Corrin.
After all of these years, my little- no, he was a young man now- Corrin stood before me. His old room was just the way it was, untouched, uncleaned, unmoved by the numerous years he had been gone for. Even though a layer of dust covered everything in the room, it mattered not for me. Cleaning even one speck of dust would be like... giving up. Giving up on my little Corrin, whom I thought about for every day he was gone for.
I used to read stories to him every night, play hide-and-seek in the gardens, pretend to be all sorts of fearsome creatures- every day. And drawing- he loved to draw so much. He always drew pictures of me and his father, as well as his siblings.
"Remember this one? That's a picture of us. You said that this one was me, this one was you, and this was your Father." I smile, but I start to notice that instead of smiling, the young man is still confused. Not even a ghost of a smile was on his face as he stares at the pictures on the ground.
One seems to catch his eye, though. He picks it up, careful not to crinkle the delicate paper. It's a messy picture of a sakura blossom, but still one nevertheless. A light shade of pink adorns the flower, giving it a soft glow that makes it stand out against the stark whiteness of the paper.
He sighs, putting the flower drawing back on the ground, his shadow concealing the details of the uncoordinated and messy- but still identifiable- sketch. "Look. It's just... I'm sorry. I don't remember any of this."
Those words struck my heart like as if an archer had shot me right through the heart.
What? No! Why? Has it been too long since we've seen each other? Have the Nohrians... brainwashed him?
What if he's not really my son? What if he's someone else that looks like him?
No, it can't be. This has to be Corrin. I just know it. It has to be.
Instead of showing disappointment, I make an it's-okay-that-you-forgot face to conceal my shock and growing disappointment. "Oh, it's all right, Corrin. After all, it's been so many years. You must have been very sheltered. I kept this place the way it was- everything- for all of the years you've been gone. Cleaning up this would seem as if I gave up on you." I voice my thoughts from before, suppressing a sigh of my own.
"I do believe you could be my real mother, but even so, I feel... nothing." He replies quietly. "You must have missed me for years. I'm sorry I can't remember. It must be painful for you."
"Corrin, it's okay!" I say quickly, feeling tears brimming at my eyes. Since the room was naturally dim, it hid the tears- he didn't need to see my disappointment. "Please, don't worry about it. Maybe you need some more time to remember. Think about it for a little longer. Take a walk around. You're safe here."
"Okay." He seems to sense my sadness, but doesn't make a note off of it. Instead, he stays mostly silent, still observing and gazing at every single small detail of the room.
"I'll see you later, my dear Corrin." Taking one last glance at him, I leave the room, briskly walking away to clear my thoughts.
Each step takes me closer to the main hall. I turn away, wanting to avoid people so I could sort out my thoughts.
He doesn't remember.
I turn again, finding Kaze in the next hallway. The green-haired ninja acknowledges me with a nod before taking a closer look at my face.
"Milady! Are you all right?"
"Yes, Kaze. Thank you. It's just that Corrin doesn't remember me, but I suppose it's natural that it happened because he was so young when he was taken... and it's been so many years since then. It'd be more likely that he forgot me entirely."
"Queen Mikoto..." Kaze murmurs.
"Don't blame yourself. You didn't know that Corrin was going to be taken away from Hoshido that day. What matters now is that he's back."
He nods silently.
"I just have one favor. If Corrin leaves his room, just make sure he knows where he's going. I don't want him getting lost in the castle." I make a tiny smile. "Just assist him in going where he wants to go."
"Yes. I will make sure Corrin will not get lost."
"Thank you." I nod, and Kaze bows before I continue to walk to my room, which was not that far from Corrin's room- I had just taken the long way around to skip going through the main hall, so it took me an extra minute or two to get where I needed to be..
My sandals trudge along the stone tiles, an echoed footstep resounding across the entire hallway.
A few more steps takes me to the door to my room, and I turn the knob, letting out a long sigh. As soon as I shut the door, I let the tears out- nobody sees my pain. I slump against the door behind me, sobbing and wiping tears away.
Oh, how could he forget me? He has no memory of me- his loving mother... How could this be?
I let the tears run free as they wildly run down my cheeks for what seems like forever before the sobs reduced to mere sniffles. My sleeves and gloves were soaked with my tears, but I couldn't have cared less. I only thought about Corrin, my dear Corrin.
For years, I imagined a happy reunion- I thought about how tall he would have grown, what he would have said- where he'd happily run in my arms and hug me tightly. For years, I wanted to embrace that sweet thought, but the all too dreadful possibility- the one that became a reality- marred my optimistic thoughts during my long wait to finally find him again.
And now, that tiny flower of hope that had thrived even through the most treacherous storms throughout the years to see the sun shine again... it had finally wilted, fading within the barren ground...
A sudden sound near the door- on the other side- jolts me from my thoughts. I open my mouth to ask who's there, but a fit of sniffles stops me. I don't bother asking the question. The figure on the other side of the door doesn't say anything as well; instead, I hear footsteps as the person walks away slowly, the echoes slowly fading with each step.
Yukimura confronted me as I opened my door later that day.
"Lady Mikoto." The tactician bows deeply.
"Yes, Yukimura?"
"Someone told me that you were feeling upset, so I came to see if you were doing fine."
I nod. "I'm feeling better now."
"Is something still bothering you? Is it that vision?"
"No. The vision does not bother me as greatly. What I was troubled from was that Corrin doesn't remember who I am. I had a feeling that he wouldn't, but the reality still upsets me."
"I'm sorry." Yukimura murmurs.
A long period of silence passes before I shake my head. "Anyway... how is Corrin doing?"
"He's doing fine. He's taking a walk around with Azura in the castle gardens."
"Oh, is he? You know, I had a feeling that they would become friends. After all, they both were taken from their kingdoms. They both know how it feels to be taken away at such a young age."
"I thought that too. Dinner is ready, by the way."
"Okay. Thank you."
We both walk along the empty halls to the giant dining hall, where the Hoshidan siblings were waiting. Corrin seemed happier, thankfully, and that made me smile.
"Mother!" Sakura greets me. "Sit next to me, please!
"Of course, dear. You know that." I take a seat next to her. To my surprise, Corrin sits to my left.
"... Mother, I hope you don't mind if I sit here."
"Corrin, of course you can sit next to me. There's no need to ask." I respond with a warm smile, and he sits down. Hinoka sits next to Corrin, and Ryoma and Takumi sit across from us. I notice how Takumi gives a frown at Corrin sitting next to me.
Is he jealous?
"Can I sit here, Takumi?" I look up to see Azura standing at the edge of the table. Takumi looks quite conflicted, and opens his mouth before our eyes meet for just a second. Eventually, he nods.
"... Okay."
Without a word, Azura sits across from Corrin, who sits to the left of me.
"Our first dinner together again..." I glance at the entire table, then at the servants, who placed platters of food at our table. "Let's enjoy."
Ryoma nods as we scoop food onto our plates. "I'm glad you're back, Corrin. You've grown a lot! I still remember when you were little, practicing with the katana with me sometimes..."
"I did?"
"Yeah! You don't remember?" Ryoma leans closer across the table.
"Sorry... no. I just can't remember. But it must have been fun, though."
"It was." Ryoma seems to shake off his lack of memory with a shrug. "I remember your first days with the sword. It didn't go very well, let's say. You wanted to swing Raijinto around, too."
"... What's Raijinto? A sword?"
"My legendary sword of lightning." He explains briefly, and Corrin thinks a while before munching on some vegetables and rice. "You wanted to wield it so badly, but you were much too clumsy with a regular sword. You'd fall over sometimes. Of course, you were very young- only around three or four years old."
"Oh! I remember that, too!" Hinoka brightened. "That was hilarious and adorable. But you were so determined to be like Ryoma and better. Hopefully, you're just as good!"
"I practiced quite a bit in Nohr. I hope I'm just as good." Corrin nods.
"Big Brother, what was it like in Nohr, if you d-don't mind me asking? Is it d-dark and scary?" Sakura asks shyly.
"Well, Father- King Garon, I mean- can be quite intimidating, but it wasn't that dark or scary all the time- I had friends and my... my adoptive family to help me when things weren't looking good. I was able to practice with the sword, though. It was fine."
"Oh... s-so it's n-n-not s-scary?"
"Not that much."
"Did you also see your old room?" Hinoka added, changing the subject. "We haven't changed it since."
"Yeah. I don't remember any bit of it, but I hope that I'll make some kind of connection soon."
Meanwhile, Azura and Takumi don't say much. I could understand that Azura was not the type of person to talk or continue a conversation. However, Takumi would be more likely to talk about his bow skills - he practiced every day and was very competitive- or something along that line.
Maybe he doesn't like Corrin as much anymore. What a shame... they used to compete with each other all the time, though they were so young...
"Takumi, how was your day today?" I decide to ask him, when the talking had ceased.
"It was fine." He answered simply, and I almost frowned at his strange mood swing. He was a teenager after all, so perhaps these kinds of mood swings were common. But for him to be this quiet- no, that was strange. Takumi was never like this.
Deciding not to ask him any more questions, I turn to Azura. "And how was your day, Azura? I heard that you walked with Corrin in the garden. You two have quite a bit in common, don't you?"
"Yes, we do. It was nice to meet Corrin." Azura nods. "It was a pleasure talking with him."
"Well, I'm glad that you. Oh, did anyone see my chopsticks? Well, never mind then." I look around before taking a pair of chopsticks from a nearby servant who offered it to me. "Thank you."
I reach over to pick up a piece of sushi when Sakura tilts her head. "Um, Mother? You have f-four chopsticks!"
"Oh, my! I did it again!" I glance at the four chopsticks in my hand before laughing.
Ryoma makes a smile. "I still remember the first time you did that."
Sakura and Hinoka also burst out laughing, and both Takumi and Corrin smile.
They have so much in common... I hope they Takumi can realize that if my thoughts are true about him not liking Corrin that much.
I put down one pair of chopsticks, but they end up being uneven because I was using two different chopsticks of two different pairs.
"Well, oops." I laugh, laying all four chopsticks side by side and picking up one pair of the matching chopsticks before giving the other one back to the servant. Meanwhile, everyone is laughing at the little mistake.
"You know, Mother does that all the time." Hinoka explains to Corrin while trying to conceal her laughter.
"Not all the time, Hinoka." I shake my head at her, but then I shrug before turning to Corrin. "Well, Hinoka's right. I do it all the time. It happens at least once every week."
For the rest of dinner, I share my little mishaps with Corrin, and in the end, we all have a good time. We all laughed, just like a family- The family I've always dreamed of having ever since Corrin was taken from us.
Despite of our happy reunion, many commoners still seemed to think that Nohrian spies would be infiltrating our kingdom because Corrin came here. That was impossible; the force-field of magic around Hoshido would stop any enemies from feeling the need to fight and destroy- they would be at peace. The same would go for spies- they would no longer have the bad intentions to steal. Perhaps they'd still send over those grotesque Faceless creatures, but it still wouldn't be a problem.
I guess the Faceless might still be what the commoners worry about. Perhaps that are what the rumors are about- Spies spying through the Faceless?
Because of those bad rumors, I decided to make a proclamation to stop those words from spreading.
The last thing I need is for my son to be shunned among the Hoshidans.
Yesterday, Yukimura and I planned to announce Corrin's arrival, and I was excited to tell everyone he was back.
Corrin and I now stood at the throne after a hearty breakfast. I smiled down at him. The day was bright and sunny as usual, just like the day I let Corrin sit on the throne as a child. He had felt so proud that day, being 'king' for just a moment.
-X-
"Corrin, one day, you'll see your big brother sitting on the throne."
"Will I sit on the throne, too?"
"Maybe you will. Here, you can sit on the throne right now." I lift him up, and place him in the seat, and he gasps in awe.
"Wow! I'm King Corrin!" he shouts, and Ryoma, who stands next to me, chuckles.
The older brother bows. "How may I be of service, Lord Corrin?"
"Give me a piggy-back ride, Big Brother!" He commands, giggling. Ryoma happily complies, marching around with a gleeful Corrin on his back. The two laugh, filling the air with so much joy and happiness...
-X-
"Hello, Mother." Corrin bows to me, which shakes me back to reality.
Does he call me Mother just to make me feel happy? Is it forced?
"Hello, Corrin. Now that we're here, would you mind sitting on the throne for just a moment?" Perhaps, this will help him regain his memories. The power of the throne might be able to unleash his earliest memories of his siblings and me.
Would that help him remember who he really is to us?
"Huh? Why would I do that?" Corrin asks curiously, his eyes gazing at the magnificent, white throne before him.
"The throne is infused with the power of the First Dragons. It is said that those who sit on it regain their true form and mind. I thought if you sat on the throne, then perhaps-"
"Wait a moment... You don't trust me? Do you think I'm under a Nohrian spell?" Corrin narrows his eyes, and I immediately correct him.
"No, no! I just wanted to see if the Nohrians have been sealing away your earlier memories. I thought that if you sat on the throne, you would regain some of those memories... those lost pieces that would help you remember. Corrin, I trust you. I wanted this to do nothing with trust."
"... I see." He nods, understanding my intent.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you to do something you didn't want to do." I apologize.
Perhaps he can do this another day. He does seem to understand. It must be too early for him now, though.
Before he has a chance to reply, Yukimura meets us, giving both of us a bow before speaking.
"Lady Mikoto, the ceremony is about to begin. Are you almost ready?"
"Oh, yes I am," I answer, before turning to Corrin to introduce him to the tactician. "Corrin, this is Yukimura, one of our strategists and brightest leaders. We would be lost without him!"
"You are too kind. I still have much to learn, Lady Mikoto. Corrin and I actually met yesterday afternoon," He notes to me, before giving a warm smile to Corrin. "Corrin, let me know if there is any way I can assist you."
The young man nods. "Thank you."
While he says that, Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, Sakura, and Azura enter the throne room. Ryoma leads the other four, and they stop before us. Hinoka and Sakura greet Corrin happily.
"All right. Everyone, I wanted to announce about your arrival here, Corrin. There's been rumors about Nohrian spies here, and I would like to quash them once and for all. Yukimura, I presume everything's ready?"
"Yes. Everyone has started to gather in the plaza."
"Good. Hinoka, Sakura, and Takumi will give you a guided tour around Hoshido's plaza. Azura, would you like to show Corrin around as well?"
"Sure! I'd love to do so."
"Thank you, Azura. Now, you have four siblings to help you around."
"Thanks." Corrin smiles. "I can't wait."
"Hmmph." Takumi frowns again, and I wondered if he was still unhappy at Corrin's arrival- I couldn't understand how he could possibly hold anything against his brother; It was not Corrin's fault for being missing for so long, if that was the problem. Takumi's attitude was quite unreasonable, but I decided not to speak out against it.
I thought he would have warmed up to Corrin, but it seems that it'll take more time for him to warm up to him. After all, they only met yesterday.
"I can't wait to show you around! You'll l-love it here." Sakura says. "Let's g-go!"
Ryoma, Yukimura, and I watch as the five siblings walk away.
"I hope Corrin is okay with all of this." I finally say.
"Yes, I can't imagine the position he's in. It must be a lot to process. I do think that his return is a message to the gods, though." Yukimura replies with a short nod.
"A good message, I hope." Ryoma says quietly.
Yukimura glances at the red-clad swords-master. "Hmm? Why do you say that?"
"I don't know, really... That invasion in the north left me feeling uneasy. I think we should still stay very alert."
"True." I nod, stepping down from the platform to the ground. "Is it something about Corrin?"
"No, it's not about him. It's his sword. Something about it looks dark and ominous. However, we can't prove that. I'm just a little wary about it..."
"Should we ask him to leave it in the castle during the ceremony?" the strategist suggests.
I think a while, before shaking my head. "No. If that sword is dangerous, then leaving it unattended wouldn't be a good idea. I think he should keep it with him."
We agreed on this, and soon after double-checked to make sure everything was all set for the ceremony. Last touches were made, and everything was ready, but Ryoma's observation kept bothering me.
What Ryoma said feels true... That sword is familiar. I've never seen it before... but could it be?
The crowd had gathered around the plaza at noon. I found Corrin, happily talking with Sakura, Hinoka, and Azura, while Takumi was still strangely irritable
I forgot to ask him about that. Maybe after this ceremony, I can talk to him about that.
I start of the announcement by welcoming everyone and thanking them that they came. I shared a few laughs and smiles with them about the peaceful days in Hoshido, before I turn to Corrin.
"And this is Corrin, my long lost son." I tell the crowd, who gather around me cautiously. "I know there have been rumors of him being on the Nohrian side, but it couldn't have been helped. You all might remember that years ago, Corrin was stolen as just a young child... I was heartbroken. But now, he's back- and I know he's been living in the Nohrian kingdom for many years, but give him a chance. There's no need to worry about Nohrian spies." I hand him a sakura flower crown for him to put on his head.
-X-
"Mama, it's so pretty!" Little Corrin held the chain of flowers delicately in his hands.
"Would you like to put it on?" I bend down to his height, and he nods excitedly. I take the crown in his hands and place it on his head.
He grins, feeling the petals in his hand as he reaches up to touch his head. "Thank you, Mama! Thank you!"
-X-
The crowd seems to murmur agreements, and I meet Corrin's eyes with a tiny nod, but a great smile on my face. That's when I notice that he starts looking down at his side. The sword at his left side has an eye- a red eye- that glanced around, looking for something. Blood-red aura that swirled like blood-red flames rose from the sword. Corrin himself looked as bewildered as ever.
Could this be what Ryoma feared? Is the sword... alive?
"Huh? What?" I heard him ask before the sword flew out of its sheath at an amazing speed. A trail of red showed its path, which soon faded. We both watch, along with the crowd, as the sword lands in the hands of a hooded figure.
He- or she, whoever this person was- took the sword, stabbing it viciously into the ground. A purple and red aura expanded, and then it burst. A large eruption threw rocks in the sky.
The ground shook. Thousands of rocks from the plaza's elaborate stone tiles rose with the power of the sword. People screamed. They fell, never to get up again as the aura of the sword overcame them. Flashes of lightning- from the sword itself- lit the plaza in a frightening fury.
All of a sudden, the place seemed devoid of people, of houses, of joy and happiness. What stood before us was the man and the sword. Nothing else. The rocks had been blown away elsewhere in the impact- now, there was a bare patch of ground among the giant, elaborate plaza. The people had been disintegrated with this fatal power. I could barely register what happened.
Another flash lit the sky, and the sword burst into pieces of purple rocks.
Purple rocks.
They were as sharp and pointed like the most lethal sword, flying at a startling speed. Trails of purple aura traced these rocks' paths as they shot like the arrows of a seasoned sniper towards Corrin.
My son!
I must do something.
The rocks flew even closer, and I know of only one thing I can do to save Corrin- he's right in the middle of the path of those sharp stones, exposed... I could not let him die.
I must keep Corrin safe, even at the cost of my own life. This was in my vision. The purple rocks, the explosion... everything... this is it. Now I know...
As the sharp stones close in, I leap in front of Corrin. I can barely hear myself scream as incredible pain sears my chest. I could feel warm blood soaking my back. However, I didn't care and decided to ignore the pain as I immediately searched Corrin for injuries.
"You are not... hurt? Tell me... that you're... okay." I manage to utter after Corrin catches me. All I can think about is his worried face. He's frozen, scared, panicked, fear and shock lining his expression.
And then there's tears. Tears rolling down his paled face, dripping onto my white robe, which mingles with the blood, spreading it even more. The blood and tears turn parts of the robe pink and red, like a rose unfurling its delicate petals in the snow. Slowly, the golden sakuras of my outfit become succumbed with blood, the brilliant gold dulling with the dark, life-giving liquid.
Corrin, don't cry. The last thing I want to see you doing is crying. I wish we could have spent more time together. I failed as a mother. I couldn't get you back from the Nohrians. You've grown up so much without me, and I wished I could have seen you grow from the cute, tiny boy I held in my arms to the young, handsome man that holds me now. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. Protecting you is the one thing I can do for you... Please be all right. You can't get hurt.
"Y-yes..." He stammers, shocked. "M-Mother..."
That's good. He doesn't look hurt at all... There's no wounds but the one in his heart. That's one wound I couldn't have prevented. It was him or me...
The flower crown was now on the ground, wilted and broken, smashed by the rocks. Petals were torn, and stems were bent in unnatural angles. Stray flowers lay around, disconnected from the chain. The crown lay untouched, unnoticed, as Corrin kept his eyes on me, knowing that my time here was falling short. My eyes catch an untouched flower in his hair. Its ever so light shade of pink makes it so hard to see against his hair, but it clings, unhurt from the explosion. I make a small smile before gazing at Corrn's red eyes, still brimming with tears. My own vision blurs, too- from death or sadness, I'll never know- as I breathe a soft sigh of relief- my final breath of life.
"I'm... so... glad..." I finally murmur, letting my eyes close and the pain fade away as I welcome the darkness that embraces me- a warm, comforting embrace that I willingly accept after the years of longing and sadness, wondering, hoping, crying...
At last, I can rest, knowing that my son is safe, found at last.
I love you, my dear, sweet Corrin...