I. Smoke

It was not uncommon for Hoshidan merchants to cross into Nohr to exchange their crops for Nohrian ores and gemstones, and vice versa. In less than two years, the two countries' relationship had progressed from all-out war to an uneasy peace centered around trade. Outside of the merchant convoys, however, few chose to venture across the Bottomless Canyon.

It was in a tiny, nondescript farming village on Hoshido's borders that Sakura observed the first sign of a break in the new status quo. Nohr had fallen silent, ceasing official communication with Hoshido. The ambassador in Shirasagi had been recalled unceremoniously, to both his and Ryoma's surprise, while his Hoshidan counterpart had requested leave two weeks earlier. For days, pegasus knights patrolling the Bottomless Canyon had reported groups of Nohrians streaming across whatever intact bridges they could find into Hoshido. They were not merchants, but rather peasant farmers and their families, fleeing from their homeland.

For now, it appeared that they had no intention of stirring up trouble, and had established crude camps far from Hoshidan rice fields, while purchasing food in nearby villages. But Sakura's people were understandably nervous of the newcomers, after years of raids by Faceless. As they were already traveling nearby on humanitarian missions, the princess and her retainers had been asked to investigate the sudden influx of Nohrians into Hoshido, while maintaining order.

Before she could do any of that, however, she found herself approached by her crimson-haired retainer.

"Lady Sakura… Lord Ryoma has requested our return to Castle Shirasagi immediately."

"Oh? But we just got here," she replied, puzzled. "Do you know why he wants us back so soon?"

Subaki seemed uneasy, his usual pompous flair gone. "It's about Nohr, milady. If I haven't misunderstood the message, the monarchy has fallen."

II. Embers

Leo was not a prophet, nor did he believe in those who claimed that they saw the future. This was due in part to his inherently logical nature, but also because not one self-proclaimed "fortuneteller" foresaw Hoshido invading Nohr and killing three members of the royal family. That particular incident put a black mark on the reputation of any court clairvoyant who had instead seen a great Nohrian conquest and the country's future prosperity, which had been all of them.

And yet, there was a growing sense of dread, chilling his spine, that kept Leo from sleep almost every single night. He couldn't tell what exactly was bothering him. His attempts at changing Nohr and throwing out the archaic ideas of his predecessors were facing extreme backlash from his court, and there had been a number of thinly-veiled threats thrown at him by the nobility. He had proposed a new limit to the amount of land that could be owned by a single family, which was predictably blocked. He wanted to change the Nohrian tax structure to be more forgiving on the poor, and harsher on the rich, an idea which was also being obstructed. Some nobles even refused to trade with Hoshidan merchant convoys, preventing Leo from hammering out permanent treaties. The lack of progress was frustrating, but there was absolutely nothing he could do, short of installing himself as an iron-fisted dictator. Without widespread support, or fear, of him from the nobility, the treasury would be depleted, the army reduced to wielding pointed sticks, and the peasantry would still suffer.

Of course, there was always a small level of danger when dealing with the pit of vipers that was the royal court. His fear was of something different, something unexpected, that he hadn't accounted for. And it was on the inauspicious fifteenth day of the third moon when the conspiracy finally came to light.

There was a commotion outside his study. Footsteps thundering down the hallway, yelling voices, shaking armour and swords, screams of pain, cursing—

"King Leonardo!" The door rattled back on its hinges. In the faint light of the hallway, two bodies could be seen, slumped against the wall. A trio of men, bearing the insignias of Nohr's top generals, glowered at Leo, their weapons raised. "Your time as the ruler of this country has come to an end. Two years ago, your devil of a father drove us into ruin, and since then, you have done nothing while we, the people, have continued to suffer. The Nohrian army will not stand by idly while you destroy us, and so you are to abdicate in favour of a new government that will make Nohr stronger and more united than it has been for the past three hundred years. You will be put on trial for crimes of— what the— mmph!?"

Leo slowly lowered his trembling hand, his head buzzing slightly from the difficulty of restraining so many with Brynhildr. "It's a coup, then."

Another head poked around the doorway, a single eye flicking across each of the entangled traitors. "Well, well, this brings back memories, doesn't it, Lord Leo? Ruffians breaking into the palace again?"

Sighing heavily, Leo took a final glance at his study. The three who had just tried to kill him were just the first wave. If his military had turned against him, it was unlikely that he'd be able to maintain control of the country. Still, he would not allow himself to be captured and have his body paraded around Windmire. His only option was to flee, either to Hoshido, or Izumo. "Shall we get out of here, Niles?"

III. Cinders

When Sakura returned to Shirasagi, she found her eldest brother pacing a trough into the ground. After nearly two years as Hoshido's king, Ryoma's once-smooth face was now littered with worry lines, and although he hadn't even reached his thirtieth year yet, she swore that strands of his hair were beginning to grey. He wasn't normally one for showing his emotions, but his relief at the sight of his youngest sister's return was evident as he tightly wrapped his arms around her slender figure.

"I wanted to make sure that nothing happened to you… We have no idea what's going on in Nohr, besides that there's been a coup, so I needed to make sure you were safe and in my sight."

Her mouth making an 'o' shape at his words, Sakura looked up at her brother. "Nohr overthrew their king? He's barely older than me, and they… Did they k-kill him?"

Ryoma shook his head, patting her head reassuringly. "We have no idea, but I believe that his usurpers would be publicly celebrating his death if they did. He may have escaped into hiding. For now, I want you to stay near the castle until we determine how to respond to this, okay?"

"Of course, big brother."

By the end of the next week, however, Sakura was feeling antsy. She had never realized how much she valued her time away from Hoshidan politics until she was forced to endure it on orders from Ryoma. Whenever she attended court in Castle Shirasagi, she would be bombarded with feudal lords either trying to gain her approval of some ridiculous endeavour, or, especially of late, presenting their sons to her in hopes of winning her heart and thus influence over the royal family.

The Castle Town, on the other hand, was similarly chaotic but a much more pleasant environment to be in. As she strolled down the main road, shopkeepers and passersby stopped to stare or bow at her. It was impossible for her to travel discreetly.

The scents of flowers, fruit, and frying oil wafted towards her from market stalls. It was by a small fountain, as the spray of water glittered into a rainbow, that she first noticed two men, wearing in Nohrian style cloaks. Soldiers and civilians alike were eyeing them cautiously. It was rare to see foreigners, especially Nohrians, in the capital. One, inferring from the reverence of the people around Sakura, inclined his head politely, a lock of blond hair poking out from underneath his hood.

When she returned to the Shirasagi an hour later, her head clearer after her walk, she immediately noticed the tense, stone-faced expressions on the faces of every guard in the palace. The last time that she could remember seeing and feeling such unease was two years ago.

"Excuse me," she inquired at one. "Do you know what's going on?"

The man stiffened briefly, before hastily bowing low. "I-I believe that Lord Ryoma has received some unexpected guests from Nohr. And he would appreciate your presence in the throne room, Lady Sakura."

"From Nohr? What could this be about?" she murmured to herself, as she made a beeline to the chamber, on the far side of the castle. Lost in thought, she didn't think to knock before sliding open the doors.

"... and because of that, my retainer and I are requesting political asylum in Hoshido." The man speaking to her brother turned at the sound of Sakura's footsteps, his dark eyes gazing into hers. It was, of course, Leo, the former king of Nohr.

IV. Ashes

The library in Castle Shirasagi was nowhere near as impressive as the one in Krakenburg, but the atmosphere and musty scent of books was familiar enough that Leo could almost pretend that he was still in Nohr. Sympathetic to his plight— and perhaps a little guilty, as it was his actions that had killed Xander and Elise— King Ryoma had granted refuge to the former Nohrian king and his only remaining retainer.

During the war with Hoshido, Odin had hinted multiple times that he would eventually leave Leo's service, and, true to his word, the eccentric mage and his two closest friends had vanished from Nohr. Despite many reminders from his advisors to take on a second retainer, Leo couldn't bring himself to do it. Every candidate seemed so shallow, or boring, even. And given the events of the past weeks, perhaps it had been for the best that his inner circle was as small as could be.

But that brought his mind back to another worry: Camilla. He had no idea what had become of his sister after the coup. She had retreated to some isolated estate, having renounced any claim to the throne years before. He hoped that would keep her safe from the traitorous military, as unlikely as that was. She was still a terror-inspiring fighter that could certainly deal with a handful of soldiers on her own, but she wasn't invincible. Maybe he could ask King Ryoma to find information on her...

"U-um, King Leo?" A female voice materializing behind him interrupted his musings. "I was wondering if you have found your rooms adequate for your needs?"

He had temporarily been given chambers in the south wing of the castle, while a permanent residence on the outskirts of the nearby town was being prepared for him. Despite that, Leo was spending most of his time reading by candlelight in the library, taking most of his meals there, and only leaving to relieve himself and sleep.

He gazed at the girl blankly. From her appearance, she was clearly the youngest of Hoshido's royal siblings. Her rose-coloured hair fell just past her shoulders, which were covered by a silky white shawl. Perhaps her attire was consistent with that of Hoshidan shrine maidens, but it was completely foreign to Leo. He blinked when the words finally penetrated his head. "Ah, yes, they're fine. Please send my thanks to your brother, Lady Sakura."

"Of course." She shuffled her feet, clad in knee-length white socks, and her fingers playing with the smooth material of her dark red skirt. "I-if you don't mind me asking, how are you doing today?" Shrinking back at his bewildered glance, she mumbled the rest of her words while meticulously studying her sandals. "I c-can't imagine how it must feel to be forced out of your home without warning, and then have to live in an unfamiliar country, maybe for the rest of your life…"

"Damnit, I'm sad, not suicidal," Leo replied sharply.

The princess pulled her arms around herself uncomfortably. "I wasn't i-implying th-that…"

Leo winced at his tone. His poor mood was making his temper flare. "That was harsher than I intended. My apologies." He stared at the table. "I'm just full of regret, I guess. It hurts to think that it was my failures as leader that led to all of this."

"W-would you like to talk about it? I can listen, if that would make you feel better."

"You… don't need to be concerned about my personal problems."

"But I am concerned! It's not healthy for you to bottle up your emotions like that!" The girl's sudden outburst didn't at all match her otherwise timid persona, but even she seemed surprised by her words. That didn't stop her continuing on through Leo's silence.

"M-my words are still true. Even if it's not to me, you should be talking to someone about how you're feeling, instead of trying to hide in the library for the rest of your life."

Sighing, Leo nodded. "I suppose that your logic is sound, Princess." He smiled at her dryly. "You can be very convincing when you want to be. Perhaps I will take you up on your offer sometime, should it still stand, of course."

Back at it again with the messed up tenses and inconsistent POV.

With allusions to real events, both historical and present-day.