#13 hilda/lys

Prompt: #13 Ash
Hilda/Lysithea

-

When Lysithea came to, she is still seeing the orange hue of distant sky full of Wyvern Riders and still smelling the sea of Derdriu.

Her head is throbbing, she didn’t remember the last thing happened before her eyes as she concentrated to make sure her attack is hit squarely on the unit approaching her. She was sure to cast her dark magic, counting that it would at least keep the enemy’s non-magic unit at bay while she braced for any incoming archers or worst, it’s their Professor’s unit that welcomed the protection in the town. She faintly remembered how Edelgard yelled at the Professor and Hubert to take part of their armies outside the border to where Almyra’s reinforcement ships raised their flags, then-

“Hello? Earth to Lysithea?”

Lysithea jolted at the hovering pinkette above her. A slap of bandage on her cheek yet she is still grinning wide, like nothing happened. Blinking, Lysithea takes in the fact that Hilda is the one giving her a lap pillow while she is resting at one of the hedge of unbroken fortress walls.

Ah, now Lysithea remembered. Hilda is right behind her. Then her body just move on its own when bracing the coming of the Emperor to the town.

“Say something? You’re freaking me out there with the staring.” Hilda said. She is poking Lysithea’s cheek, the latter groans.

“Sorry.”

“Oh, or are you still hurt?”

“No, I’m fine.” Lysithea shakes her head. “Just let me lie down for a bit.”

“Good, since I want to complain,” Hilda’s brows knitted to an uncharacteristic spike. Her eyes were glaring. This is not her usual joke, she is really seething with anger.

“That was a reckless one, Lady Ordelia. Thankfully Edelgard-chan spares you or I’ll freak out if you’re about to turn into ashes while trying to shield me from her.”

Edelgard asked her to join the Black Eagles Strike Force, now Lysithea recalled the bits of it. Though, she doesn’t remember anything beyond that as she is unconscious. There’s no presence of Claude close to them either, but Lysithea can’t imagine such cunning man die easily, or he came up with a brilliant tactic in the last minute and magically flee. Yeah, she can totally bet on the last one.

“Claude-kun is already gone.” As if reading her expression, Hilda continued. Lysithea’s eyes widened. “No, not as ashes. He’s bidding his goodbyes earlier and leaving us to either join the Empire or do whatever.”

“Oh.” Lysithea couldn’t form anything else to reply. “So he’s going to claim his throne in Almyra.”

Hilda nodded, then her eyes wandered far across the sea, perhaps to the direction where Claude and the ship of Almyra have set sail to—to another world. Lysithea doesn’t know whether the knowledge of Claude being an heir to Almyra Kingdom is devastating or not to Hilda, since House of Goneril has been protecting Fodlan’s Throat for long from invasion to the neighboring country. Knowing Hilda, though, she is not the type to mind about political things, as they are friends for so long already.

Though, that sadness just now on her face, what does it really mean?

“How about you, then?” Hilda turned back to Lysithea’s question. “Are you going to join Black Eagles’ Strike Force too?”

“I don’t,” a straight answer. “I’d prefer living off freely somewhere than being included in war, now that Claude-kun has left and my role is no longer needed.”

Lysithea didn’t hide her disappointment, even though Hilda’s question is just, Hilda. “… Are you sure?”

“Yep!” She confirmed. “Don’t worry. I already told Edelgard-chan that I’d send you to them after you have recovered. I won’t hold you as a hostage or something.”

“A hostage for what?”

“Dunno? Maybe I suddenly in need for quick money?” Hilda joked.

“Don’t you dare.” Lysithea let out a weak laugh anyway.

“Pfft. Like hell I would.”

Their laughter settled rather fast, much to Lysithea’s dismay. So this is the point where it breaks, the point where she say her farewell to the Golden Deer and the memory of Alliance, perhaps to finally learn the truth hidden by the cloak of Adrestian Empire.

Maybe.

That has been Lysithea’s goal from the start.

For some reason, Lysithea didn’t want to think of anything right now, but to this person whom she will be seeing for the last time. Once she turned her back to Empire, nothing is left of Alliance. House Ordelia will surely declare their support to Empire on her stead.

And then, the Alliance, the Golden Deer—

Lysithea didn’t know how long Hilda stared down to her, and why she was reaching for the scarred cheek of hers. The owner of Freikugel should have battled with her might just like during their school days, and Lysithea was out cold to witness it.

“… Then, you won’t be here when I’m back?” Lysithea’s next question was close to a whisper. Hilda held the mage’s hand dear.

“I’d be back to my home even though I’m planning on traveling far, silly,” Hilda’s answer was quiet. “I can only hope you’re not back later as an ash after the war, though.”

“I won’t.”

They exchanged vows with a sheepish grin and a mutual sarcasm, before Lysithea broke the contact, propped herself up to sit right beside Hilda. They kept on holding hands as the dusk beckoned them, for the night to come later and they parted, away to the promised days.