It was the morning of the first day of the Pegasus Moon. Presea woke up and climbed out of bed carefully in order to not disturb Claude. Even though the repairs to the dormitory were complete and his room was usable, he still slept in her room.

Presea changed into her clothes before combing her hair. As she worked on a stubborn knot, she heard a moan from Claude and turned around. Watching him as he slept, she noticed the painful expression on his face as he started to twist and turn. His moaning escalated into mumbling. Among the many words he spoke, she heard her name and wondered what was causing him distress.

Carefully, Presea put her comb down and approached the bed. She sat on the edge and gingerly placed a hand against his cheek, caressing her thumb across his skin. A single tear escaped from his sealed eyes and she promptly wiped it away. When he groaned and opened his eyes, she said, "You were mumbling in your sleep. Were you having a nightmare?"

Claude places his hand over hers. "Yeah. Hope I didn't say anything too startling."

She shook her head. "Nothing really stood out. What had you stirring like crazy?"

"We were back in Derdriu together. The war was over and everything was peaceful. All of a sudden, everything started to burn. Flames consumed everything and turned all to ash. Among the flames emerged a weird black silhouette and it carried you away. I chased after it to try and get you back, but...I was too late. Before I could save you, it killed you. I've never felt so powerless before."

"I'm sorry you had such a terrible nightmare, Claude. If you'd like, you can go back to sleep and get some more rest," Presea gently spoke. "You were up quite late last night, too."

"I think I will." Claude grabbed her hand that was on his cheek and kissed the back of it. "You're going to get back into bed, right?"

"Sorry, but not this time. There's something I need to do." She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. "When I'm done, I'll come back and wake you up."

"You're going to leave me all by my lonesome? How heartless of you, Princess," Claude feigned a painful expression.

She chortled at his act. "You'll be fine without me for a couple hours." She gave him a quick peck on the lips before leaving the room.

After leaving the dormitory, Presea headed to the audience chamber. There, she located Seteth in an adjoining room. He was sitting at Lady Rhea's desk, tending to some documents. She knocked on the already open door to grab his attention. Lifting his head, he offered her a kind smile. "Ah, Presea. I didn't expect a visit from you this early in the morning. Is there something I can help you with?"

"You know Lady Rhea the best," she said, walking toward the desk. "She must've kept some book or documents about my people. I was hoping to learn more about my ancestors."

Seteth places the quill back in the ink. "Lady Rhea does indeed keep private documents of Pterolykoses. After all you've been through, I do believe you have the right to know what all knowledge Lady Rhea has hidden from prying eyes." He opened one of the desk's drawers and pulled out a stack of documents, handing them over to the girl. "These should answer some questions you have regarding your people."

"Thank you, Seteth. I'll return them once I've finished reading them."

"Please, take your time."

Presea left the audience chamber and wandered to the library. Seeing as it was the early hours of the morning and the sun was just beginning to rise, the library would be void of people and a perfect place to read. She sat down at one of the many vacant tables and immediately began reading the myriads of documents.

From the documents, Presea learned much. The Pterolykoses, after having fled from Zanado, established tribes all across the world to hide from Acheron. There were eight tribes in total, each one distinguished by the markings on their fur. These markings were either blue, red, silver, gold, purple, green, black, or orange. She searched for her tribe who sported the golden markings and found they were named Vienix. Their village was located on the coast of Almyra, away from any human settlements. With the Pterolykoses powerful magic, they were able to veil the village with a spell and keep Acheron from finding them.

However, the spell was broken when...

"Huh?" Presea hummed in confusion. Part of the document was smudged as if someone was trying to hide the details of who located Vienix. She gritted her teeth in frustration when seeing just how close she was to discovering who killed her parents and wiped out her village. "Nothing is ever easy..."

Moving on, Presea learned about many customs of her people. Many of them seemed odd since she was raised alongside Claude in Almyra for some time before departing for Derdriu. Her memory before she met Claude was shattered into pieces and the only things she could remember were what the attackers wore and her mother's name. She couldn't even remember her own father's name, which saddened her.

Flipping to another document, Presea's eyes widen when she realized it was about Acheron. She read through the various details and learned something that shocked her to the core. "Acheron was an ally of the Pterolykoses...?" She shook her head in denial. "That's not possible... If he was a close ally, why did he stab them in the back?"

She continued to search the document, but she couldn't find the answer to her question. This only made her frustration bloom further. She ran a hand through her snowy locks with a heavy sigh. "I shouldn't have expected these documents to answer all my questions."

Hearing footsteps walking down the hallway, she turned her head and eyed the person who walked into the library. She was surprised to see who it was. "I thought you'd still be sleeping, Claude."

"You do realize you've been gone for a while, yeah?" Claude asked.

"How long?" She inquired.

"A few hours. Something must've had your attention if you forgot about me." He stood beside her, peering down at the documents. "Guess this is why you didn't come back."

"These documents were Lady Rhea's. She kept them a secret, but Seteth figured it was fine for me to read them. They discuss what happened after the battle at Zanado Canyon and where the remaining Pterolykoses fled. They even mention Acheron."

"What does it say about him?" Claude curiously asked.

"He was an ally of my people. I couldn't believe he used to help them. I've been trying to figure out why he betrayed the Pterolykoses and what led him to create the Holy Armor, but these documents don't seem to hold the answer."

"Besides that twisted revelation, what else did you learn?"

"My tribe was known as the Vienix and our village was somewhere on the coast of Almyra. I was close to finding out who destroyed the village and killed my people, but the ink's smudged and the name is illegible."

"So does that make you Almyran?" He wondered.

"I guess it does. I do miss our time together in Almyra, though. What about you, Khalid?" She smirked, using his birth name after many years.

"Whoa," Claude held up his hand. "I haven't heard that name in a while, especially from you. But yeah, I do. I kind of wish it was still just the two of us back in Almyra when I wasn't named the legitimate heir to the Leicester Alliance. I don't miss my half-siblings, though."

"Do you think once this is all over, you'll change your name back to your birth name?"

"No idea. I haven't even thought about my birth name until now. Claude has kinda grown on me, if I'm being honest."

"It does suit you more than Khalid," she giggled. "Thank goodness your mother isn't here. She might strangle me if she heard me say that..."

"I doubt she'd strangle you. She likes you too much," Claude chuckled.

"Tiana can be quite scary sometimes," Presea sighed.

"Definitely. By the way..." He revealed the letter in his possession and placed it on the table. "We finally received a reply from Judith. The Hero of Daphnel has agreed to support us with soldiers and supplies. I shared the letter with Teach and the others before looking for you."

Presea picked the letter and read it out loud. "As this is a request from none other than the leader of the Alliance, I wish that I could send troops at once. However, openly marshaling soldiers within my territory could provoke other members of the Alliance. Therefore, I will secretly gather troops in Ailell, the Valley of Torment. Will your group be able to receive the soldiers at this location? From there, it should be safe to return to the monastery by following the border between the Alliance and the Kingdom." She lowered the letter with furrowed brows. "Ailell... The Valley of Torment is a dangerous place. I'm shocked Judith chose such a place, but I trust her judgement."

"If we use that valley, we shouldn't have to worry about being noticed by other Alliance lords," Claude stated.

"That is very true. Although dangerous, it's the perfect strategic location."

"Now that everyone knows what our mission for this month is, I can respond to the letter. I guess you'll stay here and continue to read through the documents?"

Presea nodded. "Yeah."

"All right, but tomorrow you and I are going on a picnic to our special place." He leant down and kissed the top of her head before leaving the library.

Before Presea could respond, Claude was gone. She was excited for the picnic, but she suppressed her elation and continued to read the documents.

<-------------<<<<<

The next day, Presea was in the greenhouse tending to her flowers when Claude found her. In his grasp, he had a small basket. She remembered what he told her yesterday and quickly finished watering the flowers before departing the monastery. Like many times before, she transformed and flew him to their secret place.

Once on the island in the middle of the lake, Claude hopped off Presea's back and set up the picnic while she changed forms. When everything was ready, he revealed the dishes he chose. The girl's eyes widen in shock when seeing one dish in particular. "How in the world did you get your hands on peaches to make peach cobbler? I didn't see any peaches whatsoever in the kitchen storage."

"I may have smuggled some in to the monastery yesterday while you were busy," he winked at her. "Your love for peaches hasn't gone away, has it?"

She shook her head as she sat down beside him. "No way! It's as strong as ever! They were a little difficult to come by in the small town I visited weekly while waiting for Byleth to awaken. You wouldn't happen to have...?"

Claude already knew what she was going to ask and revealed a fresh peach that was hidden in the basket. "Of course I brought some along. I know how much you love them plain."

"Like I told you before," she took the peach from him and trailed her fingers across the soft fuzz. "It's your fault I've a peach addiction. I understand why you chose peaches, but there were so many other fruits that are soft and easy to eat. Why peaches?"

"They were the easiest to smuggle out of the kitchen," Claude answered. "I may have also stole some from the market from time to time whenever there weren't any in the kitchen."

"You stole from the market?!" She gasped in bewilderment. "I never took you for a thief."

"Maybe I was a thief in a past life."

"Yeah, and I was a queen in a previous life," she sarcastically replied.

"If that were the case, then I would've been the king by your side."

Presea smiled at the thought of her and Claude being married in a past life. It made her heart flutter that she and him were destined to be together forever, even in past lives. "And what if I was a mere commoner in some far away land?"

A warm and gentle smile blossomed on Claude's face. He took her hand in his gloved one and kissed her knuckles. "I know for certain that we would've found each other and fallen in love no matter how far apart we were."

A faint blush rose to her cheeks. Her heart was racing a mile a minute, threatening to burst from her chest. She wasn't sure how to respond and tried to hide her face with the hand that held the peach. "Y-You really know how to embarrass me..."

Claude chortled lightly as he could see her red cheeks from behind the peach. "Sorry, but I truly do believe we were destined for each other. For your sake, I'll change the subject. Let's eat all this delicious food before it gets cold."

Presea placed the peach down and joined Claude in eating the meal. Taking a closer look and tasting each dish, she realized it was a combination of her favorites and his. She, of course, took the most pleasure munching on the peach cobbler before moving to the fresh peach. She didn't hesitate to bite into the side and let the sweetness spread across her tongue.

Claude noticed her blissful expression as she nibbles on the peach. "I'm surprised you haven't turned into a peach yourself."

She ceased eating the fruit. "Is that one of those you are what you eat insults?"

"No," he snorted. "I'm just teasing you."

"I'm surprised you haven't turned into a rabbit," she remarked.

"Really? And why's that?"

"I saw how many pickled rabbit skewers you ate last month. One of the chefs even asked me to keep you away from them in the future."

Claude thought back to the time the dining hall was serving the skewers. "Did I really eat that many...?"

"Enough to ban you from eating any more," she snickered. "But I'll make you some in the future. I had some time over the past five years to hone my cooking skills and learn to make new recipes."

"I look forward to it," he smiled.

After finishing the food, Claude laid down on his back and stared up at the sky. Presea, on the other hand, gazed at the water's surface. She tilted her head and admired the clear water until an idea struck her. Standing up, she sauntered over to the edge of the lake. With a grin, she froze the surface of the water. She carefully stepped on to the ice and nearly lost her footing, but she quickly recovered and kept herself from falling. She giggled as she gingerly slid across the ice on her feet.

Hearing her giggles, Claude pushes himself off the grass and glanced toward her. He watched as she skated across the ice with ease. Getting to his feet, he wandered to the edge of the lake. He looked down at the ice as the memories he created with Presea in Almyra resurfaced in his mind. Every year, they would visit a small pond and she would freeze the surface so they could skate across it. He was scared at first because he wasn't sure how thick the ice was, but he no longer feared falling into the water since she made the ice thick enough to handle their weight even when they toppled over.

"What're you waiting for?" Presea asked as she slid towards him. She came to a stop directly in front of him. "You remember how to skate, right?"

"Of course I do," Claude responded. "It's just you have always been way better at it than me. I always fall flat on my back."

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall." She held out her hands and waited for him to place his in hers. "Or do you not trust me?"

Claude didn't hesitate to place his hands in hers. "You know you're the person I trust the most in this world. Just go slow for me. It's been a while since we've done this."

"I'll go slow." Presea helped Claude on to the ice before carefully and slowly beginning to skate around. She gripped his hands tightly when she spun them around in a circle. She continued to skate across the ice in myriads of shapes and performing small maneuvers. Claude stumbled a couple times, but she was able to keep him from falling.

Slowly, Claude was able to skate on his own. Presea let him go when he was ready and watched him with a smile. He didn't have anymore slip-ups and was enjoying himself. She soon skated alongside him and enjoyed her time with him even more.

While skating around, Presea came to a stop when she heard quacking. Scanning her surroundings, she spotted a familiar duck with seven other ducks. her eyes widened while watching them march across the ice. "No way. Is that...?" She squatted down, which grabbed the ducks' attentions. They turned their heads in her direction and analyzed her for a few seconds. When they started waddling over toward her, a smile manifested on the girl's face. "I can't believe it. It really is them!"

Claude overheard her excited voice and ceased skating. He made his way over to her just as the ducks did. He kneeled down beside her and watched the ducks show her affection. "Well, well, well. I never expected to see these guys again. They're all grown up."

"I wonder why they're still together," Presea said. "I read ducklings only stay with their mother for up to two months before flying away. It's been five years since the last time we saw them together. Do you think the war has caused them to stay together?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if it has." Claude reaches out to touch one of the ducks, but it snapped at him and he promptly retracted his hand. "Okay, okay. I'm clearly not the favorite."

"Sorry for freezing the lake," Presea apologized to the ducks. "I'll make sure to unfreeze it." She grabbed Claude's hand as she stood up and dragged him off the ice. The ducks and their mother followed them to the island and stood around the couple, wondering what they'd do next. Presea unfroze the water and looked down at the animals. "Now you can swim."

The ducks flicked their tails with a quack before entering the water. They swam around and dived for any fish they could catch. After eating, they nonchalantly floated on the water's surface and allowed the gentle current to carry them wherever.

Presea and Claude returned to their picnic under the tree. Once they packed up everything they brought, they were ready to go. Before she could transform and carry them back to Garreg Mach, Claude grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. She was slightly startled by his sudden action and stared into his emerald eyes. Before she could say anything, he captured her lips in a passionate kiss. She was taken aback for a few seconds from shock, but she overcame it and kissed back.

A few seconds later, Claude pulled away and grinned at Presea. "I had this whole romantic moment planned when we were skating, but we were interrupted. Now then..." He grabbed the basket, "As much as I don't want our alone time to end, I promised Teach I would help with training today."

"And I promised Marianne I would enjoy some afternoon tea with her," Presea said. "Let's head back."

<-------------<<<<<

On the last day of the month, Claude gathered the Alliance Army and departed from the monastery. The large group didn't stop until they reached Ailell, the Valley of Torment. As they closed in on their destination, the temperature began to rise.

Once arriving in Ailell, the group took in their surroundings. The ground was cracked with molten lava surrounding the area. There was no foliage nor fauna within miles. Everyone could feel the heat from the ground and the pits of lava.

Hilda was the first to complain. "Ugh, why is it so hot? I'm getting all sweaty!"

"Don't be a wimp!" Raphael rebuttals. "Anything's worth it for more food supplies."

Leonie shoves the brute a little ways away from her. "Move over, Raphael. Somehow you make the heat even worse."

Ignatz glanced around at his fellow Golden Deer. "Let's stay calm, everyone. Once we meet up with Judith's soldiers, we can go right back home."

While looking around, Marianne's eyes widen. "Oh, I finally remembered! The legend goes that this valley was born from the wrath of the goddess. They say a pillar of light poured from the heavens and completely burned away the forest that used to be here..."

Claude glances at the girl. "So you're telling me the goddess, who is supposed to be benevolent, burned a forest to a crisp? Typical."

"That's what the legend would have us believe. But it's not recorded in any of the scriptures..."

"Either it's completely made up, or the goddess is some kind of monster."

Suddenly, Cyril spotted something in the distance and looked up. "Huh? Is that..."

Lorenz followed his line of sight and spotted the army along the cliff. "The time for idle chatter is over, Claude. Look over there."

Claude eyed the large squadron. "Ah, has someone come to greet us?"

Byleth tried to analyze who they were and if they were friend or foe. "Enemies? Or possibly allies?"

Presea noticed the banner they wielded and grimaced. "Those are no allies."

"Presea is correct," Lorenz said. "That banner does not bear the Daphnel Crest."

"If memory serves... That's the Crest of House Rowe, formerly lords of the Kingdom. They joined the Empire's side without hesitation during the coup. And now here they are, lying in wait for us," Claude explained.

"It seems someone in our ranks has stabbed us in the back," Presea sighed.

Shamir clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Damn... I thought we had disposed of all the spies..."

"House Rowe is mediocre and vulgar, but I hear their knights are powerful," Lorenz stated.

"What about the Daphnel soldiers?" Hilda questioned. "You don't think..."

"We need to break through their ranks," Byleth proclaimed.

"We've already been spotted, so there's no time to come up with a brilliant plan. Everyone, prepare for battle!" Claude then focuses his gaze on Byleth. "I leave the command in your capable hands, my friend." He whistled and Albus came flying in. He quickly hopped on the wyvern's back before grabbing his bow.

Presea grimaced at the lava, deciding whether to transform or remain in her human. The heat would only make her wolf form unbearable and she decided to remain human. She held out her hands as they radiated with magic.

Seeing as Presea was in her human form, Raphael called out to her and decided to partner up with her. Side by side, the two watched as enemy forces entered the valley.

The enemy soldiers divided into smaller groups and made their way closer to the knights and the Golden Deer. Presea remained close to Raphael as he took the battle to them. Using his brawling skills, he was able to handle a few soldiers on his own. The snowy-haired girl remained a safe distance away as she used her spells to fight against the adversaries. Once they defeated one small group, Presea healed Raphael before moving on to the next set of targets.

In the distance, Byleth and Claude teamed up with Leonie, Hilda, and Lysithea to deal with another group of soldiers. Lorenz, Ignatz, and Marianne were with Shamir and Cyril.

When the group cut down more soldiers, they spotted an elderly man located in the rear. Claude, after everyone regrouped, analyzed the man's appearance and could only come to one conclusion. "So, their general must be that stubborn-looking old man. He looks like he wouldn't even forgive a sobbing child. It's good we came armed for the occasion."

"We've found the enemy general, but we still haven't found Judith," Presea huffed out with a sigh. "I know she can handle herself, but there's too many soldiers for us to handle by ourselves. We're clearly outnumbered and could benefit from her help."

"We'll find her," Byleth reassures her. "For now, target the general. If we cut him down, his forces will be in disarray and won't be able to fight back. They'll be forced to flee."

"So target the grumpy old man who looks he kicks puppies and kittens. Got it!" Hilda chanted.

The battle waged on and the valley was becoming more dangerous as time ticked by. The ground was beginning to crack under their feet and lava seeped to the surface, making most of the battlefield difficult to traverse.

Presea pushes forward, avoiding the cracks brimming with lava. She set her sights on another group of soldiers, but she froze when an arrow landed in the ground between her feet. She took a few steps back and searched for the archer. When she saw who the arrow belonged to, she couldn't believe her eyes. "Ashe..."

The bright-eyed boy lowered his bow with a pained expression. "I'm sorry, Presea, but I must fight. As the son of Lord Lonato, this was inevitable."

She shook her head with a frown. "I refuse to face you, Ashe. It's not too late to join us. I know the others would want you on our side."

"I...I must stand against you," he responded, raising his bow and aiming another arrow at her. With a small tinge of hesitation in his eyes, he released the arrow.

Presea dodged the arrow and charged at Ashe. She readied a lightning spell, but she couldn't bring herself to cast. Instead, she circled around him and tried to find an opening between his shots. When an opening was presented to her, she casted an ice spell. Large icicles shot out from the ground around Ashe, entrapping him inside.

Ashe gaped in surprise for a few seconds before searching for a way out. He tried using the sharp tip of an arrow to shatter the ice, but he only took a small chip off one of the icicles. From between the icicles, his bright emerald eyes connected with a pair of glimmering cerulean ones.

"I'm sorry, Ashe, but I won't fight you. Once we've dealt with the general, I'll free you." Presea turned her back to the icicle prison, ignoring Ashe as he called out her name repeatedly.

Presea, having dealt with Ashe in the best way she could think of, rejoined her friends and allies. She focused her attention on a few soldiers who had surrounded Claude, Lorenz, and Ignatz. She promptly annihilated them, earning a chorus of gratitude from her friends.

Because her attention was focused elsewhere, she failed to notice the cracks forming under her feet. Luckily, Claude saw what was happening and flew Albus over. He grabbed her hand and hoisted her onto the back of the wyvern. She was perplexed at his sudden action until realizing the danger she'd been in when the ground she was standing on was consumed by molten lava. "Thanks for the save, Claude."

"Hey, it's no big deal. I've never seen you fight in your human form before," he said. "Well, willingly, I should add."

"There's no way I'm transforming in this heat. With all that fur, I'd be sweating like no tomorrow. And with this lava spurting everywhere, my fur would ignite rather quickly."

"Both good points." Claude was about to grab another arrow when he felt Presea adjust behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw she was trying to dismount Albus. He grabbed her hand and stopped her from jumping down. "Whoa, hold on for a second. Where do you think you're going?"

"To help. You can't fight properly with me along for the ride."

"With you, I can do anything," he smiled confidently. "Just hold on tight."

Presea wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tightly as the wyvern lurched forward. Claude flew Albus back into the fray and aimed his bow at an enemy soldier. As he was about to fire an arrow, he noticed the tip was consumed by flames. Curious, he released the arrow and watched it soar through the air. It plunged into the shoulder of one of the adversaries and ignited a large flame, consuming the man's entire body. He screamed out in pain for a few seconds before he fell silent and his body turned into a pile of ash.

Claude blinked in astonishment. He turned his head slightly in order to address the girl latching on to him. "Did you just enchant my arrow?"

"Sorry for not warning you," she replied.

"No, it's fine. Think you could do it again?"

She nodded. "I can."

He grinned. "Then let's see what kind of chaos we can create together."

"All right."

Claude fired arrow after arrow. Each one was enchanted with a different spell, which caused various effects against their unlucky targets. The brunette was grinning from ear to ear as he watched a chain of lightning bolts strike a small group of soldiers and wipe them out. "We should do this more often."

"You mean team up and combine our attacks?" Presea asked.

"Yeah. We could be an unstoppable force."

"Guys, look!" Hilda suddenly shrieked, grabbing everyone's attention.

A little ways away, the Golden Deer and the Knights of Seiros saw a familiar banner peek over the horizon as a large vanguard entered the valley. It was Judith and her soldiers. Claude chuckled at the sight of the Daphnel banner. "Look who's finally here."

Presea jabbed a finger into his side as a warning. "You better be on your best behavior, Claude. If Judith heard you say that, she wouldn't hesitate to whip you into shape. Remember when she-"

"Please don't remind of the torture she put me through when I called her old..."

She laughed in amusement. "I'll never forget that day."

Judith made her way across the battlefield with her soldiers. She cut down any enemies that tried to stop her as she tried to reach the others. Eventually, she finally reached them and talked to Byleth before addressing Claude and Presea. "So, you're finally here, supreme leader. And something extra has tagged along."

"Sorry, Judith. That rat got away," Claude apologized.

"Hey, don't worry." Judith then gazed at the girl sitting behind him atop Albus. "I'm glad to see you're safe, Presea. Claude wasn't the only one who was worried about you."

Presea smiled at the older woman. "It's good to see you again, Judith." She was overjoyed to see Judith was alive and well. Before arriving at the Officer's Academy with Claude, Judith somewhat became a mother figure in Presea's life. She was kind and considerate of her and taught her many things when she arrived in the Leicester Alliance. She was grateful for everything she learned from her and the kindness she received from a complete stranger who knew nothing about her.

Now that Presea thought back on the past with what she learned in the past couple of months, she wondered if Judith was only kind to her because she knew who she was before she arrived in the Leicester Alliance. The thought made her heart ache and decided she would speak properly to Judith after the battle was over.

"Let's end this, shall we?" Claude spoke up, grabbing her attention.

"You're going to fly us straight to the General?" She inquired.

"Yeah. Once he's gone, all the fighting will stop. You ready?"

She nodded. "Let's go."

Albus took to the sky and avoided countless of arrows as he carried Claude and Presea toward the enemy general. They passed over Byleth, Marianne, Lorenz, and Ignatz who were exterminating soldiers left and right.

Once in the general's vicinity, they were spotted by him. He glared at the two as the wyvern descended and landed a few yards away from him. "Do whelps like you really expect to kill me? I am Gwendal, the Gray Lion, a knight by the hand of Count Rowe! Do your worst!"

Claude and Presea dismounted Albus and faced off against Gwendal. The snowy-haired girl held out her hands and conjured a fireball as the adversary darted forward towards them. She tossed the fireball at Gwendal, but he easily sliced through it.

Seeing as he was still heading straight for them, Claude readied an arrow. He fired it and managed to hit Gwendal in the shoulder, but it didn't deter him. He clicked his tongue as he grabbed another arrow. "Geezer's tougher than he looks. No wonder he's a general."

"I'll stop him." Presea conjured a sphere of miasma and decides to try one of the techniques she learned durning her five years of isolation in the woods. She casted a second spell and infused the miasma with lightning. She quickly threw it when seeing how close Gwendal was and watched it hit him directly in the chest. The general wailed out in pain as the miasma and lightning collided with his body. The impact created a crack in his armor as his body went tumbling backwards.

"Where did you learn that?" Claude stared wide-eyed at her.

"I got bored one day and decided to try combining spells. Some elements work better together while others explode when they come in contact with specific elements," she explained.

"Very impressive. I'll have to remember that when I come up with a new scheme."

Presea and Claude were soon joined by Byleth, Leonie, Hilda, and Raphael. Combining their efforts, they fought against Gwendal and were able to defeat him. What caught the group by surprise was when he thanked them for his death with his final breath.

Claude sighed sorrowfully when hearing Gwendal's final words. "That old man must have been struggling with the position he found himself in... It's time to gather ourselves and pull back our troops."

"Let's regroup with everyone then," Presea said.

When everyone was gathered alongside Judith's forces, they watched as the remaining enemy soldiers fled. Once they were gone and only the Alliance Army was left, everyone was able to relax.

Judith joined the Golden Deer while her soldiers mingled with the Knights of Seiros. "To think we'd get into a scrap here of all places. We're lucky we all made it out alive."

Byleth lowered his head in apology. "I'm sorry for involving you in this."

"Don't worry about it. In this day and age, it's a miracle I've been unscathed this long." Judith managed a smile as her muscles relaxed. "Anyway, long time no see, Professor! Are you still watching this boy's back?"

Claude groaned. "Can you quit calling me a boy in front of everyone? I'm the leader of the Alliance now. It's not proper-"

"Not proper, is it? Says the leader who has neglected Alliance territory for years. If you're really the "Master Tactician", you should go back to working quietly at whatever little desk you do your planning on," Judith interrupted.

"Ugh, don't call me that either. Who even came up with that nickname?"

"It's a perfect title for a boy who loves crafty schemes as much as you do. You should be grateful to the professor and Presea. On your own, you'd look like a scoundrel of a leader."

When seeing Claude had no smart remark, Presea snorted with laughter. She covered her mouth at the obnoxious sound and apologized. "I-I am terribly sorry. I've missed hearing the two of you bicker."

"Claude's usually so flippant, but even he gets overwhelmed when Judith is around!" Hilda snickered.

"As expected from the leader of the prestigious House Daphnel. Her dignity is beyond compare, even if she is no longer one of the Five Great Lords," Lorenz added.

Byleth's brows knitted together in confusion. "The Five Great Lords?"

"The five most influential lords of the Leicester Alliance. They hold the voting rights at the roundtable conferences. House Daphnel used to be included among their ranks, but division from within has hastened their decline. Their vote has since been passed to the emerging Margrave Edmund," he explained.

"Thanks for the exposition, Gloucester boy," Judith said.

"Boy?!" Lorenz shrieked. "I will not-"

"Now to business," Judith intervened before he could retort. "There were some unexpected interruptions, but I've brought soldiers and supplies, as promised."

"Thanks, Judith," Claude expressed his gratitude. "I'll gladly take them off your hands..."

"Hold your horses, boy. You're misunderstanding. These soldiers are precious to me. I made them what they are. I'm not about to loan them out to someone."

Claude blinked owlishly. "No? Then why did you come here?!"

"What I'm saying is that I'll be joining your army. You're going to fight the Empire with the Knights of Seiros, right? Fight for Lady Rhea? Not without me," she clarified.

"That's admirable and all, but we still don't know for sure if Rhea is in the-"

"Oh, she's there. A witness saw Lady Rhea being dragged off by the Imperial army after the battle five years ago."

One of the knights overheard their conversation and asked, "Are you sure?!"

Judith nodded. "One of my own saw it happen. I'm certain."

"So we were right in our decision to fight against the Empire."

"But you're the leader of House Daphnel. Is it okay for you to leave your territory unattended?" Claude questioned.

"And what about you?" Judith asked, gesturing to the brunette. "Is it okay for you to leave the Riegan territory unattended?"

"That's... I've left it in the hands of a reliable retainer and-"

"And I've asked that retainer to watch over Daphnel territory as well."

Claude's brows knitted together. "Wait, wait, wait... You just up and decided to get my retainer to do that without even asking me? No respect, this one..."

Byleth glances between Judith and Claude. "What retainer?"

"Oh? You haven't met him yet, Professor? His name is Nardel. He strikes me as a really special individual. And he's quite handsome too!" Judith replied with a gleam in her eyes.

Claude shook his head with a sigh. "So that's your definition of handsome?"

"Claude," Presea grumbled under her breath.

"What? I'm just asking."

"No objections, then?" Judith inquired, ignoring the boy's previous question. "Good. That settles it. House Daphnel is now yours to command."

"I'm sure you'd come along even if I refused. So be it. We'll be counting on you, Judith. Let's return to the monastery."

Presea placed a hand on Claude's arm. "I'll rendezvous with you back at the monastery. There's something I need to take care of."

The brunette stared into her cerulean eyes for a few seconds before nodding. "All right. Just stay safe. If you're not back in-"

"She'll be just fine," Judith chimed in. "At this point, she's doing better than you, boy."

Claude hung his head with a dramatic groan. "Again with this "boy" nonsense...?"

Presea thanked Judith before heading back to where she left Ashe. The icicles still acted as his cage, but the ice was beginning to melt. She peered through one of the gaps and saw the archer was still inside. "Ashe, I..."

"Please," he interrupted her. "Don't apologize, Presea. I know you wanted to keep me from the battle to avoid being killed. I appreciate what you've done for me and I've decided I want to join you and the others. You spared me when you didn't have to. I owe you my life."

"Thank goodness..." She sighed in relief. "I am a little shocked you changed your mind rather quickly. I thought I would've had to give this big speech and try to convince you."

Ashe glances around at the large icicles. "Being trapped in here gave me the time I needed to think."

"Let me get you out." Presea placed her hands on one of the icicles and melted it with a fire spell.

The silver-haired boy placed his bow on his back as he stepped out of the icy prison. "Thank you, Presea."

She smiled at him. "Let's head to the monastery. We'll meet the others there once they return." In the blink of an eye, she transformed and flew Ashe back to Garreg Mach.

When they arrived at the monastery, Ashe headed to where his old room to rest while Presea sauntered in the direction of the cathedral. She sat down on one of the pews and delved into deep thought. Her mind wandered to the various memories she had stored in the back of her mind. Eventually, she moves from the pew and stood at the altar. Due to the pile of debris that remained, she could only see a small portion of the altar.

Memories continued to run rampant in her head. Good or bad, she cherished them all as they made her feel whole. Even though she was missing many memories from her childhood before her village was destroyed and her people killed, she had made enough memories with Claude and so many others to fill that void. But now, she questioned a few of those memories after learning from her beloved that Duke Oswald knew she was a Pterolykos before they even formally met.

All of a sudden, two arms wrapped around Presea's waist from behind. She blinked a few times, pushing the memories aside when her back collided with someone's chest. There was only one person who would hug her from behind. "I'm glad you and the others made it back safely, Claude."

Claude leaned his head against the side of hers with a smile. "Someone was lost in thought. You didn't even budge when I called out to you. What were you thinking about?"

"Just the past, that's all." Presea folded her arms over his, which rested comfortably around her waist.

When the couple heard someone clear their throat, Claude looked over his shoulder and saw the Golden Deer and Judith. Byleth had been the one to clear his throat.

"And our moment's ruined..." Claude murmured in Presea's ear.

She smiled in amusement. "We'll have plenty more moments later."

Reluctantly, Claude removes his arms from around her waist and turns to face the others. He placed a hand on his hip as he decided to start the meeting. "With Judith joining our forces, we've secured some more troops and supplies...albeit not many."

Judith crosses her arms with a huff. "Hmph. I'm sorry it couldn't be more."

Claude shook his head. "No, it's enough for the time being. We'll use them to secure even more troops and supplies."

"How so?" Byleth asked.

"The key to my plan is Count Gloucester, the leader of the pro-Empire faction in the Alliance."

"You intend to sway my father to join the other side?" Lorenz inquired.

"If Count Gloucester were to switch to the other side, that would basically unify the Alliance. Then we could utilize our full military force in the fight against the Empire."

"You don't mean to ask me to persuade him, do you? That would be...quite impossible."

"I don't plan on it. We'll just take his concerns out of the equation. The Airmid River flows along the border between Gloucester territory and the Empire, right? Of all the bridges that cross it, the Great Bridge of Myrddin is the only one near Gloucester territory large enough for an army. Currently, the Imperial army occupies it," Claude explained.

"So, if we were to capture the bridge..." Lysithea began.

"Count Gloucester would be freed from the threat of the Empire. Thanks to us," the brunette finished.

"But we have to pass through Gloucester territory to reach the Great Bridge of Myrddin, do we not?"

"Yes. And if we attempted it, naturally he would try to stop us."

"I am sorry, but I must ask. Surely you do not plan to engage in combat with my father?" Lorenz questioned.

"Don't worry," Claude reassured him. "I want him as a future ally. What good would it do to waste both of our forces fighting?"

Byleth arched a brow. "I take it you have a scheme?"

He grinned. "Who do you think you're taking to, Teach? Preparations are in the works even now."

"So the Master Tactician is finally going to show us his true power. I'm looking forward to it!" Judith cheered.

"I'll do my best to live up to that name by making my scheme as impressive as possible."

Presea, who remained silent during the entire meeting, dragged Judith aside before she could leave. "Forgive me for pulling you aside after such an exhausting day. You're clearly tired, but I was hoping you'd be able to answer a question I have."

Judith smiled kindly at the girl. "Still being polite to me after all these years? Why am I not surprised? I was hoping you'd grow out of it, but at the same time I'm glad you didn't. Claude really does need to take a page from your book every now and then." Realizing she was getting off topic, she said, "Regardless of that, I'll try to answer the question you have."

"I appreciate your-" Presea cleared her throat and tried to not be too polite. "Thank you, Judith. Claude told me Duke Oswald was aware that I was a Pterolykos before I arrived in Derdriu. Were you also aware of who I was?"

"Ah, I see where this is going..." Judith exhaled softly. "I wasn't aware of who you were when you came to Derdriu with Claude. However, Duke Oswald did mention there was a special someone with Claude. I thought you were the daughter of a noble who would wed Claude after he became the new Duke. I didn't learn the truth until I saw you transform while playing with Claude one day."

"So that means..." Presea's voice trailed off.

Judith places a hand on top of the girl's head. "I didn't treat you the way I did because I thought you were some mythical being or even a noble's daughter. I treated you like I would have if you were my own daughter. To be honest, you were the closest thing to a daughter I had and am overjoyed you accompanied Claude to Derdriu. I also am grateful for your constant vigilance over him. He's not an easy person to keep in check."

"You can say that again," she laughed. "Although he's a handful at times, I love him with all my heart."

The older woman's smile widened. "He's truly lucky to have you by his side."

"I feel like it's the opposite. I'm the lucky one, not him."

"And that's how I know you both are head-over-heels in love with each other. Claude said the same thing once."

Presea smiled gently. "Thank you for answering my question. I feel relieved to know the truth. Please, get some rest. I know you're exhausted from today's events."

"You as well, sweet girl."