AUTHOR'S NOTES: Once again Zulera301 ventures into something besides Hunger Games! With the recent release of Fire Emblem Fates both stateside and even more recently in Europe, I figured I would celebrate the game and its colorful roster of characters by writing a fanfic... and to try and make better sense of the choppy writing the game(s) offered. There will obviously be spoilers, primarily for the Hidden Truths DLCs as well as the "Revelation" storyline, but hopefully with enough original twists to keep it exciting. This also means less idiot ball and irrational behaviour, and a lot more sense behind the events that transpire throughout the story. We might also touch on some of the less-seen backstories of some of the other characters as well.
Even then, I also acknowledge that this story might not be for everyone. It might even be "how Zulera301 thinks Fire Emblem should have gone", but if there are others who enjoy it as well, then that just makes it better. Still... those expecting epic battles or hot steamy romances in every chapter will likely walk away disappointed. Whatever the case, if you feel the need to leave a negative review to tell me you don't like the story, go ahead (or the opposite if you like it). But if you don't tell me what parts you like or dislike, odds are nothing's going to change and all I can really say is "so sorry mans". Bonus points for those with accounts though, because then I can answer any questions directly and personally.
Rated T (possibly inclining towards M) for violence, blood, some coarse language, copious alcohol references, and occasional suggestive themes.
Happy Reading!

PROLOGUE: HIDDEN TRUTHS

CHAPTER 1: Forgotten Memories

Sing with me a song of Tears and Despair…

An air of discomfort hovered over Castle Shirasagi as tensions between Hoshido and Nohr grew stronger by the day. Queen Ikona had passed away only recently, and even though the new queen, Mikoto, was kind and generally well-received, the remainder of the family was still not over the loss.

Mikoto had not come to Hoshido alone, however. With her were a pair of twins: a boy and a girl that King Sumeragi had never had any trouble considering his own as well, especially in the absence of his first wife.

The discomfort was not so much the lingering attitude from Ikona's death a couple years prior, as much as it was suspicion about the "Peace Negotiations" requested by Nohrian King Garon at the Nohrian city of Cheve. Sumeragi had been summoned, and an odd part of the request was for him to bring one of his children. Garon had already declared that he would bring a child from his family as well, as a sign that these were to be peaceful talks rather than belligerence.

For Sumeragi, this was considered a relief. He was familiar with the antics of Garon, but it had only been recently that the man had turned hostile. Sure he had always been a stern man that exuded unquestionable respect and authority, but up until recently his feelings towards Hoshido had merely been tense, but not enough to incite any actual conflicts or hostilities towards the eastern country.

Sumeragi and Mikoto spent the evening prior to the former's departure discussing which of their children to bring. It would be a brief trip, he figured, for while he wouldn't necessarily trust Garon to have his back in a fight, he did not think the man would stoop to new lows, especially if he kept his word of bringing a child of his own. The question was which child was Garon going to bring, and in turn, which one of his would he take alongside him?

His first thought immediately fell to Ryoma. He seemed a solid choice, but then again, maybe bringing him was a bad idea, especially because Mikoto knew that should anything happen, Ryoma would want vengeance and race right in. The argument against the next child, Hinoka, was similar, except her judgment would probably be even rasher than her brother's.
"If I had to guess who from his own children King Garon will bring to accompany him,:" Mikoto suggested, "I would imagine it would be Prince Xander or Princess Camilla. His son Leo is Takumi's age, which means he's probably only just barely talking; and his youngest, Elise, is Sakura's age, which means she's probably not quite even walking yet."

"Then perhaps one of the twins?" Sumeragi suggested.

"Corrin is too reserved," Mikoto nodded, "and I don't think he would take interest in the idea. Kamui, however, might-especially with her wanderlust."

As they discussed this in their chamber, they were unaware that Ryoma and Hinoka were listening outside the door. Kamui tiptoed over to them, holding a sleeping baby Sakura in her little arms before pausing.

"Whatcha guys doing?" she asked, before Hinoka put her finger to her lips.

"Shhh… not too loud." she warned.

"Are momma and papa mad at each other?"

"No," Ryoma whispered, "but papa's going on a trip to stop the war, and he's going to take one of us with him."
"Oohh…" Kamui's eyes lit up. "I hope it's me."

"I hope it's not me." Corrin had appeared from the opposite end of the wall, with little Takumi in tow. "Papa said most of the people that cross into Nohr don't ever come back."
"He's right about that… mostly." Ryoma frowned, "but he's a strong man, and that's why he's king. He'd never let anything happen to any of us."

"Big brother's right," Hinoka nodded in agreement. "Whoever he takes with him is gonna be safe and sound, cuz dad's there to watch over them."

"Daddy's gonna beat those bad guys!" Takumi raised a tiny arm into the air. None of the children were old enough to really know how to stay quiet, and so while Sumeragi and Mikoto were well-aware of their presence behind the door, they did not acknowledge it while they conversed and debated, figuring that as long as they weren't getting into a fight, that they could wait to hear the news until after they had come to a conclusion.

While their parents knew they were out there, the children were not aware that they knew, and so when Mikoto and Sumeragi stepped towards the door, all six of the children scattered like cockroaches. With a soft chuckle, Sumeragi and Mikoto helped put them all to bed, where tomorrow they would break the news.

Morning came, and Sumeragi broke the news to his children. Kamui was excited about the notion just as he and Mikoto had predicted she would be, while the others were cautious. Sumeragi reassured them that while he would be gone a few days, that he would ensure his safe return as well as the safe return of his daughter.

"Be careful sis," Corrin gave his sister a final hug. "Nohr's a scary place…"

"Papa will protect me," Kamui smiled, "I'll be okay." Why wouldn't she believe that? He was a formidable master of the blade, and Kamui always enjoyed seeing him display his strength and skill some evenings.

"I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you," Hinoka bade her farewell, "I was kinda disappointed that father didn't take me, but he's right about my… impulsiveness."

"Father said I wouldn't know when to quit," Ryoma gave something of a chuckle."stay safe, little sister. I would hate this to be the last time we ever saw each other."
Little did any of them know at the time, but it was going to be their last meeting for a very long time. As Kamui gave Takumi and Sakura final hugs goodbye, she set out with Sumeragi and their small contingent, heading southwest towards the neutral region where the peace talks would be had. He hoped that here he would be able to end the war.

Garon managed to lure Sumeragi and his daughter to meet him face to face alone, with their bodyguards stationed on either side of the city. Garon seemed to be a man of his word, for at his side was a young girl about Hinoka's age with flowing lavender hair.

"King Sumeragi," Garon was the first to speak as they approached each other.

"King Garon," Sumeragi returned the gesture. To his surprise, Garon raised his hand.
"Fire at will." These words rang out in a horrifying split-second where Sumeragi realized that he had walked right into a well-constructed trap. Kamui watched from a distance as Sumeragi's body was peppered with arrows before he could so much as scream. Staggering and falling to his knees, he glared up at King Garon, who brandished his axe.

"I'm disappointed in you, Sumeragi." Garon gave an amused smirk, "that wasn't even my best trap." He raised his jagged axe, bringing it down on the downed swordmaster and slaying him in one fell stroke.

Kamui wanted to run; to scream; to cry in horror at what she had just witnessed, but her feet were rooted to the ground as the Nohrian king approached her.

"You poor thing…" he gave a seemingly innocent smile, "orphaned at such a tender young age." his smirk widened as his hand extended. "...You are MY child now…"

The last thing Kamui remembered was a massive hand covering her face before a surge of magic flowed through her body and she lost consciousness.

Only three of Sumeragi's bodyguards managed to escape the small massacre that followed, and now of course, they were tasked with delivering the sordid news of Garon's betrayal to Hoshido. This would not hit them as hard as the loss of their father and sister, and sure enough, within seconds of the three men and women approaching the gate, Ryoma knew something was wrong. Hinoka found out seconds later, and the news spread to Corrin as well almost as quickly as it reached Mikoto's ears.

The beautiful weather outside of Castle Shirasagi couldn't be any more deceptive about the mood that hung over the castle for months afterwards. This sombering event had fundamentally transformed all five of the remaining children. Takumi simply understood that his father was missing and not coming back. Little Sakura barely understood what was happening at all, but noticed that someone who had formerly been very important in her life was suddenly not there. Ryoma swore vengeance as he took up his father's sacred blade.

"I knew he should have taken his strongest weapon," he had remarked, "Of course King Garon would make it a trap!"

Corrin sunk into a strong phase of depression that only Mikoto was able to help him overcome over the months. He had obviously been the closest to his twin sister, although he was also taking Sumeragi's loss just as hard as the rest of them. Over the next few days, Corrin moved his things out of his and Kamui's old room, unable to handle the memories of his sister. It was one thing to know that Sumeragi was dead; at least he had had closure. There was no telling what horrible things were being done to his younger twin sister in the depths of Nohr. Were they so cruel that they would torture a small child? Corrin assumed they were. After all, the Nohrians had broken their word at Cheve when they had turned a peace talk into an ambush, and then flat-out kidnapped his sister unprovoked. He could not so easily forgive that.

The one that took it the worst, however, was Hinoka. She disappeared for a full two days after Kamui's loss, before being found surprisingly far away from the castle, unconscious in the mud with nothing more on her than a spear and the clothes on her back.

"I had to find her!" she cried as she was brought back to the castle, "they took my sister from me! I need to get her back!"
Not even Mikoto could get through to Hinoka's singular fixation, and it took several weeks before she gave up on her efforts (...for now). She conspired with Ryoma to try and find a way to get into Nohr and get her back, but the futility of their mission was a sordid reality that had not dawned on either of the young warriors as they came up with unrealistic ideas and objectives. They had no idea where to begin, and Nohr was a hostile enough territory even without Garon and his guards. Eventually, even she consigned herself to her fate, and life continued in Hoshido without Kamui. Their fate was accepted, but their missing sister was not forgotten…

=North-central Nohr, en route to Windmire…=

It was a few hours before Kamui awakened, and she was terrified, not sure where she was. She had no recollection of what had just happened thanks to a hex from Garon, but now here she was in a carriage bound for who-knows-where, accompanied by no one except a lavender-haired woman who seemed occupied with her own hair to notice Kamui at first.

Naturally, this was kind of a rude wakeup call, and Kamui gasped as she regained her bearings.

"W-where am I?" Unsurprisingly, this was her first question.

"Oh darling, you're awake!" the girl smiled. She was probably only a couple years older than the youngster, which made her wonder why they were riding alone.

"Uhh… hey?" she shrugged.

"Camilla's the name, sweetie."

"So… Camilla? Where are we going? Why can't I remember anything?" Kamui asked her question again, and then added her name. "I'm Kamui, by the way."

"Kamui… now that's an adorable name!" Camilla beamed, "we're on the way to the Northern Fortress, according to my father. He wants to help turn you into the strongest warrior in Nohr."

This was actually true to a reasonable extent, and surprisingly, it worked to pacify Kamui. Her drive to improve and become stronger had always been one of her motivating factors even from an early age, and so even now, the little 5-year-old was excited. She did not know what kind of trials awaited her, and had she remembered what she had just been taken from, she would have been a lot more terrified and heartbroken, but her memories of her childhood had been locked away by Garon's magic. She had no recollection of Ryoma; of Hinoka; of Takumi or Sakura; or Sumeragi's death, of her mother Mikoto, or even of her older twin brother Corrin. One chapter of her life had just been cut short, and another one was about to begin...

AFTERTHOUGHTS:
So, the first chapter is fairly fast-paced because it covers a lot of what we know: Garon ambushes Sumeragi, kidnaps Kamui and takes her to Nohr. The next few chapters take a much steadier pace, and serve to help set up my "alternate universe" (AKA differences between my story and the game), but there aren't too many of them. Think of them as being similar to the first 5 chapters of the game. The other big difference is obviously that there are two 'avatars' in this story, with default names Corrin (male) and Kamui (female). That said, I'm always seeking to improve, and so feedback of any kind, from compliments to comments to suggestions for improvement, are all welcomed and encouraged. I also don't really have any pairings mapped out except maybe one or two, so if you want to see two characters interact and/or suggest pairings for me, I'm happy to consider most options. Just leave me a comment or two. As mentioned earlier, I'm open to feedback or suggestions, but I can't really address a problem someone has if they don't tell me what it is. Otherwise, feel free to express any likes, dislikes, etc as you see fit, and otherwise enjoy the story!