Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The wedding is on a Thursday.

At 2:00 PM, Edelgard is definitely not panicking.

“Hey. Edie?” Dorothea lightly touches her cheek. “You’re panicking.”

They are in one of the community center’s dressing rooms, where Dorothea is forming the peaceful eye of a storm of chaos around them. Ferdinand is directing the flow of caterers and decorators with a confidence not entirely earned, Caspar is jumping up and down to try and reach the top of a pillar to put streamers on it, Linhardt is asleep in a corner somewhere while Bernadetta silently pushes birdseed through the bars of Hubert’s cage, and Petra is redirecting all of the caterers and decorators that Ferdinand has given the wrong instructions.

“Perhaps.” Edelgard murmurs. “This is… quite a lot, though. I feel as if I should be more involved in this… perhaps-” As she begins to stand, Dorothea crosses her arms.

“Edelgard Hresvelg, if you leave this dressing room right now I will be forced to seduce your lovely bride and snatch her away from beneath your recently powdered nose.”

With an exaggerated pout, Edelgard slumps back into her seat, sighing. “You win this round.”

At 2:10 PM, Jeralt is feeling tears well up in the corners of his eyes.

In his hands he clutches a cardboard box, the tape around the lid frayed and yellowed with time. The box has laid undisturbed in the storage closet of the family RV as long as they’ve had it, untouched since it was moved from its similar location in the last mobile home. A single word decorates the side, written in black marker with his own handwriting.

S I T R I

“You’re sure you want to try this?” he asks as he lifts his head.

Across the table, Byleth nods. “I do.”

“You rented that nice dress, what about that?”

“It’s… good. But this is…” She scrunches her face slightly, resting the side of her head on her palm in the same way she’s done for years. “Special. I think.”

“Alright. Well then.”

With no extra ceremony, he snakes a fingernail beneath the tape and pulls, unsealing the box that has remained closed for nearly as long as Byleth has been alive.

“Let’s see if it fits.”

At 2:25 PM, Linhardt is studying the white roses in the gathering hall, only to notice Bernadetta is rapidly turning the same color.

“Something wrong?” he asks, and Bernie jumps slightly higher than she usually does when he surprises her.

“Aah! S-sorry. I’m okay. I’ll be okay, it’s just…” She gestures towards a chair in the back of the room. “Th-that’s my seat?!?”

The chair, Linhardt notes, has a placard strapped to it reading “Reserved For Artist”, and a small easel sat next to it.

“You did volunteer to sketch during their vows, didn’t you?”

“I did! But I thought my seat might be somewhere… you know…” Bernadetta gestures around her. “Less… exposed? I just don’t...don’t like the thought of everyone watching me.”

Linhardt shrugs. “It’s a wedding. I think their attention is going to be on Edelgard and Byleth today.” Calm logic has always been the most effective problem solver for Linhardt, but even as he sees Bernadetta nodding in response, her trembling hasn’t quite stopped.

“Well, if you’re still concerned…” Spotting a vase in the corner, Linhardt approaches and begins to drag it across the well-polished floor. A few moments later, there is a convenient shrub between Bernadetta’s seat and the rest of the benches. “There we go.”

Cautiously, Bernadetta smooths down her violet dress and sits, leaning from side to side as she tests her vision. “Oh, Linhardt, this is perfect! But… what if Dorothea needed that there? Oh no, I don’t want to make her upset!”

Linhardt sighs. “Do you think Dorothea would rather have symmetrical shrubbery or make you comfortable, Bernadetta?”

This time, the trembling slows to a stop.

At 2:30 PM, Claude is mere moments away from losing his mind.

“You cannot call shotgun with a text message! It breaks every rule of the game!” Lysithea is doing her best to look intimidating despite Lorenz absolutely towering over her.

“I would not have had to do such a thing had you not been hogging Claude’s bathroom first.” The taller man crosses his arms, a smirk on his face as he sees Lysithea rising to her tiptoes. “Did I not tell you I would need time to prepare?”

“What kind of asshole needs an HOUR in their friend’s bathroom to get ready for a wedding? What could possibly TAKE that long?”

As if he’d been waiting for this all along (he probably had), Lorenz peels away the collar of his violet jacket to reveal a corsage...a surprisingly cardboard corsage.

Lysithea gasps. “You...did you cut up Fire Emblem cards to make a rose out of them?”

“Rest assured, they were junk commons. I think this is a much finer use, don’t you?”

“I like it!” booms a voice from behind Claude. He turns in his seat to see Raphael taking up much of the back row on his own, flashing the double thumbs up at Lorenz’s eccentric accessory.

“That’s the spirit, Raph old buddy. Compliment him until he lets his guard down and we can drive off without either of ‘em.” With a groan, the Golden Deer captain places his entire face on the steering wheel, causing the car to let out a wheezing, continuous honk. “Will the two of you just get in the car? I don’t care who sits in front. Raphael doesn’t bite either.”

“I just hug!” chuckles the muscular man, and Claude nods in agreement, trying to ignore the feeling of leather rubbing into his cheekbones. Finally, with an overwrought bow, Lorenz indicates the front seat to Lysithea.

“Ladies first.”

She still sticks her tongue out at him as she climbs inside, pointedly ignoring the glower Claude is sending in her direction. He doesn’t remove his head from the dashboard until he hears Lorenz’s seatbelt click.

“Alright, community center, here we come! The Golden Deer...err...Half Of The Golden Deer are on their way!” As Claude begins to reverse the car, Lysithea turns around.

“I’ll bet Edelgard’s going to kick you out for mutilating perfectly good cards.”

“I quite think Edelgard will admire the sophistication of it, mixed with my customization of the tradition to suit her nuptials in particular!”

“She’s going to kick your ass.”

“She most certainly will not!”

Claude begins to realize that offering to carpool was the worst decision of his entire life.

At 2:40 PM, there is a knock on the side of a food truck door.

When Dedue opens it, Dimitri is there, his tuxedo clashing with the plastic basket in his hands.

“Is everything ready?” Dimitri asks. Dedue, ever a bastion of calmness, has a surprisingly perturbed expression on his face.

“I’m...simply making sure everything is. Yet more and more problems seem to keep coming up.” He shakes his head, mopping a bit of sweat from his brow. “This is...stressful.”

Dimitri extends a hand. “Walk with me, Dedue.”

Reluctantly, Dedue climbs out of the truck and joins him, beginning to pace wide circles around the Blaiddyd Manor.

“What’s got you so nervous?” Dimitri asks, and Dedue stares at him as if he’s just asked what color the sky is.

“This is the truck’s first catering event. There’s a lot riding on success here. The restaurant industry is cutthroat, Dimitri, and if this goes wrong-”

“It’s Edelgard’s wedding, Dedue.” Dimitri smiles. “She’s told you how much she loves your recipes for years. Why would today be any different?”

Dedue shrugs, shaking his head. “Maybe that was just flattery.”

“Dedue, do you remember when that kid came into Nabatea with his first deck on his birthday? He got paired against Edelgard and she proceeded to beat him within five minutes and then critique his opening moves. I don’t think she was going easy on you.”

Stifling a laugh, Dedue stops in the middle of the manor garden, his posture slightly relaxed. “Fair. But I’m not going to be the one working the truck today, I’ll be attending the wedding. What if something goes wrong and I’m not there to fix it?”

Dimitri smiles. “Perhaps it’s time to let someone else save the day for a while. You’ve worked so hard for this business. Allow yourself the room to take a breath.”

As the midday sun shines around them, Dedue inhales deeply, letting the scents of fresh-cut grass and summer flowers flow into him, and exhales. When he is finished, he watches Dimitri bend over and push something else into the plastic bucket.

“Thank you. But...may I ask what that is?”

“Oh!” Dimitri smiles wide, revealing his bounty. “I know you like to get fresh herbs from the garden, but you were busy this morning, so I picked them for you.”

Looking inside the verdant pile, Dedue chuckles. “Thank you again, Dimitri. But those are...weeds.”

“Oh. My apologies.” With a frown, he sifts around in the bucket. “But perhaps they could still be-”

“No.”

Between 2:50 and 3:00 PM, Ferdinand is desperately trying to end a phone call.

“Yes, this is my decision. No, I am not interested in...Father, be reasonable! I have to go. I must go! Goodbye!”

When he finally hangs up, sighing as he tucks his phone back into his jacket pocket, he surveys the room. The community center auditorium has been utterly transformed since they began work this morning. A makeshift aisle has been laid out with a roll of crimson carpet, flanked by rows of wooden benches set up like a chapel. The seats are set with alternating cushions of red and black to represent Edelgard and Byleth’s prized Black Eagles, and the finishing touches are being placed on the stage right then. Everything is exactly the way it was drawn up by the happy couple.

A shame. They’d not even considered most of his suggestions!

“FERDIE!”

Tearing out from behind the stage curtains, an incarnation of fury dressed in a tasteful red dress storms towards him, a scowl painting her features.

“Dorothea! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“The monogrammed napkins are here, Ferdie. They JUST arrived!” Dorothea’s face is nearly the same shade as her lipstick.

“Ah, yes! My special surprise for our soon-to-be wedded friends! This seems like a happy occasion to me, dear Dorothea. What could be wrong?” His mind swimming with distress, Ferdinand runs through every possible nightmare scenario. “Did we get two stacks of “Edelgard” napkins and no “Byleth”? Is there a tragic spelling error? Are they pink instead of cream?”

Wordlessly, Dorothea holds up a hand. Clenched in her fist is a stack of lovely cream colored napkins, each with a single word monogrammed in red across the center.

FERDINAND

“Oh.” Ferdinand feels his heart sink into his chest. “Oh dear. I had a lovely conversation with the fellow who took the orders, you see. Told him a few stories, he was quite engaged! I suppose it may have caused…”

Dorothea clenched her fist, crumpling FERDINAND into FNAND.

“... some confusion.” He snapped to attention, banishing the crushing weight of defeat into a convenient place to fret about it later. “But fear not! I will discover a solution… posthaste! Just as soon as I… I…”

The sadness he had quashed, for once, would not stay down. Ferdinand could feel his shoulders sagging and his confident grin faltering, trying as best as he can to mask the true dejection welling up inside of him.

Dorothea, as usual, can read him like a book.

“Ferdie?” Her soft tone hits a thousand times harder than her angered one ever could. “Hey...Ferdie, I’m sorry, I overreacted. We can get this fixed, it’ll just be-”

“No, no, that’s not it.” he responds. Dorothea nods as her eyes follow his tuxedo-clad arm, down to the phone recently tucked in his pocket, next to his usual one.

“Your dad called again.”

“Indeed.”

She breathes deeply, a crease of anger on her forehead. “If there’s anything you need me to do…”

“I would...rather we not have another confrontation like the one you and Edelgard had with a certain Mr. Varley.” He swallows and reassumes his usual posture. “Fret not. I can handle my father, as well as the task of backup napkin procuring!” With a practiced, fluid motion, one thumb comes up to point at his dazzling smile. “Or my name isn’t Fer-”

“I know.” Dorothea giggles, rolling her eyes as she raises a crumpled napkin. “Just...remember you have us too, okay?”

“I shall.”

And with the same cocksure swagger, Ferdinand Aegir proudly struts out of the room, in noble pursuit of basic cleanliness goods.

At 3:05, Caspar makes a staggering discovery.

“Holy SHIT.” he says, in a voice with the tone of a whisper but the volume of an air horn.

“Hmm?” Petra walks across the back lawn to join him at the line of bushes that form the community center’s rear boundary. “What is it, Caspar?”

Caspar’s well tailored suit is immediately subjected to the indignity of becoming bush-searching gear as he leans forward, grabbing at something out of Petra’s line of sight. With a flourish, he reveals a large plastic sphere, only slightly covered in a thin layer of topsoil.

“Free inflatable volleyball!” he cries, lifting the ball over his head.

“I...do not know if that is free.” Petra mutters, gently moving to take the ball from Caspar’s hands. She is, however, too slow, and the next thing she knows Caspar is joyfully swiping the ball into the air.

“Bump it, Petra!”

They both watch the ball drift gently to the ground.

“Awww.” Caspar moans.

“I am not wearing clothes that are being suitable for volleyball.” Petra gestures at her cherry colored bridesmaid gown and pair of heels.

“I get it, it’s okay.” Caspar replies. A mischievous smirk rises to his lips. “You don’t think you can keep up with the Volleyball King.”

“Oh?” Petra turns to face him, her head cocked. “I was not being aware that you were so skilled.”

“Yup…” Caspar begins to flex, showing off for nobody in particular. “You’re looking at a veteran of several high-level P.E. tournaments, former champion of the playground, occasional-”

He barely notices the ball floating towards him in time to flail it back towards Petra.

“Whoa, hey, false start!”

“If you are snoozing, you are losing!”

Having successfully ignited Petra’s competitive streak, Caspar gives a hearty laugh as they begin volleying the ball back and forth across the lawn, neither of them particularly slowed even with their formal garb. The pair are evenly matched, each challenging the other further with odd angled shots and swift movements.

“Hope you’re ready!” Caspar calls, aiming to put the game away with one final return. He spikes the ball towards her, but Petra dives, barely connecting with a powerful bump that sends the ball careening across the lawn.

Scrambling, Caspar gives chase, jogging after the airborne ball even as the sun blinds him, preparing for the return.

The force of a collision puts a damper on that plan.

At 3:08, Seteth is hit by a speeding Caspar, sending Caspar toppling to the ground.

“Oof!” He looks up, sheepish. “Oh, uh, hey there Seteth!”

An inflatable ball bounces off of the games shop owner’s head.

He sighs.

At 3:15, the doors to the Community Center officially open, but the limousine containing half of the Blue Lions has still not arrived.

“Great job, Sylvain.” Felix snarks. “Your little detour made us late.”

The accused leans back in his seat, a book in his splayed hands. “Since when is getting someone a wedding gift when you’re going to their wedding a detour?”

Ingrid reaches across the aisle and snatches the book from Sylvain’s hands, ignoring his objections as she flips it over.

”Twenty Tips For The Perfect Makeout?” She groans, hurling the offending item back at Sylvain. “Why are we friends with the worst human alive?”

“I could change that.” Felix mutters.

“Aaasshhhee!” Annette calls to the front of the car. “They’re plotting to murder Sylvain agaaaaiiinnn!”

The driver looks back, frowning slightly. “Don’t kill Sylvain in Dimitri’s limousine!”

“Thank you!” Sylvain replies.

“I don’t want to get blood in it, kill him outside.” Ashe finishes.

With a theatrical sigh, Sylvain tucks the book back into his jacket pocket. “I can see that, once again, my artistic genius goes unappreciated by you uncultured types. Except you, Annie. You’re the best.”

“Hooray!”

By the time they finally do arrive, five minutes of general Sylvain-bashing later, Ashe deftly maneuvers the limousine into the only parking spot remaining that can accommodate the lengthy vehicle. A chorus of “Thanks, Ashe!” sounds as the five of them step out of the car and into the sunny afternoon weather.

The sidewalk that leads up to the community center entrance is flanked by a row of balloons, the colors shifting from pink to red as they get closer to the gates. At the path’s end, a stepladder rests unattended next to the front door’s brick frame.

“Excuse me! Pardon me!” A timid voice sounds from behind the group, but before any of them can make a move-

“Out of the way, people! This is a wedding EMERGENCY!”

Hilda Goneril pushes her way through the crowd, more energetic than most of them have ever seen her. Ignatz follows closely behind, muttering apologies for his friend’s behavior while Leonie takes up the rear, laughing about the whole affair. Spread between the group (Leonie and Ignatz, Hilda appears to not be bothering) is a long white canvas.

“Hey, Annette?” Leonie inclines her head towards the stepladder. “D’you mind?”

“Oh! No problem!” Quickly, the redhead scrambled to set up the ladder, stepping back with a smile as Leonie climbed it. With Ignatz’s help and Hilda’s supervision, the canvas was moved to the top of the arch, hung with care before the entrance to the community center. In beautiful calligraphy courtesy of Ignatz, it read:

“CONGRATULATIONS TO MRS. AND MRS. EISNER-HRESVELG!”

At 3:34, the wedding’s final set of guests arrives.

The guttural sound of a heavy engine and jiggling loose bits of asphalt herald the machine’s approach. The motorcycle rips around the corner, revealing its rider, clad fully in a leather riding suit and black helmet. There is a skull etched above the visor, a mark filled in with crimson lines. At the mysterious driver’s side is a sidecar, white and speckled with a floral pattern that spread across all colors of the rainbow. The figure hunched inside is dressed identically to the pilot.

“Whoa.” Caspar mutters, a drink in his hand. “Who’s got the killer bike?”

“Probably one of Mr. Eisner’s old military buddies.” Lysithea replies.

As the intimidating motorbike pulls into its slot, the rider dismounts, surveying the shocked crowd before removing their helmet.

“Oh my, what lovely decorations!” Mercedes Martritz wears a bright grin as she tucks her helmet under her arm, beaming at the assembled guests. “I’m so sorry we’re late!”

Disentangling himself from the sidecar, Emile Martritz removes his helmet as well. He notices the surprise on everyone’s faces quite quickly.

“...My bike is in the shop.” he mutters.

At 3:36, Claude finds Dimitri and Dedue seated near the front of the benches.

“Hey there, guys!” He slides into the open bench behind them, offering a salute as he leans over the barrier. “You both ready for the big day?”

“I am.” Dedue answers, a smile on his face. Dimitri, however, is slightly slower to respond, and Claude catches him frowning at the wedding’s program out of the corner of his eye.

“Oh, yes!” he replies, but Claude Riegan is never one to miss out on a good story.

“Dimi, pal, what’s got you miffed over there?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Foolish of me, I assure you.” Dimitri stammers.

“Dimi. C’mon.” Claude cajoles. With a chuckle, Dedue glances over.

“He’s not going to leave you alone until you tell him.”

“Alright, fine.” Dimitri sighs, pointing at the program. “I suppose it’s just that I’ve known Edelgard for most of our lives now. There have been rough patches, sure, but we’ve come out as better friends! So I thought perhaps I would be considered for the position of Best Man.”

As he glances down at the list of the wedding party members, Claude immediately starts to laugh, bringing a deep red blush to Dimitri’s cheeks.

“She went with the parrot?!?”

“Well, I suppose I’m not surprised.” The voice coming from behind Claude is new to him. Slightly husky and quiet, but with a gentle air to it. “An African Grey Parrot is a very rare and special bird. I’ve heard they’re very loyal and friendly as well.”

The woman approaches them, giving a small wave as she slides into the seat next to Dimitri. To Claude’s shock, he leans over and gives her a gentle kiss on the cheek. He can see Dedue grinning at the way his jaw drops, but are were more urgent matters to deal with at the moment.

“Hello there.” she greets, tucking a strand of sky-colored hair behind her ear. “My name is Marianne Edmund. It’s so very nice to meet you.”

At 3:40, Seteth approaches the pile of wedding gifts in the lobby.

“Quite a bounty.” he murmurs, before leaning over to add his to the pile as well.

“Oh, thank you, Seteth!” Bernadetta is sitting in a chair next to the pile, taking notes on which guests had brought which presents.

“You’re quite welcome. This is actually a joint gift from the Chairwoman and myself.” He holds the red-wrapped box aloft with pride. “I believe the newlyweds will find it quite useful.”

“Oh!” Bernadetta points with her pen. “P-please put it right next to that one.”

Following her gaze, Seteth is shocked to find what appears to be the very same box, but twice the size of his own gift, sitting near the edge of the pile. “Who brought that?” he asks, eyebrows narrowed.

“Actually, Miss Sothis sent that one!”

With a groan, Seteth places his diminutive gift right next to its much larger duplicate.

“I have no idea how she always knows.”

At 3:43, Edelgard is hunched over her phone in the bathroom.

She runs her finger gently over a text message she’s saved.

Thursday, 1:25 PM:
[Randolph]: Ionius wanted me to wish you good luck in your tournament today!

She wipes a tear away and stands, her face set in the Emperor’s confident mask as she whispers under her breath.

“I hope you’re watching, dad.”

At 3:45, the ceremony begins.

In lieu of an organ, Linhardt’s phone plays the wedding march through the auditorium speakers. Jeralt is the first to walk down the aisle, looking profoundly out of place in a suit he’s not worn in ten years. As he completes his journey, Edelgard watches with bated breath, Dorothea’s hands resting gently on her shoulders.

“You’re up.” she says, her voice cheerful. Never one for tardiness, Edelgard Hresvelg steps into the auditorium. As she walks down the aisle, she looks around the room, scanning the benches full of people she knows and loves. All of the friends who have supported her on her journey, the faces that rallied around her in her darkest hour, sit in this room.

Dimitri beams as she walks past, giving an encouraging look as Claude flashes a thumbs-up. Lysithea is attempting to look serene, but her cheeks are still puffed from what Edelgard suspects are the free lobby peppermints. Professors Hanneman and Manuela have managed to stop bickering long enough to attend, evidently, and Randolph and Ladislava are smiling at her from the rear of the room, two women she doesn’t know between them.

On the stage, of course, await a collection of the most wonderful people she has ever met.

Petra stands at the corner of the stage, the smile on her face bright enough to light the room.

Ferdinand is applauding fervently.

Caspar cheers as she steps onto the metal stairs leading to the stage, offering her a hand of assistance.

Linhardt is, for once, actually paying attention, a slight smile curling the edges of his lips.

As Edelgard takes her place onstage, she turns to see Seteth walking down the aisle. She hadn’t known he was licensed to wed until she’d told Flayn about her wedding plans. She suspected there was quite a lot that nobody knew about Seteth, and he was quite content keeping it that way.

When he reaches the stage, Seteth makes his way to the podium and about-faces, looking as regal and poised as any professional minister. The moment is only slightly undercut by his daughter standing up from her bench and beginning to cheer.

“Father! That’s my father everyone!”

Next, Dorothea emerges from the rear of the room, wheeling a decorated cart with a birdcage on top. Hubert, seemingly unimpressed by the attention, preens himself in his cage as he takes his journey to the stage. On a stand attached to the birdcage sit two rings.

As Dorothea reaches the stage, letting Linhardt and Petra lift Hubert’s cage onto the table near the podium, she smiles at Edelgard, a look of pride and congratulations on her face.

Finally, the lights dim slightly. All eyes in the room turn to the entrance as, at long last, Byleth makes her entrance.

She walks down the aisle with her usual gait, no pomp or reverence afforded for the ceremony of it all. It would make Edelgard laugh, how perfectly her it was, if not for her awed silence at Byleth’s dress.

A long white gown flows across her body, stopping just above her calves to allow for freedom of movement. The hemline is coated with lace, making a floral pattern that spirals up her legs. The sleeveless dress allows full view of her muscular arms, and the sheer veil over her face does little to hide the brightness of her smile as she sees Edelgard waiting for her.

Jeralt sniffles in his seat, remembering when Sitri once wore the same.

As Byleth steps onto the stage, Edelgard is speechless. She slowly realizes she’s never seen Byleth in anything fancier than a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt before, and the sight of her fiancee in such finery is enough to steal her breath away.

Seteth, thankfully, begins to speak before she can stammer away what dignity she has left with this woman.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Edelgard Hresvelg and Byleth Eisner in holy matrimony.”

In the back of the room, Edelgard can see Bernadetta furiously sketching away, her tongue hanging slightly out of her mouth as she focuses.

“But it is not only for that reason that you have made this journey, to the..Garreg Mach Community Center. In addition, we are here to celebrate love, in all of its purest majesty. The very love that has brought these two young women together, and will join them for all their lives. But who better to hear such a tale from than them?”

Clearing his throat, Seteth turns to Byleth, trying to ignore that Ferdinand and Dorothea have already started crying behind him.

“Byleth, do you take Edelgard to be your wife?”

“I do.” she responds.

“And why is that so?”

“El,” she begins, and Edelgard already feels the tears welling up, “I didn’t know what to expect when Dad told me we were going to stay in one place. I don’t… always make a good impression on people. They think I’m too quiet or too distant. But you never treated me that way. From the first game we played, you cared about me, and that… it made me very happy. It still does.”

Byleth’s face brightens as she lifts the veil back, looking straight into Edelgard’s eyes.

“You have so much passion, for all the things you care about. You never stop fighting for what you believe in. You’ve been through such horrible things, but you never let them break you down. You’re amazing, El. And I love you so very much.”

The room is silent, save for the gentle piano melody that streams from the speakers, as Seteth pivots to face Edelgard.

“Edelgard, do you take Byleth to be your wife?”

“I do.”

“And why is that so?”

It seems so obvious to her, like asking why the sky is blue and water is wet, but she explains, each word coming easier than the last.

“Byleth, when you first met me, that day at Nabatea, I was in a terrible place. I was surrounded by people who cared for me, but I couldn’t see that. I was trapped in a cage designed to keep them away, to keep me afraid, to make me into something I never wanted to be. You showed me that. Your compassion, your heroism, your bravery, all of it showed me exactly what I couldn’t see right before my eyes. When I started to break down those walls, I would have wavered, if not for you standing by my side.” She breathes deeply, choking back the happy tears that could no longer keep themselves at bay.

“You are my strength, my hero, my light. I love you, Byleth. Nothing would make me happier than being your wife.”

Seteth clears his throat, gesturing with his arms towards the couple before him, and speaking with a tone that reverberated off the walls.

“Then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you wed! You may now kiss-”

Byleth surges forward mid-sentence, scooping Edelgard into her arms and planting a deep kiss on her wife’s lips. As the benches burst into applause and cheers, the officiant sighs.

“Well. That works, I suppose.”

Edelgard wraps her arms around Byleth’s back, gently breaking the kiss off just to look at the sheer joy radiating from her wife’s face. Byleth is grinning wide, her own tears starting to fall as she watches the mascara beginning to drip from Edelgard’s face.

“I love you.” she whispers.

“I love you.” Edelgard replies.

Surrounded by friends and family, and with the song drifting to a close, they press their lips together again, and sink into one another’s arms.

Chapter Text

Hey Byleth, hey Edie!

I set this guestbook out so everyone could leave you their best wishes and congratulations!

I guess that means I’m first! I’ll do my best to be worthy of the honor.

Edelgard Hresvelg, when we first met I thought you were so cold we wouldn’t need a fridge in the dorm. I tried everything to get you to open up a bit, but nothing broke through that shell of yours. Of course, until I saw you sorting Fire Emblem cards on your desk. Who’d have known that a starter deck, a willingness to learn, and an unending torrent of pestering you about it would lead to the most important friendship of my life.

Through cocktail mishaps, missing purses, exam crunches, bad break-ups and worse make-ups (mine, not yours, but who’s counting?), victories, defeats, heartbreak and joy, I have been glad to have you by my side.

Byleth, dear, I’ve known you for much less time, but I like to think I could tell from the moment Edie mentioned your name that the two of you would be perfect.

Go out there and make memories. Then tell me all about ‘em.

Dorothea Arnault

Hello! I, Ferdinand Aegir, wish to congratulate you on a most auspicious and wonderful wedding! Edelgard, my eternal rival and dear friend, I wish you and your beloved only the most fruitful of days ahead!

Rest assured, should you need anything, I am but a phone call away! No rain, nor wind, nor danger shall dissuade your faithful friend, or his name is not Ferdinand Aegir!

have a nice marriage

linhardt

Hello! This is Bernie!

Byleth, I know you like that fanfic I wrote about our LDO characters, so I wrote a new one for you! I put it with your gift! I made an Edelgard character, even though she doesn’t play. I hope she doesn’t mind. Edelgard if you mind I’m so sorry and I’ll delete it! Just let me know! It’s no problem at all, I’m sorry I forgot to ask! But if you like it, good!

Congratulations!

I did not know what to expect when the exchange program sent me to Garreg Mach. I was worried that I would not be able to befriend anyone here.

I am lucky to have taken that debate class with you, Edelgard. I loved having discussions, and when you told me about Nabatea, I was excited to join you! Meeting you and the others has been the best part of my trip.

I hope that next year, when I return to Brigid, I will be able to convince you two to visit me on vacation!

Petra Macneary

This is amazing! I’m so happy for you guys! Byleth, you had better make sure she’s happy! And Edelgard, you’d better make sure Byleth is happy! Just try and be happy!

Caspar

Edelgard, it is an honor to attend your wedding. My wives and I send all of our best wishes, and know that if you or Byleth ever need my assistance, I will be by your side.

Ladislava Svoboda

Great wedding! All my best!
(I didn’t know you knew my nephew!)

Randolph Bergliez

Edelgard, we’ve not always gotten along, but you have always been someone I believed in. To see you and Byleth joined in matrimony makes me incredibly joyful, and I wish you the best of luck in all things, save perhaps matches against the Blue Lions. I must retain at least one battlefield on which we can have our contests.

To celebrate this occasion, I am willing to extend an olive branch. I am officially forgiving you for the theft of my juice box. Now the slate is clean.

Dimitri Blaiddyd

Edelgard, I want to extend my thanks not only for inviting me to your wedding, but for hiring “Decadents By Dedue” to cater the event. I’m very glad to have your support as we hopefully expand operations in the months to come.

Byleth, I sincerely hope you will continue in your capacity as an unofficial taste-tester. I know no one else who can eat that much in one sitting. Your fortitude is truly impressive.

Dedue Molinaro

[WIthin a giant drawing of a heart, the words “Edelgard and Byleth’ are written in a jovial font.]

Annette

Hey. I’m gonna take this whole page for myself, sorry in advance. I’m going to be totally honest with you guys, I didn’t really believe in true love. I’ve been jaded by a lot, and I think I let cynicism take over. So I didn’t know how you two were gonna work out, especially in such a turbulent time with all the Agartha shit going on.

Seeing you two every week, the way you look at eachother and get along, it’s starting to bring some warmth back into this frigid ol’ heart. If true love is out there, the two of you have definitely got a piece of it.

There’s a coupon for my favorite restaurant downtown in that stupid book I gave you. Check between pages 27 and 28.

Gotta keep up appearances and all. Don’t tell anyone I’ve gone soft.

Sylvain Gautier

(now i see ingrid coming so i’m gonna flip the page and pretend to be doing dumb shit)

[A large drawing of a boob has been scribbled out by a second, heavy hand]

I’M SO SORRY ABOUT SYLVAIN I DON’T KNOW WHY WE KEEP HIM AROUND

Byleth, Edelgard, I’m so happy for you two! Ever since Felix and I got to play against you at Crossroads Prerelease, I knew you had a chemistry, and I’m so glad to see it grow! Plus, that was a great match. Rematch sometime? I know Fe would love it. Even if he won’t tell you that.

Ingrid Galatea

Good job

Felix

The two of you are some of the most wonderful I’ve ever met! Thinking about your upcoming marriage makes my heart so warm and full! Love is such a precious thing, often so hard to find, but between the two of you, I know you will have so many lovely days ahead! The future will be bright!

Mercedes Martritz
(P.S. I’m sending you an adorable stuffed bear I found! It was too big to fit on the motorcycle, so we’ll have to deliver it later! <3 <3 <3)

To find an ally in this struggle we call life, one to fight and bleed with, live and die beside, is a great advantage. Blaze on, and show no mercy as you live without fear.

Emile Martritz
(P.S. i have a large stuffed animal in the trunk of my car, please come take it away soon)

Hey guys! Enjoy today, you deserve it! Byleth, don’t think I’ve forgotten about you coming to see my magic show at the fair! You were an excellent audience member, and an even better friend.

Have a magical wedding!

Ashe Ulbert

Hey.

I don’t want to sour your big day, I’ll duck out soon after I write this.

I just wanted you to know that I want nothing more than for you to be happy. I’m sorry, and I wish you all the best. Let’s both find our way in the world.

[There is no signature.]

Hey, Edelgard, we may have not gotten off on the right foot.

Or gotten onto a much better one in the weeks after that, really.

But, we’ve made progress, and I like to think that after everything that happened two years ago, we’re pretty inseparable at this point, so let’s make the best of it, huh?

You’re one of the smartest, most driven people I know. It’s always a special night when we get to square off on the cardboard battlefield, but it’s frequently just as fun to talk movies or argue about cards or dunk on Dimi’s haircut with you. (did you know he has a GIRLFRIEND he’s been HIDING from us?????)

Jokes aside, I wish you and your lovely wife nothing but the best. You’re a warrior, Edelgard. Fight on.

Claude Riegan

[A sticker that reads “Way Cool!” is plastered on the guestbook. Beneath it, written in pink pen, is the word “HILDA” in bubble letters. Glitter is stuck to the page.]

Hey you two! Congratulations on your big day!

(Hey Byleth, thanks for coming by the zoo last week! Always great to see you. Don’t bring your rod to the decorative river again, though, they’ll make me kick you out.)

Leonie

[The words “Best Wishes” are written in calligraphy across the page. Ignatz Victor’s signature is beneath them.]

Have a wonderful wedding!

Marianne Edmund

Hey guys! I hope your big day is as awesome as can be! You both deserve it!

Raphael

Dear Mrs. and Mrs. Eisner-Hresvelg,

I am honored to be among the guests invited to your nuptials. Even in such charmingly rustic surroundings, the elegance of your affections make the surroundings sparkle in elegance. I must also compliment your selection of floral arrangements, and I would much like to speak with you about where you got them.

I wish you abundant happiness and illustrious days ahead in your newfound matrimony.

Sincerely,

Lorenz Hellman Gloucester

It should be no surprise that I have been looking forward to this day since you announced it. My life has changed greatly in the past few years, and I owe much of that growth to the help of both of you.

Admittedly, when you both burst into my apartment that day, I briefly thought you were going to attack me. I never expected the following conversation to answer so many of my questions and lead to me finally getting revenge against Agartha Chemical.

I’ve found myself feeling much freer as of late, and I am determined to use that to help anyone else victimized by Arundel and his ilk. Edelgard, I can only hope you feel the same, and Byleth, I would encourage you to remind her to relax every once in a while!

Lysithea Ordelia

Congratulations, Edelgard and Byleth! It’s nice to see you both so healthy and cheerful.

(P.S.: Did you know Dimitri had such a handsome uncle? Is that uncle single?)

Dr. Manuela Casagranda

This has been an excellent wedding!

Edelgard, you have always been a pleasure to teach and work with. Having seen the way you smile when you speak about your wife, I know that the two of you will have great days ahead.

Dr. Hanneman Essar

“Alright, everybody!”

Fresh off of her latest song, Dorothea Arnault gestures to the assembled crowd in the Garreg Mach Community Center auditorium. The lights are low and the drinks have been flowing, but the songstress looks as bright-eyed as she did during the ceremony.

“Before we start to wrap things up, I have a very special song dedicated to a very special lady.” She swings her hips to face Edelgard, who is sitting on Byleth’s lap as her wife finishes up a plate of chicken.

Edelgard cocks an eyebrow.

“A few years ago now, I had the pleasure of witnessing Edelgard stomping into Cethleann’s Juice Emporium, just after her first Fire Emblem thrashing at the hands of her lovely wife!”

A chorus of laughs ring out as Edelgard cups her hands around her mouth and shouts back.

“There was no stomping!”

“Now, now, Edelgard, no need to hide it, I was honored to witness the aftermath of the first time Byleth spanked you!”

Edelgard folds her arms and glares as Dorothea swings the microphone in her hand, blowing air off the top like a sharpshooter.

“When my dear Edie described her incredibly lovely opponent in extensive detail, I proposed a theory.” Dorothea leaned over the edge of the stage, grinning. “That perhaps she had…a crush.

With a squeal of microphone feedback, Dorothea danced back into her spot in the center of the stage, eyes glittering with mischief. “This one goes out to you, Edelgard!”

With a giggle, she began to sing.

“I told you so. Oh, I, I told you so-ho!”

As the song continued in a predictable manner, Dorothea couldn’t help but notice that Edelgard seemed utterly nonplussed by the situation. In fact, the newlywed had a look on her face that nearly everyone in the room had become intimately familiar with at some point.

Edelgard Hresvelg looked as if she was about to win.

As the song drifted to a close, Edelgard placed her chin in her hands. “Thank you for that stirring tribute, Dorothea. I prepared one too.”

A grin unfurled across her face. “Bernadetta? The screen?”

As the presentation screen before her roared to life, Dorothea dropped to her knees with a melodramatic wail.

With DoroSmoothie.png finally deployed in its most devastating form yet, Edelgard leaned back into her wife’s embrace.

She never lost against the same trick twice.