A/N: The resolution: I've always wanted to do a New Year's resolution that I could actually stand a chance at keeping. So, what is it? I'm going to try and post a one-shot story every month. So, stay on the lookout for them. This month, the community I'm posting in is Fire Emblem.
Man, this one-shot turned out to be a lot longer than I expected. So, I guess this is two years before the events of Fates. I'm just glad I got this out before the end of Febuary.
The image on this story belongs to kumaokaa-san on deviantart. This is just temporary until I can draw up my own picture.
With that said, I hope you enjoy.
Nohr was a pretty gloomy place. They never had much sunlight and the skies were constantly covered by clouds. The lands were treacherous and the kingdom was ruled by a king with a never-ending need for war and conquest.
It's not like Corrin would ever know that, though. Well, at least not for himself. The little prince has spent his life cooped up in a fortress up north from the capital. It was quite secluded, with large mountains and forests surrounding the area. This was all Corrin could see, gazing out from his bedroom window almost every night ever since he was little.
At least he had Lilith around, along with Felicia, Flora, Jakob and Gunther as his friends and servants. He had lots to do. There were plenty of books to read. When they weren't working, Corrin would spend time with his friends, and his older brother Xander would come by whenever he could give him pointers on swordplay.
Once he was older, however, seeing the same walls and sights every day did start to get to him, though.
Felicia made her way upstairs to wake Lord Corrin for the day. She knew it was raining today, so he was likely to be disappointed that there would be no sword training today from Gunther. At least he did like watching and listening to stormy weather.
"Lord Corrin?" Felicia said, knocking on the door, softly. When there was no response, she let herself in. "Hey! Wake up, Lord Corrin! Oh."
The maid saw that his bed was empty. Prince Corrin was sitting by the window, watching the rain pour down. There was an open book on his lap.
"Hey, Felicia," Corrin said, turning to look at her. "Did you need something?"
"Oh, uh, well, I came to wake you up," said Felicia, "but I see you've already done that. Breakfast should be ready soon."
Corrin closed his book as Felicia headed out. He let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes before heading out himself.
"Lord Corrin should be down any minute," Flora said, as everyone set the table. "I want everything ready by then."
"Yes, Flora," her sister, Felicia, said.
"Of course," said Jakob.
While Jakob and Felicia set the table, Flora went into the kitchen to get some napkins. She swore she always stored them in the same cabinet. Perhaps Felicia or Jakeob moved them.
Once Flora had then, she stepped back into the dining hall, only to find that the meal they prepared was gone and everyone had left the room. The light-blue haired maid marched out of the room and found Jakob and Felicia chatting in the hall.
"What happened to breakfast?" said Flora.
"Corrin came down soon after you left," said Jakob. "He just took his food and went on his way."
Flora's cheeks puffed up slightly.
"Again?" she asked, irritably. "Lord Corrin needs to brush up on his table manners. Otherwise, what will happen when his siblings come over for his birthday tomorrow?"
"Please, Flora, I don't believe there is much cause for concern," said Jakob.
"Well, she does have a point," said Felicia. "Has anyone noticed that Lord Corrin has been acting strange lately? He's been… distant. Corrin, of all people!"
Jakob put one of his hands on his chin, thinking about their thoughts.
"Hmm… Perhaps he's just anxious about his birthday tomorrow?" said Jakob. "Maybe one of us should go speak with him?"
"Corrin has probably gone off to begin his studies," said Flora. "Lord Leo has made it clear that we shouldn't disturb him when he's in the books."
"But he's not here," Felicia said, a mischievous grin on her face.
"Regardless, I'd still like to honor his request," said Flora.
"Very well," said Jakob.
"Okay…" said Felicia.
The horses were a bit frazzled today in the stables. Lilith could only assume it was because of the rain. She knew animals somehow had this sense of what was to come and their recent behavior could only mean that a storm was on the way.
Lilith dashed over a nearby horse that whined loudly. She pet its nose, gently, trying to calm it down.
"There, there," said Lilith. "It's alright."
"Ah, Lilith," said a voice. "Just the person I was looking for."
Lilith turned away from the horse and saw Gunther.
"Oh, hey Gunther," she said. "What brings you here?"
"There's a lot of commotion about the fortress and it's all about Lord Corrin," said Gunther. "Did something happen to him?"
"Well, I've been here all morning," said Lilith, "but Flora explained to me that he has been acting rather distant lately. He just wanders off alone and doesn't talk to anybody. Some of the guards have said that he's been wandering on the tops of the perimeter walls. He's been refusing to let us do things for him. For instance, Jakob offered to take Corrin's books back to the library from his room, but he insisted on doing it himself and sorting them back into their shelves." She turned back to the horse she was calming earlier. "And when he's not wandering on the walls, he barely leaves his room. I think the horses miss him…"
"Hmm… Don't worry, Lilith," said Gunther. "I'm sure he's just anxious because of his birthday."
"That's what I heard from Jakob," said Lilith. "But, he's usually so excited around that time."
"Well, maybe you should find out for yourself," said Gunther. "When you're done here for today, you should find Lord Corrin and speak with him yourself. You and him are quite close, are you not? If there's anything wrong, he shouldn't hesitate to tell you."
"Mm. You might be right," said Lilith. "Okay. I'll do it. Thank-you, Gunther."
After she was done for today, Lilith left the stables and headed to the library. She bumped into the Felicia in the hall and the fell onto the ground.
"Goodness!" Lilith said, sitting up and rubbing her nose with the tips of her fingers. "Felicia! I'm so sorry!"
"Agh! It's okay," Felicia said, dusting off her skirt as she stood. She reached out her hand to help Lilith onto her feet. "What brings you here?"
"I thought I'd find Lord Corrin here," said Lilith. "I need to talk to him."
"Well, I went to get his breakfast, but he was gone," said Felicia. "So, I guess he took it back himself. I was actually going to the kitchen to check. Maybe we could go together?"
"Sure," said Lilith.
The two went down to the dining hall. Jakob was standing by the door to the kitchen.
"Jakob?" said Felicia. "What are you doing?"
"Lord Corrin has requested the kitchen for a little bit," said Jakob. "This is… quite troublesome."
"Why?" said Lilith.
"The prince has no experience in the kitchen," said Jakob. "Considering what he may be doing, I worry it may get quite… chaotic in there."
Lilith gasped. She walked up to the door and gave it a knock.
"Lord Corrin?" said Lilith. When she got no response, she knocked again.
"Lilith, is that you?" Corrin responded back.
"Yes, it's me. Do you mind if I come in?"
"J-Just a second!" Corrin yelled. Lilith could hear footsteps rapidly going back and forth across the room.
"Lord Corrin?" said Lilith.
"Hang on," said Corrin. "AH! HOT! HOT! HOT!"
"Lord Corrin!" Jakob yelled. He dashed towards the door.
"Jakob, no!" Lilith cried.
It was too late. Jakob pushed Lilith out of the way and charged his way into the kitchen. With the door already open, Lilith and Felicia decided that they might as well head in, as well.
Corrin was waving his right hand around rapidly. The two servants and Lilith were shocked at the mountain of dirty dishes there were. The prince turned around and saw everyone in the kitchen.
"AH! Jakob! I thought I said to not come in here!"
"Apologies, Lord Corrin," said Jakob, "but I couldn't just leave you when I heard you scream in pain."
Corrin held his right hand close to his chest.
"What are you making, by the way?" Jakob said, glancing at the stove behind him.
"N-Nothing!" Corrin said, jumping upward on the tips of his toes.
"Is that… a teapot?" said Jakob.
Corrin stood properly and let out a sigh.
"I… wanted to make tea for everyone," said Corrin.
"Whoa! That's really nice you, Lord Corrin!" said Felicia.
"Milord, if you wanted to learn how to make tea, all you had to do was ask," said Jakob.
"Are you alright?" said Lilith.
"I'm fine, Lilith," said Corrin. "And that's not the point, Jakob. I want to do this myself. It wasn't that hard. It just took some time to get the color right… and to make sure it doesn't go bitter… And make sure that I don't burn myself for the hundredth time."
Corrin caught on to the whistling noise behind him.
"Oh! It's ready!" he said, excitedly.
"Don't grab it with your bare hands," Jakob said, noticing that he was going to do just that. The prince knew he was just trying to help, but he couldn't help but glare a bit.
"I knew that…" Corrin grumbled, reaching for a cloth.
With the cloth in hand, he reached for the teapot and began to lift it… when it boiled over.
"No, no, no!" Corrin yelled, holding it up. He began to tilt it towards himself.
"Milord, don't hold it like that!" said Jakob.
The water began to pour out on Corrin's hands. He screamed loudly and was forced to let go. Everyone backed away as the teapot shattered on the floor.
Corrin was holding his hands under his arms. His jaw trembled at the mess he made.
"I-I'm so sorry," said Corrin.
"It's okay," said Felicia. "Don't worry about it. Let me see your hands."
"I'm fine," said Corrin. "I gotta clean up this mess."
"I can get it," said Jakob.
"I can do it!" Corrin insisted.
"But you hands!" said Felicia.
"I CAN BE INDEPENDANT!" Corrin yelled.
Then there was silence. Corrin's usual kind eyes were narrowed and his eyebrows were deeply furrowed. His teeth were held tightly and Lilith could sense his rage. His face returned to normal once he realized what he had said. Felicia had both of her hands over her mouth and Jakob could only stand there and say nothing.
"I…" Corrin said, softly. "I…"
Corrin leaped over the mess and dashed out of the room.
"Prince Corrin, wait!" Felicia cried. "Come back!"
An entire afternoon passed since Corrin's outburst. Jakob, Felicia, Flora and even Lilith pitched in to clean up the mess, but Corrin had locked himself in his room and wouldn't respond to anyone who came to the door.
Lilith was really worried and just stood by it. She and the others couldn't think of anything else to do. After waiting around for hours into the evening, she finally heard the door unlock. She decided to wait a few moments before going in to see Corrin.
The prince was sitting in the same chair he was in this morning. The rain was still coming down and was visible from the windows. In fact, it seemed that the rain had only gotten heavier. Corrin's hands were tucked under his arms and his head hung low.
"Look, Flora, I really don't want to talk about it," said Corrin. "I'll apologize to Felicia and Jakob later, so can you please just leave me alone for a bit?"
Lilith closed the door behind her as she walked in. She walked over to the boy, who brought himself to see that his visitor wasn't Flora, but Lilith, instead.
"Oh… hey, Lilith," said Corrin. "Did you need something?"
Now that she was up close she could see the bags under his eyes. Felicia was wrong. He hadn't woken himself up… because he hadn't slept. His face was a little red, bringing to Lilith the thought that he had been crying.
Corrin stared at Lilith, awaiting a response. When he got none, he went back to looking downward.
"Your hands…" said Lilith. "Let me see."
Corrin stayed as he was. With that, Lilith went ahead and lowered herself onto her knees, pulling Corrin's hands out, gently, with no resistance from the royal boy. Patches of light pink were covering his hands. She could see where the hot water had spilled on him.
"It doesn't that bad," said Lilith. "Wait here."
Lilith left and came back with some damp rags to soothe the burns. Corrin winced slightly at the sensation, but was soon used to the feeling. After Lilith was sure his hands were clean, she wrapped them in bandages.
"So… what you did back there…" Lilith said, trying to whisper.
"...I'm fine," Corrin finally spoke.
"They were just trying to help," said Lilith.
Corrin's hands balled up into fists in hers.
"I know they were…" said Corrin. "I'm sorry, but… You don't know what it's like… You all have a bunch of stories to tell about the adventures around Nohr, or even Hoshido, for that matter. I don't have any of that…"
Lilith released Corrin's hands and stood onto her feet. She recalled being told thousands of times of how Corrin was not allowed to leave the fortress.
"My father… left me here…" said Corrin. "Xander, Camilia, Leo, and even Elise don't have to be stuck here. They always tell me about the things in Nohr, but… I want to see all those things for myself."
"Well, in two years you will be of age, Lord Corrin," said Lilith. "Surely by then-"
"King Garon's orders override law," said Corrin. "I can be an old man and still be cooped up in here."
The prince's eye brows began to furrow deeply. He began to hang his head low once more.
"I've studied as much as Xander and the others have taught me…" said Corrin. "I learned the ways of the sword and trained with everything I've got to serve Nohr one day… but my father still proves deaf to my devotion."
Lilith could see Corrin gritting his teeth, but he release his jaw to let out a sigh.
"Just one day…" said Corrin. "Just one day, I'd like to see what's beyond this fortress… Tomorrow is my sixteenth birthday…"
"So, then go…" said Lilith.
Corrin raised his head to look at Lilith.
"...What?"
"Xander is the crown prince of Nohr," said Lilith. "If anything, he's the closest to the king. If it's just for a day, he must at least consider. It's your birthday, after all."
"Really?" said Corrin.
"You don't think so?" said Lilith.
Corrin held his hands together.
"To be honest, I have no real reason to believe it," said Corrin. "But, I trust you, Lilith. Nohr is a dark and gloomy place, but we have to keep our eye on the light at the end of the tunnel."
"I'll be with you when you ask," said Lilith.
Finally, the prince was able to form a smile.
"Thank-you, Lilith," Corrin said, warmly.
All the servants were hard at work the next night. Seeing as four members of the royal family were going to be at the fortress tonight, Flora was determined to make sure everything was perfect. Only the finest food was set out on the table… meaning none of it came from Felicia.
Gunther was there to have the guards open the gate upon their arrival. In came the royal siblings Nohr. There was the cheery Elise, the powerfully smart mage, Leo, the dangerous and doting Camilia, and the regal and commanding Xander.
Lilith gave them the proper greetings and guided their horses to the stables.
Felicia was getting the plates from the kitchen. She walked them over to the dining hall, when she almost tripped from a fold in the carpet.
"Wh-Whoa! Whoa!" Felicia yelled, as some of the plates slipped. Luckily, Jakob was there to catch them.
"Are you alright?" said Jakob.
"Yeah, I'm okay," said Felicia.
"Please, Felicia. Try to be more careful at least for today," said Jakob.
"Y-Yes," said Felicia. "I'm s-"
"Felicia!" a small upbeat voice called.
Quickly, the maid set the plates down on the table. That voice came none other than Elise. Following behind her, were the rest of her siblings.
"Oh! Lady Elise! I didn't think you'd be here so early," said Felicia.
"Oh, Elise just couldn't wait to see our dear brother on his birthday," said Camilia. "She wanted to get going to the fortress as soon as possible."
"Speaking of which, where is Corrin, by the way?" said Leo.
"Um, he should be upstairs getting ready," said Felicia.
Corrin looked at his hands. They were covered by the gloves he wore with his outfit. Flora was straightening out his cape and told him to be down in the dining hall in ten minutes.
Lilith came in afterwards, and saw the prince looking out the window. He was wearing his armor and she could tell that Flora had recently polished it. The rain had gotten heavier since yesterday. There was talk of the staff hearing thunder.
Corrin could sense Lilith approach and took a deep breath.
"It'll be okay, Lord Corrin," said Lilith.
"I hope so…" said Corrin.
Lilith walked in front of Corrin and he followed her down to the dining hall. Everyone was already seated.
"Big Brother!" Elise exclaimed, jumping out of her chair. She ran over to Corrin and leaped over to hug him. The prince almost lost his balance.
"Elise, you're here!" Corrin said, hugging her back. "And so is everyone else."
"Of course," said Camilia. "We wouldn't miss your birthday for the world."
Elise led Corrin to his seat, giggling with excitement. The prince sat at the head of the table. Everyone was happy for him, but Xander could sense that something was off.
"Corrin, are you feeling okay?" said Xander. "You're usually very excited on your birthday."
"Wh-What?" said Corrin. "N-No! I'm fine." He grabbed a glass and held his drink up, forcing a smile. "I'd like to make a toast," he said standing up. "I'm very grateful to have such a kind and patient family, who taught me the ways of the sword and to be a proper prince of Nohr, along with the help of the staff who work here. I hope that when I leave the fortress-" His thoughts stopped him from speaking for second. "That… That I will work to protect Nohr just as well as you all have."
Corrin sat down as everyone applauded.
"Yay!" Elise cheered. "I love you so much, Corrin!"
"I love you too, Elise," said Corrin.
"That was very thoughtful," said Leo.
"Aw… I'm so glad you appreciate your Big Sister," said Camilia.
"Yes, that was very touching, Corrin," said Xander. He could see Corrin trying to avoid making eye contact with him, though.
A lively conversation went on throughout the dinner table. Corrin tried to keep up his smile, but as usual, they chatted about the adventures they've had around Nohr. He knew they meant well, and they wanted him to know what's been happening, but he never felt more left out at his own birthday dinner, and he never felt more selfish for thinking like that.
"Felicia, can I see the horses?" Elise asked after dinner was over.
"O-Oh! Of course, Lady Elise," said Felicia. "They really like Lord Corrin, so I'm sure they'll like you too."
"Yay!" Elise exclaimed. With that, she followed the maid out of the room.
"Do you need anything else, little brother?" Camilia said, sweetly.
"No, I'm fine," said Corrin. "Can you look after Elise, though? The horses have been pretty rowdy since the rain started."
"Of course," said Camilia. "I'll make sure nothing happens to our little sister."
"Corrin, I'd like to check up on your studies," said Leo. "I trust you're keeping your notes in the library."
"But it's my birthday," said Corrin.
"A birthday is not an excuse to skip out on your studies," said Leo. "I'm going to put together a new assignment for you."
"Fine!" Corrin grumbled, as Leo wandered off. After that, he turned to Xander. "So Xander, do want to spar with me? I think the rain has died down enough that we could get a round or two in."
"Of course," said Xander. "But first we must discuss something."
"Oh? What is it?" said Corrin.
"You haven't been yourself tonight," said Xander. "A warrior can't stand on the battlefield properly if their mind is elsewhere. So out with it."
"U-Um… I-I…" Corrin twiddled his thumbs, looking at anything in the room except his brother. Then he saw Lilith, standing in a doorway that was behind Xander. Once her eyes met Corrin's, he finally found the strength to speak.
"Y-You're right," said Corrin. "Xander, I have a request…"
"Well, go on then," said Xander. "Whatever the problem is, I'm sure I can handle it."
"Xander, I know I'm here for my own safety," said Corrin. "Father told me time and time again how I must stay here, but I can't stand it anymore. You and everyone else here have all these stories to tell about Nohr, but I'm sixteen-years-old now, and I've never set foot outside the this place. S-So… I-I… I want to ask… If just for a day…"
"Corrin, you know I can't do that," said Xander.
Corrin jerk upward, sitting up straight. He looked Xander in the eyes. His brows were furrowed, but he was frowning.
"Y-You're not even gonna let finish my sentence?" said Corrin.
"Corrin, these, orders are directly from Father," said Xander.
"I'm just asking for one day, Xander!"
"Father won't allow it."
"Well father's not here," Corrin said, his voice getting stern.
"Are you going to forget about that boy who was almost executed for trying to take you outside the fortress?" said Xander. "I will not go against a direct order from our father."
"I'm sick of being of being stuck here, Xander!" Corrin yelled, rising from his seat. His gentle, kind eyes were filled with rage. "I have studied and trained just as diligently as everyone else! You all raised to act like a real prince of Nohr. Well, I'm no longer asking. I'm demanding to be let out of this fortress!"
"The answer is no, Corrin!" Xander yelled back.
"Then why all the studies then?!" Corrin shouted, slamming his fists on the table. "What's the point of learning all things about Nohr, if I'm never going to leave this place to use them?!"
"Your time will come, little prince," said Xander. "It's just not today."
"Then when?!" said Corrin. "Because right now it feels like never!"
"I cannot say," said Xander. "You just have to be patient and-"
"I've been patient!" Corrin spat. "No matter how much training I have, it feels like I'll never get closer to leaving! I'm sick of being patient and I'm sick of waiting!"
"Corrin, as long as Father orders it, you will not leave this fortress!" said Xander. "I won't allow it!"
"THEN DON'T BE HERE TO NOT ALLOW IT!" Corrin shouted. "Don't bother coming to the fortress anymore, if all of you are just going to rub it in, talking about the world I can never see!"
With that, Corrin stormed away from Xander and made his way upstairs. Never in Lilith's life had she ever seen the sheltered prince of Nohr so infuriated. Xander had stood to try to stop and calm his brother, but the little prince was too fast for him.
Lilith made her way upstairs, following Xander. Corrin had locked himself in his room again. The crown prince could tell when he tried to open the door. He knocked to try and get Corrin's attention.
"Corrin, open the door!" said Xander.
"No!" Corrin yelled from the other side of it. "We're done talking! Now go away!"
"Corrin-" Xander began.
"W-Wait," said Lilith. "If you don't mind, Lord Xander, I would like to try to get through to him."
Xander stepped away and gave Lilith a nod. She approached the door and tapped it softly.
"Lord Corrin? It's me, Lilith," she said. "Listen, can I come in."
"No," Corrin said, less harshly to her.
"At least you tried," Lilith said, gently. "That's all the effort you need to put in."
"Yeah? So what now?" said Corrin. "I just stay here forever?"
"No, Corrin," said Xander. "You won't be stuck here forever."
"Then when can I go?" said Corrin. "How do you know that?"
"I don't," Xander responded, "but I know Father doesn't intend to keep it that way."
"Yeah, right…" said Corrin.
"Lord Corrin…" said Lilith.
"Just leave me alone…" said Corrin.
Defeated, Lilith backed away from the door.
"Let's… leave him be…" said Lilith.
"Fine…" Xander said, sighing with a glare.
Corrin heard them walk away. He sat in his chair, glaring out the window. The things he could make out beyond the fortress wall continued to mock him. He never asked for much growing up, and Xander bringing up that incident from when he was a little kid made him remember a familiar face. A noble boy with gray hair, eager to show his determination. Who was he? It began to warm the prince's heart, but also made him feel great sorrow… and even more anger.
Corrin gazed at his wardrobe and saw his sword that sat beside it…
Xander had brought all siblings together the next morning to explain what happened. They were in the dining hall just as the previous night.
"How could you, Xander!" Elise pouted. "It was his birthday yesterday!"
"It wasn't my intention to anger him," said Xander. "He knows he's not allowed outside the fortress."
"Yes, but that doesn't mean he can't get angry about it," said Leo.
"Oh, our poor brother," said Camilia. "No wonder he's so upset."
"Felicia told me that he was trying to make tea the other day," said Elise.
"Oh? And how did that go?" said Camilia.
"She said he burnt his hands…" Elise said, sadly.
"Flora told me of Corrin's recent behavior, as well," said Leo. "Not talking to anyone, wandering the perimeter walls, and not wanting anyone to do things for him."
"Well, clearly, our brother is trying to be more independent," said Camilia. "Perhaps he wants to prove to Father that he can survive on his own."
"We have to do something to cheer him up," said Elise. Then she gasped at the sound of thunder.
"Whoa! Lilith said there could be a thunderstorm today," said Leo. "Didn't think it's be that strong."
"Don't worry about me," Elise said, shaking off her fear. "We have to help Corrin."
"Well, shall we go up and see him?" said Camilia.
"I suppose he has had the entire night to calm down and get his thoughts together," said Xander. "Let's all go and speak with him."
"Okay!" Elise said, holding up her fists.
"Let's do this," said Leo.
"Of course," said Camilia.
Together, the royal siblings of Nohr headed upstairs towards Corrin's room. Lilith was standing by, idly. Her hands were held together tightly.
"Lilith, is Corrin in there?" said Xander.
"Yes," said Lilith. "I went to talk to him, but his door his still locked and he won't answer me."
"Let me try!" said Elise.
The youngest sister tapped the door.
"Big Brother, it's me, Elise!" she said, trying to sound cheery. "We wanna talk to you!"
No response.
"Corrin?" said Camilia.
"Corrin, come on!" said Leo. "You're angry at Xander, not us."
Xander formed a glare, but kept his words for Leo at bay. Then he turned to Lilith.
"Lilith, do you have a key?" said Xander.
"Well, yes," said Lilith. "But…"
"Corrin's acting ridiculous," said Xander. "Now open the door."
"O-Of course, Prince Xander," said Lilith, though she carried a heavy heart as she did as she was told.
Xander pushed the door open after it was unlocked. The others began to follow him inside.
"Corrin?" said Xander.
The prince wasn't in his bed and he wasn't sitting at his desk or by the window, either.
"Brother?" said Elise. "Maybe he's hiding?"
"Corrin, stop being immature," said Leo.
They searched the room, checking under the bed, in the wardrobe, and even his storage chest and came up with nothing.
"I thought you said he was here," said Leo.
"I thought so, too," said Lilith. "Felicia, Flora, Jakob and I took turns watching door all night and no one saw him come out."
"Phew!" Elise said, jumping slightly and hugging herself as she shivered. "It's cold in here."
Xander looked around and saw that one of the windows had been left open. The rain was coming down hard and once he witnessed a flash of lightning, the crown prince realized what had happened.
"By the gods…" said Xander.
"Prince Xander?" said Lilith.
"Lilith, get everyone searching the fortress! NOW!" Xander yelled.
Sword in hand, Corrin stood above the fortress wall. The perimeter was surrounded with water with steep cliffs, so the only way in or out of the fortress was by the bridge that stood in the front.
Corrin tried to shield his face from the wind and the rain as he struggled to reach the front of the fortress. The bridge was directly below him, once he made it. He began to shiver, unsure if it was because he was cold from the storm, or scared.
He thought about Elise, Leo, Camilia and Xander. What would they think once they figured out what he had done? More importantly, what would Father do if he was ever caught?
Yet, he felt that some risks were worth taking. He was a prince. He could get whatever he wanted living in that fortress, but it was not freedom if he could not step outside those enclosed walls and it felt like he was just being held back.
Corrin tied a rope to a pillar and hung it downward. He wasn't sure if it would reach the bottom, but he saw it was low enough. He took a deep breath before proceeding to climb down. He focused on just climbing and tried not to look down, though he couldn't help but cling tightly to the rope whenever there was a gust of wind or lightning struck. The rope kept swaying, but Corrin had to be careful. Then he heard the sound of something tearing.
"No!" Corrin shrieked, when he looked up and saw the rope above tearing. And when it snapped, Corrin fell downward, yelling out for help. He saw a window on the wall below and threw left hand forward. His hand seemed to tremble and he felt a split, but it didn't hurt. His nails curved into jagged claws and scales burst across his forearm.
"What?!" said Corrin.
He managed to grab the wall, but continued to slide down. The stone was pulled and ripped apart in the path in which he slid down. The prince held his teeth tightly, trying to keep his voice down. When he was close to the ground, he slipped, hitting the stone floor hard. He tumbled a few yards from the door, screaming.
Corrin held his left hand close to him, trying to keep his cries to minimum. He forced himself to sit up, panting heavily and wiping the tears from his eyes. He brought himself to look and saw that his left hand was normal again. Not only that, but there didn't appear to be any damage or bleeding.
"Huh?" Corrin said. He looked up at a flash of lightning, closing his eyes as the rain continued to fall on him. Then he began to chuckle nervously and then laughing joyfully. He was finally out! Finally free! The rain mattered little to him! He leaped onto his feet and spun around.
Once he was finally calm, he sighed. He knew it still wasn't over yet. He looked up and saw more lightning. The storm only seemed to be getting worse.
"Gotta go…" he muttered. He held his sore hand close and began to run across the bridge. It began to cross his mind about how furious everyone would be. Yet, he knew they would never understand.
Once he was across the bridge, he began to walk towards the mountains up ahead. Then he gasped when he heard that bell ringing from the fortress. The prince began to realize that they knew he was gone!
Part of him wanted to stop, wanted to let them find him so he could see his brothers and sisters again. But what would happen then? What would be his punishment? Execution? Or worse, locked away somewhere more secluded for the rest of his days? Why should he be punished for wanting freedom?
No… There was no going back now… Corrin thought.
Suddenly, his cape was caught in a fallen tree trunk. Corrin tried to tug it free, but it wouldn't budge. That bell was only making Corrin grow more fearful.
"I'm sorry…" he muttered. He undid the cape on himself and left it were it was stuck. He had to get out of sight and fast. The fears in his mind continued to flow as he dashed away. He could no longer have Xander and Leo as his brothers and Camilia and Elise as his sisters.
He could no longer be a prince of Nohr.
After running for a while, he found himself catching his breath in a forest. The trees were large, with vines and moss growing around them. The waters nearby were foggy with strange plants growing out from them.
Tired, Corrin found shelter under a tree. He brushed his damp hair away from his face and rubbed his hands together for warmth, trying to plot his next move. Hopefully, there was a town nearby where he could get supplies.
His friends and family wouldn't leave his mind, however.
No! I'll make new friends! he thought. It's not like anyone knows what the sheltered prince of Nohr looks like!
Suddenly, he heard a horse in the distance. Quickly, Corrin stood up and hid behind the tree he was sitting in.
"CORRIN?" The voice was female and familiar. Corrin peeked out a bit, so he wouldn't be seen and saw Elise riding with Xander on his horse. Leo was on his own horse, following behind.
"Oh, please be okay…" said Elise.
Corrin cowered in fear, trying to hide himself back behind the tree, while still being able to see.
How did they find me? he thought.
Xander looked around and then turned his head slightly to face Elise.
"We found his cape, Elise," he said. "He's got to be around here somewhere."
Corrin grew alert at the sight of his cape firmly in Xander's grip.
"Camilia's flying on her wyvern above," said Leo. "We'll find him. Don't worry."
Quietly, Corrin backed away from the tree. Once he was far enough, he turned away and ran. He pushed branches and vines out of his way, not caring where he was going. Anywhere was better than where he was, previously. Then, he tripped over a root in the ground and tumbled down a slope, landing in a pond of dirty water.
Corrin scrambled to sit up, his head and torso rising from the surface of the water, while he coughed and spat out the dirt in his mouth. He grumbled as he stood up and tried to wipe off the dirt and grime in his hair and armor. Then he made his way to dry land.
He then heard the sound of wings flapping. It was getting louder, so Corrin dashed to a nearby tree and hid behind it. The shadow of Camilia's wyvern could be seen as it flew over across.
"Corrin?" said the voice of Camilia. "Where are you? You are in so much trouble when I get my hands on you!"
Corrin tried to stay quiet until he was sure he was gone. Then he sighed and continued to walk, when he heard the roaring of a monster. He turned around and was met by a Faceless.
"Is that… a Faceless?" Corrin said, reaching for his sword. "Dammit! Why has everything today been trying to stop me?! Well, bring it on! I fell down a tower and evaded the forces of Nohr, including the royal family!"
The Faceless growled at Corrin and ran towards him. The prince leaped through the air, cutting the monster down before he landed on his feet once more. The Faceless collapsed before him and he turned and stabbed another one that came from behind. They disappeared into nothing and Corrin charged in to take out two more with a spinning slash.
Corrin stood up straight, when the dust settled. He thought there would be more than just a few, but that mattered little to him.
"It's over… he said. He put away his sword and decided to continue walking.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of rapid footsteps. They were too small to be another Faceless. Corrin turned around, but it was too late. He found himself being tackled and pinned to the ground.
"Big Brother!"
Corrin opened his eyes.
"Elise?!"
Elise had landed on top of him. Her hair and skirt were drooping from the rain. The tips of her long pony tails were dirty from touching the dirt.
"Oh good! You're okay!" she said. "HEY! EVER-"
Corrin broke free of Elise's grasp and covered her mouth.
"Will you keep your voice down?!" Corrin hissed. "Why did you wander away from Xander and Leo?"
Elise pulled Corrin's hand away and spat out the taste in her mouth.
"Ew, gross!" said Elise. "Why are you all dirty?!"
"Elise, why did you wander off?" said Corrin.
"Because I saw you and didn't want you to get away!" said Elise. "Why did you wander off? Do you have any idea how worried everyone is back at the fortress?!"
Corrin pulled away from his sister and got on his knees.
"I had to, Elise," said Corrin. "You wouldn't understand, being trapped in a fortress your entire life."
"But Father was planning to let you leave one day, right?" said Elise.
"I don't know. Not even Xander knows."
"But Corrin, we love you."
"I know you do, but I can't stay trapped any longer." Corrin stood up. "I'm sorry, Elise."
"No!" Elise lunged at Corrin and grabbed his sore left arm. He flinched at the pain, but focused on trying to pry her off.
"Elise, please!" Corrin yelled.
"No! Don't go!" Elise pleaded.
"If you love me, you have to let me go!" Corrin struggled, trying to push her away.
"NO! Please!" Elise cried.
"Elise…" Corrin said, once he pried off one her hands. She tried to grab him again with it, but he had enough. "Let… GO!"
And with that, Corrin shoved Elise away, making her fall onto the ground with a yelp. Once she sat up, she couldn't find Corrin anywhere. He had dashed off.
"Big Brother?" said Elise. She stood onto her feet. "Big Brother!" she yelled. "P-Please…" Tears began to fill her eyes. "Come back… Come back…" She sank back down onto her knees and began to sob.
Suddenly, Elise heard the growling of another Faceless. She stood up and there it was, behind her. The little princess whimpered in fear, shivering.
"HELP!" Elise cried. She backed away until she was caught at the edge of dry land, near the water.
More tears began to escape her eyes at that very moment. She ran off on her own to get her to her brother back and didn't get her anywhere, but into danger. She looked away as the Faceless raised its arm.
Suddenly, she was pushed away at last second. She fell to the ground and saw Corrin get hit instead, being thrown across the water and crashing into a tree that fell down after the impact.
"CORRIN!" Elise yelled.
The young princess ran through the water to get to her brother. He was lying next to fallen tree. Dings and dents were in his armor. Dirt was all over his body and his right hand was grasping his left shoulder as he shut his eyes, tightly.
Elise ran over and shook him as the Faceless began to approach.
"Corrin, get up! Please!" Elise cried, desperately.
Corrin gasped in pain. His shoulder was throbbing, but he could not feel the rest of his arm.
"E… Elise… RUN!" Corrin grunted.
"No! Not without you!" Elise yelled.
Elise gasped as she saw the Faceless get closer. With her brother incapacitated, she wasn't sure what to do. Two more Faceless approached from behind.
"DON'T HURT MY BROTHER!" Elise yelled. And she threw herself over Corrin's body. She closed her eyes tightly, tears streaming down as she heard the monsters' roars.
Suddenly, the closest Faceless was taken down by a beam of darkness. The other two were taken out by an explosion of magic.
Elise arose with the silence and found Xander riding in with Leo.
"Elise!" said Leo. "Are you alright?"
"Leo!" Elise glanced at him with more tears in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" said Leo.
Xander was able to see the sight by Elise.
"CORRIN!" he yelled.
Corrin could barely register that voice. He cracked his eyes open and saw the image of a very blurry Elise.
"Big Brother?!" said Elise. "Stay with us!"
Corrin could only gasp through the pain in his shoulder. Tears streamed down from his eyes.
"I-I'm… s-sorry," Corrin could get out. Then he saw Xander come into view.
"CAMILIA, OVER HERE!" Corrin could hear Leo yell.
"I'm sorry…" Corrin muttered again.
"It's alright, little prince," said Xander. Corrin could feel the warmth of his cape surrounding him. "You're safe now." Those were the last words he heard, before the comforting darkness surrounded him and he fell deep into unconsciousness.
Corrin felt warm. He could feel heat on his face from a fire. His entire body ached all over, but he could feel himself covered by what seemed to be blankets. The feeling was back in his left arm, but was resting on his chest, outside of whatever was covering him. He tried to move it, but caused pain in his shoulder.
At this point, Corrin forced his eyes to open, blinking several times as he tried to take in the sights around him. He knew he was in his room and safely in bed, though there were a few more blankets over him than usual. He noticed that he had been changed out of his armor and into something more comfortable.
"Lord Corrin?"
"Elise…?" Corrin mumbled. He sat up from the bed, trying to support his head as he looked around around, only to be guided back down by a gentle hand pushing on his chest.
"Easy. You're okay, but you need to rest," a voice responded.
The prince was too weak to fight back, and closed his eyes as his head landed back against the pillows. Corrin pulled his left arm under the covers, fighting through the pain to curl up for warmth.
"It's okay... I'm here."
Corrin felt a weight on the bed and a hand touched his hair. He opened his eyes and saw the source of the voice, his vision finally clearly.
"L... Lilith?" said Corrin.
Lilith smiled warmly at the sight of his eyes. She reached out and pulled him into her arms.
"Oh, Lord Corrin! I was so worried about you!" she cried.
"I... I'm so sorry..." Corrin said, putting his uninjured arm around her.
Lilith pulled away. "For what?"
"I fled without even thinking about how you would feel!" said Corrin. "After everything you did to help me, I-"
"Prince Corrin, it's okay!" said Lilith. "The only thing I care about is that you're safe, whether it's physically or emotionally."
"Big Brother!"
The door creaked open and Elise scampered in with Leo and Camilia behind her.
"Elise?" said Corrin.
Camilia was the first to approach her brother.
"Oh, Corrin don't ever make me worry about you like that again!" she said.
Elise hopped onto the bed and wrapped her arms tightly around her brother.
"You're finally awake! I was so worried!" she cried.
"I'm okay, Elise," said Corrin. He wrapped his right arm around her. "I-" The prince winced in pain when he tried to hug her with the other arm.
"I'm glad you're finally awake," Leo said, patting his brother on his right shoulder when Elise pulled away. "How's your arm?"
"I thought it was broken…" said Corrin.
"No. Just dislocated," said Leo. "It took Felicia, Gunther and Jakob to hold you down while Flora and Lilith got it back in place."
"Elise was so worried about you," said Camilia. "You were calling out for her all night while you were feverish, so she didn't leave your side until Xander made her get some sleep."
"All night?!" said Corrin. "You mean-"
"Yeah," said Leo. "You were out for an entire day."
Corrin looked out the window and saw that the thunderstorm had finally died down to gentle rain.
"Nevermind that," Corrin said, turning back to his siblings. "Are you okay, Elise? Why would you throw yourself to save me? I pushed you away, I… I left you all alone…"
"I'm fine, Corrin!" said Elise. "Why did you throw yourself to save me?!"
"B… Because you're my sister, Elise," said Corrin. "I couldn't bear it if something happened to you because of me."
"Well, that's how I feel," said Elise. "I don't want anything to happen to you, either."
"I… I'm just glad you're okay," said Corrin.
"And I'm glad you are," said Elise.
Corrin and Elise exchanged smiles. Then Corrin heard footsteps and saw that Xander was staring at him from the door.
"...I'm sorry, Xander," said Corrin.
Elise turned around. "Big Brother!"
Now that he had everyone's attention, the crown prince walked into the room.
"I'm glad you're finally awake," Xander said. "You're lucky you're all in one piece."
"I'm so sorry Xander…" said Corrin. "I was such a fool to do what I did. I put our little sister in danger and made everyone worry. The Faceless could've killed her and I should've paid for it with my life."
Corrin hung his head low, closing his eyes in shame. He heard footsteps and then then felt Xander's hand on his right shoulder, forcing him to find the strength to look at his brother again.
"Well, I can't say I'm happy about what you did," said Xander. "And when Father finds out about this, he surely won't be happy about this, either."
"I know…" said Corrin.
"So, he won't find out…"
"Wait, what?"
"I think I understand how much you want to see the world and be free," said Xander. "That's why I"m going to see to it that Father recognizes your progress to convince to let you leave the fortress sooner. I can't promise it will be tomorrow or even next week, but I promise to make greater strides to free you if you behave yourself and agree to this."
Corrin truly felt bad about what he did, but once he saw the caring facing of his family, he soon felt relieved. And he began to smile.
"Okay, Xander," said Corrin. "I think I learned my lesson."
"Yeah, the wilderness pretty much taught you that," said Leo. "I swear, you're luckier than anyone I've ever seen."
"Don't worry, Corrin," said Camilia. "I'll make sure to take extra special care of you."
"Thanks, Camilia," said Corrin.
"I'll help you, Camilia!" Elise said, cheerfully. "It's the least I can do for the hero who saved me. You'll help too, right Lilith?"
Oh, um, of course!" said Lilith.
"I'm so lucky to have you all," said Corrin. "I'd rather be stuck here with all of you, than out there, alone."
Xander finally smiled at his brother.
"Aw, I love you, Big Brother!" said Elise. She jumped at Corrin for another hug.
Ignoring the pain, Corrin wrapped both arms around his sister.
"I love you, too, Elise… All of you…"
One-shot of January:
More than Anger - Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons
Other stories:
Skyward Bound - Legend of Zelda
Splatoon: A Fresh Spark - Splatoon