You heard that right. Currently obsessed with Heroes, Echoes, and Three Houses. My FEH ID is: 7617525909 **The artwork I’m using for my profile pic and header aren’t mine nor am I trying to claim they are. I just think they’re neat.**
I miss your kidnapping fic train so bad I used to binge those. So if you're willing to can I request it again with either Dimitri or Felix? I want to relieve getting hurt THEN heal with your amazing writing of those. Or if you can't just very angst to super fluff would be very pog!
(I was gonna post both in one but then Dimitri's turned out to be 9 pages = U ='' enjoy some angst!!)
It happens in the dead of night, during one of your stays at the monastery. He didn’t want you there alone, for a myriad of reasons.
The vulnerability of it being his biggest concern. But you would assure him time and again, the only difference in security was that you weren’t sleeping beside him every night. As far as he was concerned, that was a major flaw.
Especially when he heard how it happened. The dawn had barely broken when a wyvern screeched through the courtyard. Dimitri had been training early with Dedue, as he did each day. But it all ground to a halt when Seteth dismounted, his face drawn and pale.
“Those Who Slither took Byleth!!”
It took all of his strength not to gouge Seteth then and there- how could he let this happen?! A crater formed where his heart was, filling him with panic.
His limbs shook, the lance falling from his hands.
He did not remember climbing onto the wyvern. But he distinctly remembered the hours-long flight; each second of breath agonizing with the realization that you were in danger.
You were in danger and he wasn’t there to protect you.
“We don’t know how it happened. They came in the dead of night, and killed the Queen’s guards without a sound. We have the most advanced protection spells on the continent- ancient ones, at that! The fact they were able to break through and reach her is…”
“It’s not the first time those bastards have slipped through the monastery’s defenses. I thought we solved that issue years ago!” Dimitri nearly bellowed, the wind screeching around him. “How could this happen?!”
“Forgive me, milord.” Seteth’s grip on the reins was white as the snow flurrying past. “We don’t know.”
-------------------------
The kingdoms of Fodlan were captivated with the terror of realizing their Archbishop was nowhere to be found. Everyone was panicking, frightened and confused by your sudden disappearance.
Queens and Archbishops did not simply disappear.
But Dimitri…none were as horrified as Dimitri. No one dared comfort the king, nor speak to him unless spoken to.
He quickly, violently regressing into the wild creature he had been during the war.
The voices were coming back, tormenting him ten-fold. How could he let you be taken? Be harmed? Or worse yet, killed?
How could he be such a failure of a man, as a husband and a king, to let his Beloved be stolen from his arms?
What a fool he was. A bumbling, cowardly, worthless, filthy dastard.
He had ripped apart wooden dummies on the training grounds, and smashed furniture (accidentally) in his quarters.
Your room had been virtually destroyed; meaning you put up a fight. All were forbidden entry save for the investigators.
In the destruction, they would surely be able to find some sort of clue. The Archbishop would not have let them take her without some assurance she could be found.
That’s what they hoped.
“It’s been days…” Annette whispered to Felix, the two of them watching Dimitri pace back and forth.
They had gathered in the war room, poring over maps in search of a potential lookout or a distance traveled.
“We’re losing valuable time, waiting around like this. And he’s only going to get worse.” He mumbled back without letting his gaze slip from his work.
The Blue Lions had never been so anxious, before. Between the rotting sanity of their king, and the dubious status of their queen…it was horrific.
“Should we let him continue like this? Can’t someone help him?” She looked to him with pleading eyes, but Felix shook his head.
“None of us should go near him, like this. We don’t know what he’s seeing…or thinking. If he hurts you by mistake, I’d never forgive myself. Least of all, him.”
“His wife is missing. Byleth is missing.”
“Then we just have to find her.” He sighed, taking up another piece of parchment. “We must have hope.”
-------------------------
Within a week, they find a hint where you were taken. An abandoned manor far into the Adrestian territory, which likely had plenty of basement space for whatever horrible things they planned to do to you.
Dimitri all but ripped out of the council room in a frenzy when they confirmed that was the best possible location to find you.
It took the efforts of Seteth and Dedue both to subdue him, long enough to get the man properly armed and convinced to take a mount.
The only downside was, even if they used enchantments to hasten travel, it would still take them far too long to get to you. At minimum, nine days.
Dimitri pushed the hardest of them all. As the king, he could order them to go day and night, non-stop to rush as quickly as they possibly could. He would not wait for an option other than reaching you immediately.
He smashed through the territory in a frenzy. The Lions did not dare stop him, until they absolutely had to. Forcing him to let them rest, lest the horses and wyverns die of exhaustion.
At the very least, they could credit his panicked rush with, was the time taken to get to you was lessened by three entire days.
In less than a week, they’d crossed the territory and closed in on the target.
Within that instant….it was an absolute slaughter.
Dimitri led the charge, unforgiving in his attempt to shut down the insurrection of Those Who Slither, who would dare steal his wife. The Queen would not allow mercy, nor would he. Not for the monsters that had tormented them for so long.
Even now, they were still trying to ruin all of your lives.
He would only ever allow small moments of reprieve, long enough to point the lance at a mage’s throat and demand your location.
The three that divulged you were locked away in the basement below, at least, were only slashed at their knees and taken into custody.
The rest? Razed.
Eventually they located the doors. Seteth and Dedue were tasked with breaking the doors down. A long corridor stretched before them; an irrelevant challenge.
“BYLETH!!”
His bellow all but shook the stone floors. He raced down the hall, seeking his wife among the smell of antiseptic and the sights of ruined medical supplies everywhere.
It made his stomach twist; had they used those vile tools on you?
Spell books and objects for incantations were kicked away with every fierce step. Everyone was shouting for you, but had yet to receive a response.
The breakthrough was Flayn’s cry.
“Oh my gods!!”
Immediately they veered to her voice, rushing to find her.
“A-Archbishop!!”
Her wail was founded.
“BYLETH!!” His roar jolted through the Lions when Dimitri burst through them. You were unconscious atop a stone table. Blood, dried and wet, surrounded your form.
You were too pale. Pain etched into your body, which had been broken.
He was at your side in an instant, his hands on your face. You had not opened your eyes.
“Byleth?! Byleth, please, look at me. Wake up. Wake up!!” He did not dare look away from you, checking for some sort of shallow breathing. The clerics bolted around you, trying desperately to reach you (or at the very least, drag you back into consciousness).
“This is serious…milord, we must take her from here, quickly!” Seteth informed him with deep worry, “She needs treatment in a proper facility, or else she may not make it.”
It was all he needed to hear.
Dimitri snapped the restraints chafing into your skin with his bare hands. No reaction. He took you up as delicately as he could, pulling you into his chest.
He would be damned if he let it all end, here.
“Beloved…hold on…!!”
-------------------------
The neighboring village was mercifully only a few miles down the road. Dimitri all but broke down the door to the village clinic, his own healers flooding in behind him. No one questioned it, or tried to stop him.
He was their king; and they knew it well.
Their arrival happened merely an hour prior, and a swarm of excitement had followed since. Dimitri was relegated to pacing outside, his comrades waiting with baited breath to hear some sort of news.
Any word of your recovery would not come until late in the night. Those not close to her or Dimitri were ordered to set up camp and try and busy themselves from worrying over their queen’s health.
Dedue waited dutifully with his king, but knew better than to attempt words of comfort. Dimitri was on the verge of a breakdown.
Because he wasn't there to protect you from this nightmare.
Married, and powerful, but it was all meaningless if he could not protect his wife.
Someone capable of overpowering his queen was someone he was unsure he could even handle, himself. And that was something that bothered him deeply.
He should not have to struggle so with this reality. He should be able to take care of you when you could not take care of yourself.
He should have wiped out those rats by razing Adrestia and starting over with the fields of dirt and stone.
Only then could he have been sure you were safe.
The voices were starting to return, just slightly…enough to criticize him, berate him for his shortcomings. His shoulders were drawn up, tight and wound like the rest of him, which was ready to snap.
Word of your status would finally come when the sky turned gray with early morning light. Seteth stepped out of the clinic, looking gaunt and tense.
“What has become of my wife?” The question was out before he even reached the minister.
He sighed deeply, hands clasped behind him. “She is stablilized, and conscious. But she is not out of the woods yet, milord. “
It stayed his hopes you were all right, but….at least your eyes were open.
“She was hexed with more curses than should ever be used on a single person. The physical damage she sustained, as well as the corrupted mana that’s coursing through her veins, it’s….it’s far too much to heal overnight. It may take weeks for her to fully recover.”
“But she will recover?” Dimitri pressed.
“If all goes well…but we cannot be sure for at least a few more days. We will have to keep her here until she has the strength to handle the journey.”
“I see...” He confirmed quietly. It was not a no, at the very least. But it was not quite what he wished to hear, either.
“Can I…please go to her?”
Seteth glanced back, “I…do not know if I would recommend it, milord. She is delicate, and I worry if you saw her how she is now...”
“My feelings matter little- she was the one tortured; I need to see her. To know that her husband did not abandon her.”
Eventually, reluctantly, Seteth agreed. He had a strong feeling a blade would have been drawn before no would be taken as an answer.
He led Dimitri in, taking him to the room you were given. It was no better seeing you lying pale on the bed than it was on that damn table, but….at least your eyes were open.
And you were looking at him.
“Beloved…!” The air flew from his lungs, finding the cracked smile incapable of fully forming on your lips.
The cleric tending you quickly drew away, before being run over by your husband that strode to your side.
“Byleth…Byleth, my beloved wife…my darling…!!” His voice was hoarse, thick with emotion. He took you hand up, clasping it tightly as he crumpled to the floor beside the bed.
You were attempting to squeeze back.
“Dima…?”
“I am here. I came for you. I only wish that I had come sooner. What they did to you…what they did to my queen….I will never forgive myself for letting such harm befall you!”
You shook your head, gazing up at your sweetest prince. The tears gathering in his eye were all but spilling over, drawing your sweet attentions to the man desperately in need of comfort.
You tilted your chin up to him, inviting him to come as close as possible. He leaned down, touching his forehead to yours, cradling your head with his other hand that wasn’t trembling over your own.
“It is not your fault.” You whispered weakly, “Y-you…came for me. You saved me…it is all that matters.”
“It is my fault. I should have been there.” He shook his head, “I had reservations about spending our early marriage apart. I know you are not defenseless, let alone at the monastery. But not being by your side, i-it…it filled me with terrible uneasiness. That feeling was proven after what happened to you. If I had been with you, I could have protected you. At the very least…fought to the death to keep you safe.”
“Dima, no.” You shook your head, “I w-wouldn’t let you die for me. L-let alone after everything we’ve been through.”
“What about what you went through? What you suffered because you were alone?! If I could have protected you from that…that Hell…!!”
“That place was destroyed.” You reminded him gingerly, your lips brushing tenderly over his. It did little to assuage his tears. “I’m here, now. With you.”
“Yes…” He nodded quietly, kissing your forehead. “And you will be with me for your recovery. I will take you home, to Faerghus. At least then I can oversee your wellbeing, and protect you personally. The mountain air will aid in your healing as well, Beloved. It is brisk, but it is pure.”
“I would like that.” You whispered, “I’ll get to share my bed with you again…it’s been far too long since I’ve had a good night’s s-sleep with you.”
“Should I stay the night with you here?” He offered tenderly, stroking your hair. You pursed your lips, looking at the meager offerings that was space in that bed.
“I…think we would break the cot if you tried to fit on it with me.” You whispered, disappointed. They were not meant for multiple patients, after all.
“No matter. If it is your wish that I stay beside you, then I can go nowhere else.”
You did miss such sweet words outside of his letters. Having him here now, telling you that while he drew up a pitiful chair to hunch over beside you….it did make you smile so happily.
“Seteth told me you may not recover for a while yet, and so I am afraid we will have to stay here until you have enough strength to manage the trek back home. But as soon as we get there, I will ensure you recover fully. The best will tend to you.”
“I look forward to it.” You whispered, clinging to him as tight as you could with your sorry excuse for frail little hands.
You hated causing him such worry. Feeling so powerless and weak was a horrific matter, on top of that.
It was all you could do to focus on your Dima.
“Thank you…f-for coming after me.” Your words were met with a scoff, though you assumed it was meant as a laugh choked out by his bitter relief.
“I would have turned over every stone in Fodlan before I stopped coming after you. Do not thank me for coming to your aid. It is what any good husband would do.”
“You are my good husband…”
“I have a long way to go before I am worthy of such a title. Seeing you back on your feet will be the first step.” He blushed, unable to deny that he did feel some sense of pride to know you felt so fondly of him.
He squeezed your hand, “You should rest, my love. The clerics will need to check on you again, and I do not wish for you to stay awake when you should be resting.”
“Will you stay here?” You asked so hopefully, like the answer could even possibly be anything other than a yes.
“I will be here when you wake, and every moment after.” He promised, kissing your knuckles. “Please, rest. I wish to see you recovered as soon as possible.”
“Thank you, love.” You hummed quietly. He tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, and kissed you softly. “I’ll…see you soon?”
“Sleep well. I will be here.” He assured you, brushing his fingers along your cheek.
He did not want to let you go so soon, after longing to meet your gaze for as long as he had. What mattered now was your recovery.
For a few days you remained in the clinic, a rotation of Faerghus healers, Seteth and Flayn and a number of village clerics came in and out to care for you.
Dimitri was naturally in charge of feeding you, ensuring you were given only the best and heartiest food until you were ready to leave.
It would not take long before you were finally given the go-ahead. A carriage was quickly procured for the trip home, which Dimitri made sure he was inside of rather than riding beside you.
There were plenty of Lions to guard every inch of the wooden thing; he’d much rather have your head in his lap, soothing your travels than be anywhere else.
All that mattered was making a full recovery, with Dimitri by your side every step of the way.
And of course, the first night home, you were wrapped up in Dimitri’s strong embrace…with no intention of ever letting you go.
You have the most beautiful writing style I ever read! If you haven’t write it may I request a jealous Felix, sylvain and Dimitri?
Thank you soooooo much 🥰
Dimitri: Jealous Dimitri is a monster. He tries to conduct himself as a proper king should, but it’s clear that when he’s feeling neglected, it sours his mood.
The more times he sees you sparring with Felix or working on some other project with another man besides himself…gods, it does twist his heart up with jealousy.
The time you share is so precious now, and the months drag on so long in between your visits to Faerghus, and he to the monastery.
Why on earth should he be sitting there, letting you frolic with other Lions when he hasn’t even had a chance to spend time with you all day?!
He’s an absolute terror throughout the day, without a doubt. His glares are sharp and blood curdling, his words blunt and cruel depending on who speaks with him (men who have had a chance to take you away for a few minutes get the worst of it).
He accidentally rips apart both training dummies and weapons in the yard, and he’s unable to hold a quill for more than a second before they’re snapped mercilessly into pieces.
The jealous rage is only placated when you come to bed early that night, suspecting that he’s been behaving poorly without your presence.
Seeing how he suddenly becomes bashful when you gently prod him about this change of his, you realize that he was indeed in a foul mood all day.
Nothing that quiet reassurances and a flurry of soft kisses can’t fix.
…Well, soft kisses that very quickly turn into something much more possessive and lovemark-y once the two of you have fallen into the bed.
His mood is notably improved the next day.
-------------------------
Felix: He’s already the most sour and angsty Lion there is outside of Dimitri during the war. The only difference is that he maintains that negative attitude that no one can really handle except for his wife.
Although, that’s only because he completely softens whenever you step into the room and give him that warm smile only meant for his eyes.
The biggest issue with that soothing touch is that you aren’t around to give it! You’re off gallivanting with Sylvain and Ashe, doing some sort of important stuff with them that has something to do with the monastery and- honestly, when you said you’d need to spend time with those louts, he found himself unable to pay anymore attention.
So naturally, he’s pouting throughout the day. He mostly keeps to himself, but the loud sighs, annoyed cursing and the loud shifting/slamming of things around the duke’s manor is impossible to ignore.
Whenever somebody tries to see if he’s okay, or if he needs something, they’re met with a deadly, cold glare that send most people away instantly.
It’s odd, considering most would think Felix to be more explosive in his jealous outbursts, but it turns out he’s a little more passive-aggressive now that he doesn’t have war raging in the background, exacerbating his stress.
It’s pretty clear that when you return, though, he makes sure that you’re aware how much he missed you. Possibly because of all he’s been through, he’s surprisingly clingy when you come back to him.
If you come to his office, he’s pulling you onto his lap while he’s finishing his work, listening to you tell him about all the pointless stuff you did with the other Lions.
When you’re eating together, he’s holdingyour hand under the table, and when you’re off to take a bath before bed, you can bet your ass he’s going in there with you.
Mostly to make sure he scrubs off any unnecessary touches from Sylvain (of which there are many, of course).
The final touch is bedtime; he’s got you snug in his arms and flush to his chest. He hasn’t had his hands on you all day, after all! What else was he supposed to do? Not cuddle up with you?
Naturally you give him plenty of teasing for his possessiveness and his jealousy.
It’s deserved, but he does still glare at you for it.
-------------------------
Sylvain: The man is much more reserved about his jealousy, though it’s pretty clear he’s not happy that he has to let you spend all your time with Dimitri for a week. The king needs to borrow his wife, the Archbishop, and there’s no telling what kind of hijinks the two of you were going to get up to without him.
He tries his best to keep himself busy, but when he hears about all the fun you’re having without him, routing bandits and clearing out territory that the Adrestians still had a weak hold on.
All that means though, is that he’s stuck listening to reports and reading little letters you’re able to send his way, but he doesn’t really care about it.
His questions revolve more around what Dimitri’s up to while you’re with him. It was pretty clear that he had a crush on you a long time ago, though it was clear Sylvain had much stronger feelings that just had to be acted on.
He was not a paranoid or self-conscious person, but…he couldn’t help but be a little worried if Dimitri wanted to try anything.
After all, the two of you were all alone. What was he supposed to think? What if he tried to do something he shouldn’t do, or told you something that would make you reconsider your husband of two years?
He would eventually pull himself back together, since he knew full well he was just being melodramatic.
Sylvain trusted you more than anyone he knew, and he did love you so very dearly. It was no big deal, and that nothing terrible would come of you spending time with the king.
Maybe it was because he loved you so much that he just wanted to lie down and sulk without you around; whenever you were gone, it did feel like ther ewas nothing to get done.
You’d been talking about children in the near future, so maybe that would help keep him rfom falling into a jealous blob of sadness whenever you left; but for now, he would simply sulk, push his food around, and stare wistfully out the windows and hope some other Farghus casanova didn’t steal you away.
Of course, that never happens; you return home after a week, breathless and brightly smiling from the thrill of returning to a proper battlefield.
Nothing makes you happier than falling into the arms of your husband, who simply can’t go a second without peppering you with kisses from head to toe. He squeezes you tightly and laughs, telling you how happy he is that you’re home and how much he missed you.
He does try to joke about Dimitri trying to win you over, but you quirk an eyebrow and tease him about possibly being jealous. He brushes it off with a huff and a blush (which is an admission of guilt if you’d ever seen one).
So you plan to take a few days off to recover, spending them all with your sweet Sylvainiiiiiiiii to reassure his jealous little goblin in his heart that he’s all you need.
At least, until you reveal the pregnancy to him about a month later. Though Sylvain seems to make an exception to your “sharing attention with anyone else” rule for the little pink-faced bundle that would soon enter your lives.
Can you write a Felix one where Byleth is sitting in bed reading over papers or something and he just curls up with her like a cat? I have this headcanon that Felix can be super touchy-feely when he’s tired or lonely, even if he’d never admit it lol
(Touchy feely Felix needs that love ;;;___;;;)
You beat Felix to bed that night, a rare occurrence considering how demanding your schedule could be. The duke would make it a habit to be in bed at a certain time, however he was usually exhausted when he did. So your being in bed before him meant he was likely ensnared in some duchy-related nonsense that was going to make him even more tired than usual.
The reunification and repair of the territories was brutal and difficult; naturally you were both stretched thin.
So it makes sense that, when Felix finally did drag himself to bed, he came in, crawled under the sheets, and rested his head squarely on your lap, pushing away the papers that had taken up space there.
“I’m still reviewing those, dear.” You murmur, recovering the stack and setting it at your side instead. He grunts, but makes no attempt to move.
You smile softly, resting your hand in his hair and gently taking the hair tie out.
“Long day?”
“I hate almost all the people I work with.”
“I know.” You laugh softly, “I suppose they were somehow more grating today than usual?”
“If they aren’t kissing my ass, they’re doing everything they can to undermine my work, take credit for any of the successes I pull from the ashes of their corrupt policies, and drain as much money and resources that they can to hoard for themselves rather than give it to the people who need it. Why are nobles so…”
“Not noble?” You muse, stroking his hair to soothe your poor, ruffled tomcat. Felix huffed, pressing into your lap and throwing his arms around you lazily.
“They’re bastards.”
“Well, they can’t get you here.” You promised, “I’ll run them off if they try.”
“They won’t; they know they can just harass me, tomorrow.”
“Just say the word, and I’ll accompany you to a meeting and put them in their place.”
“Thanks, By.” He sighed again, sounding awfully tired. It did make you feel bad for him. If only you could banish the people who would make his life so difficult. Then it would be far easier for him to be happier.
“Get some rest; I’ll put the candle out once I finish with these.” You said, brushing your hand along his cheek before you returned to the paperwork.
Felix remained rooted in place, snuggled up to you as close as he possibly could. It proved a small challenge, having a grown man dozing in your lap, but you would never dream of telling him not to. He was so peaceful, wrapped up in your arms. There was no place he’d rather be, and quite frankly, no other place you wanted him to be.
His breathing slowed while you worked, absentmindedly running your fingers through his hair over and over, occasionally shifting to stroke his back or hold his hand. He didn’t respond when you played with his fingers, but he would never have stopped you; it was his favorite place in the world, surrounded by your warmth.
Eventually, the workload eased, and you were able to set aside the paperwork until later. You put out the light, and gently shifted so that Felix could be better settled into your embrace.
Felix was able to pull back and let you settle under the covers. You had just enough time to put your head on the pillow before Felix engulfed you in his arms. He buries his face in your chest, with absolutely no plans to go anywhere, anytime soon.
You click your tongue, wrapping your arms around him with a shake of your head.
“Needy tonight, aren’t we?”
“Shut up.” It was muffled in your night dress, but you couldn’t help but laugh.
Imagine that Felix is on a mission for a while leaving byleth with a newborn and a boat load of her own work. He comes home to see the house a mess and byleth has run herself sick from overwork and stress
(DotingFelixDotingFelixDotingFelixDotingFeli-)
“And you’re certain you’ll be all right?’ Felix asked for the seventeenth time that night. It had been little over a week since your son was born, before he was whisked away on assignment by the king. There weren’t many people Felix could say no to, and unfortunately the boar was one of them.
What convinced him to go (reluctantly), was when you urged him to despite wanting to stay with his new family. Dimitri had been one of the most supportive people when your pregnancy was announced, and had sent lavish congratulations following his birth almost immediately.
You knew he wouldn’t have requested Felix’s presence unless it was absolutely necessary. While you were well aware Felix would sooner forsake the crown than leave you with a newborn baby all alone, you gave him the push to just get it done and come home quickly.
“I promise we’ll be fine. I’ll be back on my feet by the time you get back.” You told him with a smile, your attention shifting to the squirming little boy in the bassinet. You both leaned over it, watching him sleep with great tenderness in your hearts.
“Don’t let them push you too hard while I’m gone. I know maternity leave for the Archbishop is abysmal, but don’t be afraid to set boundaries. The last thing you need to do is overwork yourself and take care of him. I’d feel better about it if you’d let a nursemaid tend to-”
“I’m not letting somebody else raise my son. I want the kind of bond with him that I had with my father. I want you to have that, too.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t ship me off to take care of the boar’s problems, then.” He sighed, flopping unceremoniously onto the bed. You followed after him with a roll of your eyes, patting his chest dismissively.
“I’m sure it won’t take long. I doubt your boy will change all that much by the time you come home; he’ll likely be sleeping the whole time.”
“It’s the least he can do.” Felix huffed, looking back over to the cradle. “He was hard enough on you before he was born. If he causes any trouble while I’m gone we’re really gonna have it out.”
“You can’t really discipline or scold a newborn.”
“I’ll find a way.”
“No you won’t.” You laughed, turning to settle into Felix’s arms. The two of you cuddled up, Felix drawing the blankets over you to at least try and get some good sleep. “We’ll see you off in the morning, and when you come back, we’ll have a fine party planned.”
“So long as it’s just good food and a proper duel. We haven’t been able to have one of those in ages.”
“Of course.”
The two of you drifted off not long after, taking turns to tend the baby every two hours or so. Newborns were no joke, something that made him worry more. It was already tough enough on both of you when you split the shifts, but while he was gone you’d have to shoulder the responsibility on top of an already demanding schedule.
He’d have a word with Seteth before he left, making sure he promised you’d take it easy.
Early in the morning, you saw him off. The baby was given a lingering kiss to the top of his fuzzy little head, and a longer one to his wife before he left the monastery.
He’d be lying if he said he didn’t look back a few times, just in case something went wrong in the seconds after his departure. But you maintained your smile, waving after him until he finally disappeared from sight.
Felix took a deep breath, exhaling sharply in a futile attempt to dispel his anxieties. He’d just have to trust that you could handle it.
—----------------------
It took three weeks. Three gods-forsaken weeks to get home.
While it was nice to get back on the battlefield to help Dimitri with a campaign against cultists…he’d honestly rather be home. He missed three weeks of his baby’s life. How much had changed since he was gone?
The letters he’d sent during his time away were getting slower responses. Naturally that meant hurrying home faster.
When he arrived to the monastery, he didn’t bother taking his horse to the stable. He handed off the reins at the gate and made a break for the front doors, striding down the halls and making a beeline for your bedroom.
Gods willing, you were going to be in bed resting like you were supposed to be.
Ignoring any and all greetings or acknowledgements of him, Felix pushed the doors open to the Archbishop’s quarters.
Nowhere to be found.
Felix grimaced, eyebrows drawn together with irritation. If you weren’t here, there’s really only one other place you could be if you weren’t wrapped up in some council meeting.
If you were in one, he’d be pulling you out of it without hesitation.
The duke didn’t waste time getting to the office, borderline sprinting through the building. He made it down the corridor and zeroed in on his location.
He pushed the door open, a smile sprouting.
“Byleth!”
Instantly, it plummeted.
Your husband froze, finding your office in disarray. It was a wild mess, and you were settled into the middle of it. A blanket was wrapped tight around your shoulders. Papers were strewn across the floor if they weren’t haphazardly stacked anywhere they could be. Books were overturned and worse yet, there was a squirming bundle in a cradle off by the window where his baby was.
You looked up at him, dazed.
“Oh…welcome back, Felix.”
“Byleth- what the hell happened??” He all but forced his way through the sea of paperwork and came around the desk. He put a hand to your forehead; you were way too warm. “What the- are you sick?”
“No.” You shook your head, looking up at him as if that would reassure him. Your eyes were glassy. “I’m just tired.”
“You’re not tired, you’re sick! You’ve got a fever. Oh my gods- how did this happen?”
“I’m not sick.” You repeated, “I just…I just got a little overwhelmed with all the work I have to catch up on.”
“Your office is a complete wreck. And the baby- what about him?”
Felix left you for a split second, rushing over to the little cradle. The baby had been squirming since he came in, and was starting to squeak out protests. He could see why; the boy undoubtedly needed a diaper change, and he looked hungry. Felix plucked that baby up and held him to his chest, the worry starting to build into panic.
“He’s a mess, Byleth- you’re a mess!”
“Let me see him…I can-”
“I’m getting the clerics. Stay put, you hear me?”
He burst out of the room before you could so much as protest. Flayn was the first one he found, and he demanded she round up as many healers she could find to get you help (as well as hunt down her brother- he had some very choice words for the man whose sole purpose was to take care of the Archbishop).
In a matter of minutes, you were being taken from the office and carefully returned to the bedroom, trying to draw as little attention as possible from the prying eyes of curious students. It was unusual for the Archbishop to be surrounded by healers…let alone with an absolutely fuming Duke Fraldarius marching in front of them.
When they reached your room, he made sure to lock the doors behind him. Then everyone set to work. The healers helped you into bed and started immediately with remedies for your illness. Felix, in the meantime, took his little boy to the washroom and set to work getting the poor baby cleaned up.
At the very least it didn’t seem like he was in terrible duress; just that he’d been sitting in his soiled nappy a little longer than he should have.
“Tch…this is my fault, isn’t it? I should’ve been here to take care of you. Your mother should’ve been resting the whole time.” He muttered to himself, a pang of guilt hitting him while he worked on taking care of his son. The nappy was swiftly replaced with a nice and clean one, though it did little to assuage the newborn’s hungry cries.
He patted his son’s back gently, settling him back onto his chest while he returned to the bedroom. The situation calmed a little bit by the time he came back, and Flayn took him aside while the others continued their work.
“She’s overworked herself.” Flayn finally said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry, Felix. We had a pretty good handle on her for the first week and a half, but she started to slip away more and more when we weren’t looking.”
“She’s the Archbishop. How do you lose sight of someone like that?” His eyes narrowed, and she shook her head.
“She’s also the Ashen Demon. If Byleth wants to slip away, she’ll find a way.”
He glanced away, jaw clenched. She did have a point. “...Will she be okay?”
“She’ll need bed rest for at least a week. She pushed herself physically beyond the limit. It seems like she hasn’t slept much at all, even accounting for taking care of the little prince.”
Flayn nodded to the newborn with a small smile, her ears twitching as his squeaky cries grew increasingly more demanding. Felix gave his son a soft squeeze before he offered her to the young cleric.
“Take him and make sure he’s healthy- he seems okay, but I don’t want to risk missing something…and see what you can do about getting him fed. Get a wet nurse from the town, or something.”
She happily took the little bundle into her arms, giving Felix a swift bow. “I’ll see to it immediately.”
“Thanks.”
He watched her go for a moment, before he returned his full attention to his wife. They made space for the duke to come to his wife’s bedside, finding her asleep.
A cool cloth was settled on your forehead, tucked tightly around you. Felix could barely believe his eyes; the worst part being that it seemed like you did this all of your own volition.
“Idiot.” He grumbled, fingers laced in front of his face. His eyes were firm on your sleeping expression, refusing to leave your side. He’d already spent more than enough time away.
That man wasn’t going anywhere until his son was at least three years old, and even then it was debatable.
It would be about two hours of quiet rest before you finally came to. By then, Felix had moved a more comfortable chair over to the bedside, and he had a snoozing newborn with a full belly snuggle in his arms.
When your eyes opened, you found yourself staring up at the hazy image of your husband rocking his son back and forth gently, humming some tuneless song.
He heard you shift, which brought the song to a pause. He leaned forward, looking over you while you started to rouse from a much-needed sleep.
“Byleth.”
Your brow furrowed, followed by a few heavy blinks before you were able to look up at him. His eyes were narrowed at you, the frown more worried than annoyed for now.
“Felix…?”
“How do you feel?”
“I…” You swallowed, turning your head to the side. The cloth slipped off your forehead. “I feel better.”
“Good. Because you were in bad shape. You still are, according to the clerics.” He told you, tucking the newborn closer. “Flayn’s forcing you to stay in bed until you’re better. At least a week.”
“A week?” You repeated, waking up a little more. “No…I can’t wait that long. There’s too much to-”
“Stop.” He held a hand up, “You’ve been running yourself ragged since I left, haven’t you? Your office was a total wreck when I got to you, and you practically fainted the moment they put you in bed. You’re in no condition to do anything other than rest!”
Your protests quickly quieted, and Felix sighed sharply as he leaned back into the chair.
“Honestly…what the hells were you thinking? I told you to take it easy, and not push yourself between being the Archbishop and taking care of a newborn- a newborn baby- on top of that.”
“I thought I could handle it.” You managed, though it sounded rather meek. You turned your gaze from his venomous glare, “I-it’s just that…I had to slow down so much when I was pregnant, and…now that I can move around a little more, I wanted to catch up.”
“How much of your catch-up was actually viable? How much of it did you do while you were physically and mentally exhausted?”
“I don’t know. A lot, probably.”
“What about our son? Did you neglect him while you were working?”
“N-no, of course not.” You shook your head vehemently, your eyes falling to your sleeping baby. “It was part of what had me so scrambled…I had to keep interrupting work to make sure he was taken care of.”
“Why not let someone else take care of him while you worked?”
“Because he doesn’t belong to someone else.” You said softly, “He’s my baby. And your baby. And if you’re not here, then he’s just mine to take care of.”
“Byleth…you don’t have to be the only person your child has to rely on when you’re alone. You’ve got a whole monastery of friends, teachers and students who would jump at a chance to help you with him. Even your father didn’t raise you alone, right?”
You grew quiet, thinking back to your childhood. Felix had a point; there were plenty of times Jeralt left you in the care of other mercenaries (some better at childcare than others), so he could take care of something else.
He wasn’t alone, even as a single parent. And neither were you.
“...You’re right. I’m…I’m sorry. I thought I could handle it. I wanted to handle it.” You explained, feeling much more shy than before. Felix sighed again, and shook his head.
“You can handle a lot, Byleth. More than most people. But not even you can handle all the duties of the Archbishop with a newborn strapped to your chest. Just be more careful in the future, okay?”
“Okay.” You nodded, turning your attention to the little bundle. “Is he all right?”
“He’s fine. He needed a change and a wash, but Flayn looked him over and said he’s just fine. She found somebody to feed him too, while you were sleeping.”
“Good.” You breathed, relaxing now that your baby was accounted for. Felix’s gaze softened, seeing how visibly relieved you were. “I’m sorry, little one…I didn’t mean to put you through all that. I was negligent.”
“I’m sure he’ll forgive you.” Felix replied, and rose from his seat, kneeling at the bedside so that you could better see your baby. His little face was rosy and sweet, his little puffs of breath a great comfort to know that he was sleeping soundly. You reached over and cradled his head in your hand, running your thumb over his ear.
“I hope so.” You whispered before you brought your hand up to Felix’s face. “I’m sorry to you, too. I hope you can forgive my foolishness.”
“Hmph.” He leaned into your touch, kissing your palm. “Just this once. Don’t do it again, got it?”
You beamed at him, “Yeah. I’m glad you’re back.”
“Trust me, I’m not going anywhere for a long time. I’m right here with you- both of you.”
The three of you settled into bed, then, Felix more than happy to snooze with you both while you reunited with your little boy. It had been far too long since he was able to sleep in one, and also, share it with you.
He’d make doting on you a priority until you were back on your feet. In the meantime, he’d clean up your office and catch up on plenty of your work that needed to be done. When you slept, Felix had a baby strapped to his chest in a very cozy Faerghus papoose, handling meetings and paperwork.
Babies were surprisingly good negotiation tools.
After a full seven days of rest you were back on your feet, looking and feeling better than ever. You made sure to thank your attentive, ridiculous husband generously for all his hard work.
Which he accepted with a blush and a scoff, naturally.
I think "Don't you dare bring Glenn into this" is the funniest thing Ingrid said, because now that one person has used her own tactics against her, she suddenly doesn't want to talk about Glenn. I mean, you bring him up every single time an argument doesn't go in your favor and of course you're allowed to because he was your fiANcE but his brother is not? Like, Ingrid and Felix were both around 14 when Glenn died, so no one can tell me he was the love of her life or something like that. She idolized him for sure, but it is very likely they didn't have a close relationship (as in they probably didn't confide in each other, tell their secrets, stuff like that) For her to have such an unrealistic/idealistic view of him, she probably never got to know more of him than that. Felix on the other hand most likely had such a relationship with his brother, because, well, he was his brother, so if anyone can say what Glenn would or wouldn't do and think, it's Felix
(Disclaimer: This is a revenge post for that one time Ingrid non-/accidentally guilt tripped Sylvain into apologizing that one time, I'm not gonna forgive her that)
andulkaphoto
gummygunk
stormborns
amandla
romaincrisis
theartofmadeline
gracieabrams
