Chapter 1) Sunset


The land of Fodlan is blessed, though just 'who' did the blessing depends heavily on what you heard growing up. Northerners mention 'fairies' and a 'divine queen'. The east, particularly those who live along the mountain range, say 'spirits'. Those in the west often speak of 'angels' and 'demons'. No two stories are exactly the same, and most only share one similarity at all. Every tale stated that whoever blessed the land did so out of the kindness of their heart and it was this blessing that saved Fodlan many times over the centuries. The most recent form of this protection arrived just a few short months after the Invaders of the East first appeared in our lands.

At least, that is what Nemesis claimed, when he jumped down from the mountains and wielded a blade of fire that reaped armies as a farmer reaps wheat in the fields. He led the disorganized people of the east against the Invaders, unifying them with sheer charisma and might, and saved Fodlan. Of course, he had his generals, his Elites who bore weapons of similarly divine might, but he was the leader, the liberator. In fact, those of the east dubbed him their king, their King of Liberation, after the fighting calmed. There are some who think that it is simply a unique way to utilize Black and/or White magics, but with each passing year, the story of 'divine blessing' becomes more plausible. It has been nearly fifty years since the Invaders were driven back beyond the mountains, and yet Nemesis and his Elites have barely aged a single day and continue to display a might that far exceeds that of mere mortals.

That isn't to say things are peaceful, though. Nemesis's love of battle is well known, and the lands he governs are a place where the strong thrive, and the weak just… disappear. How strongly his Elites enforce this practice depends on the individual, but it is as much of a truth as the fact that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Many of those who live in the western lands have moved north and east for that exact reason, and many more move for the stability having strong, apparently immortal rulers provides. After all, the western lands are a hotbed of petty quarrels turned deadly, with the various nobles constantly warring with each other to determine the borders of their own lands and, more importantly, the range of their influence.

But it was in these chaotic lands that a saint 'appeared', spreading her kindness with every 'miracle' she performed. Many thought she came as an answer to prayers, living proof of the divine that protected and blessed the lands. But the truth was far darker, far bloodier, than the populace would ever learn, and that truth… changed everything. Forever.

The darkness of war is creeping across Fodlan, just as the night slowly claims the lands as the sun sets, and it is all Wilhelm's fault that I even got involved. Damn him.


I hated working on finances. You would think that I wouldn't, since I did always enjoy mathematics, but I truly, truly hated it. Though, part of the reason was how taxes had their own set of rules that ran from logic as if it had the plague, and how the taxes for each district of my lands had to be done completely differently. There was no set formula that I could use to get a definitive answer, because the taxes also had to take into account each district's condition. I had to hunt through all sorts of reports and notes to make sure that the taxes owed could reasonably be paid, or if I had to adjust. If I did have to adjust, then I also had to see which districts could afford a little extra taxation, so that the flow of coin through my lands kept steady. That was only part of what I had to do, mind. I also had to handle paying the soldiers who maintained the peace and protected the borders, as well as the staff. This included all the bonus pay and looking into each individual to see if there was anyone who needed a little extra for this month. If there was, I had to think of some sort of excuse so that I didn't wound anyone's fragile pride. It was all such a headache…

"Lady Kasimira?" Sieger's gentle voice pried me away from reading my notes about the soldiers, specifically one whose daughter recently gave birth. I had to see if I had already sent a gift, in addition to figuring out a way to give him time off and a bonus so that he could see his grandchild and the family could relax instead of going straight back to work. "Lady Kasimira."

"I heard you the first time," I replied, standing from my desk to reach one of the notebooks I kept on the shelf nearby. I flipped through the pages and skimmed through all the dates and notes written haphazardly across the pages, frowning as I noticed that one of the maids had an anniversary coming up. I would have to make sure she got time off for that; it was her second. "You know that."

"Of course." Still, he waited, so I sighed and closed the notebook, using my fingers to keep my place. Then I turned to look at him, barely resisting the urge to scowl or roll my eyes. Sieger had served me since we were both children, and I knew that if he was interrupting me, then it was something at least reasonably important. But it was still incredibly aggravating to be interrupted, especially when I already wasn't in a good mood. "Firstly, you neglected candles. Again."

"I can still see." Though it was storming, and the light was fading because of the hour, it wasn't quite dark yet. I would say we were in the earliest hours of sunset, at the latest. "I don't see the point in wasting the candles if there is enough light to work." Besides, the less candles I used, the more there were for the servants to use while handling the chores. I wanted them to use as many as they wanted, after all.

"One of my many jobs is to protect you, and that includes at least attempting to keep you from straining your eyes until you get a terrible headache. Again." Sieger's polite sarcasm was perhaps the closest he would ever get to scolding or yelling at me, and I definitely rolled my eyes then, leaning against the desk to ease the ache in my knees. He at least never got on me about perfect posture, as my tutors used to do. "And I don't know how you can see enough to read and write when I can barely see you."

"You know that I know that is a lie, right?" I was tempted to throw something harmless at him, like a wadded up piece of paper, but I knew he would dodge. He was, after all, one of the most skilled assassins I had. Anticipating movements (and dodging) was one of the requirements, as was incredible night vision. "Shall you tell another obvious one? Are you going to claim that your hair is white instead of black? I did like the one you told that last visitor about how your eyes were bright blue, not dark grey."

"I knew you would enjoy that. Their confusion was quite entertaining." Sieger bowed to hide his smile, with his ponytail falling over his shoulder. He had always worn it long, his one vanity. When we were children, I had brattishly delighted in pulling it. "Regardless, though, there is a visitor."

"...Is there?" I glanced out the nearby window, confirming the skies were dark with heavy rain and only growing darker. Few would come calling at this hour, especially in this sort of weather. "Who?" Sieger hesitated. I was going to hate this answer. "Sieger."

"Duke Hresvelg."

"Toss him out." I bristled at the name, barely biting back more scathing words and more violent orders. Wilhelm… how dare he show up here? "You may interpret the order however you wish. Why even bother me with this?"

"He has a guest." Sieger straightened and his eyes expressed worry. "A guest who is… possibly in need of assistance."

"Oh, how glorious! He's using people for his benefit. I must be beside myself with shock." I had to be sarcastic to keep from screaming. Damn him. Damn him! He knew I would grudgingly tolerate him if there was another person around! "If you haven't already arranged it, then get a towel for the guest." I paused and ground my teeth. As much as I wanted to be spiteful… "I suppose for Wilhelm as well. Much as I would love him to catch his death from a cold, I would rather not cause more work for the staff." They worked hard enough as it was. I wouldn't burden them because of my own issues. "Can you also arrange tea? It is dreadfully chilly."

"I have already sent word to the kitchens for the tea, and will fetch the towels myself." Sieger made sure to smile reassuringly at me, and I made myself relax. "I think you will enjoy the flavor, though. I specifically ordered angelica." Now that actually got a laugh out of me. Angelica tea wasn't my favorite by any means, but Wilhelm hated it. But he would have to stomach it for politeness. "I promise to also follow that earlier order at the first opportunity."

"Thank you, as always." I headed to the nearby mirror so that I could check my appearance. I hadn't paid much attention to how much I had messed it up since I had planned on just working on finances for the rest of the day, but… "Can you also send Beatrix in?"

"At once."

"Thank you."

Sieger was as prompt as always, because in what felt like seconds, Beatrix arrived to quickly make me presentable. I stood still as she worked, and studied my reflection. You would think I would tire of it as it wasn't as if the basics ever changed. While my hair was styled a little differently every day, it remained the same shade of red-auburn and always had those ringlets that insisted on falling by my face no matter what. Though I sometimes wore makeup, my eyes remained the same dark blue and only 'changed' when I hadn't slept or when I had been crying. My clothes were always the same style, simple yet elegant as befitting a noblewoman, even if the colors changed. Truly, I should be utterly bored of how I looked, but ever since everyone died, I found it held my attention. I constantly looked for some sort of difference, some sort of change that reflected the pain I felt still. But there was nothing. I was the same as always.

Beatrix finished before long, an old hand at this since she had been serving me almost as long as Sieger had, and I slipped on some heels before leaving my study and heading down the stairs to the reception room to meet my guests. The towels had yet to arrive, so they stood awkwardly in the middle, trying to minimize the puddle they were leaving, but Wilhelm looked up as he heard me approach. His companion, however… she didn't. I studied her closely, as I didn't recognize her at all. Her hair was an unusually light green, and her eyes matched. She wore a dark cloak that only emphasized how wan her appearance was, and it almost seemed like she couldn't stand up on her own. She leaned heavily on Wilhelm, who supported her easily.

"Kasimira, I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour," Wilhelm greeted politely, inclining his head slightly. His normally neat hair was plastered down from the rain, the water darkening the blonde strands to some muddy-brown color, and his lack of a cloak hinted that the cloak the woman wore was his. "You were closest, and I knew you… well…"

"I question what you were doing in my lands at all, Wilhelm, but I suppose that doesn't matter for now," I replied cooly, keeping as emotionless as possible. He smiled hesitantly, and I thought of how the girls I had grown up with used to sigh over that smile, just as much as they giggled and waxed poetic on his pale purple eyes. But that smile just made me angry nowadays. "So, who is this? She is much too pretty to be a paramour of yours."

"I see your tongue is as sharp as ever." He looked down at the woman and shifted his grip to help her stand a little straighter. It didn't work; she was as pliant as a rag-doll. I truly wondered if she even knew where she was. "I don't know her name. I found her collapsed on the road."

"I take it you were sneaking about without guards, as per usual." I had always hated that habit of his; it put so much stress of his servants. "Towels and tea are on the way. I suppose I shall have to arrange a change of clothes for you as well?"

"Her too."

"That 'you' was plural." Thankfully for my temper and my fraying nerves, one of the maids appeared then with the promised towels. "I shall take care of it, then. We can talk in the parlor over the tea, once you are changed."

Wilhelm, what sort of trouble did you bring me this time?


The woman's hands and arms were bloodied and shredded, with her nails broken, almost as if she had been frantically digging through something. The maids informed me of the finding, and I had Sieger interrogate Wilhelm on just where he had found her before sending out some of my personal guard to investigate. It could be something innocuous, but I knew how tenuous the relative peace of my lands was. I refused to take chances. Besides, it also served as a perfect excuse to set up that bonus pay I wanted to give that soldier.

"Here, you should at least hold this," I whispered, helping the woman grasp the teacup. If we were being 'proper'... well, I did remember the scowls I would get from my dear granny whenever I did so while having tea with her. But these were special circumstances. I dared say that not even my granny would protest, given the woman's blank eyes and the bandages on her hands. The clothes she borrowed were large on her, giving the haunting impression of a ghost stuck in a living body. I… I remembered far too well, this sort of feeling. "There we go." Needing to distract myself, I turned my attention to Wilhelm and gave him a pointedly polite smile. "How is the tea, Wilhelm? Sieger chose it especially for you."

"As always, his choices are very thought out," Wilhelm replied, his own smile straining to keep polite. I couldn't help but feel a little smug, petty as it was. "Your brewing skills are also as perfect as can be."

"Wilhelm, still your silver tongue! You know such things never work on me!" I passed out the pastries next, making sure the woman had a variety on her plate to choose from, before tucking my skirts under me and sitting at the table. I made a mental note to give all my current staff bonuses for setting this up so quickly, especially at the late hour. "However, if you would oblige me by explaining what you are doing in my domain?"

"Truthfully, I was in the neighboring one, and decided to take a shortcut." Wilhelm glanced briefly at the woman, who cradled the teacup but didn't seem to process that she was truly holding something. "I suppose I should have sent some sort of word warning you, however. Please, accept my apologies for the gauche breach in manners."

"Oh, Wilhelm, I am quite used to you doing whatever you wish with no regards to me at all." I sipped my tea to make it easier to bite my tongue and keep from saying more. This was the longest 'conversation' I had to endure with him in two years, and I wished I could just throw him out. However, the storm outside had only grown heavier. If I did, he would likely drown just steps from my door and I would have to deal with far too many questions and paperwork because of it. There was also the woman to consider; she might become more disoriented if Wilhelm disappeared. "Would you like more tea?"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly…"

"Nonsense! I brewed more than enough for the three of us." I stood up again to fill his cup, biting back a smile when I caught him squirming. While I very much didn't enjoy the conversation, I had to admit to having a bit of fun with this part of the interaction. In fact, I was having more than 'a bit' of fun. "You needn't attempt to censor yourself on my-"

"...Hot…" The quiet voice only barely cut me off, and it had more been because I had seen the woman's mouth move than having actually heard her. "It's… too hot… to drink…" she continued (or repeated), lifting her head to smile a fragile smile at me. "I am… sorry…"

"No, please, take your time," I reassured, masking my surprise that she had spoken at all. Wilhelm quickly did the same to smile back at her. "If you are thirsty now, I can send for some water."

"Water would be… nice." She slowly sat up, and her eyes cautiously brightened into life as she watched me do just that. She looked between Wilhelm and me, confirming my earlier suspicion that she hadn't truly noticed either of us earlier. "Who are you?"

"Ah, where did my manners run off too, for me to forget that!" Wilhelm joked, continuing to smile. I bit back a sarcastic retort as I sat down again. No matter how easy the opening was, now was the time to focus on the woman and making sure she was comfortable. "I am Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg, the duke of a nearby territory. Our lovely host is Duchess Kasimira Agnes Vestra."

"He claims he found you collapsed on the road near here," I added, mostly to help the woman piece things together. I knew how… unlinear things could be when you dissociated. "I have soldiers searching the area to investigate the cause of your injuries." The woman looked down at her arms and hands, as if she had just noticed the bandages. She might have. "I believe my maids are… attempting to save your dress, but it was quite stained."

"But that is far too serious talk! The tea is angelica, by the way, and you are encouraged to eat your weight in pastries!" Wilhelm stole one from my plate to nibble on for emphasis. I regarded him cooly before smiling at the woman and nodding. "Ah, but what name do you go by?"

"I… Seiros," the woman answered after a moment. She blinked slowly, and kept her attention fully on Wilhelm and me. I hoped we weren't overwhelming her. "I'm called Seiros."

"Ah, the 'saint' the people have been praising in Enbarr!" Wilhelm laughed, still smiling. I frowned, though, wondering just what she was doing here, since Enbarr was far to the south. That was assuming it was the same person, mind. The name was unusual enough that I could see why Wilhelm immediately assumed, but… "I've heard of the good work you've been doing there. That canal was inspired!"

"I simply… was doing what I knew my mother would do, while trying to find someone." One of the maids appeared with the water then, and Seiros took it with a small, but warm, smile. As she turned her head, her hair fell over her shoulder and I noticed something more than peculiar. Her ears… they were pointed. A quick glance at Wilhelm proved he had seen the same, but he gestured for silence. Much as I hated going along with him, I nodded. "Ah, but as for… um…" She held up one of her bandaged arms, drawing my attention back to her. "I passed a village that was… being slaughtered. I tried to do… what I could, but…"

"It seems bandits have descended from the Oghma Mountains again," I grumbled, mentally cursing. No matter how many times I sent soldiers to deal with that threat, more just appeared. It was maddening, and even more so because I knew that some were just people trying to survive. "My soldiers shall do what needs to be done. I shall no doubt receive a report in the morning." If there were any survivors, they would be here in a day or so. I hoped there were some. "Ah, but I thank you for helping my people, Seiros."

"No, I simply couldn't stand aside while…" Seiros protested, sipping her water. She poured a little into the tea, to cool it faster, and sipped it. "Ah! This is delightful!" I barely bit back a snicker as Wilhelm quickly covered a groan. I knew he had hoped Seiros would hate it and then I would be forced to change the tea to something else. "What is it again?"

"Angelica." I gestured to her plate and made sure to smile. "It pairs well with these sweets. Though, if you don't like sweets, I can ask the cooks to make you something else."

"No, I… I really like sweets, actually." She nibbled on the first one, no doubt to be polite, but soon was devouring all that was on her plate. Wilhelm and I both gave her ours, and I watched with amusement as she just… continued eating. It was as if she had taken Wilhelm's jest of 'eating her own weight' literally. I wondered if she hadn't eaten in a while. "These are delicious…"

"I shall make sure my cooks know of your praise!" I waited until she had completely cleared her plate (as well as both Wilhelm's and mine) before signaling one of the servants on standby. "With this rain, and the late hour, I have rooms prepared for you both. I insist that you rest."

"I… thank you very much." Seiros bowed her head to emphasize the gratitude, and once again, I saw the pointed ears. "I think I will take you up on that."

"I shall ensure a small pot of angelica tea is prepared for you as well." I kept up the smile as one of the maids entered and led Seiros out of the parlor. When the door shut, I dropped it and scowled at Wilhelm. "What did you get me involved in this time?"

"I honestly have no idea," Wilhelm answered, his own smile finally dropping. I was glad he wasn't treating this like an adventure. He had done that a few times in the past, and it had always irritated me. "But now, I am especially grateful that you were closest. Regardless of what's going on, or even what she is…"

"I shall shelter her for as long as it is needed. She was injured trying to help my people, after all." I sipped my tea, noticing it was lukewarm now. "Were you tracking bandits?"

"No, though I now wish I had been." Now that there wasn't a guest, Wilhelm 'subtly' emptied his cup into one of the nearby flowerpots. He nearly fell out of his chair in order to reach, and I wished he truly had fallen. It would have been amusing and I was tempted to kick the chair in order to cause it. But, alas, he was settled and balanced before I could attempt. "No, one of my spies insisted on meeting me in your lands. Said it was safest."

"Are you dragging me into two different sets of trouble?" I didn't bother to hide my growl of annoyance, though I did hold myself back from actually yelling. "What was the information?"

"I don't know." His deadly serious look, with dark and haunted eyes, quieted whatever disbelief I normally would have had. "I only found his corpse. Or, the mangled remains of his corpse." He pulled a small pouch from his pocket, and let it dangle from his fingers by the drawstring. "Whoever killed him did a thorough search, but missed this." I assumed it had to have been in a hidden pocket in the cloak, and quite a bit of luck had been involved in keeping it hidden. "I haven't looked yet, but I hope it at least hints to what information he had."

"Who was he spying on?"

"That's the interesting thing. He was on leave." Wilhelm sharply tugged the pouch up to catch it. "Whatever information he discovered, it was something he came upon either on his own or by chance. But I do know where he was taking his break." He paused to let me collect my thoughts; I was going to hate this. "He was in the east, near Nemesis's own lands, to visit his sister. He shouldn't have been on his way back for another couple of months."

"...You want alcohol with the tea?" I stood and headed for the door, knowing that someone would be on standby there. "I think I need a nightcap."

"I'll take a toddy, sure." Wilhelm tucked the pouch into his pocket and rubbed his eyes. "We didn't hear why Seiros was so far north, did we?"

"No, we didn't." I caught a servant's eye within seconds of opening the door and relayed the request. "Why do you always bring trouble?"

Sieger was going to pitch a (very quiet) fit when he heard about all of this. I needed to pay him more too.


I decided in the morning that while the storm raged, Wilhelm and Seiros would both remain as my guests. I wasn't particularly happy, because the longer they were here, the more likely I would be dragged into whatever trouble following them, but I owed Seiros and I truly didn't want to deal with questions and paperwork if Wilhelm died in my domain, which was more than possible given the weather. If I had any doubts, the reports of the massive flooding the nearby villages suffered put them to rest in a hurry. I at least didn't have to spend a lot of time with Wilhelm. When he wasn't with Seiros, he was in his room, handling… whatever had been in that pouch. I had emergencies to oversee, refugees to relocate, and I had to eventually finish those finances.

"Lady Kasimira?" Sadly, Sieger interrupted me in the middle of math and taxes once again. "I think I should just take over for this month," he noted with some amusement when I barely looked up from my papers long enough to glare at him. There was too much to do for me to do more. My desk was covered in stacks that swayed higher than my head. "Otherwise, it might not get done in a timely manner."

"Why are you interrupting me this time?" I asked, still working. The floods and bandits threw my earlier calculations off in regards to taxes, so I had to redo them quickly. I also had to divert emergency funds, and adjust the monthly budget accordingly. "If you aren't asking if we can throw out Wilhelm…" The storm had finally abated in the late hours of yesterday evening, and the morning sun shone gleefully over the half-drowned land as if in mockery of the damage its absence had wrought. "I doubt I want to hear it."

"You have guests." Sieger actually walked over and covered the paper I was reading with his hand. That alone told me this was serious. "King Nemesis was traveling nearby with Lady Fraldarius and Lord Maurice, and decided to pay an unexpected visit."

"...Kill me now…" I groaned and let my head fall to the desk. My back screamed in pain from the awkward stretch, though my neck appreciated no longer being bent. "Can we pretend I am ill or busy?" But even as I said the words, I was already pushing myself up. "I don't suppose there is any mention of why they were near?"

"No, there isn't, but I have been reassured that this is only a passing visit." That was better, at least. "Beatrix is waiting for you in your room. I will finish the finances for you."

"Thank you, Sieger." I hated not doing it on my own, but… "I truly hope this is quick. I have work to do, and you can't do it all for me."

"But I will do all I can." Sieger hesitated before reaching over to rub my back, something he had done when we were children to help reassure me. "As always. But the sooner you get to Beatrix, the sooner you can get this over with."

"Damn that you are right."

Beatrix had me changed into a fresh dress and my appearance presentable in record time, an accomplishment even for her, and so, I was able to greet my three unexpected guests in a reasonable amount of time. This, of course, led to Nemesis requesting a walk in the gardens, as he had a fascination with the ones on my estate. Fraldarius and Maurice stayed inside to chat with the servants, as they had done the other times Nemesis visited.

"Ah, careful here, Kasimira," Nemesis urged, offering me his hand to help me around a puddle. There weren't many, thanks to how the garden was built, but the few present were too large for me to safely get around without assistance. "Do you have your footing?"

"I do, yes," I replied, making sure to smile politely. His own smile was strangely warm and kind, given how much he liked to fight and how little 'peace' interested him. "Thank you."

"No, I should be thanking you for indulging my whim to walk through the flowers." He looked over them with that same smile. "Your lands always hold a strange sort of peace that cannot be found anywhere else in Fodlan. You rule well."

"You flatter me, Nemesis." If this sort of 'peace' couldn't be found anywhere else, it was because no one was bothering to actually help their people. They paid me taxes in exchange for protection, and I refused to shirk. "Sadly, my lands are still plagued with numerous problems. Bandits destroyed a village not long ago."

"If you would like, I can have Fraldarius look into it on our way back east." He turned his attention to me, and I made sure I still had a smile pinned to my face. "I know she would not mind, especially if it is to assist you."

"I am touched by the concern, but for now, I would like to look into it on my own." I didn't want to owe Nemesis any favors. "I already have my soldiers doing so now. Bandits are nothing to them, after all." I watched his expressions, curious if he would have any reaction to 'bandits'. There were rumors, after all, that Nemesis and his Elites had once been nothing more than bandits before they were 'blessed', but there was nothing to support it. None of them ever even acknowledged the rumors, from my understanding. "But, I thank you for the thought."

"I should've known you would've been prompt at dealing with them." Nemesis laughed softly, amused, and I kept my smile even while gritting my teeth. I could never tell if he was mocking me or not. "Hmm? Ah, Maurice."

"My apologies, my king, but if we are to make good time, we must be off," Maurice explained, joining us in the garden. He was always a striking figure, mostly because his short hair was such a pale grey that you swore the strands were translucent, though his eyes were a more typical brown. As a show of 'we need to leave now', his weapon, the magic blade 'Blutgang', hung on his hip, with the red gem glittering and pulsing in the sunlight. It always made me uneasy, like a beast snarling and waiting to snap my arm off, which was part of the reason why I insisted the three always remove their weapons when visiting. The other reason was, of course, for politeness. "Fraldarius insists you come and manage your temperamental horse yourself, by the way."

"As if her pegasus is a sweet-tempered thing!" Nemesis laughed, acknowledging the message with a nod. He turned to me and took my hand to kiss it. I ducked my head as if in embarrssment, but more to make sure I didn't make a face. "Thank you again for walking with me, Kasimira." To my relief, he left then. Though in any other context, I would have been miffed over the rudeness, I was glad to have a moment to breathe.

"I apologize for my king's whims, Lady Kasimira." Maurice himself bowed to me, smiling with fond sheepishness. "I am certain you were busy given the recent rains, but nothing Fraldarius or I said could distract him. He is quite serious about his offer."

"I truly must thank him for his patience and consideration," I said, back to fixing the smile to my face. Oh, I knew how serious he was about his offer of marriage, and I knew just why that was. It was no interest in me, but in the army and assassins I commanded and the fertile lands that I governed. A marriage to me would also give him an easy foothold in the west, where his influence was most lacking. "I know it has been two years, but…"

"Lady Kasimira, you suffered a terrible loss, one that would shake anyone. That you can stand tall enough to govern your people is more strength than anyone has a right to expect," Maurice reassured, his smile softening. Sadly, thanks to his weapon, the smile wasn't actually comforting. The juxtaposition actually highlighted how unnerving the thing was. "You should not feel guilty for mourning."

"Thank you dearly."

"Maurice, come make sure our glorious king doesn't get distracted by the weapons and longing to duel the soldiers, will you?" Fraldarius's annoyed call actually did make me relax, and the smile on my face finally felt 'real' when she skipped into view with a scowl on her face. "I swear; he's like a child sometimes," she huffed, her scowl deepening. It was quite the fierce look, due to her dark purple hair and matching eyes, but the honesty in it was refreshing. "And if I try to remind him to be a proper adult, we're just going to get into an argument again."

"And there's no Blaiddyd to safely pick you up," Maurice instantly teased, laughing. Fraldarius tried to whack him on the shoulder, but her short height meant she had to jump to do so. In fact, Fraldarius was the shortest of the Elites, from what I had seen. "I'll handle that and get on the road. You don't mind, right?"

"With how slow you two ride, I could leave in ten hours and still catch up before you stop for camp." Fraldarius rolled her eyes and made a face when Maurice ruffled her hair, knocking some strands out of her loose bun. She pulled her hair-tie out of her hair as Maurice left to fix it back into a bun. "So, tell me, how many times did you want to hit Nemesis over the head?"

"Fraldarius, you know I can't answer anything like that!" I chided, even as I muffled a laugh. It was much easier to be around her, though I had to admit even her 'weapon' was unnerving. The Aegis shield, which she had hooked over her shoulder for now, wasn't as 'beastly' as Blutgang, but since it was 'hooked', I could see that strange red crystal pulsing on the underside, and the 'main face'... honestly, it reminded me of an actual face. It was like it tried to mimic some sort of reptile. "Besides, why would I risk being on the wrong end of the Sword of the Creator?" For that was Nemesis's divine blade, a greatsword that somehow could separate into a chain-whip to allow him to strike any foe. It reminded me far too much of a spine for my liking and, like all the other divine weapons, it had that crystal that glittered as if it were alive.

"It's not like he had it with him," Fraldarius pointed out, tying off her bun with ease. Then she stretched her arms above her head, squeaking a little when something popped. "Anyway, I heard about the bandits. I'm sure you've got it covered, but do you mind if I do a fly-by anyway? It's on my way, really. I'm actually heading north to mess with Blaiddyd and then to return to my lands." That was right… Fraldarius's territory was towards the very north. In fact, she and Gautier shared dominion over the northernmost parts of Fodlan.

"You may do as you wish, as always." I knew that she would do it whether I agreed or not. That she asked at all was simply a sign that she respected me. "Please don't trouble yourself on my account, though."

"Oh, don't worry. If I trouble myself over anything, it's for me, myself, and I~!" Fraldarius grinned and, this time, I didn't muffle my laugh. "I'll head out, then. Try to take care of yourself, Kasimira."

"I shall try." I waved her goodbye as she left, and headed inside as soon as she was out of sight. Then I immediately bolted up the stairs, thinking of everything I had to do. So, of course, I was met with an unexpected complication as soon as I reached the top of the stairs. A very angry Seiros was snarling, desperately trying to fight off Sieger and three of my guards as they struggled to keep her pinned. Though Sieger kept her muffled, I could still tell that she was shouting in a language I didn't recognize at all, and her eyes were dark with raw fury and hatred. It was such a sharp contrast to how she had been these past few days that I could only stare, wondering if, perhaps, I had fallen asleep at my desk and was now simply having a bizarre dream. The ache in my feet suggested otherwise, though.

"Before you ask, no one is really sure what sparked this," Wilhelm explained, coming up beside me. He was just as nonplussed as I was, staring as if Seiros had been replaced by a completely different person. "A maid thinks she saw Seiros look out the window shortly before, but…"

This was definitely not how I planned my day going.


It took quite a while to calm Seiros enough for the servants to safely let go of her, and it took even longer for her to calm enough that Wilhelm and I could actually sit down to talk with her. In fact, it was late evening by the time she stopped snarling and growling in that unknown language, and I had tea set up in the parlor again for us to speak in relative private. It also provided us with a lovely view of the sunset, though I was probably the only one of us three appreciating the view. Seiros was still angry, and Wilhelm attempted to sweeten her mood with actual sweets, but so far, he had no luck.

"Who was that man?" Seiros finally asked, looking at me with eyes that seared. I sipped my tea, wondering just who she was talking about. "I have been asking ever since we sat down, but neither of you have answered."

"Oh, is that what you have been saying?" I replied, doing my best to keep poised. That seemed to be the best thing to do in this situation. "You were speaking a language neither Wilhelm nor myself understood, so we truly had no idea." Her anger faltered, slightly, for sheepishness, but returned before anyone could comment. "Now, which man are you talking about?"

"The one you were walking with." Her tone was almost accusing. "In the garden."

"Ah, that is Nemesis." I watched her closely, noticing both how she bristled and the almost sickening triumph in her expression. "He is…" How best to explain?

"He's probably the most persistent of Kasimira's current suitors," Wilhelm filled in, refilling each of our teacups. It was chamomile today, since I figured the soothing effect would be needed. "And he's high enough ranked that she can't snap at him when he does things like surprise visits. " He sat back down and tossed a small piece of candy into his mouth. "It's irritating to watch, so you can imagine how annoying it is to experience!" I wondered just why he started with that for an 'explanation', but I saw Seiros slowly relax and realized he was being careful to 'separate' us from Nemesis.

"He is called the 'King of Liberation', after he and his Elites protected Fodlan from eastern invaders," I added, deciding to go for the more proper explanation. Otherwise, she would wonder just why he was 'high enough ranked'. "He rules the east primarily, though through his Elites, he has most of the continent under his control. He pursues me in order to gain more influence here in the west, where his power is weakest."

"Two of his Elites were actually here with him, though Maurice doesn't actually have lands of his own. He's always at Nemesis's side, his ever-watchful guard dog." Wilhelm calmly drank his tea, and soon, Seiros did the same, sipping it slowly. "They are supposedly divinely blessed, and there's some evidence for it. The weapons they wield, the crests they bear…"

"Were stolen from my family!" Seiros immediately snapped, going right back to anger. I scowled at Wilhelm, and he smiled sheepishly. While that was an interesting tidbit of information, the point of this was to keep her calm. "If you can call slaughtering everyone and ripping apart their corpses 'stealing'!" Bright tears shone in her eyes, and I knew my own expression blanked. I had… no idea how to respond to that. "Heimir's claw and heart hanging at that dog's side… part of Athena's skull hooked over that woman's shoulder with her heart hiding underneath… and then Nemesis…" She spat out the name with such poison that I was half-tempted to send for antidotes, just in case. "My mother's spine and her heart… he had used it to kill everyone!"

"...Uh… Seiros, I am afraid that I need to ask you to start from the beginning?" Wilhelm hesitantly requested when Seiros paused for breath. He glanced at me, a silent question in his eyes, and I nodded and went to the door to request some sweet wine. This was definitely a conversation that warranted alcohol. "But first, I insist that you drink some tea and eat some sweets. Try these sugar candies, actually. They're absolutely amazing."

By the time the wine arrived, Wilhelm had successfully cajoled Seiros into a less-angry mood, though I had to send the servants out for more of the sugar candies as Seiros ended up devouring the entire bowl. Wilhelm served the wine for me, while I made more chamomile tea and organized the sweets and candies on the table again to see which ones we needed more of. I told the servants to double the usual amount when I made my requests, since Seiros had a bottomless stomach, particularly for sweets! It was only when they returned and left, and Wilhelm and I had everything settled again, that Seiros finally spoke.

"I am one of the Nabatea," she whispered, speaking slowly and clearly. She cradled her teacup in her hands, clinging to it for warmth as she told her story. "A child of the progenitor god, Sothis." I didn't know that name, but that was beside the point for now. "We are not human, as you are, though most of us take… took… a human-like form."

"That would explain the pointed ears," Wilhelm noted, knocking back his wine as if it were a shot of whiskey and we were in a tavern. He ignored my disapproving look and simply poured himself more. "Why hide?"

"Originally, we didn't, or so I was told. We lived alongside humans, but…" Her eyes grew dark and her hands shook. "The humans waged war on one another, tearing the lands apart and filling the cracks with blood. And then, one day, they turned their violence onto Mother. To protect her children, and the humans who sought shelter with her, she retaliated. The resulting war annihilated most of the humans, destroyed the cities they held so proudly, and turned Fodlan into a wasteland where nothing could grow."

"But things grow now, so did the land just… recover?"

"With Mother's help, yes. She spent ages upon ages restoring the land, using every drop of power she had and more to make Fodlan livable again, as best as she was able."

"Sadly, Mother was not able to heal all of Fodlan. This is why A…" She frowned suddenly, a look of childish frustration crossing her face. "Ailell. I can never pronounce that name. Regardless, it's why it is still how it is."

"The Valley of Torment, you mean?"

"Yes. Most of Fodlan looked like that, before Mother healed it." Seiros gulped her tea, and I refilled her cup for her. Then I drained my own glass of wine because that was a mental image I didn't want. "Afterwards, she had to rest in Zanado, in the shelter she crafted during the war. The rest of us… we lived nearby to watch over her. Many of us traveled, of course, but we kept our identities secret. It was Mother's request, as she believed in humans even after that war. She loved them, and believed it was her influence, her accelerating the natural growth of their civilization, that led them to the violent paths they took."

"Basically, like a mother letting her child spread their wings or something?"

"Yes." Seiros smiled briefly, but it disappeared for pain. "About… I suppose it was fifty years now? Time loses meaning when you are long-lived, and even more so after…" She closed her eyes to stem back tears. "I do not know how Nemesis learned the secrets of our blood and hearts. But he did. He killed my mother while she slumbered, defiled her remains to turn into a weapon, and then he led an attack on my home. On Zanado. Even now…" Her voice cracked and her hands shook so much that she spilled tea everywhere. I took the cup from her and Wilhelm quickly used a napkin to soak up the worst of the spills. "I can hear the screams. I can see the canyon walls stained red with blood."

"How did you survive?"

"Cichol, my brother. He used his powers to hide us both." She coughed, choking on words, tears, and memories. Without thinking, I stood up to rub her back and she leaned into me, relying on both the chair and me to keep mostly upright. "Two others survived. Well, one of my nieces survived as well, but thankfully, she hadn't been there. Everyone else was..."

"Killed."

"Torn apart. Their hearts harvested, their bones broken and dragged away…" All of her shook now. I hugged her automatically, to give her some support. "I remember seeing that man, wielding that sword made from my mother's spine, powered by her heart and the crest he stole from her blood. I burned his image in my mind, so that I would never forget. I've spent the years since wandering Fodlan, hunting for him. And I finally… finally…!"

She broke down sobbing. I held her tightly, letting her cling to me and stroking her hair to give her some measure of comfort. Eventually, she fainted, exhausted by everything, and Wilhelm sent for Sieger to carry her to her room. Sieger did so without question or comment, and in silence, Wilhelm and I sat back down at the table, ignoring the tea to simply finish off the bottle of wine and eat the sweets before they grew stale.

"There's still some questions, a lot of questions actually, but I don't think you can fake such a reaction," Wilhelm mused once we had reached the bottom of the bottle. I made some noise of agreement, more focused on savoring the last bits. "So, how to fight Nemesis?"

"Excuse me?" I deadpanned, just barely keeping myself from yelping and choking on the wine. It was a good vintage, and I didn't want to waste it. "You want to what?"

"What? Her story makes far more sense than 'some random divine being randomly bestowed power on random people'." He shrugged. "Besides, it doesn't matter if they're human or not, wrong is wrong. And what he did was wrong."

"It is no different than how many others gain power." Bitter dryness surged into my voice at the next words. "You didn't have a problem two years ago."

"Mira, that-"

"Don't call me that." I finished off my wine and slammed my glass down. It was impolite and improper, but I didn't care at the moment. "You lost that right two years ago." I stood up and leaned forward slightly to loom over him as best as I was able. Wilhelm shrunk back, wincing as he remembered why he lost that right. "If you are intent on using this as an excuse to gather power, then I suggest you gather more evidence besides someone's word. While I also don't think she was lying, she could have facts confused. I know well the pain she is talking about, and I know equally well how muddled the events can get in your head."

I left him then, just checking the urge to slam the door shut after me. But I didn't head to my room. Instead, I headed to the crypts below the estate to visit my family, and spend a few moments in complete, and quiet, solitude. The silence of their ghosts was far more comforting than the words of the living, and I needed that comfort to get through this. I knew I would.


Kasimira Agnes Vestra

The 24 year old duchess of Vestra, who lost her entire family two years ago due to the schemes of one of her father's rivals. Though she bears terrible scars (both mental and physical), she does her best to push forward for the sake of her people. She takes the job of ruling very seriously, and though she is skilled in fighting, she dislikes battles and, thus, views Nemesis's 'the strong survive' mentality with distaste.

Sieger

A 25 year old assassin for House Vestra, who has been trained since birth for the job. By chance, he was also assigned as Kasimira's bodyguard and vassal, which he always considers the best thing to happen to him. It was due to his quick thinking that he and Kasimira were able to survive the family's massacre, though he claims it was simply 'luck'. Though he's careful to not show it in front of his lady, he feels immensely guilty for only being able to save her, and feels like he failed her by not saving even one of her siblings.

Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg

The 24 year old duke of Hresvelg, who has known Kasimira since they were children. Since he never got along with his own parents, he considered the Vestra family to be his 'true' family, and when they were slain, he quickly gathered power and pretended to befriend the culprit in order to get close enough to completely ruin him, seeing death as 'too kind'. However, his neglect to inform Kasimira of this plan prior to carrying it out led to them falling out, with him keenly aware of how his lack of communication broke her trust. One of the reasons why he wants to help Seiros is that he hopes it can help him atone, just a little, for that mistake.

Seiros

Youngest of the Nabatean born from Sothis's blood, she spent a great deal of her youth in peace with no desire to explore the world outside of Zanado. What curiosity she had was sated by the stories her siblings brought home from their travels, or from the human spouses some of her siblings took. In the aftermath of the massacre, though, she was separated from her brothers, Indech and Macuil, due to a flood, leaving her alone for the first time in her life. She's only survived this long by clinging to her desire for revenge, and her longing to see her remaining family once more.


Author's notes: Oh, goodness, what in the world am I doing? Well, Three Houses has quite a bit of lore and far too much interesting backstory to not want to play with, so… here we go? I have no doubts that future DLC will add lore and render parts of this not-canon-compliant, but hey, the game actually addresses how history gets distorted and whatnot. And a great deal of the history is relayed by someone who, canonically, can't tell the full truth about anything at all, even to people she apparently trusts.

This is the first of two stories involving the War of Heroes (where Seiros and Nemesis fought). Why two stories? Mostly because we're covering a 100 year time frame, roughly, since we're also showing the founding of the Empire and whatnot. So, fair warning, there's going to be numerous places where there's timeskips, because this story in particular starts shortly before Imperial Year 1 is established, and will go until about… oh… year 46 (or thereabouts). (The second story will actually feature the year 91, which is when Nemesis dies)

So, here's our POV char, Kasimira. Since we're over 1000 years prior to when 3H actually starts, I figured that while houses may or may not be around, what positions (and where they rule) wouldn't necessarily match up or anything. 'Vestra', by the way, is Hubert's house and is mentioned to handle the 'darker deeds' of the Empire in the present day, hence why Kasimira has an assassin as her Vassal. The reason why she's not 'von Vestra' is because of Wilhelm (whose canon name is Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg; I swear that I didn't make it up).

As for the angelica tea? That's one of the teas from the game, and apparently, datamining shows that it's one of Rhea's favorites (and, well, Rhea is Seiros, so… yeah).