"For Nohr!" Ryoma dodges another strike from his blood-sister's blade, she called it the 'Shadow Yato', a perverse form of the holy blade she found after her dragon transformation… an event that happened less than a year ago. The only question that ran through his mind is… why? Why did she leave her blood-related family? What did the Nohrians do to her? Another strike landed true and he staggered… Why couldn't he find the will to fight back with all of his might? It is no boast or cockiness if he said he is leagues above Corrin, as Crown Prince Xander is the only person he knows of that could match his own prowess.

No, he knew the answer to that question, even after all she has done, he still wants Corrin back, to be family once more, so his mind and body refuses to land anything that will permanently scar or disable her in any form or fashion… despite her not showing the same reserves. He finally falters and gasps in pain as he falls to his knees, he was so focused on trying to get he back that he lost the duel. A minute passes, than another, finally he looks back up and see tears glistening in her eyes, "What are you waiting for!" He yells, "You won! Why do you hold back now?!"

Her stance falters, "I…"

"CORRIN!" King Garon's voice booms, "If you don't kill him, you will be branded a traitor and I will have your head myself."

Still she remains frozen, a look of sorrow on her face, no, he knows what must be done. "By my honor, I will not let you take me." He wearily grabs his Divine Sword once more, "Death before dishonor." Were the last three words he spoke before he plunged Raijinto into himself…

"GODS!" He wakes up less than a minute later, breathing heavily. "Wh-what…"

"Lord Ryoma!" Both Saizo and Kagero are next to his bed, shurikens at the ready. "Where is the threat?" Saizo asks.

"It… was a nightmare." He shakes his head, 'And by the gods, one of the longest and most detailed nightmares I ever had.' "Return to your posts."

The two Ninjas share a glance, "Of course, Lord Ryoma." And they leave the room just as quickly and quietly.

The High Prince rubs his face with his hands, willing the atrocious images away. 'We still need to get her back, gods only know what those damn Nohrians are doing to her…' He gets up and heads to the washroom and gets a handful of cold water, then splashes it on his face. "We will be a… ow!" He felt some residual water sting him, looking down he saw, "No…" He had a thin scar on his stomach, with the tell-tale burn mark of his Raijinto surrounding it. "It… wasn't a dream?" He traced the scar with his hand, it still burns. 'But…' Steeling himself, he grabs his armor and sword, "I'm going to train." He announces to seemingly no-one, but he knows his retainers are there.

Daylight hasn't even shown itself when he arrives in the training yard, he places a hand on the hilt of his sword, focuses his eyes on a wooden dummy halfway across the area from him, then he closes his eyes, takes a breath, and finally unsheathes the blade so quickly, that only the most experienced fighters would have seen it happen. The effect is immediate as a thin, curved wave of electricity is shot out, slicing the dummy diagonally.

"There isn't anyone else here, and you still feel the need to show off." Takumi's voice echoed.

He startles, 'If he's alive, then… is this the afterlife? Were we all killed?' He nods, "Good morning to you as well, little brother." 'But if I am dead, then why am I in pain still?'

He shrugs and draws his Divine Bow, a string magically forms along with an arrow, "Well, better triple your training."

He chuckles, "So I can stay ahead of you?"

He stops and turns, giving him a strange look, "A Nohrian invasion is no joking matter, you should know that."

'Gods, the only real explanation now is… I was sent back in time. Did the Dawn Dragon give me a second chance? To give Corrin more reason to stay with us?' He internally smiles, yes, that has to be it and by the gods he will take the opportunity, because there is one fact in his mind right now…

Corrin will stay with Hoshido.

Today is the day will truly prove if he has been reborn. While yes, Sakura, Hinoka, Takumi, and their mother, Queen Mikoto are all alive and well, there was still a lingering doubt in his mind that maybe he was in the afterlife.

So, if that isn't true, then Corrin will be here soon, unconscious, but alive in the hands of Rinkah. He rubs his hands together in an effort to keep the cold away. Assuming that he was brought back to life and given another chance, what would he do? Queen Mikoto's assassination forced him to work in her stead… before the war started and he had to head out.

Hinoka probably won't have any ideas, like him, she has spent nearly everyday just, she probably even harder than him. Takumi? He needs to make sure his little brother doesn't start vocally berating their sister. That just leaves Sakura, 'Gods, all of us are so intent on saving her that we don't exactly have anything… planned.' He sighs, 'or… maybe the others do have something planned?' Well, he won't know until he asks.

"Lord Ryoma? Got her." Rinkah walks in with an unconscious Corrin draped over her shoulder, seemingly unbothered by the added weight. The Flame Tribe woman gently places her down.

"Thank you, Rinkah." He gives her a genuine smile, but Rinkah remains silent. 'That's right, it took nearly the entire war to have passed before she opened up to anyone.' So, the two awkwardly sat there, with Ryoma tending to Corrin and Rinkah trying to look like she wants to be in such an enclosed space.

Ryoma opens his mouth to speak, but Saizo rushes in, "Lord Ryoma! Faceless have been spotted, Lady Sakura and Lady Hinoka's path back has been blocked."

"Gods… Saizo, Kagero, watch over Corrin. Rinkah, Kaze, with me." He orders.

"What if Lady Corrin wishes to join you?" Kagero asks.

"If she wishes to fight, then guide her to me. Let's move!"

Everything is still going as he remembers, Rinkah bringing Corrin back, Faceless assaulting his other two sisters, the peaceful trip back to Hoshido…

Mother's assassination. 'Gods, why didn't I think of stopping that?!' He was so caught up in making sure Corrin had her every want and need covered that the idea of protecting their own mother slipped his mind. Corrin had started that phase of being strangely distant as she recovers from the trauma of what had happened.

She is always seen clutching her Dragonstone like she will die if she doesn't, the way her eyes dart from spot to spot in every room. She hasn't even bothered to touch Yato after she placed it in her room, 'And it hurts even more to see this her doing this a second time.' Corrin starts to tremble if a room fills up, she'll jump if a sudden spike of sound happens near her…

And he didn't know what to do about it. He tried approaching her to offer comfort, while yes, she does accept it, she still remains tense and wary. 'She is afraid someone else will be assassinated… damn the Nohrians!' So, he keeps pushing, doing everything he can to make sure nothing scares her. In fact, he does it so much that the others take note.

One day, Hinoka places a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, let Sakura and me take over for a while, okay?" She smiles, "You need to get some sleep."

"Thank you, sister." He smiles and stretches out. He looks Corrin over once more, she's finally sleeping peacefully, the usual nightmares that have been plaguing her are thankfully absent. Thinking of that, Takumi has laid off on the accusations after a stern talk, though he still doesn't spend as much time as he could with her. With that, he returns to his room and readies himself for a much-needed nap.

"Big brother?" Corrin peaks her head into the dining hall and her eyes dart to every little corner and shadow.

Ryoma offers her a gentle smile and it soothes her slightly, "Come in, Corrin." She slowly nods and carefully enters the room, then takes a seat next to him. "How are you?"

"Better, thanks to you." She smiles, but there is still a tenseness around her. "You've done so much for me." Her grip on her Dragonstone seems to tighten, "I… I'm sorry."

His heart drops, "For?"

"I got mother killed…" Tears form in her eyes, "And don't say it wasn't my fault! That weird man wanted me dead and… and mother gave herself for me! Please, don't hate me."

Wait, is that what was bothering her? She was worried that everyone would despise her? All because she believed mother was killed because of her. "Corrin," He instantly regrets saying her name so suddenly, because she jumped in place, "You are family, I couldn't bring myself to feel that way. No, there isn't a thing in this world that you would do to cause me to feel hatred." The statement comes true, from his heart. 'Because sadly, I know it to be true, I couldn't fight with all my might even after all her Nohrian counterpart had done.'

A moment passes, before a huge smile graces her face, "Thank you! I was so worried that… I love you, big brother. I love you, Hinoka, Sakura, and Takumi and…" She dissolves into tears, but thankfully, they are of joy.

He brings her into a hug and for once, she eases into it, "I am so relieved you are back, sister."

"...Me too." She mumbles into his chest.

There, he managed to dispel any doubts she had about her family. 'Is that what drove her away last time? How did I fail to figure that out?'And if it is, then he can sleep peacefully knowing she'll side with Hoshido.