Descent

"I can't believe you're actually going," Starkus said, hugging Claudia close. The three of them sat at their table, looking at each other for the last time... as one household, at least. "This house will feel empty without you."

"You can fill it up again, and I'll visit," Edelgard promised, taking a sip of Argus Milk.

She very much intended to keep that promise.

Starkus, with the sobbing Claudia in his arms, visibly fought against the tears. Edelgard felt like she cried them all out at this point because all she felt was a lingering sadness.

She finished the last of her milk.

Starkus looked at the empty jar with a knowing gaze. Their last meal was hereby finished. They couldn't hold her here any longer.

Edelgard stood up and hugged them both.

"Thanks for everything... I'll definitely come by!"

"I'll haunt you if you don't," Starkus jested.

Claudia wailed her name, kissing her cheek before she went.

"Really, thanks for everything."

She bowed, leaving the hut. Her neighbors were waiting for her, intending to do the same. Edelgard sniffled, entering Serya's hut.

At least today, she'd entertain them, still.

"She's gone," Claudia said a while later. "She's gone..."

"Yeah. To think that we'd grow so attached to her," Starkus lamented, looking at his wife. She hadn't acted like this since he knew her, though he didn't mind. "Hey, do you think we should fill this house up? Like she said?"

"Sniff. What do you mean?"

Starkus hugged her from behind, his mouth next to her ear.

"Let's have a child, Claudia."

He watched as her shaking stopped, and she turned around to kiss him. Through her tears, a happy smile shone through.

"Yeah!"

They immediately got to work.

He hadn't seen her in a while, so he couldn't be sure, but...

Something about her was different.

Karkass had grown worried when she didn't come by in over a week, but seeing Edelgard like this was scary... if only a bit.

She looked over her shoulder, waiting until Opus left them alone.

Then she got very close, whispering into his ear.

"I'll come again tonight. Be ready to leave this place."

"What?" he returned, not bothering to talk silently. She placed a finger on her lips, urging him to be quieter. "Ok, what do you mean?"

"I'll grant you freedom," she promised, placing a hand on his shoulder. Her eyes were full of determination, and Karkass nodded back, wondering what this meant. Edelgard smiled, seemingly happy with his decision. Then she returned to talking normally, greeting him as if she only just walked in. "Hello, Karkass! How are you?"

As if all that didn't happen... or did it?

"Hello, Edelgard," he said, holding his head.

Maybe he had imagined it? To think that he'd even hallucinate... how much did he want to get down there?

"Don't worry," Edelgard assured him loudly. "It happened."

She came back that same night, careful not to make a sound.

Instead of the door, she climbed over the roof and looked into the windows, searching for Karkass. She found him in a back room, staring at the door.

"Hey," she whispered, startling him. "Hey, Karkass!"

"You actually came..." he mumbled, coming closer. "Why the window?"

"They keep someone there to keep you inside, don't they? I don't want to be seen, so I brought this rope to-"

"Don't worry, Opus always falls asleep at his table. It's not like I can walk down there all by myself, anyway..."

"Are you sure?"

Edelgard was skeptical. Opus was smart, and he could have any number of tricks up his sleeve.

"Very sure. Since you are here... I trust you."

Karkass smiled at her, and her heart skipped a beat. Aside from his skinny appearance, he was as handsome as Starkus.

She was glad for the darkness as it hid her blush.

They wordlessly sneaked past the sleeping Opus in the meeting room, then started on the first branch.

"Hold my hand," Karkass said. "I can't walk very well."

"Support yourself on the bark, too," Edelgard advised, leading him down.

He was worse at it than she had been at the start. Thinking back on it caused her mind to wander, and she almost slipped.

"Steady, now. If you fall, we're both finished," Karkass said playfully.

"You take care, too," she returned, blushing in shame.

Somehow, they made it.

She had put it off for a long time.

Tonight, while no one was watching, she would finally apologize... or that was her plan. Reflexively, Magmaranda hid behind a hut when two shadows descended the elders' tree, one heavily leaning on the other.

"No way..."

Her lips formed the words, but no sound escaped her.

There went her opportunity to talk.

To think that she'd actually do it... that Edelgard had guts. More than she'd ever shown in her life...

A tear rolled down her cheek.

Then another...

And it stopped.

The shadows approached her, and she escaped further back, careful not to make a sound. They would've spotted her, had they been paying attention.

"Careful," Edelgard said.

"It's difficult after so long," Karkass returned, heaving heavily.

"Quiet, now. We mustn't be heard."

"I know..."

When their whispers disappeared, she sighed in relief.

Magmaranda peered up the elders' tree. She had to wonder if Opus realized that his sickly patient had just been helped out.

She never liked how he had been imprisoned there...

Maybe this was for the best.

His feet felt like lead.

He had painful stitches in his sides as if a particularly sharp branch was pushed deeper and deeper inside with every step he took.

His lunge felt like it would burst, but he didn't dare to breathe too loudly.

There were huts all around them.

Through blurry eyes, a sudden wave of nostalgia hit him. He was wide awake, now. He rapidly took in the scenery around him, recognizing more and more places as ones he knew.

"Soon," Edelgard soothed, looking ahead. "We must arrive before dawn..."

"Say," he started, his mind elsewhere. "Where are you leading me?"

"... I want to surprise you."

"Edelgard, I know these parts. It's where I grew up... I lived here with Starkus and our parents before we moved out... Magmaranda lived here, too... we were childhood friends..."

His eyes widened when he spotted the hut that moved into his vision once they turned around the next corner.

"Damn, the secret is out?" Edelgard laughed awkwardly, leading the perplexed Karkass closer until they stood directly in front of the hut of his past. It was just like he remembered... "I want to tell you, anyway, Karkass." She took both his hands, and said, "Welcome home, Karkass."

He cried.

He fell around her neck.

The next thing he knew, he fell asleep next to Edelgard, a grin on his face.