I know that many people have been waiting a long time for my next Fire Emblem oneshot. Well, here it is. I present to you my newest offering. I hope you enjoy it – because I'm very happy to be writing in this section once again.

In addition, for those of you that are new to my writing, feel free to check out some of my other stories. I have written oneshots for Awakening and Fates. Not only that, but I've even started a full length FE story called Promise. Now then, shall we begin?

Tearful Confession

A wide mountain pathway spun out as far as the eye could see. After a sudden ambush, Corrin remained separated from his comrades. In the deadest darkness of night, it would be a long way home. There was no denying that it would be a road frought with danger. However, he wasn't entirely alone. Felicia stood at his side.

However, it was not the right time to take stock of the situation. With every grain that slid through the hourglass, a villainous presence grew larger. Felicia and Corrin nodded in perfect harmony and stood on guard. They weren't alone here. For the longest time now, somebody had been following them.

"Looks like I finally tracked you down," A voice boomed – followed by the sound of steel unsheathing. "Looks like what the boss lady said was right. Divide and conquer. Get you on your own and you're as good as dead! Prepare yourself, Prince Corrin of Hoshido!"

"Milord He's behind you! YOU HAVE TO MOVE! Please!" No matter how much Felicia screamed, it was too late. All she could do was watch. Her turbulent emotions tossed and turned in a storm of fearful regret.

Throbbing red pain – Corrin staggered back with alarm bells ringing out in the depths of his mind. An assassin slid into view, his body clad in a long black cloak. "Going somewhere, milord? I'm afraid you and I have a prior engagement this evening."

The dragon prince reached for Yamato on reflex – yet he was too slow. No sooner than he'd pulled it from the sheathe had his attacker closed in on the offensive. Corrin knew the weapon his attacker held a little too well. A Wyrmslayer, his sole feared weakness. His eyes widened in horror, a pain most supreme surging throughout his entire body.

Crimson droplets battered against the dried, dusty ground with impunity. Fire raged in his midsection – a pain so supreme that the he could find no solace in his heart. He chocked - red seeping from his lips as a horrifying realization took hold. There sat a giant fleshy gash just below his ribs.

Feet pounded through the dirt, an encroaching laughter of chilling intensity crawling down the base of the Hoshidan royal's spine. "Alright, princeling. Now all I need to do is cut off your head and deliver it to King Garon… and then I'll be one of the richest dastards in the whole kingdom."

"I can't," Corrin hacked in response to his tightening chest, "I can't feel my arms… I have to… get out of here… otherwise it's… over…."

Everything blurred in a surge of distortion. He couldn't explain it, but for some reason the world suddenly felt so much colder. The dull clank of metal rang out, and through his clouded eyesight Corrin could make out the sight of his sword resting against the gnarled weeds on the floor.

"Well… no sense in playing around any longer." The most Corrin could make sense of at this point was the glow of sinister silver against the moon's palest light. Death was coming – a million flashbacks raced through his head.

Memories of each and every one of his siblings played back like wildfire. No, he couldn't die here – if he fell now then there would be absolutely no chance of bringing peace to this fractured land. Yet it hurt so much to move – it was agony just to stand on his two shaky legs. Slowly but surely everything was losing its feeling. Strange – it was as though the iciest embrace of winter slithered across his entire form.

"Okay," his would-be murderer cackled with venomous glee, "Time to die, you traitorous dog!"

The resounding clang of two blades touching – the vibration of metal against metal. Confusion pulsed inside Corrin's frayed senses. "What?" He rasped his words most painfully. The blade hadn't come. At least for now he was still alive. How was that even possible?

"Not if I have anything to say about it! I won't let you lay another finger on Corrin! NOT SO LONG AS I STILL DRAW BREATH!"

That voice – so soothing and familiar even in the midst of such exquisite anguish. Through what remained of his eyesight the prince could make out the attire of a maid. It was Felicia! There she stood – blocking a sword with nothing but her tiny dagger. There was something in her eyes – a look so poisonous that it made the wounded lord tremble.

The rest was a blur. All he could do was watch in terrified amazement. His loyal bodyguard rebounded against the weight of the hooded attacker, toppling him into the ground and jamming her knife into the middle of his stomach with reckless abandon. Life blood spattered the ground in a sanguine spray. A cry so very distraught slipped free from Felicia's lips as she tore the weapon free, bringing it down again in another tearful strike. She kept on going and going, not holding back for a moment. Finally, the assassin stopped moving in one gruesome convulsive twitch.

What remained at this point was a horrified mixture of emotion. Corrin brought his feet forward in a heavy footstep. It took him many a moment to reach out and place one of his bloodied hands upon Felicia's shoulder. There she was – eyes drenched with watery sadness. In a mere moment, she tossed her dagger away, her hands hurrying to reach for her staff amidst the chaos.

All the while Corrin felt his body beginning to topple. He'd fought so hard, but even with the blood of a dragon in his veins he was still a mortal creature. Indeed, he still bled, he still felt pain, and his lifespan was tragically as finite as that of a normal human.

"It's going to be okay, milord! Do you hear me? I'm not going to let anything happen to you! Just wait! I'll heal you!"

Soothing light – it cut through the harshest darkness of midnight. For a second most brief Corrin was granted relief. The warming embrace of magic thawed the bitter glaciers of death – and slowly but surely he felt his faculties returning. His sight flared under the brightness of the restorative magic – and through the purest yellowy-golden light, he made contact with his savior.

There was no need for words – what needed to be said at a time like this? His heart, brought back from the verge of oblivion, pounded with strength. He had to show his gratitude. No, more than that, he had to reach out and show the true extent of his feelings.

After all, through thick and thin, Felicia had always been there for him. Now, here she stood, shaky and broken with a staff gripped between her fingers, spattered in someone's blood. She'd done it for him, she'd risked everything so that her lord and master could live for another day.

"I'm in such great debt to you now. Felicia," Corrin reached out, throwing his arms around her slender shoulders. "I'll never forget what you've done for me… I would have surely met my end if you hadn't been there."

A light yelp escaped the maid as she shuddered under the sudden contact – her offhand releasing the staff and allowing it to clunk against the floor. "No, milord," she clarified in a low, gentle voice, "You need not honor me with such thanks…. I was merely doing by job. It's true that I'm terrible as your housekeeper… but I'll stand by your side in battle until the very end."

"You don't understand the meaning of my words, Felicia." Corrin squeezed her tight – wanting to pour every ounce of feeling he had into this moment. He nestled against the heat of her body, resting against her shoulder with a smile. "You've always been at my side. This is the second time you have risked your own life to claw me back from the edge of death. First when I caught my fever... and again tonight."

Even at the height of such turbulent feelings, Felicia could make out one thing as clearly as the morning sunrise. She felt so much affection for this man. Indeed, he was a prince, and a man of nobility, but more than that, he was one of her dearest friends. She'd been in his service since they were both young teenagers, and barely a day went by where she hadn't enjoyed her role as his retainer and protector.

"Lord Corrin," she sighed – squeezing him like a doll and breathing in his scent. "….I would stand against a legion of Nohrian soldiers to keep you safe. So long as you remain kind do me I'll move the entire world to do your bidding."

"No," he chuckled softly, slinking one of his hands upward to rest upon Felicia's tear-dampened cheeks. "You're still missing the point. I'm not just thanking you for saving me…. I have to be honest… I want you to know how much that I care about you."

"M-milord." Felicia's entire body stiffened – her heart bouncing off the walls. "….Are you saying that in your heart… you feel something for me?"

The maid looked up with pleading eyes – they were awash with newfound tears, but these ones were for a different reason entirely. Did the prince really feel something special toward her? After so many years of quietly watching from the sidelines – her cheeks flushed the pink hue of romance, would the servant girl finally hear the words she'd longed for?

Corrin gave a slow nod – closing his eyes to reflect upon everything. "It was my original plan to tell you the truth of my feelings when we next had respite from the war against the Nohrian's… but after everything that has happened tonight I-"

The prince ran a hand through his scruffy hair – opening his eyes again to look the lady deep in her pooling orbs of light. "After tonight I think it's best I come out with it…. I've quietly loved you from afar for so many years now, Felicia. I've wanted to tell you for so long… but I feared your rejection. You're an honest, hardworking girl with a good heart… and your compassion and friendship mean the world to me."

"By the gods," Felicia couldn't control herself any longer, "After all of our years together… you finally come out and say it! Lord Corrin…. I feel the same way… I always have. I tried to show you in subtle ways… but-"

She flushed hard, reaching out with one of her delicate hands to trail the fingertips against Corrin's face. "No matter how many times I tried to show you I don't think you ever realized. Think back to the time it was your birthday and I bought you chocolates…. Silly gestures I know, but… I wasn't brave enough to tell you openly."

"It's quite alright," the prince gave a gentle smile and hugged her close. There they stood, bathed in the revealing light of the full moon. "I'm sure from this point onward... as soon as we make it back to camp... there will be plenty of time for us to be together. So long as you stand beside me Felicia I'll always have the strength to face the new day."

"Milord…."

"You can stop that." The young man brought his hands down to rest upon Felicia's dainty shoulders. "After such a night of madness I think you're quite entitled to call me Corrin. I'd expect nothing less from my future wife…."

"WIFE?!" Felicia's eyes went wide – to blue pools surging in a tide of heartfelt bliss. "Corrin… you… you want me to-"

He nodded. After everything that had transpired between them, he'd have it no other way. "As soon as the conflict dies down we'll arrange a ceremony. We shall invite everyone, from the lords and ladies to their retainers… and for at least one day I hope our war-torn land of Hoshido can know peace."

Corrin leaned closer, brushing his lips against those of his maid. There they were, just inches apart. "Marry me, Felicia. I pledge my heart to you for now and forever onward… with the light of the moon as my witness."

Yet to his surprise, the prince was cut off by a squeal of blissful happiness from his newfound love. "Yes! Of course, I will! There's no other I'd rather marry in this whole kingdom than you, Corrin!"

There was no sense in holding back now. Felicia couldn't contain herself. She didn't want to and she most certainly didn't have to. With a happy chuckle she snaked her arms around Corrin's back and leaned forward on her tippy toes, bringing her lips to press against his with a delicate sigh.

He tasted so wonderful, the blood of the conflict before mattered not to her now. This moment would be forever immortalized in her heart. She'd given everything and received the ultimate prize, the man for whom she'd waited for so very long.

Alas, the coldness of night and the silence of the rolling mountains shattered under the soft entwining of lips. The pair kissed most magically, their membranes smacking together in soft appreciation. For once Felicia was going to be the one in charge. She'd dreamed for so long of this kiss – and by the gods she was going to make it absolutely perfect.

Finally edging back, Felicia gave Corrin a smile, her tongue flicking up the little string of saliva that separated them. She reached out, taking the prince by the hand and looking to the dusty path ahead. "Come on…. As much as I want this moment to last forever… we need to find our way back to the others."

Corrin collected up their weapons and onward they walked. The road back to camp was long, but together they'd make it. The prince knew it deep within his heart. Tonight was proof enough of that. So long as Felicia stood at his side, no obstacle in the world would be large enough to stop him from achieving his goals.

The End

Thank you very much for staying until the end. If you're a returning reader then welcome back. If you're new than I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Today's oneshot was either going to be a Robin/Nowi or Corrin/Felicia. I feel like I made the right choice.

As always, you're more than welcome to leave me some feedback if you want. I'm always happy to hear what people think about the things I write. The opinions of my readers are very valuable to me. Keep on supporting Fire Emblem and I'll see you in the next project!