Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem: Three Houses or its characters, I only own Blythe, Celine, and the changes in the plot that I make in the war phase.

Enjoy!

-------------------------------------------------

Last Time:

'That was too easy.' Celine thought while looking at the bandit that was on the ground. All of a sudden, the bandit jumped up, and pushed Celine out of the way!

"No!" Celine exclaimed. The bandit then ran at Edelgard with a yell. She heard the yell, and she pulled out a dagger and put it in front of herself.

Byleth saw this happen, and he began to run as fast as he could to the bandit and Edelgard. He got there just in time. The bandit swung down his axe with a "You'll die!"

Byleth pushed Edelgard out of the way, and all he could feel was his world fading into black.

​​​​​​-------------------------------------------------

Byleth opened his eyes to see an abyss full of black. He looked around, and all he could see was the blackness in front of him.

'Am I dead? Is this what it's like to be dead?' Byleth thought with a mildly concerned expression on his face. He then heard a voice in the abyss.

"Honestly!" The voice began. It then continued, "What are you trying to accomplish with that little stunt!?"

Byleth turned around to see the girl that he saw from his dreams earlier. The girl began to speak again, in a furious tone. "It's like you're trying to get me killed, you fool!"

She then sighed in exasperation.

"Well, it's fine." The girl said. She then said, "After all, if you don't know the value of your own life, you're not going to protect it very well, are you?"

"Course not." The girl said while standing up. She then began to laugh. After that, she put her hands together.

"Well, then. I guess it's up to me to guide you from now on. Right?" The girl said. She then introduced herself, "You can call me Sothis...but I am also known as 'The Beginning.'"

Sothis then adopted a thinking stance while saying, "Hmm..."

She then began to think out loud, "Sothis...Yes, that's it. My name is Sothis. And I am also called...The Beginning. But who once called me that?"

"What are you talking about?" Byleth asked, confused.

"I was unable to recall my name... until just now." Sothis said.

'Amnesia?' Byleth thought.

"And just like that, it came to me. How odd." Sothis continued. Byleth then adopted a slightly doubtful look on his face. Sothis saw the look, and said, "That look upon your face... Did you think me a child? A mere child who forgot her own name!?"

"Phooey! That child just saved your life!" Sothis said. She then asked Byleth a rhetorical question. "And what does that make you?"

"I am no child!" Byleth responded with a frustrated tone in his voice. Sothis laughed at his response while saying, "Ha! Such arrogance. You look the part, but are you truly an adult?"

"You threw yourself before an axe to save just one young girl." Sothis states. She then said, "Yet all is well, as I have stalled the flow of time for now. You would have died had I not intervened."

"Thank you." Byleth said while bowing down.

"There now. Is gratitude so much to ask? I did deem you worth saving, after all." Sothis said. She then continued, "Though it is only momentary, time has stopped. However did I manage that..."

"What now?" Byleth asks.

"When time begins again, the axe will tear into your flesh, and you will surely meet your end."

Byleth widens his eyes. Sothis then said, "How rude of you to drag me into this!"

"Now what to do..." Sothis thought out loud.

"Turn back the hands of time." Byleth responded.

"Of course! I must turn back the hands of time!" Sothis said in realization. She then summoned a circle with various crests and sigils on it.

"Yes... I do believe it can be done. You really are quite troublesome." Sothis said. She then told Byleth, "I cannot wind back time too far, but all is well. You are aware of what's to come, which means you can protect yourself this time."

Sothis then said something that Byleth could not comprehend well, "Yes, you who bears the flames within. Drift through the flow of time to find the answers that you seek..."

Byleth could then feel time rewinding.

-------------------------------------------------

Byleth could see time rewinding from what happens prior. He felt himself being moved back to where he was before he jumped in front of Edelgard. Everything was back to what it was before.

'Alright...' Byleth thought to himself.

"No!" Celine exclaimed. The bandit then ran at Edelgard with a yell. She heard the yell, and she pulled out a dagger and put it in front of herself.

Byleth saw this happen, and he began to run as fast as he could to the bandit and Edelgard. Edelgard looked over to see Byleth run in front of her, and unsheathe his sword.

The bandit swung down his axe with a "You'll die!"

Byleth swung his sword up in an upward motion, and the axe flew out of the bandit's hand. The bandit flew back onto the ground. Byleth then relaxed his sword stance with a relieved sigh, but he did not see Edelgard smiling softly behind him. Celine jogged up to her brother and Edelgard. They all looked at each other before they heard a, "Hey-over here!" From behind them.

All three of them turned around to see Claude, Blythe, and Dimitri running up to them. Blythe and her group stopped when they got to Byleth and the others.

"You guys alright?" Blythe asked everyone.

-------------------------------------------------

Jeralt rode up on his horse towards the group. He began to ask, "Hey. Did you just..." Before he got cut off with someone saying, "The Knights of Seiros are here! We'll cut you down for terrorizing our students!"

The Knight then saw the bandits getting away, so he commanded two of the knights under him to follow the bandits.

The commanding knight then came over to Jeralt and Byleth. Celine and Blythe walked towards their family, with everyone's weapons lowered or sheathed.

"The students seemed to be unharmed...and who's this?" The Knight said.

"Ugh? Why him..." Jeralt said with a sigh.

"Captain Jeralt!? It is you! Goodness, it's been ages." The Knight said. He then continued with, "Don't you recognize me? It's Alois! Your old right-hand man! Well that's how I thought of myself anyway. It must have been 20 years ago that you went missing without a trace. I always knew you were still alive!"

"You haven't changed a bit, Alois. Just as loud as ever. And drop that "captain" nonsense. I'm not your captain anymore." Jeralt responded.

"These days I'm just a wandering mercenary. One who has work to do. Come on, you guys." Jeralt continued. He then said, "Goodbye, old friend."

"Right... Goodbye, Captain." Alois responded. He then realized that they were leaving, and said "Wait! That isn't how this ends. I insist that you return to the monastery with me!'

"Garreg Mach Monastery... I suppose this was inevitable." Jeralt said with reluctance. Alois then noticed Byleth, Blythe, and Celine. He then asked them, "And how about you, children? Are you all the captain's children."

"That is correct." "Yes, sir." "They all have been like family to me." Byleth, Blythe, and Celine said. The order was who said which response.

Jeralt introduced his children while putting a hand on Byleth's shoulder. "This is my son, Byleth. The one with the turquoise hair is my daughter, Blythe. And Celine is the one with the blue hair."

"Is that so? Well physical differences aside, your mannerisms do remind me of the captain." Alois said. He then offers, "I'd love for you all to see the monastery too. You all will join me, won't you?"

Everyone gave differing responses of affirmation. Jeralt sighed in resignation.

"What's troubling you, Captain? You aren't about to run off again, are you?" Alois asked.

"Even I wouldn't dare run from the Knights of Seiros." Jeralt responded. Alois, Jeralt, Celine, and Blythe then began to walk forward, while Byleth stayed behind.

"The Knights of Seiros... They do seem rather skilled." Byleth heard. The teal-haired man then recognized the voice to belong to Sothis. He looked around in alarm. Where was her voice coming from?

"Ah. It seems your presence is required. Get going!" Sothis said. Byleth then walked forward to catch up to everyone.

-------------------------------------------------

Byleth walked over to his siblings and the three people in uniform. He did not know the names of the people in uniform, but he is sure that the girl in red said her name before, he just didn't remember what her name was. He stopped when he reached the group.

"Now that we're all gathered, is anyone of you a healer?" Claude asked. Byleth and Celine shook their heads, while Blythe nodded slowly.

"I can use faith magic, yes, if that is what you are asking." Blythe responded, a bit confused by the question. She then continued, "Does someone need to be healed?"

The turquoise-haired young woman then looked at everyone around her. Claude looked fine, same with Edelgard. She then looked at Dimitri, and saw a small amount of blood on his hand, peeking through a rip in his glove. She then sighed, and walked over to Dimitri.

"Why didn't you tell me, Dimitri?" Blythe said, a bit cross. "I could have healed it sooner."

"I didn't feel it at first." Dimitri responded. Blythe shook her head.

"No matter. Next time, tell me." The turquoise-haired young woman said. She then began to heal the wound while thinking out loud, "This must of happened during the fight with the third bandit."

"What happened?" Celine and Edelgard asked at the same time. Blythe, Claude, and Dimitri all looked at each other, before Dimitri responded with, "I blocked a blow that was meant for Blythe."

Both girls nodded in understanding. Blythe finished healing the wound, and the calming glow of the healing magic disappeared.

"There. All finished." Blythe announces with a small smile on her face. She stepped back, so she was in between Byleth and Celine. Dimitri nodded in thanks.

"Your nickname, 'The Guardian Angel' is well deserved. You looked after us, and can use faith magic." Claude said to Blythe while winking.

It was silent for a few seconds, until Edelgard shook her head, and changed the conversation. She said to Byleth, "I appreciate your help back there. Your skill is beyond question."

Edelgard then told Celine and Blythe, "I should thank you guys too."

Both girls responded with a "You're welcome."

Edelgard then said, "You all are clearly experienced mercenaries. And your father...that would be Jeralt, the Blade Breaker? Former captain of the knights of Seiros. Oft praised as the strongest knight to ever live. Have I missed anything?"

Blythe donned a face of amazement. She then remarked, "I didn't know he was a captain!"

Celine had a neutral look on her face. Byleth had a confused expression, he had heard of the Knights of Seiros three times that day, but he did not know who they were. He then asked, "The Knights of Seiros?"

Edelgard had a surprised expression on her face. She then asked in a disbelieving tone, "You haven't heard of the Knights of Seiros? The most famous order of knights in all of Fódlan?"

Byleth shook his head, he hadn't heard of the Knights of Seiros before today.

"Strange." The white-haired young woman responded.

"Hey! You are coming with us to the monastery, right? Of course you are. I'd love to bend your ear as we travel." Claude said.

"What's with the uniforms?" Celine asked with a slightly curious tone. Claude then widened his eyes in realization. He then answered with, "Oh, I should mention that the three of us are students of the Officers Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery."

"We were doing some training exercises when those bandits attacked. I definitely got the worst of it." Claude said.

"That would be because you ran off." Edelgard remarked.

"Too true! I was the first to make a strategic retreat." Claude said. He then continued his little rant with, "Everything would have worked out if these two hadn't followed me and ruined everything. Because of them, every single one of those bandits chased after us. Utterly ridiculous."

"Ah, so that's what you were thinking, Claude." Dimitri said in realization. He then continued with a sarcastic tone in his voice, "And here I thought you were acting as a decoy for the sake of us all."

Blythe and Celine then started to chuckle. They stopped when Edelgard spoke up, "His intentions were as clear as day. You will prove a lacking ruler of you cannot see the truth behind a person's words."

"Hm. You will prove a lacking ruler yourself if you look for deceit behind every word and fail to trust those whom you rely on." Dimitri remarked. Claude saw the debate happening, and sighed in exasperation.

Byleth thought to himself. All of the students that were present seemed to hold themselves with a certain charisma. Perhaps they were nobles?

"Oh, joy. A royal debate between Their Highnesses." Claude said while winking at the three siblings. He then asked to himself, "I wonder how being completely predictable affects one's ability to wield power."

"Personally, as the embodiment of distrust, I'd say your little exchange smacks of naiveté." Claude remarked.

"Me? Naive? Tell me, are you actually incapable of keeping quiet, or is your lack of self-awareness a condition of some sort?" Edelgard snapped while moving her arm out.

"In any case, forgive our digression." Dimitri's voice cut over the impending argument. He then began to speak to Byleth and his siblings. "I must speak with you all, if you can spare a moment."

Dimitri then continued with, "The way that you all held your grounds against the bandits was captivating! You all never lost control of the situation. It showed me that I still have much to learn."

"Your skills is precisely why I must ask you all to consider lending your services to the Empire." Edelgard cut in. She then continued, "I might as well tell you now. I am no mere student. I am also the Adrestian Empire's-"

"Halt, Edelgard." Dimitri said, suddenly. Byleth thought that Edelgard was a fitting name for the girl in red. Elegant just like her. Dimitri then put his left hand up while saying, "Please let me finish my own offer."

Dimitri then faced Byleth, Celine, and Blythe, and then told them, "The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus is in dire need of exceptional individuals like yourselves. Please, consider returning to the Kingdom with me."

"Woah, there!" Claude joined in, surprised at his friends' sudden offers. "You two sure are hasty. Trying to recruit people you just met. Tactless, really."

He then said, "I was personally planning to develop a deep and lasting friendship on our journey back to the monastery before begging for favors."

Claude then turned to the siblings. "But it seems there's no time for niceties in this world. So capable strangers, where do your allegiances lie?"

"Holy Kingdom of Faerghus." Blythe replied instantly. Everyone turned to her. She then explained with a wistful look on her face, "I've always admired the knights there. In fact, I've always wanted to be a knight."

"I feel a calling to the Holy Kingdom, like I belong there." Celine said. "So we'll go with that."

Dimitri nodded in acknowledgment, with a smile on his face. Claude and Edelgard had slightly disappointed looks on their faces. Everyone looked to Byleth for his decision.

"It seems one's place of birth is quite significant to them. Yet they are so impressed by you, that you may take your pick. Well?" Byleth heard Sothis say.

Byleth was deep in thought. His siblings both felt drawn to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, but for different reasons. He didn't feel that same pull as his siblings. In fact, he didn't feel drawn to any of the countries. He then had a thought. Could a neutral approach work?

"I'm going neutral on this." Byleth told everyone.

Everyone raised their eyebrows. Edelgard voices everyone's unspoken question. "How so?"

Byleth took a deep breath as he explained his reasoning. "Every country has its own strengths and weaknesses. Also, you can't judge based on experience alone, you need information to make a just decision. Because of the lack of information, I'm taking an unbiased approach. A neutral approach."

The three students at first had unreadable expressions on their faces, until Edelgard got a small smile on her face, while also having an impressed look in her eyes.

"It is unusual for someone to take an unbiased approach, but your logic is sound. Many people just pick the country that they like the most, and many of them don't have any real reasons." Edelgard explained. Dimitri and Claude were about to say something, but Alois walked over before they could.

"All right," Alois said. "that's enough with the small talk. It's time to head back to the monastery!"

"Looks like we'll have to pick this up another time." Claude said.

"I'll tell you all about me on the way there." Blythe told the three students. Byleth then watched Alois walk off, with the students and his siblings following him.

"My, my. They are in such a hurry. You know... Each of the three is most unique..." Sothis said. Byleth nodded in agreement. He then thought about each of the three students.

Edelgard...She is a refined young woman...but I feel as though she is always evaluating me...

Dimitri...I think Blythe said his name was. He seems quite sincere...but I sense darkness lurking beneath...

Claude...his easy smile is striking...but that smile doesn't reach his eyes.

"Yes, I thought the same. I am so sleepy once again...I may be sleeping...but I..." Sothis was saying, and then she fell asleep.

"Big brother! Come on!" Byleth heard Blythe call to him. He turned to see her by Claude and Dimitri, with Blythe waving at him. He shook his head in amusement, and went over to everyone else.

-------------------------------------------------

A few hours later, the sun had risen in the sky. The Knights of Seiros and the students were returning to the monastery, with new people. Alois and Jeralt were walking ahead, with Byleth, his siblings, and the students taking up the rear.

From left to right, the order was; Dimitri, Blythe, Claude, Celine, Byleth, and Edelgard. Byleth mainly spoke to Celine, and Edelgard on occasion. Blythe was absorbed in her own thoughts, until she heard someone calling her name from the right. The turquoise-haired young woman turned to see Dimitri looking at her with a questioning gaze.

"If I may ask, where did you learn how to use white magic?" Dimitri asked.

Blythe smiled softly at the fond memory. Her teacher treated her like another daughter, which was comforting to Blythe after her mom died when she was about 8. "My teacher was a former empire noble. She took residency in the church. When I first met her, she had a daughter that was about 13. She treated me like another daughter. I don't know what happened to her or her daughter."

"They're probably alright." Dimitri reassures. He then tells the siblings, "This will be your first time at the monastery. I'd be happy to show you around."

"I might take you up on that later, Dimitri." Blythe responded. Claude then looked up while saying, "It really is Fódlan in a nutshell. The good and the bad."

"Like it or not," Edelgard told them all while looking straight ahead, "We'll be there soon enough."

Everyone broke through the trees. They saw an elegant building with a lot of towers on it, and the building was on a mountain. Pegasus knights and wyvern riders could be seen.

"There it is." Edelgard said. "Garreg Mach Monastery."

As the group got closer to the monastery, the gate keepers let them in when they saw the students and Alois. Once they got through the front entrance, Jeralt looked up.

"Rhea's here." He murmured suddenly. Byleth followed his father's gaze to see a woman with light green hair, and light green eyes. She had on a white dress, with a headpiece adorned with flowers.

On the balcony, Rhea had made eye contact with Byleth.

"I wonder...did the flow of time bring you here?"

AN: Another chapter done! Sorry for the excessive amount of dialogue in the chapter, but it had its expository functions. I'm trying to have Byleth show a little more emotion then he did in game. Next chapter is not going to be dialogue heavy like this one was. Remember Byleth's answer to Claude's question.