Prologue: Hope

Plains of Hoshido

I looked back and forth between my families, both ready to attack one another. I merely stood where I was, unable to choose a side, but unwilling to abandon either of my families.

"This way!" Ryoma called to me. Please, there has to be another way! The rest of my Hoshidan family ran up to me with worried looks on their faces. Even Takumi looked slightly nervous.

"B-Big Sister?" Sakura whimpered. Sakura... I'm sorry. You don't deserve this, but... I don't know what else to do...

My Nohrian family joined Xander next to me. "She's my Sister!" Elise shouted back. Elise... Perhaps, in another time, we could all be one big family. Unfortunately that's probably no longer possible.

"We're your family." Xander said softly. Xander... I'm sorry, but there has to be another way...

"Lady Corrin?" Jakob asked, "We don't have much time. What will you do?"

"We will follow you on whichever path you choose, no matter what." Azura reassured me.

Everyone is waiting for me to make an impossible choice. Choosing either side would mean that one of my families becomes my enemy. What do I do? I don't want to lose them, but... I have to do something...

"Are you alright?" Azura asked. I'm sorry. I just can't do it. I can't make that kind of decision. I immediately turned around and ran as fast as I could away from the battlefield.

"Where is she going!?" Ryoma yelled.

"After her! Don't let her escape!" Xander commanded.

I couldn't think anymore. All I knew was that I had to keep running. I had no particular goal in mind, just to get as far away as possible. I ran blindly until I triggered a trap and a net trapped me on the ground. Hoshidan ninja jumped out of the trees, knives ready to strike. Is this it? Am I going to die here? Somebody, help! Anyone, please, help! The last thing I felt was cold steel daggers plunging into my body as I blacked out.

Cheve, Twenty Years Later

"Corrin! Corrin!"

I snapped awake to my husband shaking me, clearly panicked. Great. Another nightmare... When will it end?

"Finally. You've been shaking for a while now. Another nightmare, I'm assuming?"

"What else would it be?" I asked him, settling into his arms. "that's what it's been for the past twenty years." And it's been nothing but hell since then.

"How far did it get?"

"I got trapped under the net and then I... died..." I admitted to him.

"So you didn't get to the part where I saved your life and swept you off your feet?"

"Are you trying to be romantic? It did NOT happen like that." I said jokingly. "But... You did save me back there, so thank you."

"So, does that mean I'm your knight in shining armor?" he asked, his green hair visible in the moonlight.

"Haha! Yes, Kaze. You are my knight in shining armor." I giggled, turning and kissing his cheek. "I love you."

"And I love you, Corrin." Kaze whispered, returning the kiss. We sat in comfortable silence for a while, just listening to each other's breathing and feeling each other's warmth. Kaze... You've always been so good to me... Don't ever leave me... I don't know what I'd do without you...

"Is everything alright?" he asked, concerned. Dammit, how do you read me so easily?

"It's just... I don't want this to end. If something happened to you or the kids, I don't know what I'd do..."

"Don't worry, Corrin." he reassured me. "Cheve has committed to staying neutral. No one will be dragged off to war anytime soon."

"You don't know that... The war shows no signs of stopping. We might be forced to fight. Nohr might start recruiting from here and if they take the kids, then..."

"The kids will be fine. We taught them well, remember? They know their way around a weapon." he said, attempting to comfort me. Are you serious!? These are our children you're talking about!

"The kids have never been in a real battle before! Do you really want to just throw them onto a battlefield!? They'd be dead in seconds!"

"Calm down!" he shouted. "Look, I know they've never fought before, but don't you remember why we gave them weapons in the first place? They've been surrounded by war their entire lives. They could be dragged into it at any moment, and they need to be prepared if they are." Prepared for battle... I hate it when you're right sometimes... "Look, we're just speculating at this point. We're not in danger now, so let's enjoy what time we have now and prepare them the best we can."

"I know." I choked out. "This is all we can do..." Our children, going off to war... My babies...

"I know you're upset, but we have to face reality." He said, turning away. "It's still dark out. We should try and get some rest. We can worry about this later. Goodnight, Corrin. I love you."

"I love you too, Kaze. Goodnight." I sniffed, tears in my eyes. I buried my face in my pillow, attempting and failing to fall back asleep, my worries never leaving my mind.

Kana... Midori... Kaze... Please, don't leave me... You're the only family I have...