[ A rueful shake of his head, and despite the context of their entire conversation, this is what earns a blush from him-- the thought that he was inadvertently responsible for their first incident together, and more importantly, the implication that he could have planned this out on purpose, even though he did his best to prove his innocence at the time. ]
Unless you ate the entire piece in a single bite, I doubt that giving you the larger half would make much of a difference. Besides, I did offer to try it myself, beforehand.
[ And yet she's gone ahead and taken that first forkful before he does, so maybe he can say with some confidence she doesn't entirely mind his show of generosity. He might even go as far as believing she enjoys it, if her preferences haven't changed.
So rather than dwelling on implications that aren't there, he decides to go for a tentative bite of his own, taking his time to really savor it; before, he had to settle for smells and textures, and even the amount of care a person had place into their cooking-- Dedue and Flayn, while worlds apart in terms of skill, were both guilty of putting a smile on his face with every mouthful of their meals, and he's sure Annette would be the same, if she... had less accidents in the kitchen-- but now that he can actually taste the food, it's... well. It's an experience he's grateful for, and he even closes his eyes with a pleased hum rumbling in his throat; it's rich and buttery, and makes for a nice balance with the sugar.
That buys him an extra minute, enough to prompt a question when his eyes meet Edelgard's again: ]
So, what is your verdict? No unusual heat, I should hope?
[ He means it as a result of possible aphrodisiacs, unrelated whatsoever to the way his tongue flicks out to swipe his lips clean, leaving none of that creamy, creamy frosting to waste. ]
[ No unusual heat, he asks, as though they are in a position to tease each other about this now.
Or maybe it's a sincere question. Dimitri has dripped with sincerity in their every interaction here. On the rare occasions when he has teased or said something sexual it's been strikingly straightforward. ]
This is very good.
[ The only heat is the hint of warmth that has so rudely found its way back into her cheeks, and unfortunately that is not unusual tonight. The cake is very good, though. Moist and rich, the frosting sweet and--
And she really needs to stop glancing up just in time to catch him licking things. It's ridiculously distracting and she knows that's not due to some outer influence. No, this time she can put the blame squarely on the discussion they've had and her memories of what they've done together. ]
So far it seems safe. [ A short pause. Despite herself she smiles a bit as she helps herself to another bite. ] Thank you, Dimitri. You have been a generous host.
[ As per usual, it is a sincere question, because he really isn't the type to resort to tricks like that, and whatever teasing he does manage to pull off tends to be more... physical in nature. So when she does pass on her verdict and even thanks him for the hospitality, there's obvious relief in his smile, and genuine contentment, too. ]
Ah, think nothing of it. I am mostly glad it seems to be safe, though the flavor is quite the boon.
[ Speaking of, he'll take another forkful of cake to his lips, his smile lingering; if even he an barely hold back from having another taste, he can only imagine the inhuman effort such a dessert-enthusiast like Edelgard-- or like she used to be, anyway-- must be putting up just to be able to pace herself. ]
There is... something else I wish to ask you, if you do not mind. Regarding this agreement.
[ His eyes drop to the fork now lying on the edge of his plate, fingers still on the handle as though considering his options-- another bite, or perhaps his words? ]
Despite our impromptu alliance at the time of the invasion, and even though the thought had crossed my mind on occasion, I never imagined you would suggest an arrangement such as this. In fact, I recall you once told me you did not intend to encourage fraternizing with the enemy.
[ Don't get him wrong, he understands very well this arrangement doesn't make them friends, but it's still more than he expected from someone who otherwise didn't want to associate with him. ]
I suppose what I wish to know is, has something prompted this change?
[ She could almost dare to think of this enthusiasm he has about the way things taste as... cute. Which seems silly, and she hides the spontaneous quirk of her lips in her tea cup until it passes, sipping her tea with determined appreciation.
But then he begins to sound more serious, and as she lowers her cup again she looks down at her own plate and then, after a moment, back up to his face. As much as she hates to admit it, she supposes this too is a reasonable question. She had expressed a willingness to cooperate -- the trade of information, specifically -- but showed distinct disinterest in more than that.
For a while she had not even thought it an idea to seriously entertain. If not for an aphrodisiac who among their respective allies would cross that line? Perhaps Sylvain? Without an aphrodisiac she would not have crossed it herself. ]
There are several factors, I admit. Perhaps the most important is the one we have already acknowledged: the desire to reclaim a certain amount of control in a place that tries its best to get us to do what it wants. Accompanying that is a desire not to have to bare myself to a great number of people.
[ And here it helps that Dimitri has never breathed a word about her scars. He has plenty of his own, and perhaps hers are largely too precise to be mistaken for recklessness in battle but he has never drawn the slightest bit of extra attention to it. ]
Those coupled desires are persuasive but would not have been enough on their own. Not where my enemy is concerned.
[ She picks up her fork again, holding it idly. ]
However, I have since learned that those of us from the same worlds are not all from the same point in time. You may already be aware of this. Some of us come from quite different timelines, in fact. Have you met Constance von Nuvelle? She lives in the inn now. I had never met her personally before coming here, yet she knows me and claims to be fighting for my cause. I have spent months assuming that Ferdinand and I came from the same time and place but I recently discovered that he has seen me win the war. He spoke of my victory and the death of the Immaculate One. He was even familiar with Constance.
[ She pauses, not for long enough to let him interrupt. ]
Dorothea was briefly here and I am uncertain of what happened to her, but Ferdinand tells me she recalled a very different version of events. He would not go into detail, which makes me assume that she saw my defeat.
You are almost certainly not my Dim-- [ Oh, no. As soon as she says it she realizes how wrong it sounds. Her head gives a slight shake. ] --not the Dimitri I fight against. Which may explain why I have found you more mild-mannered than expected.
[ He wouldn't interrupt even if given the time or chance-- out of courtesy, yes, but also because he wants to understand her motives, to understand what drives her rationale and her actions, even if only for something comparatively inconsequential. If he can begin to figure out her priorities, the limits she'll push past, the lines she will or will not draw... perhaps there is hope for the future, still.
Except the more she talks, the more it seems it truly isn't a future they can share, for more reasons than one.
But he allows her to continue, his fingers now linked atop the table, eyes trained on her, though he occasionally does squint or tilt his head at the mention of an unfamiliar name-- Constance von Nuvelle? The Immaculate One? While he imagines five years is a lot of time to catch up on and that there must be much he hasn't learned of yet, none of that seems to ring a bell whatsoever. There's no way he can be so far out of the loop, is there?
The topic of Dorothea is one that earns a pair of hooked eyebrows from him, something that finally clicks in this exposition, though he doesn't bring it up just yet. Instead, he waits for her to complete her train of thought, and once it seems like she's finished at last, he takes a deep breath, followed by a generous sip of his tea. There is... a lot to process here. ]
I... had suspected something along those lines was at play. [ Hw begins, tone measured even as his mind scrambles through his recent memory. ] When I first arrived on this island, one of my own friends treated me as though she had not seen me in years. At the time, I thought the alcohol might have been at fault, but there is more to consider.
[ Like what Edelgard is telling him right now. Like the information he has heard, and the path he has seen. But should he tell her...? ]
Your allies in this place... they did strike me as particularly odd. Dorothea claimed to have been one of the Blue Lions, and fought at our side during the war. As for Ferdinand of House Aegir, he... also had a different fate.
[ That slight pause, that split second's hesitation might tell her more than his words reveal. He doesn't linger on it, though, and instead, blue rises to meet her again. ]
And though I cannot say with certainty, you feel different, as well. The Edelgard I know... does not smile as easily.
[ Not polite smiles like she's given him here, nor sad smiles like the one on his face right now. ]
[ She attempts to give him the same courtesy that he gave her, uninterrupted attention despite her mind racing ahead. It sounds as though he had more reason than she did to think that something was amiss, until recently.
If her eyes go a bit wide at what he says about Dorothea she tries to recover quickly. She was prepared for a great many possibilities after what she had already been told but not that Dorothea may fight for Dimitri. It briefly steals the breath from her lungs. Time and time again she has told herself that it would not matter how much of her path had to be walked alone, and when she has had no one else she has always -- until now -- had Hubert. But Dorothea, who is among her most dear.
Perhaps it shouldn't, but it stings.
Though it takes her a moment, she nods. ]
She told him that she saw him fall at the Great Bridge of Myrddin. A significant blow to my forces in more ways than one, if so. Fortunately what Ferdinand recalls sounds much more pleasant.
[ Do her smiles come easily? At times, she supposes, just as they always have. But war doesn't lend itself well to smiles unless you are victorious and meeting your goals. Perhaps this means what he recalls is closer to Dorothea's version of events. ]
I seem to be from a earlier point in time than most of us.
[ It's hard to tell what part of his revelation hits her the hardest, but the look on her face makes no room for lies; she is affected, more so than a general should be over the loss of a soldier. And it's just as hard to tell, whether he should be regretful to have given her the news, or happy that Edelgard-- this Edelgard, whenever and wherever she comes from-- hasn't lost her heart.
Still, a nod of his head is all the confirmation he can bring himself to provide; the events that transpired in the Great Bridge of Myrddin... it would seem Dorothea's recollection of them seemed to match his, at least. ]
Assuming that is correct, I do not think you hail from much earlier. Based on appearances alone, you do look exactly like the Edelgard I know.
[ Another subtle squint, as though he's studying her features with a bit more attention; her voice has grown graver, and though today she looks different, when he first arrived, she donned the same war dress and hair style as she did the last time they had met, during that brief parley. If she's not exactly the same, then at least a lot closer to his last memory than what she looked like, back in their Academy days. ]
Besides, if some of us do come from different timelines, does that truly matter? Other than all of us having attended the Officer's Academy and an ongoing war, is there a point of commonality between us?
[ Hmm. Ferdinand had not said exactly how much time had passed, but since he had also initially believed they were from the same time the war must progress quickly once the Professor reappears.
Dimitri can study her all he wants; though she feels a bit too aware of it, she doesn't begrudge it under these circumstances. ]
Does it truly matter?
[ She must be misunderstanding him because the answer to that question is so obvious to her. She knows no Ferdinand that doesn't live and die for her cause, so perhaps in a case like that it matters little. But it's disconcerting to her to have someone more familiar with her than she is with them, like Constance, and equally disconcerting to think that she let her guard down so much for a Dorothea who fought for Faerghus. That is not the Dorothea knows. ]
If there is a point of commonality for us all, I don't know what it is. Something at the Academy, perhaps. What I do know is that in some cases the differences matter to me to a great deal. [ As if to prove it, she hastily continues. ] I would be a fool to spend time with you if I thought I would be facing you in battle as soon as I left this place, but that Dimitri will have no recollection of this. No memory of any weakness he has seen, no strategy cobbled together through learning my habits.
[ A point of commonality... Well, he can think of one, at least, though it predates their time at the Academy. If there are multiple timelines, some with only minor differences, others with major events changed... he wonders, if the two of them were always destined to meet across all of them.
(He wishes he could ask what else she remembers of the boy she once taught to dance.) ]
I can see how that would matter to you. [ He can, really, from a purely strategic perspective, which does suit the Edelgard he knows. ] But what I mean is, whether you come from an earlier point in time or not, we are not the exact same people we know. The future Ferdinand has seen, or the one Dorothea has lived... they have not yet come to pass to either of us.
[ While he doesn't disagree with her ultimate conclusion-- much on the contrary, actually-- his perspective on matters is different. Whatever he learns about her while on this island, however closer he can get to figuring out her true motives... The Edelgard he knows might not be the exact same, but that is not to say understanding this Edelgard is any less valuable, or any less effective in securing victory the only way he truly does wish for: without spilling more blood, least of all hers.
One might call it a strategy of his own, though, and so he cannot divulge it, either. ]
Ah, pardon my digression. [ A shake of his head. ] My point is, considering the strange circumstances behind our diverging memories, it is the present that we must focus our efforts on. Ultimately, that is what allows for this agreement between us, is it not?
[ They might each have their own motives, but this much, they can see eye to eye on. ]
Yes, she supposes that regardless of how exactly they have both reached this conclusion they both have reached the conclusion. ]
That is correct.
[ Though she is only willing to take it so far. This agreement is not an engraved invitation for them to become friends here, and she likes to think he understands that by now but there is room for doubt.
She considers him over her tea for a moment. ]
What were you doing before you came here, Dimitri? Were you marching on the Empire?
[ For now, that is more than enough; that they have reached the same conclusion one way or another is already quite the progress as it is, really.
Still, to talk about the war... is not something he would look forward to. So his eyes drop to the plate, his cake barely halfway finished; that enthusiasm for new tastes from earlier completely gone. ]
We were headed towards Enbarr next, yes. [ He's wise enough to at least not divulge the details of the state of affairs, as he recalls them-- not that the Kingdom has absorbed Alliance forces into its army, or that most of the Empire has already fallen. Instead, what he reveals is: ] But before that, I sent an envoy to request a parley from you-- or rather, the Edelgard I know.
[ Hmm. He's not sure he'll ever get used to making this distinction. ]
[ That fact that he moves on Enbarr itself says enough. She is no longer the aggressor in that war. She has lost Ferdinand and probably others dear to her. A grim scenario.
How strange to think of Dimitri getting the better of her. How could he have managed it?
She still has her fork in hand, but it still idles between her fingers. ]
And what did you hope to achieve with this parley?
[ The question immediately draws a sigh out of him, his sight still aligned with the half-eaten piece of cake before him. Maybe Hugo can have it later as an extra treat; he doesn't think his appetite will be returning anytime soon. ]
Do you recall what I told you not long after my arrival? That, should you ever wish to reveal your reasons for starting the war, I would be wiling to listen?
[ His eyes seek out hers again, as he tends to do when the gravity of his words require nothing but open honesty. ]
That is what I hoped to achieve, at the time. To understand you.
[ That is what he wanted out of a meeting with her? As much as she tries to keep her face a neutral mask, there's something incredulous in her eyes all the same.
She supposes he was giving her an opportunity to surrender, or looking for a reason not attack her home. More of what she might expect from the Dimitri she trained against at the Academy, softer and more reluctant to fight. ]
I doubt that worked as you might have hoped.
[ It isn't said harshly, though it is firm. One thing she knows as an absolute is that there will be no surrender from her. ]
[ His eyes drop to his plate again, but rather than a sigh, there's a smile adorning his lips, small and bittersweet though it may be. ]
Perhaps not exactly. But I did get something out of that meeting, regardless.
[ The confirmation that a hurried gift from an once dear childhood friend had been so meaningful to her-- so much, that even this Edelgard has kept it on her all these years. Knowing that back then, and the revelation he had the night of the invasion... He can't say his efforts were completely in vain. ]
At any rate, I do not intend to give up. [ A brief pause, a little headbutt on his leg, and the corners of his lips tug a bit higher. ] It might be foolish of me, but, well. I am nothing if not stubborn.
[ Mr. Headbutter seems to take that as his cue to hop on Dimitri's lap, and from there, make the leap to the table, heading straight for that unattended piece of cake-- and though Dimitri isn't much of a disciplinary pet parent, he has to hook his hands under the cat's front legs and pull him back. ]
[ Wait. He can't just say that and get away with not elaborating. ]
Dimitri.
[ Okay, fine, so Hugo's convenient reappearance does distract her for a moment. Watching with amusement as Hugo's valiant effort is thwarted, she feels her lips curl a bit and finally takes another bite of her own cake. ]
I suppose all three of us are stubborn.
[ She can accept that graciously, aware that she is nothing if not determined. There are less kind words that some could use to describe her and she is well aware of that too. ]
[ ... ah. So Edelgard is not only stubborn, but also just as curious as a cat; he didn't foresee her going as far as asking for elaboration. But that is... hm.
All this time, he has been keeping the truth of his identity a secret, if only because he couldn't bear the thought of having her forget who he was yet again-- like his gift had been more meaningful to her than him. But now that there's a real possibility this isn't the very same Edelgard he knows, he has to wonder if maybe she hasn't had the same chance to remember him. Wonder if it wouldn't be best that she doesn't remember she used to call her enemy a friend.
(Sometimes, he wishes he didn't.) ]
What I got was... [ Another pause, the corners of his lips quirking up again, just a bit. ] A smile.
[ Not a lie, but it is as much as he's willing to say at the moment. Whether she ever does realize he's that boy whose face she drew on her sketchpad, or if he's to remain a forgettable piece of her past, it is not his right to force it upon her again. ]
As I said, it might sound foolish to you. [ Sentimental, even, but that word would speak of implications she does not recall. ] But, if you truly are as stubborn as you claim, then perhaps you will understand why that counts as a small victory in its own right.
[ Meanwhile, Hugo finally manages to wriggle himself free of Dimitri's clutches and scurry off across the table, settling down besides Edelgard's plate with his ears drooped and what can only be described as a challenging stare towards his owner. Go on, he dares him to reach this far! ]
[ Of all the answers he could possibly give her, this is not one she considered. Her smile stretches in obvious surprise.
He is not wrong. If she smiled at him during their parley -- a true smile and not just a baring of teeth or a smile of stubborn resignation -- then it does seem notable. She just... cannot imagine how he would have prompted it, especially if he is marching on her capital. ]
As large a victory as I would willingly give, I'm certain.
[ But how could he consider it that at all after a war spanning years?
Her eyes turn to Hugo when he scrambles across the table toward her, and as he looks toward Dimitri in open defiance she lifts her hand to pet him. She is no fool, of course: the fork in her other hand picks up the last frosting-heavy bite of her cake and delivers it to her mouth before Hugo can get any smart ideas about finishing it for her. ]
I would be cross as well, Hugo. I think he should give you a treat to make amends.
[ Her fingers stroke down Hugo's back but her eyes return to Dimitri. She has one more question that she can't quite dismiss. ]
[ A defeated chuckle escapes his lips when she encourages Hugo to demand compensation for Dimitri's disciplinary action from earlier, and he even reaches for the paper bag Edelgard has brought, but his hand halts at her question. Can he really bring himself to answer that in full honesty?
No, no he cannot. But the smile he spares her is every bit as earnest as the memories he does not speak of. ]
In a different life, perhaps.
[ Is it said in reference to their current topic and the likely existence of multiple timelines, or the children they both claim to have been long since dead? That's something they both have yet to find out. ]
But, the present is all we truly have. [ As he resumes his original train of thought-- and promptly veers this conversation elsewhere-- he fishes out a single treat from the bag. ] For the moment, whether cooperating to find our way back home or joining forces to protect the innocent on this island, we are allies. And, having that in mind...
[ When he reaches out with an extended palm again, it's so he can offer Hugo his hard-earned treat; it just so happens that Edelgard is in that very same direction, and his eyes are not at all focused on his cat. ]
Would you be willing to listen to one more proposal?
[ Why doesn't that satisfy at all? Does he not want to answer? Or is this genuinely how he feels in light of their current circumstances?
She studies his face for a long moment, a bit skeptical but stubbornly unwilling to argue on this point. As curious as she has found the way he acts toward her here, he is the one with the self-proclaimed goal of understanding. All she needs from him -- no, all she wants because it is not so dire as to be a need -- is his willingness to be a temporary ally. And it seems she has that.
Putting her fork down on her plate, she gives Hugo another stroke as he slinks off toward Dimitri's side of the table again, lured by the treat. Dimitri has almost as much attention from her. ]
You have my attention. What is your proposal?
[ She has to assume it's somehow related to their new agreement. Of course she'll hear his suggestion. ]
[ As Hugo nips at the treat on his hand and merrily scampers off back to his lap, Dimitri's smile widens, glad for both, her willingness to listen and for having navigated out of the one conversation he has chosen not to have, at least not yet. If she knew of who he really is, would the current arrangement and the proposal he's about to make be more or less difficult to carry out? For now, he can only wonder. ]
Back on the day of the invasion, I recall you told me you were... not a very talented swimmer. [ To... put it gently, as even he could tell she was so badly affected by the ocean that her combat prowess was at a disadvantage. ] At the time, we were able to coordinate our battle efforts, but there might come a day when you have to face it on your own, especially seeing as we are surrounded by water. And so, I have been wondering.
[ A pause to slice off another forkful of cake, though he only takes it to his mouth after asking: ]
Have you considered... improving your skill level?
[ It's such an unexpected change of topic that for a moment or two her surprise is written all over her face. It's hard to imagine herself being in a situation where she's surprised and somewhat disappointed that the proposition she has received isn't more sexual... but for a minute she definitely is.
Regaining her composure, she studies his face. ]
Is this concern for my well-being, Dimitri?
[ "Improving her skill level" indeed. ]
I am aware that it would be to my benefit to become a better swimmer while here... so yes, I have.
[ Has she done anything about that consideration, however? No. ]
[ Well. He can't say he's not concerned for her well-being but also, he can't say that he is, either-- because of her pride, rather than any reservations he might have. And he knows he's not particularly good at being deceptive, so that leaves only one way out: compromising on the truth. ]
I am fairly certain you could handle yourself, but I also have to consider the innocent who might come to rely on your strength. [ His voice takes on a graver tone, though there's still a placating smile on his face. ] You have given me reason to believe that you would come to their aid in a time of need, but having to mind both your own safety as well as theirs might be overwhelming. Even running an unnecessary risk, really.
[ Of course, one must always mind their safety in a battle, but that's usually in terms of watching out for an opponent's fake-out, the way they shift on their feet before an attack, the balance of their weapon and their grip on its handle-- and even when they do have to account for terrain adversities, it's not a matter of immediate life or death. Edelgard, of all people, should be able to understand that much without much elaboration. ]
Besides, as much as I may give you my word on not using this to gain an unfair advantage over you, there are others who might, should they happen upon this information somehow.
[ Surely she has heard Claude is on this island by now, right? Luring her out to a battle in Derdriu, the Aquatic Capital in Alliance territory... Well, Dimitri wouldn't put it past his schemes. ]
The truth of the matter is that over the last few weeks she has thought more than once about how she wishes she had not been put into a position to feel as though she had to let Dimitri know about her lack of swimming skills. Since they were fighting side-by-side and she had already so narrowly avoided being swept underwater she needed him to know, both for his sake and her own, but it wasn't a decision made without ruefulness.
Now, with the knowledge that he is not the Dimitri she will face in battle when she returns home, she feels somewhat more secure about it, but when is showing weakness to the enemy ever ideal? ]
I have considered much of this as well.
[ It's as smooth an answer as possible under the circumstances, and not a lie. As soon as she admitted the weakness to him she knew she should do something about it.
It has been harder to decide what to do about it. Telling someone else means putting a spotlight on her inability again. Perhaps she could do that with Ferdinand, but she is not so far removed from a time when he would have seized this as an opportunity to show that he is better than her at something. He, on the other hand, has recently suggested that he has grown to a point where he realizes that was unnecessary. She is starting to think it may be true, but this is not how she would prefer to test him. ]
You will have to forgive my confusion. Are you offering to teach me?
[ What is there to confused about, Edelgard? He did say he had a proposal to make, didn't he? ]
I am offering to be an option, should you wish to consider me as such.
[ All right, he does see how that could be puzzling; they are not friends, and as far as Edelgard recalls, they never were. Some more elaboration might be necessary, so: ]
Despite our agreement and everything else we discussed today, I understand you might find it difficult to trust me. But on the other hand, much like you came to me because you would rather minimize exposing yourself, you might prefer not to reveal this information to anyone else.
[ Unbeknownst to him, he might be seeing his plans beginning to bear fruit; might be starting to understand the way she thinks, just that little bit better. ]
If it would make you feel more at ease, you could see it as an extended offer to keep things fair between us.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Unless you ate the entire piece in a single bite, I doubt that giving you the larger half would make much of a difference. Besides, I did offer to try it myself, beforehand.
[ And yet she's gone ahead and taken that first forkful before he does, so maybe he can say with some confidence she doesn't entirely mind his show of generosity. He might even go as far as believing she enjoys it, if her preferences haven't changed.
So rather than dwelling on implications that aren't there, he decides to go for a tentative bite of his own, taking his time to really savor it; before, he had to settle for smells and textures, and even the amount of care a person had place into their cooking-- Dedue and Flayn, while worlds apart in terms of skill, were both guilty of putting a smile on his face with every mouthful of their meals, and he's sure Annette would be the same, if she... had less accidents in the kitchen-- but now that he can actually taste the food, it's... well. It's an experience he's grateful for, and he even closes his eyes with a pleased hum rumbling in his throat; it's rich and buttery, and makes for a nice balance with the sugar.
That buys him an extra minute, enough to prompt a question when his eyes meet Edelgard's again: ]
So, what is your verdict? No unusual heat, I should hope?
[ He means it as a result of possible aphrodisiacs, unrelated whatsoever to the way his tongue flicks out to swipe his lips clean, leaving none of that creamy, creamy frosting to waste. ]
no subject
Or maybe it's a sincere question. Dimitri has dripped with sincerity in their every interaction here. On the rare occasions when he has teased or said something sexual it's been strikingly straightforward. ]
This is very good.
[ The only heat is the hint of warmth that has so rudely found its way back into her cheeks, and unfortunately that is not unusual tonight. The cake is very good, though. Moist and rich, the frosting sweet and--
And she really needs to stop glancing up just in time to catch him licking things. It's ridiculously distracting and she knows that's not due to some outer influence. No, this time she can put the blame squarely on the discussion they've had and her memories of what they've done together. ]
So far it seems safe. [ A short pause. Despite herself she smiles a bit as she helps herself to another bite. ] Thank you, Dimitri. You have been a generous host.
no subject
Ah, think nothing of it. I am mostly glad it seems to be safe, though the flavor is quite the boon.
[ Speaking of, he'll take another forkful of cake to his lips, his smile lingering; if even he an barely hold back from having another taste, he can only imagine the inhuman effort such a dessert-enthusiast like Edelgard-- or like she used to be, anyway-- must be putting up just to be able to pace herself. ]
There is... something else I wish to ask you, if you do not mind. Regarding this agreement.
[ His eyes drop to the fork now lying on the edge of his plate, fingers still on the handle as though considering his options-- another bite, or perhaps his words? ]
Despite our impromptu alliance at the time of the invasion, and even though the thought had crossed my mind on occasion, I never imagined you would suggest an arrangement such as this. In fact, I recall you once told me you did not intend to encourage fraternizing with the enemy.
[ Don't get him wrong, he understands very well this arrangement doesn't make them friends, but it's still more than he expected from someone who otherwise didn't want to associate with him. ]
I suppose what I wish to know is, has something prompted this change?
no subject
But then he begins to sound more serious, and as she lowers her cup again she looks down at her own plate and then, after a moment, back up to his face. As much as she hates to admit it, she supposes this too is a reasonable question. She had expressed a willingness to cooperate -- the trade of information, specifically -- but showed distinct disinterest in more than that.
For a while she had not even thought it an idea to seriously entertain. If not for an aphrodisiac who among their respective allies would cross that line? Perhaps Sylvain? Without an aphrodisiac she would not have crossed it herself. ]
There are several factors, I admit. Perhaps the most important is the one we have already acknowledged: the desire to reclaim a certain amount of control in a place that tries its best to get us to do what it wants. Accompanying that is a desire not to have to bare myself to a great number of people.
[ And here it helps that Dimitri has never breathed a word about her scars. He has plenty of his own, and perhaps hers are largely too precise to be mistaken for recklessness in battle but he has never drawn the slightest bit of extra attention to it. ]
Those coupled desires are persuasive but would not have been enough on their own. Not where my enemy is concerned.
[ She picks up her fork again, holding it idly. ]
However, I have since learned that those of us from the same worlds are not all from the same point in time. You may already be aware of this. Some of us come from quite different timelines, in fact. Have you met Constance von Nuvelle? She lives in the inn now. I had never met her personally before coming here, yet she knows me and claims to be fighting for my cause. I have spent months assuming that Ferdinand and I came from the same time and place but I recently discovered that he has seen me win the war. He spoke of my victory and the death of the Immaculate One. He was even familiar with Constance.
[ She pauses, not for long enough to let him interrupt. ]
Dorothea was briefly here and I am uncertain of what happened to her, but Ferdinand tells me she recalled a very different version of events. He would not go into detail, which makes me assume that she saw my defeat.
You are almost certainly not my Dim-- [ Oh, no. As soon as she says it she realizes how wrong it sounds. Her head gives a slight shake. ] --not the Dimitri I fight against. Which may explain why I have found you more mild-mannered than expected.
no subject
Except the more she talks, the more it seems it truly isn't a future they can share, for more reasons than one.
But he allows her to continue, his fingers now linked atop the table, eyes trained on her, though he occasionally does squint or tilt his head at the mention of an unfamiliar name-- Constance von Nuvelle? The Immaculate One? While he imagines five years is a lot of time to catch up on and that there must be much he hasn't learned of yet, none of that seems to ring a bell whatsoever. There's no way he can be so far out of the loop, is there?
The topic of Dorothea is one that earns a pair of hooked eyebrows from him, something that finally clicks in this exposition, though he doesn't bring it up just yet. Instead, he waits for her to complete her train of thought, and once it seems like she's finished at last, he takes a deep breath, followed by a generous sip of his tea. There is... a lot to process here. ]
I... had suspected something along those lines was at play. [ Hw begins, tone measured even as his mind scrambles through his recent memory. ] When I first arrived on this island, one of my own friends treated me as though she had not seen me in years. At the time, I thought the alcohol might have been at fault, but there is more to consider.
[ Like what Edelgard is telling him right now. Like the information he has heard, and the path he has seen. But should he tell her...? ]
Your allies in this place... they did strike me as particularly odd. Dorothea claimed to have been one of the Blue Lions, and fought at our side during the war. As for Ferdinand of House Aegir, he... also had a different fate.
[ That slight pause, that split second's hesitation might tell her more than his words reveal. He doesn't linger on it, though, and instead, blue rises to meet her again. ]
And though I cannot say with certainty, you feel different, as well. The Edelgard I know... does not smile as easily.
[ Not polite smiles like she's given him here, nor sad smiles like the one on his face right now. ]
no subject
If her eyes go a bit wide at what he says about Dorothea she tries to recover quickly. She was prepared for a great many possibilities after what she had already been told but not that Dorothea may fight for Dimitri. It briefly steals the breath from her lungs. Time and time again she has told herself that it would not matter how much of her path had to be walked alone, and when she has had no one else she has always -- until now -- had Hubert. But Dorothea, who is among her most dear.
Perhaps it shouldn't, but it stings.
Though it takes her a moment, she nods. ]
She told him that she saw him fall at the Great Bridge of Myrddin. A significant blow to my forces in more ways than one, if so. Fortunately what Ferdinand recalls sounds much more pleasant.
[ Do her smiles come easily? At times, she supposes, just as they always have. But war doesn't lend itself well to smiles unless you are victorious and meeting your goals. Perhaps this means what he recalls is closer to Dorothea's version of events. ]
I seem to be from a earlier point in time than most of us.
no subject
Still, a nod of his head is all the confirmation he can bring himself to provide; the events that transpired in the Great Bridge of Myrddin... it would seem Dorothea's recollection of them seemed to match his, at least. ]
Assuming that is correct, I do not think you hail from much earlier. Based on appearances alone, you do look exactly like the Edelgard I know.
[ Another subtle squint, as though he's studying her features with a bit more attention; her voice has grown graver, and though today she looks different, when he first arrived, she donned the same war dress and hair style as she did the last time they had met, during that brief parley. If she's not exactly the same, then at least a lot closer to his last memory than what she looked like, back in their Academy days. ]
Besides, if some of us do come from different timelines, does that truly matter? Other than all of us having attended the Officer's Academy and an ongoing war, is there a point of commonality between us?
no subject
Dimitri can study her all he wants; though she feels a bit too aware of it, she doesn't begrudge it under these circumstances. ]
Does it truly matter?
[ She must be misunderstanding him because the answer to that question is so obvious to her. She knows no Ferdinand that doesn't live and die for her cause, so perhaps in a case like that it matters little. But it's disconcerting to her to have someone more familiar with her than she is with them, like Constance, and equally disconcerting to think that she let her guard down so much for a Dorothea who fought for Faerghus. That is not the Dorothea knows. ]
If there is a point of commonality for us all, I don't know what it is. Something at the Academy, perhaps. What I do know is that in some cases the differences matter to me to a great deal. [ As if to prove it, she hastily continues. ] I would be a fool to spend time with you if I thought I would be facing you in battle as soon as I left this place, but that Dimitri will have no recollection of this. No memory of any weakness he has seen, no strategy cobbled together through learning my habits.
no subject
(He wishes he could ask what else she remembers of the boy she once taught to dance.) ]
I can see how that would matter to you. [ He can, really, from a purely strategic perspective, which does suit the Edelgard he knows. ] But what I mean is, whether you come from an earlier point in time or not, we are not the exact same people we know. The future Ferdinand has seen, or the one Dorothea has lived... they have not yet come to pass to either of us.
[ While he doesn't disagree with her ultimate conclusion-- much on the contrary, actually-- his perspective on matters is different. Whatever he learns about her while on this island, however closer he can get to figuring out her true motives... The Edelgard he knows might not be the exact same, but that is not to say understanding this Edelgard is any less valuable, or any less effective in securing victory the only way he truly does wish for: without spilling more blood, least of all hers.
One might call it a strategy of his own, though, and so he cannot divulge it, either. ]
Ah, pardon my digression. [ A shake of his head. ] My point is, considering the strange circumstances behind our diverging memories, it is the present that we must focus our efforts on. Ultimately, that is what allows for this agreement between us, is it not?
[ They might each have their own motives, but this much, they can see eye to eye on. ]
no subject
Yes, she supposes that regardless of how exactly they have both reached this conclusion they both have reached the conclusion. ]
That is correct.
[ Though she is only willing to take it so far. This agreement is not an engraved invitation for them to become friends here, and she likes to think he understands that by now but there is room for doubt.
She considers him over her tea for a moment. ]
What were you doing before you came here, Dimitri? Were you marching on the Empire?
no subject
Still, to talk about the war... is not something he would look forward to. So his eyes drop to the plate, his cake barely halfway finished; that enthusiasm for new tastes from earlier completely gone. ]
We were headed towards Enbarr next, yes. [ He's wise enough to at least not divulge the details of the state of affairs, as he recalls them-- not that the Kingdom has absorbed Alliance forces into its army, or that most of the Empire has already fallen. Instead, what he reveals is: ] But before that, I sent an envoy to request a parley from you-- or rather, the Edelgard I know.
[ Hmm. He's not sure he'll ever get used to making this distinction. ]
no subject
How strange to think of Dimitri getting the better of her. How could he have managed it?
She still has her fork in hand, but it still idles between her fingers. ]
And what did you hope to achieve with this parley?
no subject
Do you recall what I told you not long after my arrival? That, should you ever wish to reveal your reasons for starting the war, I would be wiling to listen?
[ His eyes seek out hers again, as he tends to do when the gravity of his words require nothing but open honesty. ]
That is what I hoped to achieve, at the time. To understand you.
[ It's what he is trying to do, still. ]
no subject
She supposes he was giving her an opportunity to surrender, or looking for a reason not attack her home. More of what she might expect from the Dimitri she trained against at the Academy, softer and more reluctant to fight. ]
I doubt that worked as you might have hoped.
[ It isn't said harshly, though it is firm. One thing she knows as an absolute is that there will be no surrender from her. ]
no subject
Perhaps not exactly. But I did get something out of that meeting, regardless.
[ The confirmation that a hurried gift from an once dear childhood friend had been so meaningful to her-- so much, that even this Edelgard has kept it on her all these years. Knowing that back then, and the revelation he had the night of the invasion... He can't say his efforts were completely in vain. ]
At any rate, I do not intend to give up. [ A brief pause, a little headbutt on his leg, and the corners of his lips tug a bit higher. ] It might be foolish of me, but, well. I am nothing if not stubborn.
[ Mr. Headbutter seems to take that as his cue to hop on Dimitri's lap, and from there, make the leap to the table, heading straight for that unattended piece of cake-- and though Dimitri isn't much of a disciplinary pet parent, he has to hook his hands under the cat's front legs and pull him back. ]
Just as stubborn as you are, I see.
[ He is talking to the cat, now. Mostly. ]
no subject
Dimitri.
[ Okay, fine, so Hugo's convenient reappearance does distract her for a moment. Watching with amusement as Hugo's valiant effort is thwarted, she feels her lips curl a bit and finally takes another bite of her own cake. ]
I suppose all three of us are stubborn.
[ She can accept that graciously, aware that she is nothing if not determined. There are less kind words that some could use to describe her and she is well aware of that too. ]
But what did you get out of your meeting with me?
[ The thought puzzles her. She has to know. ]
no subject
All this time, he has been keeping the truth of his identity a secret, if only because he couldn't bear the thought of having her forget who he was yet again-- like his gift had been more meaningful to her than him. But now that there's a real possibility this isn't the very same Edelgard he knows, he has to wonder if maybe she hasn't had the same chance to remember him. Wonder if it wouldn't be best that she doesn't remember she used to call her enemy a friend.
(Sometimes, he wishes he didn't.) ]
What I got was... [ Another pause, the corners of his lips quirking up again, just a bit. ] A smile.
[ Not a lie, but it is as much as he's willing to say at the moment. Whether she ever does realize he's that boy whose face she drew on her sketchpad, or if he's to remain a forgettable piece of her past, it is not his right to force it upon her again. ]
As I said, it might sound foolish to you. [ Sentimental, even, but that word would speak of implications she does not recall. ] But, if you truly are as stubborn as you claim, then perhaps you will understand why that counts as a small victory in its own right.
[ Meanwhile, Hugo finally manages to wriggle himself free of Dimitri's clutches and scurry off across the table, settling down besides Edelgard's plate with his ears drooped and what can only be described as a challenging stare towards his owner. Go on, he dares him to reach this far! ]
no subject
He is not wrong. If she smiled at him during their parley -- a true smile and not just a baring of teeth or a smile of stubborn resignation -- then it does seem notable. She just... cannot imagine how he would have prompted it, especially if he is marching on her capital. ]
As large a victory as I would willingly give, I'm certain.
[ But how could he consider it that at all after a war spanning years?
Her eyes turn to Hugo when he scrambles across the table toward her, and as he looks toward Dimitri in open defiance she lifts her hand to pet him. She is no fool, of course: the fork in her other hand picks up the last frosting-heavy bite of her cake and delivers it to her mouth before Hugo can get any smart ideas about finishing it for her. ]
I would be cross as well, Hugo. I think he should give you a treat to make amends.
[ Her fingers stroke down Hugo's back but her eyes return to Dimitri. She has one more question that she can't quite dismiss. ]
Do you recall us once being on friendlier terms?
no subject
No, no he cannot. But the smile he spares her is every bit as earnest as the memories he does not speak of. ]
In a different life, perhaps.
[ Is it said in reference to their current topic and the likely existence of multiple timelines, or the children they both claim to have been long since dead? That's something they both have yet to find out. ]
But, the present is all we truly have. [ As he resumes his original train of thought-- and promptly veers this conversation elsewhere-- he fishes out a single treat from the bag. ] For the moment, whether cooperating to find our way back home or joining forces to protect the innocent on this island, we are allies. And, having that in mind...
[ When he reaches out with an extended palm again, it's so he can offer Hugo his hard-earned treat; it just so happens that Edelgard is in that very same direction, and his eyes are not at all focused on his cat. ]
Would you be willing to listen to one more proposal?
no subject
She studies his face for a long moment, a bit skeptical but stubbornly unwilling to argue on this point. As curious as she has found the way he acts toward her here, he is the one with the self-proclaimed goal of understanding. All she needs from him -- no, all she wants because it is not so dire as to be a need -- is his willingness to be a temporary ally. And it seems she has that.
Putting her fork down on her plate, she gives Hugo another stroke as he slinks off toward Dimitri's side of the table again, lured by the treat. Dimitri has almost as much attention from her. ]
You have my attention. What is your proposal?
[ She has to assume it's somehow related to their new agreement. Of course she'll hear his suggestion. ]
no subject
Back on the day of the invasion, I recall you told me you were... not a very talented swimmer. [ To... put it gently, as even he could tell she was so badly affected by the ocean that her combat prowess was at a disadvantage. ] At the time, we were able to coordinate our battle efforts, but there might come a day when you have to face it on your own, especially seeing as we are surrounded by water. And so, I have been wondering.
[ A pause to slice off another forkful of cake, though he only takes it to his mouth after asking: ]
Have you considered... improving your skill level?
no subject
Regaining her composure, she studies his face. ]
Is this concern for my well-being, Dimitri?
[ "Improving her skill level" indeed. ]
I am aware that it would be to my benefit to become a better swimmer while here... so yes, I have.
[ Has she done anything about that consideration, however? No. ]
no subject
I am fairly certain you could handle yourself, but I also have to consider the innocent who might come to rely on your strength. [ His voice takes on a graver tone, though there's still a placating smile on his face. ] You have given me reason to believe that you would come to their aid in a time of need, but having to mind both your own safety as well as theirs might be overwhelming. Even running an unnecessary risk, really.
[ Of course, one must always mind their safety in a battle, but that's usually in terms of watching out for an opponent's fake-out, the way they shift on their feet before an attack, the balance of their weapon and their grip on its handle-- and even when they do have to account for terrain adversities, it's not a matter of immediate life or death. Edelgard, of all people, should be able to understand that much without much elaboration. ]
Besides, as much as I may give you my word on not using this to gain an unfair advantage over you, there are others who might, should they happen upon this information somehow.
[ Surely she has heard Claude is on this island by now, right? Luring her out to a battle in Derdriu, the Aquatic Capital in Alliance territory... Well, Dimitri wouldn't put it past his schemes. ]
no subject
The truth of the matter is that over the last few weeks she has thought more than once about how she wishes she had not been put into a position to feel as though she had to let Dimitri know about her lack of swimming skills. Since they were fighting side-by-side and she had already so narrowly avoided being swept underwater she needed him to know, both for his sake and her own, but it wasn't a decision made without ruefulness.
Now, with the knowledge that he is not the Dimitri she will face in battle when she returns home, she feels somewhat more secure about it, but when is showing weakness to the enemy ever ideal? ]
I have considered much of this as well.
[ It's as smooth an answer as possible under the circumstances, and not a lie. As soon as she admitted the weakness to him she knew she should do something about it.
It has been harder to decide what to do about it. Telling someone else means putting a spotlight on her inability again. Perhaps she could do that with Ferdinand, but she is not so far removed from a time when he would have seized this as an opportunity to show that he is better than her at something. He, on the other hand, has recently suggested that he has grown to a point where he realizes that was unnecessary. She is starting to think it may be true, but this is not how she would prefer to test him. ]
You will have to forgive my confusion. Are you offering to teach me?
no subject
I am offering to be an option, should you wish to consider me as such.
[ All right, he does see how that could be puzzling; they are not friends, and as far as Edelgard recalls, they never were. Some more elaboration might be necessary, so: ]
Despite our agreement and everything else we discussed today, I understand you might find it difficult to trust me. But on the other hand, much like you came to me because you would rather minimize exposing yourself, you might prefer not to reveal this information to anyone else.
[ Unbeknownst to him, he might be seeing his plans beginning to bear fruit; might be starting to understand the way she thinks, just that little bit better. ]
If it would make you feel more at ease, you could see it as an extended offer to keep things fair between us.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)