A/N: Woooooo boy has it been a LONG time (like how many months, almost 5?!) I apologize for such the long wait. I honestly have no good excuse for it. However, I am back with chapter 4 of A Force I Can't Run From! This one is apart of the catalyst to get the story going, so it was fun to write this! Anyways, let's get to it!
Edit 1/09/22: Grammar edits
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The night was supposed to be a happy time. Under normal circumstances, it would've been the best day of Byleth's life. But one dark thought loomed over her head the whole time. The fact that Rufus wasn't present at the wedding/coronation was the first bad omen, but Byleth remembered that he wasn't at dinner the previous night as well. Certainly something had happened.
Byleth's sudden change in attitude didn't go unnoticed. Dimitri was obviously the first to take note. "Byleth, would you please tell me what's going on?" Dimitri asked. Byleth looked around to make sure no one was around. Luckily most everyone was out enjoying the reception that they wouldn't notice if the young couple snuck out for a moment.
Byleth led Dimitri out to a secluded corner of the ballroom. "I don't know if this means anything, but I didn't see your uncle at the wedding, or even last night." Byleth admitted.
Dimitri thought about it for a moment. "You're right, we'll keep an eye on things for now." He said. "Come on, we have more important things to worry about." He said as he extended a hand to his now wife and queen. Byleth hesitantly took it. It wasn't out of a lack of love, it was out of a sense of worry. Who knows what this omen could be.
The rest of the night was a blur. As everyone started to leave, Byleth used this as an opportunity to escape the chaos. It didn't take long for Dimitri to notice. Once he noted Byleth's sudden absence, he excused himself from a conversation he was having with Margrave Gautier and Sylvain.
Dimitri quickly caught up with Byleth. "Beloved, where are you going?" He asked.
Byleth sighed. "I'm just heading back to my room. I just can't shake off the bad feeling." She answered. "Go back and enjoy the festivities without me, I'll be fine." Byleth slightly smiled, though it was a sad and distant one as it soon faded away.
Dimitri sighed. "Well, I'll let you know when the festivities are over. You can come back whenever you feel like it too." Dimitri said. He kissed one of her hands and Byleth then left to head to her room. Gods she wish Sothis was still with her. Without her, Byleth was totally lost.
Byleth couldn't fall asleep. Her mind was racing. She gave up trying to sleep and instead started to read one of the books she found on the large bookshelf. It was well after midnight when she heard a knock at her door.
"Come in." She said, not even looking away from the book. The door opened slightly and Byleth glanced up a little. It was Dimitri. Byleth put her book down. Dimitri sat next to Byleth and she leaned in.
"I'm really worried, Dimitri. Something isn't right..." Byleth whispered. "First with Cornelia and now with your uncle, then there's also the war we have to fight in."
"I went looking for my uncle before I came in here and couldn't find him, something is up." Dimitri said. Byleth yawned and tried to say something but was stopped by Dimitri. "I know you want answers. I do too. But we need to get some rest. We'll figure it out in the morning." Dimitri said. Byleth hesitantly complied and curled into her bed. Dimitri kissed Byleth's forehead before lying next to her.
Dimitri was about to doze off as much as he was able to when he heard something, or rather someone. He slightly opened his eyes and saw the ghosts that have been plaguing him for years. His father Lambert was glaring at him, Felix's brother Glenn was annoyed, and his stepmother Patrica stood off to the side, yet very disappointed. Even Jeralt was present, giving him the look that father's give when someone messes with their daughter.
"So you're indulging in your personal pleasures when you haven't even avenged us?" Lambert sneered.
"It's not like that, I swear!" Dimitri whispered as he sat up, careful not to wake Byleth. "As soon as we discover what happened to Rufus, we will march straight to Enbarr and kill that woman."
"Heh, if you truly cared about avenging us, you would've killed her there, but you cared more about your girlfriend more." Glenn scoffed.
"I promise I will avenge you all. Just please give me a little bit more time." Dimitri pleaded. The voices only got louder.
"Avenge us. Kill Edelgard. Bring us her head." The ghosts chanted, slowly getting louder. Dimitri tried to drown out the noise by covering his ears, but it was no use. He inched one of his hands closer to Byleth, hoping for that brief sense of comfort and relief that being around her usually gave him. Yet, somehow, the voices didn't stop.
"If you can't even please us, how are you going to be able to please a whole country?" Lambert berated.
"Is it so hard to kill her? You've had to kill countless times and now you can't kill Edelgard?" Glenn said.
"You Blaiddyd's were always too soft to rule, your father never should've taken the throne in the first place." A new, yet familiar voice scowled. Dimitri looked up only to see the usual three ghosts of his parents and friend. How odd...
"Dimitri...?" A soft voice whispered that managed to break through the constant shouting of the ghosts. A warm hand slid into his own. Dimitri turned around to see a now awake and concerned Byleth. "Dimitri, are you alright?" She asked.
Dimitri sighed. "I'm..." He hesitated. He wishes he could just brush it off and say that he was, but this was his now wife he was talking to. He had to say at least something, right? "In all honesty, not really... the voices are especially loud tonight."
Byleth brushed a strand of Dimitri's hair out of his face so she could see him better. "I'm so sorry... Do you want or need to talk it out..?"
Dimitri opened his mouth to answer, but one of the voices spoke to him first. "You're bringing my daughter into this? Some husband you are." Jeralt grumbled. "She already has so much going for her and you're just dumping your problems onto her."
"I..I'm fine, but thanks for offering." Dimitri sighed before trying to find a more comfortable position to at least get a little rest before the morning. Normally, he would've just stopped trying to get some rest and just started the day by training, yet, he didn't want to worry Byleth more.
Byleth wanted to say something but decided to keep it to herself. It really was a long night and the next morning wasn't going to be less busy. She laid back down but still kept her hand on Dimitri's.
A few hours passed and Dimitri was still awake. The ghosts wouldn't shut up or even get quieter for him to at least rest his eyes. A light snore filled the room. He looked over his shoulder and saw Byleth peacefully sleeping. She was always a heavy sleeper, though he never knew why. Even Jeralt never knew why.
Dimitri sat up. For the first time in a long time, possibly even ever, he felt exhausted, which was strange since his crest supplied him with so much strength that he could go days without even sleeping. His eyelids felt slightly heavy and a lingering headache has gotten worse.
More whispers filled the room. Dimitri largely paid no attention to them as the best he could, but something felt different about these whispers. They were not the same that constantly haunted him. They sounded like it was coming from outside the door.
Byleth stirred in her sleep and her eyes slowly opened. "Dimitri? Is everything ok?" She asked tiredly followed by a yawn.
"Someone is outside the door." Dimitri answered.
"Are you sure it's not your inner demons talking to you again?" Byleth asked, sounding very unsure at her husband's answer.
Harsh one. Clearly her filter hasn't kicked in yet. Dimitri dismissed the comment for now. "Just.. listen closely, I swear it's not the usual voices I hear."
Byleth stayed silent to hear if Dimitri was right. Sure enough, faint whispers could be heard.
"And you are certain it's them? I mean, they're still relatively young to be punished this way."
"Trust me. Why wouldn't they kill him? I mean, the prince is still in a weak mental state after all that's happened and his little girlfriend is known to be a vicious mercenary. Clearly those two have done it." A slightly familiar, cold voice said.
Byleth gasped a little louder than she should have. Was that Cornelia speaking? What were they even talking about? Was someone important killed?
"I heard something from their room. They're probably awake." Another voice said.
"You have the orders now." The voice Byleth assumed was Cornelia's spoke. The door was busted open by a few guards.
"What in the name of the goddess is going on?!" Dimitri demanded. "As king I demand you to-" Dimitri was interrupted by guards roughly grabbing him and handcuffing him. They did the same to Byleth.
"Don't you dare hurt her..." Dimitri said.
Cornelia laughed. "Acting so surprised? Admit you did it." Cornelia said.
"Did what? We didn't do anything!" Byleth said as she tried to fight back against the guards but was no use.
"Don't act dumb. King Regent Rufus was killed yesterday morning and you two are the prime suspects."
The color drained from Dimitri's face. So that's why Rufus mysteriously "disappeared". It also explained the new voice he heard earlier, it wasn't Glenn, it was Rufus.
"You've got to be kidding." Byleth said. "There was no way we did it!"
"On the contrary, this dagger left at the scene of the crime proves otherwise." Cornelia said as she pulled out a dagger. It wasn't just any old dagger, it was Byleth's dagger.
Byleth gasped. They must've taken it when they washed her clothes. She didn't even think to question it until later. Cornelia must've taken it to frame them.
"So you do recognize it." Cornelia said. "Guards, take them to the dungeons. Their punishment will be decided once all the major lords convict them."
Cornelia left the room while the guards handled Dimitri and Byleth. Dimitri was fighting back as much as he could due to the restraints. He hit the guards with his shoulders, however, they had a counter for his attacks. At least one of the guards was skilled enough in magic to use the spell Silence on both Byleth and Dimitri. The guard used the spell and Dimitri was out like a light. Byleth on the other hand had a stronger magic tolerance, so she was only weakened.
"Dimitri!" She called out.
"Seems this one ain't out yet." One guard said. "Quick, silence her now."
Another guard keeping Byleth restrained pulled out a small dagger from his belt and stabbed Byleth on the side. Byleth let out a cry of pain. It wasn't enough to horribly injure or kill her, but it was enough for her to fall and nearly pass out. Once she was easier to handle, the guards then escorted the young king and queen down to the dungeons before their sentence was decided.
The dungeons were a very unpleasant place to be in. There was next to no light aside from the occasional torch that lined the walls. Various bugs and rats ran around the cells and hallway. The farther one went into the dark and dingy hall, the worse the crimes of those locked inside the cells have committed. At the very end of the corridor was one occupied cell, reserved for anyone who even so much as attempted an assassination on the royal family or even the major nobles on the kingdom.
It just so happened to be the one Byleth and Dimitri where locked into.
Dimitri was the first to wake up from the spell that made him pass out. Byleth was still unconscious and looked like she was thrown haphazardly into the cell and restrained. Just seeing the sight made Dimitri want to kill Cornelia even more.
Dimitri tried to move as close to Byleth as he could due to the chains holding him down. He had never seen her in such a vulnerable state. Byleth was supposed to be nearly unstoppable. She never has to retreat in battle, her defenses were strong, and her skills were unmatched. Even when she fainted during their battle in the sealed forest, Byleth still appeared strong. Seeing her so vulnerable felt so off.
Byleth started to stir awake. Her eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the darkness quickly. "Dimitri...?" She groaned. "Where are we?" Byleth tried to help herself up but was slow due to her injury and the chains holding her down.
"We're in the deepest parts of the dungeon. The cells here are reserved for those who committed the worst of crimes." Dimitri said somberly.
"But we didn't do anything!" Byleth said.
"I know, but to them, we did."
"Them?" Byleth questioned.
Dimitri nodded. "In Faerghus, if the king and or the queen are accused of a major crime, all the major lords are the ones to decide whether or not they're guilty."
"But we have the Margrave and the Duke on our sides, remember?" Byleth said. "Lord Rodrigue would never believe that we would've done this and Sylvain could convince his father the same thing!"
"2 is not enough." Dimitri said. "While we do have them on our side, the others may not be easily convinced. Some houses are already loyal to the empire like house Rowe. They will certainly be more than content to get us out and have that witch in charge instead."
Byleth's face fell. This was not how she envisioned how this week would've gone. They can not let Edelgard win. "Damn it..." She whispered.
Dmitri didn't even know what to say. Even he didn't have much hope left. At least if he did die, he would be spending the last moments with his beloved.
They sat in silence, neither knowing what else to say. A few minutes later, the clacking of heels across the stone floor could be heard. Dimitri and Byleth knew exactly who it was, Cornelia.
Cornelia unlocked their cell door and let herself in before closing it again. "Looks like the king and his little queen have been defeated." She said.
"What do you want?" Byleth asked angrily.
Cornelia chuckled. "The lords have spoken. You two are guilty of regicide and shall be sentenced to death." Byleth gasped and Dimitri growled. "Don't blame it on me, you saw this coming. Your punishment will be carried out at dawn tomorrow." She said before departing and slamming the cell door closed.
Byleth bit her lip to prevent herself from letting out her newly found emotions. If these were their last hours together, should she tell Dimitri what she didn't want to tell anyone?
"Dimitri..." Byleth said.
Dimitri turned to her. He looked so broken and lost. Byleth wished she could've helped sooner, maybe then they wouldn't be in this mess... "What is it?" Dimitri asked softly.
"If these are our last moments... I need to tell you something." Byleth said. She took a deep breath. "About my past that I didn't even know I had, about why I was connected to the goddess, and about my unwanted fate.."
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Quick little A/N: So there's chapter 4! I have some of the chapter ideas written down and I'll post the ideas in my random book. Also, I kind of decided to not make this an everyone lives fic. I'm so sorry if your favorite character will die, but I had to kill off a few people to keep the story going.
Also, I'm thinking about making an AO3 account. It would be the same user as it is here and I would post my current stories there as well. (So Star-Crossed Fates and that series, this story, my one-shot collections, and even some other ideas I have that aren't exactly "mature" content, but rather more serious issues. Whatcha think of that? I'll post something on my wall if I decide to go through with it. :)
Anyways, hope y'all enjoyed and I'll see y'all later! Have a great day everyone!
~ The Artist Sylveon 🌸