(Author's Note) Wow! I am still utterly surprised at the interest in this story. Thank you everyone for giving my story a chance! Thanks to your response I was able to write up the second chapter sooner than I had expected. I really hope it continues to be an exciting read and lives up to your expectations.

Special thanks to MewMew, lkuecrar, and Anonymous for the reviews. I have responded to Anonymous's review in the end notes. Thank you again for your feedback!


Chapter 2 I will fight

Two dark blobs hovered over Xander as they jostled for the best position. Slowly the Prince's blurry vision came into focus. A head with fluffy pigtails of pale blue and pink, along with another head of soft wispy gray hair. "Laslow ...Peri," Xander whispered as he found his voice.

Suddenly Peri broke into fresh tears. "Wahhhh!" She wailed as more streaks of mascara ran down her flushed cheeks.

"But, Peri, he is alive!" Laslow 's kindhearted and accented voice tried to comfort the weeping Cavalier.

"I...I know. I just never want to see X...Xander's blood again!" Peri hiccupped and tried to wipe her tears upon her sleeves.

Sighing, Laslow handed Peri his handkerchief. "Dry your pretty eyes with this," he gently prompted.

The cavalier took the hanky and blew her nose thickly into the monogrammed cloth. "Ah, well, why don't you keep it my dear," Laslow added with a smile.

"Y..you should give him some space," Stammered another voice. It was soft, yet authoritative.

As his retainers gave Xander more room, the Prince slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. His head spun momentarily and pain needled at his side. He looked down to find the bonded seams of his armor punctured and bandages poked through the gap. Corrin had known where to strike his armor all along. And she had finally struck the weak spot after years of not yielding to land a fatal blow.

"I..it...it will feel better as time goes on," the soft voice piped up again. Xander peered around to find that its owner was the youngest Hoshidan Princess, Sakura, he recalled. Catching the eldest Prince's gaze, Sakura quickly averted her eyes to a nearby vase, then down at the ornate rug they were on.

Indeed, Sakura reminded his alot of Elise, but of himself as well. There was a time when Xander was so shy that even eye contact was overwhelming. "You have my deepest thanks Princess Sakura," Xander said warmly. "You are an adept healer."

Sakura snuck a quick glance at the eldest Prince before looking away to smile down at the well-worn staff laying on her tucked knees.

"Isn't she an angel!" Laslow chirped in his upbeat, flirtatious, manner. Xander opened his mouth to reprimand his retainer when the entire castle suddenly shooked violently. The four of them fell onto the ground, rolled, then held onto the rug as the foundation shuddered underneath.

"What was that!" Xander gasped as he winced in pain. Earthquakes were very uncommon in Nohr, and even rarer at the heart of the kingdom.

"It must be from the battle going on in the throne room," Laslow remarked as he gingerly rubbed the back of his head. "After you were, well struck down, Lady Corrin requested that Princess Sakura do her best to save you. Naturally we stayed at your side. Lady Corrin then left with the rest of the group to face King Garon." Laslow dutifully recounted before adding as an afterthought, "Also, there have been shouts of a dragon coming from staff who were fleeing that quarter of the castle."

"Well, Corrin's true form was unknown to us," Xander replied as he carefully pushed himself up to sit straight. It had been an utter shock to learn of Corrin's draconic ability. The Prince had always felt that there was something different about his little princess; that there something more behind those exotic crimson eyes. But, that an ancient dragon was slumbering within had never came to his mind.

"N...no another dragon," Sakura spoke up as she fixed her skirt from the quaking tumble.

"What?!" Xander asked feeling downright confused now. There are two dragons in the castle! What kind of battle was raging on? And if Corrin was one dragon, who was there other? Did Hoshido have an unknown dragon? Or...what if Corrin had a child.

Xander felt suddenly breathless as he took in the full meaning of this thought. A child would inherit Corrin's dragon-shifting ability. And a child meant...that Corrin's heart was already taken by a lover. The realization punched him the stomach first, and then on the sore wound for emphasis.

The Prince had never given that possibility a thought as they had always been together…until she had left them for Hoshido. A twinge of regret and jealousy tugged within his beating heart at thought of this unknown man holding Corrin close. No doubt this man would be fighting by her side in the throne room, challenging Garon, while Xander sat upon his rear out here doing absolutely nothing.

"Ah, sir, your scowling lines are deeper than usual," remarked Laslow with a slight grimace. The keen retainer knew something bothered his Lord for he just sat there in pain and scowled at the rug, as if the inanimate object had greatly insulted the Prince.

"I must go join the battle." Xander suddenly stated. He made the decision right then and there. With a slight wince, the Prince rose to his feet. "Bring me my horse!" He requested with air of command befitting his rank.

Peri nodded in cheer at the prospect of bloodshed and sprinted off to fetch their horses. Her sing song voice of "Staby staby time," echoed down the hall.

"Sir?!" Laslow gaped at his lord. Then he looked to the Princess with pleading eyes. "Sakura, dearest healer, please intervene! Hit him on the head with your stave if you must!"

"Laslow , I am the eldest Prince of Nohr. I will not be idle while a battle rages on in my own home!" Xander stated with dark amethyst eyes full of conviction.

"Y...you can fight," Sakura stated. With her stave gripped in her hands, the Princess looked up at Xander and for once held his gaze.

The sounds of thundering hooves neared, they were going to battle.


(More rambling from the Author)

I hope you liked this chapter and how the characters are developing. I am taking small steps at a time so I won't be writing very long chapters. I find that when I do, it drains me rather quickly and I do not update as often. But, I really hope to hear your thoughts on this chapter! :D

(I am not sure if Xander's retainers technically survived as I had not attacked them during my playthrough. So for this story Xander's retainers were spared.)


To Anonymous: Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the chapter! I am happy to hear that you enjoyed the story so far and the idea. I had not realized that this forum was saturated with Female Corrin stories and I can understand your frustration.

But, I think the best course would be to break the mold and write the fanfiction you want to see. That is the course of action I took long ago when I couldn't find the Hobbit story I wanted to read.

From your review, I feel you have an excellent writing technique and you already have an idea you are passionate about. Of course I can understand if that wouldn't work out. It was just a thought I wanted to share.

Maybe I will write a Male Corrin and Elise story later on. But, I can't make promises as I can be a flighty writer who just writes on a whim when an idea comes to me and just...clicks in my head. Then I disappear into the void for a while before returning.

But, if you are still yearning for someone to do the story you recommended, may I suggest contacting writers on this site and even Tumblr who do story requests. I have found a couple on Tumblr that do a nice job. I hope to hear from you again, until then take care :3

(DISCLAIMER) I do not own nor claim to own any of Fire Emblem's, Intelligent Systems's, and Nintendo's work. I am just an inspired writer adding my own madness into the mix!