A/N: I'm back from a long break from writing and am hoping to get back into some old writing projects and this one! I'm in love with Three Houses and I hope you guys will enjoy this. Feedback is appreciated!

Byleth lays in her tent, staring up at the roof, exhausted from the events of the day. As a mercenary, she was always looking for a job, no matter how dangerous it seemed to be. It was the only life she knew, but it often took its toll. After her father Jeralt had passed away of sickness the year before, she continued the wandering mercenary lifestyle they had shared, trailing across the country completing various tasks in order to make enough coin to get by. Although she always lives her life on the edge and murder was a thing she became accustomed to, it was mentally and physically taxing. So much so, that after a days work, she sometimes found herself unable to find the energy to set up her tent like usual, and would instead find a tree to lean on which she found a perfectly fine sleeping place.

However, tonight, although Byleth was exhausted, she found the motivation to sluggishly assemble her tent in the woods and plop down on her blanket and pillow, snuggling under the soft downy fur. Her mind rushes throughout the events of the day. Today, she had been given a painful task, although it paid quite the coin. In town, a shop owner requested that she retrieve stolen goods from a group of bandits who had invaded the shop earlier. The bandits had camp nearby the town, but since the town was quite poor and small, they hadn't yet gathered enough resources to invade them. The shopkeeper had been trying to find someone to help them for a while, but it seemed all the mercenaries around were too afraid to enter the camp of bandits. Byleth, however, felt no fear. She had learned well from her father in combat, and she was a master of the sword. The small group of bandits were no match for her, and she easily cut them down and retrieved the goods, as well as taking some loot from the camp. However, after she had received her reward, her tiredness caught up with her and she found herself nearly falling asleep as she walked to the woods to set up camp for the night.

After Byleth had reflected briefly on her day, she felt herself slipping away to dream world, her lids closing. A sudden horrific scream rings throughout the night, jolting her out of her sleep and up straight in her bed. It sounded like the voice of a man, and he was in incredible pain, that much she was certain of. Her kindhearted and curious tendencies tear her from her bed and she exits the tent, heading towards the direction she remembered the scream coming from. As she sprints through the woods, the wind tousling her deep blue locks, another scream reaches her ears, sounding much closer this time. It was a lower and more gurgled noise, like the person was unable to bear the pain they were in. She now could hear others, the noises of a group of men laughing sadistically and chuckling amongst themselves. She finds the group of people in a clearing in the woods, and she observes from a distance behind the bushes.

There were 8 people, 7 of them dressed in rags and tatters: clearly bandits. The last man certainly did not fit in. He was a large man, at least six feet tall and quite muscular. His hair was a striking bright blond, and it hung messily down to his neck. He had overgrown bangs which obscured much of his face, but it was twisted up in pain. He was wearing all black armor which hugged his toned body, and he had a fur robe thrown over his shoulders, giving him an intimidating look. However, on further inspection. Byleth sees that this blond man was covered in wounds. His arm was soaked with blood, dripping onto the grass beneath him. She also notices that his eyes, a beautiful sky blue, were injured. His right eye was bleeding down his face, making him look like he is crying blood.

The bandits currently seemed to be cornering him and kicking at him. The blond man was clearly suffering from severe blood loss and could hardly keep himself standing, and one of the kicks from the bandits sends him to the ground, his head in the dirt.

"You scum! I'll murder you and tear you apart!" The man screams with hatred and blood lust, but the bandits laugh at him as they start to kick his body. The man struggles beneath them, unable to regain his footing. One of the bandits steps directly onto his face, sneering down at him. "Dimitri, give it up. You've lost the throne, and only death awaits a traitor like you."

Byleth makes a snap decision. She had a feeling these bandits were bad news, and for some reason, she wanted to aid that man who was called Dimitri. That look in his eyes gave her chills, and she wanted to know more about him. She wanted to help him from this pitiful situation he had gotten into.

Stealthily, she approaches from the bushes behind the bandits, unsheathing her sword. Dimitri notices Byleth's approach, and his eyes widen. "You fool!" He hisses at her, unsure of her intentions but thinking she was going to attack the bandits.

Byleth swiftly cuts down half of the men with one swing, sending blood spurting everywhere and their bodies crumple to the ground. The renaming bandits whip around, attempting to swing their axes at her, but missing by a mile. She easily kills the remaining men with a few simple strokes of her blade, going for their vitals and ending their life in an instant. Their bodies drop to the grass, lifeless.

Dimitri cannot believe the sight before him. This tiny woman had cut down so many bandits? Not a single injury to herself? And her skill.... She was clearly a master of the blade, she had years of experience behind her. This was clear in the precision and technique in her practice.

But why... Dimitri wonders to himself in utter disbelief. Why has she not killed me yet?

Dimitri cautiously edges away from her, although still very clearly severely injured and still unable to get to his feet. He was not sure of her intentions, and she may desire to attack him next. He reaches around desperately on the grass to find his dagger, but the bandits had kicked it away somewhere. "Get away from me, I'll kill you." He growls menacingly, his right eye still bloodshot and filled with blood, but his other eye filled with ferocity.

"I'm not going to harm you." Byleth says calmly, sitting down on her knees a few feet away from him to look at him on eye level.

Dimitri is in awe at this woman who was crouching across from him like she was speaking to a kitten. "What are your intentions?" He was confused at why she would not kill him and take his possessions then be on her way. How could she profit from sparing his life? He was clearly at a disadvantage, bleeding out and unable to move much.

"I'm going to help you." Byleth crawls towards him, grass clinging to her lace stockings. Her cerulean eyes stare deep into his own, and the Dimitri feels shivers travel up his spine. This woman was striking. Although in unbearable pain, he still found himself a bit drawn in by her beautiful eyes. Yet, he also still clings to distrust. Surely she was fooling him, waiting for the right moment to strike him down.

"Why?" He whispers hoarsely, coughing up a bit of blood on the grass. This shocks Byleth back into action as she realizes again the severity of his condition. "Because I want to." She says simply, bending over and easily picking up this hulk of a man who was twice her size. She tosses him gently over her shoulders like he were a sack of potatoes. He grunts in discomfort as his injuries are touched, but he was more upset about the insult to his pride. He hated relying on others, and this was one of the most pathetic positions he'd ever been in. Just who was this woman to think she could carry me? I can walk fine by myself! I do not need any others.

"Let me down! I do not need your assistance." Dimitri mumbles, barely able to form words anymore as he feels himself beginning to pass out. Blood clouded his vision from his injured eye, and his injured arm violently throbbed, but he did his best to bear it. He didn't need this woman... Or so he thought.

"I'll take care of you, rest easy." Byleth reaches around with her other arm to pat his head gently as a sort of reassurance. The nearly passed out Dimitri feels a warmth spread throughout him that he hadn't felt in a while as her hand briefly caressed his hair. Involuntarily, although he resisted sleep, his injured body could take no more, and his eyelids closed.

A/N: There you go, chapter one! I'd love to know what you guys think.