Guest 16: Thank you greatly for the point! I truly now have a better idea of how I will portray Garon in the future. Like many of other changes I will and have made, it is very likely I will not keep him as the imposter and have him openly screaming "Death to Nohr."
Temporal King: I appreciate all the feedback you have given and look forward to anymore you can give in the future. Rest assured, this will follow the Revelations plot (though a bit loosely). It is my goal to cut out the plot devices and make Corrin his own character. Rather than go the same path as the game or most fics, I decided on an aspect of Corrin that I wished to flesh out more and make sense within the FE universe. As per your pairings recommendations, I can safely say Azura is off the list. Believe me, I just as much prefer new pairings than overused. I can't say just yet as his only interactions with a female have been Camilla and Felicia thus far, and I would like to see how well I write the others. Polygamy and harems aren't completely off the table either. To your next point, I'm already on that. I'll admit I did not do enough for Omozu's death, and that's mostly since I wish to get through these opening chapters. Again, I'm grateful for all your ideas.
"Queen Mikoto," I haggardly spoke, "I'm sorry. This is just too much for me. I'm a prince of Nohr for gods' sake!" While confidence brimmed my mind, I sounded almost delusional. This whole scenario was completely absurd. "I can't be your son."
Seemingly, she brushed off my words. A piercing stare was her answer. It was not of stubbornness, nor frustration. It was determination. "Kamui, you are. Those crimson eyes and wavy ivory hair, you are without a doubt him." In a burst of speed, she clasped down on my hands with her own. "I will stop at nothing to make amends."
Once I was in her grasp, my breathing hitched. The room around me began to spin. "Suppose I am this son of yours, what happened to me? Why was in Nohr of all places?" Even with my newly revealed birthright, none of the guards took kindly to my affront to their monarch. Eyes remained trained on my position.
Her hold weakened, "You are deserving of an explanation." Mikoto let out a mirthless chuckle as she stood herself back up. Her gaze turned toward Ryoma, to whom nodded. "Will you please follow me, dear Kamui?" As if on cue, the guardians eviscerated my bindings. The extent of her influence on the Hoshidans was an oddity. Neither fear nor order, these men understood her and did not doubt her.
"What of Felicia?" I turned my gaze to the maid warily to see her still tied and immobile.
"She will be accommodated as a guest. The rough treatment was a… formality." Ryoma answered quickly, "Rest assured, she is safe here. Speaking on behalf of our Queen, she wishes to be alone with you."
"Great," my face visibly softened and posture relaxed instantly, "I owe you my gratitude." My swift change in demeanor drew the attention of both royals. The queen, more so, openly beamed.
She took notice of quizzical glance before I realized I was making such a face myself. "I apologize; it is simply uplifting to see you maintained that part of you even with your captivity in Nohr. I meant no disrespect at all, Kamui."
"Can you please stop calling me Kamui?" It was as if the request cut like a dagger into the good vibes that were almost had. I winced at my social faux pas, but my intent held true. It was bothering to say the least. "My name is Corrin now."
"Your name is Kamui…" the respected Queen feebly corrected, "It's the name we chose…"
"I might have gone by Kamui. However, Corrin feels right to me. I have so many memories of my siblings and cherished ones calling me as such. It's impossible to just switch on a mere whim." I was baffled at just how much of an effect my words had on the woman. It was clear on Ryoma's face in particular what the implications of it all meant. His expression looked pained, as if the sight of dejection engraved into the queen's face was an abnormality.
"I understand, dear Kam-… Corrin. I'll call you as such if it makes you happiest." I felt myself shrink at the damage I wrought. My head lowered in shame.
While I had yet to let go of my reservations, the guilt of my demands was evident now. "Mother," the word felt bittersweet on my tongue, "I would like to hear what you have to say." She was quick to register my invitation and affirmed it with no hesitation.
With a wave of her hand, the guards immediately opened the exit. The confidence the woman possessed returned in full force. "Come," she extended her hand to me, "my sweet child, there is much to be said." I turned beet red to her nickname. Had anyone else realized the ridiculousness in her endearment? In a quick scan, I registered Felicia's awe and Ryoma's curiosity. Clearly not.
"It can't be helped." I murmured under my breath as I accepted her hand. Soon as I took hold and began to saunter, my expression turned into a gawk due to the empty room transitioned back to immaculate hall then to an overlook. From this vantage point, the entirety of the castle's grounds was in view, as well as the capital's expanses in the distance. Trees of emerald and pink mixed with the blues of the clear sky around us, it was an arduous task to look away. Whether it be the endless rivers or insurmountable mountains around us, it was beyond all my expectations, "Oh gods."
"Kamui— Corrin, we can stop if you so choose." Mikoto injected, to which broke me from the trance.
"It is not necessary. I already said we would talk this over, no point in delaying matters. Besides, I don't see you sending me back to Nohr anytime soon." My accusation gave her a sour expression. To be frank, it already burdened me to be so apart from my siblings, especially when it was under such unreasonable circumstances.
Mikoto merely hummed, "If you feel so, then we can continue moving." It was not a minute later till she came to a halt. "There is only one place in this entire castle that has not been touched by time. It is…" she paused to push open the door, "here." It was not extravagant. It was not unique. The air was musty and powder clouded my vision. Yet, there was something distinct to it for the queen to bring me here, "Your old room."
It was a mess. Scrolls and trinkets littered the ground, all of which collected their weight in dust. "Huh," I squeaked as I took hold of a drawing, "this, it looks familiar." It was a crude piece to put it lightly. Ink splotches made up the bulk of the composition. However, there were three separate figures to be recognized.
"Your father, you, and I. You were so proud of it. You went around showing it to everyone, even if both Hinoka and Takumi were not that impressed." Genuinely, she began to giggle to herself.
"Takumi? Hinoka?" I said sounding confused by the names.
To make my bewilderment worse, Mikoto's reaction only seemed to become more jovial. "Since you have yet to remember, they are your other siblings. Alongside Ryoma, you also have a younger sister named Sakura. Azura is also considered a family member too. It appears I almost forgot to tell you. I keep getting ahead of myself." Even with the grim reality of my amnesia, the woman still maintained a positive aura. It was a far cry from her composure earlier. It could very well have been this room. Ever since we came, she was more difficult to read.
"For a room you have yet to return to in years, you seem very at ease here." I bluntly stated.
"The reason why I lacked the heart to come here was because it only would only bring back bad memories. I want to be honest with you, Ka—Corrin. Since that fateful day, I had to maintain three faces." Her willingness took me off guard. It was nothing to be surprised about, but it all felt strange. Her doting and honesty it was nothing short of refreshing. Sure, Camilla was a great surrogate at times, but this was different. A peculiar bond was the best way of describing this feeling. "First, I had to be the strong queen of an orphaned nation. Second, I wanted to be a good mother to my other children. Third, I was… a shattered existence that wished to keep her sanity. To lose you when I needed you most, it was a challenge. In the end, I made this room a coping mechanism. Outside of these walls, I would be undaunted. It is through my will after all that Hoshido remains protected. To protect ourselves from Nohr, a seasoned leader with a strong insight was a must."
"M-mother," I let out, simply taken aback by her confession. Her adamancy of her weakness was completely unheard of from what Nohrians believed. To Gunter and Xander, there was a leverage to be had when one discloses secrets pertaining to one's weaknesses. For them, admittance is the best sign of trust. I cannot say if it is all true, but I want to believe it. For now, I will recognize she is not insincere, "I didn't know."
Visibly, her expression changed when I called her that. "I understand. It was never your fault. In the end, we are just pawns to fate." Her voice was mellow, not sullen as it had moments prior. Against the dull grey walls, she practically radiated. "Now, I should tell you the truth of your past."
"If you feel so," I sheepishly responded. After the admission, it became a question of whether or not she could be able to say the rest. What was once in my mind a ruse, it looked to be she was burdened by the reality.
"You must know," her answer was resolute. "You… were born the second prince of Hoshido, sired by the late King Sumeragi. In truth, you are my only blood-related child as the other princes and princess were children of the King's first wife, Ikona. After her death, I married the king and moved into Shirasagi. For the next few years, we were a blissful family… that was until Garon extended an invitation to parlay. Peace between Nohr and Hoshido, it sounded so nice. As per the King Garon's suggestion, we would arrange a marriage between two of our children. For that reason, you were brought along. Instead of the laurels of peace, your father was met with an ambush." I could see her visibly shake, one of her hand clutched her own arm.
"You don't have to continue—" I was immediately cut off.
"My husband was killed that day," her gaze fell on me, "and what of my child? For some time, we knew not whether you shared the same fate or were kept a hostage. Through the lives lost of many brave ninja, we learned that you lived. In an attempt to get you back, we resorted to less than honorable tactics. Princess Azura of Nohr was retrieved to act as bargaining chip. When Garon did not reply to our suggestion of a hostage exchange, there was no progress to be made. We did make a number of more attempts. All failures. Not long ago, a certain ninja, to whom was captured in another attempt, returned back to Hoshido bearing promising news. A sheltered prince of ivory hair and ruby eyes, it had to be you. So, I ordered to ramp up security along our borders to look for someone of your appearance. With the exception of Kaze and Ryoma, I kept everyone in the dark. I do not think I could have continued ruling if my suspicion was wrong. Once Ryoma told me he too was convinced, I entered the room." With her tale finished, her body visibly relaxed. "As for your amnesia, it could either be dark magic or trauma. We can only pray that your memories return. That is why I brought you here."
I could not help but gape at it all. Sure, I asked for the whole story, but this was just bizarre. "That is all true?" I said, even though already I knew her answer.
Mikoto took hold of the scrolls. From what I could see, childish scribbles made up the majority of what was written. "Yes. Haven't you ever felt estranged to your Nohrian siblings, like you did not belong?"
"… I have, but I still feel abnormal wherever I go."
The woman pushed me into an embrace. "Sweet child, I know your struggle. Ever since you have been little, you've always been looked on as strange. Your odd features, they always caused you great worry." Her hand brushed off of my pointed-ears, "Even though you were born prematurely and with that unique white hair of yours, we had each other. Due to your father's and mine bloodlines, the First Dragons' blood is very potent in you." She brushed aside my hair to reveal my pointed ear. "You were not born deformed. You were just born to live a life unlike any other."
Her words, they were what I waited so long to hear. All these years, nobody knew what to say. Xander said it mattered little. Camilla said that I was still dear to her regardless of how different we look. I found myself finally returning her hug. Tears streamed from my eyes. "Mama..." At that time, I did not care how I sounded. Rather than dwell on my actions, my choice was to relish this moment.
"My sweet child," She gladly accepted my show of affection.
Once my senses returned, embarrassment caused my cheeks to flush red. "I guess… I will believe you for now. I might be Kamui. However, I will not forget about my life in Nohr." It was a compromise I was willing to make.
"Very well," she glimmered, "I can live with that. Maybe in time, you will reclaim your birthright. But for now, you should eat. If you would like, your retainer can join us, though I'm unsure how Takumi and Sakura will react. Speaking of, you should get to know all your siblings."
"I would like Felicia with me, please." With my answer, she motioned me to follow once more. After some time, we eventually reached the dining hall. It was undeniably huge, a long table stood in the middle of it all. To one side, an overlook to the cascading rivers. To the other, wait staff lined up against the wall. One of which ushered me to my seat. Rather than sit at the head like the other servant assumed, Mikoto took the place beside me. Her hands rested themselves on the wood, twiddling her thumbs.
Ryoma was the first to arrive. "Terribly sorry for the wait, I was looking into a report on possible faceless sightings."
"Faceless?" My head tilted to the odd name.
"Since you have been in Nohr all your life, I suppose it would make sense this sounds new to you. I'm sure in time you will encounter one eventually. The creatures are a botched dark magic experiment by the Nohrians. A means of creating an expendable army, but ultimately the abominations turned on their makers." The crown prince was quick to exposit. His scarlet armor clanked as he took his seat across from myself. The horror of such a story rung in my mind. Was this true? It's just so inhuman.
"I see… Nohr really would do something like that?" It was within reason to me. Garon's orders and threats came to mind quick. However, it was more so a question of why Xander or the rest never made mention of such an atrocity. Speaking of, I too thought of what else he might have held back on me.
Before I delved deeper into my mind, I was snapped from my thoughts by Ryoma's answer. "Indeed, it is hard to take in, but these things have slaughtered many of unfortunate countrymen, civilians included. I would be willing to show you the devastation, but you should enjoy yourself for your homecoming."
"I'd like to see it eventually. I want to believe you. You sound sincere, but it just all feels surreal to me. I can't make heads or tails of what is real or not." My confession caused the woman beside me to dishearten, a faint smile still persisted on her face nevertheless.
"I'm glad to hear it. By the way, do you know how to use chopsticks? I take it they aren't used where you were." It was an unusual question, especially from someone constantly decked in military garb.
"Chopsticks?"
Ryoma stifled a laugh at his accurate assumption. "Look," he took hold of two porcelain sticks, "these are chopsticks." One rested in the nook beside the thumb. The other was held between middle and pointer fingers. The thumb pushed up the second all the while. "You understand?" He motioned for me to take hold of the set nearest myself.
It was not as easy as the man made it out to look. At first, I gripped down on both using my full hand, to which caused the crown prince to snicker at. After a second and third attempt, I found myself pouting. "I give up!"
"Come now, it really is not that difficult. Would you like another demonstration?" I stubbornly ignored the offer.
"You two," both our heads turned to mother, "it is just like how you were long ago." She was unable to hold back her laughter. "It took you some time to get used to life in the palace. Ryoma was always the one who had to teach you. There was one occasion though, where he tried to demonstrate to you how pegasi—" before Mikoto could finish her sentence, the prince was quick to interrupt.
"Now, mother, we need not bring up such stories. I'm sure the tea will get cold if we keep talking." For some reason, he sounded rather flustered. I could not help but marvel at the kind of person he was. In comparison to Xander, Ryoma's thought process went all over the place. He had an eye for the eccentricities. Not to disparage him, but Xander did not have a way with his words. I gazed over at the two family members. It was still jarring to think of them as such, but it was pleasant to do so.
Then it was Felicia's turn to appear. I stood up to meet her gaze. "Lord Corrin!" I was not able to get out a single word as the maid was quick to encapsulate me into a hug. "I'm so relieved to see you in good spirits."
"As am I to see you in good health. I was quite worried over you." I was quick to respond, my eyes scanned her over. Aside from some dirt that collected earlier, there were no signs of abuse. Her azure eyes showed only focus, her attention lingered on me.
"You truly feel so?" She oddly asked. I could not identify her expression, aside from a wiry smile. Her head seemed to tilt down as if she did not want to meet my gaze.
My softened expression shifted once I recounted the past events. "Of course, I'm guessing you already understand the predicament from what was said in that room."
"Yes, though I'm not sure what to make of it. Is it true that you are her child?" I gave a blank stare, unsure how to respond to the question for a moment. To me, Felicia was a piece of the world I knew. To confirm the fact to her, I did not know the full repercussions. Would she look at me different?
Trusting in our bonds, my gaze reverted back to how it was prior to her inquiry. "I believe so, Felicia. It's hard for me to comprehend, but I feel… like it could be the truth. If given the chance, I do wish to confirm it with Xander."
"To think you were a prince of Hoshido, I'm sure this is difficult for you." She spoke warmly, no doubt she recognized my hesitance. "Regardless, I'm still your maid and retainer. I devoted my life to you, and…" Her head leaned closer to my ear. In a whisper, she continued her sentence. "You can always confide in me anything that is bothering you."
"You're too good to me," I snickered out, my attention drew back to the other company. I fixated on their conversation to notice it was mostly Mikoto teasing Ryoma relentlessly. The sight was reminiscent of Camilla and Leo. While accomplished in his own right, our big sister always took to babying us.
A new figure emerged from the doorway next. Not to my surprise, he was taller than myself. I was quick to notice his long silvery-brown hair and striking blue garb. Hoshido style was a very unalike from Nohr's that much was certain. As his foot planted on the wooden floor of the dining hall, a creaking sound was heard and a servant was quick to relieve the man of his belongings. His hazel eyes focused in on myself then to Felicia, a scowl seemingly followed. "Mother," his voice remained calm, "who are they?"
"Now, Takumi," Ryoma was quick to stand, "there is no reason to feel wary. They are our guests." Once the name was dropped, it dawned on me that the Queen made reference to three other siblings and the adopted Nohrian princess. I curiously looked to Ryoma, not knowing what caused for him to provide the exposition so suddenly.
Mikoto too was quick to speak, "Takumi," her attention first was toward myself, "this is your brother, Kamui. After so long, he has finally returned to us. And," her focus began to turn to the maid, however she did not the opportunity to continue.
"Returned. I have already heard it was far from that peaceful. He is a prisoner of war. Not even, he is a murderer." The reminder hit straight into the gut. Not that he was wrong, rather it brought back memories of the moment particular. A queasy feeling circulated in my head. The world around me seemed to shake, dizziness befuddled my vision. It was so easy to forget until now. That man, I still ended his life. So easily he was felled. Remorse registered immediately on my face. A fact to which Takumi took notice of in his disproving glower. "Do you not see?" Rather than take a seat at the table beside us, he remained standing.
The older brother's gaze switched between the occupants of the table. "It's not that simple—"
"Still, Hoshidans was killed, and in response we treat this outsider as royalty. For all we know, he could be a spy."
"Takumi, please understand," Mikoto almost sounded defensive, "he did not have a choice in the matter." Her advocacy fell on deaf ears as the boy's expression did not change.
"For all you know, he could be an imposter. You wish to fill the void that Kamui left, then find some lookalike. Why would Nohr after so long send the very person that you desperately tried for? It's a trick. The Nohrians are playing on your weakness. Any strategist would have recognized the lengths you have taken already then planted a sleeper agent to assassinate us in our sleep."
His accusation stung. However, there was nothing I could say. While I would disagree with almost every point he made, I too still had some qualms over my parenthood. "I would never do something like that…" I muttered, unable to match fury.
"Mother, can you truly trust yourself? You can't stake yours and our safety on this obvious ploy?!" He furiously lashed out as he ignored my words.
"You have shown enough disrespect—" Ryoma tried once more. Though much like his previous attempts, the fellow prince did not yield.
"You should know better too, big brother. You too have your own doubts as well, don't you?" his elder was left flabbergasted. I could tell by the crown prince's subsequent silence that there was no repudiation. "Mother, this is foolish, please listen to me!"
The queen merely remained sullen, unable to speak. "Takumi, I'm just as confused as you are on whether or not I'm truly your older brother. I've heard so much these past few hours that it all just feels surreal, but I can assure you that I do not carry such intentions. For all my life, I was raised as a prince of Nohr. Why would some sleeper agent be treated as such for that long?"
"Be quiet, you are just trying to make me lower my guard. Your trickery will not cause me to be daft and lose my life like my father. To my knowledge, Kamui died that day to those barbarians and the Nohrians left his fate ambiguous to make us delusion."
"Takumi." Mikoto's appearance was visibly peeved. "I will not tolerate such behavior. I would never put my children and country in danger under wishful thinking. To be accused of that, it hurts considerably. There is much to suspect of Kamui, so many conveniences that make it hard to believe. I already know full well of that. Ryoma," her eyes turned to him, "you too are cynical of my reasoning. You see the fact that he cannot remember his past and his naivety as a possible façade. If I were you or Takumi, I would be disbelieving too. Yet, I feel betrayed that you both think I'm incompetent enough not to notice. I know beyond a reasonable doubt that this is my son."
Her certainty caused for everyone to stiffen up. "It's still just hard to believe," the younger prince responded now in a more somber voice.
"The irrefutable proof is not something you can see. That is why I can excuse your behavior. Though, I do not wish to see you confuse your brother more so. He's in a fragile state. Kamui- Corrin, I do not say that to belittle you. I understand how overwhelmed you are currently. I implore you to step out and get some fresh air," her stern voice was quick to relax when addressing the prodigal son.
"I think I will take you up on that offer…" I answered, not knowing how to process all that was espoused. "Felicia, will you be fine without me here?"
"You should do what is best for you." It was obvious that she was acting tough.
"Are you sure?" I asked once more.
"Please, lord Corrin, I would not feel comfortable if you are not."
"Very well," I gave a nod. With my back turned to the company, I paced myself toward the balcony." My elbows rested on the banister. I found peace in staring at the individuals in the sky. The formation of Pegasus Knights had a level of elegance that even Camilla could not match. Granted, I rarely ever saw wyverns fly overhead. Before long, I was simply mesmerized by the never-ending blue skies matched with the greenery on the ground. Even outside of the dining hall and kitchen, the aroma of their delicacies carried over. Genuine peace came as my gaze rested on a single flier, and in turn forgot the debacle caused by the younger prince's outrage.
"Enthralling, isn't it?" It was a feminine voice, yet it was neither Felicia or Mikoto. There was no clue of who she was in my mind. "I sometimes lose myself to the spectacle that I forget what I am doing." The unknown speaker took a stand beside me.
Once broken from the trance, I turned to view the other. Again, she was taller than me, to which caused for me to unwittingly pout. Aside from that detail, her short, scarlet hair stood out right away. In her distracted hazel eyes, I saw a passion toward the object of her attention. Her gaze too centered on the pegasi in the distant. "Indeed, this is my first time getting a better look at them."
"No kidding?" She chuckled to my statement, "I take it you haven't been to the castle or, for that matter, the capital before."
I paused to contemplate my answer. "No, yet it's been a long time so it seems."
"That makes sense at least. Strangers rarely ever are allowed into the palace, aside from those foreign dignitary types." She spoke completely casually, no tension or awkwardness. "You didn't look to be a diplomat," her finger seemingly rested on her chin. Her head turned once more to take another glance, "If anything, you don't look like much of anything." To such a sentiment, I could only tilt my head and give a perplexed look.
"Huh?" I said, my eyes now meeting hers.
"Don't take offense!" She was quick to iterate. "I can tell by your actions. I don't often see people just take the time to enjoy the views. Most people are just so fixated on matters that they don't take the time to notice their surroundings." A frown seemingly manifested itself on her face. "Granted, I'm one to talk." Her attention was now on me again. Our eyes met briefly again, but in that time her expression shifted. Rather than allow her gaze to linger on me, she was quick to return back to the sight of the fliers.
"You often don't take the time to take in the nature?" I tried to guess.
Her head shook solemnly, "Not exactly, I just get too involved in training to know time has passed. It's not uncommon for me to miss a meal or forget a date when I am in the midst of the skies or practicing with my naginata."
"I see. Have you not ever considered disciplining yourself on practices outside of fighting?" I suggested, an attempt to remedy the issue.
She paused briefly, "It is never that simple sadly. I always find myself defaulting to my old ways. Where many groan over the daily regiment, it is what brings me tranquility. My insecurities and fears disappear when I know what I am doing is for my benefit. Why I'm sharing this is beyond me, but you do remind of someone. And besides, I have no reason to doubt you. For someone to have gotten this far into the castle, it must mean you are trusted."
"I'm happy that you confided in me, even if you barely know me. Ever since I arrived here, I have felt nothing but awkwardness. This conversation felt genuine to me."
She practically melted to my sentiments, a bright smile loomed on her face. "I'm relieved to hear that. With how much I train, I thought I would have become some social recluse by now. Outside of my retainers, my communications are far from numerous."
Due to the willingness she showed in expressing herself, I felt it right to give my own take. "It is so tempting to continue to train. Sometimes, I forget why I continue to work myself each and every day," I confessed. For the longest time, it was about freeing myself from that fort. Currently, I am free and do not wish to cause needless bloodshed. If anything, the experience taught me that I abhor killing. That ninja, he is now my burden to bear.
"I can agree with you on that first part, but I still know why I try so hard. Ever since I was little, I felt helpless, unable to save those I loved. It took a great tragedy for me to realize the error in my behavior." Once more, she shared her thoughts to me.
I could not help but admire her intentions. "I take it you are a captain." The image of the altruistic commander materialized in my mind, her bravery knowing no bounds, "You undoubtedly have the martial air emanating from you." I guessed, my eyes now registered the uniform as a variant of one of the pilots in the distance.
A burst of laughter derailed the conversation briefly. "Not quite, I'm a princess after all. Man, you must be living under a rock if you didn't notice."
"I wouldn't call it a rock, but close to it…"
It took a couple minutes for her to retain a straight face. "My mistake, I tend to forgot my manners. Considering what I said earlier, it is no question I have lost my etiquette over the years. Had it not been a pressing call from my mother, I could have easily missed this meal as well."
It took a brief moment for me to remember back to the names my mother listed. "I take it you are Princess Hinoka then."
"Correct, you haven't introduced yourself yet either, or what you do for that matter. Speaking of, those are some peculiar clothes you wear." She made note of my Nohrian armor, the intricate design unique even in my home country. Despite the foreign garments, she did not seem to grow suspicious of me as the others had.
"I'm Corrin," I chirped whilst forgetting my more accurate introduction. "For the time being, I will be staying here in Shirasagi. It was not long ago I reunited with my mother and it was agreed that I would stay with her for the time being." Considering the stark contrast from Takumi's hostility and Ryoma's out-of-earth persona, I felt more at ease to divulge my circumstance.
"I see," she looked to be a bit confused, "who is your mother by chance?" Much like the others, she too carried a level of wariness, but at the same time it was different. While the full extent of my background was not completely said, she looked at me for my character rather than dwell on the ambiguous details.
Not sure if I wanted to be completely open, I remained silent for the time being. "… my mother… she..." it was more difficult to speak it than I thought.
"No need to strain yourself," Hinoka cut in, she looked perplexed by my stuttering. "You can trust me. I will swear on my honor as a princess."
It would be best to be honest about this, I thought to myself. "It's not that… I just have enjoyed this brief exchange that I would not want to ruin it." If Takumi's entrance was any indicator, my identity could easily cause a rift. Yet, the fact will be divulged at some point. However, could I be fine with feeling the backlash directly? If Mikoto were not there to speak on my behalf, I would not have been able to say anything edgewise toward the younger prince.
"Corrin, you don't need to hold back on me. Regardless of why you are here, I will still enjoy your company and I extend the offer for you to come visit."
"How are you so certain?" I did not try to sound accusatory, instead sheer curiosity guided my words.
She smirked happily to my question, "You wear your emotions on your sleeve. For royalty and soldiers, one must always be forced to keep a mask. Barring my retainers, I do not think many have spoken to me in such a leisurely way, or have continued to maintain this level of innocence. When I see your expression, it brings back a sense of nostalgia. I think of… him. The person to whom caused me to go on this warrior path."
"I'm sure he must have been special to you."
"You're correct," her smile never wavered, "he was someone I did not appreciate enough. From what little I still remember of him, you resemble him greatly." It was then that it clicked.
"What if that was not the case?" My courage finally reached me.
"I'm sorry?"
I looked past her confusion to continue my thought, "What if it was more than just a resemblance? I have been fumbling over my words till now… but my mother… she's Queen Mikoto." Even if it was not easy to say, I could swear a great burden was lifted.
"Kamui…?" She said in only a whisper.
Baffled by her quiet murmur, I could not help but gawk. Prior to my confession, she was confident, "Yes?"
Next thing I knew, Hinoka wrapped herself around me. My head was practically pushed into her shoulder, "Kamui… it really is you, isn't it? I… had thought you looked… just like him. You even sounded just like him. I thought it was too good to be true," she said each words between sobs. The drastic change in her tone astounded me. Her hold caused for my eyes to widen. As she was able to gain some composure, she stared into my eyes directly. In her pupils, I saw my own. Much like how I am when left in a daze, my eyes looked to be practically slits. "I'm sorry… about that. I let my emotions get the better of me."
"It is completely reasonable. I should have specified sooner. Considering you are my older sister, it was insensitive of me to withhold my identity." Considering how candid she was with her emotions, I felt remorse over my omission.
Her head rose after a few moments, "Why call yourself Corrin?" Her tone was not harsh or anxious over its foreignness. Where the whites of her eyes once looked clear, they now were clouded in pink tint and completely misty. Her hands took hold of my armor, "I know I must look foolish. However, I can barely believe it is you. How are you here?"
I paused, not sure how to answer her questions. "To start," I fumbled over my words, "I arrived in Hoshido earlier today," my mouth creased into a frown, "as a combatant from Nohr."
Hinoka looked positively baffled by this revelation, "Is this true?"
"Yes," I answered honestly out of my sudden confidence in her character, "I was raised a prince from there and was told to claim a border lookout by my father—King Garon. During the battle, I… ended the life of a soldier. It was only when reinforcements overwhelmed us that I was brought here. And… I'm sorry to say this, but I have no recollection of ever living in Hoshido." The princess looked dismayed, but at the same time there was some sort of relief.
"Kamui, it is not your fault."
I blinked, unsure what she truly meant in saying that. "Excuse me?"
"You don't need to beat yourself over matters out of your control. You must enjoy what you can in life and not allow uncertainties weigh you down."