The sky in Nohr was dark, perhaps befitting for the occasion the Hoshidans had travelled to the capital for. Clouds drowned out all semblance of blue sky that Corrin had got so used to in Hoshido. The sun was still there, looming threateningly from behind the clouds. Corrin's eyes flickered to the sky as she and her siblings made their way to the Nohrian capital, where the royal family would receive them.

Corrin didn't really know what to expect from Castle Krakenburg. It was a place she had barely stepped foot in, apart from to kill Garon not that long ago. Before that, she was confined to the Northern Fortress, a citadel that lay far from the capital to keep the young princess safe. She didn't mind too much as a child, as her siblings often visited her and her retainers were there for her at the drop of a hat. As she grew older, however, she felt trapped, unable to escape from what turned out to be a prison. Of course, when she did get to leave, she found the world to be completely different from the fairy tales her older siblings had read to her.

As the Hoshidan royal family neared the gate of the capital, a familiar horse galloped towards them, turning expertly to canter along side the royals. The knight on top smiled towards Corrin, whose heart rose at the sight of her friend.

"Silas!"

"Good afternoon, Lady Corrin. Glad you could make it! And to you too, Ryoma, Hinoka, Sakura, Takumi."

"Good to know you remember our names after you left for Nohr," Takumi spat, glaring at the paladin, who rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"What can I say, Nohr is my home and always has been. I can't abandon it now, especially in a time like this. And besides, I'm hoping to become head of the army one day, so I'm sure after the peace treaty is signed, we'll have a lot to talk about, Takumi," Silas offered, but the younger prince shook his head.

"I may be planning to get Ryoma to let me be in charge of the Hoshidan army, but that doesn't mean we can be friends."

"Silence, Takumi," Ryoma chastised, and he rolled his eyes before closing his mouth.

"Anyway, I have instructions to escort you to the palace," Silas filled in, and Corrin nodded.

"That would be helpful. I have to admit that I'm not sure we know where we're going."

"The c-castle shouldn't be hard to m-miss, right?" Sakura laughed nervously, and her elder sister turned to her.

"You're right. And besides, we have been there before, under… worse circumstances."

"I'll be different this time," Silas encouraged. "Lady Camilla won't shut up about you coming."

"I shouldn't be surprised," Corrin sighed. As much as she loved her sister, Camilla had an uncanny ability to be overbearing, although her attention was well meant.

The gates of the city appeared quickly in front of them, and upon Silas's call to the guards, they swung open, leaving the bustling streets of Windmire open to view. Corrin was surprised at how busy they were- the war had only ended days previously, but the market was chock full of people, who seemed to have no idea that anything had happened. Corrin had to hand it to the Nohrian civilians- they had great endurance, and could get on with their lives with merely a wobble.

The street widened as it went along, and Corrin noticed the people in the streets turn to their group. Murmured comments didn't pass by her ears, yet she held her head high, eyes trained on the castle just appearing in the distance. The houses and market stalls, as well as the people, began to dwindle as they neared the castle. The gates to the castle appeared, but as they did, Silas stopped them.

"We have to take a different path in, since we have to go down into the pit to the entrance. This gate is mainly used for wyvern riders, and none of you are them, so…"

"Let's go, then," Ryoma nodded, and Silas moved the reins of his horse to turn the corner. The path veered steeply downhill from there, and the red lights of the castle grounds were soon visible. Silas opened a side gate, guarded by a tall man in full armour and a blonde girl who was picking at her nails. As soon as the gate opened, she lifted her axe, a sickly smile on her face.

"Oh, look who it is! Look, Benny, the Hoshidan Royals!"

"Yes, Charlotte, I can see that," the man replied, crossing his arms across his chest.

"This is the perfect opportunity for us…"

"We just got promoted to the royal guard. What more could you want?"

"Imagine me, the bride of the king of Hoshido…" Charlotte said, drifting off into her own mind. The prince rode past on his horse as she said this, and she smiled towards him, hands crossed across her chest. "You must be Prince Ryoma…" The man in question glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow. "It's so nice to meet you and your family!"

"Thank you," he offered.

"I hope we get to see a lot of you while you're here in Nohr…" Charlotte was cut off quickly, forced back into a wall, a knife held to her throat.

"Don't act like that around Prince Ryoma," Saizo threatened, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. "That type of behaviour is inappropriate and disrespectful."

"Oh, what's it to you?" She hissed, lifting her axe above her head. "All you Hoshidans are the same! You think because you won the war, you can march in here and take over!"

"Charlotte, that's not what they're doing," Benny said, walking to her side with a calming hand on her shoulder. "They're here for Lord Xander's funeral."

"I know, I know! Still! I know we're only guards, but seriously, we deserve some respect!" She seethed for another moment as Hinoka went past, with her retainers, one of who fell off her horse. Then, as another man she didn't recognise rode past, her eyes locked on the next Hoshidan prince, another smile breaking out across her face.

"Prince Takumi!" She said, taking a step towards his horse. "Wonderful to meet you!" The prince raised his eyebrows, but more impressed than angry, like his brother. Charlotte smiled sweetly- clearly with this one; her plan was working to an extent. "Do you want tea? I can call ahead to get you some refreshments if you and your retainers want them?" Takumi opened his mouth to answer, but Oboro spoke first, swinging her naginata in front of Takumi's horse to stop Charlotte from getting any closer.

"Watch it, skank! This is prince Takumi, second prince of Hoshido, and he doesn't need any Nohrian scum like you fawning over him!"

"Whoa, whoa! No need to get so pissy! And who are you to call me a skank! Ugh, I hate Hoshidans!"

"Charlotte, please calm down," Benny said. "I apologise for my colleague."

"No harm done," Takumi said, shaking his head.

"Well! That did not work out well at all! Where do the Hoshidans get these crazy-ass retainers anyways?" Charlotte complained, spitting on the ground for good measure. Sakura rode past bringing up the rear of the group, stealing a glance at the blonde woman yelling in the corner. As they made eye contact, Sakura whipped her head away violently, staring directly ahead of her instead. "And what do you think you're looking at?"

Servants scuttled out of the castle as the royal family approached. Silas lead them to the front entrance, where they dismounted from the horses, feet landing on solid ground. Their horses were led away by servants, presumably to the stables, followed by Silas on his own mount. As soon as Corrin's foot stepped into the marble foyer, Camilla appeared, wrapping her arms around her estranged sister in a strangulating hug.

"Darling! I'm so glad you could make it for this occasion, sad as it must be," she crooned, holding Corrin back at arms length. "It's been too long since we last saw each other!"

"It's only been a few days, Camilla," Corrin laughed, fixing her hair that her sister had messed up. She stepped further into the palace, her siblings following behind her, enthralled by the grandeur of the place.

"Yes, Camilla. You really need to stop doting on Corrin so much," Leo said, appearing at the top of the stairs. Devoid of his usual armour, he looked completely different, but still held himself the same way, standing upright as he descended the staircase.

"Oh, hush," Camilla dismissed, and Leo rolled his eyes, standing in line beside his sister. "Well, all of you are very welcome to Castle Krakenburg. Leo will show you to your rooms-'

"Hey, I never agreed to that-"

"And then we'll meet in the Grand Hall for dinner," Camilla pressed on, ignoring Leo's indignant cry. "You… you do eat normal food, right?"

"Hoshidan food is pretty similar to Nohrian food," Corrin assured, and Camilla sighed in relief.

"Wonderful. I hope you enjoy your time here," she said, glancing towards Leo with a nod. "Will you please escort our esteemed guests to their rooms?"

"Fine. If you'll follow me," he said turning sharply on his heel and making his way back up the stairs he just came down. Ryoma, Sakura, Takumi and Hinoka followed him, along with their retainers, but Corrin stayed put, anchored by Camilla's hand on her shoulder.

"I'll show you to your room, dear," she smiled, leading Corrin up the staircase. She took a sharp left turn at the top, guiding the younger princess along a brightly lit corridor. The stopped outside a bedroom covered with stickers on the door, brightly coloured and glittery.

"Is that-"

"Yes," Camilla said, turning her head away. "Elise was told to peel the stickers off when she was about six, but never did, and for some reason, she never was criticised again."

"That sounds like Elise to me," Corrin managed, a sad smile forcing its way onto her face. She traced a sticker of a purple butterfly with her finger, before letting her hand drop limply to her side.

"Yes… well. Your room is this one here," Camilla explained, motioning to a wooden door across the corridor. "Mine is further down the corridor, and Leo's is at the bottom. Closest to the library, of course," she chuckled, lifting a key out of her hand and pressing it into Corrin's hand. "Go on. Open it."

Corrin turned the key over in her hand a few times, apprehension taking over. Slowly, she moved towards the door, fingers closing over the handle. She put the key in its hole and turned it to the right, and the door swung open with little effort. Walking inside, with a prompting from Camilla, Corrin was stunned to see the pristine condition of the room. A four-poster bed lay in the middle of it, purple sheets and blankets spread neatly over the mattress. Corrin moved towards the bed, hand resting on the post.

"This was going to be your room when you moved here from the Northern Fortress," Camilla said, a hint of a smile in her voice. "But then of course, you chose Hoshido, so it's been locked ever since. It is your room, though, so if you're ever in Nohr, please feel free to stay here."

"Camilla," Corrin said, turning back to her sister. "Thank you. Even after all I've done, I'm amazed that you still want me in your family. I've practically ruined Nohr, so I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to see me again. But then you go and pull stuff like this, and…" She trailed off, unsure of where to go from there.

"Corrin, I would never hate you. Both Leo and I, we love you, as if you were born to our family. And I know Xander and Elise did too. And I know it's not your fault that all of this happened," Camilla excused, waving a hand vaguely in the air. "It was father, or whatever possessed him that caused the deaths of Elise and Xander, not you, dear. None of this is your fault."

Camilla took a step forward, enveloping the younger girl in her arms. Corrin could feel the telltale shake of sobs from Camilla, and she moved back, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She smiled shakily, tears welling up in her own eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she mumbled, and Camilla placed a hand on her head.

"Do not be sorry for doing what you believed was right. Perhaps if you'd chosen to side with us, some of your Hoshidan siblings would be dead. There was no right path. You did all you could."

"You seem to get it more than Takumi does. He was really reluctant to come here."

"I don't blame him," Camilla laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I too would be hesitant to attend the funeral of my sister's adopted brother who she killed. Oh, there's one other thing," she continued, barely giving Corrin time to take in her last statement. She moved towards the wardrobe, turning the small key that was already in the keyhole.

"What… is that?" Corrin asked, moving to stand beside the malig knight.

"The armour of a Nohr Noble. Similar in ways to the Hoshido Noble that you wear currently. Now, we're not asking you to do a class change, but we thought for the funeral, since it's a state affair, you could wear this. I know you've given up your position as a Nohrian princess at the present, but… well, technically you still are one. Your name is still down for the throne, apparently. So…."

"I'll do it. For tomorrow. And you'll have to explain to Ryoma and the others why. I don't want them thinking that I've abandoned them."

"Oh sweetheart, that won't be a problem at all."

Fittingly, the skies were completely clouded over the next morning, as Corrin made her way downstairs to eat. The Hoshidans were already sitting around the table, eating in silence. Leo sat at a different table, stirring porridge round his bowl with a spoon, head rested in one hand. Rather than sit with her true siblings, Corrin slid into a seat opposite Leo, who looked up from his breakfast. His face was almost grey, and his eyes were clearly red from tears.

"Good morning, Corrin. Are you hungry?"

"No," she mumbled, pulling uncomfortably at her cape. The uniform of a Nohr Noble was uncomfortable for someone who had got so used to the armour of Hoshido, and she couldn't sit properly without getting armour parts stabbing into her skin.

"I understand. Camilla wants us to be in the hall in half an hour, so we have some time. Your relatives are free to join us whenever they feel ready."

"I'll make sure to tell them," Corrin confirmed, glancing over towards them. Hinoka caught her eye, and nodded sombrely. No words had to be exchanged between them. They understood that today, Corrin would side with Nohr. Nohr was where she grew up, and Xander was the man that had looked after her as a young child. Elise was the baby sister she loved immediately, not Sakura. And although it felt like another betrayal, she felt that maybe Nohr was where she should've stayed.

But if she sided with Nohr, who knows, maybe Ryoma and Sakura might've died. Xander and Elise may have died regardless. She would never know. That was Corrin's fatal fault. Every decision she made she regretted in one way or another. She backtracked, and overanalysed, and caused herself a lot of grief. Everything turned into a 'what if?'. And sitting in the dining room of Castle Krakenburg, she couldn't help the tears from falling down her face.

"Hey," Leo said, interrupting her thought process. His face showed alarm, and only softened when she smiled.

"Sorry," Corrin excused. "A lot on my mind."

"I get it. You're wondering if siding with Nohr might have been the right thing to do, aren't you? But you know that in that case, some of your Hoshidan siblings may have been caught up in the war and lost their lives instead of Elise and Xander."

"How could you tell?"

"You're an open book, Corrin," he explained, pushing the bowl of unfinished porridge out of reach. "I've always been able to tell what you're thinking about."

"I guess maybe you know me better than you know myself," Corrin laughed.

"I think it was Xander that knew you that well, not me. Camilla would claim to, but…"

"I think you doubt yourself. And besides, Xander…. Xander's not here anymore. So although we can remember that he knew everything about me, we can't do anything about it. So… well, now, I think you know me better than I know myself. Camilla can't tell what I'm thinking just from my facial expressions."

"You may have a point. Though… never mind. Enough of this depressing talk. Let's go to the hall," Leo said, clambering out of his seat.

"We'll be early," Corrin pointed out.

"So? At least there we can grieve in peace."

Corrin clenched a fist, taking a deep breath before getting up. Leo left the dining room ahead of her, pausing in the doorway and looking back expectantly. Corrin made her way to her Hoshidan family, hovering behind Sakura, who looked round, a scared expression on her face. The black they had donned for the occasion was strange in contrast to what she was used to seeing them wear- whites were a lot more common in Hoshido than here in Nohr.

"Uh… Leo and I are going to the hall now, since Camilla wants us to be there early. You are free to come over whenever you're ready. I'll make sure to save you good seats." She offered a smile at the end of her sentence, and Ryoma nodded stiffly.

"We understand. Um…" he paused, fumbling for words. Ryoma was always a good speaker, but in situations like this, words escaped him, rendering one of his most powerful tools useless. "Good luck."

"Thank you," Corrin managed, her words coming out choked up. Her throat felt like it was about to close up, and she turned away and walked robotically out of the room, hoping that the tears streaming down her face were unnoticeable. Leo placed a hand on her forearm in support, and she shakily smiled at him before they walked away. Takumi shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and turned back to his breakfast, eyebrows furrowed.

"I don't like that guy."

"He's the same age as you. Why don't you at least try to get along?" Hinoka asked, waving a hand vaguely in the air.

"I don't see you being all buddy-buddy with Camilla!" He accused, and Hinoka sighed in response.

"I'm pretty sure we'd get on well, given the chance. I have every intention of trying to forge connections with her after the funeral."

"Well, I don't like Leo, or whatever his name is. It feels like he's trying to steal Corrin from us!"

"Enough of that!" Ryoma said, slamming his fist on the table. "We are esteemed guests of Nohr, and there will be no talk like that here. Corrin is old enough to make her own decisions."

"And siding with Nohr is one of them, despite the fact that she pledged her allegiance to Hoshido? Gods, Ryoma, she's wearing their armour! She couldn't be further away from Hoshido if she tried!"

"Let's go for a walk, Sakura. I feel like these two need to fight it out. Don't be using the scared weapons, you two!"

"Y-yeah, I think that's a g-good idea, sis!" The sisters rose from their seats, and with merely a glance behind them, they left the dining hall at considerable pace, wanting to put as much distance between themselves and the brothers.

"Listen, Takumi," Ryoma started, lowering his voice. "Do you… do you harbour feelings for Corrin?"

"What do you mean, 'feelings'?" Takumi asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Do you love her? As a partner, not as a sister?"

"N-no! That's disgusting, Ryoma, why would you even suggest-"

"I think you protest too much," Ryoma chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Remember that letter mother gave you?"

"When I was like, five? Yeah, I still have it."

"I suggest you read it when you get back to Hoshido. It'll explain a lot."

"What do you mean-"

"Let's go. We have to support Corrin today."

Thousands of tears were shed that day. The Nohrian army that served under Xander in the war made up the front few rows of seats, with Leo, Camilla and Corrin perched on the front bench. Corrin barely looked up from her knees for the duration of the service. Camilla's hands were clenched at her sides, nails digging into her palms. Leo held his head high in the air, eyes stinging from the tears he was forcing himself not to cry. They were the forefront of Nohr, but under all the pressure, they too cracked.

A man with blonde hair and a woman with silvery hair sat directly behind the royals. The man, who Corrin later discovered was called Arthur, wailed loudly for his fallen liege, while the woman, Effie, elbowed him in the ribs every time he opened his mouth. Her eyes too, were filled with tears, though she kept a stiff upper lip for the duration. Beside her was a man with grey hair, that Corrin recognised from her time at the Northern Fortress. During her last few months there, he and the woman beside him we brought by Xander to meet Corrin. He introduced them as his retainers, Laslow and Peri, and they immediately stuck in the princess's mind. They too were crying, Peri's black eye make up pouring down her cheeks to create spider like trails.

"Not only have we lost a ruler in King Garon," the hierarch began, "but we also lost a future king, and two princesses. Garon, Xander, Elise and Azura. The last was kidnapped by the Hoshidans as a child, and hadn't been seen since. But she was invaluable in stopping the war between our two countries. We are all sincerely indebted to her. Xander would've made an excellent king- his mind was always focused on the task at hand, and he knew how to command an army with ease. And sweet Elise, the light of Nohr. Loved by the many, and missed by all. Although we only have two bodies here to bury, we have many more memories of these royals.

"They live on, however, in the lives of the Nohrian citizens. Especially in their brother and son, Leo, and their daughters, Camilla and Corrin. Although Lady Corrin was taken from Hoshido as a child, she was accepted into the Nohrian family with merely a second thought. Nohr lives on within you."

The burial took on another layer of sadness for the people of Nohr. The grounds of the castle were surrounded by the people of Windmire, taking in the cortege that proceeded from the castle itself and into the grounds. Two graves had already been dug, and all four headstones laid. Corrin was surprised to see the one for Azura- there was already one back at Castle Shirasagi in Hoshido, but she supposed that Nohr was really Azura's home.

The coffins were lowered into the ground, slowly but surely. The hierarch said some more words, but they went straight over Corrin's head, who had practically tuned everything out by this point in the day. She was tired, and just wanted to go home. Camilla and Leo tossed black roses, a symbol of Nohr, on top of the coffins, and set more on Azura and Garon's graves. Effie and Arthur threw some in as well, as did Peri and Laslow.

"Corrin?" Camilla asked. "Do you want to throw some flowers?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

Camilla placed a hand on her younger sisters shoulder, her nails surprisingly digging into the traitorous princess's skin. She meant well, but the stresses of the funeral and her upset at her losses came out in her grip on Corrin's shoulder. Leo held the remaining roses out for her, but she did not move.

"Even after all I've done?" She asked, her words barely even coming out a whisper.

"They were as much your siblings as they were ours," Leo reminded.

"And darling, we all know you were Xander's favourite," Camilla crooned. It was true: Xander often doted over the kidnapped princess, bestowing pet names on her and taking her in under his wing. She was trained to be the best warrior she could, and he treated her like a true sibling.

"I killed him. And I was the cause of Elise's death as well. Are you sure you want a murderer throwing flowers into your family's graves?"

Leo lifted Corrin's hands in his own, prising her fingers open and putting the flowers in inside. He folded her fingers over again, and stepped out of her way.

"Go."

Corrin glanced back at her Hoshidan siblings, who nodded in recognition. She stepped forward slowly, her legs threatening to give out underneath her. She tossed one rose onto Elise's coffin, and another onto Xander's, pausing to wipe her tears. She hesitated at Garon's headstone, but laid the final rose in front, whispering her apologies to her siblings and father. She stepped back, and found Leo's arm around her shoulder and Camilla's fingers intertwined with her own.

.