Negantria was once a continent ruled by those called the First Dragons. These dragons allowed their dragon blood to rule them, attacking friend and foe alike to quench their thirst for blood. As time passed, their bodies grew wary of their fighting and injuries. One by one, the dragons fell to their wounds and fatigue, and their corpses were left to rot. Before they died, the dragons each bestowed their blood to a human of their choice. Some of these humans died in the effort to guard their dragons from the other, but some survived and formed a nation for themselves. As time passed, only two First Dragons remained-the Dusk and Dawn Dragon and the Dragon Sage. The Dusk and Dawn Dragon abandoned the world, simply vanishing one day to never be seen again. The Dragon Sage fell into obscurity, hiding amongst villages and leaving humans to fend for themslelves. Left with little more than the land on which they stood and the memories of the war, humans managed to create a society that would be split in two, and as time passed these splits would become Hoshido and Nohr.
The humans seemed still quite eager to continue battle despite the fall of the First Dragons, and unease grew between the nations. Those that had been blessed with great power through dragon blood were considered the leaders of the nations, and they met to discuss an agreement. Exhausted, they agreed to stop the fighting, if only for a time.
And with that, time passed on...
/
"I fought in your name, hoping you would reawaken as the man you once were."
"Leo, that makes the third training sword that you've broken this week!" Camilla called out with a huff. "We're already running low, and Father wants me to train, too!"
"Your strikes are too rough," Xander said. "And predictable. If you want to get better with the sword, you need to put more time into the way you move instead of the power you put into your strikes."
The four remaining Nohrian royal children stood around the training grounds. A barely teenaged Camilla stood off to the side as a spectator with the newborn Elise in her arms. Xander and Leo stood in the center, their training swords at the ready, hoping to test each other's strength. Leo was much younger—a preteen, while Xander was reaching fifteen—but he had clumsy strength and solid resolve that served as the only thing keeping him on his feet every time Xander won a duel. The sky overhead, like it always was in Nohr, was overcast, with an approaching storm in the distance. But it was difficult to see that dark sky, since the Nohrian capital, and training grounds, rested deep in a hole that served as the capital of Nohr, Windmire.
"Just because you're the only one with an actual mother doesn't mean you're better than me!" Leo spat. He threw the broken pieces of his sword on the ground.
Xander grew stiff. His training sword trembled in his hands. "Leo-"
"Leo!" Camilla snapped, holding Elise close to her chest as if to shield her from the harsh comment. "That was mean! He was just trying to help!"
But the boy didn't listen, already storming off to the castle. Camilla chased after him while Elise stirred, letting out small cries that would soon turn to harsh wails. Xander stood in the center of the training grounds in silence, trying to choke down Leo's comment. He knew that Leo hadn't meant to hurt anyone's feelings, but even as a child not even ten, he was cold and quick to use his words to wound. He just needed time to control what he said and to whom he said it to.
Xander was the eldest of the four royal children of Nohr. He was the only one who was born to Queen Katarina, King Garon's wife before she died soon thereafter. Camilla, Leo, and Elise were born to concubines—and the former two had the Concubine Wars fresh on their mind. They'd watched their mothers grow jealous and kill their brothers and sisters in an effort to gain their father's favor, and they'd been forced to administer some of the deaths silently and without complaint. Leo's mother had even gone for Camilla's life, but she'd survived with only a terrible sickness from being poisoned, which left her bedridden for weeks, to prove her guilt.
Leo's words were cold, and perhaps more of a knife toward himself than toward Xander, but it was an indicator about how the others felt about the only child of Queen Katarina.
"Xander."
Father.
The boy turned his head, half expecting to see Iago standing behind him. But it was King Garon himself, Xander's father, and beside him, clenching his hand with a death grip, was a young girl with platinum hair.
"Father?" Bile rose in Xander's throat as he realized that the girl wore Hoshidan clothing. Blood stained her clothes, specked her face, stained her socks and dripped off her sandals. She was only a toddler, but her expression was cold and distant. "Father...Who..." Xander choked back fearful tears. He knew he would see this sort of thing when his father sent him into battle, but images raced through his head of what could have happened to this girl. And why was she with King Garon? "Who is this? Why is she here?"
King Garon's own expression was pained. He refused to meet his son's eyes, instead turning to the broken training sword on the ground. "I must speak with you...in private. In your own quarters."
"What's going on? What's wrong? Why do you have a Hoshidan girl?"
"Shut up and come, boy!" King Garon snapped. "Iago made sure that no one was in this part of the castle so that I could speak with you!"
Xander, hoping that everything would be explained once they got to his room, obediently followed his father to his room, clasping his hands behind his back.
Though she refused to meet his gaze, he couldn't take his eyes off the girl. She never said a word, but he could see the tears running down her cheeks and her hands trembled so terribly that when Garon handed her a cup she dropped it. They stepped silently into Xander's quarters, and Garon locked the door behind her.
Once inside they sat on the side of his bed, and King Garon placed the girl in Xander's lap. The boy wasn't eager to get blood on his clothes, but he tried placing an arm around her in an effort to soothe her. She shied away from his touch.
"Father." Xander strained his voice to keep quiet. "Who is she?"
"He name is Corrin," King Garon replied. "A Princess of Hoshido. I...don't remember much else. Just...pretend she is your sister now."
"Father!" Xander shrunk away from his dad, and the girl curled up at the sound of her name. "You kidnapped Hoshidan royalty? They are going to be after our heads!"
"I know. I would not have done it—"
"Then why did you? What are you going to do with her? She is royalty, Father!"
"Just calm down!" King Garon snapped. "The deed is done. I can't explain myself either. I hardly remember the scene, only...only that the king of Hoshido is dead. I ordered him shot down. It's like something came over me. I plan to send the girl to the Northern Fortress and act as if she's my child, but I must keep her hidden there. I'll leave it to the maids to take care of her. I want you to train her to be a warrior as any child of mine would be, and that she won't be allowed to leave that fortress until Nohr's ways run through her very veins."
"So you're going to treat her like you do Azura? Are you going to leave her to die once she serves her purpose?"
"Azura is different." King Garon fell silent as Xander stared at him with an anguished expression, his furrowed brows demanding an explanation. Finally, he continued. "The public does not like Azura. I admit, I care too much about public image and so I leave her alone. But it is too late to make amends now. She already hates me." King Garon averted his gaze has he muttered the last few words, attempting to hide his moment of weakness. But Xander could hear the pain that plagued his heart. "And Arete...She died last night. Around the same time that I...captured Corrin."
There was no relation between the two events as far as Xander could tell, yet the way King Garon worded his explanation indicated one. Xander remained silent, absorbing his Father's words with growing unease. This was surely going to change the entire course of Nohr's future.
"Xander, I'm sorry. For everything you and your brother and sisters have had to endure. I'm just as sure as you are that Hoshido will come for our throats in response, and it will probably bring war. I need you to be ready for such things to come to pass. And if my life is taken...I hope that you learn from my mistakes and work for Nohr's prosperity."
"Father, you talk like it's too late. You can still fix this. Just let someone bring Princess Corrin back to Hoshido and-"
"I have already assassinated the king of Hoshido, Xander. It is far too late to take it back. War with Hoshido is almost suicide, but imagine! All those lush fields, the bright skies, the clean lakes and streams: that could belong to Nohr. It would be a long and hard war, but if we can win..."
"At what cost? How many lives? How many homes and villages?"
Madness flickered in King Garon's eyes, and suddenly Xander was very afraid of his father, of his very own blood. "Oh, Xander, my son. You will see..."
\\
While his Father retreated to his room and came to be absorbed in his work, it was Xander that took up the task of putting Corrin at ease. The girl went where she was told, did what she was told, and though Xander tried to tell her that he wouldn't be angry if she told him no, she remained wordless and continued to do everything he asked her to. She spoke to no one.
Except Camilla.
Though Xander had explicitly been told not to speak of where Corrin was from, he told Camilla, knowing that if any of them could get Corrin out of her own thoughts, it was her. The next morning, Camilla woke Corrin up and took her to the bath, where they spent an hour in their. When the two came out, Corrin seemed more at ease, though as soon as she left Camilla's side she would tense.
Camilla disclosed what Corrin told her to Xander and Xander alone. She said that Corrin's mother was the newly crowned Queen Mikoto, who was a very kind woman whose first action as queen of Hoshido was to make every effort to avoid a full on war with Nohr. But she claimed her father was a dragon, which both siblings knew wasn't true. But she wouldn't tell Camilla anything else regarding him. As for King Sumeragi, she had been with him when he was ambushed, and he had died trying to protect her.
While Corrin still only felt comfortable around Camilla, it felt right that it would be that way. Leo cared nothing for her, and Elise was too young to remember that there was once a point in time where Corrin was not there. Xander's unease slowly died down, lingering but not twisting his stomach as it had.
Until the day the girl completely changed.
Camilla had been playing soccer with Corrin in the courtyard. Just as it seemed Corrin was going to win, Iago stepped out of the courtyard, tome in hand. Everyone tensed, staring at him as if he were an intruder.
"I need to see Lady Corrin," Iago said with a scowl. He gave Xander in particular a nasty glare, and Xander didn't hesitate to reciprocate the look.
"For what?" Camilla asked, stepping closer to the girl and clenching her fists.
"It's your father's orders, Milady. He wishes to speak with her."
Corrin glanced at Camilla with fearful eyes. Camilla hesitated, refusing to undo her fists, but turned to her. "Go with him, sweetie. You can come back out and play again when he gets done."
For a moment, it seemed that Corrin was going to refuse. She simply stood there, staring at her apparent older sister in silence. But then she headed toward Iago, her head drooping.
They disappeared inside the castle.
For a moment, the three children exchanged looks, lips sealed shut. Even Elise, who was now old enough to walk, but still learning how to talk, was silent, apparently understanding the tension.
"I wanna get back to the game," Leo finally said, stepping toward the ball. "Corrin had her turn."
Camilla shook her head and stepped away from the ball, so Xander took her place. They did their best to suppress the fear that lingered over their heads, but during the whole hour Corrin was with Iago they could not lift the unease. Camilla refused to play until Corrin returned.
When Corrin returned, her dress was crooked and she had a nasty, purple bruise on her knee. Her hair was messy and sticking up in places that it shouldn't be sticking up in, but a butterfly hairpin had been crudely shoved into it. Iago had several scratches on his face and a huge bite on his arm. It almost appeared as if he had been bitten by a wolf. Despite this, Corrin positively beamed.
"Xander, Xander! Look at my hairpin!" she exclaimed, yanking it out of her hair and running toward the child in question.
Xander took a step back, his eyes wide with shock and his mouth hanging open. It was the first time he'd ever heard her voice, much less seen her so happy. The worst part was that she looked like she'd just gotten in a fight, yet this was how she acted. Leo's eyes bulged and he was speechless.
Camilla at first wore the same look of surprise, but then she quickly recovered. She turned on Iago with a deadly look on her face. It was a look she'd never worn before, and suddenly the other children were frightened.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER, YOU SON OF A BITCH?" She ran at Iago with the intent to kill. Though he was much bigger than her, she easily brought him down and he barely held back her blows. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO? WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?" she chanted that single question until Iago managed to throw her off, his eyes wide with terror. She came at him again, but he struck her with a weak lightning spell. She convulsed and fell to her knees, breathing heavily.
There was a moment of silence. Camilla didn't move, but she clenched her fists so hard that her nails sunk into her palms and drew blood. Corrin cowered behind her brothers, unable to understand why her sister was so angry.
Iago held his hand ready to cast another spell should Camilla rush at him again, and he slowly got to his feet."L-Lady Camilla, you'll answer to your father for your actions just now—"
"Like hell I will," Camilla snapped as she stood on wobbly feet. She still wore her glare, but the energy behind her rage was gone. She followed him inside and didn't come out again.
When Xander saw her the next morning, she had no memory of the incident or of anything ever being wrong. As far as she was concerned, King Garon was truly Corrin's father. She still doted on Corrin, but their relationship was different now that Corrin was open with everyone.
King Garon eventually ordered Corrin to be taken to the Northern Fortress, and Xander decided that he would do it. While he was gone, Leo confronted his father over the incident the day before. Iago took him to a separate room, and when Xander met him again he seemed to have forgotten that Corrin was kidnapped as well.
When Xander next visited the Northern Fortress, he asked Corrin who her parents were. She told him that King Garon and Arete were her father and mother. She asked when she would be able to see her daddy again, and Xander, mortified, told her when she grew up strong she would get to go home.
When he left, he realized that he was the last one who knew the truth of Corrin's past.
He learned to keep silent, knowing that if he spoke out, Iago would alter his memories as well. He clung to the truth in silence, hoping that in the end it would change nothing.
In the end, it would change everything.
\\
"Your Majesty, from my understanding you requested my attendance." Azura stood before Mikoto in the throne room, her hands held firmly at her side. She'd made sure that her dress was neat and her hair was brushed before answering Mikoto's request. Though the two women shared a secret in silence, Azura held an insurmountable respect for Mikoto. The woman had saved her life so many years ago when she rescued her from Hoshidan soldiers that had kidnapped her without telling the queen. Mikoto was kind, but she also did not allow others to step on her.
Queen Mikoto of Hoshido stood up, allowing her black hair to fall down her back. She wore a beatiful, white dress, and an elaborate crown decorated her head. Mikoto gave Azura a warm smile, her face positively glowing with life despite her age. "You don't need to be quite so formal. After all, we're like family, are we not?"
"I suppose. You did know my mother," Azura said. "But what if someone finds out? You're the queen of Hoshido. Regardless of how long I have been here, there is still a chance that I could be labelled a traitor. What if they realize how closely associated we are?"
"Your existence here has been kept secret for years, Azura. The only ones who even know you are from Nohr are Sumeragi's children, and they have promised me not to speak of you to anyone," Mikoto said. "And they already know of my attempts to improve relations between Hoshido and Nohr. I'm sure that they won't mind as much that we're close.c"
"Yes... What did you need? I can't think of anything that would require me over the others. Aside from a song." She giggled at the thought of when the Hoshidan royals tried to sing. It didn't go well, to say the least.
"Well..." Mikoto averted her eyes and suppressed a grin, apparently thinking of the same thing. But moments later that grin disappeared, and her face grew grave. "You're the only one in this castle that was family to King Garon. He knows who you are, and they're most likely to share secrets with you more than anyone else."
"You want me to go to Nohr as a spy?" Azura asked, eyes widening. "Will you truly launch an attack on Nohr?"
"Well...I suppose you could say that. You know that King Sumeragi was killed, and that my daughter was with him when he died. Yet...I don't think that Corrin was killed with him. I just have a hunch that she is still alive and well. I...was wondering if you could go to Nohr and look for her."
"But the chance is slim that Corrin is with the royal family," Azura replied. "We still don't know who killed Sumeragi, and she was with him."
"Don't tell anyone that I said this, but I'm almost certain that it was King Garon himself that ordered him killed. After all, it was in the middle of the streets in Cheve, and no one has seemed willing to speak of the incident whether they witnessed it or not."
Azura felt a pang of annoyance. "You think he killed your husband and still want peace with him?" she asked calmly, yet at the same time her voice struck with the force of a thousand daggers. "You're almost positive that it was King Garon who kidnapped your daughter? And then you still want peace with him? How can you still bear to look him in the eye and regard him with a smile? This isn't like you."
"I think that he is sick, Azura. And your mother would have said the same." Mikoto paused, her gaze drifting toward the banners that hung in the throne room. The elaborate floors, the sliding doors, all of it: she'd been in this palace for years and still felt lost and alone. The people still judged her for her decision to strive for peace, and now Azura was too. "He's changed. It's been difficult to meet with him because he's so violent."
"My mother would also say that you are far too kind for your own good. He destroyed your life."
"I know what you are trying to say, Azura." Pain wrought Mikoto's face. "But I also need to think of the entire kingdom, and I believe that war with Nohr is the last thing Hoshido needs. King Sumeragi left this nation to me, and I won't let it be a ravaged battlefield as long as I can help it. But I still ache to see Corrin again. I doubt even I could recognize her, but...I-I just need to know how she is doing, regardless of if she wants to come home or not."
Azura hesitated, her anger fading as she recalled the times in Nohr where she would be locked in her room for days with only food and water, hardly even allowed to speak with her mother. Camilla often managed to sneak into her room with candy and a loving smile on her face, but otherwise her life in Nohr had been a nightmare that she'd hoped to escape. She didn't want to return to the dark nation if she could help it, but Mikoto had done so much for her. To deny her this single request would be selfish. "All right. I will return to Nohr and search for Corrin. But I must go alone—being with any Hoshidan soldiers will put me at risk at this point."
"Truly? You'll find her for me?" Mikoto's expression lit up with gratitude, and her voice cracked as her eyes welled up with tears. "Thank you so much. I don't know how I could ever repay you."
Azura stepped up to embrace her, smiling softly. "Just...don't make me go back. I'll do what I can to make sure I return with your daughter or news of her."
\\
Two days later, Azura awoke to an eerily silent morning. Sunlight pierced the young woman's eyes, disturbing her rest. She sat up, glancing around her room. She had a pack with sanitary napkins and medical supplies if she ever needed it. A spear stood dutifully against the wall, always at the ready for when she needed it. There had been rumors of Faceless, a monster created by Nohrian mages, at the border. She needed to be prepared if she ran into one.
I return to Nohr today.
The thought of her setting out later that day brought her to reality with a start. She sat up, gluing her eyes to the wall. Though she had been fervently planning for the trip from the moment she agreed to it, her heart still pounded wildly in her chest at the very thought of seeing her Nohrian family again. How would they respond to her now? Would they welcome her with open arms, or has distrust blossomed in their hearts?
Mikoto thought that Azura should have, in the very least, a single soldier go with her just to make sure that nothing happened. But Azura felt that if any soldier was with her, she would be the first on King Garon's list to be executed for treason. After spending so many years "in captivity", she had to return with no indication that her heart belonged with Hoshido.
Azura pulled herself out of bed and took her time on getting dressed, pulling on a simple, light outfit and a belt with a sword at the waste, then pulling on a hood if it became necessary to go unseen. Reina, one of Mikoto's retainers, helped prepare a bag of food enough to last her two weeks if she ate in moderation. Whispering a prayer under her breath, Azura grabbed her spear.
She also brought the notebook she rarely allowed to leave her side. It contained notes of things that no man ever knew about or spoke of in this land—notes of the things her mother told her before her death, notes of the pendant she wore around her neck and the song she often hummed to herself to pass the time. She didn't want to bear the thought of someone else getting their hands on it, wondering if the curse would take them as it had taken her mother.
Once she had decided that she was ready both physically and emotionally, Azura left her room. The halls were silent and empty—it was barely past dawn, and no one was there to see her off. Her footsteps echoed as she walked, and the first person she saw was Queen Mikoto standing at the gates to the castle.
"You'd leave so early in the morning? Ryoma isn't even awake yet. Why not tell them goodbye?"
"I don't want to waste time," Azura said. "Just make sure to tell them good morning for me, okay?"
"Very well." Mikoto bowed her head, but quickly lifted it to meet Azura's gaze once more. "I must warn you. King Garon has been different lately. I can't even meet with him anymore to discuss agreements on supplies and borders. And Rinkah, the princess of the Fire Tribe, and Kaze have been missing for quite some time after venturing to the border together."
"If I see them, I will do what I can to help them make it home."
"Thank you, Azura." She smiled briefly, but it quickly faded into a worried frown. "I suppose that you should be going now."
"Yes. If I don't come back, just know that I'm thankful for all you have done for me. You saved my entire childhood." Azura embraced her, reluctant to pull away as thoughts of the endless possibilities of what could happen raced through her head. What if she was attacked by Faceless and couldn't hold her own? What if Corrin didn't want to come home?
"I wish you luck, Azura, and stay safe in your travels. I love you as I would my own child."
"Thank you, Queen Mikoto. Don't let your work wear you out too much."
"Oh, I won't." Mikoto winked. "I'll pray for you. Good luck."
Azura turned away from the Hoshidan palace, her heart pounding, her stomach twisted in a knot, and set for the Nohrian border by herself.
