Chapter Text
The same dream haunts him again, the forest is a maze of fire and bodies and blood.
In his memories, Dimitri runs through the burning landscape with all his might. But no matter how hard he tries; he knows he can't escape this hellish red world.
The dragon, his soulmate, is the one who rescues him in his nightmares.
But reality is different.
On that night four years ago in Duscur, Dimitri was the only one left alive, and because he was the only one left, he felt that he needed to live on.
He ran, because he thought that it was dangerous to stay in one place.
It was already a miracle that he was still standing, so he couldn't expect to be saved.
As if to mock him, an assassin chose that exact moment to catch up to him. The wickedly sharp blade slashed downwards, slicing through his front without mercy. As Dimitri laid there in the dirt, the fire seemed to close in around him.
In the end, he sighed and stared at the dark clouds looming overhead.
The assassin stood above him; the bloodied blade poised to sever his neck from his shoulders.
...He doesn't recall what happened afterwards.
According to Gustave, he'd rescued him from the assailant and administered first aid just in time.
Dimitri is painfully aware of this stark difference between reality and dreams. He knows he can't rely on the Goddess or any divine miracle to keep his soulmate safe.
Which is why he has to follow her to keep her safe himself.
He isn't sure why she didn't let him join the hunting party, even though he offered his strength. He didn't argue with her, knowing that she was already going through too many emotions as it was.
Byleth at least takes the cloak he offers. It is cold today, and he hopes that the cloak would at least protect her as she moves. Many eyes are on her as she puts it on her shoulders.
She nuzzles into the fur and Dimitri feels his mouth go dry at how adorable she looks, her red cheeks buried in his coat. The gesture feels so much more intimate than anything he's ever seen her do, even in his own dreams. He can almost imagine her nuzzling against his own neck while he's wearing it.
No, he can't let himself be distracted. Edelgard is watching both of them with narrowed eyes and Hubert has his arms crossed and his lips in a grim line.
Byleth’s gaze meets his as she nods her head slowly. "Thank you, Dimitri. I'll return to you when the deed is done."
His fists clench at his sides. He won't ask twice. When Byleth and the Black Eagles prepare to move out to the Sealed Forest, Dimitri can't shake this terrible, ominous feeling lodged in his chest.
The sensation only grows worse as he watches them depart from the main gates.
Beside him, Claude also watches the Eagles go past. There's something in his gaze that tells Dimitri that he isn't happy about the situation, either. Claude has his hand in his pocket and it looks like he's rubbing something inside. Dedue is silently watching over them both with a concerned look.
Dimitri glances at his friend out of the corner of his eye. Trying to get out of here without Dedue following him might become a problem.
Claude suddenly wraps an arm around his shoulder, distracting him from his plotting. "That was a pretty expensive gift, Your Highness. It’s almost as if you want to start another rumor about your romantic entanglements."
Byleth may have accepted his cloak, but that didn’t mean that she had accepted his true intentions. So he looks away from Claude and watches how the cloak wraps around her and whips in the wind. Byleth seems to pull it tighter around her, but from this distance, he cannot be sure. She's getting father from his reach, and he needs to get away quickly if he wants to catch up to the Eagles.
Claude tilts his head at Dimitri's dismissal, and his eyes go to where Byleth and the others are disappearing into the distance. He leans in close and he whispers "Whoa there buddy, I'd love to help you sneak off buuuuut I'd be in trouble if I just let that happen.”
Claude’s other hand is still in his pocket and Dimitri tries not to scowl at the Heir. Byleth is getting further from him and at that moment he can't think of another way to do what he wants and follow her. Not without literally pushing Claude off of him.
The two House Leaders glance at each other. The moment green eyes meet blue ones, they are already moving. There is a glint of something as Claude tries to catch Dimitri with his other hand.
Dimitri's hand clamps around Claude's other wrist as Dedue catches his arm and twists it behind Claude’s back. "Whatever that is, please drop it. There is no need for those types of measures."
It’s too late, the way that Claude is forced to hold it because of Dedue’s grip has the needle of the object piercing Claude’s skin. "It would’ve only made him sleepy. I was thinking about using it on Teach to keep her here instead of running off straight into the enemy’s ambush, but she left before I could administer it. It’s a pain to make, but I guess… I got the dosage right… damn…"
Dimitri’s eyes go wide at how quickly the serum took effect. Was Claude truly ready to go this far just to keep Byleth at Garreg Mach? Could it be that he knew something about this mission?
Dedue stares coldly down at Claude’s sleeping form in his arms before looking back up at Dimitri. "Your Highness, do not play coy and insult either of us. I already know that you intend to go after her. I will offer my blade to you once more, but if you still refuse, know that I will give you a head start of getting Von Reigan to the infirmary and no longer."
Reinforcements may be necessary, and Dimitri knows that he would be a fool not to take the offer. He also knows that Dedue will not be swayed. "Then I'd better get going."
Dedue's frighteningly tense expression instantly melts away at his answer. Just because he has decided to follow his soulmate and the Black Eagles into the Sealed Forest doesn't mean he has chosen to simply run away from Dedue.
Borrowing a spare cloak from his friend, Dimitri begins following the Eagles into the Sealed Forest on foot. He won't let Kroyna claim anymore lives, not while he had the power to prevent such it. More importantly, he refuses to lose the bond he's found.
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The battlefield is already chaotic by the time Dimitri arrives on the scene. Edelgard rallies her fellow Eagles and together they easily overcome the horde of Demonic Beasts that stand in their way. As for Byleth herself, the way her blade cuts through the enemy is always beautiful to behold, but Dimitri can’t allow himself to be distracted this time.
He uses the trees for cover, moving stealthily closer to Byleth’s position while killing any dark mages that had remained hidden just like him. Dimitri had no lance in hand; there wasn’t any time to properly arm himself before leaving Garreg Mach. He only has the sword he kept at his side, but he dispatches the mages with ease.
Something about their masks are familiar to him but he doesn’t have time to think about it when Byleth chases the wounded Kronya to a wide open platform with the four pillars. He notices that Solon has teleported closer in the meantime and he feels dread creeping along his spine. The old mage is preparing something heinous. Dimitri can’t allow him to succeed. He has only a split moment to act.
When Solon thrusts his hand deep into the frightened Kronya's chest, Dimitri bursts out into the open with his weapon in hand to interrupt whatever this plan is. It might be too late. There is something that Solen's taken out of Kronya's chest that looks similar to a Crest stone.
Dimitri doesn't have much time to look at it before a thick black mist descends upon him on all sides, trapping him in place, forcing him to drop his weapon. He’s barely able to move and grab onto Byleth's hand before his entire vision goes black. The last thing he sees is her eyes, wide with shock.
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Sothis stares down at them in disbelief. "Why would you walk into an enemy trap like that?! To make the situation worse, your soulmate did the same! You are boulders, both of you, no worse than boulders. No, that is an insult to boulders, for even they would have more sense!"
The moment that they entered this strange realm of eternal darkness, Dimitri had gone limp in her arms. No matter how many times Byleth tries to shake him awake or calls his name, he doesn’t respond. It’s as if he’s dying… no. It’s as if he’s already dead.
Why? Why did he follow her to the Sealed Forest? Why did he try to save her, when he barely even knew her? They weren’t friends or family. They had no relation to each other. Is it because of their soulmate bond? Did he risk his life for her because of a mystical bond that neither of them chose?
“A soulmate bond is still a bond. Even if you cannot understand it, you can’t just deny its existence.”
Ah. Byleth had returned to her old bad habit of speaking aloud.
"Unlike you, he does not have the fortitude to survive in this darkness. I am sorry."
“...If you really are the Goddess, does this mean you can save him, Sothis?”
“I can. But it comes at a price that Dimitri himself must pay.”
Byleth feels herself grow even colder at that. Why does he need to continue suffering just for her sake….
Sothis stands up from her throne. “I could have explained to you the process, like how I taught you to use the power to turn back time. But now we need to hurry. Every second we hesitate, the harder it will be to save his life. We need the power of a god, and we can only use that power with a physical body. Therefore, you and I must become one if we are to avert his fate and escape this darkness. Do you accept my offer?”
Of course she accepts. There is no other choice. She wants to save him, and she needs to leave this place in order to save her Eagles who are still out there, fighting as hard as they can.
“Then come. Sit upon my throne. I will need to borrow your body if I am to heal your soulmate and allow you to go back to save the little ones.”
Byleth doesn’t hesitate. She gently sets Dimitri down and runs up the stairs to the top of the dais. She sits. Sothis stares at her wistfully.
“The next time you open your eyes, everything will be alright, I promise. But you will no longer hear my voice. And so… for now this is goodbye, Byleth. Take care in the trials ahead.”
Sothis reaches out and gently covers Byleth’s eyes with her small hand.
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The vast sky in her dreamscape is clear and blue, as always. The sweet-smelling grass rustles beneath her feet as she walks.
Ever since she closed her eyes, Byleth has been waiting patiently for her lion to appear all this time, but he never did.
At first, she believed that he was going to come to her sooner or later. Never in the past decade had she ever been truly alone in this beautiful field.
But as time marched on, she felt her loneliness seeping into her skin more than ever.
There had to be something wrong. Without her knowing, something must have changed irrevocably.
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Her first awakening is dark. She’s muddled and confused, almost as if her own mind has been wrapped tightly in thick cotton.
There is a voice singing softly to her, and before long she’s falling back into the land of her lonely dreamscape.
The next time around, Byleth reawakens crisply, and without hesitation. It’s a very strange experience for her. No gradual awareness and curling up under her thin covers.
No covers at all, in fact. Just the cool refreshing chill of Faith magic washing over her skin.
Where is she? Where is Sothis?
“Everything will be alright, Byleth.” Rhea is here, sitting at her bedside while gently brushing her bangs from her face.
No. Things aren’t alright.
Sothis is gone . All she ever said was that Byleth wouldn’t be able to hear her voice. Byleth had figured that she would at least be able to see her, or sense her presence like always. Even if they weren’t able to communicate.
Not like this.
For the first time in the past several months, Byleth feels like she has reclaimed sole ownership of her body and it scares her.
“Wait, you’ve only just awakened! Please calm yourself, Professor Byleth.” Rhea grasps her arms as she tries to get up from the bed.
What is she wearing?
Byleth walks towards the floor length mirror and gapes at her new appearance.
Her hair and eyes are a different color. Unlike the dark green from before, it’s all become a blinding bright shade of green instead. Similar to Rhea.
Her usual clothes have been replaced with a garment that looks achingly similar to the one Sothis wore.
The sight makes her look so hauntingly similar to her friend that it devastates her even more. The reality that her quest for revenge had cost her the life of another loved one is almost too much to bear.
"Professor, wait. Allow me to explain what has happened-"
Byleth doesn't wait for Rhea. She needs to look for her students. She needs to find them all and make sure they've returned safely with her own eyes. She wants to find Dimitri, and discover for herself the reason why she couldn't find him in her dreams.
As Byleth walks down the stairs, the weight of everything that happened in the Sealed Forest crashes down on her. The one that killed Jeralt is dead but at what cost? It is silent inside her mind. Sothis is gone. As annoying as having her almost constant commentary had been at times, it at least made her feel as if she wasn't alone.
Now Rhea was looking and talking to her strangely as if she had done something wonderful. Byleth doesn't feel wonderful. The hollowness is still there, and now an even larger void tore that hole wider.
What she finds odd was that she didn't see Dimitri or the lion when she slept. She needs comfort and she slams the door behind her before she moves and almost stumbles down the steps. The clothing she was wearing looked like Sothis’ outfit and she’s not used to moving in it. When did Rhea put her in this, and why?
Her panic dies the moment when she sees Dimitri at the base of the stairs looking like he hadn't slept in days. He rises up from where he’s leaning against the wall as she approaches him and he gapes at her. She had seen her new hair color and she knows she looks different now.
The guards halted her descent. “Lady Rhea has not given you permission to leave. It isn't safe for you yet, Please go back and rest.”
“Is she Rhea’s prisoner then?” Dimitri demands. There’s a venom in his voice, but all she can hear is the snarl of her lion.
The guards seem taken aback. "No, but it is for the Professor's safety."
“You are not fully healed. Someone needs to watch over you until you are. Please come back to bed.” Rhea's voice behind her sends a shiver down her spine. “And you, Your Highness, why are you not in your dorm? Curfew applies to all students, even the nobility."
Dimitri looked as lost as the day she found the lion cub among the dead. “I needed to make sure she is safe. If someone needs to stay with her, then allow me.”
“She is not your house's professor nor is she any of your concern." Rhea spat and Byleth felt Rhea's power behind her. What made her so invested?
Byleth chose then and there that she wanted to have this bond, she wouldn’t run away any more. “I didn't see you in my dreams love.” Her voice was low but it still freezes Rhea’s steps behind her as she tries to get behind Byleth. Both guards’ heads snap toward her.
“I couldn't sleep while you're gone. I couldn't feel our usual connection, and I thought… I feared you were dead. I haven't been able to sleep since.” Dimitri reached out towards her and the guards let her step past them as she wrapped her arms around Dimitri and held him tight.
This time his hands come around her as he embraces her. She can feel the fresh tears on his face as he sobs. “I can't lose you too. I've already lost so many people I care for.”
His squeeze is a little too tight, but it is needed. It’s the first time she feels at ease since her father died. The warmth and comfort of him is just what she wants.
“How long have you known?” Rhea’s voice sounds stern, like she’s angry but doesn’t know how to feel about it.
Byleth holds him tighter. “He told me the night we met. I didn't think it was appropriate to be his Professor so I chose the Black Eagles instead.”
She feels the sudden stiffness in his body. He must not have expected that answer from her.
Rhea contemplates for a few moments. “He shall join us in the Holy Tomb. If you wish to rest with him, then you will both stay in my quarters until she is well. There will be no consummation of any sort in my bedroom.”
The word makes Byleth pause. “No what?”
Dimitri's face is bright red. “I was wanting to wait before we wed for any of that. You won't need to worry about that Lady Rhea.”
Byleths looks between the two of them. “What are you talking about?”
"They mean sex, my dear. “ Hannamen says as he enters the hallway. ”Can you lot get any louder? You'll wake up the entire monastery at this rate, and you are disturbing my studying."
Byleth ponders those words. “So you've been waiting because you want to marry me? It's not because you don't like me.”
Dimitri looked at her like she grew a second head. "What in Fodlan gave you that notion? Byleth, I adore you and… yes I would be ecstatic to be your bed mate… but I wanted to make sure that your decision was because you liked me and not because of the bond.”
Byleth couldn't help but kiss him as all of the despair and fear and foolish notions bubbled away. Laughter rose in her throat. He had the same trepidations as she did.
“It was something Sylvain said in the beginning about how Soulmates were great for signaling that the pair were good bed mates, and that the child was likely to be crested as well. He made it seem that the woman was only wanted as a broodmare.”
Dimitri grinds his teeth before he lets out a calming breath.
Rhea was the one that spoke. “No dear one. While its true that the child is likely to be crested, the true origins of soulmates lies the compatibility of the partners. They can mend any argument and learn to love one another no matter the circumstance. It is the greatest bond one could ask for.”
Byleth pet through his hair. “I apologize, I think I've had the wrong impression for a while now.”
“No, it’s not your fault. I kept fumbling most of the chances we had to speak about it." He nuzzles into her hair before he presses his lips to her forehead.
"Go rest, both of you. I have suspected for a while, and I will have questions for you both when you can spare the moment.” Hannamen turned his gaze to Rhea. “Rhea, I need to speak with you, now."
The next thing she knows, Dimitri lifts her up in a bridal carry as he goes past the guards to bring her back up to the Archbishop quarters.
Byleth wasn't happy staying here but Rhea was right in that it is the safest place in the monastery. At least she was able to stay here with Dimitri. She hopes Hannamen is buying time for them to have a moment together. Dimitri is looking at her like she is something precious, but there’s a little bit of the mischievous grin she recognizes before her dreams would turn steamy.
As he lays her down on the bed, he nuzzles into her neck and she can’t help but shiver.
“My intentions have not changed if you wish for me to leave you to your own life I shall, but if you… if there's any chance.”
Byleth takes his collar in her hand and pulls him into a kiss. It feels like a flame ignites inside her. As he moans and pulls her closer, she surrenders to it and the warmth his touch provides. When they finally brake apart, they are both gasping for breath. Byleth smiles as she places her forehead against his.
He seemed entranced by something as he pulls his head back and his hand comes to stroke her jaw and cheek. “Can you make that expression for me again?”
Byleth smiles wide for him.
“Your smile is mesmerizing.’ His fingers caress a piece of her hair back behind her ear. ‘I thank you for letting me see it.”
She chuckles, “I'm smiling because of you.”
That earns her another heated kiss before his thumb strokes her cheek idly. “And I hope that I never do anything to erase it from your countenance.”
She places her hand over his before Rhea storms into the room. “Gauntlets and boots off of my bed! You are here by my benevolence, and I can revoke that privilege just as quickly.”
Dimitri jumps and moves to heed her commands. His gauntlets and greaves come off before he removes his boots.
Byleth reaches around him to unfasten his overcoat. “Get yourself comfy. There's something I've been wanting to do for a while.”
Once he’s undressed and lays down she goes behind him and wraps her arms around him. Her front is to his back and she is reminded of how she would hug the lion to her and his sounds would put her to sleep. She can hear his heartbeat along his back and that would do just as well.