We disembark from the boat and walk onto the island of Notre Sagre, the supposed home of the Rainbow Sage, 'Thank the gods we're on land again.' Being on a boat did not agree with me and if it weren't for Jakob's medicine tea, then I would have probably spent the entire trip hanging my head over the railing. I take a deep breath of the sea-inspired air, the taste of salt lingers, "Feeling better, Big Sis?" Elise jumps from behind and wraps her arms around me. "I wish I could have helped, but…"

I smile at her concern, "I know, staves only heal physical wounds," I would have returned the hug, but that really isn't an option right now, "I'm fine now." She lets go and skips back over to her beloved horse and starts to gently guide him along the town. "Keaton." I greet with a smile as Keaton walks up beside me.

He doesn't return the pleasantries, but it doesn't bother me, 'Give him time to learn.' He looks at the fortress in the distance, a place that only him and I can see right now, "I'm going to get us something to eat." He isn't asking for permission, he has no reason to, 'He's the alpha, after all.'

"Jakob." I call out and he seems to appear from nowhere, "See if anyone here is selling healing staves, the rest need to be tended to."

"At once, Lady Yasei." He bows and leaves just as quickly. 'It was bad enough to arrive at a town that was pillaged.' I recall back to the port before we left for here, 'A number of my people are hurting pretty bad, too.' The fight with Takumi was a few strands away from being a total disaster.

I look over my troops, Effie had to discard her old shield, since it became too damaged from my 'blood brother's' Fujin Yumi, her armor also has a number of holes, but we don't have any spare armor. 'Nohr's resources are too limited.' Arthur is probably one of the least injured ones, ironically considering his bad luck streak, 'Him and Jakob make a killer duo.' Well, then again, those two were also the only ones who didn't directly confront Takumi and his retainers. I shiver from the skill they showed. Elise's staff ran out of magic on the way here and Jakob's own staff is starting to reach the same point, so we had to only treat major wounds, the rest had to wait, 'Gods, I hope they have staves here.'

I take a breath and sigh in relief, nothing unnerved me more than when Hinata came after me with the dreaded Wyrmslayer. 'It took all of my willpower not to start shaking.'I reflexively lay a hand on my side, where the first Wyrmslayer wound rests. 'I hope there aren't any Hoshidan forces up there…' I feel uncertain, I'm not fit to lead! I wanted to be in big brother Xander's rank when I finally got out, 'I almost get us all killed in our first battle against one of the Royals.' Why me? I'm probably lacking the most experience.

"Mate." Keaton's voice snaps me out of my thoughts, "Come." With that one, simple command spoken, I listen to my Dragon and follow the Wolfskin. 'Claim, mine .' I shiver in excitement as he guides me to his kill. I patiently wait for him to take the first bite before I get my own. 'I will never tire of the taste.' I eagerly rip into the flesh, relishing in the taste of raw meat and blood. I feel my own body start to heat as I continue and I spare a glance at him, catching the distinct scent of his own lust. 'His tail is wagging, too.' I don't bring up that thought, I've learned he doesn't like it when his tail is acknowledged.

"Kea…" I couldn't even finish his name before he has me pinned to the ground, 'The others are probably not even a minute away, but I don't care.' My breath shortens as I feel his eyes bore into me, demanding nothing less than absolute obedience, 'And who am I to deny him?' I gulp as I wait for him to undo the buckles, though he clearly is still having trouble remembering all of the various spots. "Keaton…" My patience is starting to run thin.

"Damn armor…" I hear him mutter, before his gaze returns to me. Stifling a giggle, I undo the buckles and straps for him, then he removes my crafted armor the second he is able to. He pins my arms back down as he removes his own clothes, 'Gods…' My body shakes as I wait, 'Claim, mine .' He bites that same spot on my neck, I gasp as I feel some blood trailing out of the wound, then moan as I feel him enter me. " Mine ." He growls out. 'All yours.' I can't get the words out, but it's not like I need to say them, anyway. 'I'm his mate.'

With his need satisfied, we return to the town, Elise gives me a rather disapproving gaze accompanied with a heavy flush. I just smile in return. "Lady Yasei." Jakob greets me, "I managed to secure two staves, I would have gotten more, but it would have cut into our other funds."

"Thank you, Jakob." I internally sigh, 'Only enough for two?' I look over the surrounding area, "Did Effie have enough to repair her armor?"

He nods, "Just enough for her armor, but she still lacks a shield." My mood drops, "She is repurposing a spare sword as a makeshift shield." 'Gods, that's how bad things are going?' Our funds are too limited, 'I really hope there aren't any Hoshidans there.' I'm starting to feel nervous as a bad feeling hits my stomach, something tells me we're going to encounter a force there. 'I just hope we can deal with them.'

I walk away from him as my small army readies themselves, according to Elise, an elder claims that the Rainbow Sage does, in fact, reside in the fortress on top of that huge mountain. 'Because why not?' It seems like a cruel joke from the gods, have we not exerted ourselves enough? I shake my head as we start the trek up the mountain, the path seems even less forgiving as we walk. I take note that Elise has decided to walk, as well, she leads her horse, determined to prove that she can keep up with the rest.

"Don't push yourself too much." I advise her about half an hour in.

"Oh, I'll be fine." She winks at me, a huge smile adorning her face, "How are you ?" She slips a gloves hand in my hand, 'I can still feel the warmth.'

I hesitate, "I'm well." Physically speaking, it's the truth, but on an emotional level?

"We'll get this done." She assures me and I simply nod in response. "Sister?" She nudges me.

"I'm not ready." I drop to a whisper. "I don't want to be the commander…"

She frowns, "I'm not…" Then her face brightens, "I think you'll do just fine." I bite back a comment, 'But I almost got us all killed…' I force a smile and resume my focus on the task ahead.

I don't know how long we spend walking, but we finally arrive at the front gates and just as I feared, there are Hoshidan troops here. 'I ca… I have to do this. I dread to think how Father will react if I fail this.' I nod to myself and try to grab some unseen courage. I push the doors open and we are greeted with empty air, there are two sets of stairs, 'They undoubtedly have troops on both sides, but…' I don't need to look to know that splitting us in half would be a risky move at the least. 'But if I leave us as one, that leaves our back exposed.' I grit my teeth. "Elise, Keaton, with me, we're taking the right side," I start off, forcing the nervousness back, "The rest go left." A short pause follows, "Again, if there's a Royal here, don't kill. Try to spare their retainers." The more I think about, the more absurd the idea sounds. 'No, it isn't, I'm going to bring my families back together my own way.'

With my orders out, we split up, "Mate." Keaton states as we trek up the stairs, 'Which for some reason are large enough to accommodate horses.' Not that I'm complaining, Elise's choice to walk has left her legs shaking at best, she needs to be on her horse. "Mate."

I stop. "Sorry, I was…" A simple look from him is all I need to gather myself, "Thank you." He shrugs it off as we enter the first room, "One axe, a sword," I feel an unseen presence, "a ninja." Keaton shifts and I unsheathe Yato, I don't need to give him commands, our bestial bond allows us to react faster than any spoken word, "Elise, stay alert." It's not like she can really do anything else, 'I should have…' I shake my head, now is not the time to doubt myself. Keaton charges the sword wielder while I play a more defensive role, making sure Elise isn't targeted by the axe user or the ninja. I deflect the first axe strike with ease, before countering, nearly cutting the man's hand off.

I feel that strange prickling aura and I turn on my heel, deflecting an attack from the Ninja, I form my lance and run him through, 'He clearly wasn't expecting me to stop his strike.' I feel a blade cleave into my backside, 'Axe…' I grit my teeth and slam my hilt on his face, sending the man reeling, before decapitating him in one clean slice. A pleasant wave of healing magic mends the wound. 'I have got to be more careful.' With Keaton's target down, we move to the next room, which holds two Diviners and a man with hair sticking out in every possible direction. The man is without a weapon and is giving off a rather creepy smile.

My mate charges one of the Diviners while I move towards the other, 'Thankfully there aren't any Ninjas in here.' I dodge a spirit from my target and slice once, cutting into his chest, and again, causing his entrails to slip out of his front. 'Blood, rend.' I gasp as I feel a strange lethargy overcome me, it's not a Sleep Staff, but… it came from the man, who has a rather heavy scent, 'Hinoka…' I recognize it from the time I spent trapped in Castle Shirasagi.

"Good evening, Lady Corrin." He casually greets, as if there aren't two people in front of him that could cleave him in half. "How are you?"

"Stand down." I state with as much authority as I can.

His gaze goes over to the other two dead Diviners, "I think I would rather stand up." 'Gods, he is the annoying type, too.' "Shall I read you a fortune?" Keaton growls his challenge and brings a fist down on the man, who doesn't budge. Yet, instead of this strange man being reduced to a paste, the Wolfskin howls in pain, "Oh dear, you might want to get that checked out." He strides over to the stairs and sits on the exit. "Now, if you don't mind, I have business to attend to."

I walk to him, as he just sits there, "If you aren't going to fight…" I sigh as I grab his arm, thankfully it isn't causing me pain, "Then get out."

"Nope." He still refuses to budge, "Lady Hinoka ordered me to guard this room's exit, and so I shall." I tighten my grip and throw him to the side, earning a strange burning pain as he lands, "Wow, you are quite strong." Keaton, Elise and I walk up the stairs, leaving the strange retainer behind.

We enter the next, the last room and sure enough, Hinoka is atop her pegasus, along with two healers, 'Does she intend to fight us alone?' If Takumi was anything to go by, though, she is to not to be underestimated. "Sister…" Hinoka frowns. "So, you're the one leading these," She cuts herself off, "Please, we just want you to return home."

"Nohr is my home." I counter, "I'm not leaving them." I ready my stance, "Please, stand down."

She shakes her head, "I can't do that." Her lance radiates a sort of powerful aura as she assumes her own stance, "But I refuse to kill you, either…" She mutters. 'Where are the others?'

A horrible feeling overtakes me, did I split us up wrong? Jakob may be trained in staves, but he is nowhere on Elise's level, what if… I shake my head. Keaton charges Hinoka, she deflects the first strike with ease, before countering, leaving a cut into the Wolfskin's body. Steeling myself, I join him in a second strike, he strikes high on her right, I go low and on her left, I aim more for her pegasus, the flying beast lets out a pained neigh as Keaton is blocked once more, but he manages to dodge the counter this time.'Where are they?' I jump back from a sweeping strike, then redirect towards one of the two healers, I form my maw and fire an energy sphere as one of them focuses on the wound I slashed onto the pegasus, it lands true and she drops.

"Corrin…" Hinoka mutters as Keaton is denied a hit once more, "Please, I don't want to fight you." I charge the second healer, determined to take her out before she can assist, but I'm forced to jump back as an arrow whistles past me. "Setsuna." She breathes a sigh of relief.

I glance over to see a lazy-eyed archer, who immediately runs to Hinoka's side, 'Wait, she came from the…' My blood runs cold, 'No.' "Lady Yasei!" Thankfully, Jakob arrives, then one by one, the rest… 'Arthur isn't there.' Effie's armor has already suffered more holes and her defensive sword has been broken off. My Butler has a number of cuts strewn across him.

"What a lovely walk." The strange man calmly walks towards the Hoshidan royal, clearly in no rush.

"Azama." She nods. I force my hand to still as I take out the other healer, 'Gods, I… we can do this.' At this point I feel it is a lie, if these three are anywhere near the skill that Takumi had… "Let's get my sister back." She declares and I can see the red in her eyes brighten, a fire that has had its flame renewed. Jakob sends a dagger flying while Effie takes the front line, Keaton rounds Hinoka's backside and I take her left flank. Setsuna regards us with a rather distant look, like she's focused on something else completely. "Setsuna! Focus!"

"Hm? Oh…" 'Gods, she was actually not even looking.' "Sorry, Lady Hinoka, but there was a cute little…" One glare from her liege shuts her mouth close. She draws an arrow as Effie closes the distance, but with surprising accuracy, the retainer fires and pierces an already exposed part of her armor, causing the knight to stumble. Hinoka follows up and sweeps under her legs, the knight falls down and is peppered with yet another arrow before she can even move. 'No.'

I lash out with Yato, landing a clean cut on Setsuna and attempting another, but she nimbly dodges and fires another, leaving Effie grimly pinned down on the floor. 'Gods, she's losing too much blood.' I try another slash on her, but Hinoka deflects it and strikes Keaton in the same fluid motion. Healing magic washes over me, 'But it can't restore my energy.' I still feel the pains of exhaustion, 'Why did this place have to be on a mountain?!' Keaton howls out as he is struck once more.

"My apologies, Lady Yasei." Jakob keels over, a number of non-lethal arrows strewn across his body. My grip on Yato is now faltering, tears threaten to form, 'I can't lead…'The victory over Takumi was just luck, then.

"Big sister…" Elise cries out, physically unharmed, but Setsuna manages to knock the staff out of her grip. Keaton growls out once more, clearly growing more and more angry at the fact he can't land a strike. He lashes out once more and a madly grinning Azama takes the hit, his strange magical barrier causes enough pain to force Keaton back…

Which leaves me as the only combatant left. Setsuna has her bow drawn at Elise, Hinoka's grip falters, Azama just stands there, while Elise seems paralyzed in fear. "Please, Corrin. We just want you to return home." Hinoka pleads again, the fire in her eyes have dimmed.

"N-Nohr is my h-home." Even my words start to falter, "A-And my n-name is Y-Yasei." My grip trembles as I try to assume my stance, my eyes quickly go over my troops,'They trusted me.' My vision blurs from the tears stinging my eyes.

"Sister," The Sky Knight tries once more, "This army lost the fight, please return to Hoshido." ' This army… not my army.'

What can I do? 'Nothing, that's what. I wasn't meant to lead…' Hinoka sighs and was about to speak again, "I'm sorry, sister." That one confession causes Hinoka to raise her lance, but she startles as I turn towards Elise, "I hope you can forgive me…"

"B-bis sister?" Elise attempts to guide her horse towards me, but Setsuna fires off a warning shot.

I return my gaze to Hinoka, "Spare them." I declare, "If you spare them and Keaton comes with me, then…" I choke on my tears, "I'll go." I glance over to my mate's unconscious body, 'I couldn't…'

"Azama, make sure they live." Hinoka orders, "You, Nohrian Princess," She points a finger at Elise, "Grab your staff and heal them, Setsuna, make sure she doesn't try anything funny." She gets off of her pegasus and immediately pulls me into a hug, "Sister…"

But I can't find the will to return the embrace, 'I'm so sorry Elise… and all the others.' I cry on her body, 'I couldn't…' "I just want the war to end, I don't want any of my family to die." I finally choke out, "Both Nohrian and Hoshidan." My body trembles.

"We'll make sure it ends as soon as possible," She assures me, "You have my word, sister."

"They are stable, Lady Hinoka." Azama states, while Elise looks distant.

She breaks the embrace, "Good, now, let's get Keaton and…" She pauses as I walk over towards him and lift him myself.

"He is my mate." I shoot back, "I will carry him."

I sense a small amount of pain from her, but it is soon overwhelmed with a sort of satisfaction, "Let's go, then."

"Big sister!" Elise cries out.

"...I'm sorry." I turn towards her, "I love you."

"I don't want you to go!" She exclaims, but Setsuna's drawn bow keeps her in place.

"I don't either, but…" I sigh, "I'll see you some other time, okay?" Elise is left there, crying out for me openly. I keep my own silence as I follow Hinoka. My surrender for their safety, 'there is no better way,' I keep telling myself, 'Continuing would just everyone else killed… in addition to me being taken again anyway.'

'I'm sorry Elise, Camilla, Leo, and Xander…'