"Come on, Corrin, let's go!" Hinoka grinned into the crib. A small, blond toddler opened her eyes and smiled at the redhead. Hinoka reached into the crib and picked up the child.
"Sis!" Corrin laughed. Hinoka set her down.
"Come on!" Hinoka took off out of the room and Corrin followed as best she could behind her sister.
"Good morning princesses!" Two maids said as the two girls ran down the hall into the kitchen.
"Oh, Princess Hinoka! You're up early today!" A cook said.
"Hi!" Corrin laughed.
"Ah, you're up as early as usual, Princess Corrin!" Corrin grinned, showing her little teeth and shining Crimson eyes.
"Have you seen Father yet?" Hinoka asked.
"Not yet, but Prince Ryoma might have."
"Okay! Thank you! Come on, Corrin!" Hinoka ran out of the kitchen. Corrin looked at the chef, smiled and ran after her sister.
"Little sisters, why are you running in the halls?" Ryoma asked as Hinoka busted out of the kitchen with Corrin on her heels.
"Have you seen Father?" Hinoka asked.
"Yes, he is looking for Corrin. Today the three of us are going on an important assignment." Ryoma said. "He sent me to find her."
"She's been with me, we were looking for Father."
"Father!" Corrin squealed as a set of hands reached behind her and picked her up.
"Guess again, my darling." A soft voice laughed.
"Ma!" Corrin squealed as she began laughing.
"You're always smiles and giggles. Just a precious jewel to the world." Queen Mikoto sighed as she hugged her daughter.
"There are my darlings daughters!" Sumeragi boomed as he came down the hall. He looked at Corrin. "Are you ready for your special mission?" Corrin smiled.
"I don't think it's a good idea." Mikoto sighed.
"Why is that?"
"She's just so young, and I just have a bad feeling about the whole thing." Mikoto whispered.
"Nonsense, everything will be fine, Ryoma here will be able to protect Corrin if anything happens with the Nohr King." Sumeragi smiled.
"I promise to protect my baby sister!" Ryoma smiled.
"Father, can I go too?" Hinoka asked.
"Not this time, I want you to help your mother with Sakura and Takumi while we're gone."
"Yes, Father." Hinoka bowed. Sumeragi took Corrin into his arms.
"Let's prepare you for today!" He said to the child. Corrin laughed. Ryoma walked with his father down the hall to get Corrin ready.
"Mother, something isn't right." Hinoka mumbled.
"Everything will be alright, darling." Mikoto touched Hinoka's shoulder but Hinoka pulled away.
"No, something is going to happen."
"I wish you would confide in me, child. I love you as much as I love Corrin, but you can't seem to see that." Mikoto sighed.
"You're not my mother. My mother is dead."
"I know, but right now, until you can see your mother again, I am here. I'm not here to take her place, but I'm here to be a mother to you until she can again."
"I'll see her again?" Hinoka's eyes became big with wonder and tears.
"Yes, someday. But not for a very very long time." Mikoto smiled sadly.
"I miss her." Hinoka sniffled.
"I know you do."
"M-mother?"
"Yes?"
"May I, may I h-hug you?"
"Of course, darling." Mikoto bent down and held Hinoka. When Hinoka stopped crying, Mikoto spoke again. "Hinoka?"
"Yes, Mother?"
"You don't have to ask permission to hug me." Mikoto smiled. Hinoka let go and looked at her mother. She nodded her head.
"Thank you."
"We're ready to go!" Sumeragi grinned as he walked down the hall in a blue robe. He wore thin, black armor underneath with a red belt. His long hair was wild despite just being brushed. Ryoma was in white armor and a red kimono and Corrin was in a blue kimono. She was busy playing with the black headband in her hair.
"You all look wonderful!" Mikoto laughed. She looked at how sweet and innocent her daughter was. "Be careful, darling." Mikoto kissed Corrin's head and placed a small decoration in her hair.
"I love you." Sumeragi smiled as he kissed Mikoto.
"I love you too." She smiled.
"Watch out for Corrin, don't let anything happen to her." Hinoka said to Ryoma.
"Of course. It's my job to watch out for her. Watch over Takumi and Sakura while I'm gone." Ryoma smiled.
"Okay!" She smiled as she hugged him.
"Are you ready, son?"
"Yes, Father!"
"Let's get going!" Sumeragi laughed. "I will see you soon, Hinoka. I love you my darling daughter."
"I love you too, Father." Hinoka smiled. "Goodbye, Corrin!"
"Bye bye, Sis!" Corrin giggled as she was carried out of the palace by Sumeragi.
"What do you want to do today?" Mikoto asked Hinoka when Sumeragi and the children left.
"I don't know." Hinoka shrugged.
"Let's go find something to do." Mikoto smiled gently. A few hours later, when Mikoto and Hinoka where playing with Takumi and Sakura, a servant quickly came into the courtyard.
"Queen Mikoto!"
"What is it?"
"Mother!" Ryoma ran past the servant and into Mikoto's arms.
"Where's your father and Corrin?" Hinoka felt her heart leap into her throat and her hands go numb.
"They shot him with arrows!" Ryoma said, fighting tears.
"Oh my gods!" Mikoto forced back her own tears. Where's Corrin? Is she alright?"
"He took her!" Ryoma said, burying his face in Mikoto's shoulder.
"Who took her?"
"King Garon of Nohr." The servant said gravely. Hinoka felt sick. She felt angry and sick and hateful and alone.
"Oh gods, Corrin, Sumeragi." Mikoto sobbed. She quickly pulled herself together and pulled Ryoma off her. "Are you okay, Ryoma? Did they hurt you?" She began looking over his young body for injuries.
"I'm fine, Mother." Ryoma mumbled. He clutched his sword in his small hands. Mikoto looked at Hinoka. Tears were falling from her face and she was shaking.
"Hinoka, come here, are you okay?"
"No." Hinoka said through gritted teeth.
"Hinoka-"
"I'll kill him myself!" She screamed. Everyone was quickly silent. "I'll kill the man that killed Father and took Corrin! I'll kill him and his children and let his wife suffer and then I'll kill her!" She screamed. "I'll get my sister back and no one is going to stop me!" She began to run towards the doors but Mikoto caught her. "Let me go!" She screamed as loudly as she could, tears still streaming down her face. She fought Mikoto as hard as she could. "I'll kill everyone in Nohr and bring my sister back and you can't stop me!"
"Hinoka, please, stop." Mikoto sighed as she held her tightly to her body with one hand and hugged Ryoma with the other.
"I'll bring her back someday! I know I will!" Hinoka screamed. Nothing could calm her until finally, after hours of struggling, she finally fell asleep.
"Mother, I'm sorry." Ryoma whispered as Mikoto went to place Hinoka in her room.
"For what, darling?" Mikoto asked. Servants had long taken Takumi and Sakura to bed. Ryoma should have also been in bed long before now.
"I didn't protect them. I got scared and I couldn't fight the man that took Corrin." Ryoma let his tears fall.
"It's okay, Ryoma." Mikoto forced a small smile. She felt drained and numb. "No one expected you to protect them, you were there to observe, not fight."
"Mother, I'll bring Corrin back some day. I promise."
"Thank you, Ryoma." Mikoto smiled as she hugged the boy. "Please, get some rest."
"Yes, Mother." Ryoma left his mother to go to his room. Mikoto walked to her own room in silence. The halls seemed colder and emptier now without her husband and beloved daughter.
"My niece, Azura, is in Nohr, maybe she and Corrin will meet again someday." Mikoto thought, trying to ease the burden on her heart and mind. She entered her bedroom and sat on the edge of her bed. It was quiet without Sumeragi. He always brought an aura of happiness with him, just like Corrin. Mikoto couldn't believe she lost her only child and her husband in an instant. "My jewel to the world. My little dragon. My world. I pray we will meet again someday." Mikoto whispered. When she was sure she was alone, she allowed herself to break down and cry.