Fire Emblem Three Houses Retainerswap AU Comic The First, Featuring Edelgard and Hilda
In Which They Actually Like Each Other
Transcript under cut:
Hilda approaches Edelgard, holding a cute bag. Hilda: Oh, Edel, my big brother sent me sweets again, do you want any? Edelgard, reaching into the bag and grabbing a cookie: I have noticed Lord Holst sends you gifts often. Hilda: Yeah, he spoils me so much, it’s a bit suffocating! I kind of wish he’d… Hilda stops when she sees Edelgard looking down. Hilda: Oh. She puts a hand on Edelgard’s shoulder. Hilda: Hey, it’s okay, Edel. Look, you might not have any siblings who can coddle you anymore, but you got me, right? I’ll look out for you, I promise. Edelgard: That is not necessary, really… Hilda, leaning on Edelgard affectionately: You can be the big strong Emperor while I’ll make sure you can have some time to relax. Edelgard, flatly: You spend entirely too much time relaxing. Hilda, defensive: And you don’t spend enough! Edelgard: I suppose you do have a point. But do not embarrass me. Hilda: But you’re cute when you blush! Edelgard, sternly: Hilda. Hilda: I got it, don’t worry. You know I’d do anything for you, right? Edelgard, doubtful: You almost never do anything for me. Hilda, gesuring behind her shoulder: Okay, I’d make other people do anything for you. Edelgard: That is more accurate.
So I have been kicking around this theory for a while and I think I’ve finally made enough of a breakthrough about it to go on about it.
There’s a device in rhetoric known as the Modes of Persuasion. These are certain modes that are used to help appeal to an audience in order to persuade them to agree with your argument or any other factor that you are looking to achieve. In this case, we’ll be using it in terms of achieving the goal of leadership and change.
The three main modes are - Ethos, Logos & Pathos. Ethos is the appeal to authority/credibility. Example being a dentist’s testimonial about the effectiveness of a toothpaste. Pathos is the appeal to emotions/feelings. Example being basically any of those animal rescue ads with Sarah McLachlan. Logos is the appeal to logic/facts. Example being any sort of charts and figures proving a point. Or just any sort of factual evidence of sorts.
Anyways, so in regards to Fire Emblem: Three Houses, you’re probably wondering what the hell am I talking about? Well here’s the thing - in regards to the three main lords (Edelgard, Dimitri, Claude), they are all lacking in one of these appeals and that is why their methods/paths end up failing without the influence of Byleth for they are the one who helps instill that side of them.
Let’s start off with Edelgard. She has both Ethos and Logos. What she is lacking without Byleth is the Pathos. For her, this is all business. She uses her authority of position to assume power and the facts/figures (church corruption, nobility corruption) to bring forth her own vision. Without Byleth, we see that her path has too much bloodshed as the slaughtering of innocents is seen more as just a part of the war than something that can be avoided. With Byleth, there’s more of a humanity there and the goal is given much more of an emotional impact, especially considering Byleth’s origins.
Now with Dimitri. He’s got Pathos and Ethos. He’s lacking in Logos. He’s got feels for days and the whole being a future king deal is quite a big authority to say the least. His sense of logic, however, has been skewed as we see how he has a serious mental break due to his emotions and goes completely batshit. Without Byleth, he stays in that batshit state and ends up meeting his end in an unfortunate way. With Byleth, he’s able to find the logic necessary (granted it takes time) to become a great leader. He’s able to rein in his emotions for the good of the people.
And finally, onto Claude. As you know how this argument goes, he’s got the Pathos and the Logos. It’s Ethos that he’s missing. He’s known as the Master Tactician and he’s able to come up with schemes and is quite brilliant at it. He’s also got enough of a humanity that when he avoids as much bloodshed as he can (as evidenced by his poison that would only inconvenience someone for a couple days). However, despite being made a legit heir of House Riegan, he does not have enough authority around. People find him deceiving and manipulative. They don’t think he has the credibility and it shows even in the timeskip. With Byleth, he gains that authority and credibility he so seeks to be able to lead. Without Byleth, we see that he ends up pretty much just saying “Peace out” and takes off for his own homeland (or gets killed depending on if you spare him or not in Edelgard’s route)
Of course this does not mean that the lords are lacking in their missing mode. Edelgard does have emotions of sorts, Dimitri does have logic of sorts, and Claude does have authority of sorts. It’s just that without Byleth, those qualities are not able to develop enough to become a viable asset in order for them to succeed in their path.
Maybe this isn’t the most sound theory and maybe I’m just grasping at straws, but I found it very interesting. Feel free to expand upon this if you’d like.
Inspired by the prompt, and subsequent fill, linked here.
The council of seven has never liked Dimitri - Base-born, foreign, bound to the imperial heir by blood and yet lacking even the smallest trace of imperial heritage. They would have much preferred Dimitri remain El’s hidden shame, a private weakness that could be covered up and locked away.
More to the point, they would prefer he remain a useful point of leverage against the future Empress’ plans. They would have made Dimitri the blade they held at his sister’s throat. He had escaped that fate by only the narrowest of margins and the favor of the Emperor.
When his imperial majesty, Emperor Ionius IX, announces in open court he is legitimizing his natural son, Dimitri von Hresvelg, brother to her imperial highness, Edelgard von Hresvelg, it doesn’t matter what the truth is. Dimitri is the son of Ionius, so named and so claimed, and not even the seven can dispute it.
They can kill him. But they can’t dispute it.
Dimitri has two crests, years of combat training, no family beyond his indispensable father and sister, and the protection of Hubert, who bears no love for Dimitri but will not see his lady mourn another sibling.
The council’s long-running quest to kill Dimitri has, to say the least, hit a few snags.
Image 1: a color comic depicting Caspar and Linhardt in their war-phase attires. The first panel shows a smiling Caspar effortlessly twirling a surprised-looking Linhardt in his arms. In the second panel, which depicts them in a more simplified style, Linhardt has comically spiraling eyes and Caspar looks worried as he shakes him and blurts out: “Oh crap, Linhardt, I’m so sorry, I don’t know what came over me, I shouldn’t have–”. In the third panel, Linhardt looks determined and has a little blush as he holds Caspar’s hands and says: “Do that again”. Caspar looks confused and he exclaims: “Huh?!”
Image 2: A grayscale sketch depicting Linhardt cradling an injured Caspar in his arms. They are inside a fort. Caspar has his eyes closed and sleeps peacefully Linhardt kisses his forehead. They are covered in blood, and pieces of Caspar’s armor are scattered on the floor.
Image 3: A colorless sketch depicting a shirtless, bandaged Caspar resting in bed. Linhardt is by his side and they are holding hands. Both have soft smiles on their faces.
Image 4: A colorless sketch on a gray background depicting a scene from Caspar and Linhardt’s A support. Caspar is pumping his fists and grinning as he looks at Linhardt and exclaims: “You are a strategic genius, Linhardt!” while Linhardt is blushing, smiling bashfully and averting his eyes as he says, “Nonsense, your strength carried the day…”
Image 5: A color comic parodying a scene from Parks and Recreation. Edelgard is looking at an excited-looking Caspar and a bored-looking Linhardt as she says, “I have total faith in you”. In the next panel, she stares deadpan at the “camera” as she says, “There’s like a 30% chance they’ll both die.”
Image 6: A colorless comic depicting Caspar holding up two wanted posters with his and Linhardt’s face on them. The one with his face on it offers a 1000 gold reward and he is wanted dead or alive, while Linhardt’s poster offers a 999,999 gold reward and he is wanted alive. In the first panel, Caspar is smiling proudly and saying, “Look, Lin! They got posters with our faces on ‘em!” In the second panel, his expression looks troubled as he glances over at his poster and says, “…wait. Uh oh.”
Image 7: A colorless sketch on a soft pink background depicting Caspar and Linhardt standing next to each other. They appear to be in their fifties. Caspar is smiling sincerely as he flexes his bicep. He has a receeding hairline and some stubble, and a larger gut than he had in his youth. His right leg is missing and he has a peg leg. He is dressed in a shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his shoulders and a pair of simple pants rolled up to his knees. He has a leather toolbelt around his waist. Linhardt has a smug smile on his face and he is holding a book. His long hair cascades down his back and shoulders, and a few strands near the front are braided. He is wearing glasses and earrings, and is dressed in a poofy-sleeved shirt, a vest, and a long, ample skirt down to his ankles. They both have matching wedding bands.
Omggg the tag I wrote… This was the last drawing I did before finding out I had carpal and cubital tunnel My wrists were stinging and burning (on and off) when I drew this sjfjsjfs
It hasn’t been a full year since I found out that both of my wrists are lowkey senile But I’m doing relatively good now. I did some occupational therapy for it last year. I just need to pace my artworks nowww ✨✨
To whoever is reading this, take breaks when you draw or type for long periods of time!! And stretch your hands once in a while!! Don’t be like me, nerve issues are a bishh
Q: Tell us how Edelgard and the Empire got to the position they’re in now.
Kusakihara: I think most of the characters walking the path of conquest up until now have been men. I also think villains are often men… I wanted to do something unexpected, or make it harder to predict future events, so that role went to a woman this time.
To quote Helluva Boss, “Well, well! Would'ja look at that?”
