"Sakura, could you gather more firewood please?" Corrin asked the timid shrine maiden, who was polishing her staff by her tent.
"Oh, s-sure thing, big sister." Sakura picked her staff up (she always took it with her in case of emergencies) and adjusted her white cape. Everyone else was busy setting up fires and tents, so although she wasn't the best candidate for collecting wood, it was the least she could do to help.
The short-haired girl almost made it to the forest's edge when the youngest Nohrian princess came running up to her, panting and out of breath.
"S-Sakura! Wait! Where are you going?" Elise asked, with that usual perky tone her voice always held. Sakura held back a sigh. She thought she'd finally caught a break from the lively girl who was constantly pestering her to play.
"Big sister asked me to gather firewood. I'll be right back, m-maybe you should stay here…" Sakura was trying to get rid of her in the politest way possible, but Elise didn't seem to take the hint.
"I'll help!" The blonde chirped, after finally regaining her breath. Sakura realized she couldn't carry much wood by herself, so maybe the extra help would be a good thing after all. "S-sure. Thanks, Elise."
The two princesses walked in silence until Elise spoke up, "Are you okay? You seem even more quiet than usual." Sakura blushed slightly, "Oh, it's n-nothing. I'm just not good at making conversation is all." Elise thought for a moment. "Well, what are some things you like to do? Y'know, in Hoshido?"
Sakura looked surprised. "You want to k-know about Hoshido?" Elise nodded vigorously, "Yeah! I always wanted to visit but Xander always says it's 'not safe' for me to visit an enemy country." She pouted.
"I-I thought all Nohrians hated us…" Sakura pondered. Elise shook her head, "Nope! I don't! That's at least one person from Nohr that doesn't hate you!" The pigtailed girl tried to uplift Sakura, although it didn't help much. Elise repeated, "So, anyways, what do you like to do?"
The pink-haired girl thought for a moment. "Well, sometimes my s-sister Hinoka takes me for rides on her pegasus, a-and Azura teaches me songs, Takumi and I play Shogi…" She tapered off and turned her face away. That was probably the longest sentence she'd ever spoken to Elise, who was gaping at her. "You get to ride on a pegasus? That's so cool!" She squealed. Sakura looked back at her. "Huh? Camilla's n-never taken you for a ride on her wyvern?"
Elise sighed and looked at the ground. "No… she wouldn't do that with me. She's always too busy doing 'grown up things'." Sakura interjected, "But aren't you kind of an adult?" Elise's smiling face was long gone and now replaced with a scowl. "Well, I guess so. But still, I get lonely in that big dark castle sometimes," Elise looked away, "Everyone has more important things to do. Camilla, and even Leo. And definitely Xander."
The other girl felt a sting of pity for the young princess, and almost guilt for wanting to be alone earlier. Never a day in her life had she felt the same way, her four siblings, and now Corrin, always had time for her. And the way of life in Hoshido was different, she couldn't imagine living in the darkness of Nohr for her entire life like Elise.
But now, things had changed. After this war, things could never go back to the way they were before. Especially after they dethroned Garon.
Sakura built up the courage to look at Elise, "H-Hey, Elise, I can play with you back camp, i-if you want…" With that said Elise immediately brightened. "Really?! Let's go! We're going to have so much fun, I promise!" The Nohrian princess grabbed Sakura by the hand and started dragging her back the way they'd came. "W-wait! Elise! The firewood!
