Leo was just awakening when he realized that he was very uncomfortable. There was an awful constant bumping that was driving him crazy. He recognized the feeling as similar to when he rode Rose, his horse. Leo tried to remember what had happened to lead him to this. Leo remembered the forest... fighting Corrin... and... His cousin! Leo's head shot up when he remembered how Berkut had saved him. He took in his surroundings.

The man that he was with had short white hair, and he wore green armor with gold trimmed around the edges. To the left was a blonde man adorning a black cloak. Then, to the front, Leo saw his cousin. He hadn't seen him for years. The last time that Leo had seen Berkut was when he was eight. That was eight years ago.

They had been playing in the garden, and Leo had tripped. Leo's mother came out, saw his bloody knees, and she got infuriated. She screamed and shouted at Bekut for not watching out for Leo, and she forced him out of Castle Krakenburg that very same night. Leo never saw him again, for King Garon had passed a new law that stated that any Valentian caught on Nohrian ground was to be killed on sight. That was how Leo's mother died. She had been hanged the day after the law passed.

"Lord Berkut," Fernand called to the prince once he realized that his passenger had awakened. "The prince is awake."

They slowed to a halt, and Leo recognized his surroundings as the outskirts of the Woods of the Forlorn. Berkut trotted over to Fernand, and he examined Leo. Leo was still battered from the battle that he had had with Corrin earlier, and he was still in shock from seeing Berkut so suddenly after all these years gad passed.

"Leo," Berkut felt Leo's forehead with an ungloved head. "You are running a slight temperature. Probably caused by a lack of medical treatment. I am afraid that we cannot do anything about it until we are on the boat back to Rigel."

Leo didn't respond, and Berkut went back to the front of the pack. Leo took this chance to think.

Leo thought about the last time that he had ever seen Berkut. It had been eight years ago.

{Flashback}

"Come on Berkut!" A young Leo shouted as he ran through the gardens that the servants kept maintained for all of the concubine's viewing Garon rarely ever left his throne room, so, for the most part, the castle was under the control of those who had gained the favor of the king before he had practically locked himself inside of his throne room to do who knows what.

"Leo," Berkut called when Leo ran ahead. " Be careful." It had just rained, and Berkut did not wish to see his younger cousin trip and fall on the dewy ground.

Leo giggled slightly before slowing down. "Well, come on then." Leo pouted. "I hate having to wait for you!"

Berkut sighed. "I swear, you never used to be this energetic. You used to always want to spend your time in the library. What happened?"

Leo smiled. "I discovered how fun it was to play outside! Xander always takes me out whenever you aren't here."

Berkut narrowed his eyes. He had always been jealous that he got all of the attention from his cousin when Berkut had to be in Rigel. Berkut had always thought that Xander was just going to use Leo for his talent with magic before throwing him aside. Berkut would never want that for his little cousin. With those thoughts in his mind, Berkut made a mental not to try to visit Leo more. If his Uncle asked, well, he could just say that he was strengthening his relations with Nohr for when he became the Emperor of Rigel.

Berkut smiled as he watched Leo play in the flower beds. He had always just wanted the best for the closest person that he had to a little brother. Berkut suddenly heard a shocked scream. He looked up and saw Leo. He appeared to have tripped on a loose rock, and he had skinned his knee. Berktu rushed forward to examine the wound. Leo was still sniffling quietly when Berkut touched the wound.

"Come on. There should be a healer nearby." Berkut lifted Leo with little effort, and the two of them headed into the castle to search for a healer that could help them.

As luck would have it, though, Leo's mother, Thedrea, was walking nearby. She had never really liked her brother all that much, especially not after he had his son that insisted on breaking all of the good habits that she had instilled on Leo since he was young. This was just the chance that she needed to permanently ban Berkut from ever contacting her son ever again. If she just spun some story about Berkut being a brute who had harmed her son on purpose... Then she would never have to deal with her nephew or her annoying brother ever again!

Thedrea rushed forward. Se put on her best face to show worry before taking her son into her arms.

"Scoundrel!" She shouted, attracting the attention of some close by guards."You dare harm my son! I shall have you banished from Nohr for all eternity!" With that, Thedrea scurried off, no doubt off to go tell Garon about what had 'supposedly' transpired that evening. Berkut, figuring that his aunt was only bluffing, just shrugged and left to the guest room that he was granted.

Thedrea dumped Leo with one of the passing servants before hurrying to King Garon's Throne room. She knocked on the door, and when Garon permitted her entrance, she entered.

"King Garon, I have terrible news to share with you. My nephew, Berkut, had purposely brought harm to my son, the third prince of Nohr, Leo. I plead with you, please, banish all people from Valentia for all eternity!" Thedrea pleaded her case with the king, and her request was granted the very same day.

Garon passed a law that stated that any and all persons that were known to have Valentian blood flowing through their veins was to be executed. What Thedrea didn't realize at the time however was that this also included her. Berkut heard of this law, and, with a terrifying stealth, left the castle and headed for the last boat that would ever be headed to Valentia.

The following morn, Thedrea Rorn was executed along with thousands of other Valentians. Leo was spared for he was of the king's direct descent, but he was never to have contact with any Valentian people. Leo had never thought that he would see Berkut again, until he did.

{End of Flashback}

Leo had drowsed off whilst he was thinking about this, and therefore, he didn't notice when he along with the three other people had boarded an illegal boat headed for the lands of his mother. He was headed for Rigel.

{Linebreak}

"Corrin." Xander's deep voice spoke to the Hoshidan army as they exited of the woods. They were greeted by a barrage of six people. Xander along with his two retainers, and Camilla with her retainers.

"Corrin, darling, where is Leo?" Camilla's motherly voice held a no nonsense tone to it.

Corrin grimaced as she remembered the trio that had ran away with Leo in tow. "I... I am so sorry, Camilla. They took him, and they didn't veen give us a chance to fight."

Xander's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Who, Corrin? Who took Leo?"

"They... They said that their names were Fernand and Berkut. There was also a third one, but I didn't hear his name."

Camilla and Xander's eyes both widened with equal shock and surprise. Was Leo really taken by the same Berkut that they had known all those years ago?

"Did this Berkut boy happen to have brown hair and a disgustingly large ego?" Camilla asked nicely.

Corrin's brows furrowed. "I'm not sure about the ego part, but he did have brown hair. Camilla, have you and Xander met him before?"

Camilla looked like she was about to respond, but Xander interrupted her. "That is none of your business, Corrin." Xander turned away. "Come along Camilla. We have to report this incident to father."

Camilla looked sad, but she still followed Xander anyways. Their retainer followed loyally after them. Corrin watched sadly as her former siblings rode away.

"Come on, Corrin, we must proceed to King Garon. We cannot allow these developments to halt us."

Corrin nodded, and the Hoshidan army left.

AN

I'm sorry that this took a little bit longer to write, and I also apologize if it isn't written as well as the last one or any of my other stories. Please tell me what you think, and tell me any ideas that you have on where this is going. I would love to hear them!

Until next time.