Not This Time

The Battle At Gronder

It was the same battlefield...but everything was so much more worse this time.

No longer was this a playful mock battle. They wouldn't be celebrating with a feast after all this; no, people would die here today. People that Byleth knew and had once talked to would have to die here.

But with Byleth's assistance...hopefully all of this could change. With luck, none of that would happen. As they approached the battlefield, Byleth tensely bit her lip. Would she be able to change anything, or would she only proceed to make things worse?

"I see that nothing gets past you," A man with long, blonde, scruffy hair stepped out from behind the Kingdom troops. Byleth could just barely recognize him to be Dimitri based off of his royal blue irises. While they had once been filled with kindness, all Byleth could see was rage as Dimitri glared at Edelgard. "Of course the demon herself has come to quell any hope we might have had.."

"...Years ago, we fought here as classmates," Edelgard noted, glancing at Dimitri coldly. Her gaze was stern and harsh, but Byleth noted the slight hint of sadness on her face. Edelgard glanced downward solemnly. "But...not today."

"...This has got to be the worst class reunion in all of history," A familiar voice resounded from behind Alliance troops, and Byleth felt herself gasp as a man decked in gold and cream stepped out. His dark hair was slicked back, no longer unruly, and he had grown out a short beard. He looked...good. As he gazed over to Imperial troops, his jaw dropped in obvious surprise, removing his usual composed state. "N-No way...Teach?"

"Claude," Byleth breathed his name, feeling her chest tighten as they merely watched each other. She was still admiring the sight of the new him while he was shocked about her appearance.

"Yes. My teacher has indeed returned," Edelgard cut in, drawing both of their attentions away from each other. Edelgard frowned deeper, but a bit of fury now tainted her features. "Fire!"

Confused, Byleth turned to see catapults from her own side, and they shot balls of hot fire toward the others. In a stupor, Byleth quickly glanced back toward the Alliance.

Claude merely stood there, a suppressed look of horror on his face as his soldiers were hit and burned. The pink haired wyvern rider, Hilda, approached him with a solemn look. Byleth shook her head from side to side as Claude glanced at her, but he didn't look very convinced. After all, Byleth was on the side that was attacking first...

"...Enough. Kill every last one of them!" Dimitri roared, unsheathing his lance with an audible slice of metal as he charged forward. His soldiers followed behind him, combined with the church's troops.

"And so we fight on..." Edelgard sighed, urging her troops forward. They charged as Edelgard stayed backward. Byleth watched as she led her troops from behind.

Claude's gaze didn't leave her, not even as he raised his arm to signal his troops forward. As he lowered his hand, making his troops charge, a single word didn't escape his lips. He finally broke eye contact, closing his eyes before joining his soldiers into the fray.

I have to get over there.

Byleth headed to the right, in the direction of the Alliance. She needed to talk to him; the plan wouldn't be to kill anyone, or even attack anyone. Judging by Edelgard's fiery attack, she wasn't opposed to taking down their forces.

But Byleth wasn't ready for that.

"My teacher, be careful!" Edelgard called out urgently, but Byleth rushed out before she could get another word in. Unable to travel quite as far or fast as Byleth, Edelgard was left defending her own troops from the backline.

Her father, however, was much quicker.

"Kid, I already told you. The Alliance wants nothing to do with us," Jeralt reminded her sternly, easily keeping up with her from atop his steed. "You're going to get yourself killed by going here alone."

"He wouldn't hurt me," Byleth responded confidently, her sword still comfortably in its sheath. "I know it."

"You're being reckless!" Jeralt frowned, and Byleth paused. This was the first time she'd ever really heard him openly yell at her. "...I know I can't stop you. Your mother was the same type of stubborn...So at least let me come with you."

"Dad..." Byleth sighed. "Okay. Come on."

Byleth continued onward, only stopping once she made her way to the forest. Claude had to be in there, she knew it. He was always one to make use of his territory...and he couldn't afford to lose this battle.

"In here," Byleth told him tensely, and Jeralt took the vanguard as his horse galloped in front of her. The pair slowly advanced into the dark, looming trees.

The birds tweeted innocently, unaware of what was to come. Byleth heard a swoosh of noise, and she turned in it's direction with a quick pivot. Jeralt began to approach when Byleth suddenly watched an arrow fly toward them. She leaned back just in time to watch it fly past her face, burying itself into a tree behind her. Byleth felt her lips curve into a smile.

"Stay here," Byleth instructed before slowly approaching the direction of the arrow. She advanced forward with her hand outstretched...

The breath was taken out of her as someone grabbed her hand, hastily pulling her upward. Byleth cried out in pain as her arm jerked out of it's socket, but as she was hoisted onto the treetops, her sound was cut off as she made eye contact with one particular person.

His emerald eyes looked at her with caution as they settled onto the treetop, and he subconsciously squeezed her hand tighter. After a moment of just shocked silence, he finally spoke.

"Teach...it's really you?"