"I love you."
It's a familiar phrase to Charlotte, she had heard it so many times for men she had charmed over the years. From common soldiers to a handful of nobles, she had heard it from people from all walks of life. Though this time was different, something felt not so familiar about this time. She felt the feelings behind it. Before, when she heard it, she could tell just from how they said it that they were in it for her body and her "helpless" persona. This time though, she could feel the genuine love for who she was, and the need to be with her, forever. She also never loved them back, she may have been in for their money, but she could never be with someone who she didn't love back. However, this time was different for the axe-wielding blonde. She felt something towards him, and she wasn't used to this feeling of love toward someone before. With her friend, Benny, she was comfortable with being herself around him, but she didn't love him romantically. This was something else entirely, and she wasn't sure how to process it.
"What?! Milord, you're speaking crazy talk. You need to see a healer." She had said this to him, because how could anyone genuinely love who she really was. She couldn't understand this possibility ever happening.
"I'm perfectly fine, Charlotte." He had said, his feeling continued to have this truthfulness to them, and he was the one who summoned her suddenly, and said that there was value in being honest with people, so he was making that same choice. Charlotte then returned with the only other possibility left in her mind.
"If you are in your right mind, then you should know how rude it is to mock people." Charlotte saw no other reason he would say such a thing as "I love you" to her, it makes no sense, how could someone possibly love someone who could destroy trees with her bare hands?
"I'm not making fun of you! I'm very serious, Charlotte." He responded with, hoping his genuine feelings and love for her would reach her, trying to get across how much he was in love this woman.
"We…we did talk about how my helpless-woman thing is an act right? How I'm actually an aggressive, tree-smashing girl?" Charlotte knew this helpless-woman act was the only way to get anyone to fall for her, as the real her scared off anyone except Benny, and a few others. This was something that she never could see happening to her.
"Heh, didn't you say the wind blew that tree over?" He was hoping in this moment to help calm his own nerves, try to lighten the mood, and try to get Charlotte to see that he was serious about this relationship he wanted to start with her.
"Shut up-you know that was a lie." She knew that at this point, he knew about her true nature, so why would joke about it? "My point is, I wasn't honest with you before. How can you trust me?" She was lying to him since they met, the moment she learned he was prince in Cheve, she had done a full personality switch with him. She gave him that lunch, and he loved it, soon he would love her, and then there they would be in love, she'd be rich, him never learning of her real self. Then she saw their pay and smashed a tree in frustration, which was done, unbeknownst to her, in his presence, as he was trying to simply return her lunch box, which he said was one of the best lunches he's ever had. Before he could, she stormed off in a huff, angry at herself for letting someone see her for who she really was.
At this point, she had decided to drop her act around him, and when they next saw each other, she was her real self around him, and he said that while it was odd, he didn't mind, and was grateful for both the lunch and for her showing who she really was. Then he also had her envelope that she used to send money to her parents, who struggled to get by, and this was why she needed money in the first place. She claimed he wouldn't believe her story, but he refuted that she had no reason to lie to her, so why would she? He then asked if she was going to drop this act with everyone, not just him, which she adamantly denied, which didn't surprise him all that much.
"I think I'd be worried about the kind of person I am if your secrets bothered me. Everyone has something they'd rather not show to the world. You're human, Charlotte. And the kind of person you actually are is who I love." When he said this, he said it with such genuine care and love, she finally understood that he meant it when he said he loved her, and with such words, she began to cry. "Is something wrong?" he asked, though he thinks he could guess what was wrong.
"The tears… They won't stop! And in case you weren't sure, these are genuine tears. Sure, I can cry on command, but this something else entirely!" She was so overwhelmed with emotions of happiness and joy, she never thought someone could possibly love her for who she was.
"I believe you, but…why are you crying?" he asked, he wasn't expecting her to start crying, and he was trying to figure out if it was a good thing or not.
"Because hearing you say that is one of the nicest things I've ever heard… And I've gotten people to say some really nice things about me." She had gotten people to say things such as "you're so beautiful" and "your eyes are like stars" but they were empty compliments, and she could see they were in it for her body and fake personality. Then came her penultimate question "But…are you sure you want to be with me? Really sure?" She was sure he deserved better her.
"I am completely sure. I think every day with you will be exciting." He had said this knowing it as a fact, every day, waking up next to a beautiful woman who he loved, and her antics that she could get into, and her raw power in battle, had won him over, he was completely in love with her.
"Corrin…I'm not sure you're all right in the head." Corrin must be crazy if he's in love with her. She's crazy in love with him, but that didn't matter to her, because in her mind, she was unlovable.
"That could be true, hahah. But if so, isn't that a good thing? Two people, crazy in love could never tire of each other." How did he know she was crazy for him? She had been since he had listened to her talk about his parents, she'd never done that with anyone before, but figured he didn't care, just another man, trying to get in the pants of Charlotte. Now though, she could see he was listening and he cared about her feelings and loved her so much. Charlotte was lost in thoughts briefly about this, before answering.
"You might be right. Thank you, Corrin." And, for the first time in this declaration of love, she smiled, and it was a smile of genuine happiness and returned affection for her new love, and everlasting bond, with Corrin. They then embraced, and kissed, and this hit Charlotte hard, she was in love with someone who loved her for her, not this fake persona she showed the world. He was there for her, and she was there for him.
"I love you darling, I've always dreamt of this moment." She said once they had partially separated, "I did picture more golden things around though," she said, jokingly. He laughed, before returning to embracing his new love.
"Corrin? I wanted to go over these…" Xander had decided to choose now to walk into Corrin's, and now Charlotte's room at this moment, and seeing both stare at him awkwardly for a solid 10 seconds before Xander made the decision to return at a different time "Well, I'll ask later…" he walked away, leaving the new couple to be alone together. Corrin had finally done it, he had confessed to Charlotte. He was pretty sure if he had heard one more time about how enamored Corrin was with Charlotte he would jump out of Castle Krakenburg. He thinks Leo would do it a few times. He would have to tell his siblings about it later. For now, he heard laughter from their room, and that was enough to get Xander to frown less intensely than before. Corrin had seemed to shut himself emotionally compared to before the war had started, and this was the first time he heard him laugh since before he left that dreadful tower. He was very happy that his brother had found someone who could make him happy again.
A/N: Hello! This was an idea I had about Charlotte. Obviously, this is about Charlotte's feelings as Corrin admits his feelings. I hope you enjoyed this story! Reviews are not necessary, but appreciated.