Author's Notes

I got the idea of doing this because I did pick the Golden Deer (and loved it), but also definitely liked Dorothea and found it odd how she never really got to sing even though she's a famous diva. Almost unbidden, I thought of this song after I'd heard it when I was little and the plot bunny quickly grew from there. Be aware that this includes spoilers for the Verdant Wind (Golden Deer) route, as well as supports between Dorothea and Byleth (A and S), Dorothea and Manuela (C) and Claude and Petra (A, plus their paired ending).

I also own no trademarks related to Nintendo, Intelligent Systems or Koei Tecmo. I'd also certainly like to make sure I thank and credit Allegra Clark, Joe Zieja, Faye Mata and Veronica Taylor, among many others, for helping bring these characters to life. With that said, I do hope you enjoy this! As always, reviews are welcome – just no flames just because you disagree with house choice or pairings.

Is it true...are there only thorns left on my rose?

It had seemed like a lifetime ago that Dorothea Arnault had come to Garreg Mach Monastery and the Officer's Academy as a famous diva who was looking for companionship, possibly even from any of the house leaders, who would all be the leaders of the major powers in Fódlan. It had been then that the new professor, Byleth, who was teaching the Golden Deer, had caught her eye. He seemed almost immune to her charms, which had brought so many other men to their knees, but even though he was not the most prone to emotion except on the battlefield or in the classroom, he had an irresistible charisma of his own, and she found herself treasuring his praise more than praise from others and treasuring the time she spent with him, even if they were side by side on the battlefield in mortal peril.

She had never seen herself at the start as transferring to the Golden Deer, but after she had accepted his invitation to do so, she wondered why she had not done it sooner. She had found herself more at home among the Golden Deer as well since there were more commoners like herself – and even the nobles felt more like the have-nots instead. Maybe with the exception of Lorenz, who she had known as an opera patron and who had to smooth out a lot of wrinkles with her, but still...

She was also extremely thankful that Petra and Bernadetta had also come to the Golden Deer and subsequently to the Alliance, both because she had enjoyed their company when she was in the Black Eagles and because fighting against and slaying their old housemates Ferdinand and Linhardt had been the most difficult things she had ever done. It was not something she ever hoped to repeat if she could, not even after she understood how much of a threat Edelgard was to them.

Already, she noticed the trials they had faced had been affecting her especially. Though she was even more beautiful than five years beforehand and she was still only 24, the struggle often made her feel older...much older, she thought. She understood how her idol and former senior Manuela had felt between the fighting and her own troubles with love, which were more famous than her own, when she told her she had too many thorns.

Now she was sitting in her dormitory, which was doubling as barracks and officer's quarters, and writing something while thinking about a conversation she had had with Byleth earlier that day in the greenhouse. She had chosen that moment to open up to him about her past.

"I was an orphan, living in the back alleys of Enbarr, until one day I was overheard singing...That was when my new life began," She had said. "I was suddenly a songstress in the Mittlefrank Opera Company. Performers, nobility...I met so many people.

"But none of them ever really knew me," She had continued sadly. "I was just some young pretty girl who could sing, a spectacle to be admired. Even though everyone praised my looks and my voice, and they showered me with gifts...I knew, one day, I'd be old. My looks would fade, my voice would change, I wouldn't sound the same. And I started to wonder, when I did get old, what would I have left? I'd be old, alone...and back on the streets of the capital, right where I'd started..."

"I won't let you be alone." Byleth had said, sharply yet gently.

She had been taken aback, though she tried not to show it too much. She had looked at him and seen sincerity and determination in his eyes, now green as his hair from Sothis' power. She thought, And is there something else there too, or ami I just being desperate and seeing things?

She had decided to reply, "That's sweet of you, even if you are just flirting." She had then continued,

"I never had much to begin with in life, and I worry that one day, I'll be that way again...That's why I keep searching for someone who will love me. Someone unaware of the songstress, who can love a girl that used to be scared and alone on the streets of the capital..."

As she finished her reverie, she repeated what she had said in a whisper, "I wonder if such a strange person can even exist."

She looked at what she had been writing. It was a song that she had been starting to compose after the conversation in the greenhouse. It was born out of her hopes and fears that she had voiced...and now she wondered if some of those were Byleth's hopes and fears too. As time had gone on, she could see even he was hurting even though every battle they fought in drove their foes further back. And she also remembered how,

I would love nothing more than for him to be that strange person...for us to spend our lives with each other, she thought, trying to muster her heart as much as she could. And I know that no matter what, I want to live to see Fódlan at peace again. But I want to make sure I don't die without me at least saying it, even if he doesn't hear...

She began to sing. It wasn't an opera song, but instead a ballad. She also wasn't having to raise her voice or use her full range, but she still was writing it with a lot of emotion and singing it with that same emotion.

Fame flows like a river

Just keeps on leaving with all those memories

Shame, you're so heartbroken

And now you're scared to open and give your love again

She continued to sing, allowing herself to admit her doubts again.

And now, anticipation waits for love

Will it be everything you dreamed?

This time around, I know you have your doubts

But I won't let you down

She then lifted her voice as much as she dared without being too loud and then sang the chorus, feeling herself funnel her wishes into it.

Darling, if...

If we fall in love tonight

You're gonna be all right

Your heart is in good hands

Darling, if...

If we fall in love again

On me you can depend

If you can take a chance

Open your heart and then love, love again

A tear slipped out of her eye and fell on her red layered dress as she finished.

She then thought both grimly and determinedly, I don't know what I have left...but whatever it is, I'll give. I owe him that much in any case. And maybe, just maybe...

She then heard what sounded like footsteps or a shuffle outside as if someone had been there and was hurrying away, but she heard nothing else and dismissed it as her just hearing things.

Sometime later, Dorothea was emotionally pensive while taking in the celebrations of the true end of the war.

She had herself been there at the Caledonian Plains, fought the revived Liberation Army and the 10 Elites as puppets and watched them and even Nemesis himself fall before them. The names of the Leicester Alliance and the Knights of Seiros – and especially their lead fighters, of which she was one – were on the lips of all around Fódlan and especially around Garreg Mach. While she hadn't sought to be a hero per se – though she had endeavored to give whatever she had left to help her friends and others in need – she couldn't stop a grin coming across her face whenever someone addressed her as a conquering war hero and not just the one-time star songstress of the Mittlefrank Opera Company.

She couldn't stop thinking about what it meant for Byleth as well, though. She understood why he hadn't shown his face much around the dining hall or reception hall where most of the festivities were because Claude had let them know during the celebrations that Byleth, not him, would be the first leader of a restored, unified Fódlan, since he was returning to Almyra and entrusting Fódlan's future to them, though he certainly intended to foster relations, visit often and end Fódlan's isolation and ignorance of those who were different.

She thought somberly, I want to tell him so bad now that it's all over, but he's going to be the ruler of all Fódlan. Could he even think of having someone like me as Queen? What would the people think about that?

Don't give up, Dory! The other voice in her head implored. For all you know, they might think it's romantic for the Queen of Fódlan to be someone who was once an orphan!

Before she could think anything else, she heard someone behind her say, "Dorothea?"

She would know that high-pitched, kind voice anywhere. "Mercedes?"

"The professor wants to see you in the cathedral." She replied, giving her an encouraging smile.

She found him at the front near the pile of rubble that was still being cleared out. Even though they were the only ones as far as she saw, the whole cathedral was brightly lit and looked welcoming and homely.

"Professor!" Dorothea greeted brightly. Because of him, she couldn't help but smile even though she knew it was about to be serious.

"Dorothea, may I ask...did you ever find your 'strange person'?" He asked.

Dorothea couldn't suppress a giggle at him quoting her. She then steeled herself and answered, "See...there is one person I must confess I'm just a little bit interested in."

A small but meaningful smile came over Byleth's face, and he said, "In that case..."

He pulled out something and held it out to her, and Dorothea almost felt time slow down when she saw it. It was a silver band with blue jewels in a flower or star pattern.

"What? Is that...That's a ring." Dorothea knew she was stating the blatantly obvious, but it was all she could do to keep her mind working because the thought of what it could imply almost made her unable to do anything.

Okay, think, Dorothea. Make sure about this. You know you're allowed to do that, she thought.

She then said, "It would be very embarrassing if I had the wrong idea, so I have to ask...Are you proposing? Here? Now? T-to me?"

He answered, "Could I answer that with a question?" When she nodded, he asked, "Do you know what the hardest part of the conflict was for me?"

She shook her head. He answered,

"It wasn't finding out who I was or finding out the truth in general. It wasn't seeing my father die. It wasn't even having to fight any of our old friends, students and classmates."

Dorothea knew that meant a lot. Each of those moments had been trying and scarring, but she remembered most of all how she had had to comfort him after she saw Edelgard tearfully beg him to strike her down when the Alliance and the Knights of Seiros had taken Enbarr and stormed the Imperial Palace. She managed to asked, "What...what was it?"

"It was seeing you sad," Byleth answered. "Anytime you got turned down, anytime people couldn't treat you like the amazing lady you are...that time you told me about your fear of never finding someone who could, who was worthy of your heart."

Dorothea found herself deeply moved and gave him a loving look, but before she could say or do anything else, Byleth raised his hand and started singing. It wasn't just to any melody, though, but the exact same one she had been singing that day in her dormitory.

Blame...whose fault is it this time?

I can see it in your eyes

I know you're wondering

"Things can change..." Some people sang off to the side.

She whirled around in shock and almost didn't notice Byleth had done the same. Some of their friends and comrades who had helped them with the choir since they were students – Hilda, Manuela, and even Annette playing a lute. She looked around further and saw Lorenz at the organ.

She wondered if even Byleth hadn't been expecting them judging from his reaction, but she put that on hold as he kept singing,

Say you'll be all mine

I'm gonna love you all the time

Don't let it slip away

What happened next made her wonder if she was dreaming because of how poetic it was. She was hearing him, with their friends' help, sing to her the exact words she once had as his way of saying he had realized her feelings and wanted to return them

And now, anticipation waits for love

Will it be everything you dreamed? (You dreamed of)

This time around, I know you've got your doubts (This time around, this time around)

But, honey, I won't let you down

Dorothea suddenly realized why Byleth had asked her to come to the cathedral, even though even he didn't know what would happen. The way he was singing her song with their friends' help made it sound like a gospel tune. It was downright uplifting even to passers-by. For Dorothea, she could feel something starting to caress her soul like a finger gently lifting her chin, beginning to heal her wounds.

Darling, if... (If we fall)

If we fall in love tonight (In love tonight)

You're gonna be all right (Be all right)

Your heart is in good hands (Ooh)

Darling, if... (If we fall)

If we fell in love again (In love again)

On me you can depend (You can depend)

If you can take a chance (Ooh)

Open your heart and then love, love again

Even though she felt more uplifted and whole than she had in a very long time, Dorothea was still full of questions as she noticed that more and more of their comrades, including fellow students and Knights of Seiros, had started to come in to see what was going on.

"How?" She asked simply, her eyes wide.

"I was outside your room and heard," Petra replied. "I thought about keeping quiet, but then I decided I would be mistaking to be doing nothing."

She then bowed with a forearm to her chest and said apologetically, "Forgive me, Dorothea. From your song, I had understanding that you had much pain."

"Don't apologize, Petra," Dorothea implored. "I know you were just trying to be a good friend."

"Thank you, Dorothea," Petra said with a smile. I then met Claude, but he had refusal to hear and said to only tell the professor."

"I thought it would be more fun that way, though I certainly didn't expect to walk in on Teach as he was writing and practicing it," Claude said with a wink and a grin. "I didn't tell him, but I decided that he should have some help, and as you can see, a number of us agreed...for both of your sakes. The only things he was aware of is that I heard his part of the song and that he needed someone to tell you to come to the cathedral."

"Thank you..." She told their friends, managing a smile. Byleth nodded at them with a similar smile before Dorothea turned back to Byleth and said, "I don't know what to say..."

She could have sworn she heard Hilda hiss, "Say yes!" She put it to the back of her mind and asked tremulously, "Are you sure? You want to spend your life with...me?"

"Dorothea, he wouldn't have asked for my blessing if he didn't want to." Manuela said.

Dorothea whirled around to look at her senior and idol, who had tears in her eyes but was smiling at her. She suddenly realized that Byleth must have felt Manuela was the closest thing to a parent figure that she had left after her parents had died when she was young, which led him to ask her permission.

Manuela then finished, "He's a man like no other, Dorothea...and he loves you. Take care of him...or I will."

Dorothea's heart suddenly broke, even though she managed a smile. She had known that Manuela was a lot like her at Garreg Mach in that she had been looking for companionship, and Byleth was one of the few men they could trust with everything. For her to give Byleth her blessing knowing that she was giving up any chance she had with him if Dorothea said yes was as poignant as it was enormous.

She then nodded twice hastily at her and smiled as best as she could with a trembling lip, which showed how emotional she was, and then turned back to Byleth, thinking, That would be a dream come true, but I...Goddess help me if this makes me sound stupid, but I need to know.

"Even though I'm not...no..." She trailed off and then corrected herself. "Even if I couldn't be a songstress anymore?"

Byleth nodded.

"And even though I don't come from a noble family or have any wealth or land to my name?"

"Dorothea!" Claude exclaimed, almost admonishingly, though he had a smile on his face. "You're a Golden Deer now! Since when have we let that get in the way of anything?"

He has a point, Dorothea happily conceded, and she managed a weak but sincere smile at him and whispered, "Thanks, Claude."

But then she turned back to Byleth and continued because she had to exorcise herself once and for all of all her fears of not spending her life with the one who meant the most to her. She would have shouted if she had the voice.

"You won the war! Fódlan has been united, and you'll soon be its first king! You could pick anyone in the world! Why would you..."

Her voice broke, and she looked around, almost unable to look at him because her heart was almost unable to bear it. And she saw that even there, she could see women and girls she had grown close to and would trust with her life – Manuela, Hilda, Mercedes, Annette, Leonie, Lysithea, Marianne, Ingrid and Flayn. If he were to pick any of them, it would break her heart into a million pieces, but she would understand and try to smile through her tears. (Petra and Bernadetta were the only ones she wasn't worried about because of Claude and Raphael.)

Then she looked back at Byleth, and he had a smile that looked especially emotional – almost sad – but love-filled more than that. It was then that she recognized with a thrill, He knows what I'm trying to do!

The music picked back up, and he sang, with their choir mates joining in,

Honey, I don't...I don't want you to have any doubts (Ooh)

About me – whatever makes you happy, I'm gonna do

Baby, I'm so ready to love you down (Love you down)

Can't wait another moment, I'll be here right now!

It was as if Dorothea felt herself soaring and revitalized. She thought with ecstatic, frantic wonder, Is this what he felt when Sothis gave him her power? Because I feel like this is a miracle!

Using the analogy she always used, the rose was suddenly in bloom once more. The thorns would always be there for those who threatened her or her friends, but now they were also there to protect the man she loved, and she felt like the petals had suddenly bloomed again, only this time, they would stay forever thanks to Byleth.

She then was struck with another realization. That's my cue!

With happy tears in her eyes, she ran to Byleth to close the distance, took his hands and guided him closer before stretching out her hands, inviting him to slip the ring on. Her professional ear even detected the key going higher, and she sang,

Darling, if... (If we fall)

If we fall in love tonight (In love tonight)

You're gonna be all right (Be all right)

Your heart is in good hands (Ooh)

Darling, if... (If we fall)

If we fall in love again (In love again)

On me you can depend (You can depend)

(If you can take a chance)

"Together, Professor!" She called, now positively glowing.

"I've got your back!" He replied, knowing full well what she meant.

They had sung together during choir practice, but this was something else entirely. Dorothea felt herself instinctively trying to project energy through her voice and face like she had so often onstage. And it was indeed the Mystical Songstress at work, but this time, it was even more magical because she wasn't projecting the feelings of someone she was playing in any way, but hers alone. Her love, her devotion, and her joy.

She couldn't suppress her smile growing more than she thought possible as she saw Byleth doing his best to keep up – Not that he has anything to worry about, she thought. He's doing more than just fine!

Darling, if... (If we fall)

If we fall in love tonight (In love tonight)

You're gonna be all right (Be all right)

Your heart is in good hands (Ooh)

Darling, if... (If we fall)

If we fall in love again (In love again)

On me you can depend (You can depend)

If you can take a chance (Ooh)

The music quieted slightly, allowing them to finish together as Dorothea took Byleth's hands and held them at chest level while looking him in the eyes,

Open your heart and then love, love again

Open your heart and then love, love again

Open your heart and then love, love again

As they finished, the assembled crowd burst into a roar that almost sounded like another battle had just been won. What made it different was that Dorothea could see a lot of women in the crowd, including Petra, Marianne and Mercedes, in happy tears. Leonie was pumping her fist, while Hilda and Annette were alternating between squeeing and trying to hold still enough for Flayn to dry their eyes. At the same time, Dorothea threw her arms around Byleth just as he hugged her back tightly.

"Professor Byleth, my darling...my beloved...yes, I'll marry you!" She told him, almost breathlessly.

"Thank you so much, Dorothea..." Byleth said, his voice laden with emotion. Dorothea was amazed to see him crying as well as he said, "You know I was more nervous doing that than I was fighting Nemesis, don't you?"

"That makes two of us," Dorothea said, and they allowed themselves a laugh. She laid her head on his shoulder and whispered, but audibly,

"I love you. I could never sing anything as pure as..."

With a start, she said, "Wait...I think I might be wrong. I just got another song. Do you mind if I try this one? I've never done this before..."

"Absolutely!" Byleth said with the biggest smile she'd seen yet. "The stage is yours, my lady."

"Thanks. Don't let go of me, though – it'll work a lot better that way!" Dorothea said with a wink.

She allowed herself to hear the crowd quieting and then sang, looking straight into his eyes,

Have I told you lately that I love you?

Have I told you there's no one else above you?

You fill my heart with gladness, take away all my sadness

Ease my troubles, that's what you do

The crowd broke out into another round of applause that was as loud as the previous one. This time, though, Dorothea almost didn't hear it because almost all she heard was Byleth saying, "That was beautiful, Dorothea. Thank you so much."

She beamed at him, but before she could say anything else, she heard another voice yell, "To the King and Queen of Fódlan!"

They looked and saw it was Leonie, who had brought her drink from the dining hall and was raising it.

"To the King and Queen!" The other onlookers echoed heartily.

After many of them finished their drinks, Leonie came up to Dorothea and said, "Congratulations! One more thing, Dorothea...I couldn't help but notice that that's the same wedding ring Captain Jeralt had. The professor wouldn't give that to a girl unless he really loved her."

Dorothea gasped softly, turned to Byleth and asked, "Is that true?"

"It is. And one of his last wishes was that I gave that to someone I loved like he loved my mother," Byleth responded.

Dorothea nuzzled him fondly in response. "I didn't know him as well as you two did, but I'll give you all I have...for his sake, but for yours even more than that."

Leonie smiled at them like a proud sister.

A short time later, they were about to leave the cathedral to head back to the dining and reception halls, Dorothea and Byleth sought out Claude and Petra.

"Thank you so much for that. If there's something we can do for you two to make sure you have a special day too, don't hesitate to ask," Dorothea told them wholeheartedly.

"It was our pleasure, Dorothea," Claude answered, winking. "And there is something you two can do as Fódlan's king- and queen-in-waiting. Could you just keep an eye on Almyra for me? I'll be accompanying her back to Brigid and I intend to ask her grandfather for permission to marry her."

"Of course," Byleth replied, smiling.

"You should have seen his face, Dorothea," Petra said with a broad smile. "I was telling him I had found a perfect person, and if he gave refusal, I would be tying him up and dragging him home. He certainly did not give refusal."

Both Dorothea and Byleth burst out laughing at the image.