"What're you doing in here? Are you alright?" came Corrin's concerned voice, as he entered his magically relocated treehouse, in the center of the Hoshidan castle gardens. Normally it provided an element of seclusion, but the music from the party echoed so raucously that the branches of the treehouse seemed to be dancing as well.
"I'm fine dear, I just wanted a break."
"From your own wedding party?"
"You betcha, but I guess I can make an exception for my beloved."
Corrin smirked and took a seat on the bed, the pillows plump with kinshi feathers which were said to bring good luck. Bridal gown be damned, Orochi walked from the window where she'd been staring and eased herself into Corrin's lap, her new husband wrapping his arms around her midsection, which was unexposed for once. She settled her head as best she could with her ornamentation into the crock of Corrin's neck.
"What were you really thinking about Orochi?"
"How much I miss my mother in-law."
This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, and in many ways, it had been and would continue to be throughout the evening festivities. At this private moment with Corrin though, Orochi wanted to be sad. She looked into Corrin's crimson eyes with a melancholy smile and gave him a kiss on those unfairly beautiful lips of his. They tasted like he'd been chewing a mint leaf. She looked into his face again, noting the structural similarities between her love and Mikoto.
"I miss her terribly as well Oh."
"She called me that too." Orochi whispered.
Figuring Corrin didn't have a response she continued.
"I remember when she made me her retainer. It was your twelfth birthday…"
…
"Lady Mikoto, are you absolutely sure about this?"
"Yukimura, did my proclamation before the court or any of the four other affirmations contain a hint of doubts?" Mikoto's legendary patience was starting to wear thin.
"No. Your Majesty, I'm just a bit concerned that your choice of retainer is a bit…inexperienced."
"I trust her with my life, is that not what a retainer is for?"
"You are correct, but wouldn't a myrmidon, an archer, or an actual warrior of any other kind, be more useful than a fortune teller?"
"Yukimura." Mikoto's voice got icy, and the well-meaning court advisor felt the hairs on his arms stand on end, he had touched a nerve.
"I appreciate your concern for my safety, and I know that it is your job to be vigilant. But do not mock what you yourself cannot do. Orochi has a talent for divination, her magical prowess could easily be adapted for combat, and she makes me laugh. Something you could use more of yourself."
Yukimura, though a stubborn man by necessity, could only nod at his Queen's directive. He mumbled and began rubbing the back of his neck trying to think of what to tell the royal council and alleviate the chill that had just run down his spine.
Without further commentary, Mikoto retreated to her quarters and shut the doors, knowing that since they were usually ajar, any visitor would knock. Her adoptive children were either off playing or in the cases of Ryoma and Hinoka, probably combat training. She'd given up trying to stop them long ago. Ryoma, because of his responsibilities as crown prince, and Hinoka after she'd dealt a blow that still made Mikoto's eyes overflow in private. That infuriated roar of "you're not my real mother!" was still one of the most painful memories Mikoto had. She had more pressing reasons for crying alone today. For over ten years now, Corrin had been lost to Hoshido and the pain was as raw as the winter morning where he'd been taken from Sumeragi's dying hands. His birthday was always the hardest day of the year. Her face had started to quiver when somebody knocked on her door.
"Come in…"
"Lady Mikoto, it's me…Orochi." came the friendly voice of her new retainer, but it had an edge of worry.
"I suppose that means Yukimura told you."
"He did, permit me a question milady?"
"Of course?"
"Why me? You know the court and many of our noble families distrust diviners."
"Because you are honest."
"Eh!?"
"Orochi, do you remember what you foresaw three years ago?" Mikoto whispered, not wishing to strain the taunt muscles of her cheeks in case she couldn't hold the tears.
"Y-yes…I…I…I said you'd die in somebody's arms. Milady, I apologize for that sincerely."
"There is nothing to apologize for. You told me the truth when a lesser, self-serving diviner would have lied, rather than give bad news. My only request before my death is the same as it has been for ten years."
"To see your son again." Orochi finished knowingly.
Mikoto's serene façade shattered and the first sob came. Then another, and a third, before the torrent started. Orochi, stunned, offered a shoulder for her nation's queen to lean on while she wept. She'd been around the royal family most of her life, but it took until this moment for Orochi to grasp the significance of that weight. Orochi knew that up until her death did arrive that she was going to be in Mikoto's inner circle now. This simultaneously filled her with great pride and a terror she could not put into words, what if she failed?
…
"Gods I miss her…it took me a long time to forgive myself for predicting her death."
"I know, I remember the funeral Oh." Corrin whispered with his throat tightening slightly at the memory."
"We really shouldn't talk about this on our wedding day, I'm sorry I'm bringing it up."
"No, don't apologize. It's important to you. It was also where we first met."
…
Orochi couldn't remember getting ready, only that she had. She'd read about people being rendered deaf from explosions and though she knew that her ears were working just fine, given she'd heard both her own wails and others she felt as though if possible her soul had gone deaf. Words were just meaningless noise, now that Mikoto was-
She choked. She couldn't say it. It had all happened to fast, too harshly for her to stop. For anyone to stop. She gasped like a fish pulled from the water, trying not to lose it as Yukimura finished eulogizing her Queen. One by one each member of the royal inner circle bowed to pay their respects, Kagero tugging on Orochi's left hand gently to keep her moving with the line, she would thank the ninja profusely after her senses normalized again. Upon finishing the Hoshidan ritual, of leaving a pebble by the grave, all others had retreated, either to the group gathering of mourners, or to their private quarters to prepare for the war that was now upon the Kingdom. Finally, Kagero went, saying a quick prayer to the grave, placing her pebble and leaving to find Ryoma, both to make sure he was guarded from anymore surprise assassination attempts, and because she couldn't bear to see Orochi, usually so bubbly and alight, experience such agony. It was not that she didn't care about her friend but she also knew that Orochi as Mikoto's closest confidant would, at least at first, want to deal with her pain alone before talking with Kagero. Thinking about this, the ninja pointedly stamped on the last wooden step leading up to the castle, causing it to creak violently. The sound made Orochi realize there was nobody between her and Mikoto's gr- No. Between her and Mikoto. Orochi's knees felt like warming snow as she tried to get to the grave. She fell to her knees as she reached the marker.
"MIKOTO!" she wailed at the top of her lungs, and as if on cue, the beginnings of rain began to sprinkle, though that was nothing compared to the streams of tears now thrashing Orochi's face.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I should've been able to stop it. Dawn Dragon forgive me!"
To her shock, Orochi felt a pair of arms wrap around her, the same way Mikoto's did when the Queen was feeling especially joyous. But this couldn't be, she had seen Mikoto's coffin being lowered into the ground, the earth put over it and the stone stuck into that fresh earth. She turned her head slightly and made small gasp. This was Mikoto's soft face, but the eyes were red instead of chocolate, the hair shock white instead of black. This face was also crying like Orochi's, not smiling as Mikoto's almost always was.
"Don't blame yourself for my mistake…"
Orochi had been some distance away when the explosion killed Mikoto, so though Orochi had been made aware of events, how exactly they transpired was a bit murky, nor had it been made evident to the public what she had been about to celebrate publicly. Only that instead of a celebration there was an assassination.
"She died in my arms. It wasn't your fault." Came the froggish voice of the stranger.
Based on the woman's reaction of more tears and harder sobs, Corrin's revelation appeared to be having the opposite effect. Instead of calming her it made her neatly combed lavender hair begin to come undone with the force of her convulsions.
"I was her retainer for these past nine years, I predicted her dying in someone's arms and I couldn't stop it from happen-"
Orochi stopped sobbing for a moment and looked at the man's face again.
"My Dawn Dragon…Lord Corrin?"
"Y-yes?" Corrin was barely containing his own emotions and he had dropped his pebble when this lady had reacted so strongly.
"You poor thing…You mother missed you everyday, and-and she told me more than once if she could die having seen you again she would be okay…"
Corrin gawked.
"B-but without me she would still be alive, she would be-"
"Hurting as she had been for almost twenty years..."
Even though he had just met this woman, and she had yet to say her name, Corrin could tell by looking at her eyes, which nearly matched her hair if a tad darker, that this woman knew him as well as any of the Hoshidans he had already met, if not better.
"What is your name?"
"I'm Orochi. Would you like me to leave so you could have some time alone with your mom?" she whispered, barely audible above the rain.
"No…No that's okay. I am a stranger to Hoshidan customs, but at Nohrian funerals it's normal for the closest people to the deceased to grieve together at the grave, arm in arm. Just let me pray alone for one moment?"
Orochi blinked in surprise as she got up and out of Corrin's arms. The feelings of pain lessened a little bit, but by no means departed, and a new feeling of understanding began to creep into her conscious. Careful not to say it too loudly, lest Corrin hear her over the rain which was picking up, she mumbled "I'll watch your son Mikoto. By the blood of the first Dragon, I will watch him and guard him."
Corrin's prayers, which made him lie prostrate in front of the grave the small quarry of stones, barely an inch from his outstretched fingers, lasted just over four minutes.
"You can rejoin me, Miss Orochi."
Despite the gravity of the moment Orochi blushed, and her heart fluttered just a little bit. She wondered how it was possible, he'd know Mikoto maybe half a day. Perhaps that had been long enough, perhaps like his mom Corrin just was naturally this sweet. Adjusting her dress so as not to show the Prince anything uncouth, they sat and Corrin after ascertaining permission, wrapped an arm around her.
…
"Lady Mikoto was always saying, things didn't end, they just turned to new beginnings. I sort of knew when you called me miss that Mikoto lived through you my love."
A knock interrupted Corrin's response, which wasn't forthcoming because his wife's words had made his throat tighten. Orochi, noticing this but deciding against mentioning it, answered the door of the treehouse. King Ryoma, and his wife Kagero appeared at the door, the latter holding four small goblets of whiskey between her fingers.
"Skipping your own wedding Orochi. That's rather strange given how much effort you put into planning."
"We were just taking a break Your Majesty." Orochi responded to Kagero, the mischievous twinkle in her eyes making the joke apparent.
"All the same, your guests might notice if you're gone much longer." The ninja replied, a small smile on her face.
"Before that though, a toast to you two is in order." Boomed Ryoma, his joy undisguised by wry humor.
"To Corrin and Orochi, may your marriage be ever joyous."
Each of the four downed their whiskey, Corrin and Kagero having a harder time getting it down than their spouses. The quartet left quickly, heading back into the gardens where the festivities clambered on. Somehow unnoticed thus far, Corrin and Orochi made there way to the dancing area and began to quickstep.
"I'm assuming you and Kagero were just joking around?"
"Yeah, I told her before I headed back."
A clink on glass drew Corrin, Orochi, and all of the dancing guest's attention. To everyone's (especially Orochi's) surprise it was Kagero moving to speak. After a deep inhale she started.
"Corrin, Orochi. In honor of your wedding. I have made you this."
At that moment Ryoma staggered into the garden, holding one end of a long, thin, but obviously heavy object covered in a red silk. Saizo was holding the other end, and ever carefully he, Ryoma, and Kagero positioned it upright, and the ninjas removed the silk. Orochi made an audible gasp. It was a portrait of her and Corrin under a cherry tree in bloom. She saw that Kagero had also painted the statue of Lady Mikoto which was on the Astral plane, into the foreground. Orochi forgot all sense of decorum and rushed to hug her friend who accepted. Despite her usual aversion to non-Ryoma physical contact, Kagero gladly reciprocated this hug. The painting was quite different from her usual morbid style, which Orochi was quite fond of, but judging by how the diviner was now twirling her, she didn't mind at all.
"Thank you Kagero! I love it! I love you!"
The audience toasted and after a brief pause while the live music situated itself again the couples began dancing again.
"Did you ask her for that Oh?"
"N-no! Never in a million years would I ask for something that big, it must've taken her months to paint it! She said it was joint present to me and you for when we saved her live at-"
"What!? Oh, you're kidding right? Of course we would rescue her, it's our job and-"
"Shh.. I was joking dearest."
As the orchestra began playing a slower, dance number Orochi rested her head against Corrin's chest, his attire having been charmed with anti-stain magic which meant Orochi didn't have to worry about make-up smudging. She closed her eyes while she ceded control of their movements to Corrin. They were so used to dancing with one another, they could afford to do so in this state of half attention while they recalled that mission. Their first as battlefield partners and, Corrin smiled when he thought this, the start of their courtship.
…
Corrin could barely remember when he looked back how he had survived the first two weeks after Mikoto's funeral, his sleep being so minimal between dreams of his mother dying. The thought of Mikoto drawing her last rattling breaths, blood trickling out of the left side of her mouth, if not pouring out of her wounds onto Corrin's hands was bad enough as nightmare fuel but seeing the people he had thought were his siblings as far back as he could remember clash blades with him was another matter of internal strife entirely and this wasn't helping him snooze either. During that meeting, Xander had adamantly refused to listen to reason concerning Gangrel's treachery, Elise had whined for him to come home, and Leo had attacked him. None of those three however much it hurt to see them mad, could hold a candle to Camilla's impact though by her silence. She had been his most frequent visitor, the one who had taught him to read and write, and the most affectionate one. Her look of anguished fury had given Corrin goosebumps on the battlefield then and her face was starting to appear under the hood of the assassin that had killed his mother. He knew it hadn't been her, the assassin had been taller and used a sword whereas Camilla was an axe-wielder. The most compelling, if crude, evidence was that Camilla was a voluptuous woman, and there was no way she had been able to squeeze into that little cloak. Corrin shuddered. He had always wondered why she had been so comfortable around him and had assumed it was because they were family. Now that this was proven false, he was worrying. If there was one thing he knew about his adoptive older sister (he really had to work out what to call these people) it was that the questions that were unanswered with Camilla were the dangerous ones.
"It doesn't matter." He mumbled to himself as he left his treehouse on the Astral plane which Lilith had provided when she showed him, and by extension the Hoshidan military this dimension.
Everyone else had tents on the plane, and from what Corrin had seen of them they were comfortable enough. He whistled quietly to himself as he approached the peach trees. He took a particularly fat one off one of the middle branches after straddling the tree slightly to get up to it. Though Xander had essentially disowned Corrin at their last meeting, he still felt the Nohrian Crown Prince had been correct when he said that the fruit on the lowest hanging branches should be left to those less able. He sighed before taking a first juicy bite after rinsing it with some water he'd brought in a glass bottle. He had often wondered as a child why Xander had told him such things about fruit, when fresh produce of any sort was such a rarity in Nohr. Now that he could practice it, he no longer had Xander as family.
"It doesn't matter." Corrin repeated, knowing how false the words coming out of his mouth were at this moment.
He finished his peach, stuck the pit into the composting area which Mozu had set up and headed to the armory to prepare for the trek into Mokushu. There were reports that Takumi and Ryoma, both missing, had been seen beyond that territory. It was hard to know who was itching worst for answers; Takumi's retainers Hinata and Oboro, or Saizo and Orochi. Saizo was one of Ryoma's retainers, and the other a pretty brunette ninja named Kagero had gone missing after a skirmish near the Bottomless Canyon as well. From what little Orochi had said on the subject and from what Corrin had heard when he asked Oboro for clarity, she was her dearest friend. Orochi hadn't said much of anything since the funeral, which according to Sakura, Hinoka, and Azura was quite unusual and distressing.
"I-I suppose she doesn't feel right without Kagero around" Sakura had stammered when Corrin pressed her on the subject.
Corrin had barely noticed her verbal quietness, because whether he was plucking his peach breakfast, training in the designated spot, or sitting near the statue of his mother on the Astral Plane he always felt Orochi's eyes on him. Sometimes this was obvious, such as when they were at meals and Orochi would sit opposite him, if not directly then only one chair off in either direction. Other times, such as when he was fishing the pond, he couldn't see her but felt in his bones that she was looking. He didn't mind, he was used to being constantly monitored from his time in Nohr under Garon's tyranny. This felt completely different. It was as though Orochi were casting a comfortable blanket over his soul, and though he didn't dream of telling her this because he knew very well he could be imagining, he was gracious.
"Mom might've asked her." He whispered as a cast a lure.
In truth Orochi was struggling as much with Kagero's absence, as her new sense of duty. Monitoring Corrin wasn't hard, it was a few simple spells, or offhand questions to her fellow soldiers that quickly ascertained his safety. What was difficult was that since he had first called her Miss Orochi, the diviner had been feeling rather fuzzy when in his presence and this was killing her ability to speak. She knew people were noticing it, even Saizo had pulled her aside to ask if she was feeling greater distress, and he was usually matching in sensitivity to a pissed off wyvern.
"I'll be fine once we get her. I promise." She had mumbled to the one-eyed ninja, who had nodded quickly before resuming his training.
"Because then I can tell someone…"
The scouting party into Mokushu was a dozen soldiers. Beyond the royal siblings of Corrin, Hinoka, Sakura, and Azura there was also Saizo, Kaze, Orochi, Rinkah, Oboro, Felicia, Hana, and Subaki. Hinata had badly injured his hamstring in training the day before the mission, and though he insisted he was fine, nobody would allow him to leave the infirmary.
"Takumi would kill me if you died being stupid!" Oboro had shouted to settle the matter.
Unspoken stressors to the group were how Princess Sakura and Felicia would perform in battle. Once they got into the village they were greeted by another shock, as during the first twenty minutes of combat Lord Takumi burst from the wood shouting in murderous tongues that Azura somehow managed to quiet. The Mokushu were ferocious, it felt to Corrin like he was fighting a half-dozen Saizo's at once (he had sparred with the ninja in the days leading to the battle hoping he wouldn't have to use the irritable man's advice) but unlike Ryoma's ornery retainer, these weren't dummy weapons. As if an air thick with blades from nearly all directions was not bad enough, the head of the village Kotoro had instructed his soldiers lay pitfall traps full of wooden spears, which given how Hinoka's Pegasus was twitching after being cut by one on the thigh, were coated in poison. Corrin was all despair though, as however mean he was Saizo's, and to a lesser extent Kaze's instruction to always keep his sword moving had thus far meant that the worst he had suffered were grazes off his armor. Sakura also, was thriving despite the chaos, firing healing spells in a continuous volley at her allies keeping the army limber. Felicia too was impressive as her usual clumsiness abandoned her for agility. What Corrin did not see as he, Saizo, and Oboro closed in on Kotoro was that Orochi was using her magic not to attack, but defend the trio as her wind magic was strong enough to make the shurikens, which ought to have sliced into their faces, fly errantly. Kotoro, enraged at his forces inability to tear the Hoshidans to ribbons. Finally when the trio of his closest pursuers arrived and he realized that his life was fast approaching its conclusion he saw her. A lavender haired mage.
"All that flesh exposed…YOU DIE TODAY WITCH!"
Kagero saw it in slow-motion as she exited the underground cave after Subaki, Hinoka, Hana, and Felicia dispatched the guards. Saizo charging forward like a mad ox, determined to carve out Kotoro's windpipe and avenge his father's murder with the trophy, Corrin, just behind for support, and Orochi twenty yards back, completely exposing herself. One final shuriken whizzing through the air. Corrin flicked his sword in front of him but the blade arched around him… and as efficiently as a magically enhanced sickle eases through a rice paddy the blade of Kotoro's final weapon, before Saizo set about ending his life, tore through Orochi's exposed abdominal region. Kagero didn't need to think, Kotoro was down, and she was safe but Orochi was hurting and badly. She arrived by her friend, Oboro having lobbed her a vulnerary to her as she ran only to see Corrin was bending by her friend, pouring his own vulnerary to staunch the wounds, at least temporarily.
Once they got back to camp and Kagero had briefed everyone that Ryoma was alive but missing, she headed straight to the infirmary. Orochi was resting comfortably, reading a book about the fables of Sir Robin The Amnesiac Tactician and her wounds seemed to be healing nicely.
"Why Oh?"
"Hmm, ah! Kagero! Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"Why did you leave yourself exposed like that to such a vicious attack?" the ninja whispered unperturbed.
Orochi squirmed in her cot. This was not how she had wanted Kagero to find out about this subject or broach it.
"Because, Lord Corrin is a royal and I have to protect him."
"So are Lord Takumi and Lady's Hinoka and Sakura."
Orochi grimaced, seeing she'd been caught out.
"He's Mikoto's boy Kagero" she whispered weakly, in case tears threatened to break past her eyes once more at the mention of her deceased liege.
"They are all Lady Miko-"
"No, you don't understand. He has Mikoto's soul Kagero. And that…has to be protected."
Orochi wanted to tell Kagero more, about how Corrin always called her Miss, about his cute ear points, and intoxicatingly kind demeanor. But she couldn't, not injured and tired. But she smiled at her friend who she was glad was safe and said simply "We'll talk more later Kagero."
The next few weeks saw not only an uptick in those explanations to her dearest friend but also in terms of time spent with the Prince himself. It started innocently enough, he had complimented her deep-lying attacks which had kept he, Saizo, and Oboro unharmed.
"If it's alright with you, could we train together Miss Orochi?"
After a few giggles Orochi accepted, this arrangement would make her monitoring easier, as well as keep her more in tune with Mikoto's son. However, what Orochi had not anticipated was the conversations in between sessions.
"Lady Orochi?"
"Yes Lord Corrin?"
"I was wondering if you could tell me a little more about my mom."
Orochi heard Corrin's voice thicken, and momentarily her own throat felt tight too, after a deep inhale though the feeling left.
"She was a remarkable woman. I would be delighted to share my memories of her."
"What was she like, what stories can you share?"
Corrin paused.
"I know it's my fault she died so if you'd rather not-"
"Don't ever say that again. Not in my presence or anyone else's." Orochi snapped, her usual playfulness replaced with a frost that all but nipped Corrin's nose."
"S-sorry, it's just-"
Orochi wasn't sure which of the pair of them was closer to a crying fit, the memory of Mikoto being buried hanging in the air, the waft of death curdling their insides and tearing at their hearts. Inhaling deeply through her nose, Orochi pressed onward.
"She knew she was going to die, I told you we had foreseen it at the funeral. But, that's quite enough sadness. Your mother, despite what our conversations thus may lead you to believe, was a joyous and funny woman."
"Funny? She seemed so graceful though…"
"She was endlessly hilarious. One time, I recall catching her swimming— with her slippers on! She'd forget she had two chopsticks in hand—and eat with four! Some might say she was absentminded. Not I. She was a dreamer of dreams. So, what if Lady Mikoto had her silly mishaps. We loved her for it. Once she sat cross-legged for so long, her legs went to sleep. And I am talking a DEEP sleep! She stood up before the court—and careened right into a fountain!"
"I wish I could have been there. Er, at least to help her out of the water."
"Your mom was truly unique, like a wise sage and an accidental jester. She had the sweetest voice, but the things she would say... Honestly, that dear woman—she really was a hoot."
The pair of them laughed deeply but in the immediate aftermath, Orochi felt horrid. Lady Mikoto was no court jester, so after dinner she pulled Corrin to the side and asked if he would meet her beyond the daikon patch. The evening was warm and Corrin didn't particularly want to be around people but one look into Orochi's friendly eyes and he was committed.
"Apologies for grabbing you away Lord Corrin, but I fear I made Lady Mikoto out to be something of a bumbling buffoon."
Corrin was shocked by how hurt Orochi looked and he attempted to dissuade her with a subtle nod, not knowing Mikoto had done the same thing when Orochi had been stressed as a girl.
"Lady Mikoto!" Orochi started abrupt.
"Lady Mikoto was complicated. In addition to being silly she was also immeasurably kind."
Corrin's ears twitched with anticipation.
"She was kind enough to treat me with the greatest respect. My family has long served as diviners at the royal palace. But we'd been treated very poorly."
Orochi took a deep breath, knowing from the look on Corrin's face that he was too sweet, perhaps to naïve to know intuitively why this was.
"We diviners tell as many bad fortunes as good, which can make us unpopular. My fate was changed when I met Lady Mikoto. She treated me like her own daughter. No matter what fortunes I told her. Including when I told her of her demise."
"Orochi, whatever you told my mom…it was the truth, you shouldn't feel burdened by failing to lie."
The diviner offered a sad smile.
"You are your mother's son Lord Corrin. It's uncanny. I think some of the camp."
She looked around, as if checking for spiders above her head.
"Some of the camp still, even after your performance in combat doubts your legitimacy as Mikoto's son."
"I'm sure it's not out of malice. They're probably grieving."
Orochi bit back a remark that would have consisted of 'If anyone in this camp is grieving by blaming you for Lady Mikoto's death, I'll set them on fire'. She held it, both out of respect for Corrin, and because this only proved what she had been about to say.
"Regardless, the way you speak and act. Down to word choice, it's a little unnerving in truth, you echo Lady Mikoto. I hesitate to tell you this next tidbit for fear you may give me the same face."
"I won't judge."
"I know. Your Mother was like that too, though she did have a limit and that was regarding people's safety. The one time I truly upset her was when I saw enemies outside the palace... I rushed at them, tried to drive them off by myself, and got hurt badly. She wept at my bedside that night, and many nights after that. Once I got better, Lady Mikoto said I must never run off like that again. To make sure that I didn't, she made me one of her personal attendants. I don't think she explained that part to Yukimura or any of the council members. Such recklessness would have ensured they found a way to overrule her. Being in her presence was like basking on the first warm spring day."
"Thank you for sharing Orochi."
Corrin flashed his kindest smile, and Orochi nearly gasped, his face was so similar to Mikoto's. Once Corrin had turned to leave she felt the loneliness that had come with losing her liege tackle her, and had to squint on the way back to her tent to prevent her tears from gushing out prematurely.
"Dawn Dragon I miss you Lady Mikoto! Your son is a treasure too…and I will. I WILL protect him." She gurgled quiet as she wept.
…
"You were injured, and it was my fault on that first rescue mission Oh…" Corrin mumbled, unaware of how much else his love was reminiscing over.
"Shh, dear. Sakura healed it so well I never got a scar. Besides, not like you didn't do the same thing at Cheve, putting yourself at risk for me."
Orochi wanted to tell him that the first true inklings of romantic love had shown themselves after that mission in training, but Corrin put another set of memories into her head.
"I did more than spill my blood to you…"
"Corrin…"
But Orochi could tell the flush of regret was already too in motion for Corrin not to process it completely, and tears welled in his eyes. Orochi ran her hand gently through his hair and cooed quietly, remembering the incident too, and the dream she had the night where Corrin had spilled his tears in fright and confused hurt. The only reason the tormentor was sitting at a distant table looking rueful was diplomacy. Orochi made eye contact with them and put on her most hateful face while Corrin tumbled down the memory well.
…
The discovery of Lord Ryoma, safe and in good spirits while in Cheve, was a boon to the Hoshidan forces. Kagero in particular seemed eager to apologize over and over again to her liege for their separation, though nobody seriously questioned this. Unfortunately, due to Zola's betrayal at Cyrkensia and the panicked nature of their departure, they could not safely retreat to the Astral Plane.
"My Lord, what are we to do for shelter, it's not exactly warm enough to camp outside here."
"Yeah, and the Nohrian's would see any campfires."
"Relax Kagero, and Hinoka. Follow me."
The confused army followed Ryoma to a dingy barn on the outskirts of the village square.
"I take it none of you know where we are?"
"No we don't brother." Corrin confirmed.
"I do!" Takumi yelled hotly, "The river in the center of town means we've somehow gotten into the small independent country of Cheve!"
"Correct Takumi, now can you please keep your voice down."
Ryoma stopped for a moment.
"Where is the rest of the army, surely more than just three of my siblings and Kagero were involved in the fracas at the Opera House."
"They're-" Corrin was about to tell Ryoma that the rest of the detachment was waiting in the woods when Ryoma opened the rickety looking barn to reveal soldiers. Not just a small band, but a whole detachment of soldiers resplendent in red armor of varying types. At the head of a large dining table fit for forty, a pretty blonde woman with short hair was sitting, a large grin on her face.
"Back so soon Ryoma?"
Her smile faded when she saw he had only brought four people.
"Peace, Scarlet. After the incident at Cyrkensia the rest of the army is waiting nearby."
All four of the newcomers to the room nodded, and Scarlet regained her smile.
"So? Are these the siblings you've told me so much about?"
"Three of the four of them are Scarlet, Kagero?"
"Yes milord?"
"Please fly with Hinoka carefully to gather the rest of our forces to this safehouse. Scarlet and I will keep watch of the door."
The women nodded and sprang into action, while Scarlet got up from her chair, grabbing an axe that looked awfully like it was Nohrian to Corrin, making him uneasy.
"Pleasure to meet you Princes Takumi and Corrin" said Scarlet, extending a handshake to both junior princes.
"What's wrong Corrin? You're suddenly stiffer than me around new people." Inquired Takumi, who noted his brother's hunched shoulders.
"Ryoma did tell me you're the friendly one…"
"Apologies milady, but that axe. It looks Nohrian."
"That's because it is"
Ryoma lifted his arm to block Takumi from loading his bow so fast, he ended up catching Corrin on the nose, making him yelp with pain.
"They aren't enemies let her finish…"
"Our nation is under intense Nohrian occupation. We are the Chevois Resistance. However, I appreciate your quick preparedness." Scarlet finished calmly, as Takumi lowered his unloaded bow.
"And your attention to detail" she mumbled, regarding Corrin, helping him to his feet.
"Sorry Brother, didn't mean to hit you."
"It's fine Ryoma." Corrin spluttered as his nose was bleeding slightly. Scarlet got him a rag with which to staunch.
"He was kidnapped by Nohrian forces as a baby, from-"
"This very town center." Corrin mumbled quietly as the bleeding in his nose stopped.
"So…" Takumi continued awkwardly.
"So he's likely to have seen this kind of weapon before."
Corrin nodded as Chevois soldiers took his and Takumi's weapons, while others began to set up plates for dinner.
"My-er Princess Camilla uses a very similar blade."
Corrin went on to explain what he remembered of Camilla's axe heads, feeling increasingly uneasy about the look he could see Camilla giving him in his mind's eye. Fortunately Hinoka and Kagero arrived back with the first wave of the Hoshidan forces, and Scarlet was introduced to Princess Sakura, whose unintentional adorable politeness so charmed Scarlet that the subject of axes was dropped, but not before Orochi noticed both Kagero's fleeting glances at Ryoma, and that Corrin's shoulders were positioned in a way that made it look like ice water was being dunked on them.
The rest of the army arrived slowly over the next half an hour, Orochi making the journey with Hinoka and Subaki each time, using wind magic to cover the snowy footprints. Each time they would arrive with a fresh batch of their forces she would look at Corrin, increasingly concerned that his tension was still present long after he had stopped contributing to the conversation. Finally, the last of the soldiers were in the large safehouse.
"You'll each be put in groups of two to four per safehouse. Don't worry they're all in the row of matching houses that's about one hundred yards into the town center. Most of my troops are Wyvern riders so you needn't worry about prints."
"Well said Scarlet, for now lets eat."
The meal was quite good, or it would've been had that look, the last look Camilla had ever given Corrin, not been so bored into his conscious mind. Still, even an uneasy distracted mind couldn't help but appreciate the bear stew Scarlet's subordinates had crafted. The crusty loaf accompanying ensured everybody, even the notoriously picky Hinoka, cleaned their bowls out with most asking for seconds. Corrin did not wish to although he was still hungry, but as he felt Orochi's eyes on his back he was compelled to do so. While he finished his second helping, those that had already finished eating were being shuttled to the safehouse areas, with the soldiers not helping with the dishes performing as taxis.
"I must say Lady Scarlet, you do run a very smooth operation, goodnight!"
Scarlet blushed as Sakura's compliment reached her ears. Finally, the only people left at the table were Ryoma, Kagero, Scarlet, and Corrin. Saizo, Hinata, Kaze, and Takumi having just been shuttled.
"So you ladies will be on the next shuttle, and gents you get the last one."
"Actually Lady Scarlet, Lord Ryoma is my liege and since Saizo is already not staying with him I would prefer I be allowed to for security reasons."
Orochi was about to make a quip when she met Kagero's eyes, and saw her ears were pink.
"Then I shall stay with Lord Corrin instead."
While Scarlet and Ryoma discussed this and Corrin zoned out, Kagero and Orochi turned to each other.
"Why are you suddenly acting so weird about Ryoma?"
"H-he's my liege I swore to ser-"
"Cut the Pegasus shit Kagero, the rest of this army may be oblivious, but you aren't fooling me."
"Fine! I missed his company as well. Platonic. Company."
"Uh huh…"
"Orochi, I swear I will-"
"Calm down Ka, Calm down. I'm not going to embarrass you or say anything, I just want an honest answer."
"I…may be failing in my duties regarding my feelings, but so far Ryoma has not noticed or been bothered. What about you and Lord Corrin?"
Orochi's face went scarlet, but fortunately the shuttles arrived and a cold gust whipped her right in the face so the blush was concealed.
"Kagero! I was his mother's retainer! I'm just honoring her memory, besides! This arraignment is-"
"Of my design entirely. I was just japing with you Oh, since you have with me, although in my case there is a bit more truth to the matter."
"Yeah…good jape, you got my goose."
The pair waited for Scarlet and Ryoma to stop tactics talk for another twenty minutes, neither paying more than a glance to Corrin who was mumbling to himself, remembering how kind Camilla had been to him as a boy. He ran his hands through his hair, and reasoned if he could get his dragonstone from the weapons storage he could take a flight tonight. He pocketed it quickly, after the solider in charge of watching the armor, bought his excuse of having left a book in his weapons pack. After showing his copy of Tales of Owain to the guard he scuttled away wondering what was taking Ryoma so long to send Kagero and Orochi on their way. When he arrived back in the Mess Hall area, Orochi was mounting one of the taxi wyverns, with his bag in her arms.
"C'mon Lord Corrin, I want to get some rest."
"R-right…"
After they arrived at their safehouse and settled their belongings, Orochi explained Kagero's request.
"If you don't mind Lord Corrin, can I bathe first."
"Sure thing, I'll be back later."
"Eh!"
"I'm going on a flight, I'll be back in a couple hours."
And without another word, Corrin stepped back out into the snow, gave a look around to check for any lanterns, transformed, and flew off towards the woods again. Orochi quickly shut the door to avoid letting all the heat go out but now she knew no matter how comfy she made her bath, she'd just spend it all worrying.
"Please be okay milord."
Corrin loved flying, there was something exhilarating about doing loops around the Astral Plane he couldn't explain. This, however, was easily explainable. He was free in the cold open air of Cheve, slicing through the wind with his sharp, draconic body. He felt a brief pang of sorrow that the birds were too delicate to wrangle with these rugged elements, but he was also grateful that they were smart enough not to try. He flew past the forest where his armies had been hiding a short time ago, up to the mountains where he found a cave to momentarily rest in, Camilla finally having left his thoughts, fluttering away as she often did on her wyvern.
"Why did I decide to fly in a damn near blizzard!" Camilla grumbled as her dragon roared with irritation. The Hoshidans had narrowly escaped Cyrkensia and without waiting for her reinforcements from Hans, the eldest Nohrian Princess had shot off into the sky, near where their informants had said they landed. Camilla had no way of knowing that the information was designed to get her killed by the storm or that the fake Chevois informants had accidentally told the truth.
"I need to land and soon." The Princess thought to herself, knowing that she had enough supplies to last a couple days but that this chill could kill her steed if she wasn't careful. Her wyvern roared and Camilla spotted a small mountainside cave.
Corrin knew what a wyvern sounded like and recognized based on the armor that this was not a friendly mount. He normally would have left it alone, but it seemed to be zeroing in on his cave and though his dragon mind wasn't completely in tune with his humanity, he did know he was unarmed and that any Nohrian would recognize him. Though he deplored violence and he would ensure the rider's safety he decided to get rid of the dragon. Quickly as he could he charged the beast, knowing that the snow was too thick outside for it or its rider to smell or see him coming.
Camilla was desperate to get to shelter, start a fire and cook some of her rations so it was a most unpleasant jolt to the senses when the wind picked up and buffeted her wyvern harder than she'd ever felt a gust in her life. Then she heard the sickening sound of flesh being torn through and bone being cracked. Then her mount let out a piteous howl as the life ebbed from it as the unseen force powered through its ribcage. Camilla was too slow gripping the neck instead of the reins and fell. She began to scream.
Even in his draconic state under threat he knew that voice, that sound. This wasn't just some random rider. Without thinking further, he pulled his antlers out from the crippled beast and dove after Camilla. He caught her quickly, but her axe fell to the ground, not before nicking his right wing. Now bleeding and the storm ever worsening, and with vulnerable cargo he hurried back into his cave. As gracefully as he could he set Camilla on the stone floor and changed back, checking his one-time sister for any wounds his human senses having overwhelmed his draconic ones. Her pulse was a bit higher than usual, and she had a shallow cut on her left cheek but she was still breathing.
"Passed out from fear most likely."
Corrin pondered what to do. Capturing Camilla would be a valued asset for the Hoshidan forces. This would involve admitting to Ryoma he had flown recklessly without permission or guard; besides he knew Garon would as soon kill his oldest daughter than listen to reason, so the prison option was no good. A voice that sounded like a combination of Leo and Takumi's yelled inside Corrin's head to leave the princess for dead, but he couldn't do that either. He had decided to save the rider with only part of his mind, now that he knew it was Camilla he was completely committed to the idea. Besides, he needed to talk to her. So, with the storm getting too bad to attempt flying in, Corrin used one of his tomes to seal the cold air outside and began using Camilla's supply bag to make a fire. He wrapped her in her cloak and put his arm on her shoulder to begin rolling her over to the fire. He was just deciding what rations to make when Camilla stirred.
"Wh-where am I? Who are you, where is my mount?"
"You're safe, your mount however is dead" Corrin growled disguising his voice and using a spare rag to cover his head so as not to give himself away with his back turned.
"Do I get to know my savior's name."
"You've known me for my whole life sister." Corrin whispered as he turned around to face Camilla who had risen to her feet.
"C-Corrin!"
"Camilla…"
For a moment, her purple eyes met Corrin's red ones. Corrin wasn't sure how to respond and to his surprise neither was Camilla. Then she dropped to her knees and began to cry. Instinctively Corrin ran over. When she looked at him, it was just as she had when he had chosen Hoshido, only now with the addition of salt streaks.
"Why Corrin? Why did you betray us? Was our love? Was my love not good enough?"
"Camilla. Garon is a madman, surely you must see that?"
"Oh, how I wish I could kill the Hoshidan witch who so polluted your mind, instead you force me to make the terrible choice. I have to kill you, you know?"
"You don't have to do anything Camilla."
"You're half right my sweet. And I won't kill you now. I have no means to execute you and you did safe my life. So, if only for the moment we are reunited."
Corrin had to hold in a sigh. He wanted to say he still cared about her, that he still wanted to be family, but the words didn't come out. He returned to the cooking fire when he felt Camilla squish herself against him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Camilla pressed a finger to Corrin's lips, oblivious to his terror.
"What're you doing sist-"
"I am not your sister!" Camilla hissed with more anger than Corrin had ever seen in her life.
"We are not related." She continued.
"We never were, and now that you know that, I can do this."
"What're you-"
But Camilla pushed her lips onto Corrin's before he could finish.
"Consider this payment for saving my life, we can be enemies on the battlefield, but tonight. We are as we should've been. Lovers."
Corrin was speechless as Camilla lifted herself and Corrin up into a standing position away from the fire and towards the wall.
"L-lovers?"
"Yes, because the next time I see you I will have to kill you. Even so, I can't deny how much I still love you!"
Camilla's voice had become a sultry whine and her eyes smoked with lust.
"Please Corrin, love me one more time."
Corrin was flabbergasted. He'd always known Camilla felt strongly about him, but this was an act born of desperation. He saw her heart bleeding in her lilac eyes which reminded him slightly of Orochi's despite the difference in shade. Before his brain could go any further down the odd thought train of Orochi seducing him, which was causing his breeches to tighten, Camilla jolted him to reality by stroking his leg and kissing him on the neck, scraping her teeth gentle on the skin. She inhaled deeply as she did so.
"Please, just tonight be my love."
Corrin screamed. This was wrong this was immoral, an abomination of the highest order, somehow through his tears he managed to dislodge Camilla's grip and without looking back at the woman who for so long had been his beloved older sister he changed back into a dragon, blizzard be damned. He had to get back, what would Orochi say if he didn't.
Orochi had as she predicted, spent her entire time worrying. She managed to bathe and had left a fire tome in the restroom for Corrin to use to reheat the water when he got back. Beyond this, she hadn't accomplished anything. She was too jittery to read, too clean to work up a sweat training, and too tired to go hollering for help. There was a thud at the door and Orochi jumped. Corrin had been gone maybe one hour and ten minutes. Trying not to think about how weird it was that she knew that when Corrin said he was going to fly a couple of hours he meant two while hours Orochi scrambled to the door and wrenched it open. Corrin was covered in snow and trembling. Thinking it might have been from the cold, Orochi quietly showed him to the bath, heated it and waited outside for Corrin to finish. She waited ten minutes, twenty, thirty, finally after forty minutes Orochi knocked on the bathroom door.
"Lord Corrin?"
No Answer.
"Fearing that the cold of the night and the heat of the bath might've caused a shock reaction Orochi raised her voice.
"Lord Corrin, I'm coming in."
Bracing herself in case Corrin was naked she turned the handle and walked in. Corrin was in the middle of the bathroom floor, his head between his knees."
"Lord Corrin…?"
He looked up at her, his eyes bloodshot and his face silently trembling.
"Wh-what's wrong?"
Corrin lifted his head away from his knees, and Orochi saw four marks on his neck in a row that looked awful like…but they couldn't be hickeys.
"Camilla."
"What?"
Corrin explained to her that he had stopped in the heavy snow in a cave. How Camilla had been flying toward him, that he had disabled her mount and saved her life.
"A-and then, she…she…tried to seduce me…my own sister and said she had to kill me."
Corrin buried his head in his hands again which was fortunate for Orochi because her mouth had fallen open before it closed again in a disgusted snarl. How could the Princess of Nohr considered attempting something both with someone who was raised her brother while also threatening him with death. Her hands shook with fury which, due to the open fire tome made the water hiss in the tub. Corrin made an audible sob. Without warning Orochi had scooped him into a tight hug.
"Y-you're not mad at me Orochi?"
"Why the bloody hell would I be mad at you!?"
"B-because I nearly did…with Camilla…and I didn't capture…or get infor…flying without permission-"
"Hush."
Orochi's eyes looked almost violet because of the steam, and for a moment he thought he was back in Camilla's clutches. Except that these eyes were filled with compassion, not lust.
"You're safe. She couldn't have tracked you back in this storm, and I can heal your neck."
"Please…I feel dirty."
"You didn't do anything wrong."
"I didn't save myself for marriage Orochi."
This unexpected tidbit hit Orochi like a salmon flailing through the air and she was thankful she wasn't facing Corrin with this surprised face. When she didn't immediately respond, Corrin continued if only to silence his wriggling nerves.
"My…one of the retainers I had. Flora. We had sort of, as much as a royal can see their retainer anyways."
Orochi remained silent and Corrin continued his story.
"We fooled around a couple of times my chambers, there was even once where we were in the courtyard of the Northern Fortress."
Orochi felt her face heat up with jealousy, but she was not about to interrupt Corrin.
"She was executed after Felicia and I disappeared. All reliable sources tell me it was Camilla who did it…"
Corrin dry-heaved.
"I-I got somebody else killed, Flora and my mother. I'm a monster…"
"No!"
Orochi had said no so forcefully it had hurt Corrin's ears.
"You are not responsible for your adoptive sister's jealousy and whore-spider tendencies, trying to get you wrapped in her nasty web. Nor are you responsible for Mikoto's death. I promise."
For a moment Orochi had though these words were going to calm Corrin down, but instead he turned to nestle tighter against Orochi and cried harder.
"T-thank you…"
"Shh…hey I'm gonna go prepare a poultice for those whore-spider bites. You get in the bath."
Corrin chuckled at the crude nickname and nodded as Orochi left.
"I'm glad you look out for me Orochi!"
Orochi smiled as she mixed the poultice before she re-centered on her own thoughts and frowned. Was she seriously feeling jealous of Camilla for giving Corrin love-bites, and what about this Flora? Was she jealous of her for having been with Corrin as a woman?
"No…" Orochi mumbled.
"No, you're jealous because of all the time and years he spent with her as a friend, because if she hadn't been kidnapped that would've been you. Get yourself together Oh."
Corrin exited the baths, wrapped tightly in towels. He rummaged in his pack for evening wear and return to the bath before exiting in a pair of black shorts and a white undershirt. The shorts left nothing to the imagination and Orochi couldn't help peeking over her book to admire Corrin's shorts. This really undermined her theory on jealousy and made her frown. Unfortunately, Corrin noticed.
"Are you mad at me?"
"Hmm? Not at all Lord Corrin."
"Then may I ask a couple of favors?"
"Yes of course!"
"One, stop calling me lord. And the second…can we cuddle?"
"Sorry?"
"I just…I don't want to be alone right now, I'm scared Camilla will…"
"Shh…We can do that Lor-er Corrin."
Corrin smiled and his eyes crinkled like Mikoto's as he wrapped his arms around Orochi. The diviner tentatively gripped back for a half hour before she grew uncomfortable.
"Can I roll over Corrin?"
"Yeah, can I still hold you."
"Yeah."
Corrin's eyes were closed from tiredness, so he did not see Orochi's blush from the request. Though he dozed off no more than ten minutes later Orochi was awake for another hour. She felt the urge to grind her hips into Corrin but did not succumb to it, convincing herself it was an after effect of being around a highly stressed person and trying to retain closeness.
…
Orochi hugged her husband tighter than was necessary as she ended her glowering. Camilla too engrossed in her fifth glass of wine to notice.
"I'm surprised you still feel so strongly for me…knowing how flawed a man I am."
Orochi had grabbed Corrin's face and given him the fiercest kiss she could muster. Though it got awws from the crowd, meant something very different to Corrin.
"Orochi…"
"Corrin, I love you."
Knowing that the orchestra had prevented prying ears from hearing her words, she pressed on.
"How funny that on our wedding night you're feeling and thinking like this when it was me who was the anxious one when I first told you how I felt."
As quickly as he had grown despondent, Corrin was laughing riotously, and Orochi felt her ears redden, a condition she would gladly accept if it meant her lover wasn't frowning. As Oboro led the violins to the forefront of the orchestral sound they both remembered that strange and wonderful afternoon where Orochi had told Corrin she was in love with him.
…
Orochi couldn't take this anymore, she was done talking in vagaries to Kagero, Reina, and rarely Princess Sakura about it. She hadn't mentioned the hip grinding which she had been sorely tempted to do, or his near violation by Camilla but in the four months that had followed she had grown progressively more regretful that she hadn't slammed her hips into Corrin. At first, she felt stupid, and like she was a predator no more dignified than Camilla. As days faded to weeks and then months, she felt less ashamed of her thought and more of her non-action but for her one refrain.
"He's Mikoto's boy you imbecile!" she berated herself more and more frequently. These self-issued reprimands seldom helped and Orochi increasingly found herself not just infatuated with Corrin, but also pining for Lady Mikoto's presence. Mikoto, the woman who had treated her as well as if she were her flesh and blood and whose own flesh Orochi was now starving for.
"Fucking imbecile…" She mumbled to herself, running her hands through her hair. She still watched him dutifully, but where she had once loved to fill every opportunity to talk to Corrin with poetic about Mikoto, discussion of battle tactics, or else the opportunity to hear about his childhood, she now felt as though she always had a large spider biting her throat. She lamented nightly that if Mikoto had only been alive, she would be able to give her real motherly advice. She was walking to the daikon patch, deeply burrowed in her own frustrations and unhappiness when she bumped into Kagero.
"S-sorry Kagero."
"It's alright Oh."
"So…what're you dawdling around here for?"
"Reina was looking for you."
"Really why?"
Kagero could tell Orochi's mysterious issue was bothering her but before she could ask for any information about it Orochi was on the offensive.
"So, how are you and Lord Ryoma?"
Kagero's face darkened a bit.
"We-er we are just fine! He's made it clear he prefers when I stay with him in his tent."
"Hmm, is my buddy Kagero really getting saucy with the Crown Prince of Hoshido? No way.." Orochi crooned.
Kagero's face grew darker still, but she noticed that despite how funny Orochi's joke was (and even though she currently was as red as a cardinal in the face she could admire the bawdiness of it) that her dear friend wasn't smiling. In fact, there was a faint edge in her voice that made Kagero suspect that the croon was being forced. She'd tell Reina about it later.
"Anyways! Reina wanted you to stand next to her at the ceremony after dinner."
"Ceremony?"
Kagero's eyes widened, something really was wrong with Orochi if she was forgetting this.
"The dedication of Lady Mikoto's statue, it starts in about an hour and since you're not at dinner and Reina is on dish duty she wanted me to find you…Did you…forget?"
"I suppose that…I did Kagero."
This was a lie, Orochi thought. She had known it was tonight and judging by the look on Kagero's face which was returning to normal shade, the ninja knew it was a fib.
"Well, Reina, Ryoma, and Corrin all requested that you be there. I would prefer it as well."
"I won't let you down." Orochi mumbled and Kagero took her leave.
"Not like I have our Lady…" she finished to herself.
The statue dedication was a strange affair. Though it was made of silver, Orochi swore Mikoto looked alive in the moonlight. She closed her eyes and shook her head but when she opened them, the statue's eyes has closed and the smile was wider on Mikoto's face. She looked around, wondering if anyone else was seeing what she was but from the placid demeanor of everyone else present it appeared not. The Statue appeared to tell Orochi "I love you my dear Oh.". The ceremony ended and the attendees departed for their tents, or other evening activities. Even Kagero, who had been so concerned about Orochi earlier departed hand in hand with Ryoma not noticing her friend rooted to the spot.
"Lady Mikoto…"
Orochi fell to her knees praying.
"Please, please forgive me. Forgive my failure, my failure to not want your son."
"What are you doing Oh?"
She looked up, Corrin was kneeled next to her wearing a face that excluding his hair was perfect copy of the serenity of his mother.
"P-praying for forgiveness"
Confused as to how Orochi could offend a deceased person whom Corrin had never heard anyone, even Saizo, say anything bad about Corrin couldn't help but ask.
"What's bothering you Oh?"
Maybe it was because of their matching facial structure, maybe it was the gentle way in which he asked, maybe it was because the statue was nodding to her shining almost alive in the moonlight but Orochi couldn't feel the spider.
"I've fallen in love with you."
Corrin blinked, grateful it was too dark for the shade of pink his ears were going to be seen.
"And, in doing so I feel I have let down your mother, on whose grave I swore I would protect you."
"Did you think that she wouldn't want me to protect you like that too?"
It only dawned on Orochi what she had said when Corrin hugged her. Tentatively she reciprocated, not knowing how much Corrin understood. Reading this Corrin spoke again.
"I know you do not mean as a friend, it's deeper than that. I also know how hard you've tried to hide it from me. You don't have to."
"How did you figure out…?"
"I was talking to Sakura about three weeks ago. She mentioned you were acting like your heart ached, and that since you and I are so chummy that I ought to know."
"Did Princess Sakura really use the word chummy?"
Corrin nodded, his warm embrace stoking the fires of Orochi's affection.
"You are worried too much. This is not like Camilla, because although my mother treated you as a daughter, you never give me a sisterly vibe."
Worried this last part might offend the diviner Corrin continued after looking around at the statue of his mother, her smile filling him with wisdom and courage.
"You're relaxing to be around, always quick with a quip, and just fun."
"Do you really mean that, what would Lady Mikoto think about-"
"Her long lost son and surrogate daughter falling in love? I suppose she'd laugh at the optics given how much you've told me about her but I also think she'd be supportive."
Taking a deep breath Corrin kissed Orochi on the forehead which made her frown.
"Too much?"
"Not enough."
The spider was gone and Orochi and Corrin both felt they heard Mikoto making a happy squeal and clapping her hands as their lips connected the first time.
…
A sudden pinging sound filled the air and those dancing stopped. Leo, King of Nohr, stood a great gold goblet in his hand. To his left, stood Ryoma.
"To the wedding of Prince Corrin! To continued peace and prosperity between our nations!"
The crowd cheered, and both Sakura and Elise squealed with delight. Leo left the stage after draining his goblet with Ryoma to speak to Orochi and Corrin on the dancefloor, handing Orochi a Wyvern Ivory bangle, with the Nohrian crest in sapphires at the center. Orochi gawked as she accepted the gift and gave the shocked King a kind hug who scowled when Corrin pointed out his popped collar.
"I'm glad she likes it, it belonged to my mother. I also think Leo is trying to apologize to Miss Orochi for their battlefield encounter." Elise remarked to Sakura, before she put a piping hot takoyaki into her mouth.
"That was actually where we found out Corrin and Orochi were in love."
Whether it was from the temperature of the snack, or the shock of the news Sakura had just relayed an onlooker could not be sure, but Elise nearly choked.
"R-really?"
Not letting herself get nervous for nearly saying damn (Takumi and Hinoka both unloaded worse at least fifty times a day) Sakura delved into the story, patting Elise's back lightly.
…
Corrin was hurtling into the medical tent area as fast as he could with all of his armor still on. He couldn't find her, he knew she was hurt and this separation hurt worse than any of Leo's fire magic. As his insides singed he found Ryoma who was conferring quietly with Kagero, telling his beloved that Sakura, Azama, and Mitana were all working on Orochi's wounds, the combined force of several sword slashes, one arrow, and Prince Leo's Byrnhildr leaving the diviner hanging by a thread to life, but not a terminal one if the trio of medics worked diligently.
"Is she ok?"
Alarmed by the crazed look in Corrin's normally very sweet face and not sure why he looked as though he were about to roar Kagero calmly replied.
"Is who?"
"IS OROCHI ALIVE?!"
Both Kagero and Ryoma only grew more confused by Corrin's reaction but before Kagero could say that she would be okay Ryoma began
"Kagero will inform you when they are done…but I must warn you Corrin, she lost so much blood she is unlikely to-"
Ryoma had known as soon as he said unlikely that it was the wrong word choice even though the word immediately after was meant to be conscious. Corrin's eyes alighted with rage and for a moment Ryoma thought his brother might hit him. Switching tactics Ryoma used a softer voice.
"Brother, why are you losing your head right now?"
"Imagine if the woman you loved was nearly slaughtered." Corrin growled, a protective quality in his voice that reminded Ryoma of an irate Kitsune.
"Prince Corrin, forgive me but it is not as though we do not care about Orochi."
"I apologize if that was what it sounded like I was implying Kagero, but I have a feeling my relationship as her lover permits an expression of st-"
Corrin's aggression faded when he saw the shock on Ryoma and Kagero's faces.
"When did this happen brother, and how come you did not sh-"
"My Dawn Dragon is that what she was trying to tell me at dinner last night?"
Corrin nodded at the ninja as comprehension filled her face.
"It only happened the other day, we weren't sure how to mention it to you directly…"
"Am I truly so unapproachable Corrin?" Ryoma whispered, a flicker of offense and hurt in his tone.
"Oma, it's not like we've particularly been a model of transparency." Kagero cooed, rubbing Ryoma's tensed shoulders.
Grinning slightly at Kagero's use of her pet name for him.
"Very true."
At that moment Sakura poked her head through the tent flaps, her expression tired, and her hair sticking slightly to her forehead from sweat.
"Kagero, she's gonna be okay but she keeps mumbling Cor-. Eep! Hi Corrin."
"Hello sister." Corrin replied, a big smile cracking over his face and his breathing much deeper than it had been.
"W-well, you're already here so, um Azama and Mitama are just packing up. Um, I suppose she'll want to see you both." Sakura finished indicating Kagero and Corrin.
"I'm sure she wouldn't mind seeing you either Ryoma, and she should wake up in about ten minutes."
Ryoma nodded no as Azama and Mitana exited, indicating to Sakura that all was well.
"Actually Sakura, can we take a walk? I have some news for you"
"Sure?"
Corrin and Kagero walked into the tent and Ryoma motioned Sakura to follow him.
"Azama was right by the way the fire magic wasn't cursed brother."
"Do you know why Orochi wanted to see Corrin?"
"Is it because they're lovers?"
Ryoma started.
"Did he tell you before me?"
"No, but based on you're reaction I am right."
"Er, yes Sakura. You are right. How did you know?"
"Orochi's been acting really funny lately, like she had unattainable love."
"Ah…well…any thoughts."
"Hmm, I guess that you and Corrin have picked me out sisters in-law spectacularly."
"S-sakura! Corrin and Orochi just started and Kagero and I are-"
"I saw you at the market looking at rings."
Chuckling at his younger sister, Ryoma shook his head and they went to find Hinoka and Takumi to share their news.
Orochi woke, feeling as though she'd just been soaking in an ice bath. She looked up and saw her two guests, both standing.
"Ah, my favorite people." Orochi momentarily looked scared before giggling, the effects of the healing medicine calming her anxieties about phrasing.
"Corrin told Ryoma and I about you."
"He did, did he?"
"Yeah…Sorry Oh, I was just worried about-"
"We were going to anyways Corrin, quiet your worries."
Both women laughed at his facial expression and the trio chatted for about twenty minutes before Kagero excused herself. Corrin was going to leave too but Orochi held out a hand to grasp his.
"Oh?"
"Corrin, can you do me a favor?"
"Sure, anything you ask."
"Can you…stay a while longer and give me a hug. I was really scarred today.."
Corrin nodded and sat on the edge of the bed when Orochi added.
"Under the covers."
It was only then that Corrin realized how badly frightened Orochi had been by the battle. She did not cry but she did wrap herself as tightly as she could while being comfortable and not messing up her bandages around her lover. She kissed his cheeks and settled her head into his collarbone.
"I was so scared Corrin…"
"It's okay Oh."
"I thought I was going to die…When I was bleeding everywhere and burning…I saw your mom."
Corrin didn't respond but held Orochi's stomach a little tighter with his fingers, as opposed to strumming them.
"She told me it would be okay, that I would live…and that she gave me her blessing."
Orochi was crying now, but these were tears of joy and a smile spread across both her and Corrin's faces and they kissed. They were so overcome with joy that they did not speak again that night, preferring quiet snuggles. Shortly after they dozed off Sakura poked her head into the tent again and found her brother cuddling Orochi. She smiled and conjured another quilt and very gently woke Orochi for her evening potions, both trying to not disturb Corrin.
"I know this is against regulation Sakura but-"
"Orochi, look how content he looks if you can." Sakura whispered.
The diviner followed the Princess's instructions and looked back at the woman offering her a goblet of green potion, each understanding that this would not be punished. Before she left, Sakura offered one last comment.
"Mikoto would be overjoyed."
…
The wedding ceremony was almost over, and Orochi despite all the planning she had put into it was gracious. She wanted to get back to the treehouse and get this gown off and be with Corrin, alone.
"Corrin, can I request tonight that we…"
"Orochi, I want you badly too it is okay."
Blushing they continued their waltz, each feeling more tortured every minute. They hardly realized they were reciting their vows until Oboro started the traditional wedding songs from the orchestra. Azura, the master of ceremonies took note of the daze before starting.
"Do you Prince Corrin, love Lady Orochi in peace as well as wartime? In both feast and famine, sunshine and storm, elation and despondence, illness and vitality, and as your closest ally in the eyes of the Dawn Dragon so long as you both shall live?"
"I do Priestess"
"Do you Lady Orochi, love Prince Corrin in peace as well as wartime? In both feast and famine, sunshine and storm, elation and despondence, illness and vitality, and as your closest ally in the eyes of the Dawn Dragon so long as you both shall live?"
"I do Priestess"
"Then by the powers vested in me by the Dawn Dragon, with the might of the sun, moon, land, and waters. I pronounce thee as Orochi, Duchess of Jinya, Prince Corrin, as Duke of Jinya and most important on this holy day as Husband and Wife. You may embrace."
Corrin and Orochi kissed deeply and led the cheering crowd in one last dance before retreating to his treehouse, carrying his bride.
"We leave for Igasato in the morning."
"The village of Kaze and Saizo right?"
"Yes, my love, I look forward to exploring in peace. I also got permission from King Leo to visit Xander's grave but let us not focus on those details now my beloved Oh."
"Agreed."
They sat on his bed, smiling once more before Orochi grabbed a tome.
"I'll be back in a moment, you might want to change."
With that Orochi teleported and Corrin remembered they were staying the night in the castle.
"And nobody else has gone to bed yet…" Corrin smirked as he undid his suit, placing it neatly onto a wooden hanger, before chewing some mint leaves. Mint usually wasn't his favorite, but he was anticipating his wife (Dawn Dragon he enjoyed saying that) would want lots of kisses. She reappeared about twenty minutes later wearing a dark purple nightgown that complimented her hair nicely.
"How do I look milord?" Orochi purred, not bothering with pretense as she sat in her husband's lap.
"Magnificent" murmured Corrin, his mouth drying as he looked at how little Orochi was leaving to his imagination. Her buttocks seemed to be warring with the sheen fabric while the low cut made sure even more than her usual wardrobe that he knew how voluptuous she was.
"I think I like this better than my wedding gown, much easier to take off of me."
Corrin blushed, he hadn't known what to expect in the way of forwardness from Orochi when it came to this, or even if she wanted to. The coy grin slipped from her face a bit.
"Do you not want-"
"I do, just are you sure?"
"Corrin, I'm wearing a tight nightie, and am only restraining myself from tearing off your clothes or slamming my ass into your crotch because I know if I do, there's a fair chance of us not even making it to the castle."
Corrin was bit taken aback but he nodded all the same and hugged Orochi gently, noting how she was trembling slightly at his touch which was broken by the . He breathed on her neck and she didn't even try to stifle the moan.
"Let's go."
With effort Orochi extracted herself from Corrin's lap and grasped around for the transportation tome. Corrin was going to ask about bringing a change of clothes and toiletries when Orochi said "Thought of that, they're in the room we'll be staying in."
"Okay my love."
Lemon Warning
They teleported to one of the rooms near the top of the left most tower and by this point Orochi could no longer help herself. She chucked away the tome and leapt into Corrin's arm's, delighted by Corrin's enthusiastic kisses. Corrin gently tossed her onto a very plush bed. Orochi giggled to hide her surprise at the hungry way Corrin was looking at her. He settled near her feet and ran his hands up to the edge of the nightgown before looking at Orochi. Lilac met Scarlet and Corrin gently pushed the fabric up, until it was bunched just above Orochi's navel. He flicked his right hand between her thighs and Orochi squirmed, she hadn't thought he would tease her like this.
"What's wrong Oh? Surely you didn't think I was naïve about matters of flesh."
"N-no.." Orochi weakly replied as Corrin kissed up her thighs. Without much advanced warning he lifted her back up off the bed and using his teeth tore away the black panties that had been concealing the last of his wife from him. Instinctively she tried to shut her legs, but Corrin's head hadn't shifted. With the appetite of an animal who hadn't seen water in days he lapped at her, first in long slow ministrations, before quickening. Orochi was in extasy, how Corrin knew how to do this (and how his tongue was long enough to nearly be a good substitute for the real thing) she did not understand or care as she buried her hands into his snowy hair.
"Ohhh Dawn Dragon Corrin…Please I can't take it I'm gonna.."
But Orochi's hips were already bucking ferociously as Corrin had begun rubbing her clitoris. She cried out, thankful for the soundproofing spell that ensured her first moment of marital bliss wouldn't mean some clown knocking on the door. For a moment they rested and Corrin relinquished his hold on Orochi's legs and he began to undress himself and Orochi did the same. She'd suck him off in the morning, right now she needed to mash her body into his. Judging by the hungry way Corrin's kisses were now tracking up her previously unexposed chest, he was in agreement.
"Are you ready for this?" Corrin growled as he kneaded her breasts.
"Yes Corrin, please put it in, put it in" she whined.
Not wanting to disappoint his wife he plunged into her folds and they both hissed at the sensation. Neither of them were virgins and they knew this, but having the person this close to you also be love of your life? Corrin groaned as he felt the slick warmth, excite every nerve of his member.
"Go slow…ease..ahhh..Corrin."
"Orochi, so warm…"
Neither of them attempted more conversation, the only sounds being the strange guttural roars, croaks, hisses, and pants that came with passionate lovemaking. Perhaps because Orochi had already gotten off once, it was Corrin who felt the urge of release first.
"I'm gonna…I'm gonna."
"Inside me Corrin, give it to me."
"O-OOROCHI!"
With a final grunt Corrin delivered the first physical evidence of marriage to Orochi who after pumping her hips down on his for an additional minute too felt the same bliss.
"Sorry I didn't last so long…I"
"Shh…we have the rest of our life's to practice Corrin."
"Okay…when we get tomorrow…we can again if want…"
End of Lemon
Orochi wasn't sure if Corrin had immediately fallen asleep, but for the first time she could remember she didn't feel gross after being intimate. On the contrary, a part of her hoped Corrin would let her skip underwear for the duration of their honeymoon to do this more often. She wanted to make love to him every day. More than that, she wanted to love him every day. She felt a momentary pang of sadness thinking about children and knowing they would never be afforded the chance to meet their grandmother, but this was fleeting. They would have someone who emanated their spirit close by. Her husband, and best friend Corrin. Mikoto's boy. And any daughter they had would be named in her honor.
"I love you Corrin."
What's going on everyone, finally back after a long layoff. Partly due to nonsense and partly because as you may have noticed, this thing isn't exactly short. Orochi is probably my favorite FE Fates character bar none so I wanted to give her a solo effort. Reviews are appreciated. Hopefully be backer sooner rather than later with another story. Ciao for now.