#— ic. ii. ✧ the flowers you gave me are rotting but i refuse to throw them away. ﹂MONICA.﹁

[patroklides-archive]

if monica knew how her survival changed edelgard's path (without, of course, counting shez's influence—for the sake of their dynamic, in specific), how would she react?

oooh, this is a really interesting question. okay. so.

monica is a little bit of a different case than most of the other retainers that i write because there's a certain one-sidedness to it that goes beyond any of the others. monica and edelgard were friends, yes, but her devotion to edelgard is centered entirely on monica feeling like she owes her life to edelgard––even knowing that edelgard was fully willing to let her die if that was what it took to see her longterm plans through.

there are a lot of changes, both good and bad, that happen due to monica's survival, but what monica would ultimately be the most shaken by is the sheer difference in edelgard's personality. sacrificing monica took a heavy toll on edelgard, and knowing how different she is after –– how much more closed off and withdrawn edelgard became after monica's death –– monica would be... really shocked, truthfully?

she simultaneously over- and under-values her importance to edelgard on a personal level, so the idea that her death would shake her that much would hit her pretty hard.

ultimately, though, it would serve to strengthen her resolve. it has to, after all –– she's so certain about her place in edelgard's life that the alternative would be unthinkable.

also, it goes without saying, but monica would be extremely jealous of byleth's relationship with edelgard, romantic or otherwise, especially knowing byleth as she does in hopes.

[patroklides-archive]

tag drop pt. 2.

— ii. ic. ✧ my peace has always depended on all the ashes in my wake. ﹂EDELGARD.﹁ — ii. ic. ✧ another knife in my hands & a stain that never comes off. ﹂HUBERT.﹁ — ii. ic. ✧ i need someone to remember my name when all that i can do for them is done. ﹂DOROTHEA.﹁ — ii. ic. ✧ turn your face toward the sun & shadows will fall behind you. ﹂FERDINAND.﹁ — ic. ii. ✧ the flowers you gave me are rotting but i refuse to throw them away. ﹂MONICA.﹁ — ii. ic. ✧ make room for small fragile things. ﹂ASHE.﹁ — ii. ic. ✧ to labor in love; to toil in tenderness. ﹂MERCEDES.﹁ — ii. ic. ✧ you belong among the wildflowers. ﹂LEONIE.﹁ — ii. ic. ✧ the world’s a beast of a burden & you’ve been holding on a long time.. ﹂BYLETH.﹁ — ii. ic. ✧ the map of my heart; the landscape after cruelty. ﹂DEDUE.﹁