dawncrests

[dawncrests]

secret santa gifts for @dawncrests i hope you like and that you’ve had a wonderful holiday season <333

[dawncrests]

— ISOLA SECRET SANTA 2019 *:･ﾟ✧

FOR @illimitexabominer ✧ FROM @dawncrests

SOME GIFTS FOR YOU...

✧ Icon Bases —  Icons with PSD — A Mobile Header — Answered Ask Graphic ✧

...And Edelgard has drawn a picture of Priscilla for the holidays — though she’s unused to the strange ‘tablets’ used for drawing in this realm, she attempted to depict her new friend with a wintry backdrop as best she could!

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aegirheaded‌.

“Why yes! After all, as Prime Minister of the Adrestian Empire, it is my duty to advise you when you meet with your shortcomings. And as Hubert is absent, I must pull double-duty! It is tough, but I accept the challenge.”

“And fear not! I have provided a comprehensive list of possible resolutions, and have provided them to you in this ledger.”

Ever prepared, isn’t he… In either case, he hands her a nice piece of stationery, wrapped in a leftover holiday ribbon.

“You shall note it is in no particular order, as reflecting on my flaws is quite a difficult task, given the lack of which.”

…It’s a wordy list, but it boils down to ‘visit more common places, pick up a new hobby, don’t use the word ‘commoner’ so often, learn to budget, share more meals with Edelgard.’

“Now–onto your own.”

          It was clear that Ferdinand had thought his resolutions through — going so far as to formally draft them and prepare them for viewing with care. It was exactly the level of attentiveness the emperor had come to expect of him. She scanned the list, nodding along in appreciation of his self-reflection, feeling almost touched by his note to share meals with her more often.

          “Well, you’ve certainly proven yourself most suitable for the job time and time again, and this is no exception. Even in Hubert’s absence, I’ve no doubt you’ll rise to the challenge.” Never mind his comment about his lack of flaws — that he’d come up with so many goals for the coming year was proof he’d grown very much since their days at Garreg Mach.

          “I have faith that you’ll accomplish all of these. As for myself... I wish to continue training and learning all I can about this place — and about other worlds. Perhaps I could stand to indulge in sweets less often, though I’m not sure I want to. I’d also like to try my hand at some crafting, I suppose.”

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aegirheaded‌.

“If you have difficulty coming up with a resolution in which to better yourself, perhaps I may provide some insight on the matter.”

          “Am I to understand you’ve already spent time considering ways in which I might better myself this year? If that’s the case, I trust you thought of your own resolution beforehand, Ferdinand — and I’d be very interested to know what it is.”

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          “I imagine most have settled on their resolutions by now, but I’ve never taken part in such a custom myself. Admittedly, I find it difficult to come up with something substantial... And while I believe personal growth shouldn’t be limited to the turn of a new year, I do see the appeal of a clean slate.”

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Edelgard + Senri Kita

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crestblight‌.

✦ “Seeing as the seasons and holidays in Fodlan are different from here I wasn’t sure we should participate, but given the chance to give you your first present as your girlfriend, well…” Byleth was surprisingly bashful, cheeks aflutter with pink as she quite blatantly was holding something behind her back. After a moment of reflection she presented it.

Within was a ring, a gemstone set on top that swirled with both violet and blue; the colours of their eyes. “Engagement… I haven’t thought very much about that yet.” And she had a special ring to give in that case, the one left by Jeralt.

“But I heard it’s customary to promise yourself to someone with a ring as well: quite aptly named a ‘promise ring’. I hope you’ll accept it, and will continue to accept my feelings. I love you, El.”

        Fódlan had its own fair share of traditions, holidays dedicated to the Seiros and her Four Saints, celebrations dedicated to the founding of the Empire, Kingdom, and Alliance respectively. But somehow the customs of this land resonated far more with Edelgard. Perhaps it was because these end of year celebrations focused on gratitude, warmth, and love… but perhaps it because she felt she’d finally found some of those things.

          Edelgard couldn’t help but pause for a moment as she looked upon Byleth’s gift, her eyes transfixed on the swirling of colors. And she felt indescribably lucky to be cared for so deeply. “A promise ring? This gemstone is beautiful, Byleth… Thank you. Of course I’ll accept this.”

          “Although my gift for you isn’t a promise ring, I did intend for it to have a similar meaning.” She’d been nervous to present Byleth with the sentimental item — a small golden locket in the shape of a heart — but now that she’d received something so thoughtful, she felt more confident. Within the locket rested a miniature portrait of the pair Edelgard had painted herself.

          “I do hope you like it, Byleth. I can only hope that it properly expresses how I feel — that I love you, as well.”

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crestblight‌.

✦ “WinterFES, was it?” Byleth had likewise seen the posters plastered around the city, but because she’d been so tied up with classes they hadn’t really had the time. “I’d been planning on asking you out on a date this weekend anyways, so I guess this works. Even if things aren’t quite what I was expecting.” Although that might have been a significant understatement.  

She’d wasted no time in stripping as she wandered over to the large closet they shared. The professor wanted to get them a house to both live in so that they had more space, but for the time being this was good enough. “…Actually, can you lay out an outfit while I shower? I don’t want to wear something that doesn’t suit you, and you know how I am with fashion.” Not great, and she didn’t want to risk El being seen by someone that might judge her for a Byleth-ensemble. “Pick out whatever you want for my body too, I trust you.”

“Unless you want to join me in the shower?” She was teasing of course, though it was much easier now that Byleth had grown more accustomed to expressing herself. A sly smile across her – El’s – face suggested it was just in jest. She really didn’t feel like this situation was particularly complicated since they were already a couple. If anything, they were lucky.

        As her mind cycled through the various things that would change about her perception of the world in this new body, Edelgard had to stifle a laugh. To be truthful, it was a bit funny despite her initial shock. She had to wonder — was the entire city in disarray? It wasn’t likely that many swapped pairs were lucky enough to know each other prior. She directed her attention back to Byleth, nodding in response. “Yes, WinterFES sounds right. Even if this wasn’t quite what you expected, I do believe it may make for quite the interesting date.”

          “I’d be glad to lay out clothing for us both. As for your other suggestion… Perhaps something can be arranged later on?” She blushed at Byleth’s teasing, even more so because it came from her very own mouth and voice. But Edelgard imagined it was even stranger for Byleth to watch her own body emoting more than she was used to, even though she’d become much more expressive as of late.

         Caring so meticulously for her hair and clothing allowed Edelgard control over her appearance after it had been changed against her will during her youth — she only wore her hair completely down in Byleth’s presence, opting to adorn it with accessories otherwise. It was with similar care that she selected their outfits for this strange occasion: for Byleth’s body, a simple black turtleneck and fleece-lined leggings with knee-high boots, and for her own, a red long-sleeved dress with lace, thigh-high socks and ankle boots. And for the cold weather, she placed two pairs of ear muffs beside the outfits laid out on the bed, their black fluff complementing the winter clothing. It had nearly taken the entire duration of Byleth’s shower for her to make these choices — and the final touch would be their knee-length coats, which waited by the door for their departure. When Byleth finally emerged, Edelgard had thought of a possible location for their adventure… and she was a bit nervous about it, but knew that facing her fears was critical even here.

          “I have heard that the Lake of the Koi has frozen over, and that visitors make skate onto the surface to observe everything below. Supposedly, there is a light show to accompany the sight after the sun sets.” As beautiful as it sounded, Edelgard’s fear of open water, even if frozen, was cause for hesitation. Byleth’s company was perhaps the only thing that would encourage her to take part in this activity. “If that’s something of interest to you, I would love to partake… but I am admittedly a bit fearful of the ice.”

[dawncrests]

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Portrait of Lady Edelgard

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crestblight‌.

✦ “I hope I’m Byleth, else I’m not me looking at me who isn’t me.” She probably could have kept going with that sentence as a joke, but she likewise believed this wasn’t the time for jokes. She was concerned about the fact that her body’s hair retained its green coloring as well since it indicated the divine power had remained with Edelgard’s soul in her own container, though as she could not use Divine Pulse in Spirale yet perhaps that was for the best.

“I doubt it’s permanent, so should we bother worrying about it? It’s the weekend now so the school is closed and I don’t have any obligations to worry about.” Unless there was a reason to panic she didn’t really want to. Looking down though, she couldn’t spend her day in the sweater and pajama pants El had worn to bed.

Was she taking this too in stride? She wanted to see how El felt about it too. “If its temporary maybe its a good thing? Understanding things from the perspective of the one you love might not be too bad…”

         “I suppose you’re right. Even stranger occurrences have been temporary, and I’m ever-curious about your perspective, after all.” They’d make the best of it, then, just as they always did. And should anything of concern arise, Byleth and Edelgard would certainly find a way to communicate and overcome. Though hopefully this strange body swap would be the only obstacle they faced in the coming weeks...

          “It will take quite a bit of getting accustomed to.” It was a good thing that the school was closed for the weekend — although Edelgard was skilled with a sword, she was much more proficient with an axe, and it would be immediately clear to any students in attendance that something was quite off with their professor if she tried to take Byleth’s place. The image of such a situation was almost funny, bringing a gentle smile to Edelgard’s lips, even if they were not technically her own.

          “Shall we brave this weather and make an adventure out of it? I would like to explore the city with you despite my reservations about the excess snow... I have heard there’s an ongoing festival, so I’ve no doubt we can find something to enjoy.”

[dawncrests]

crestblight‌.

✦ Had she slept on the wrong side of the bed the night before? When lashes fluttered open, she found herself staring at a familiar ceiling from an unfamiliar point of view. El had stayed over and they usually slept on the same side every night, so why was she on the side El normally slept on? Sighing, she pushed herself up and threw her legs over the side of the bed. Normally they touched the ground but… where was the ground? 

Looking down, those were not her legs. Those were not her hands resting on her lap. Was that even her lap? No, they looked like… Byleth finally had the thought to look where Edelgard should have been sleeping, but instead it was Byleth? Her own body?

“Hm. El? You might want to get up. It seems we missed something while we were asleep.”

          Instead of waking up to Byleth’s voice as she usually did on mornings like these, Edelgard heard something else: a sound she didn’t quite recognize. Although the voice had an uncanny familiarity she couldn’t exactly place... Sleep still in her eyes, she took her time sitting up, confusion settling in as her body came into focus. Only it clearly wasn’t her body — and just as suddenly as she realized this, she came to understand what it was that she’d missed last night while sleeping. She looked to her side to confirm her suspicions, and just as she’d expected, there her very own body was. Only she wasn’t in it. In their restful sleep, she and Byleth had switched bodies somehow, and Edelgard was beside herself.

          “B-Byleth? I must assume that’s you, and yet... What could be the purpose of such an exchange?” As she spoke, a single hand came up to touch a strand of loose hair that she knew wasn’t her own, but it surprised her with its length and texture nonetheless. She couldn’t stop looking at her own form, the very same one she’d seen reflected in bodies of water and mirrors all her life. But it was so different from another’s perspective. “You don’t imagine this is permanent... correct?”

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aegirheaded‌.

“…Wait. Are you certain that all this snow is a result of our captors? It is not merely foreign weather?”

       “Perhaps you’re right and it is part of a weather cycle... But I can’t help but wonder how much of this environment can be considered natural when even our very presence here was chosen for us.”

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           Always enamored by the beauty of the natural world, Edelgard jumped at the chance to embark on a sleigh tour through the now-snowy bamboo grove. While she’d seen her share of snow during her brief life in Fhirdiad, she was certainly more accustomed to the more tolerable climate of Enbarr — and it wasn’t as if she’d had the chance, so long ago, to focus on enjoying the winter weather. 

          She’d only visited the grove for training beforehand, now appreciating the chance to see it in a different light, with snow dusting every bit of foliage in the sleigh’s path. Running into Claude here had been unexpected, but not unwelcome — though engaging in... normal activities with him as a friend would take getting used to even now. 

           “I have heard rumors that these foxes play tricks on sleigh riders. Hopefully this ride will go uninterrupted...”

         “Though I can’t help but doubt that they’re quite as cunning as you, Claude.”

@aurulent​ ✦ (sc)

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          As much as she’d long accepted her guilty pleasure of indulging in all things sweet and cute, Edelgard had yet to become quite comfortable enough to do those things in the public presence of strangers. So it was only when most residents had retired for the night and the sun had set, leaving just street lights and decorations to illuminate the falling snow, that she trekked her way to the Build-a-Gingerbread Man kitchen. Upon entering, she felt a childlike wonder as she looked around... until the sight of someone both very young and alone caused a sudden pang in her chest.

           Perhaps it was not Edelgard’s business to approach him, but her body made the choice for her before she could dwell on it for too long, carrying her to the customization tablets where as far she could tell, he had just begun designing his own cookie. If he truly desired to be alone, then she’d have no trouble at all giving him the space... but Edeglard knew that as a child, she’d wanted nothing more than someone, anyone, to relieve her of loneliness if only for mere moments.

           “I see you’re hard at work on your gingerbread man,” she stated with a smile, fumbling with the screen in front of her in an attempt to start her own. As she selected its body shape — something decidedly standard with rounded edges — the machines whirred in front of them both, bringing others’ designs to life in no time at all. “Are you making a gift for someone? Truth be told, I think I’ll just create one for myself to start out.”

@cutwarmth​ ✦ (sc)

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          “This is admittedly much more difficult than I’d anticipated.” There must have been some secret to the method she’d yet to uncover — perhaps the consistency of the milk, the speed at which she poured it into the cup, the angle at which she held her hand... And though she took care to adjust some aspect of her technique each time she made an another attempt, it seemed that each latte looked even worse than the last. Others were effortlessly creating heart shapes, leaves, and even flowers within their cups, and yet here she was, embarrassed to show these failed creations to her partner during the peer review portion of the class.

            “I do recognize that these designs... pale in comparison to some others, but I am prepared to accept any constructive critique.” As much as it pained her to allow someone else even look upon them, she couldn’t help but feel determined to improve.

@wiltingbeast​ ✦ (sc)