dragon, but anyone trying to do so should have backed down when it was clear it wasn't up for negotiation. I'm assuming that's not what happened?

[He also has an idea of who she might be talking about, given he mentioned Edelgard by name...]

There's still so much about this land we don't know. It makes it difficult to predict what could happen next.

[flame_emperor]

We were set up behind the main force. I had blood mages, and soldiers. The blood mages and I would have attacked the dragon internally, using our magic to make it sluggish and sleepy. It was going to be a hard fight and I needed every hand I had gathered to make it work. Once we'd incapacitated it, the soldiers could have moved in and finished it off with a great deal more ease. But one of the men I had gathered took issue with the plan, said we had to try and make the dragon understand, see reason. When he wouldn't fall in line, I attempted to have him removed.

He reacted stupidly. The fool should be clapped in irons and thrown in a cell for his recklessness.

Especially with the beast still in the air. I don't think it returned to its cave, but it is still out there somewhere, and now has no reason whatsoever not to react with extreme aggression to us. It needs to be found and dealt with.

[That's really the long and the short of it now, whatever people like Darin might have hoped for. The dragon is their enemy now. No amount of talking will change that fact. And it can't be allowed to hide in whatever bit of wilderness it's managed to squirrel itself away in.]

[leicesters]

Agreed, but it needs to be dealt with using careful planning, in a way that won't draw its anger toward Camelot. It seemed to take issue with Celliwig specifically, but if it's provoked again it might just decide all human and fae settlements should be razed to the ground.

Who knows? Maybe it'll find a new cave to hole up in for a while.

audio; un: redsaber

[umuperor]

Lady Hresvelg! It is Saber... ah, Nero, that is. Could you spare the time to meet later? I should like for us to be friends, in this place.

[ not at all caring whether that might sound presumptuous or not. ]

Audio

[flame_emperor]

Oh, Nero. Hello. It's been awhile, has it not? Forgive me for parting ways with you at the cliffs, I knew you were in good hands when we reached the top. I did not wish to be in the way.

Please, you needn't stand on ceremony with me in this place. "Edelgard" is fine, if you like. And I am very open to that idea. I have been wondering how you've been getting on since your arrival. Did...did you find any sign of your wife?

[She's guessing not, it was a long shot to begin with, but she does hope for the best in this case, that Nero was as fortunate as she herself was.]

[umuperor]

Edelgard it is, then! You've no need to apologize, I am sure you had other matters to attend to. And... well, no, [ saber lets out a breath, a touch of something wistful entering her tone, ] I did not. There have been no shortage of others from worlds similar to mine, but... It appears my Praetor still waits for me in our new Empire.

solstice

[hegemonwings]

[ after thinking on it, only one thing had felt appropriate for edelgard's gift. it was a good local tradition, even if the idea of celebrating st. cichol's day might somewhat gall both of them at home.

after the ceremony, she stands against a railing as she slips her hands into her pockets in the cold of the square, letting her fingers trace over the small box she's stowed away—the pieces she had commissioned before they departed camelot. ]

I have a gift for you, El.

[flame_emperor]

Next to Byleth, Edelgard turns, her head lilting in surprise. "Oh?" She asks, blinking. "Now?" Edelgard haf a gift of her own, but had been waiting until they got home to give it. She hadn't wanted to risk losing or damaging it in transit. Travel in Avalon tended to be somewhat...hectic.

"Well, I certainly don't mind." She leans against Byleth warmly. "What is it, love?"

[hegemonwings]

Byleth can't help smiling at Edelgard's reaction, shifting forward to brush her lips against her temple. "It seems like as good a place as any. Especially with the view," she comments, turning to glance over her shoulder. She closes her hand around the small jewelry box and finally brings it out, but doesn't unfold her fingers from it, keeping her fist firmly around the thing.

"I know that you want to wait until the work is done to have our ceremony, and I agree with you. But..." she begins with a bit of almost uncharacteristic hesitation, face somewhat reddened.

[flame_emperor]

"Well, I can't argue with that." Edelgard turns briefly to look around out over the railing. When she feels Byleth pull something out of her coat, her expression grows puzzled. "Our work?" For a moment she wonders what business in Avalon could be so important before realization sets in. Byleth isn't talking about their work in Avalon. She looks down to Byleth's hand and the small object clutched in her hand, and her face begins to redden in response, her eyes going wide.

"Byleth...is...is that...?"

[hegemonwings]

Byleth nods, finally, bringing her hand up and revealing the box. It's a simple black ring box, a little longer than most typically would be.

"Open it," she offers, voice quiet.

[flame_emperor]

Edelgard takes the box, carefully as though it was the most precious thing in the world, because to her, right now it is. She opens it slowly, releasing the breath she's been holding in.

"Byleth...it's beautiful."

[hegemonwings]

A matching set of women's wedding bands sit inside, one in white gold, the other in yellow. Each has a trail of small gems set along its face—deep and dark sapphires in one, shining rubies in the other. Gingerly, Byleth reaches for the white gold ring, holding it up with a similar amount of care.

"Would you take your glove off for me?" she asks, indicating the hand that bears her mother's ring.

[flame_emperor]

"I...yes, of course." Edelgard nods, carefully pulling off the indicated glove. It's telling how quickly and without thought she moves to do so, considering how she normally insists on covering up in public. There are some old cuts visible of course but nothing so trivial will ruin this moment. She offers the hand gingerly, the ring of Sitri Eisner glittering in the light.

[hegemonwings]

It's lucky, of course, that she already knew Edelgard's size from having the engagement ring adjusted back in Enbarr. Almost reverently, thumb tracing over one of those scars as a matter of habit, she grasps her hand loosely in one of her own, sliding the wedding band onto her ring finger. It settles firmly into place just above the inherited ring, and Byleth brings her hand up to her lips to kiss the back of it.

"Obliging as ever," she hums, smile tugging at her lips.

[flame_emperor]

Edelgard is much freer with her wide smile as Byleth slips the wedding band on and kisses her hand. "For you, always." She agrees, then hums pleasantly. "It fits like a dream." She offers, because that is kind of what it feels like, foolish and romantic that it is. She then looks down to the box and the other ring, waiting to be placed.

"May I?" She asks quietly, looking to meet Byleth's gaze.

[hegemonwings]

Byleth's own smile comes just as freely when she sees Edelgard so unrestrained, and she kisses her hand again almost out of reflex.

"Please," she assents, letting go of Edelgard's hand to remove her own glove.

[flame_emperor]

Once Byleth's hand is de-gloved, Edelgard takes a minute to run her own hand over it, tenderly and loving. Then she takes the ring out gingerly and with care slips it onto Byleth's own finger. It feels...definitive. Ceremony or not, this feels like a true beginning of something new for them both, and the rings that now adore both their hands are the proof, no matter what anyone else says. Not teacher and student, not Emperor and High General.

Byleth Eisner is her wife. As Edelgard is hers.

Still holding onto her hand, Edelgard leans up for a kiss to make the moment truly perfect. "I love you." She whispers, the moment before their lips meet.