Edelgard's 2021 Birthday

 A fan fiction for the birthday of one of my favorite fictitious characters:

It was June 22nd, Edelgard’s Birthday, and activity was abuzz in the Adrestian Castle.  The birthday woman was sitting on a comfy chair, Caspar and Fleche standing before her.  “Caspar, glad you could make it.  And who’s this?” asked Edelgard.

“Fleche von Bergliez, Caspar wanted me to come.” Smiled Fleche.

“Aw, you remind me of those adoptive sisters I met in Askr from Hoshido and Nohr, such a cute, brave little soldier.” Smiled Edelgard.  Fleche giggled a little.

“Don’t take Fleche lightly, she’s even shown me a thing or two.” Smirked Caspar.  Edelgard smiled broadly at both.  All those she had known through the Black Eagles Strike Force, her friends Samus, Zelda, Joker and Makoto through Smash Bros., as well as Joker and Makoto's friends Ichinose and Sophia, were gathered under her roof, giving her wrapped parcels.

“So, it’s your birthday?” asked Makoto.

“Yes, how nice of you and Joker to return the favor of us coming to yours.” Smiled Byleth.  Makoto smiled softly.

“Well, you guys do so much for me.  It almost feels like a third family after Sae and the Phantom Thieves.” Chuckled Makoto.  Edelgard chuckled softly.

“I’m glad you feel comfortable here.” She smiled.  Joker and Makoto headed off to talk to Samus and Zelda, Ichinose approaching the Empress and her wife while holding her smartphone with Sophia looking out of the screen eagerly.

"Happy Birthday, Edelgard!" smiled Sophia.

"Thank you.  I'm still not entirely sure how all this technology works." replied Edelgard. 

"You can think of it as magic, if you like." stated Ichinose.

"I'm more familiar with elemental magic than creating whole beings from nothing with magic." replied Edelgard.  "I did hear something about you from Makoto, Miss.  She said you and she both lost your parents at a young age?"

"Um, I'd rather not..." began Ichinose. 

"I understand, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.  I had ten siblings, eight older and two younger...none of them are here anymore." stated Edelgard, getting downcast towards the end. 

"I'm so sorry." said Sophia as Ichinose frowned.

"I just want both you and Makoto to know...I've been through something similar to what you did and I know only Byleth kept me from spiraling into insanity." said Edelgard.  "If you need to, both of you can contact us, we won't judge."

"Thank you, we've been fortunate with Joker thus far, but if we ever need more help, we'll talk to you." said Sophia, Ichinose nodding and wiping a tear from her eye.

"Thank you, Edelgard." she said softly, walking off.  Meanwhile, Joker and Makoto were talking with Samus and Zelda.

"So, I heard your Power Suit got wrecked." said Makoto. 

"I actually just received a new, sleeker one for a new mission, the first one I've been on in a while." replied Samus.  "It combines aspects of both my fusion suit and my Power Suit, while having a new, white color scheme."  She showed them images on her smartphone.

"Looks rather impressive." commented Joker.

"They say the main opponents will be robots this time, so I've been sparring with ROB and the Mii Gunner of Android 18 to prepare." added Samus. 

"Sounds like a good plan, hope it works." replied Makoto. 

"I hope so, too." nodded Samus.  Joker and Makoto went off with Ichinose and Sophia while Dorothea and Annette walked in to stand before Edelgard on her comfy chair.

"Hi, Edie." smiled Dorothea.

"Hello, Dorothea." said Edelgard.  "I see my favorite chef in Faerghus is joining you for my special day, you two have something special planned, then?"

“Yes, we do.  Annette and I prepared a little song for your special day, Edie.” Smiled Dorothea.  She took out a pitch-pipe and blew a note.  “I may not live to see our glory,” began Dorothea, Annette echoing her with each line, “but I will gladly join the fight, and when our children tell our story…they’ll tell the story of tonight.”

“Let’s have another round tonight!” agreed Byleth.

“Let’s have another round tonight…” sang Edelgard, while she rarely did so, she had poise in her voice, keeping her in-tune and on-key. “Raise a glass to freedom, something they can never take away, no matter what they tell you...”

“Raise a glass to the four of us!” sang Annette.

“Five!” shouted Petra behind her, not wanting to be left away from Dorothea.  Dorothea chuckled, placing her hand in the small of Petra’s back.

“Tomorrow, there’ll be more of us!” sang Edelgard, Byleth, Dorothea, Petra and Annette, Dorothea and Annette letting Petra step between them, “Telling the story of tonight.”

“They’ll tell the story of tonight.” Smiled Samus in the corner, joining in.  This had been one of her and Zelda’s favorite plays, so the two approached the small circle of five.

“Raise a glass to freedom.” Replied Edelgard, smiling at Samus and Zelda.

“Let’s have another round tonight.” Said Dorothea.

“Let’s have another round tonight.” Echoed Annette, her, Dorothea, Petra, Edelgard and Byleth putting their hands together in solidarity.

“We’ll tell the story of tonight…” sang Samus and Zelda, watching with a smile, adding the “we” since they would tell of the birthday in their kingdom of Hyrule.

“How’d you know that was my favorite song that wasn’t yours, Dorothea?” asked Edelgard.

“Because you’re one of my best friends.” Smiled Dorothea.  Edelgard bowed her head, smiling.

“We’re not merely friends, we are family, all of us.” Smiled Edelgard softly.  “I lost my family to Rhea’s carelessness and the brutality of those who slither in the dark…” she paused and frowned briefly, “even my last chosen brother…” she then looked up and smiled again, “but I gained friends who stand with me every day, no matter how distant they are physically.  You, Petra, Annette, Bernadetta, Shamir, Leonie, Lysithea, Caspar, Bernadetta, Linhardt, Fleche, Hubert, Ferdinand, even Samus, Zelda, Joker, Makoto, Ichinose, Sophia…and of course, our gentle, loving professor, my wife Byleth…we have become the family I always needed after that.”  Annette wiped a tear from her face.

“I’ve just been here in the last two years, and no one ever said anything even a fragment so nice in all my years fighting.” She whispered.

“Edie’s been through a lot as a kid, but she’s risen through it.  We have Byleth to thank for that.” Smiled Dorothea at her.

“Byleth is a gentle, virtuous soul who sees our needs deep within.” Agreed Petra, seeing Byleth and Edelgard smile and laugh together.  “You should’ve seen her place her blade before Edelgard in defense, declaring she needed love rather than condemnation back then.”

“You’re getting good at Foldan basic.” Smiled Dorothea.

“Your time back on the continent made me want to re-learn more.” Replied Petra.  “I…if I can…may you teach me to sing with you?”  Dorothea softly kissed Petra’s cheek.

“Of course, my beautiful Brigid blossom.” She whispered.

“You know, I hear Byleth’s birthday is exactly one week after mine.” Said Annette.

“Your birthday is on May the 9th?” asked Petra.  

“Yes, exactly.” Replied Annette.  

“Fun, we should celebrate both of yours together next year.” Said Dorothea, her and Petra smiling at her, Annette returning the expression.  Shamir and Leonie walked up to Edelgard and Byleth.

“Edelgard, Byleth, is it going well today?” asked Shamir.

“Fine, fine.  I hear someone fitting your description is doing some good vigilante work in the forest.” Smiled Edelgard.

“Um, uh…” muttered Shamir.  "I've been giving Leonie some pointers..."

"Shamir, Caspar saw Leonie fire arrows at the beach last weekend, he described her bow as being made of sunflowers." replied Byleth.

“It’s fine, Shamir, we need to redistribute wealth after the rich hoarding so much under Rhea’s rule, just enough so poverty’s not a problem.” Said Edelgard.  “I don’t want anyone to starve while others are well off enough to waste their food.”

“Well said.” Smiled Byleth, kissing Edelgard’s cheek.

“Then yeah, it’s me.” Replied Shamir.

“I’m so glad all my friends are doing good and justice throughout their lives.  I’ve chosen you all well.” Smiled Edelgard.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” Smiled Byleth.

“Agreed!” smiled Samus, raising a glass in toast.  Zelda, Dorothea, Petra and Caspar hit their glasses with hers in a toast.

“I want you all to call me El, as my family did.” Smiled Edelgard, a tear of sentiment rolling down her cheek.  “You…you have rescued me from a fate worse than death, loneliness.  If I had achieved all I have without you…it would be worth nothing.  Power is but a thing, you…you are the people who make me stand up…when I’m down.”  The men, the women, all gathered around Edelgard in a group hug, Samus snapped a picture on her smartphone for the occasion.  And it had been many years, but she now felt less alone than she had felt in all the years since losing her treasured siblings.  Edelgard could only weep in joy, glad her days of pain now seemed far behind her.  Byleth kissed her treasured wife once more, Edelgard smiling the joyous, open-mouthed smile of a little girl and Samus taking one more picture of the happy couple.

“I’ll print that out and you can post it on the wall.” Smirked Samus.

“Thank you.” Smiled Byleth.

“And, once again, thank you all.” Smiled Edelgard, weeping tears of joy.

The End