Sorry about the small delay, something came up. It's not serious, but I will aim for biweekly updates. It all depends on my schedule and how I am feeling. Anyways, I left off on that cliffhanger for long enough.

The reveal had left Byleth well and truly awestruck. Her expression did not reveal it, but her wide-eyes told enough. The incredulous gaze reflected in her mint irises told of her genuine surprise at their meeting. Instead of marveling over Rodrigue's scheme, the woman took in the man's features. His once short haircut was replaced with an almost wild mane. Where Dimitri once had half a foot on her, the man absolutely towered over her. Thankfully, his serene cornflower blue eyes did not change, "Byleth, it has been far too long. I am glad to see you are well."

His immediate pleasantries startled her, but she was quick to fall back on her natural poker face. Even if he was the same prince she knew before, he was also the person that could seal her fate with a single whisper, "Agreed. I am happy to see you again. Though, I'm surprised to see you so suddenly." The question was raging in her head about how the royal got to Arianrhod so quickly. A trip from Fhirdiad would have taken more than a few days, assuming he was notified by Sylvain's letter.

The man gave a pleasant chuckle at her shock, "It was quite fortunate that I was between the capital and Rowe territory when I received a notice of the battle." Considering the monarch's words, Byleth assumed that their letters were still on their way to his castle and that his knowledge came from the plea to House Rowe.

Nevertheless, this personal audience was just what she wished for. That thought gave her pause. This was exactly what she wanted. Soon, the pieces were coming together in her mind, "You and Rodrigue planned this." She meant no offense with her words, but it hit her then what the older man's vague words truly meant. It was not a punishment. It was an opportunity.

The blonde chuckled at the accusation, not at all bothered by how unknowingly pointed her comment was to him. "I confess that I was aware, but it was not my idea. To give Dedue some peace of mind, I accepted his idea to have you come alone and unarmed to a carriage. Though, I also told him that we would not linger." Just as those words hit Byleth, their transport came to life.

"Wait," She almost exclaimed, "I can't just leave them." Panic overtook the female on exiting the battlefield so suddenly. She had faith in their abilities, but her time pulse was a luxury only she had. To leave Arianrhod, turning back time for her allies was no longer an option.

"Peace, friend." The king reassured her with a wave of the hand, "The cavalry from House Rowe has already turned the battle in our favor. As we speak, they are providing support to the entrances and charging toward the enemy supply lines. Once their convoys are destroyed, our victory is assured." The confidence in his voice had disarmed her of any lingering dread. His coolness was a contrast from Edelgard's boldness. She did not need to be inspired by the words, rather just relieved by them.

Byleth let out a steady breath as she reclined in her seat, "If you think so..." She murmured, unsure of what else to say. Doubting his words and running off played exactly into her worst fear. This was to be a prime chance to sell herself to him, one that she could not pass up.

"I do, I went to great lengths to assure that my dear friends are kept safe." A blush manifested on her cheeks at how she overlooked that detail. Dimitri had more than a vested interest to see the Silver Maiden remain with the Kingdom. His three childhood friends were stationed at the fort. It was obvious that man would do all he could to ensure their safety. Her embarrassment earned a bewildering stare from the monarch in return, "Well, that is not a sight you would see every day."

The comment fed further into her fluster, but the woman fought to return to her composure before continuing her thought. "I apologize for my thoughtlessness. Yesterday, there were a few close calls." If not for her quick thinking, they may have very well been overrun.

The blonde-haired man shook his head. He provided her a kind smile to show his sincerity, "It gives me relief to see you care so much for everyone. When I first heard the news of your defection, I had my doubts, but I can see for myself that I had no reason to worry." Byleth stared curiously, wondering just what the man was thinking. Dimitri was never a difficult person to read, but her situation invited ambiguity.

"Dimitri," She started with some hesitance, "I don't know where to begin." The woman confessed, tripping over her words as she talked. She had never felt this tongue-tied before. Convincing Felix and Rodrigue were by far easier than this, "I... Let me start from the beginning, I want to see an end to this war, and by supporting you."

His expression was unchanged, still amicable, and ever reassuring. "I have heard as much from Sylvain and by extension Rodrigue. I do not have all the details, but I have heard enough to know you are sincere. You have not killed me yet either, so that is reason enough to think nothing nefarious is afoot." It was a relief to know that Byleth would not need to break to tears or nearly be kidnapped again to prove her innocence.

"That is good..." Byleth muttered in a small voice. Her relief was quite palpable, seen in both her voice and soft expression. "I would never dream of killing you. It is my hope that I can protect you." It harkened back to her request to Rodrigue. Dimitri had yet to make mention of the fact, either because he did not feel the need to bring it up or it was not included in the letter to him. The green-haired woman could not say for sure which it was, but she did not need to know. She only desired to earn his validation. Her hope was that he could put her to use over discarding her to the chopping block.

His hand came to pat the woman on the crown. Her solemn expression was shaken by the gesture, "I would not have gone to such lengths to meet you to deny your request." Those words were like music to Byleth. It was cathartic to see her plan come through without a hitch. Everything was falling into place in a matter of seconds. She rested against a cushion. For a noble carriage, it was on the smaller side, but it was padded thoroughly on the inside. She was not too thrilled about relaxing as her friends fought the war she caused, but the good news had her in a better mood than in the morning.

With no direct answer yet, Byleth felt spurred to push the question and see for herself where she stood, "Will you allow me to serve you then?"

Rather than confirm or deny her suspicions, the monarch swayed her to not erase the thought, "Easy there, we do not need to discuss those details yet. For now, I would like to catch up a bit. We have not spoken in years. While we did not leave on the best of terms, I missed the conversations we used to have." A flurry of memories returned to the former professor with those words. Whether it was passing greetings to sharing a cup of tea, the two had made a habit to chat. It was not nearly as close as her and Edelgard, but none of her interactions with him were unpleasant.

"You're right," She acknowledged. "I am sure there is time to chat as we ride to Rowe's manor." The journey would give them ample time to talk about important details. And if not, there was no set deadline for her this time around. She did not need to prove her intent in a timely manner.

Her comment earned a chuckle. Byleth gave a dumbfounded look, unsure of what was so amusing about her statement. "We are traveling to Fhirdiad actually," Dimitri chimed in. "I know I told Rodrigue to keep you from being privy to our meeting, but he should have at least prepared you for the journey first."

Her composure was momentarily shaken. A trip to the capital implied that she had more than just a momentary audience. Her mind went many directions, unsure of what the man was planning. Though, the city was his home. It would be a perfect place for the king to remain with relentless border clashes, "All the way to Fhirdiad? By ourselves?"

Once again, he denied her assumption, "Well, not quite. I do have my personal guard up the road from here. It would have invited danger if my banner was flown when confronting the Empire near the border." It made sense that he would have his soldiers in the vicinity.

"That makes sense. If you don't mind me asking, why did you not just send one of your vassals to collect me?" The monarch's life was far more valuable than anyone else. Someone like Dedue could have come in his stead and saved the kingdom from losing its head.

"For one, I wanted the chance to talk alone with you. We can't exactly have a personal conversation if Dedue is around. And two, I was probably the best judge of character for you. Most people are of the mind to not take the risk on you." His rationale made sense to Byleth on both accounts. Though, the amount of kindness did have her beyond grateful. It was reassuring to have him be willing to understand her.

There was one more point that Byleth wished to bring up, "And you have already decided to bring me to Fhirdiad?" An answer to that question would give her better clarity. Even if they were to spend the time being friendly, she needed to know what was in store for her.

The blonde nodded his head first, "It would be the safest place to keep you from the Empire. Sylvain's letter mentioned something of a daring plan. If we are to discuss it, it would be best to be at the most secure location within my realm." It gave Byleth immense relief to know that he was plenty aware of what she was starting to concoct. The noble's endorsement explained the lack of trepidations by the king.

"That is reasonable. I would prefer to keep the conversation without any prying ears." It was essential that nobody with any leanings toward the Empire knew about her plan before it could be executed. Her informant relied on complete secrecy. Keeping her mouth shut in public was the least she could do for their plan. A new point interrupted her thoughts, "Wait... We are going to Fhirdiad, what about my sword?" The weapon was irreplaceable. It would be useless without her.

It did not bother Dimitri to reassure her, "It will be sent to you, no need to worry. I am merely... having it be repaired." His pause caught her ears, but she did not have any reason to doubt him. "Anyway, I have been wondering this for a while, but what exactly happened to you over the past five years? I assumed you were dead until you reappeared a few months ago."

There was little for Byleth to say on the subject, but she had no reason to hold back on Dimitri. "I guess I was sleeping for that time," Hibernation made the most sense. It was believed that she sustained too critical injuries after the Immaculate One's breath and her fall into the nearby gorge. Her anatomy was a mystery, but it was reasonable to assume she used the time to repair herself.

Her words earned a bewildered look from the monarch, "Is that so? You really were asleep for that long?" There was no skepticism in his voice, simply shock. The prospect was an absurd one to most. Edelgard and Hubert were both taken aback by the news as well.

"It felt like just a nap, but... it ended up being more. After all, the last we met you were only a prince." Memories of old resurfaced. Byleth could not help but think of those cherished times like they were only days ago. To her, there was no gap between peaceful days and full-blown war.

The playful reminder earned a playful response, "My height certainly was not the only change in those years. War with the Empire kept us busy, but there was still time for a coronation once I came of age. It was an adjustment going from relying on my uncle to running the Kingdom myself, but I have a lot of support." The mention of support brought Byleth back to her first meeting with the blonde about his house. Admittedly, she deferred to Edelgard after noticing hidden darkness within Dimitri. How ironic a decision.

Aside from Felix, she heard no complaints about the man before her, "You fit the image of a king greatly, even with that unkempt hair of yours." The woman's even tone was contrasted by her teasing comment. Ignoring the snide remark tacked on, there was a true regality to his figure. It was hard to think of him too differently than the princeling that she met a year ago... six years ago, but all his physical traits were proof enough. Like both Claude and Edelgard, Dimitri too grew to be an imposing figure.

"I will take that compliment," He said with a smile. "I should get this out of the way too; you have not changed at all. You look the exact same." While the math checked out to Byleth being twenty-six or so, she retained the appearance of a twenty-one-year-old.

The mint-eyed woman could only shrug at his words, "I don't understand it much myself, but it must do with my sleep. I have no memories between my fall and my awakening." There was no shame in admitting that much.

"You were thrust right into this war. That makes sense. You were only reported active in three battles. The Battle of Garreg Mach, Great Bridge of Myrddin, and Derdriu. They were skirmishes, but those were all the major fights that I have heard of. You defecting after five years of fighting compared to almost three months is less believable," Dimitri explained his thought process. The woman never considered this kind of perspective. The logic was sound for why people would distrust her to the extent that she had.

Byleth had no problem fighting alongside her students to challenge Edelgard's enemy at the monastery. She was shaken by the engagement at the bridge, but it was all for the sake of ending the war. The brutal end of Claude and acquisition of the Alliance was what brought her to turn her back on her student. She had made her mind in the span of a month, "I never wanted this. I only wanted to protect her, Edelgard."

The mere mention of the emperor caused Dimitri to stiffen. He did not respond for almost a minute. His expression darkened, but it eventually relaxed. The return of his smile too brought back his voice, "I see." He choked out awkwardly. He paused to clear his throat, "War is vile, professor. I'm truly honored to see you come around on the idea. I shouldn't be telling you this, but I may as well."

The words caught Byleth's attention. Not that she was not listening earlier, rather this had her switch her posture and lean forward, "What is it, Dimitri?"

"I... Well, the thing is... It brought me relief to know you wanted to join me. I'm trying to say that it was uplifting, err... inspiring. Goddess, I am not sure how to word." Dimitri continued to stumble over his words. This awkwardness had sent the woman into a daze. She understood what he was trying to say, but she did not know what was wrong with those thoughts. "I wanted you to fight by my side. You were not my teacher, but you were... are a friend." The change in tense had her over the moon.

Hope grasped her like a stranglehold. She could not break free from her euphoria, "You are also my friend, Dimitri." She did not deserve this, but she still was unable to deny herself. Internally, she accused herself of replacing Edelgard for him. She let out a dark chuckle at how she could not even celebrate her victories.

In the end, she was still a traitor. She was not steadfast for Empire or Kingdom, as much as she would have preferred to be one way or the other. Her feelings made it impossible to accept her successes. She was thankful at least that these emotions were not easy to read. Her mint-eyes locked on the man. His bright smile brought her a false sense of peace. He was the ultimate voice of the Kingdom, but convincing him of her intentions was no longer her worry. Her worry was if she could truly go through with her plan.

Byleth was set on seeing it happen, but her hesitation toward Hubert invited her doubts. Not toward her plan, but she doubted herself. "Byleth?" Dimitri's call snapped her from her despair. Her eyes honed in on his perplexed expression, "Are you alright?"

She sheepishly nodded to the words, "Sorry. I was... thinking about how I am not exactly worthy of being your friend." It was a half-truth. There was far more to it, but the sentiment held.

Dimitri's cornflower eyes flashed a peculiar emotion at the thought, "No need for talk like that. What matters is where you are now. Blood cannot easily be washed off, but it should not stop you from walking the right path. Anyone that seeks to protect the weak from the strong can be... worthy." His kind words did well to defuse Byleth's second thoughts of their partnership, but the ominous endnote did have her mind going over places. She thought back on Felix's accusations of Dimitri. The blonde seemed perfectly fine.

She knit her fingers as she thought over what more to say, "I want only to atone for the lives lost, but I will accept your friendship if you are willing to accept me." It would be wrong of her to decline such a gracious offer.

"Of course, I accept you." In an instant, they were back to being positive. "Now, it should only be a little further until we reach the rest of my envoy." The reminder had Byleth curious over the prospect of seeing more familiar faces. It was more than likely she would see Dedue. A part of her was curious over if he grew as well. Dedue from the academy days was as tall as a tree.

The carriage eventually reached a halt after another minute along the path. A coordinated march and murmurs around "his highness" confirmed that they were greeted by allies over hostiles. Dimitri gave a reassuring smile as the door to their transport was opened. Her mint-eyes left the monarch to only see iron. Her eyes shot toward the sky to catch a familiar face.

It was not easy to miss Dedue. Being the only person of Duscur origin in the prince's entourage was the first fact. The second was how the man stood almost a foot taller than all else present. The third was the sheer size of the axe he carried. The fourth and final fact was how said axe was already trained on her.

"Dedue, no need to threaten my guest. She's unarmed," Dimitri said with surprise. Though, his gauntlet moved to push the edge aside. Byleth herself was not bothered by the greeting. It was fitting for her. Considering if situations were reversed, she would not blame the ever-vigilant retainer.

The taller man relaxed upon seeing his monarch completely unscathed, "My apologies. I only thought to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. It would not be a welcome sight to see you taken hostage." His even tone was matched with the casual motion of returning the weapon to his side.

The threat did not shake Byleth, but Dimitri all the same played peacemaker. It was not like he knew of time pulse, "I'm sorry about that, Byleth. The idea of coming to meet you was a... hard sell." It did not feel like he fully convinced his retainer, but she was not about to voice such sentiments.

Dedue's expression did not relax. As much as he maintained a similar poker face to her, the man's air was not as hospitable as Dimitri's. "His majesty agreed for you to come unarmed and bound." Those conditions did register a reaction from both the king and the commoner.

The blonde was the first to speak up on that matter, "I said nothing about binding her!" The idea looked to visibly fluster him, "Goddess, I am perfectly fine." The man motioned to the untarnished armor he wore. "I believe she would be a valuable ally, not our prisoner."

His words shocked Byleth. She knew that he wanted her aid, but to hear the verbal acknowledgment successfully dissuaded her from the worst thoughts. The feelings around her confrontation with Hubert vanished. Yet, she was not the one to respond to the news. Once again shocked, she observed Dedue gave an intense stare to his liege, "You can't mean-"

His thought was cut off promptly by Dimitri, "Let us not stress the details. You should greet her correctly. After all, she will be coming with us to Fhirdiad." There was something left unsaid. It was akin to when the monarch avoided mention of their future collaboration. It did not worry about her. She was willing to put her faith in him, but she at least recognized there was an important detail missing.

"Very well," The man resigned himself to the thought. The green-haired woman took no offense to his reluctance, "Byleth, I admit I am not ready to trust you with his majesty's life. However, if what you say is true, then I am deeply honored for you to believe in King Dimitri." Even if his words did not reflect his suspicions, he was willing to acknowledge that he would be touched by the action.

"And Dedue is not the only familiar face here," Dimitri flashed a smile as he gestured to a person approaching them. Amongst the guard present, the woman was the only one not dressed in chainmail or iron plates. Her attire was reminiscent of the uniforms worn at the monastery. Yet, her sandy blonde hair and her indigo eyes were familiar. Her mind went to Jeritza, but her mind quickly snapped to the female that shared the same traits as he.

"Mercedes?" She was not too close to the woman, but they had got along well. Their run-ins at the cathedral were consistent. Byleth always made a habit of patrolling the monastery grounds.

The woman nodded in affirmation, "It is good to see you again, Professor... I mean, Byleth." As much as it was no longer her position, the green-haired woman was never opposed to the title. "Even after all these years, it feels natural to call you that." Her attention shifted to the royal beside her. "If I remember correctly, you were practicing on the way here, right? I kept hearing you say her name over and over after all." The sandy blonde brazenly nudged the monarch. Even if she was a commoner in the Kingdom, the woman had no trouble acting overly personal with him. It brought a similar feeling to when she saw the noble trio poking and prodding one another. It brought out fond memories of the academy.

"Mercedes, you were watching that!" The panicked expression on his face was the last straw. Byleth openly giggled at the display, not minding their impersonal behavior. She could not contain herself. Her conversation with Dimitri raised her mood, but this scene made her almost forget the horrors of the past few months.

A warm smile graced that blonde-haired man's lips at the sight of the once stoic woman looking so entertained, "Professor... Goddess, Mercedes, you got me slipping up now!" His exasperated tone added to Byleth's amusement. "And, don't tell her that! She did not need to know."

Mercedes gleefully shook her head to the request by her sovereign, "If you would like to know, Byleth, he really wanted to appear dignified for you." The woman pretended to whisper the information, but she still spoke loud enough for the other to hear. The words had Dimitri turning to the color of a tomato.

"Mercedes, stop that!" He took to begging the common woman, "I am dignified, but it had been some time since I last saw Byleth. I was a bit nervous." His justification fell flat as he remembered that the other female was present and listening intently to the banter between classmates. "I mean... Goddess, I am just digging my grave," Dimitri groaned in a ragged voice.

"Would you need help, milord?" Dedue chimed in again in his usual tone. It was hard to tell if the man was teasing his liege or being literal.

Either way, it did not do the monarch any good to hear, "Don't you start too, Dedue!" Even if he was the greatest threat to Edelgard's ambitions, he was still the same Dimitri that she knew. There was little that changed.

Byleth could not stay silent any longer. Her aim was not to fluster him further, but her curiosity brought out the same result. "You were nervous?" The inquiry had the man tripping over his words and attempting to regain his emotions.

In the academy days, he often acted very regally and befitting of his station. Byleth understood the cool side to him, but she also bore witness to his more playful side. It was a gem to witness him breaking out into laughter over Alois' jokes, "I, erm... Well, to tell you the truth, I was a bit more worried about what you would think of me than judging if you were truly our ally." That confession was not what the woman expected, but it did not throw her off. It soothed her to know that she was not the only one overwhelmed. She preferred it when they both treated each other as equals over what their stations meant.

"You chided me for raising my axe," The fortress knight from Duscur cut into the conversation. It was likely his duty to remind Dimitri just how preposterous he could be at times.

"Not now, Dedue." The royal begged, likely still wishing to maintain his image. His attention returned to the green-haired woman, "I understand your circumstances. Or well, Sylvain's letter told me enough. It may be Sylvain of all people, but the fool would not recklessly invite me to my death... Unless it involves ladies... I will just say I trust his judgment on this and Rodrigue's. I have no reason to think ill of you. If I had, maybe I could have been a bit more intimidating."

While the man resembled a giant in both his shape and posture, the king was a sensitive one. One that cared immensely for his allies and abhorred killing. One that could laugh to the silliest of jokes. One that could share his heart when the... occasion permitted it. Byleth was not blind to his imperfections, but she knew that aiding his cause was right.

"I will support you the best I can, milord." She said with a satisfied smile, gladdened by the nostalgia. She felt her resolve start to reconstruct itself. He was the kind of person that she needed to swear herself to in this trying time.

"You can at least call me Dimitri until we reach the capital, Professor." The title earned a grumble, and it also had him make an easy mistake too. One that she would most certainly not ignore.

With a smirk, she corrected him, "Byleth." At first, the fact did not register with him. A few seconds later it became clear what prompted her to speak.

"... I did it again, didn't?" The satisfaction of his previous words lost in his embarrassment.

"You did, your majesty," Dedue added. Once again, it was difficult to tell if he was antagonizing the monarch or was being too literal.

Nevertheless, Dimitri sighed, "It will be a long journey back to Fhirdiad."