Not This Time

What She Did

"Hey, kid! I've got to talk to you."

Byleth turned around to see her father running to catch up to her. Byleth smiled; he was alright, but he'd been on constant missions lately. Jeralt finally made it to her, a stern look on his face.

"I don't have long. Rhea has been trying to keep me busy so that I couldn't tell you," Jeralt said quickly in a hushed tone. Byleth's smile faded as he rushed her into his private quarters. "Alright. I need to tell you everything."

"Everything? About-"

"About why we left this monastery in the first place,"'Jeralt responded hastily, making Byleth's eyes widen. "I know we discussed leaving and ultimately decided against it, but kid...Well, let me just tell you."

He made sure the door was locked before continuing, a suspicious and frantic look still on his face.

"Your mother...her name was Sitri Eisner. She was a monk here, always frail and unable to leave the monastery as Rhea took care of her..." Jeralt revealed, a nostalgic look on his face. "When she was pregnant with you, I had never been happier."

"Wait," Byleth interrupted, confused. "Wasn't I born after you left the monastery?"

"No. You can't tell anyone this," Jeralt warned, and then continued on with his story hurriedly. "Your mother died during childbirth, as you know. But I know Rhea did something to you. You were born a stillborn, you never laughed or cried...you were only alive once Rhea did something to you. And she kept watching over you, waiting. Waiting for something to happen."

"That's why she's so interested in me," Byleth muttered to herself, overwhelmed from the amount of information flooding her way. "But what did she do?"

"I have no idea," Jeralt shook his head, just as in the dark as Byleth was. "But I figure it has something to do with your heart not beating."

"...It has to do with Sothis."

"What?"

"That's why Rhea is so interested. It's got to be," Byleth mused, tapping her foot on the ground in concentration. "She's always talking about how I'll receive a divine revelation...But why? She's the reason I had Sothis with me, then..? ...I have to tell Claude."

"What? No. Did you not just hear a word I said?" Jeralt sighed, a frustrated expression on his grizzled features. "No one can hear about this."

"But I trust Claude," Byleth argued, a stern look on her face. She'd never had to disagree with her father before, how strange! "He's just as curious about the church as I am. I'm sure Edelgard might know something as well-"

"Kid, I don't know what kind of...relationships you have with those two," Jeralt said hesitantly, narrowing his eyes at the beginning of his sentence as if in distaste. He continued on in a lower tone. "But if this information gets out, I doubt Rhea would be very happy."

"They wouldn't tell anyone," Byleth replied firmly and confidently. They wouldn't. Although Claude had seemed shady, she knew he wouldn't spill her secrets. Edelgard had shared her secrets and Byleth had kept them hidden, so she trusted her not to say anything. "I promise. Any information is vital to finding out what Rhea did to me."

"...I'll trust your call, kid," Jeralt relented, a constant frown always on his face. Like usual. The family just wasn't very good at smiling, but Byleth was trying to grow out of that. "...What is your relationship with Claude and Edelgard? You...uh..leading them on, or something?"

"What?" Byleth furrowed her brow in surprise and confusion. "Leading them on? What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on. We don't have to pretend like I didn't notice," Jeralt's expression softened slightly as he ruffled his daughter's newly minty green hair with his hand. "It was bound to happen once you found people your age, but.."

"Slow down. What do you mean?"

"C'mon, kid," Jeralt shook his head, "The hand-holding, the teasing, the flirting...granted, if any of them try to make a move on you, I'm coming full force at them-"

"Make a move on me? What do you mean?" Byleth frowned, subconsciously touching her hands together. The hand-holding? Was...Was that not normal, or something? "Wait, flirting-?"

"If I had to pick for you, I'd pick Dimitri," Jeralt decided, unaware that his daughter had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. "But you barely even talk to him, so I guess he's gone. I suppose Edelgard would be alright since she saved me and all that."

"Edelgard? Yes, I like Edelgard," Byleth nodded slowly, furrowing her brow at him. "...and...?"

"...and you'll find who you want," Jeralt finished gruffly. "I've got to head back out before Rhea grows suspicious, but keep in mind what I said. Got it?"

"Yes. Goodbye, father."