Emerald Rain

The Cool Before the Storm:

Edelgard shook her head, "We don't have the luxury to refute it" she said.

"I suppose you are right," Dimitri said, "I apologize," he added.

Edelgard didn't accept nor deny his apology, she just shook her head and sighed then left from the classroom.

And then it was just Byleth and Dimitri.

Dimitri watched her, the anger on her face was apparent.

Oh, goddess he screwed this up, already didn't he?

"Byleth?" Dimitri called out softly.

Her gaze remained glued to the floor.

"Dimitri, I told you how things would be" Byleth said sternly "You can't just lash out on Claude and Edelgard and expect it to change things" she said while shaking her head "I think we may have rushed into things to soon Dimitri" she sighed "I've got to go" she added and left just as the others did.

Dimitri sighed and rubbed his forehead, he understood where they were coming from but...

It didn't change the fact that it wasn't fair, if it weren't for Rhea, they would get to live out the rest of their lives in Fhirdiad. They could have children to leave the throne when the time finally came.

He had dreamed of that since he first proposed marriage to Byleth, and now that they had a chance together Rhea got in the way.

Perhaps it was selfish for him to long for a family with Byleth but, it's a dream he'll cling to till his last breath.

Claude:

After Claude left from the Golden Deer classroom, he made his way to the Cardinal's room. There was still work for him to do, they needed to prepare all of the necessary supplies to take Fhirdiad back.

Getting back onto the task on hand was hard, his mind kept wandering back to Dimitri, and why he had reacted in such a manner.

It confused Claude; Dimitri had been on board with killing Rhea when they had talked about it before. Is there something he's missing?

Claude sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, regardless there was no way they could make things work with Rhea, not if they wanted a free united Fodlan. With her in charge of the church she would just reinforce those divisions amongst the people and then all of their hard work would be for nothing.

Surely Dimitri realized that?

The door to the Cardinal's room swung open, "I told you he would be in here" Byleth declared as she walked in followed by Edelgard.

"You are aware I have been around Claude less than you have" Edelgard rebutted while shaking her head.

Byleth shrugged and took a seat across from Claude, "Anyways, Claude we came to speak with you about Arianrhod" Byleth said.

Claude nodded, "What's up?" he asked.

"We'll I'm certain you may have guessed already but that was a strike from those who Slither in the Dark" Edelgard began. Claude had figured as much. "It was in retaliation to us killing Cornelia" she added.

"The mage from the Kingdom?" Claude asked, he furrowed his eyebrows. That didn't make sense why would it matter to them whether she lived or died if she were working with the Church?

"Also, a mage for those who Slither in the Dark" Edelgard said.

Now that made sense.

"How do you know it was in retaliation?" Claude asked.