Warning, there will be a lemon
Sakura laid in her bed weeping quietly as she had for much of the past two days. She had not eaten or slept as she should have in that timeframe either, all she could think about was the letter she had read and reread the evening of Thursday the fourteenth of June. It was from her deceased adoptive mother Lady Mikoto and within a few short paragraphs from beyond the grave, Mikoto had set a plague of Byrnhildr, Mjolnir, and for good measure Ginnungagap on Sakura's conscious. At least that what the youngest of the Hoshidan Royal Family felt like had happened. Hana, Subaki, Takumi, and Ryoma had all separately checked on her within the past hour but none of them had been able to find the letter (she had stuffed it down her shirt under her bandaging) or been able to get her to talk. The letter itself began innocuously enough.
My Dear Sweet Sakura,
By the time you will have even thought to read this my demise will have come as foretold by the Dawn Dragon, but this is not about me. This is about you and that wonderfully sweet heart of yours. If you are reading this you are no doubt in the throes of romantic love, its tendrils snug around your breast (although as your mom the word breast is probably taboo). You are wondering about my son Corrin, and why he makes you feel so strange. You feel like you're committing a mortal sin even thinking as you have, but rest assured my dear Sakura, you are not. Corrin is not your relative and you share no more familial blood with him than the woodpeckers of Hoshido share with the Kitsune tribes. I know this will be a shock to you but I would rather tell you this postmortem than let you live, be married, and bear my grandchildren in an unhappy marriage to man who does not hold your heart as a child would a butterfly, so sweet and tender. I love you very much and should Corrin have reservations, do not hesitate to show him this.
Love,
Mikoto
When she had first read it Sakura had been overjoyed and it was in that joy that she made her mistake. She had showed Hinoka, who received no such letter and who also knew her mothers handwriting. Sakura had spent the better part of an hour reassuring Hinoka that she had opened it out of curiosity, and because she had misplaced it, not because she actually wanted to marry Corrin. It had been such a frightful conversation that Sakura had decided against repeating it with Hana which was, now that she got up to blow her nose, a really silly and potentially hurtful thing to do to her dear retainer. Trying to get up from her bed she felt as though her head was at the peak of a mountain while her feet rested on the ocean floor.
"Need food…" she whispered to herself.
Predictably Hana was outside Sakura's room on a chair which has by the looks of it been fortified with blankets. Hana herself was fast asleep, the effort of the past two days showing in how unperturbedly her mouth hung open, a tiny bit of drool threatening to spill out. It would have been hilarious had Sakura not felt a fresh inundation of guilt over the situation. Gently so not to get struck by a flailing limb, she shook Hana's shoulder.
"Huh, wha…zuh..Lady Sakura!"
It was remarkable how quickly Hana went from napping and drooling on herself to battle ready, despite wearing only a nightgown. Before Sakura could again speak, her stomach gave a roar at which Hana more or less tossed Sakura over her shoulder and ran down to the royal kitchens. Sakura was too bewildered to protest as Hana piled her plate high with rice and fish which had been saved in a yellow pot specifically for the Princess by order of…well probably everyone who had a say thought Sakura as she ate her first piece of fish.
"You don't have to talk right now, in fact you shouldn't. Eat first."
Sakura nodded, her mouth full of rice, knowing that Hana would never dream of giving her a command like that in normal circumstances.
"Ryoma is off negotiating the latest food exports to Nohr with King Leo, Hinoka is with him for some sort of diplomatic training, they left about two hours ago. Takumi…um he's actually the one who set out the rice and fish for you."
"And Corrin?" Sakura winced at how pathetic her voice sounded.
"He's probably up in his study praying at this hour. Subaki and Caeldori are lance training, we've been swapping watch every four hours between the three of us. Oboro brought us the blankets so we could sleep so it wasn't watch all of the time, but you understand I think."
Another rush of guilt went to Sakura's cheeks, which were now violently pink in addition to having enough salt stains to start a small mine. Not only had she worried her retainers, but now Subaki's wife and daughter were looking out for her, she was quite pathetic. Reasoning what was in her liege's mind beyond the mountain of rice, which Hana had heightened with a second portion Hana nodded no.
"Just because it's peacetime doesn't mean my job as your retainer is over. Far from it. After you eat we can talk about why we haven't seen you in about two whole days and why you were so upset."
Sakura nodded taking another bite of rice, but it was only after three portions that Hana was satisfied.
"Can you go tell Subaki, I've eaten? I'd like to go wash."
"Of course."
Hana went off to tell Subaki, which also meant passing by Corrin's study.
"I'll pay him a visit too."
Corrin had not been among the people to try and breach Sakura's door over the past two days, and for what Hana begrudgingly accepted was a half-decent reason. Indeed, it was only because of Corrin that the rest of them stopped. He knew that Sakura would have opened her door for him if he so much as set his toe on the floorboard in front of it. So naturally when Ryoma and Takumi had been unable to get Sakura to tell them what was wrong and they heard the sounds of crying they beseeched their brother.
"She said she wants to be left alone."
"You don't understand Corrin, the way she was wailing I thought she'd been stabbed."
"Takumi isn't exaggerating."
"That may be Ryoma, but think of it this way, you both said she told you she wanted to be left alone. Let her have a good cry until she's ready to talk. And if you aren't here, I can assure you either Hana, Subaki, or myself can handle it."
Hana did not overhear that conversation, but it was a certainty it had occurred. The door to Corrin's study in the castle was slightly ajar, and she could hear a piano and a forlorn voice accompanying.
"You are the ocean's gray waves Destined to seek Life beyond the shore Just out of reach. Yet the waters ever change Flowing like time"
Hana gasped, she hadn't heard that song since Azura had died in their final battle, and if Corrin was to be believed, that song is what had killed her. In her panic she body-checked the door open and stumbled in. Corrin looked up from the piano, his concentration swept up in a wind of confusion.
"Hana?"
"So sorry Corrin, I thought, I thought you were trying to…nevermind."
Corrin tilted his head forward as he looked at Hana, knowing full well how to use his pretty red eyes to his advantage.
"Tell me Hana."
"The last time I heard that, Azura died…and you said that was why. So, I thought you were trying to…join her." Hana felt breathless and Corrin's muted nod did little to assuage her and she hurled herself into his arms.
"Shh, it's alright, it's just pretty music and it reminds me of my deceased loved ones when I want to remember them."
Corrin was referring to Azura as well as Elise though he shared more blood with his plate when he and Hana last had steak than he did with the two of them. Such was the depth of Corrin's affections for them. On his piano, a great ebony beast of an instrument, there was a line of oil portraits. It had pictures of Azura and Elise but also of Mikoto and Sumeragi on their wedding day, Flora, and Xander the former Crown Prince of Nohr each in an ivory frame. When either Takumi or Hinoka, remarked that aside from his parents the portraits were all technically of Nohrians (though Azura had been raised in Hoshido) Corrin had lambasted whichever of the two it was so fiercely that Ryoma stopped an official function fearing there was an assassin in the hall. Corrin was so fiercely protective of these portraits that even Jakob, whose cleaning skills commanded the respect of every manservant in the kingdom, was not allowed to clean them with Corrin insisting on doing it himself.
"Did you need something Hana or did you just want an extra hug today?" Corrin cooed. Even when he was thinking about his dead loved ones, he still managed to sound personally warm.
"J-just wanted to let you know that Sakura is out of her room and eating. Subaki told me you had asked when you saw him last."
"Did she wish to speak to me?"
Hana jostled her shoulders and neck, to indicate that although Sakura hadn't said that out loud, that there was a significant chance that this was the case. Corrin nodded and hugged Hana in a more sisterly fashion than he had been doing.
"Tell her I'll give her a real one once I am done praying."
"I'll pass that on sir."
"What have I told you about that sir stuff? You're my sister's retainer and we are in my office talking. No need for the formal rigmarole. Besides…"
Hana tried mumbling an apology before exiting to find Subaki and Caeldori but Corrin caught her arm and turned her to face him again.
"Hana."
"I'm sorry Corrin, I just feel bad for having interrupted your private moment. You're always so good to Sakura for me when I have trouble talking to her…a-and"
Corrin smiled knowing Hana was too stressed to adequately express herself.
"It's alright, now go help my sister. She needs your strength and sensitivities too."
Corrin pecked her forehead and Hana's face burned as she left the office. As soon as her trailing foot cleared the threshold, she heard the strum of Corrin's fingers on the keys again, though he had not begun to sing again. She shook her head trying to rid herself of the blush. As she marched to the castle's training dojo she reminisced about how her relationship with Corrin had gone from one of hostility to one in which he would kiss her in private moments. At first, she had been aggressive, aloof, and otherwise unpleasant to him. But, she realized very quickly that though Sakura had spent much of her childhood and teenage years crying over Corrin's fate, none of it was really his fault (how are you supposed to plan being kidnapped as an infant?) and that Sakura bore him no ill will for it. Throughout the war, Hana realized she could count on him to keep a close eye on Sakura in ways here other siblings couldn't or perhaps didn't know how to. He was always warm, never turning Sakura away when she sought comfort, advice, or somebody to talk to. Through Corrin Sakura emerged more readily from her shell of shyness and began to try things she never would have previously. She learned combat magic, with Corrin never tiring of her questions on the theory and practice of such magic, she also tried her hand at swordsmanship though she quickly decided her natural aptitude for magic was more useful than branching out. At first Hana thought that she only liked Corrin for how he was with Sakura, hah!
How foolish a thought that had been. Corrin was always a willing sparing partner, teaching her much about Nohrian technique, which given what Corrin called her "natural talents for battle" made Hana that much harder for Nohrian troops to deal with. There were a fair number of Nohrian soldiers who thanks to this had lost one or both hands which is where she concentrated her attacks since Corrin abhorred killing. Not that she didn't do so when necessary as Iago, the supposed evil brains of Nohr had found out when he tried rushing Corrin in the penultimate battle. At first, she found the sight of the man's head rolling around in her dreams disturbing, but once she found out King Leo had wanted to do the same for years it became a morbid sort of way for him to greet Hana when she accompanied Sakura on diplomatic missions to Nohr.
She couldn't remember when Corrin had started flirting with her, only that it had been well before the war ended and that he had explicitly told her if she wasn't interested she need only to speak up. To date she had not done so because though it was quirky at first, she rather enjoyed the adoring looks he gave, the strength of his hugs, and the feeling of his lips on her skin, though they had seldom touched her own before Garon's defeat. Occasionally they snuck to the pubs together and had pints of Nohrian Ale, which Corrin had shown her was quite excellent. Finally after one such trip Corrin had kissed her particularly fervently on the lips and she still remembered the night fondly if scandalously.
…
"Corrin, you must be drunk."
"Not at all" Corrin responded, sauntering in a straight line, suggestively moving his rump. Had it always looked so smackable Hana wondered. With the mead she'd drank still coursing through her system she ran slightly after him and gave his bottom a good smack. To her surprise Corrin his and let out an (exaggerated?) lecherous groan.
"You know, you really shouldn't smack the ass of a prince."
"And what if I want to?"
"Then I should be able to reciprocate the treatment."
Hana tensed up for a moment, fearing Corrin was going to right then and there but he made no such move to, still grinning.
"You know its really hard not to find you adorable when you're so flirty Corrin."
"Good, means a better chance of you staying the night."
"Huh?"
"You are right Hana, I am not quite right to travel so I am going to book a room. I think the person in the heavy cloak that was staring at you left. Strangely enough it looked like they were wearing a lady's skirt. But that is irrelevant. Will you stay with me for the evening, I can book you your own room."
Hana nodded no before explaining.
"We'll save money if we book together."
Corrin laughed again and Hana felt her heart flutter a tiny bit.
"You'd better stop that cute little laugh Corrin, I quite think it makes you sound like you like me."
The pair retreated inside the tavern, which had a second floor serving as an inn. The clerk gave them the keys to the room at the far end of the right side of the hall which was the most expensive since its positioning meant the least amount of bar noise could be heard. They unlocked the door and saw there were two small beds which based on the way that every other support plank jutted out in different ways on both halves suggested it could be combined into a single bed. Corrin sat on the one farthest from the window, sipping on the water he had procured from the bar. Hana joined him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I meant what I said outside, I think you might like me as more than just a sparing partner and drinking buddy."
"What gave you that idea?"
"Ohh I don't know. The hugs you've given me more and more of while we are in the castle, the fact that you've started kissing my face as well as my hands."
"Does it bother you Hana?"
"Only so far as this Corrin, I am retainer to your little sister and after seeing how badly Takumi responded to Oboro getting engaged to Subaki, I worry about similar conflict. Not to the same temperamental degree, but I'm not sure how Sakura would respond and I don't know if Ryoma has plans for you wedding wise."
"Did I ever tell you that you are thoughtful beyond Sakura?"
"Sometimes…but you?"
"You aren't wrong Hana, royals seldom get the luxury of marrying or courting for love, however as there has been nothing communicated to me by Ryoma I have little reason to suspect that he has plotted my wedding. With that in mind, like I told when I first worked up the courage to flirt with you, if you want me to stop you need only-"
It was Hana's turn to kiss him. She had only wanted reassurance that Corrin was thinking with his head about what this could all mean. She feared getting attached to him so intimately but she also knew at this point she was a butterfly with one foot and maybe half a wing snagged in Corrin's spider web of charms.
"I don't want this to stop, I find you quite charming, bordering on irresistible. After all, not every man with a nice ass also has as good a heart as yours."
"Are you sure you aren't a little buzzed too Hana?"
Lemon Warning
Hana kissed Corrin again, this time using a technique she had probably heard about in one of Orochi's gossip sessions, which she had held as a way to keep up morale in the war and foster a sense of unity among the camp women. She felt Corrin's tongue with her own, tasting very little of the beer they had been imbibing. Corrin for his part could detect none and he wrapped his arms around Hana's midsection, letting her half pin him to the bed. This was a mistake as he nearly hit his head on the wall because it wasn't long enough when they came up for air.
"Before we continue, did you want to?"
"Yes, let's put it together."
The pair disentangled and pushed the bed together and it gave a small click. They resumed kissing, and eventually Corrin's shirt ended up on the ground and his hand ended up traveling up hers, his knuckles grazing her well-toned abdominals. It ended up with him spooning her and the adventuring hand snug to one of her breasts, still clothed with a bra.
"When you squeeze it feels kind of good in a wonton way."
"Well that's kind of the goal."
His other hand soon joined upon the other and Hana moaned, pushing her behind into Corrin which made him hiss in a way Hana found hot so she kept gyrating, until she felt something poking her.
"Not fair, you got me warmed up, and you aren't even really undressed."
"Then let's change that. Gently. So, you don't rip my top."
The two stripped down, each completed nude in front of another in this type of setting for the first time. Both knew what they had read but reading and doing are two different things, particularly with matters of the flesh. Hana decided Corrin's erect anatomy was neither too big nor too small and that it would fit with a little bit of work. Likewise, Corrin found the sit of Hana's nudity to be pleasing to look at. They hugged standing up, kissing and trying to appear as calm as possible. Finally Hana could stand no longer and she leveraged her hug so they ended up plopped onto the bed. They didn't choose a top or bottom preferring to lie on their sides as Corrin entered, or rather Hana pulled him into her using some of her arm strength. Pretty soon she was on top throwing her hips up and down like a perverse sort of instrument.
"This feels wild Corrin…"
Corrin couldn't do more than grunt he was so overwhelmed with pleasure at the sensations, not that Hana was holding her composure much better, as pretty soon her tongue was lolling around her mouth, Corrin pumping into her more feverishly. Their thighs were growing slick with sweat and but the slapping noises their flesh made spurred them onwards, Corrin's length hitting the right spots for Hana so the warm feeling in her belly kept growing. "C-corrin, cum-now! Urgght" Hana climaxed with as little grace as possible and Corrin did as well with even more violent shuddering (this was not a flattering or clean activity). Hana flopped on top of Corrin exhausted, and then she sat upright, suddenly panic stricken.
"We didn't use-"
"I cast a prophylactic when we were disrobing…yes we did."
The panic Hana was about to have eased away as she went to brush her teeth, and Corrin followed her, kissing with newly freshened breath. Neither of them put on pajamas as they entangled once again and fell asleep.
End of Lemon
Corrin woke up second the next morning and was greeted by the sight of Hana coming out of the bathroom in a towel.
"Morning Corrin."
"Morning Hana."
Though they had no reason to feel any shame or secrecy from eachother anymore they each didn't know what to say so they looked around. Finally Corrin asked the question that was on both of their minds.
"Do you regret sleeping with me Hana?"
"No, do you with me?"
"Nope."
"This still doesn't change that the best we can do for the time being is be informal."
"I know, but I have a small favor to ask you Hana."
"What's that?"
"Am I allowed to kiss you in my study when we are alone?"
"S-sure, like I said I don't mind what we did but bureaucracy may not be so kind. I also don't know how much I should tell Sakura."
"Right, privacy is the best option when you don't know the others. That's something Xander used to say."
The two looked around again before Corrin got up and kissed Hana which she returned fervently. She was about to use her tongue again when she felt a palm strike her covered buttocks.
"Payback."
Hana burst into laughter.
…
In the present time Hana laughed as well. They had only ever risked repeating on a scant few occasions even in peacetime, never whilst in the castle, and in part because Hana still felt reservations about falling in love with her liege's brother. She knew he was fond of her and she of him but neither of them knew how Sakura, or Ryoma would react to the news of anything formal, so they kept their arraignment status quo of flirtatiousness occasionally breaching the realm of scandalous. She reached the training dojo where she was greeting with the clattering of training sticks. Subaki was barking out incorrect instructions to see if he could land a hit on his daughter who had pea sized packs of dye affixed to her training garb, that would leave a mark if punctured. Hana waited in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt (she loved it when Caeldori bested her dad as it showed that he wasn't totally perfect). Unfortunately for Hana, Caeldori noticed her first and began lowering her stick which gave Subaki the opening he needed to pop one of the packets on her left shoulder.
"Why did you stop?"
"Hana's here."
Subaki looked up and saw his longtime partner with anticipation across her face. Or was it embarrassment? Either way there was news.
"I got her to eat and she seemed to imply she would talk to us once she had a bath, that was bout 10-15 minutes ago. I would have gotten here sooner but I stopped to visit Corrin."
Caeldori had a smirk on her face that made Hana uneasy, and Subaki wasn't oblivious.
"What on earth is that face about Dori?"
"Nothing father, I just remembered I was going to go fabric shopping with mom in the morning."
Caeldori left the two retainers, winking at Hana.
"How are we approaching this?"
"Easy Hana, let her talk and try not to interrupt. Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not okay, our liege has been hiding by herself for two days crying out her eyeballs." Hana snapped in response, trying to forget how warm and fuzzy Corrin made her despite what he was doing,
"Don't yell at him Hana, it's not his fault."
Sakura had entered the miniature dojo, wearing a fresh set of evening clothes similar to Hana's (well minus the specks of drool).
"Somehow I figured you'd be up here. Why you choose to train at such odd hours of the evening I will never know Subaki."
"Because sitting in a chair for four hours is stiffening, I needed to jangle my limbs."
Subaki immediately regretted mentioning the chair as he saw Sakura's expression bubble up with sadness again.
"I'm sorry guys!"
"Lady Sakura, don't cry on account of this fool. Tell us what got you all weepy in the first place?"
Sakura wiped her face on a hand towel she had brought with her and held out an envelope, previously opened but with the contents still inside.
"I read t-this letter a couple days ago and I shared its contents with Hinoka…she got very upset with me and I convinced her it was all hypothetical, but it's not. Mom told me to read it if I was ever unsure about the person I fall in love with."
Hana accepted the letter from Sakura, who despite all of her crying had managed to keep the letter bone-dry. She removed the parchment from the embossed envelope and began to read, Subaki doing so over her shoulder. He saw Hana's hands clench but thought better of mentioning it when she had easily torn parchment in her hands.
"So, you are in love with Lord Corrin then milady?"
"I-I think so Subaki…I know that's strange for a long time we have viewed him as my brother, and this one letter might not change that for you. But the way I feel is not how a sister views her brother. I want to love him in the closest way."
Subaki was acutely aware that his liege may be referring to physical wants and that Hana's vicegrip on the paper was only getting tighter and he could swear there was a couple water spots on it that weren't there before. He shifted from behind Hana so he was standing in between the two ladies, giving Hana a look he usually only reserved for garment customers who made crass comments about his wife and daughter. Hana could feel the ice from his look seeping into the air when she looked up at him and he mouthed the word "later". She only hoped he didn't see her horror or that she was blinking faster than a Pegasus having a dragon pox seizure.
"So Hinoka was upset?" Hana inquired into the frosty air, trying her best to sound genial. She was genuinely concerned for Sakura, but this?! This was…wrenching.
"Yes…she seemed to think I was playing a sick joke on her and I think she wanted to know why she hadn't received a similar letter. I had to tell her it was a bad joke…I'm really scared she'll find out it wasn't…I held it together until I walked out of her room down the stairs and in the middle of the corridor…that's when Ryoma asked why I had a long face. Which brings us up to date."
Sakura sighed again. "If Hinoka really wants to marry Corrin, assuming she's inquired into it with Ryoma, I don't think I would feel right taking that chance from her…" Sakura didn't notice Hana's face which seemed to be stuck in a stricken expression.
"That's nonsense Sakura. You…You should approach this with assertiveness. The same kind Corrin has brought out of you when you are together." Hana didn't know if she believed a word she had said but Sakura's posture straightened.
"Would you come with me for that Hana?"
Hana's throat tightened before she coughed out "I think Subaki would be a better choice, he is better at reading body language. You should go talk to Corrin now…he's in his study.". Hana knew she didn't want them to interrupt him if he was still playing his piano but she also knew she wanted to get as far away as possible right now, and that if Subaki got asked to do something he would decide to wait to ask about her body language. This was her only way out…
"Oh…okay! Um Subaki would you follow me please?"
"Yeah, just let me put away my training dummies and tell my wife we might have a party tonight to celebrate your engagement Lady Sakura."
Subaki swore he heard both a giggle and whimper when he said the word engagement.
"G-good luck Lady Sakura." Hana said using so much mental energy not to sound despondent that her knees buckled, each word becoming harder to sputter out. Hana squeaked when Sakura hugged her tight, and she noted with considerable distress she had a similar hugging style to Corrin.
"I know you only gave really simple advice Hana, but it was perfect. You really are my best friend."
Friend. The word rattled Hana's brains even an hour later, when she was well down a country road. She knew she had to come up with a plan, but she didn't know quite where to go yet, but she did know she fancied a good cry. And, without even unpacking her bag that's what she did, on the corner of the bed where she and Corrin had first made love.
…
Corrin knew from the singular pit-pat on the wood that it was Sakura knocking.
"It's unlocked come in Sakura." Corrin responded, not rising up from his piano bench.
Sakura opened the door a smidge and looking at the ground came in, Subaki trailed looking rather serious.
"Where's Hana?"
"I think she had something to do. C-can I sit?"
Corrin gestured to the spot on the piano bench next to him, and gestured that Subaki could sit at his desk chair.
"I would have visited you sooner Sakura, but when Ryoma told me how upset you were I decided it would be best to let you have some privacy. I'm sorry if that worried you."
"N-no, that's okay Corrin. I needed to be ready to talk to you."
Corrin's ears twitched.
"Ready? Did I scare you?"
"No! No of course not…but you see…I found out something about you and I…and it upset Hinoka."
By now Corrin had no idea where this conversation was going and Subaki's poker face wasn't helping him at all.
"Your mom wrote me a letter about if I get confused about who I love…and well please read it…"
Sakura's eyes were once again watery and looking at them and the fear that had pooled in the soft amber, Corrin couldn't help nodding yes even though he now had a hunch she was A) proposing incest and B) his liaisons with Hana. He read the letter. He blinked and shook his head and read it again, a third time and…
"So, this upset you so badly. Why?"
"B-because Hinoka seemed like she wanted to marry you when I said it. And I was scared because Hinoka is so brave, strong, older, and…"
"Shh."
Corrin pulled Sakura into his lap, the same as he had done with Mikoto, Elise and Flora when they were dying, but this was different. Sakura wasn't dying, she was proposing a different birth in life. One of joy not sorrow. There was a rather large problem, and suddenly Corrin understood why Hana wasn't there.
"You were willing to sacrifice your happiness for your sister's?"
"Y-yes…Until Hana told me I should tell you."
Sakura wasn't sure what face Corrin was making but it looked like neither acceptance of the unspoken desire Sakura had shared or revulsion.
"Subaki."
"Yes Corrin?"
"Find Hana. Please, quickly."
"Milord?"
"I will explain everything later. It is vital that you follow that command promptly. Please."
Subaki, knowing that Corrin seldom asked for things and appreciating that he said please (something Takumi could work on with his wife and Hinoka could work on with everyone) got up and left the room, leaving Sakura and Corrin alone.
"Corrin?"
"Sakura, would you still feel the same way if you knew I had casually been sleeping with another woman? Not your sister but another woman?"
Sakura blinked, a hot sensation rising in her stomach and cheeks.
"So, you are the man Hana has been sneaking off to meet in the taverns every so often?"
Corrin nodded.
"How did you know? She said she wasn't being followed."
"She wasn't not by me at least. Orochi frequents those same taverns and told me a few months ago about Hana giggling and laughing with a hooded stranger who kissed her hands a couple of times. Saying she'd never seen Hana so relaxed, so smiley, and that she never knew Hana could put away a pint of ale quite so fast."
Corrin felt his mouth get dry, any moment Sakura was going to jump out of his lap, screaming she hated him, that he had broken her heart, something awful like him having preferred his dead sisters to her. Something that would slice his soul as deeply as he had just done hers. But she grasped Corrin more tightly instead and a small smile was on her face.
"Hana really is like an adoptive older sister. Scoping you out for me before I put my heart in your hands."
"You aren't mad?"
"Oh, I suppose I'm a little irritated she never told me more about your adventures. I asked her about it a couple times and all she would say was that you are charming and that you were a decent kisser."
"Just decent?"
In a moment of courage she would never learn to replicate she lifted her head and whispered into Corrin's ear.
"Why don't you prove her wrong right here and now?"
"Sakura…"
"I know you are in a sorta- relationship with Hana, but I love Hana and I love you…we can, n-no we will figure something out. Please don't worry about Hinoka and Ryoma right now. I've spent my whole life worrying about consequences, about Nohr, about fighting, kidnapping, and you. When we spend time together I don't have to do that. Please Corrin, I need you."
Corrin didn't know he should respond, (how does one respond to such a naked confession?) but slowly he lowered his lips to Sakura's. She kissed back energetically wishing never to let go of Corrin again, when of course Subaki banged on the door forcing them to part.
"Corrin, milady, Hana's gone!"
"She's what?" replied Corrin not really understanding how quickly the mood had changed.
"She's left. Left a note for you milady."
Sakura tumbled her way to the door to let Subaki in and though she wished to snatch it immediately, waited for Subaki to hand her the scribble.
My Dear Lady Sakura,
By now you have learned who my dear Hooded Stranger is. You shall not fear milady for as you were willing to sacrifice for Hinoka I am for you. There is a principle difference however. You should not be willing to toss away yourself so quickly while I swore to defend and guard you from all comers, and that includes myself.
Love Always,
Hana.
"No…No…Hana NO!" Sakura wailed, her complete ecstasy being replaced by equal amounts of anguish. She saw Subaki preparing to question Corrin, his expression cold.
"There isn't time for what you are about to do Subaki, and no need either. If you can do your liege one more favor."
"But milady…."
"I read the same letter you did Subaki. I'm not mad at Hana or Corrin for being friendly that way, it happens. Certainly, your experience with Takumi taught you some measure of sympathy?"
Whatever aggressive retort Subaki had been planning died in his throat then and there. His engagement experience was not something he would wish on anybody, not even King Garon. He shuddered before regaining his composure. He saw Sakura and Corrin were holding hands.
"You do realize milady it's not me you have to worry about its your unmentioned siblings."
At this Corrin couldn't stop himself from laughing (though once he read the note later he regretted this immensely).
"Come on Subaki have you ever seen Ryoma say no to Sakura before? King of Hoshido he may be but he folds like cheap fabric whenever Sakura is concerned."
This had to be what Sakura saw in Corrin (not that Subaki thought he was a bad guy either, even if minutes prior he had been severely annoyed at him) he could make anybody relax at any given moment.
"Let me get my Dragonstone so I can help you and Caeldori look. Sakura can ride on my back."
Subaki nodded and the trio set to work gathering Oboro and Caeldori. Oboro was surprised at the developments and Caeldori confessed she'd gossiped with Sakura and Hana about the stranger while knowing who he was. Sakura waved off her apology, stating there were more important things now.
"Let's find Hana."
"I think I know where she might be. Lets hope we get there before she does anything rash" Corrin added as Caeldori and Subaki geared up their Pegasi.
"It's a little tavern about two hours from here by carriage. Flying it should ten minutes if we move fast. Try to keep up"
The two nodded and with dragonstone ready and Sakura saddled on (Caeldori had engineered one of the more beat up saddles in the stable to be fit for Sakura to use, dressed as she was).
…
Hana sighed, she looked over the notes that she had written to be found after she fled to Nohr to live as a sellsword. Though this would hurt Sakura in the short term but she knew that she herself felt too strongly for Corrin to live as his wife's retainer without running the risk of doing something lecherous. She recited a prayer to the Dawn Dragon and then once more then the code of the samurai. She was so absorbed in her ritual she didn't hear somebody come in. Suddenly she felt a mass about as big as she was hurtle into her, knocking the wind out. She opened her eyes gasping for breath and saw…Corrin.
"Hana…"
"Hana!" Lady Sakura, had run in after Corrin had knocked her to the floor and she looked very aggrieved her eyes wide with shock.
"Lady…Sak…" Hana wheezed trying to get up.
"NO!" Sakura was now using all of her might to hug Hana's arms to her sides.
"Can't breathe…"
Only then did Sakura relinquish her grip, tears flowing freely again.
"No…" her liege whispered again.
"Lady Sakura you don't understand…I failed you by"
"NO!" Sakura did not hug Hana this time, in fact her hands were clenched into fists and she looked furious through her tears (she now understood why Takumi called her Tearwell when they were kids).
"We barely got out of that war together Hana! I had to bury the only mother I ever knew after having lost mine in birth! I had to bury Yukimura! We had to bury Azura! Corrin buried, Flora, Elise, and Xander! I won't bury you into my memories because we both love the same man!"
Sakura's little shoulders were quaking.
"I understand you being scared…I really do but don't try to run away from your life away over this! We can work it out!"
Hana could see Corrin looked ill about this as well and she herself could taste the salt on her lips.
"I'm sorry!" Hana wailed, shame at her rashness in the face of passionate feelings wracking her.
"If you're really sorry you'll never run off like that again! This was really stupid Hana! Over me liking Corrin like you do! How foolish is this! You scared us both as well as Subaki and his family."
Hana sort of wished she would pass out now so the guilt that made the air feel leaden around her would dissipate. An arm around her back let Hana know Corrin had turned this into a group hug. "It'll be okay you two…It will be okay…" Corrin cooed into their ears, not really certain he believed it himself. Had Hana really nearly considered fleeing the country for liking him? The thought made him sick. Compounding this, feeling was the unpleasant realization he was probably going to have to pick, and he didn't want to. Though he had been with Hana far longer as a part of an ever-deepening relationship, now he knew that those buried feelings of attraction for Sakura were not taboo. He couldn't choose. None of the three of them knew whether it had been twenty seconds, twenty minutes, or twenty years that they spent breathing tensely when Corrin spoke again.
"I won't choose."
"You don't have to Corrin."
For a moment both Hana and Corrin feared Sakura was being self-sacrificing again but there were so stressed they couldn't interrupt.
"You don't have to because there have been many cases in Hoshidan history where a retainer and liege have grown so close that the retainers have nearly displaced a spousal third party. To limit this sort of spousal neglect my fathers great-grandfather decreed in law that retainers could marry their lieges in addition to another party, which could in theory have been their other retainer. While this led to at least one ambitious prince to try and get three female retainers, most of the time the bigamy works. I know it's a bit strange and I certainly thought it was insane when Ryoma told me about it when I turned eighteen that's the best solution for us I think. Because Corrin I love you to dearly not to try to be your wife. And I love you Hana, too deeply for my happiness to cause you to feel such despair. I don't want to cry over this anymore. I pained about Corrin for months and months, trying to convince myself I wasn't desiring incest, only to have my dear retainer falling for him too. My sister won't be happy but…if you two agree I want to try this."
Hana and Corrin nodded and they probably would have hugged it out more if Subaki hadn't knocked on the door which Sakura had shut behind her.
"You three okay? The door is soundproofed."
Corrin went to open the door and though Subaki was curious, it was sated by seeing all three of them had varying degrees of red eye from crying.
"Are we good milady?"
"Yes, Hana is fine but we all need to speak to Ryoma for our wedding."
One look from Hana let Subaki know that questioning whether this was rushed would lead to his head on a pike and that he would be filled in when needed. They flew back in relative quiet not knowing whether Ryoma and Hinoka would be back to greet them and they weren't sure whether to be relieved or scared when Ryoma was (Hinoka was mercifully off finding Setsuna). They accosted him to Corrin's study, despite the godawful late hour, where Sakura laid out what had happened (minus the finding Hana before she could disappear part) and showed the letter to Ryoma, who unsurprisingly had a copy saying Sakura would marry Corrin from Mikoto but also instructions not to push the issue.
"I'll deal with any reservations Hinoka has, are you sure this is what you want, a three person marriage?"
"Yes." All three of them said at once.
"Very well. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go draft the speech for tomorrow morning that tells the public there is a royal wedding."
"Huh?"
"That's your concession to me you three, I have to deal with Hinoka. So you all get to deal with a public ceremony. Also there is the small matter of…"
"OoooKay big brother, you go be King now." Sakura said getting embarrassed, though Hana got the message and mouthed something crude to Sakura.
"I'm going to unpack my bag and sleep, it's been a long night." She said to Corrin before departing to sleep and clarify this bizarre night.
"What about you Sakura?"
"Well Corrin, as is tradition for this sort of thing, before we can be married unorthodoxly, we have to each sleep with each member. You and Hana have already done things from what she just mouthed at me, Hana and I have technically had dozens of sleepovers so…"
"Sakura! Are you sure? We literally just tonight…and."
"Oh Dawn Dragon no not tonight that's ridiculous, I mean sleep with you like sleep in the same bed Corrin. Although I should mention, what part of I've been sexually confused about how I felt about you for months before finding out it's okay did you not understand? Since you came back to us I thought you were attractive and you aren't supposed to think that about your brother! That doesn't mean I didn't or that I didn't care about you. I just well you know…"
Corrin hugged Sakura.
"This has been a weird night."
"You're telling me, this has been a weird three days, how would you feel finding out the brother you've totally had incestuous feelings for wasn't your brother, and that said man was having a fling with your best friend resulting in mutual deep emotional attachment?"
"Can you please stop using those words that start with I?"
"R-right sorry Corrin."
The pair made their way to Corrin's room, still running over the evening's events, what was to come, and how despite the strangeness and the rapidity they were alright with the conclusion. They stepped out onto the balcony.
"That emergency dragon ride mean's I'm not entirely fresh Corrin."
"Use my bath, you're gonna be my wife after all."
Sakura giggled.
"Don't forget Hana."
"I don't plan on it."
Hey all, back at it with another one-shot (with my usual heavy-handed dose of intrapersonal strife), this one Corrin, Sakura, and Hana. You could assume based off of this and my other works that I hate Hinoka, rest assured I don't. She just happens to work without too much thought as an antagonist. Beyond that, what did you all think? Were Sakura's retainers convincing? Was she (the member of the Hoshidan royal family who has the least written about her) convincing? Did I cut this short? (if any of you were expecting a lemon with Sakura and Corrin in it I am sorry) Do you all want me to stop farting around and get back to Conversations with Corrin? Let me know