The Misadventures of Kana and co.
First submission in this site and the first FE story I've ever written. So please do bear with me.
This story was inspired when I was discussing with my girlfriend about our respective headcanons after the events of each route in Fire Emblem Fates. With her help and some brainstorming, this story was conceived and written.
The parents of some of the child units will be constantly revealed later on.
It was supposed to be normal day for Corrin, King of Valla, while he tended to his subjects regarding settlement efforts that were ongoing in his newly found kingdom so graciously aided by the kings of Hoshido and Nohr respectively. Right after speaking to them, he thought he finally earned the luxury of relaxing in his throne. He chuckled amusingly while looking at his quiet throne room; he couldn't believe it has been almost two years since they battled Anankos for the fate of the world in the very room he is in, he sighed longingly at the memory of him fighting side by side with his friends and adoptive siblings from both kingdoms. They rarely see each other nowadays due to their individual duties to their kingdoms and most of the people he bonded with also had their own loyalties and responsibilities to tend to. He was deep in thought until the door to the throne room burst open.
"PAPA!"
With that call, his moment of self-relaxation and contemplation ended when his daughter, Princess Kana, entered the throne room, excitingly running towards her father who can't seem to deny her in almost everything she wants.
'Gods, I need to learn how to resist her as Sakura said.' Corrin remembered his wife and queen's soft but firm words when she scolded him privately regarding indulging their daughter's every wish and whims.
"It's never a good idea to spoil her, anata…" Sakura told him with that word of endearment Hoshidans uses with their spouses.
"She might end up growing up with the notion that she's entitled to everything she wants."
'I wish it was that easy Sakura.' Corrin mentally replied to Sakura's words in his mind. He anticipated the incoming weight on his lap when Kana jumped on top of his legs, giggling along the way.
"Hello Kana." Corrin greeted his daughter, patting her cherry blossom hair tenderly "Is there something you need?" though Corrin already had an idea on what Kana wants from him.
"Let's play papa!" Kana invited with a childish and hopeful grin.
'Of course she wants to do that.' Corrin said with an expectant look 'I'll have to try denying her now; I still have to check on the construction of the settlements outside Gyges.'
"I'm sorry Kana." Corrin began with an apologetic look "I still have work to do—" the king of Valla didn't have to finish his sentence to see his daughter's sad and disappointed look, her cheerful and hopeful look earlier was gone.
"Mama also said the same thing yesterday and earlier." Kana said in a low voice.
Corrin knew Sakura was out checking the countryside of their growing kingdom, checking the well-being of their people and if they need medical help, she would proceed to help them with everything she can. It's what made the settlers of Valla instantly love her.
"Mama is busy helping our people, dear." Corrin reasoned, holding his daughter closer to him "I have to also do the same in a while. It's our duty and it will be yours as well when you grow up."
The young princess didn't respond and just kept looking down, Corrin wished Kana would at least understand what it means to be royalty but he couldn't blame her at this point, she was still after all just a child, it would be unfair of him to expect such maturity in her age.
Just then Jakob entered the throne room, bowing to his king before addressing him.
"Your Highness, the carriage is ready; the retinue is waiting for your arrival outside."
Corrin looked at Jakob and back at Kana, with a sigh of finality, he gave Jakob a nod.
"Thank you Jakob, I'll be heading out in a while." Corrin replied which Jakob swiftly responded with another bow before walking out of the throne room, leaving the king and the princess.
The king gave his daughter a comforting pat to the head "I have to go now Kana, people are waiting for me—"
"It's always the people! People this and people that!" Kana glared up at her father with tearful eyes "Mama also said the same thing! I just want to spend time with mama and papa like we used to!"
Corrin felt a huge sting in his heart when he saw the crying image of his daughter, besides his wife's; it was one of the things he hated seeing most. He tried to comfort the young princess but the latter jumped out of his lap and ran out of the throne room, leaving only a trail of tears on the red carpet.
"Gods…" Corrin sighed deeply, feeling guilty in making his daughter feel upset due to his responsibilities. He briefly thought about how he and Sakura could spend time with their daughter if they didn't take the burden of the crown but he immediately dismissed it, Kana will have to understand sooner or later, he thought.
With another sigh, Corrin left his throne to proceed to doing his duty to his people, deciding to resolve the issue with Kana later.
"And that's all the batch of vulnerary that Queen Sakura ordered!" Midori cheerfully said with a look of satisfaction over finishing her work, commissioned by the queen herself for her medical duties. She set down the wooden crates of freshly concocted vulnerary added with a twist of her personal recipe that earned praises from members of the army during the war against Anankos.
She wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her gloved hand. She made a mental note to label the crates for delivery later, removing her gloves and placing them on her work table in her apothecary in the castle. What she needed now is a well-deserved bath for working since early morning.
The potion brewer stepped outside of her lab and locked it, just as she's about to turn around, she was sent crashing down on the ground after someone accidentally hit her head while running.
"Owwww! I think I need to use those vulnerary on myself first for this!" Midori cried out from pain on her head, feeling a slight bump on her forehead.
She opened her eyes to see who just bumped into her and much to her surprise; it was her closest friend crying.
"P-Princess Kana?" Midori formally addressed her despite their familiarity, she crawled towards the young princess who was crying "I'm sorry, where does it hurt?"
"Uhhh… Uhh…." Kana sobbed while covering her eyes, Midori assumed she must have hit Kana somewhere near or on her eyes.
She leaned closer and gently held the princess' arms in an effort to scan the damage "Princess, I need to see the affected area…"
"Mama… Papa…" Kana sobbed, slowly removing her hands covering her face and much to Midori's relief, there were no notable damage on the princess' head saved for a reddened part of her forehead.
"Are you alright?" Midori asked with a concerned tone over her friend "Does it hurt so bad? Wait here, I'll get some ointment."
Kana shook her head, indicating that there was no need for the young apothecary to go on such lengths.
Midori decided to just escort the young princess to her room nearby to calm her down from whatever she was crying on about, she helped Kana stand up and gently escorted her to her room.
"I see…" Midori murmured after hearing the real reason Kana was upset, she offered the princess who was sitting on the edge of her bed, a cup of green tea she personally grinded for concentrated flavor.
Kana sniffed, having somehow recovered from her crying earlier, taking a careful but shaky sip of the tea Midori brewed for her.
"Mama and papa don't want to play with me anymore. All they do is work work work."
Midori mentally sighed at her friend "It's not like they don't want to play or be with you Princess—"
"Kana. I told you to just call me Kana, Midori." Kana huffed, reminding her friend to drop the formality.
"—Kana, it's just that they can't." Midori explained "They have a huge responsibility resting on their shoulders as the king and queen of this nation."
"Responsibility, there's that word again." Kana grumbled with an annoyed look "I never understand what that means."
"Well it's basically—"
"I know what it means; I meant what it means means!" Kana repeated which made the apothecary wonder what she meant.
"I seriously don't know how to respond to that." Midori said with an uncertain chuckle "Let's just put it this way." She sat down beside Kana.
Taking a sip of her tea, Midori spoke "They can't spend time with you because they have things to do. Things that is important for them."
"And I'm not important to them?" Kana said with a pout "I knew it, they don't love me anymore. Mama and papa don't want me anymore." She concluded much to Midori's chagrin.
"It isn't like that! It's just that… gods… why is it so hard to explain it to you." Midori sighed in defeat "I think what you need is some perspective of it outside the castle."
The young princess however was too busy pouting and drawing her own conclusions to even grasp what Midori was telling her.
"It's not like you could just go on an adventure with them like back then, before they became the rulers of Valla." Midori mused at the memory when Kana would brag to her whenever she went out with her parents to an 'adventure' to the towns and cities they come across during their free time.
Just then, after hearing Midori say the word 'adventure', an idea flashed inside Kana's mind.
"Yes. An adventure… That's it!" Kana said with a hopeful look, her earlier expression was almost gone "If mama and papa won't spend time with me, then I'll have to just begin my own adventure!" Kana declared while standing up from the bed, her sudden movements however spilled the tea on Midori's room floor.
"Errr that's great and all, Kana but who would you even go with?" Midori said with a look of uncertainty on where her friend is going with her fresh idea "Not to mention, I don't think Queen Sakura and King Corrin would just allow you…"
The look in Kana's face answered Midori's first question.
'Oh gods, I do hope she's not thinking—'
"Yep, it is." Midori sighed in defeat "And why did I even say yes." The black-haired apothecary murmured to herself, having been unable to deny her friend's request. She wasn't willing to see the princess crying again.
"Quit complaining Midori!" Kana chided yet it contained no annoyance at all "We still need to find people to be part of our party!"
With a bag full of her alchemical equipment and personal items, Midori followed the young princess who was carrying a knapsack containing some clothes and valuables. A katana with a blue handle was strapped around Kana's waist while she wore her dragon stone around her neck like an amulet.
"Well, the fact is, I don't even know where we're going with this!"
Kana flashed her grin to the apothecary as they walked along the corridors of the castle.
"Relax Midori! I know where to go and I also have an idea who to recruit!" Kana said with brimming optimism though Midori was still a little skeptical on Kana's plan; she knew she had no choice but to follow her.
"Who?"
Kana just hummed as they stop in front of a door with a sign hanging on the door knob saying:
Do not disturb
Midori knew exactly whose room this belonged to.
"Kana? Are you sure about recruiting HIM of all people?" Midori questioned the young princess with a doubtful look.
The cherry blossom haired princess knocked several times, each knock stronger than the previous one until the two heard a yawn followed by a lazy sounding grumble from the other side of the door.
"Dwyer! Wake up sleepyhead!" Kana called out excitingly towards the laziest member of the army during the war.
"Ugh… Princess Kana…?" Dwyer's muffled and apathetic voice spoke before the door opened to reveal the young butler suffering a case of bed hair.
"How may I be—"He yawned in between, covering his mouth with his hand "—of service?"
The black haired butler immediately took note of the bags and weapons the two girls were carrying after yawning and opening his eyes fully.
"You're gonna accompany us in our adventure Dwyer!" Kana piped in cheerfully "You did say that you're willing to follow me anywhere like how your papa does to my papa!"
Dwyer silently regarded the two girls with his droopy eyes "Give me a minute…" He yawned and closed the door behind him.
Midori was surprised that it only took such a short while to convince the lazy butler to join them.
"That was… fast…"
"Dwyer promised me back during the war, to serve me like how Jakob does to papa, after I saved him from trouble!" Kana grinned while beaming in pride in her accomplishment, something Midori praised with claps.
"Well, the fact is, I'm really surprised since well…" Midori was interrupted when the door to Dwyer's room opened once more to reveal the young butler carrying his own knapsack and a staff on one hand.
With another yawn escaping his lips, Dwyer bowed to the princess in a sluggish manner that Kana didn't seem to mind.
"This humble butler is here to serve and—"He yawned once again "—accompany you, milady."
Without another word, Kana gestured Dwyer to follow her and Midori as they went outside to find their last recruit.
It didn't take long for Midori and Dwyer to find out who Kana is planning to drag along in their proposed adventure when they went outside to the stables.
"Okay easy there Avel—I said easy—AHHHHH!"
The female knight fell face first on the green pastures of the castle's stable grounds while her rather rowdy horse neighed sneeringly at his fallen rider, as if laughing at her fall.
"Sophie! Hey!" Kana called out from afar, jumping over the wooden fence to go where Sophie and Avel are.
"Owie…" Sophie moaned from the pain on her face before looking up to see the princess of Valla running up to her "P-Princess Kana?! T-This is unexpected!" She knelt down on one knee to show her respect to the royal princess.
Eager to follow up to her father's footsteps, Sophie went on to declare her fealty to the princess of Valla shortly after the coronation. Despite being a fledgling knight, Sophie have proven herself worthy of the honor to serve as Kana's retainer due to her contributions back on the war, although the clumsiness she inherited from her mother is something that constantly plagues her.
"How may I serve, my princess?" Sophie said with a prim and proper tone though her early blunder didn't help her image one bit.
Kana giggled, she always did find Sophie amusing, most of which to the latter's expense.
"I just need my best knight to accompany me on an adventure." The princess responded with a toothy smile that Sophie had sworn to protect.
'As if you had any other knight serving you...' Midori thought to herself.
"An adventure?" Sophie then saw the two companions ofthe princess; Dwyer gave her a small sheepish nod while Midori waved at her.
Kana nodded with her eyes closed and arms crossed "Yes! I've decided to go on one for fun! It's boring staying in the castle with nothing to do while mama and papa are TOO BUSY to even spend time with me!" She made a clear emphasis of her distaste on her parent's apparent 'neglect' on her.
Midori sighed "Once again Kana, I'm trying to tell you—"Unfortunately for her, her words went unnoticed.
"That would be great! Now, if I can tell mother and daddy then—"
Kana's silver blue eyes widened at the mention of Sophie informing Silas and Felicia about their 'adventure', a decision that might forbid them from leaving especially when the two staunchly loyal retainers of Corrin decided to tell the king about it.
"No! Definitely no!" Kana interrupted which surprised the fledgling knight as she stood up "I-I mean, w-we're too old to make our own decisions right?"
'Nope, definitely not especially to you...' Midori thought once again.
Sophie looked uncertain, as if having an inkling of an idea on what the princess was hiding from her.
"But princess, we'll be in trouble if they found out we just left. You'll be in trouble if word got out that you left the kingdom with barely a few escort—"
Sophie immediately stopped talking when she could see the princess making a face that was about to tear up.
"B-B-But… I-I j-just want t-to have f-f-fun b-because mama and p-papa—"
'Oh gods Sophie! What have you done?! Making your liege upset is not something a knight should do! Think fast and act fast!'
In her state of panic, Sophie knelt down with a panicked expression "I-I'll go! I gave an oath to follow you wherever you choose to go right? I-I'll just get a sword and a lance from the armory and meet you here!" With those words, Sophie made a beeline into the palace to get to the armory and her room.
After Sophie was gone, Kana wiped her tears away and grinned at Midori and Dwyer.
"Only someone like Sophie would fall for that." Dwyer murmured after realizing that Kana only faked her upset reaction to coerce Sophie into coming with them.
"Huh…" Midori murmured after realizing it herself.
'When did Kana learn to be so manipulative?' Midori thought in awe and shuddered at the thought of the princess growing up and retaining her manipulative tendency.
"Now, we're complete!" Kana grinned excitingly, she was too busy relishing on the prospect of an adventure and having fun that she didn't notice Dwyer and Midori shockingly pointing behind her.
Sophie soon returned with her own bag and her set of weapons and she was so mortified to see upon her return.
"ACK! AVEL! STOP NIBBLING ON THE PRINCESS' HAIR! IT'S NOT AN APPLE!"
The horse merely snorted as it continued to chew on Kana's hair bun.
It was nighttime when the king of Valla returned back to Castle Gyges after a lengthy meeting with the settlers settling in his kingdom. The people were gracious for his presence and approval in allowing them to make Valla their new home after they have suffered their misfortunes brought by the previous war.
Arriving at his bedroom, Corrin changed into his casual clothes consisting of a black long sleeved shirt and pants, he also removed his crown. He sat down on the side of the bed he shares his Sakura and judging from the state of the room, Sakura hasn't arrived from her own duty yet.
"She's usually here first." Corrin mused, deciding to leave his room and walked around the palace as he awaited his wife's return.
Corrin then remembered how his daughter became upset earlier, he frowned at the memory of Kana crying, he hated it and he knew he has to do something to make his child smile again.
"I hope the kitchen staff made some sweets, Kana did inherit her mother's sweet tooth." Corrin chuckled at the memory when he teased Sakura at one point about her unfathomable desire to consume sweets without worrying how it would affect her. He remembered how Sakura nearly panicked at the thought that she was gaining weight until Corrin told her he was just teasing her; he didn't know Sakura was quite conscious of her body back then.
Kana inherited her mother's love for sweets specifically Hoshidan sweets such as mochi and dango with red bean paste.
Thankfully, there were mochi ready in the kitchen when Corrin went there. Placing them on a plate, the king of Valla walked towards Kana's room and softly knocked on it.
"Kana? Can I come in dear?" He softly called out for his daughter but received no response whatsoever which baffled the king.
After several knocks and no response, Corrin knew something was up, disregarding etiquette, he opened the door. His red eyes widened at the sight of Kana's messy room, her clothes were strewn all over the floor and bed and the cabinet and drawers were open.
Corrin placed the plate of mochi on a small table near Kana's bed and began to search for clues. He searched under her bed and saw that her silver katana was missing and when he opened her bedside drawer; her dragonstone was nowhere to be seen. Corrin knew in his mind that Kana would never bring those two items with her unless she's leaving on a trip with her parents.
"Oh gods…" Corrin murmured and ran outside of the room to find the nearest guard he could find which he did as the poor soul was on his way to his barracks for some rest when the king of Valla in a frantic voice asked.
"Have you seen the princess?"
"N-No, your g-grace…" The guard stuttered at the sudden confrontation he had with the king.
"Search the castle grounds and the surroundings now! Find the princess!" Corrin ordered him, bound by his duty, the guard ran to alert his fellow guards of the situation.
Corrin was sure of what he fears for; his daughter ran off since he knew Kana wouldn't just leave her room messy and bring her weapons. Judging from the missing knapsack she has and her tiara resting on her table, he was sure.
"Gods, I could imagine how Sakura would react to this." Corrin dreaded for his wife's reaction and his daughter's whereabouts at the same time.
'Kana, what have you done…?'
"So where are we going?" Midori asked which was acknowledged by nods from the other companions that Kana recruited.
The company of four traversed the forests near the border of Valla's territory with Kana leading them.
"I don't really know the forest quite well…" Dwyer said while maintaining his vigilance to anything or anyone that might cause them harm, a trait he surely inherited from both his parents: Jakob and Kagero.
"Ever since Anankos' defeat, the magic he used in hiding the lands of Valla below the earth disappeared restoring the land over where the Bottomless Canyon laid, not only that, the land expanded and it's pretty much undocumented and uninhabited… For now that is…" Midori explained while scanning the area not to keep vigil but to look at herbs and other plant life for her herbal research.
"Uhmm… Guys? The forest creeps me out at night… Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to leave when it's night time." Sophie muttered nervously, Avel snorted in response to his owner's low confidence in the situation. Sophie pulled the horse nearer as they walked behind the princess, who was unfettered.
Kana looked at her silver compass to check if they were going the right way.
"Hmmm…. Ah, we're going the right way to Hoshido." Kana piped in with a smile, closing the compass and pocketing it.
"Hoshido?" Midori repeated with a raised eyebrow.
Behind his sleepy appearance, Dwyer was slightly smiling at the prospect of seeing his mother again. He misses Kagero dearly, he wished that Ryoma would release her from her duty in this time of peace but knowing the female ninja, Kagero wouldn't even allow it.
"What are we going to do in Hoshido, princess?" Sophie asked her liege while also having a guilty look while staring at Kana's messy and saliva-soaked hair bun. She still couldn't forget how Avel tried to bite it off the princess.
"I'm going to visit my cousins there! At least I know can be with them at all times! I won't feel lonely if I stayed there!" Kana said excitingly.
The cousins Kana referred to were Shiro, Selkie and Kiragi. All of which she has bonded deeply during the war; they were the respective children of Ryoma, Hinoka and Takumi. The people of Hoshido however were quick to point out that the children were nowhere close to their parents at face value in terms of personality but to their closest friends and family, they do have something in common to their parents.
Midori still wasn't sure on just running off, she knew the people back at the castle will probably be looking for them by now.
'Father is probably panicking too.'
"They're nowhere to be found around the castle, your grace." Kaze reported while bowing down to his king in the latter's quarters.
"Judging from what we know, Kana didn't go alone. She must have taken Midori, Dwyer and Sophie with her." Corrin deduced while stroking his chin.
The green-haired ninja clenched his fists, frustrated at the current situation, as much as he wanted to hide it, Corrin noticed it.
"I worry about them too Kaze but right now, I want you to send out search teams to scour the land. There's a chance they haven't gone too far—"
"C-Corrin?" The king and his loyal retainer looked to the open door to see the surprised queen of Valla herself wearing her clothes that resembles those of Mikoto's ornamental robe, a look of confusion and eyes searching for answers were clear in her face.
"Sakura…" Corrin addressed his wife with a rather grim look.
"W-What's happening?" The now long haired queen asked "Why are the people in the castle all in a hurry?" She asked as she approached her husband, Kaze then decided to leave the room but not before bowing to the king and queen.
"I shall take my leave my king, my queen." The two monarchs gave him a nod.
Corrin scratched the back of his head nervously, trying to find the will to tell his wife the bad news.
"Sakura, you may need to sit down for this." He held her hands and led her to sit down on the side of the bed.
"Anata… You're making me nervous…"
With a sigh, Corrin mustered up the will to tell her the worst news that Sakura will probably hear throughout her life.
"Sakura... Kana… she's…"
This took every bit of Sakura's attention upon the moment their daughter was mentioned "W-What about Kana? Is she alright?"
Corrin tightly held his beloved wife's hands for good measure as he unleashed the nervous words from his lips.
"Kana… She's missing."
It didn't take long for Sakura to faint upon hearing the news. Corrin anticipated the reaction and caught her limp body in time before laying her down on their bed, removing her golden crown with the symbol of Valla decorating it and the golden sun on the back
"FELICIA! BRING SOME WATER PLEASE!" Corrin called out for his faithful maid waiting outside who was also having a dilemma regarding her missing daughter.
"Okay, this is seriously creeping me out guys." Sophie voiced her fear as she could barely see through the darkness in the thick of the woods, Kana though had no trouble due to her draconic heritage, having gained somewhat of a lower form of night vision as she lead her party.
"I agree." Midori shuddered at the lack of cicadas singing.
Dwyer however maintained his silence, sensing as if something is about to come or happen at them. As if his training with Kagero was paying off, he pulled out a steel shuriken from within one of his sleeves, he didn't move his body but his eyes were moving.
"Something's coming." Dwyer told his companions with a hushed tone, the three girls became alerted from Dwyer's words and braced themselves. Kana drew her katana; Midori prepared her bow and arrow from her bag while Sophie immediately rode on Avel with a lance ready.
The sound of neigh echoed across the darkness of the forest, everyone but Sophie thought it was a cavalry charge, Sophie though knew the difference.
'This slight difference in sound… A pegasus?' Sophie thought.
Dwyer using his sharpened senses threw his shuriken towards the open air on top of tree which was immediately deflected away by a naginata-wielding tenma (the Hoshidan breed of pegasi) rider with red flowing hair with a head band with pegasi wing decorations on each side.
"Princess Kana!" The rider, a female called out for the young princess "Thank the gods I found you!"
"Caeldori?!" Sophie exclaimed at the sight of her friend who she had bonded with over their shared passion in riding their respective mounts.
Caeldori ordered her tenma to land in front of the four; she hopped down to approach the runaway princess.
"I have come to take you home to safety princess Kana—"
"NO!" Kana yelled, moving away from the pegasus knight while still holding on to her blade.
The amount of hostility Caeldori sensed was surprising for her "P-Princess?"
"I am not going back there! I'm going to Hoshido so I won't be alone anymore!" Kana yells at Caeldori continued.
"But princess—King Corrin and Queen Sakura are worried sick about you! The whole kingdom is looking for you!" Caeldori reasoned while conveying the dire orders of the king and queen of Valla.
Kana however was too stubborn to listen "They say that now but mama and papa always leaves me alone every day!" The princess exclaimed "I spent so many years in the Deeprealms waiting for mama and papa every day as I grew up. Then the war ended and when I thought I could be with them, they leave me alone like they used to back in the Deeprealm!"
The words of the princess particularly hit all of them, they understood the pain Kana went through during their stay in their respective Deeprealms, the yearning of their parents' company and affection was something they all relate to. Though Kana stayed the least amount of time in the Deeprealm, they can imagine how disappointed she must have been to see that shortly after the war against Anankos, Corrin and Sakura didn't have much time in their hands to raise Kana due to their royal duties, a privilege that they fortunately had before they came to terms due to their maturity and time with their parents in that interval.
"Princess, I'm sure they can—"Caeldori tried to assure the young girl but she wasn't having any of it.
"Liar… How can you know?" Kana growled with her other hand touching the dragonstone around her neck.
"Princess, please listen to reason…" Caeldori begged in a soft tone, taking a few steps closer to Kana.
The princess only backed away "I'm warning you Caeldori. I don't want to hurt you but don't make me go dragon on you." The princess warned and unknown to her (while everyone noticed), her dragonstone was reacting to her instinct that her tail sprouted from behind her, horns emerged from her head and her eyes began to glow blue.
Despite Caeldori's skill as one of the best among her generation, she knew like everyone else that she couldn't match the princess' might when she taps into her draconic blood, Corrin stated that unlike him, Kana had begun to use her powers as a dragon blood at such a young age that she's capable of surpassing him in a manner of years.
Sensing what could come if they didn't step in, Sophie and Midori blocked Caeldori's way while Dwyer went in front of Kana in a protective stance in an effort to have the dragon princess feel safe and become calm at the notion of her comrades protecting her.
"What are you three doing?! You should know better than to allow this!" Caeldori exclaimed with a bewildered look.
"I'm sorry Caeldori but as a knight sworn to protect and serve the princess, I must abide to her wish and follow her everywhere." Sophie said with conviction.
"The same code applies to me as well. I shall follow milady everywhere." Dwyer agreed.
"I'm not doing this out of obligation; I'm doing this for my friend." Midori stated her reasons.
The pegasus knight couldn't believe what her companions said "The princess' safety and the orders of the king are my top priority. Now stand aside or else I'll be forced to take the princess away after I'm done with you three."
"I'm sorry Caeldori but no, we won't budge." Sophie said, despite her earlier conviction, she felt conflicted in fighting her friend out of obligation and honor to her duty.
"Why not just join us if you're so concerned over the princess' safety?" Midori suggested, despite her readiness to fight she was still looking for other options to avoid one.
Caeldori shook her head "No, I cannot do that." She was adamant in her mission.
"Then you leave me no choice." Midori mysteriously said, lowering down her bow and arrow which baffled the pegasus knight.
'Is she lowering her guard to catch me off guard? No… That wouldn't make sense, Sophie and Dwyer are still with her—'
"I'm sorry I have to resort to this Caeldori but I saw your diary." Midori said yet she didn't look remorseful despite her words.
This sent shockwaves within the red-haired girl "M-My diary? Y-You're bluffing…" She stuttered, losing her cool composure.
The apothecary shook her head "Would I be bluffing if I know what you titled that book with?"
Sophie, Dwyer and Kana were looking back and forth at the two, wondering what in the world was happening.
"That's impossible—"
"Caeldori's Book of Love."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Caeldori screamed out in embarrassment after hearing Midori correctly stating her diary's title, the others could swear that even in the darkness, they could see the shade of red on her face matching that of her hair.
"H-HOW?!"
'It's not every day I see Caeldori losing her composure like this…' Sophie thought, always thinking about the girl as the personification of perfection.
"Well, the fact is, I got curious. I thought you had notes regarding a secret salve you used for tending injuries…"
"B-B-But I-I hid t-t-that p-p-properly—"
Midori smirked with overconfidence "Don't forget, I have a ninja as a father who taught me some tricks up his sleeves." She winked at her "I did find the book but instead of being just a simple notebook for practical things, I found entries of you fantasizing about—"
"NO! STOP! PLEASE! DON'T!" Caeldori begged, letting go of her naginata and going down on both knees as she begged for Midori to stop.
"I won't tell, don't worry but you must join us in our journey and never attempt to take Kana with you." Midori blackmailed the pegasus knight with a smirk that even sent shivers down her companions.
"Remind me not to piss off Midori in the future." Dwyer murmured to which Sophie agreed on.
"Yes! I-I'll join you in your journey! Just please don't tell them!"
Midori looked like she triumphed over someone so powerful, she was grinning ear to ear.
"Do I have your word and honor as a knight?" Midori asked.
Caeldori rapidly nodded "Y-Yes!"
"Then swear it to the princess!" Midori ordered "Assure her that she doesn't have anything to be wary about you!"
"I can't believe I got beaten like that…" Caeldori groaned from her headache "I'm sorry father… That was too sloppy of me." Caeldori murmured as if she was apologizing to Subaki.
Despite her conviction and dedication to bring Kana back home, the blackmail regarding her deepest secret was too much for her sense of duty. She caved in to Midori's demands and eventually swore and gave her word to Kana to be her travelling companion and to serve her during that duration. It was a shame that besmirches her pride for something she was achieving for: perfection.
"Catch up Caeldori! The princess found somewhere we could camp for the night!" Sophie called out from a distance.
The tenma rider sighed at her circumstances; she doesn't have any much of a choice now. She'll have to bear this 'shame'.
Dwyer readied the bonfire after they entered a cave Kana spotted, the rest unpack their things such as their sleep rolls and food.
Midori, being the loyal friend that she was, was fixing Kana's messy bun courtesy of Avel's mischief earlier.
"Ow! Ow! Easy there Midori!" Kana cried out from Midori's brushing of her hair that was pulling strands of her cherry blossom hair out.
"If there's anyone to blame, blame Sophie's horse!" Midori pointed out at the horse who was feeding on grass Sophie pulled out for Avel to eat, the horse snorted in response.
"I'm sorry princess for what Avel did earlier…" Sophie apologized while setting down her armor pieces, wearing only a sleeveless shirt and skin colored tights.
Kana didn't mind "Oh don't worry about it Sophie." She reassured the knight.
Dwyer and Caeldori were also having their own conversation as they helped each other prepare the stew for dinner.
"Good thing you found a deer while getting water." Caeldori praised the lazy butler while slowly adding the thin slices of venison she sliced for faster cooking.
Dwyer adding a sprig of thyme before mixing the components altogether as a finishing touch.
"Mother taught me how to be sneaky." Dwyer replied, referring to Kagero "Like Midori's father, she trained me in what she knows during the war."
"Your mother huh…?" Caeldori looked visibly saddened upon the topic. Dwyer immediately understood what she was feeling.
"Haven't you been visiting Selena recently?"
Caeldori shook her head "Not really. I don't want to visit her just by myself to be honest. I want to be with father when I do but he's far too busy, being Queen Sakura's retainer and Valla's Pegasus Knight Commander after all." The tenma rider lightly scoffed.
"Even I'm too busy to even have time for leisure, I have a duty to patrol the kingdom and see if the citizens are safe." Caeldori lamented and her thoughts drifted to her mother and the recent letters Selena has sent to her. She missed her daughter, though she stated in her letter that she understands the situation they have as a family serving two royal families of two kingdoms, Selena still couldn't brush off the feeling that she was neglecting her husband and daughter which was also thought by the two all the same. Bottom line, the family is aware of their situation yet their duties and code of honor prevents them from doing anything that might cause them shirking their obligations.
Dwyer nodded before taking a sip of the stew "Almost done." He murmured.
Caeldori watched as the faithful but lazy butler called their other companions to dinner, she contemplated once more of her decision to shirk her duty to Corrin for bringing back Kana in exchange for her services to the princess.
'This might not be so bad after all.' Caeldori thought and in that moment, she started getting excited at the prospect of seeing her beloved mother again.
Though she blushed when she remembered that the man that is the primary subject in her diary was also residing in Hoshido…
One thing to note before you guys say it: Kana is meant to be an annoying brat in this story (as much as I adore her), imagine this is the stage where we as kids realized a lot of things that would prove vital in our lives as adults.
Now as you've seen the pairings in this story that spawned the child units are as follows:
Kana: Corrin and Sakura
Midori: Kaze and Mozu
Sophie: Silas and Felicia
Dwyer: Jakob and Kagero
Caeldori: Subaki and Selena
Shiro: Ryoma and Camilla
Kiragi: Takumi and Elise
Selkie: Kaden and Hinoka
Please do share your thoughts down below, they'll pretty much help me as a writer (for morale and constructive criticism specifically)