Chapter Text
The war was over.
Finally, after nearly six years of chaos, blood, and strife, the continent was once again at peace. And, for the first time in almost one thousand years, it was no longer divided. All of its people could look to a new dawn together, as one, under the newly declared United Kingdom of Fódlan. The restoration process would be long and slow. There was much political reform to be done. The hearts of the people would need to be healed.
But at least there was peace.
For all of the jubilation going on around her, Byleth had to admit to herself that she didn’t quite share that overwhelming joy. Perhaps her heart was still too traumatized after what happened - or rather, almost happened.
Flayn told her that, by all accounts, Rhea should have died. Neither she, not her father, nor the dozens of veteran healers and scholars from all over Fódlan could explain how she survived her ordeal. The Immaculate One was no more, and yet, Rhea remained. “It is nothing short of miraculous,” Flayn had said.
There was much speculation was to what it was that allowed Rhea to survive. Divine protection, some claimed. The goddess herself had stepped in and saved her life. Others believed that her power was so great that she could never be slain by human hands. Others contemplated if she could die at all.
Whatever the reason was, Byleth didn’t care. Rhea was alive, and that was what mattered.
The monastery at Garreg Mach was particularly lively during one afternoon of the Great Tree Moon. They were celebrating the very first Unification Day festivities. Of course, it wasn’t the exact day of the unification of Fódlan, but it was decided that the occasion should be celebrated during a time when the fertile soils, the blooming flowers, and the pleasant weather were ushering a soon-to-come new year.
Byleth could still hear the music, the cheerful chatter, and the clitter-clatter of plates and cups and utensils in the distance when she came to pay yet another visit to the cemetery. This time, she brought flowers not only for her mother, but for every former friend and comrade she had known, that perished during the war. She spent a particularly long moment at the grave of Edelgard, upon which she laid a bouquet of carnations before saying a sincere, heartfelt prayer. She prayed that Edelgard’s soul may find peace and respite. That perhaps, should they meet again in another life, things may turn out differently.
It was close to five in the afternoon when she returned to her old personal quarters at the monastery, alone. She was to take on a much higher position now, of course, but it would be hard to say goodbye to this place. Perhaps I don’t have to, she thought. It’s my decision after all, isn’t it?
She looked about the room, running a fingertip gently through the spines of the books on one of her shelves. Then, something on her desk caught her eye. A piece of paper that wasn’t there the last time she was here. Curious, she lifted it up, and opened it. On it were just a few short words, written in neat cursive and green ink. Her eyes widened, and her body shook a bit.
“I know that you will likely be quite busy today, but if you can,
Meet me at the Goddess Tower, before the sun sets. There is something important I must tell you.
I will be waiting, dear one.
Yours,
Rhea.”
Byleth swallowed, feeling that now-familiar spark coarse through her veins. Rhea had never written anything to her before. Her script was… pretty. And was that a scent of lavender coming from the paper?
They hadn’t spoken to each other for a few days, now. Byleth had been so busy with meeting after meeting, not to mention various celebrations. She’d longed to see Rhea again, of course, but it almost… It almost felt forbidden. She was finally free to see Rhea when she wanted, for as long as she wanted, and she felt unworthy of it. Why…?
She cleared her throat, closed the door behind her, and headed for the Goddess Tower.
Byleth climbed the steps far slower than usual. She was nervous, and hesitant; both so uncharacteristic of her. Her heart was not beating, and yet she could have sworn that it may leap out of her chest at any moment. There was a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach, like something there was dancing. Her breath was stolen was she caught sight of Rhea - first her back, then her face, which slowly turned to face her. She was smiling.
She extended a hand out to Byleth, and the image was so familiar. She had done the same, years ago, when they danced together the night of the ball. Byleth took her hand once again.
With a voice that bordered on tearful, Rhea asked if it was wrong of her to be happy that she escaped death.
“You should be happy,” Byleth said. She didn’t even hesitate.
Rhea spoke of many things. Her fear that Byleth may not see her the same way after witnessing her other form. That she was no longer qualified to lead the people. That she hated herself for doing what she did - all of it. That she doubted whether she even deserved to live.
“You are aware that it is my fault your fate has been so cruel… are you not?”
“I am,” Byleth said.
For so many years, Rhea had hidden things from her. Spoken in half-truths, if not to protect her, then to protect herself, and her own goals. But now, she spoke plainly, holding nothing back. She admitted to wanting Byleth to become the embodiment of Sothis. That it had been her plan to bring peace back to Fódlan, as well as ease the ache in her heart that had been burning her for over a thousand years. But...
“But that has changed,” she said. “I wish only for you to be yourself… and to have you by my side.”
She presented her with a ring. A ring with a glittering gem in the middle - green, just like their hair, and their eyes. Byleth suppressed a gasp.
“I love you. Dearly. And so I must ask… Will you accept this ring? If you feel the same… then I would like nothing more, than to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Byleth smiled wide. Wider than perhaps she ever had before. She reached into her pocket, and took out something that she had been saving for this moment for a long time.
Rhea seemed to be holding herself back. She nearly cried with joy. And Byleth felt something bubbling inside of her. Happiness. Happiness so great, so overpowering, that she could just burst. She could climb atop the highest mountain and scream from the top of her lungs. Still, she contained herself, continuing to watch Rhea whilst she probably wore the silliest of smiles on her face.
Rhea took her hand again.
“No matter what obstacles we should encounter, I believe that our bond— No. Rather our love. I believe that our love… can overcome all. Together, we can achieve anything. With our love, we will make Fódlan’s future as bright as the stars in the sky.”
They stood like that for a long moment. Rhea clutching her hand with both of hers, and their foreheads pressed together. Finally, after all this time, they were truly…
“Oh, my darling,” Rhea said, pulling away a bit. “Are you alright?”
Byleth didn’t realize that she’d been crying. “Oh, yes, I just. Rhea, I’m sorry. I—”
She sniffled, and Rhea gently wiped away her tears.
“You know… This is the second time I have seen you cry. The first was when—”
“—when I held you as you were falling,” Byleth finished for her. Rhea smiled.
“Yes. Exactly.”
Byleth threw her arms around her. She didn’t care about containing her emotions anymore. All of this was so utterly new to her, but she had never felt so happy in her life. So complete. Rhea held her as she laughed - giggled, rather, into her neck.
“I love you, Rhea.”
“And I you, my sweet one.”
Both of them turned to their right. The setting sun was bathing both them in warm, golden light. As if giving them a blessing of its own kind. Byleth rested her head against Rhea’s shoulder, and Rhea weaved her fingers into her hair, gently stroking it.
“We ought to tell the others,” Rhea said.
“Mm. Not yet. Too soon,” Byleth said.
“Oh?”
Byleth looked up, into her eyes. “I think I want to keep you all to myself for a while.”
Rhea laughed, gently tucking a stray piece of Byleth’s hair behind her hair. “Since when have you been so selfish, my love?”
…
My love. Hearing Rhea call her that hit Byleth like cupid’s arrow. She didn’t even notice that she’d frozen until Rhea spoke to her again, a grin on her face. “Floated away to the stars, have you?”
Byleth blinked. “Rhea, I—”
Rhea pressed two of her fingers to Byleth’s lips, shushing her. When Byleth closed her mouth, she withdrew them very slowly, looking deeply into Byleth’s eyes.
Byleth’s gaze drifted down to Rhea’s lips. Lips that looked so pretty, so soft, and that were so tantalizingly close.
As always, Rhea seemed to be able to read her mind. She cupped Byleth’s chin in her fingers, tilted it up, and kissed her.
Byleth closed her eyes, but she thought she could see stars. Could see all sorts of shapes and colors exploding in front of her, like a painting come to life. It wasn’t as if she’d never been kissed before, but this sensation was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Her entire body felt enveloped in warmth, and something else, too. Something that she had read about in such things as novels and poetry, but had never even come close to experiencing before. An intense, fiery sort of energy. A sensation that took over her entire body, and made her acutely aware of just how alive she was.
Rhea was about to draw back for a moment, but Byleth clutched at her lips with hers, pulling her back in. One of her hands weaved into Rhea’s long hair - careful to not undo her headpiece’s many ornaments, of course - and closed into a fist. She parted her lips just so, and had to suppress a little moan when Rhea’s tongue touched her own.
It was their first kiss, and yet their movements matched each other, fitting together like puzzle pieces. Their lips opened and closed, their tongues wound together in effortless, intoxicating synchronization.
Byleth’s blood burned hot inside of her, all of a sudden. She was overcome with a sensation that felt so intense, so primal and almost animalistic. She wanted - needed - more of Rhea. More of her lips, her tongue, her… everything. The precipitous craving to have Rhea - to touch her, feel her, taste her, was overwhelming. Before she could register it, they were kissing so deeply and intensely, with their mouths wide open and each with a fistful of the other’s hair in hand. It was just as she was beginning to truly lose herself in the moment, that Rhea suddenly pulled away.
Their lips made a wet sort of sound as they separated, and Byleth could not help but notice the thin, clear trail of saliva that formed between them. Instinctively, she hooked a finger around it, and then brought that finger into her mouth. Rhea watched, visibly flustered, her hair messy, and her breathing heavy.
“My love, we… We are still— out in the open—”
“Rhea.” Byleth took a small step closer to her again. “Rhea, please. I need to be alone with you.”
Rhea took her hand, entwined their fingers together, and the coldness of the rings on their fingers nearly made Byleth jump. “Come with me, then.”
Byleth nodded, and followed her as Rhea led her from the Terrace, and to her quarters. As they walked together, hand-in-hand, Byleth felt as if her heart, unbeating as it was, could leap right out of her chest.
Byleth barely registered the transition, but before she knew it, she was in Rhea’s room, doors locked behind them, and Rhea had arms around her again. They kissed, and this time the added intimacy of being alone made Byleth feel hot.
Byleth encircled Rhea’s neck with her arms, ran her fingers into their hair. They were so close, but somehow also not close enough. Almost unconsciously, she began to tug at Rhea’s robes.
Rhea pulled away. Byleth watched her as she sat on the edge of her bed, and carefully undid the various little clasps that held together her head ornament. As she pulled the elaborate gold piece from her head, something stirred within Byleth. After that, her long cape followed. When that came off too, Rhea was left only in her white dress… and the white flowers in her hair. Such a simple gesture, and yet it felt so heavy, even symbolic. Rhea was baring herself before Byleth, shedding her Archbishop persona, and appearing before her simply as Rhea. As a woman.
Rhea was flushing ever so slightly - only a subtle tinge of pink to her fair complexion. It made Byleth smile. She reached for her own cape and undid that, too. Her knee brace. The dagger at her waist. Then Rhea watched as she came close, stopping when she was standing at the foot of the bed, in front of Rhea. She looked into her eyes, and then slowly, carefully, reached for the jasmine flower hooked behind Rhea’s right ear. Rhea’s breath caught, and Byleth paused, searching her eyes. Asking for permission. Rhea granted it with just the slightest of nods.
Byleth moved a piece of Rhea’s hair, and carefully took the flower in her fingers. She removed it, and placed it on the bed beside her.
From behind Rhea’s hair, a piece of her ear peaked out. A small, distinctively pointed ear. One of the many tiny, tiny signs that Rhea wasn’t human. Rhea was tense, and Byleth could tell that this moment was crucial for her.
Carefully, but still very much sure of herself, Byleth brushed away Rhea’s hair so that it was behind her shoulder, and kissed the tip of her ear.
Rhea trembled. She took in a heavy, audible breath, and her entire body reacted. Byleth kissed it again, and again, and then licked a slow line up the pointed shell of that ear. A simple gesture, yet Byleth intended for it to convey a strong message.
I love you. Every inch of you. Exactly as you are.
Rhea brought a hand to the back of Byleth’s neck.
“My love. Is this truly… okay?”
Byleth pulled away, looking into her eyes again. Her mint green gaze was intense.
“Rhea. I want to love all of you.”
Rhea kissed her again. They kissed long and deep, letting their emotions flow through their lips and tongue.
Then, Rhea shed her white dress. Her breasts were bare for Byleth’s scrutiny, and she was left in nothing but her white cotton panties.
Byleth paused, and it felt like the entire world froze around her. She was entranced by what she saw. Admittedly, she might have imagined once (or twice, or three times, or--) what Rhea’s chest might look like beneath those robes. But this…
She was entranced.
Rhea brushed her hair out of the way and arched her back, as if to show off. Byleth slow blinked.
“Rhea…”
Rhea just watched her, saying nothing. With the way she was looking at her, there might as well have been fire in her eyes.
“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” Byleth said.
She cupped Rhea’s breasts with both of her hands, and Rhea moaned. The sound was absolutely entrancing. Like the most pleasant note of the sweetest music.
They kept kissing, separating only when they needed to, as they shed the rest of each other’s clothes. Soon, they were nude, embracing each other and filling the silence of the room with nothing but the wet sounds of their lips opening and closing around each other. Their hair splattered the white sheets with differing shades of green. And, more importantly, they were together at last. Joined in the most intimate way two women could be - with their limbs tangled and their love fueling every movement.
“Rhea,” Byleth breathed, only just able to catch her breath, as they went about their dance. “Rhea, I love you.”
Rhea bit at her collarbone in response. Bit, licked, and sucked. She knew it’d leave a mark. She wanted it to. You’re mine, she thought. Not because she had made it so, but because Byleth willingly gave herself. You’re mine.
Somewhere along their chaotic, blissful, mind-blowing dance, Rhea had pinned Byleth down, and was kneeling in front of her. She licked a long, slow path from her navel, up her abdomen, past her collarbone and neck, and to her ear. Byleth shivered as Rhea’s fang-like teeth nibbled on the tip of her ear.
“Rhea,” Byleth moaned. “Oh, Rhea.” Her nails ran up Rhea’s back.
“Yes? What is it, my love? Tell me.”
“Touch me, please.”
Rhea’s fingers parted Byleth’s lips. Spread them open, and touched the warm, slick wetness beneath them.
“Touch you where? Here?”
She only just brushed over Byleth’s clit with her thumb, and Byleth shook.
“Yes. Yes.”
“Mmm.”
Rhea looked down, admiring her handiwork. Byleth’s pretty body, her legs spread open for her, her womanhood gushing arousal onto her fingers.
“Byleth... Have you done this before?”
“N-Not with—anyone else—”
“Truly? You’ve never-”
“No. I’ve- I’ve touched myself, but— oh, gods—”
She writhed as Rhea quickened the movement of her thumb, beginning to draw quick, tiny circles onto Byleth’s clit. She took in the body quivering before her.
“Is that so… Am I truly your first? Has nobody else seen you like this before?”
She quickened them again.
“No, nobody— oh, gods, Rhea—”
“That’s right, my love,” Rhea cooed. “Oh, I can feel you tensing around me. Do you like this?”
“Rhea. Rhea,” Byleth’s voice gave away that she was on the verge of crying. “Rhea, please.”
Just moments after, something came over Byleth. Something she had never experienced before. She had brought herself to orgasm on her own, but it was nothing like this. She felt as though her body, her mind; hell, her entire existence, had exploded and become some kind of supernova of pleasure. She screamed, and only barely registered her hips thrusting wildly against Rhea’s hand.
And then she and Rhea were kissing again. This time, she could taste her own arousal upon Rhea’s tongue. They were both moaning. She clutched at Rhea’s body, trying to pull her closer. Like no matter what, they could never be close enough.
“I love you,” Byleth whispered.
“I love you so much. I never want to be apart from you again.”
Rhea kissed her back. Kissed her lips, her jaw, her neck, her cheek. “You needn’t be. I am here.”
They repositioned themselves. This time, they lay across from each other, so that their only point of contact was their hips. And their clits, which were rubbing deliciously together.
“Oh, Goddess—”
Byleth would have never thought such pleasure was possible. She felt like she could almost choke, both from the insane physical pleasure she was feeling - as her and Rhea’s wet cores slid against one another - and the emotional glee. Never would she have thought it possible to feel so fulfilled on every possible level.
But how could she think so philosophically, when Rhea was across from her, desperately grinding their bodies together, with that absolutely delectable, borderline hypnotised look on her face?
“My love— mm— ah— Byleth, oh, I love you—”
“I love you, Rhea—”
They kept going, every second making the moment more intense. Eventually, they climaxed together. Rhea was absolutely gorgeous when she came. She cried out in a note that was almost musical, and held Byleth’s leg against her own, making a face that mirrored the pleasure she was feeling. Byleth stepped over the edge right along with her, feeling white hot pleasure take over her entire body.
When the moment faded, they laid there, breathing heavily, covered in each other’s sweat, and attempting to return to reality. It was Rhea who crawled over Byleth, and took her in her arms, positioning her so that they were both lying down, and Rhea was spooning her.
She kissed her ear. “You’ve no idea how happy you’ve made me,” she whispered.
Outside her line of sight, Byleth grinned. She kissed the back of her hand. Out loud, she said nothing, but these few words were loud and clear in her mind.
We will make peace of this world together.
Not soon after, they fell asleep like that. Two green haired women, brought together by the flow of time, and made to fall in love by events that were very much human.
Rhea shifted, perhaps close to falling asleep. Byleth watched her. Watched the beautiful, rhythmic rise and fall of her chest.
“I have truly been alive for too long,” Rhea said, mostly to herself.
Hearing that made Byleth pause. It reminded her of something.
“Rhea.”
“Hm?”
“I… There’s something that has been on my mind for a very long time, now. I’ve been meaning to ask you about it, but… I never got a chance.”
Rhea turned to face her. “Darling, is now truly the best time…?”
“Maybe not, but now I… I need to know.”
“Alright. What is it?”
Byleth pressed her lips together into a thin line. “Rhea. We both know that much about me changed when Sothis granted me her power. It happened nearly six years ago, now, and yet… I don’t look or feel as though I’ve aged a day. I… will I age? Ever?”
Rhea bit her lip, and looked away. It was an extremely loaded question, Byleth knew, but with the intense emotions she was feeling in that moment… she had to know. The few seconds that Rhea took before she spoke were heavy with tension.
“My love, I… Forgive me. I should have told you sooner. You… no, you will not. You are now an incarnation, of sorts, of The Goddess. You do not share her conscience, of course, but you harbor many of the powers that she did when she walked this world. You… are immortal, now, as I am. That is to say, your death is not an impossibility, but unless you are slain by another, you will go on living… likely forever.”
It was a stunning revelation. One that had implications about as heavy as the world, but for some reason, Byleth didn’t feel all too shaken. Perhaps she had already known. Perhaps hearing it from Rhea was purely confirmation.
“My love— Byleth. I am so, so sorry. I should have spoken to you about this sooner. Surely before we—” she cut herself off, clearly attempting to hold back from crying. “Living forever is not romantic. It is not joyful. There is so much pain that you will have to face. I should have—”
“Rhea.”
Byleth put two fingers to her lips to keep her from talking. “I know. I know. I… I will deal with all of that, when the time comes. But this… I don’t feel angry, or sad about it. Rather, I think it’s the opposite. Rhea, I. I’m so happy.”
Rhea’s eyes widened, and there was almost a little spark to them.
“This means that we can protect this world. We can watch over it, and work to make sure that it doesn’t see another war like the ones that we’ve lived through. And… we can be together. Forever. I…” Byleth bit her lip, not unlike Rhea had just a moment ago. “I was apart from you for over five years, Rhea. It felt like an eternity, because I didn’t know if I would ever see you again. I don’t want to feel that again. Not ever. I want to have you with me, always. For as many lifetimes as I’m here, I want to be with you. I want--”
Rhea cut her off with a kiss. A kiss so deep, so passionate, that it carried more meaning to it, more significance, than any amount of words ever could. Byleth kissed back, and in that fleeting, perfect moment, she truly felt that they were one.
“For all that I have lived. All that I have seen, felt, and lost. I am thankful for all of it. Because it brought me here, now. To this very bed, with you,” Rhea said.
Byleth took her hand, and kissed the back of it. “I love you, Rhea.”
“And I love you, my sweet one. Now and always.”