Many Happy Returns

A Fire Emblem Fates Story

July 15th

Beloved Scion

Sundays were special for Corrin. Her weekdays were crowded with lessons of all sorts: history, math, literature, magic, combat, music—all the necessities of a Nohrian princess' upbringing. Additionally, her siblings visited periodically throughout the week, giving her a small reprieve from her hectic schedule. On Saturdays, she helped Felicia and Flora with her laundry—from teenhood onward, she banned Jakob from the task, the thought of him handling her undergarments a mortifying embarrassment—and the chances were good that more than one, if not all, of her siblings would visit her from the afternoon until late evening. But Sundays were different. With nothing to study or clean, she could spend the day at her leisure. Sundays were free.

And most of all, Sunday was the day Odin came to visit.

How long had it been since the very first time he came to the Northern Fortress? She estimated about six months. On the first visit, he came on behalf of his liege, her brother, Leo. She had been lounging on the window seat, gazing out over the world and daydreaming about the grand adventures she had read about in books, when Jakob interrupted her solitude to announce she had a visitor. Her siblings were almost always busy on Sundays, so it puzzled her who could be calling on her. No sooner had she agreed to see her guest, he appeared, sweeping into the room for a grandiose, rehearsed entrance. The gesture caught her off guard, his mannerisms so strikingly different than anyone she had ever met. As his introduction ended and he struck his final pose, he looked to her for a reaction. In hindsight, she suspected he was tensed for rejection. So unexpected was the blank pause, followed by her eruption of laughter, that he faltered, unable to keep character in the face of her unabashed amusement. She only continued to flummox him when she praised his theatricality, genuinely impressed with his confidence and persona. Hesitantly, he accepted her compliments; years of false flattery made him wary of sarcasm.

As it turns out, he had a package from her brother to deliver—another history book for her lessons. The rather boring present made Odin's visit all the more interesting, so she coaxed him into staying to chat a bit longer. After all, it wasn't every day she had such an intriguing guest. They spent the remainder of the afternoon talking, Corrin asking him questions about the places he'd visited and Odin recounting his adventures to a captivated audience, something to which he wasn't at all accustomed. The onset of evening caught them both by surprise, and as they said their goodbyes, Corrin insisted he come visit her again soon—after all, it was so rare for her to have guests, especially outside her family. Sundays, as it happened, were one of his two days off in the week (the other, Wednesday, reserved for menial tasks like cleaning). He'd made an exception for the day's visit since Leo pressed the delivery's importance, plus, he admitted, he was interested in finally meeting Nohr's, "mystery princess." Happily, he agreed to see her the following week. Thus began their friendship, and for the first time in her life, Corrin had something to look forward to every week.

Every Sunday since, he visited without fail, and with every visit, they grew closer, to the point that now she considered him to be her best friend. True, she had few others to call friends, but Odin was special. Most of all, he was special to her.

This particular Sunday held great significance. Odin and Corrin shared a birth month: his in the middle of July, and hers at the end. As if by fate, Odin's birthday, the fifteenth, fell on a Sunday this year, and Corrin had been preparing for it for all month. Flora helped her prepare the food, Felicia assisted with decorating (in a rare stroke of luck, with zero accidents), and even Jakob had grudgingly agreed to prepare tea for them when Odin arrived. Even the weather was cooperating; it was still the usual Nohrian overcast, but it was much brighter than the usual gloom. Everything was perfectly in line for her surprise.

Well, almost everything.

Corrin sighed at her reflection, fluffing the skirt of her dress. Frowning, she stared at herself in the full-length mirror for a long moment before she ultimately rejected the selection and stripped it over her head, tossing it into the pile of four others on her bed. She needed something nice, but not too nice. If her outfit was too formal, it might tip off her intentions, but if it was too casual, it wouldn't convey how important this was to her. She wanted a particular reaction, not his usual, chipper greeting, but more...stunned awe? Just once, she wanted him to see her as she saw him: breathtakingly beautiful.

Her heart drummed faster as she rifled through the gowns hung in the wardrobe, the knot of anxiety in her stomach squirming with each declined outfit. Desperate, she reached into the back of the closet, and her fingers brushed against something soft and delicate. Following the fabric to the hanger, she removed the item, her breath catching.

The dress was simple, a few draped layers of chiffon, cinched tightly at the midsection. Thin white straps crossed in the back, and the bodice had a lace overlay that met at a collar to go around the neck, a white bow attached to it. It was exactly what she was looking for: modest, understated, but still feminine and graceful. As for footwear...Corrin hated shoes, mostly because she rarely had the need to wear them in the fortress, so she owned very few pairs. The thought of being in uncomfortable shoes for hours didn't sit well with her, so she dug in a drawer, instead selecting a crocheted pair of white barefoot sandals Flora had made for her. After some detangling, she arranged the handmade flowers on her feet and ankles and tied them in place on her legs.

Corrin inspected the completed ensemble in the mirror, smiling coyly as she smoothed the flowy layers and turned to see herself from every angle possible. It was perfect, but it needed one final piece. Pacing to her bedside table, she picked up a diamond-shaped hairpin, her expression fond. Odin had bought it for her two months ago on his last trip out of the kingdom, a souvenir, as he called it. He had missed a Sunday for that trip; it had rained most of the day, the sky reflecting her depression and loneliness. He returned the following Sunday, present in hand, and she had worn it every day since. Returning to the mirror, she pinned it in place. With a smile, she nodded, her cheeks pinkening. She was ready.

Odin always came after lunch, one on the dot, like clockwork, and he usually remained at the Northern Fortress with her until just before dinner, at which point he would return back to her brother at Castle Krakenburg. Corrin was too nervous to eat, choosing to spend the time she had left before his arrival in an over-adjusting panic, fretting every detail. Before she knew it, the moment arrived, Felicia tripping as she entered the room to announce Odin had been sighted coming down the path. Corrin took the steps down to the main hall two at a time, her heart skipping all the way. When she reached the last landing before the final turn to the grand staircase that centered the entrance hall, she stopped to smooth the lines of her clothes. Odin's baritone in her ears sent a shock through her, and cautiously, she peaked over the banister to the front door, where Jakob stood welcoming their expected guest (though from the sounds of it, her butler's acerbic wit lurked below the surface of the pleasantries she insisted he use today).

Odin dressed casually when he visited her, and today was no exception: the long yellow tunic over the dark gray long-sleeved undershirt suited him, the belt around his middle creating a handsome silhouette. His off-white pants clung comfortably to his frame, a simple pair of boots completing the ensemble. He was definitely underdressed compared to her, but she personally thought he looked rather dashing. Taking a deep breath, she paced the last few steps to the main stairway, just as the patience in Jakob's tone seemed at its thinnest.

"How in the gods' name did you ever become a retainer, and to a royal no less?" Jakob sneered, an eyebrow raised. "You're lucky Lord Leo hasn't seen fit to banish you for all your pompous nonsense."

"My magnanimous Lord Leo understands that there's a process to my work—a method to my madness, if you will," said Odin, a hand partially obscuring his face as he spoke. "To serve him without the aid of my dark exultations would be tantamount to passivity! In his wisdom, my Lord recognizes true genius when he sees it!"

Jakob leered at him, his mouth a deadpan line. "Gods help me, I don't know what my Lady sees in you," he muttered under his breath.

"Odin!"

Both men turned at the voice, Jakob schooling his features into a more neutral expression. Glancing peripherally at Odin, his eyebrows furrowed, and he looked away. The idiot didn't deserve his Lady's affection, but he would behave for today, for her sake, at least.

Odin froze, his jaw slackening. Lady Corrin was always a beauty, something he noticed immediately the day he met her, but the vision of loveliness descending the staircase, her dress flouncing lightly with each graceful step, took his breath completely. He blinked, and then he blinked again, and then a third time, the shock rendering him speechless. Heat rose in his face, but he was far too braindead to mask it properly. It wasn't until she reached the bottom that he realized he'd been holding his breath, and he exhaled sharply, coming back to himself in a storm of jumbled thoughts that he couldn't sort through to find a suitable candidate for conversation.

"Welcome back, Odin," Corrin said with a smile that melted his brain all over again. "It's good to see you again."

"Yes, I am back!" he announced, much louder than he intended. "Er, that is...I have returned from the, uh...murky underworld to...uh…" He stopped mid-sentence, his voice catching in his throat, still blinking excessively at her.

Corrin observed him, trying to keep her expression placid. She'd wanted him to think she was beautiful, so...mission accomplished? Glee bubbled inside her, escaping onto her face, and she beamed at him. "Well, I'm happy to have you back, Odin." Nervously, she reached toward his arm. "Shall we?" she asked, tilting her head.

Odin fumbled into a straighter posture and dutifully offered her his arm, which she looped into, her hand curling around his bicep.

"Should you need anything, my Lady, don't hesitate to call on me," said Jakob with a defeated sigh.

"Of course, Jakob, thank-you," she said with a nod as she lead Odin back to the staircase. They ascended in silence for a moment, Corrin too elated by his reaction to contemplate conversation. When they rounded the first turn, however, Odin spoke.

"F-Forgive me, milady, but I...that is to say, you…" He faltered again; if it were possible, smoke would be pouring from his ears.

"Something the matter?" she asked, giving him a curious look.

"N-No, it's just…" He frowned to the side, weighing his words. "Forgive my impertinence, but...you're dressed far too exquisitely for an insignificant retainer like me."

Corrin laughed beside him, her arm squeezing around his. "Don't be silly," she said, glancing up at him. "You're not at all insignificant, Odin—you're my dearest friend. As for the dress, I just wanted to wear something nice today, that's all." She paused, anxiety registering on her face. "Does...it bother you? Because I can change—"

"No, don't!" he yelped, halting their progress up the stairs. His face went through a series of expressions—penitent, contemplative, determined, apprehensive—before he finally settled on a nervous grin. "Y-You look very lovely today, Lady Corrin," he said in a quiet voice, completely unable to make eye contact.

Blushing, she gave his arm another affectionate squeeze. "Thank-you, Odin. I appreciate your opinion."

They stood together, arm-in-arm on the stairwell, the silence awkward and charged. Wanting to fill the void, Corrin tugged him upward again, and they climbed the remaining stairs without a word.

"So, Odin," Corrin said as they entered the hallway, anxious to break down the sudden wall between them, "have you had a busy week? Any new stories to tell me?"

"Yes, several!" said Odin, leaping at the opportunity with full force. "I've quite a few thrilling tales of darkness to share with you, princess."

"I can't wait to hear them," she said, beaming at him.

They continued down the hallway, Odin recapping some of his exploits from the week. Even the most mundane of tasks sounded exciting when told with his dramatic flair, and Corrin smiled as she listened beside him, enjoying how totally in his element he was. When they approached and then passed her bedroom door, however, he stopped and turned to her with a puzzled expression.

"I thought we could take a walk for a bit," she explained. "We always chat in my room, so I thought a change of scenery would be nice."

"If that's what milady desires, then who am I to object?" Odin said, grinning at her.

He retook his storytelling, obliviously allowing her to guide them down a series of corridors. Corrin's heart pounded with each step, until finally, they arrived at a double-doorway at the end of a hall.

"There's actually something I wanted to show you, Odin," Corrin said, releasing his arm to step toward the door.

"A hidden secret of the Northern Fortress?" Odin queried, grinning excitedly. "Ooh, ooh, is it a forbidden chamber? Or perhaps a room full of Nohrian sundries? Or maybe a library of tomes filled with otherworldly magic?"

Corrin giggled as she rested her hand on the doorknob. "I'm afraid it's nothing quite that exciting, but I hope you'll enjoy it, anyway." She opened the door, allowing Odin to enter before her, holding her breath as he did so.

The room was large and rectangular, obviously used in the past as a meeting room. There were wide, floor-to-ceiling windows interspersed along the back wall, allowing what little light the Nohrian summer sun had into the room. However, what immediately caught Odin's attention was a long paper banner, nailed to the wall between two windows. It had his name on it, wishing him a happy birthday. The table below it was festively decorated with colored streamers and various handmade decorations, platters heaped with cookies and tea cakes in the center. He blinked, turning around to the door, where Corrin stood wearing the most tender smile he had ever seen.

"I couldn't leave to buy a proper gift for you," she explained, her posture bashful as she wrung her hands, her eyes on the floor. "So I thought the least I could do was give you a small party. I've never baked anything before, but Flora helped me, so everything should taste okay." She looked up at him, giving him another heart-melting smile. "Happy birthday, Odin."

For once in his life, he was truly at a loss for words. Warmth blazed behind his breastbone, a sharp ache that made him feel tingly all over and stole all his confidence. It almost brought tears to his eyes, though he strained to resist them. Quietly, he spoke, all his bravado buried somewhere in the fire in his chest. "You...did all this for me?"

Her smile broadened, making the fire roar inside him. "Well, I had a lot of help, but, yes," she said. Blushing, she added, "I wanted to do something nice for you. You've come to visit me for months now, and I've never been able to thank you for the time you've spent with me. I...I really treasure our friendship, and I just wanted to show that."

He stepped toward her, taking her hands in his, grinning fondly at her. "Visiting you has been an honor and a pleasure, Lady Corrin. There was really no need to thank me, but…" Their eyes met, and his eyebrows tipped upward as he smiled at her. "I'm truly grateful to you for this. I'm humbled that you would consider me worth the trouble."

"It was no trouble at all," Corrin said, squeezing his hand. "It was the least I could do for someone as special as you."

"I'm really not all that special, milady," Odin said, still smiling sadly at her.

Cheeks flushing, Corrin smiled up at him. "Well, you are to me."

He couldn't argue with that; the blaze in his heart wouldn't let him. They spent the remainder of the afternoon together, sampling treats (which were amazing, but even if they hadn't been, he would have said as such), having tea (served by an unusually-civil Jakob), chatting like always. Corrin kept invading his personal space, a hand on his arm, a squeeze of his hand, a lean against his shoulder. Every touch electrified, his skin tingling with phantom warmth when she withdrew. When the evening drew near, casting the warm glow of sunset over the room, he felt a stabbing pang of sadness. True, he always lamented when they had to part ways, but today, after basking in her grace and generosity, Odin found the thought of leaving her side unbearable. Regardless, the appointed time arrived, and they walked arm-in-arm back to the entrance hall together, both somberly quiet. Corrin curled around his arm so closely that her head just barely rested on his shoulder, and Odin lolled his head toward her, his cheek faintly brushing against the crown of her head.

When they arrived at the front door, they separated, Odin standing opposite her. Wishing to break through the melancholy, he took both her hands and smiled weakly. "Thank-you for everything today, Lady Corrin, truly," he said. "To be honest, I haven't celebrated the date of my birth in quite a number of years, so I'm grateful I could do so with you this time."

"Why haven't you celebrated?" Corrin asked with a troubled frown.

Odin's eyes lidded reflectively. "...Let's just say there wasn't really reason to celebrate much of anything for a long time," he said, his gaze suddenly distant.

The downcast look on his face broke her heart. Sometimes when Odin told stories, he would wear this expression, and it made Corrin think he had experienced a great loss at some point in his life. It made her desperate to comfort him, to somehow reassure him that whatever he had been through, she would always be there for him. Straightening, she stared up at him, her frown serious. "Well, from now on, we'll celebrate together," she said.

His eyes darted up at her, and her expression coaxed a grin out of him. "If that is milady's wish, then I'll gladly oblige her. However," he added, winking at her, "I think it's only fair if you allow me to treat you for your upcoming nameday, as well."

Corrin smile warmed, and she clutched his hands more tightly. "Of course! My siblings always throw a party here every year. You should definitely come."

"I accept your gracious invitation," Odin said, beaming at her. Sighing, his expression fell slightly. "However, for now, I'm afraid I must bid you farewell for another week."

She bit her lip. The moment had arrived at last. If this didn't work out well, at least he would leave right after, and she could hide her shame for a week and hopefully apologize next Sunday. But...she really, desperately, painfully hoped that she was right about this.

"Actually, Odin, before you go, I have one last gift for you," Corrin said, endeavoring to keep her voice steady as her heart thrummed in her ears. When he tilted his head in query, she swallowed. "You'll have to close your eyes, though."

"A...All right," he said, frowning skeptically but obeying her nonetheless.

Hands shaking in his, Corrin took a deep breath and held it. Now or never. Leaning in, she took the plunge, planting a soft, delicate kiss on his cheek. His eyes were open when she pulled away, and she turned her head, her face flooding scarlet. "Odin, you...you're my dearest friend, but...but to me, you mean so, so much more, and I just...I just wanted to tell you. If you don't feel the same, I understand, but I just...I just needed to get it out." Her body relaxed, her exhale shaky, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eye.

A silence hung between them, making Corrin's insides squirm. They were still holding hands, but at this point, she wasn't sure if he meant to or if he had just forgotten about it. After an agonizing number of seconds passed, she heard him inhale faintly to speak.

"Lady Corrin, can I be candid?"

The question caught her off guard, and she finally looked up at him. His expression was unreadable, firm but mostly impassive. Gulping, she nodded. "Of course, Odin," she said.

"Forgive me, but I'm honestly not very good with this sort of thing," he said, frowning to one side of his face. "When I try to put it into words, I can't find any suitable enough to articulate my thoughts, so...so I'll just...l-let my actions speak for me instead."

Before she could contemplate his meaning, Odin was bending in, his lips lightly brushing against her cheek. Her mind blanked as he withdrew, his entire face crimson, his eyes avoiding hers. Corrin's mouth hung open, trying to voice words that her brain simply didn't have. Her breath hitched, and with a leap, she flung her arms around his neck, her body crashing against his. Hesitant arms reciprocated the embrace, and she couldn't stop her overjoyed sob as she pressed into him.

"Odin, I...I've loved you for so long now," she said in his ear, tears soaking his tunic. "I was so afraid that you didn't feel the same."

His arms wrapped tighter around her, one coming up to cradle the back of her head. "I honestly don't think that's possible, Corrin," he said, grinning when her breath hitched and she withdrew for eye contact. The lack of honorific had its intended effect, and he drew his hand around to cup her cheek. "Corrin, the stars shall go dark before my devotion to you fades. You have owned my heart from the day we met."

A smile cracked her face as she sobbed again, Odin brushing away another tear that escaped. Slowly, her eyelids drooped, and she leaned in as they closed. Swallowing, he mirrored her gesture, and as their lips met for the first time, Odin thought that perhaps this was the greatest birthday he had ever had.