Most temples to the Dusk Dragon had fallen into disrepair due to the shrinking number of Nohrians embracing the country's traditional religion. After all, what would continued faith accomplish if their crops still failed, and their land remained barren? There were better uses for the produce and money and time spent on ceremonies, many reasoned, including Leo himself. Despite all of that, he found himself journeying to a remote part of the country in search of a crumbling shrine hidden away in the grasslands.

This particular temple was once a popular site of pilgrimage, built hundreds of years before by an overzealous monk, with financial backing from a local lord who wanted to impose heavy taxes on foodstuffs purchased from his constituents by travelers. After a plague swept into the area, however, the temple and surrounding villages were abandoned, with its only visitors being looters, adventurers, and the occasional Nohrian prince riding through on horse.

Armed only with his legendary tome, and a steel sword with which he was out of practice, Leo had gone against his family's wishes to travel with at least another person. His only retainer had been expressly forbidden from accompanying him, and evasive maneuvers were required to shake off the, not one, but three of his siblings' retainers who were evidently told to shadow him.

It wasn't as though he was opposed to having a travelling companion. Leo certainly knew that he would be better off with someone to watch his back, but the illogical part of him discarded that in favour of being able to brood in peace. His careful planning allowed an easy exit. Once he had slipped down a narrow alley, taking a route that cut underground into the sewers, Leo ended up at a stable outside Windmire's northern gate, where he had stashed his horse the night before.

From there, he traveled northeast, following the polar star and the rising sun, and a map that he had copied from a decades-old atlas drawn on yellowing parchment and fading ink. The map did not display roads, or villages, or really anything useful for general navigation, save for some basic topography. Instead, it was a compendium of the strangest places and events that Leo's ancestors had experienced, dating back over a thousand years and updated by every generation of Nohrian royalty.

"Leo, are you really going to spend the entire day in the library? It's your birthday, after all. The big 2-0! We should be out celebrating and having fun!"

He rolled his eyes, hiding the smile that broke across his face by keeping his back turned to his little sister. It was nice to have his milestone acknowledged, as trivial as it was. "Are you sure that you're not just looking for an excuse to fool around, Elise? I'm still in the middle of this chapter, but of course I'm not planning on staying here for the entire day. I just wanted some peace and quiet before you and Camilla started to pester me again."

Elise clicked her tongue in dismay. "Hey! We don't pester you! After that comment, mister, I'm not sure if I want to show you your surprise anymore."

"My surprise?" Leo reluctantly marked his page, and set the book down on an end table. He stood up and stretched, scrutinizing his sister's expression for hints. "What is this about?"

"Hold your hand open in front of you, close your eyes, and keep them shut until I say so."

"Close my eyes? You aren't going to put something strange in my hand, are you?"

She pouted at him. "Not on your birthday! Just do as I say."

"Okay, okay." He complied, still bracing himself for an unpleasant experience. Instead, after a few seconds, he felt a hand, warm and free of rough calluses, placed on top of his.

"And… now you can look!"

Leo's eyes opened to see a pair of maroon ones staring back at him. Her rose-coloured hair was a little longer than he remembered, and there were traces of uncharacteristic dark circles under her eyes, but she was still his beloved Sakura.

"H-happy birthday, Leo," she whispered, smiling shyly at what was probably surprise on his face.

Wordlessly, he wrapped his arms tightly around her. She let out a tiny 'oof!' in surprise, before reciprocating and laying her head on his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, Leo saw his sister skip away gleefully, leaving him and Sakura alone. They held each other for some time, gently swaying in place. Eventually, he loosened his grip and stepped back to look her in the face. Her cheeks, lightly dusted with powder, were blushing a faint pink. He gently traced a path across the side of her face with his thumb, staring at her all the while. She briefly tensed at his touch, but didn't complain.

"I really missed you, Sakura."

She gazed at him adoringly. "I missed you too, Leo."

Guilt washed over him. He suddenly felt self-conscious, having to resist the impulse to adjust his hair, or straighten out his collar. "I'm sorry that I haven't been able to visit more. I wanted to be in Hoshido for your birthday, but... I was needed in Cheve and Nestra…" His weak, flimsy excuses felt sour in his mouth. The last time the couple had been together was at the very beginning of the year, over six months ago. They wrote to each other weekly, but Leo knew that regular correspondence was no substitute for being able to hold Sakura in his embrace, breathe in her flowery scent, hear her soft voice, and see her beautiful smile.

She waved her hand at his apology. "I-I'm here now, so that's what matters. Did you like my surprise?"

"I loved it," he assured her. "I assume that you enlisted Elise's help?"

"Mhm. It was her idea, and she wanted to do s-something flashier, involving um, flower petals, I think, but I wanted it to stay simple."

Leo slipped his hand into hers, intertwining their fingers. She squeezed her hand in response. "How long are you staying in Nohr?" he asked.

She pulled on his arm, guiding him towards the hallway. "At least a week, although I'm sure that Ryoma will understand if I stay longer." A bright smile arched across her face. "Sh-shall we go for a walk? There's so much I want to tell you."

A drizzle of warm rain at sunset had turned into a proper downpour an hour later, forcing Leo to abandon his plans of traveling through the night. He took shelter underneath a grove of scraggly trees, which only partially kept the rainwater from sliding off leaves and dripping on him. His horse, a dark grey stallion with a white blaze on its forehead, was already lying down beside to him. Leo curled up in his cloak to stay warm, shielded from the wind by the great beast. Overhead, the moon's light barely peeked through the rainclouds. As he drifted off, his mind wandered.

Leo was still a little apprehensive about wandering alone through Hoshido's capital as a Nohrian, even three years after the assassination of Queen Mikoto. By that point, it was well-known that the Silent Dragon Anankos was responsible for the explosion that destroyed the city square and killed dozens of people, but that didn't erase the decades of animosity between his country and Hoshido. It didn't surprise him in the slightest when some merchants and locals eyed him with suspicion as he slipped in and out of the crowds, making for Castle Shirasagi.

It was the mid-autumn festival in Hoshido, and on Sakura's invitation, Leo had traveled to the capital to see her. They had spent a few peaceful days together, reading, talking, and enjoying each other's company. Earlier in the day, she had shooed him off so she could assist in the final preparations for the celebration. As much as he wanted to help, Leo's lack of knowledge in Hoshidan customs was apparent, and there was little for him to do. Sakura had asked him to return by sunset so they could explore the festival together.

As he navigated through the cobbled streets, the smell of frying meat and strange spices assailed his nose. The mass of bodies, which at some points had forced him to shuffle forward at a snail's pace, thinned as he approached the castle. A man moving in the opposite direction stepped deliberately into Leo's path. At the same time, a pair of hands shoved him from behind.

"Damn you Nohrian scum, get the hell out of here!"

He stumbled, but didn't lose his balance completely. As he steadied himself, his eyes darted back and forth to look at his attackers. Both were dark-haired young men, their faces red and eyes angry. Leo had seen enough drunk people to recognize the signs of intoxication. In their dazes, it was probably his blond hair, a trait practically nonexistent in Hoshido, that had made him their target.

"If you'll excuse me, gentlemen…" he said in an even tone.

"Like hell we'd let you just leave," one of men exclaimed, his words slurring together. "What are you planning to do now, murder our king? Prince Takumi? One of our princesses? At least they aren't whores like Nohrian women are!"

Leo exhaled sharply through his nose, and began to reach under his cloak for his tome. He kept his voice level, despite the seed of anger beginning to grow inside of him. "Don't give me an excuse to hurt you."

Sensing danger, bystanders began to scurry away from the commotion. Although the men were unarmed, dimwitted, and clumsy, it was still two of them to one of him. Leo was certain that the Hoshidans wouldn't appreciate a tree growing in the middle of their pathway, but he wasn't going to fight hand-to-hand when at a numbers disadvantage.

The same man marched towards him until their faces were inches apart. Spittle flew, and the stench of rice wine wafted forward. "What are you going to fucking do then, huh? Who do you think you—"

"Leo! There are you are!"

He found it satisfying to see the astonishment on the two drunks' faces, as one of their beloved princess appeared behind him. Sakura quickly got up on her tiptoes, and kissed Leo on the cheek. He was still watching his assailants as they displayed obvious panic and began to edge away, but he couldn't miss her deep red blush out the corner of his eye. When the two men had finally disappeared, he finally allowed himself to take in the sight of his sweetheart.

She was wearing a kimono made from glossy white silk that flowed down to her ankles. Red and orange seven-pointed leaves were dyed into the garment on one side. Her rose-coloured hair, which normally brushed the tops of her shoulders, was pinned up in a tight bun.

"Leo…" she began slowly, fidgeting with her long sleeves. "Were those men doing what I think they were doing?"

"Yes. They were no real threat to me," he reassured her.

Sakura let out a defeated sigh, hanging her head. "I've been trying to stop all of these silly grudges, but there are always a few that refuse to listen. I don't know what to do."

Leo gently tilted her chin up. "It's hardly a problem exclusive to Hoshido. Some people will always be stubborn, Sakura. You shouldn't worry about them when you've already done so much for both of our countries."

It made Leo feel a little condescending to remind Sakura of things that he was certain she already knew. Still, when she worked herself into a self-loathing mood, it was hard to talk her out of it.

"B-but I can never get the daimyos to cooperate on their own volition. Ryoma almost always has to threaten them, and they're getting unhappy with us. Without their support, we won't be able to supply Nohr, and then what will you—"

"Sakura, please, stop that." Leo placed his hands on her shoulders. "You are overthinking this."

"I'm just sc-scared, Leo." Her voice hitched, distress bringing about her stutter. "I'm scared of losing this peace. I'm scared of having you taken away from me."

"I will always come back to you, Sakura, no matter what happens. I promise."

The rain had cleared away by the time Leo woke. With the grass still slick, and the sun barely peeking over the horizon, he mounted his horse and continued on his way. Absentmindedly, he gnawed on some beef jerky stored in his saddlebags. It was tasted like dry, like dust. A sip from his waterskin allowed him to get the food down. He wasn't even feeling hungry, but then again, Leo hadn't enjoyed eating anything for the past three weeks. After days of hard travel, and more to come, he had to keep his strength up, and that was the only reason he made an effort to maintain his own health.

The dot he was following sat alone in the northern regions of Nohr. Written underneath in his neat, slanted script, was a brief description of the place: spring that restores the memory of those who had lost it.

The credibility of claim was questionable. The prince who originally added the marking onto the map had been notorious for his tall tales. The point itself was so remote that no later generations had attempted to verify its legitimacy. But Leo, for all of his skepticism, was pinning his hopes on it.

It was all that he could do, really.

(1/2)

1: 20-0, 19-2. 2: 20-4, 19-6. (L, S)

The only thing that projects more than me is a projector.

Coincidentally, the only thing besides me that could screw up well-established characters is also a projector.