Song: Bird of Time by Shogun II Total Wars

Spoilers for Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright

Has the rain always been this depressing?

He was used to rain - in his home, there was always more rain than sun. No warmth, no light, but darkness. The rain splattered against the windows, thunder and lightning always making them listened to. After living there so many years, he got used to the cold drops of water hitting the earth. He didn't mind, didn't pay them any attention.

But why now? Why is he doing this?

Why did he stand in the rain, letting the water cover his face and fall down his chin? The drops felt heavy in his hair, making it heavy without any hesitation. His heart beat felt like melting ice - it was slow, but left his chest and body cold. There was no warmth within him anymore.

Not anymore.

Then suddenly, a laugh resonated in his ears. Making his heart colder and turning it to ice.

"Yaaay! I'm glad to hear that. Spending time with my sister makes me so happy!"

"I love you so much! I love you more than anything in the whole, wide world!"

"Well, I for one think her cheer is a good complement to this gloomy kingdom, Leo."

Now, the words of his sister disappeared into thin air. Nothing was left behind. Not even one little spark of light. Vanished into darkness. The darkness that was so familiar to him.

He pressed his lips together, turning them into a thin line.

He wasn't his sister anymore. In the old days, he called Camilla his big sister. Just big sister, nothing more. But now?

She wasn't his big sister anymore. Now, she was his only sister.

The darkness approached him further.

He knew this endless mass of black; knew all nooks and crannies it offered. There was always the invitation to stay in the darkness and get yourself drowned in, fall asleep and never wake up again.

Since he became king, he had denied this darkness. Instead, he chose to join the light; making it stronger, being a partner and friend to it.

But light always creates darkness. If there was light, there was darkness. Even if it was only a little speck of deep colors, a shadow was always created.

He knew that.

"You Hoshidans think you're a ray of light in the world, but you're all hypocritical fools. True power comes from a heart forged in darkness."

See the golden sun on your face

Fallen from your brow all sense of peace

In your eyes, the fiercest gaze

Through the morning mist I watch you leave

King Leo of Nohr was well aware of this fact. In this world, there could be no light without darkness. Darkness was vital for the world. There was white, but also black.

Light defeated darkness, taking the depths and hiding possibilitys. Taking them the chance to get away from the sun and the sky, forcing them into the revealing rays of moral and justice. They were all blind - too blind to see, that every justice brought also grief.

If there was something in this world, there had to be a counterpart. Every action had its consequences, both positive and negative. But the human beings in the light were all too dazzled to look into the sorrow they brought. In their eyes, the sun was shining on their heads and they were praised by the sky and gods for their actions.

In their eyes, darkness has to be extinguished. They were capable to risk lives, to take the chance to live at stake to realize their own goals.

He had to leave it to them - their intentions were well-meant. They really wanted to help. But they lacked something.

They lacked the ability to reflect their actions.

Blowing in the wind, blossoms fall

Falling on me, heavy is my heart

In my mind you raise your sword

Oh we will endure while we're apart

The people in the light were like birds - flying high in the sky, being close to the sun and soars above every living being that was bound - chained - to the dusty and fading beauty of earth. As long as their comrades flew with them through the air, glowing with the rays of sun, they didn't pay attention to the people on the ground.

And the people? They were left to stand. There were no wings on their back, they couldn't jump high in the air and get those chains of their bodies. Once a human is born, there was no possibility that a human being could fly on his own behalf. But birds? They were born with this ability. They didn't understand the normal needs, the normal worries. All they cared was about themselves.

Bird of time on the wing

How far is she to fly?

Come now love, do not weep

We all must live and die

On the road of destiny

There is shadow and there's light

For as the leaves fall from the tree

so our days will pass us by

They didn't see that people needed the darkness.

They didn't see that they could destroy everything with their light.

Light and warmth could turn everything better. But that wasn't also appealing to everyone. There were people who needed the darkness in their lives.

Instead of the light, darkness was your friend. It didn't give you any expectations to hold to be a part of it. Standing in the light, you had to be fitting to stay there. You had to be a servant to power. In darkness, you were able to be your own master, serving it with your own ideas and ideals. You didn't need to adapt yourself.

You could just be you.

And they even took that chance from him.

"This is all Father's doing, Leo! He's fooled us all!"

"You've always been naive, Corrin."

Of course, it was easy to lay the blame on somebody else. The light didn't see. The light didn't feel. The light didn't understand.

His heart grew colder.

They understood nothing. Nothing at all.

The water felt so heavy in his hair.

"Leo."

His heart beat stopped. He didn't want to hear it.

"Nohrian law is blunt on the subject of traitors. There is only one punishment...The sentence is death!"

"After all, the sister I once loved is dead. It's only fitting."

"Leo, be honest. Did you really mean what you said early? Have you...have you really always hated me? Because...I've always loved you."

"There is no point in answering that. It's all over now."

"Leo.."

"Leo."

His eyes left the sky, looking forward. His heart beat grew slower.

It's really all over now.

"What are you doing there? It's raining, you're already soaked up."

This voice - this angelic voice - was so close, only standing a couple of meters behind him. But she was so far away; too far to be in his reach.

He wished it were different. Different to speak, different to wish, different to dream.

Beneath the blossom tree

under a watching moon

I dreamed but woke too soon

Far away the sounds of war

but in your arms there is peace

For here in goodness I believe

"I'm so sorry for your loss. Those who fell in the war will never be forgotten."

"We won't easily forget how many lives were lost to Hoshidan blades."

"Were it within my power as king, my first act would be to bring back your siblings."

"I think about them every day."

His hand unclenched, falling limp down his sides. The rain fell on his face, running over his cheeks and his jaw, down to his chin. He was sure that it seemed like he was crying.

Every word in his head hurt him; like a sword in his heart.

Carry this heart - break it not

Oh love out of time, oh dream forgot

Carry now this soul and take your fill

Oh mind out of time, oh heart so still

"Leo, what's wrong? Come here, you'll catch a cold."

Her voice was maybe the worst thing. All the things she did, all the words she spoke with her voice.

Her decision to side with Hoshido.

Her decision to leave Nohr behind.

Her decision to kill Xander so she could kill king Garon.

Her decision to ban the darkness from his live in bringing and forcing light into his world.

Her decision to take everything that was once precious to him.

She did all those actions with her voice. The voice he loved and hated.

He wanted her to shut up. He wanted her to be silent. He wanted her to leave him alone.

"This is war! This is life and death! Only the strong survive!"

He longed her to take him into her arms. He longed her to sooth his hair. He longed her to tell him that everything would be alright.

He wanted to hear her voice. He wanted to hear her voice laughing, just like back then. He wanted to hear her voice to tell him that she chooses Nohr and leaves Hoshido behind.

He wanted to hear her voice to tell him that she will always stay by his side.

But every time he listens to her, there was only one sentence in his head.

"Xander. Withdraw your troops."

After the love and worry they showed in their eyes, she still decided to against them. She decided to side with a family she never knew. She wanted to be in the light, leaving the shameful and unjust family behind.

Carry this heart - break it not

Oh love out of time, oh dream forgot

Carry now this soul and take your fill

Oh mind out of time, oh heart so still

"Leo…"

Her voice didn't leave him alone. It was only getting harder. More difficult to bear. Too incomprehensible to leave it be.

Xander and Elise…what would they say?

His feet moved without his idea. He turned his body in her direction, looking into her red eyes, her beautiful face, framed by silver hair. Corrin.

His beautiful Corrin.

They would be proud of her.

They would tell her that she did the right thing.

Never back down. Always believe in what you wanted to believe in. Put trust in yourself and your actions.

The rain weighed the petals of the cherry blossoms, letting them fall next to him.

His eyes only a blank stare, cold as ice and black as darkness.

A bird and a human being. Free in the sky and chained on earth.

How far will she go?

Bird of time on the wing

How far is she to fly?

Come now love, do not weep

We all must live and die

On the road of destiny

There is shadow and there's light

For as the leaves fall from the tree

so our days will pass us by

This oneshot was inspired Custom SC's Video After Conquest: Hoshido Epilogue - Fire Emblem Fates Custom Epilogues.

To be honest (maybe this sounds strange) but this Video despressed me completely. I love Fire Emblem Fates and I love especially Conquest. I prefer Nohr over Hoshido (my opinion). But when I've seen this Video, I had to imagine what it would be like to have a After Birthright: Nohr Epilogue. (Please let it come)

Leo is my favorite character of the series (one main reason why I like Conquest more) and I think he is a very complicated character. Therefore, I would be intersted how he turns out after the birthright route. My personal opinion is that he falls into Depression (he never wanted to be king, he had to obey a kingdom that took everything away from him, lost his precious sister and his older brother etc.) and in this case, since I'm a huge fan of LeoxCorrin, he also lost the woman he loves.

To make it philosophical, I had the Feeling that at the end of conquest, even though Hinoka is queen, can still remain with her ways to rule and stick to her politics and Nohr will let her run freely. In Conquest's Counterpart, I think that Nohr is forced to act the same way as Hoshido does. To make it Abstract: if darkness reigns over light, the light can remain the same. If light rules over darkness, the darkness has to be the same.

Those are just my thoughts that crossed my mind when I've written this oneshot. It's just my personal opinion (And I've just noticed I'm thinking too much about the philosophy in Video games, oh dude)

Thank you for reading this oneshot and I would be happy to read a Review or two. I have the Feeling I've used the words "light" and "darkness" way too often and it repeats itself, I didn't know of any other words to describe what I've wanted to write. If that's the case, please tell me.

If you have any thoughts on this whole Post Epilogue Thing, I would be interested to hear them. How do you think the two kingdoms will turn out?

Thanks for reading and Review please.