"This was supposed to be just the two of us."

"Yes, yes it was."

Dorothea giggled, "Oh Edie, did you really think we wouldn't find out about this?"

All the members of the Black Eagle Strike Force currently in Enbarr were waiting right in front of them, just as arrayed in swimwear as the two of them.

"Lady Edelgard, this location is vulnerable to assassins of all degrees and if you will not leave, then I must insist on staying."

Edelgard shook her head at their nonsense. "Hubert, the two of us can handle ourselves just fine without weapons." They'd punched the Immaculate One in her nose! "And Dorothea, this was not supposed to be a public event. That's why we rented after normal hours." She looked at everyone else. "And the rest of you?"

"Well, Dorothea said we were having a pool party and I wasn't gonna miss that," said Caspar.

"Caspar dragged me out of my nice comfy office," said Linhardt.

"I thought this was finally the chance to end our rivalry once and for all!" Ferdinand boasted.

"Ferdinand kidnapped me out of my nice comfy room to watch this," Bernadetta grumbled. "I can't even swim, why am I here?"

"I am mostly just the confused and followed everyone," said Petra.

"Honestly…" Even after all these years they were still utterly impossible.

She wouldn't have it any other way.

Still… "This was supposed to be a nice relaxing time for the two of us," she whispered to Byleth.

"I didn't invite them, I promise."

Then… "Hubert, what did I say about spying on me?"

"Your security will always be paramount to me, Lady Edelgard. Though I am still unclear as to how Dorothea learned of this," Hubert said.

Dorothea giggled. "Well that was easy. I just grabbed one of your goons while he was at my show and bribed him with a season's tickets."

"I… shall have to raise my hiring standards further then."

She looked over at their friends, companions. It was going to be embarrassing enough with just Byleth.

"Am I going to have to order the lot of you to leave?"

"Yes."

"Then leave." She sent them the hardest glare she could. Which wasn't much of one, but it was still enough to get Bernadetta running.

"Don't run!" Ferdinand said, chasing after her. "You'll trip and fall!"

Everyone else shortly followed suit out of sight, leaving the two lovers alone again. Or should be.

"I have a feeling they're going to try and watch anyway."

Edelgard sighed. But she had just enough of an idea to get them going. "Really, I'm going to have to increase their workload if they have this much free time..." her voice rose just loud enough…

A rather loud rushing of feet faded into the distance at her suggestion. Clearly Linhardt started at the mention of more work, then Caspar would try and drag him back, which meant Bernadetta would try and make a run for it again and Ferdinand would fail to stop her. Petra would then just go along with everyone leaving. But Hubert and Dorothea wouldn't be so easy to sway.

"Any assassins would first need to enter from far, far outside. It would be far more prudent to dispose of them in advance instead of waiting for them to intrude further."

A minute of silence was eventually broken by some loud shuffling as Hubert left. Which meant the biggest obstacle remained.

"Dorothea, will you promise to leave if I promise to regale you of what transpired?" There was nothing else she could think of to get her going.

"Maybe," she sang.

"Then I will."

"I look forward to it Edie!" She made some rather loud steps as she went the way of the others.

Finally, it was just the two of them, alone. Hopefully alone. She put down her luggage on a nearby seat and faced him with a bright smile. "Are you ready to instruct me, my teacher?" That nickname still touched her lips so sweetly.

He gave her a nod, before falling back into the pool with an enormous splash. The cold water spilling out and chilling her skin. "Please don't ask me to do that…" she said once he'd floated back up.

"I won't. Over here." He floated over to the stairs descending into the pool and held out his hand.

The same hand that helped her conquer the darkness. She could do anything with him by her side.

But, but still. Just looking at the water threw a knot into her stomach. She, she could do this. She'd faced far greater dangers, and conquered them, with his help and also without. It was just a bath, a really, really, really large bath. One that could fit fifty people. Fifty people's worth of water. Water surely deeper than her head.

Ugh, she dove into a city on fire and a little water still had her knees shaking. She could already feel her face flushed in embarrassment at the mere thought.

After far, far too long she managed to shakily step towards the water. It wasn't logical to be this scared. She was getting too much into her head. So she focused on something far better in her head.

Him.

Thankfully he didn't try and pressure her, or force her, or make any signs of discomfort himself. He waited, hand up, gently smiling while she worked her way in.

She dipped her toes in-cool, refreshing. And slowly eased her first foot, the second. Letting the water rise up. Her skin tingled and she shivered, though not from the cold. She was far enough to take his hand and he gently guided her in until her feet rested on the floor.

The water rose to her chest, a blanket of cold and terror broken as he pulled her in for a warm embrace. "Just listen to my heartbeat."

She closed her eyes and put an ear to his chest. Let the rhythms of his life lull her as they did in bed. The water forgotten entirely. Swaying gently in his arms like she loved. No matter what happened these were the moments she was most glad to have found.

"I could do this all day," he broke their lovely silence. "But we have an overseas trip that will give us plenty of time for it."

"Of course…" she slowly pulled herself out of his full embrace. "This seems quite deep." The water reaching her chest but only his stomach made their height imbalance quit noticeable.

"This was the shallowest pool in Enbarr."

Why would she think any differently? "Well, then where do we begin?"

"The first thing will be getting your head wet."

She fought back a shiver. "It's mostly wet."

"You've gone under in the bath before."

"I know, I…" She tightened her grip on his hand. "Do… do we need a countdown?"

"If you'd like. Close your eyes, and hold your nose closed. I'll be here every second."

"Three." OK, she could do this. "Two." Just like a bath. Just like he said. "One." She closed her eyes, pinched her nose and took a deep breath and put herself back in the darkness with no control and—

—"No, no, I can't do it!" Her gut thrashed and heaved—a spike of terror down her spine—eyes thrown wide open and she nearly tore herself free from his grasp.

"El, El, I've got you, I've got you." She slowly brought herself under control with his gentle reminder.

Her cheeks were burning up. This was just like the time with the rat. Only no doodle of Byleth to make it even worse. "Thank you…" she eked out. Just another on a long, long list.

"We'll just walk around until you get used to it."

She didn't want to get used to it. She just wanted to jump out and go home. "All right..." But her feet wouldn't move.

"We can leave, if you're that hesitant."

Worry. "No." She wouldn't disappoint him after he did all this. "I can't let my fears dominate me forever."

Byleth, thankfully, kept himself usually impassive and just nodded. It took her another few minutes to begin leading, but one foot after another and they were walking around.

"This is so odd," she said. "How did anyone ever learn this?"

"Rhea would probably say the goddess ordained it."

"That's not funny." She faked a scowl at him. "Even if it is true." She giggled a little at the idea. "Maybe I'll look it up."

"Would anyone even write that down?"

"I don't think whomever invented writing was credited properly." It might even have been Seiros. But this was the fate they cut, no matter the knowledge lost.

"You've gotten used to it."

She paused and looked at her feet. "So I have." She glanced at their arms still together. "M-maybe I should try it without your help?"

He smiled, just a bit. "Stay near the wall. I'll catch you should anything happen."

"OK."

She slowly, with her skin crawling at the thought, decoupled herself and nudged herself alongside the edge. "I did it." She whispered.

"Keep going, use the wall as leverage."

She nodded and began walking the rim of the pool, Byleth following alongside a few steps in.

She lapped the shallow side three full times before speaking up again, "Is, is there something else?"

"Let's try transferring to me and back a few more times."

It seemed odd, but she didn't question and just did as told. She let go of her safety perch and moved to her normal safety perch. And back, and forth, five times until she was in his arms. "I thought there'd be more swimming in these swimming lessons… I'm still grateful but…"

"That'll be next. I just needed to see how you handled treading water first."

Just like the Officers Academy. "You never stop being a teacher."

"I believe your words were 'I hope you'll continue watching over me, my teacher'." And his attempt at imitation was just terribly flat! She couldn't suppress a laugh. "Your Hubert impression wasn't that good either."

"How rude!" The two of them locked eyes… and burst out laughing at once another. "No matter what happens, I'll at least remember this."

"I hope my lesson isn't that boring."

"Well…"

"Oh?" he twisted into a devilish smirk and before she could worry he took her by the waist and carried her up and over to the top of the edge.

"Warn me before you do something like that," she chided him. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

"Did you feel how different that was?"

"Hm? Oh, yes…" She shook her head. "But how am I supposed to learn swimming on land?"

He pushed himself out and sat two arms lengths away. "Like this." And he… swung his arms around.

Which was really quite silly She was able to suppress a laugh this time, at least. "Like this?" and she mimicked him as much as she could.

"No, no…" And what followed was a few minutes of him demonstrating and correcting her movements on land. With a bit of idle kicking at the water thrown in.

"Good, good, now, watch me…" he slid back into the pool and showed off how the arm movements kept him afloat.

"You're using your legs too."

"Good catch." He stopped swimming and drifted back over to her. "Come on in."

And she was just getting dry… She took his hand and tepidly dipped back into the waters.

"That was a lot simpler this time, right?"

"Ah, yes it was." She hadn't spared a second's hesitation.

"Put your hands on the edge and…" he trailed off as he looked at the edge. "Could have chosen a better spot, now that I think about it…"

"Pardon?"

He shook his head. "The rounded wall there isn't the best grip, better to have a bar or branch, but it'll be fine. Come, put your hands there…"

Nervousness slightly returned she did as instructed. "Right, now look at me."

"When don't I?"

He laughed and went into the same position. He extended his arms out, and kicked himself up and floated on the surface.

"I…" She tried to bring a leg up but was barely halfway before fear of an unsteady foothold forced it back down. The floor was surprisingly slippery.

"It's all right." He started kicking. "Just watch." Despite his kicks he remained in place and no splashes hit either of them. "This is just practice." He demonstrated for a few minutes before stopping and coming back to her. "I'll correct your posture. Trust me."

"Always."

Byleth put his left hand on her stomach and slowly lifted her horizontal to the water, then used his right to balance out her close-to-flailing legs. "Bring in your arms, bend your elbows." She pulled herself in on command and floated in his arms. "Good, good. Hold tight." He cautiously removed his hand on her legs and she narrowly avoided curling inwards. "Get a feel for this. Relax as much as you can." She swallowed and did her best to keep steady.

They'd both been capable of lifting the other with one hand for years now, but the experience was completely different in the water. She had to keep her muscles tense on land but here she… was still tense, but that wasn't on account of needing it. She was just… floating, without a care.

"Start kicking when you're ready."

Another few minutes of floating and she finally forced out one panicked kick. Then another, and another. Drenching the both of them with wild splashing. "Try and make little movements." She tried, but it was difficult to adjust without seeing her mistakes...

Still, another minute and she could manage a few kicks without drenching her head. "Good work. Quick a learner as always," he said. "Let's get down and try and different variant." He shifted which hand was keeping her up and put the other in front. "Grab on."

She reached for his arm and held it. Solid as an iron bar. He led her away from the nice safe wall. Kicking while she could. "This is actually pretty fun." Maybe they could have a time of leisure like this one day. Invite the others.

"Let the kicks guide us both." She tried to steer him around in circles. And it mostly worked. She was steadily getting better at not getting water in his eyes.

A good minute of minimal fuss and she felt ready for the next step. "I think I've got this."

"Then we'll switch positions again. Feet down." He guided her back towards the ground. And twirled her around into a back hug.

"Really, all this for a hug, hm?." She grinned up at him.

He kissed the top of her sopping wet head. "You found me out." He carefully guided his hands down her backside until he pulled her up into a bridal carry. And then shifted to holding her up entirely by her back.

She kept her legs from twitching back, but it was a near thing. "Breathe. Deep. In and out. The same exercises I taught at the academy." She sharply exhaled and watched herself flounder, only to float back up with a breath. "Out." She sank. "In." She rose. And on and on they continued this. "Keeping your breathing controlled is the cornerstone to proper swimming."

Just as it was in war.

"I'm going to release you, let you try and float on your own."

She looked at him directly in his deep blue eyes. "I'm ready." His hands slid away, leaving only his fingertips keeping her buoyant and then—nothing. She had only herself to rely on.

Out. She dipped and cringed inwards. In. She regained her height. Out. Down. In. Up. She repeated it without counting. Ten times? A hundred? The latter it felt like for certain. Just drifting on the pool's surface, her spouse's hands pushing her up when needed. As he always did.

"You're doing wonderfully."

"It's hard too—"she nearly sank and began flailing in a panic but Byleth caught her and kept her stable. "Talking and floating is… difficult…" This whole excursion was more insecure than she'd like, even if she intended to conquer it.

"You'll pick it up, you've succeeded every time so far."

"I appreciate the support, however…" She looked over the calm pool. A thousand times less daunting that the endless sea.

He said, "The ocean is immensely different. Not just the waves, but the salt water feels completely different on your skin, on your strokes."

She bit her lip at the idea. "It goes on forever. Without end. Without challenge. No one can tame it, or control it. In its anger it could sweep away the mightiest fleet." More power than any person or Immaculate One. More power than the goddess. Something nobody can conquer. Ever.

"Come here."

And she trusted in him.

He pulled her in, and fell back, dragging her along. Floating on the surface of the water. Drifting away in his arms. Sedate and gentle. Almost enough to sleep to. Watching the sunlight filter down through the glass dome, a splash of rainbow when it hit the water at just the right angle. More peaceful than she ever imagined water being. His heartbeat...

Everything they'd done, just for this moment.

"Much as I'd love to remain like this, we aren't finished," she said.

"Actually, I think we should end it for today. You've done great work."

"Are you sure?" She… could keep going, even if she didn't want to.

"Knowing your limits with swimming is one of the most important lessons I can teach. Also any longer and Hubert will probably come back."

He would. "OK." She looked over at the daunting task of getting back to dry land. She swallowed hard. "I should try and walk back on my own." She could always rely on him. But that didn't mean she should.

"I'll be right beside you." And they separated.

Just one step at a time. Like how she conquered the darkness. Took the throne. Waged war and won. Defeated those responsible for twisting Fódlan's history for a thousand years. She could best anything if she tried.

"You look far too serious for taking a few steps in a swimming pool."

"It is very hard OK!" She floundered in his direction and nearly slapped herself at the outburst. "Really…" she smiled a little bit, "really, I am glad I get to act like this around you."

"El…"

"But let's save that until we're back on land." With a newfound boldness she strode valiantly through the water and to the wall. He swam after her, and the pair left the water together. She led him back to her luggage and brought out a small box.

"What's this?" he asked.

She opened up the small box to reveal the rows of double-packed sandwiches inside.

She gave him a smile. "I did say the next day we were free I'd be cooking." Or as much as cooking involved a sandwich.

And he smiled along with her. "Yeah, you did."

It wasn't as good as Garreg Mach, or the palace chefs, or even his own. But the goofy look on his face as he indulged, the "delicious!" he exclaimed, made it all worthwhile. The two of them laid down together. Smiles and hands together. Watching the sun fade across the sky. Today's swimming lessons coming to an end.