This was supposed to go up tomorrow, but I'm getting sick, so I'm posting it now so I can take it easy tomorrow.
It was a calm day in the army’s stables in Enbarr, a redhead singing as she walked along, handing out carrots to each horse. “Oh, I do hope Marianne survived the terror, we didn’t see her at all in the Alliance.” She mused, handing a carrot to Dorte. “Thankfully, I never saw my father, either. Enjoy, old friend.” Her husband, Caspar, approached her.
“Hey, Annette, how’s it going?” he asked.
“Oh, just feeding the horses. Dorte’s growing quite strong, wish Marianne could see that.” Replied Annette.
“I’m sure she’s fine and happy, we have a good relationship with what was once the Alliance.” Stated Caspar with a light smile. Annette giggled, hoping her, Hilda and Holst were skipping rocks at some river or pond. The only crime Hilda had been punished for was attacking and wounding Lysithea, which put her in a prison for five weeks, and she often had cake from her brother, who had retained his position of controlling a fortress bordering Almyra. “Also, don’t tell me you forgot what today is.” Teased Caspar.
“It’s May…9th?!” asked Annette excitedly.
“Yep, Happy Birthday. We’ll be heading to the palace for a joint celebration of you and our Professor/Queen.” Smiled Caspar. Annette squealed in delight and put on a fanciful white and blue ballgown. “You know, you’ll look a little overdressed.” Muttered Caspar.
“It’s MY birthday, Big Bro, let me enjoy it as I want.” Teased Annette.
“Seems you’ve been talking to Dorothea.” Replied Caspar under his breath. He went inside and picked up a pair of packages, one for Byleth, one for his wife. The two then headed up the hill to the Enbarr palace.
Inside said palace, Empress Edelgard walked down the stairs quietly so as not to disturb her still-asleep wife. Bernadetta stood in the kitchen, making some pancakes, eggs and bacon. “How is everything, Bernie?” she asked.
“Eep!” muttered Bernadetta. Some habits died hard. Thankfully, she regained her composure. “F-F-Fine, Edelgard! Just, heh, making your breakfast!”
“Please put it on a tray when it’s ready, we’re celebrating our teacher’s big day today.” Smiled Edelgard.
“Oh, th-that was today?! Oh, I’ll-I’ll have to bake the cakes!” she said with a load of anxiety.
“Too bad Manuela and Ashe aren’t around…maybe Annette could help?” asked Edelgard.
“I’ve not heard good things about her cooking skills.” Replied Bernadettta.
“Well, how about she mixes and pours the batter and you tell her what to do, then she leaves so you can decorate it?” asked Edelgard.
“On her birthday?!” Bernadetta asked, confused.
“I think she’d want to in order to get better, if not, I think Caspar or Petra will lend their hands.” Stated Edelgard, trying to keep her anxiety in check.
“O-okay…” said Bernadetta as she finished preparing the meal. Edelgard took the tray of food up to Byleth.
“Someone has a party today…” sang Edelgard as Byleth blinked her eyes open.
“Mmm, smells good.” Replied Byleth as Edelgard set the tray down. Byleth began digging in, eating ravenously. “Bernie made it?” she asked to clarify.
“Yep, someday I’ll get better at baking, but I’m not going to waste an attempt on either today, yours and Annette’s party, or a week from now, your actual birthday.” Replied Edelgard.
“This is some good food, thanks, my lovely, beautiful sunshine.” Byleth said, kissing Edelgard after. Edelgard chuckled, then heard the doorbell ring. She headed down to open it as Byleth got dressed for the day. The first guests to arrive were Petra and Dorothea from Brigid. Edelgard hugged them both.
“Always glad to see you two.” She said.
“Glad to see you, too, Edie.” Replied Dorothea as Petra chuckled. They brought in their two presents, Dorothea heading to a grand piano while Petra admired the Castle structure.
“Petra, Bernadetta may need help preparing Byleth and Annette’s cakes, can you please check in on her.” Suggested Edelgard.
“That will not be a trouble.” Replied Petra, heading to the kitchen. Bernie had the batter for one cake done and was putting in the oven. “Bernadetta?” asked Petra. Bernadetta shrieked briefly, spilling the batter all over the floor.
“Oh no, now it’s ruined! Good one, Bernie, Annette and/or Byleth will hate you forever!” she groaned.
“Do not be worrying, I will be helping you make a second and third one.” Replied Petra. “Consider it an apology for sending you against those rabbits.” Petra helped Bernadetta up and the two started again. Meanwhile, Dorothea was entertaining Byleth and Edelgard with opera passages as she played and sang on the piano.
“How’s that biographical opera of me coming, Dorothea?” asked Edelgard in a moment between songs.
“Well, I decided I want to write it in a style popular to where Snake, Ken and Terry are from.” Admitted Dorothea. “I got the idea from a different biographical musical about a passionate revolutionary made there. I’m going to call it Von Hresvelg. The thing is, this will end happily.”
“Well, we are still happy.” Smiled Edelgard. Byleth began singing “You are my Sunshine” a capella while stroking Edelgard’s head.
“You two are so cute.” Dorothea laughed and wept happy tears while Edelgard smiled softly. There was another knock on the door, so they stopped doing what they were doing. Edelgard went to the door and opened it, seeing Caspar and Annette on the other side. “Ah, my most trusted general and his beautiful wife. How are you?” she asked, hugging them.
“We’re doing great Edelgard, got a real strong bond taking care of the troops and each other.” Smiled Caspar.
“And how is adorable little Fleche?” asked Edelgard. The young girl walked into view.
“Ask her yourself.” She said with a slight smirk. Edelgard picked Fleche up and hugged her, too, before setting her down. The group went back into the palace, Annette smelling the first cake baking and heading to the kitchen.
“Guess you can’t keep some people out of the kitchen.” Muttered Edelgard.
“Hey, she has been getting better.” Said Caspar gently.
“I’m just worried she’ll burn or explode her own birthday cake, is all.” Replied Edelgard. “Hopefully if she does help, Petra and Bernie will give her good directions.”
“I trust them, everything should be fine.” Said Caspar. Edelgard nodded and the two went back to Byleth and Dorothea. Dorothea performed a few more opera passages, then the group began playing a Music Trivia card game. After Dorothea won that, though Edelgard and Byleth were no slouches themselves, they began talking about Byleth’s Smash career.
“Still having fun doing that?” asked Caspar.
“Well, I can get you, you and Petra to cheer me on sometimes, and others, I get to battle alongside my wife.” Smiled Byleth, pointing to Dorothea and Edelgard. Edelgard chuckled with a big smile, that action alone would’ve been the best birthday present for Byleth. She remembered her telling her about her awful, abusive childhood experiences…then they went to Remire village, where it played out before her own eyes. Thankfully, with Rhea gone, the ones responsible for that could no longer operate as freely as they had. Annette then came in with Petra and Bernadetta. “Well, here she is, the lady of the hour!” said Byleth. She got up and hugged her friend. “At this, our first mutual Birthday Party, I want you to know, your optimism made me a better person for El, I was able to handle her burdens so much easier than if you weren’t there.” Said Byleth. Edelgard heard this and stood up, hugging both of them. Annette couldn’t move her arms, so she stood there and smiled.
“The cakes are baking, so we’re waiting for them to be done so these two can finish them.” Stated Annette.
“Maybe now would be a good time for presents?” asked Edelgard. Annette received packages from Caspar, Dorothea and Petra, Bernadetta, Edelgard and Byleth and Fleche while Byleth got presents from Caspar and Annette, Dorothea and Petra, Hubert and Ferdinand (who were away debating with the Parliament and each other this day), Bernadetta, Fleche and Edelgard. Annette went first since her birthday was an earlier date, unwrapping Bernie’s parcel.
“Ooh, it’s a songbook!” she said with a smile.
“I-I know you like to sing, heh.” Said Bernie nervously.
“I love it.” Smiled Annette. Byleth opened her first present, from Hubert and Ferdinand. It was a bag of coffee and a bag of tea.
“Heh, those guys, they know how to make me smile.” Chuckled Byleth. Edelgard grinned at Byleth while Annette opened a present from Dorothea and Petra. It was an opera songbook and a wooden throwing axe.
“Wow!” gasped Annette.
“I did the carving of the axe myself.” Smiled Petra.
“You do have a wonderful voice, Annie, I’d love it if you’d be part of my opera about Edie.”
“Oh, that sounds awesome!” smiled Annette. Byleth opened her second present, this one from Bernadetta. It was a book on Fodlan history, newly updated to describe the war they had won.
“Wow, where’d you get this?” she asked.
“Linhardt and I got married…and we’re going to be Professors at Garreg Mach!” chuckled Bernadetta.
“Cool, I hope you two can handle the workload.” Replied Byleth.
“Well, hopefully another war won’t break out.” Said Dorothea. “No offense, Edie.”
“None taken, I simply did what I had to do.” Stated Edelgard. “I have learned, sometimes, in order to rid yourself of mental woes and troubles, you may need to fire a cannon.”
“Well said.” Replied Dorothea.
“Byleth told me that.” Smiled Edelgard. Annette went to her third present, this one from her in-law, Fleche. She found a magic tome detailing ice magic as well as martial arts.
“Where’d you find this?!” she asked excitedly.
“Someone gave it to the Knights and I’d heard you were interested in the subjects.” Replied Fleche.
“Thanks so much!” beamed Annette. Byleth smiled and decided to also open a Fleche present. It was a simplistic doodle of herself, Edelgard, Caspar, Annette and Fleche.
“Fleche, this so adorable and heartfelt.” Smiled Byleth, a joyous tear wept from her eye.
“Glad you like it!” smiled Fleche.
“This is going on the refrigerator.” Smiled Byleth (AN, this is a world with ice cream and sherbet, pretty sure fridges are within their reach of technology). Annette started opening her second-to-last present, from Byleth and Edelgard themselves. It was a steel axe.
“Wow!” gasped Annette.
“Byleth bought that for me back at Garreg Mach. Since I have Amyr and the war’s over, I don’t have a use for it anymore, so we decided to hand it down.” Explained Edelgard gently, like a proud parent.
“What a present, the Empress’ axe.” Muttered Annette. It especially meant a lot since she hadn’t originally been part of their group, but Byleth herself invited her in. It had come with the risk of fighting her devout father, but the two never met on the battlefield and it had since been assumed he was now in hiding, likely never to be seen again. Byleth opened her present from Caspar and Annette as Annette was still awestruck. It was a Claymore sword, broad and strong. Byleth’s crest was on the wide blade.
“Whoa, amazing!” muttered Byleth.
“We saw this at the smith and thought of you, so we customized it for you.” Explained Caspar.
“You do adapt to different weapons well.” Smiled Annette.
“I love it…” muttered Byleth, rubbing the broadsword. Annette opened her last present, this one from Caspar himself. It was a spell book entitled “Pastries are Magic; How to make good food with your magical skills.”
“Wow, honey, this is perfect! Maybe I can bake tasty meals at last!” smiled Annette, jumping up to hug her husband. Caspar smiled broadly.
“Knew you’d like it, honey.” He said, grinning all the while. Byleth then opened her present from Dorothea and Petra. It was a songbook, showing how to play popular songs on piano and lute as well as sing them.
“Wow, Petra and Dorothea…this is amazing…” she muttered.
“Told you she’d like it.” Smiled Dorothea.
“I was wrong for having doubted you.” Replied Petra. Byleth still had one present left, the one from her wife, Edelgard. She unwrapped it to see a portrait of herself and Edelgard, brandishing their weapons, standing back-to-back against Ganondorf and Sephiroth. A ghostly Jeralt stood, looking at Byleth with an approving smile.
(Imagine Jeralt in place of Petra and that this looks like oil on canvas)
“El, did-did you…” began Byleth.
“My best work yet.” Smiled Edelgard.
“Th-this is amazing…” gasped Byleth. She hugged Edelgard tightly. “Th-thank you.” She managed, overcome with emotion. Bernadetta and Petra then went to the kitchen.
“We’re decorating, I don’t want to spoil the surprise!” said Bernie to Annette. Annette smiled and sat down, her, Caspar, Edelgard and Byleth enjoying each other’s company while Dorothea and Fleche looked on in approval. A few minutes later, Petra and Bernie returned with cakes, one orange, one aqua with “Happy Birthday Annette/Byleth” written on them. Annette and Byleth’s friends sang the Happy Birthday song, the two blowing out the candles and wishing that their futures would continue being like this.
The End
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