Hey there everyone! I know it's been a good, long while since I've updated this. XD
But that being said, I've managed to get my passion back for this little project of mine. So I just want to thank those of you who have reviewed and followed/favorited the story. Hopefully you enjoy the newest chapter!
After a smooth landing in the town square, Camilla had quickly hopped off Marzia to see that the villagers have already been gathered around them and the cavalry that had carried the other Nohrian subjects and royalty.
Camilla had gently scooped up Corrin within her arms, the dragoness still fast asleep despite being shifted within it.
"Ah, Sister! Over here!" Leo had called out in the distance as Camilla had seen the familiar face of her brother alongside Jakob and Elise. She quickly made her way over to her younger brother while smiling down at him.
"Ah, Leo. It's good to see that we all arrived at the same time. I'm assuming that Xander and Gunter are letting the townspeople know that we'll be lodging here tonight?" Camilla said as Leo had nodded in confirmation.
"Do we honestly have to though…? I swore that I've heard the worst things about inns...Especially with how they have bugs all over the place," Elise said with a slight pout as Leo had placed a hand up.
"She does have a point. These types of inns can typically be known for how….unsavory they are. I've heard rumors of how rarely the bed sheets are washed. I'm not eager to spend a good night's rest while sniffing Anankos knows what." Leo said while cringing as Camilla had rightfully shivered along with him.
"Don't remind me of that dear. But I'm sure that it's not as bad as the tales say. Why they must have standards befitting an establishment of our standards…" Camilla said in the vain hopes of what she said being true.
"Well, I wouldn't mind a critter or two. They're terribly dreadful, yes, but their arrival is nearly inevitable. In all honesty, it's a surprise that you don't see them more often in the main castle. The castle maids and butlers must be something close to omnipotent." Jakob had said with a small chuckle as he placed his hands behind his back before looking down to the sleeping Corrin within Camilla's arms.
"My heart goes out to the poor people who are delegated to that rule...I know the feeling of being called to deal with such insects…" Jakob said as Leo had cleared his throat.
"Well, now that we've arrived in the city, I'm going to go head down to the market. It should be nearing midday by now actually. After all, we're going to need a few resources for the remainder of the trip." Leo said as he brushed off a bit of dirt that had appeared on his armor.
"Why don't I come with you? The more the merrier, right?" Elise asked with a big smile as she looked up towards Leo, a small look of dismay coming onto his face.
"Must I…? I'm afraid you'll jump around from person to person, and we really shouldn't and can't afford the time for such a thing," Leo said with a sigh as Elise had pouted.
"Well jeez, way to be a meanie Leo. I can help sometimes too you know. Besides, I wonder if they have a shop where you can buy tomes! I want to try and learn how to use Fire next!" Elise said with a bright smile as Leo had looked to Camilla and Jakob, hoping that one of them would be able to speak up on the matter.
"Well….I suppose you make a good point, but I was hoping-" Came his response before Camilla had interrupted him by placing a hand on his shoulder.
" I think that's a lovely idea you two. And it gives Jakob and I the time to put poor Corrin to bed. As lovely as it sounds to hold her within my arms for the night, she needs a better bed than I."
The expression on Leo's face was something that could only be described as one of betrayal and annoyance. He restrained himself from saying something harsh by slapping his head to his forehead, causing an audible sound to be heard.
"Yes….a grand idea indeed…" Leo groaned as both Camilla and Elise had stifled a small chuckle before Elise had skipped forward.
"Well, I'm gonna go ahead and head down to the market. Try not to fall behind Leo!"
Elise then took off downwards, happily skipping down to the marketplace. The place was now bustling to life seemingly from the arrival of the royal siblings.
Or at least, there was plenty of people lurking about and whispering to the others.
Leo had only looked to Camilla with a look of betrayal and irritation as he narrowed his eyes.
"I swear! It feels like you force Elise and me on all manners of things. I thought I gave every signal in the book to tell you that I would prefer my alone time…." He said as Camilla had simply booped him on the nose.
"You'll thank me later Little Brother!~ Relationships like these are what you're going to miss when you grow older and farther apart from us." Camilla said as Leo had sighed in acceptance.
"Mother knows best, right…?" Leo droned out in a voice with all the liveliness of a dead cadaver.
This had earned him a brief hair patting as he quickly brushed off Camilla's hand, narrowing his eyes at the older sister.
Camilla herself couldn't help but let loose a small giggle as she placed a hand on her hip.
"Of course I do! Besides, it's a shopping trip. If you really need some peace and quiet, then you'll get it later on tonight. No doubt she'll be exhausted once you get home."
Camilla then handed him a list of all the supplies the group needed.
After some heavy reluctance, Leo finally relented and took hold of the list. He then placed it within a pocket on his armor and turned towards where Elise slipped off to.
"This 'family bonding' is only going to make me fall apart at the seams far before it mends our relationship."
"On that note milady, I suppose we should both be trying to find a suitable inn for Lady Corrin and the rest of you to stay in. I found an inn that's offering very low prices for all its applicants." Jakob mentioned as he looked upon the sleeping Corrin, who had now nestled her head up to Camilla's chest as if she were still a young child.
"That's a good idea. Xander and Gunter should be returning soon anyways."
Eventually, the two of them had made their way towards the small inn and walked inside of it. Much to Camilla's dismay, there had been a fine layer of dust around certain portions of the inn. It did look rather dilapidated, her standards. In response, the older Nohrian princess had displayed a look of disgust while making her way to the counter.
"Milady, I'm sure that the filth in the area is rather minuscule. It's at least fine enough to sleep in for a night before we begin our trek anew tomorrow."
The butler had replied with respect towards Camilla, though the slight undertones of disappointment were noted by the recipient.
"It might be for you, but I doubt the rest of us will be able to live in such conditions. But you're right...it is only for one night. I can at least handle that."
The man at the front counter had finally spoken up after briefly bowing his head to the floor, or rather, the first thing it hit; that being the front row desk.
"Forgive me milady! If you wanted to rest here for the night, then feel more than welcome to!" He said, the beads of sweat atop his head not going unnoticed by the two.
"Thank you...I suppose." Camilla had stated with a slightly bemused expression as they both made their way into the two rooms they requested.
The two had finally entered their respective rooms, only earning another look of annoyment and disgust from Camilla.
Just as Jakob had expected, the room had been fairly unkempt. Clean enough to the average person, however, the cobwebs in the corner were anything but comforting to Camilla. Not to mention that there seemed to be little space in said inn. The beds looked to be no bigger than a twin full which had been a far cry from the King size beds that they had been used to.
"This room is simply…something else. Oh, how sleep is going to be an absolute chore tonight." Camilla stated, trying to find a positive for her, only to look back towards Jakob and see his rigid smile.
"And what are you so cheerful about? Don't tell me that you enjoy this."
"On the contrary milady, it is quite worn down for an inn. But it was the most opportune one we can stay in within this area. And setting up camp has far worse conditions than if we had stayed here."
"The cold hard facts, I suppose. It is dreadful indeed, but you're not wrong." Came Camilla's reply as she gently laid Corrin back down onto the bed. She then wrapped the cover around her body, making sure that she was well tucked in.
The young dragoness had let out a few sounds that could only be interpreted as muttering most likely from some dream of hers. And due to the pleasant smile plastered on her face, it seemed to be a nice one at that.
"You know, Jakob?"
"Yes, milady? Did you have something to inquire about me?" He asked curiously as he directed his attention from the sleeping Corrin to Camilla.
"I believe I haven't had a chance to say this, but I'm rather glad and thankful for your service to my younger sister. You, along with Flora and Sir Gunter have raised her to be a beautiful young woman and have always remained both respectful of her and our wishes."
Jakob had been slightly caught off guard from the praise, especially seeing as it was from uncalled for to see any servant receive the praise of any kind from the royalty. Even one with such a task as his.
"I'm..flattered milady. Thank you for your kind words. To hear them from someone that my liege looks up to and cherishes affirms that my efforts are well placed. I will seek to better myself so that I may continue to-"
"However...there comes the matter of the longevity of your service."
Her words had cut through both his words and his smile like a serrated blade cut through the flesh of a hog.
The air that had surrounded the two of them already grew tense as Jakob was left flabbergasted by such a shift in tone.
"Beg pardon milady, but what do you mean by…" the longevity of my service"? He inquired, raising an eyebrow as Camilla had walked up slowly towards him.
"It's quite simple actually. I owe you a great deal to you and your associates for taking care of my little sister. That being said, however," Came to her response as the stared at one another eye to eye, "Your services are no longer needed after these next few missions. I'll be looking after Corrin myself, so she'll have no need for an extra butler or maid. I'm sure you understand, don't you?"
Jakob's shock had faded away into anger as he narrowed his eyes at Camilla before choosing his next words carefully.
"I'm sorry milady, but I received strict orders from King Garon to serve my liege. I will take your message with an earnest and accepting mind, but his power resides high above yours." Jakob stated as Camilla had only chuckled.
"Why, yes! I do happen to remember that point, Jakob. But seeing as I am your princess and you are but a simple servant, we would have no further use for you at the castle. Or rather, no need for you to lord about Corrin in such a manner."
Her voice had sounded exuberant and unnaturally gleeful, though it was that which had thinly veiled her growing frustration and threat. Her eyes had been closed along with a, most likely, fabricated smile.
"I'm...sorry milady. But I'm afraid I adhere to my lady's will first above all, and then your Father beyond that. You and your siblings receive no such pleasure unless those two demand me of it." He quipped back, a bit of bite to his voice as he smiled back to her with the very same fabricated smile.
Suffice to say, this had rightfully angered Camilla to the point where she had opened her eyes and let her smile drop, revealing a snarl that could scare a grown man into the corner.
And much to her detriment, the butler hadn't moved an inch as he stared her down.
"You'd best watch your tone, Jakob. Speaking that way to royalty can earn you disastrous consequences, some of which I am MORE than happy to deal out." Came Camilla's response as her eyes peered into Jakob's.
That had finally managed to curb Jakob's advance in his words, though his eyes had still shined in a mixture of defiance and anger.
"I…will do my best to remember those words though, Lady Camilla. Forgive me for my brash words earlier. I was merely stating the facts that I was told upon my training to work in this profession." Jakob apologized with a small bow, though it sounded anything but genuine to Camilla.
"To talk down to a noble like that is enough to fine or fire a man. To talk down to royalty can be seen as reason enough to hogtie that man and send him to the executioner. I hope you understand just how blessed you are to have been able to connect with my poor, sweet, Corrin." Camilla stated as she placed a hand upon Jakob's shoulder and gripped it with the force of a bodybuilder.
Her eyes then shifted to a form that he had never truly seen before, being that he never angered her to such an extent.
They seemed to be completely devoid of any life, lightless globes that peered directly into his soul. Their slightly red eyes seemed inhuman in all of its entirety as if their owner were just as empty as they were.
If ANYTHING about their encounter had created fear in Jakob, it had been that expression.
"So just because you had been chosen along with that savage princess to serve alongside Sir Gunter does not mean you are on our level. It would be best if you remembered your place, darling."
Her expression then swiftly changed back to the expression she held prior to their conversation. A fabricated happiness, complete with a small smile and closed eyes.
Or was it a simple smirk of satisfaction? Knowing that she had at least one the "battle" with that last comment?
"Leo! Check this out!" The youthful and bright voice of Elise had cheered as she made her way over to an attended stand. Her eyes had shined with a vigor and life that could only be matched by a newly born star.
All, of course, to the dismay of Leo; the elder sibling having a bit of difficulty on keeping a close watch on her.
"Sister, I would implore you to hold still for a few seconds. I can only jump around so much."
His tone etched with both annoyance and fatigue as he made his way over to the stand, only to see a small little charm resting on the booth.
"Could you buy it for me? Please, big brother?" She asked as she ogled the charm, only for Leo to slap a hand upon his head.
"You would want to buy that trinket out of everything you see…? Really…?" Asked Leo as he bent down to examine the small charm.
No signs of silver implants, gold manufacturing, or even the slightest hint that it contained a rare metal. It was just a common charm by any man's standards, albeit with strange carvings engraved into it.
All it had been inscribed with was a small message stating the words...
'LIGHT'
"Of course I do, dumb-dumb. Besides, I thought it would be really sweet if everyone in the family got one. That way we'd all have something to keep us connected with each other!" Said the young girl as she briefly looked up to the sky.
"I mean….I know that nearly everyone is going to be busy in a bit after all. Camilla and Xander are usually off somewhere else on "diplomatic issues", and you're cooped up in your room all day. And I'm sure that Corrin is gonna be given something to do too..." Elise said as Leo had let out a brief sigh.
"Well, I was going to originally state on how dumb of an idea that is-" He began as Elise's cheeks puffed up in response before she let out a brief retort.
"You're such a meanie-head Leo! Not everything I say is-"
"BUT-!" Came his next retort, albeit with a bit of a punch to his words to effectively shut Elise up.
"It's not such a terrible idea in hindsight. In fact," Leo began as he placed a hand to his chin as if he were considering the idea more within his head, "It's quite lovely when you think about it. And now would be a better time than normal to pick one up or everyone."
A small smile had come onto his face as Elise's own expression had lit up. Her cheeks had perked up to reveal a confident smile, placing her hands at her hips to release a cheering sound.
"See? What'd I tell you? My ideas are really great sometimes!"
"Of course they are...But I think it would be remiss to brush past the "sometimes" within that phrase." Then came a small chuckle from the prince, which had only earned him a shove to the right from Elise.
Of course, Leo had hardly budged as he was used to Elise pouting from his constant fits of teasing her.
"Why can't you be more like Xander and not make fun of me all the time?" Elise asked, placing a hand at her hips.
The Nohrian prince had huffed in response, his fists clenching in a fit of annoyance as he turned back towards Elise with disdain.
"I would think it's because he doesn't want to bother himself with correcting your behavior. You're nearly 13 now, Elise, and it shouldn't be my job to corral you in before you go hopping off to more misadventures." Came his reply with an exasperated sigh, placing his hand on his forehead.
"Well, maybe you guys just act too dark sometimes. I mean, I've heard of a lot of people worrying about teenage stuff like boys and girls, or even what you're going to wear. And I haven't even seen you ever be interested in anything but your tomes." Elise said as Leo had groaned.
"We're princes and princesses Elise. Childish things like that are best left in the novels I enjoy. I really don't have the time to spend on things like that."
"But look at you, Leo! You're like….really pale! If you got out-" Elise began before a childish voice had answered them.
"Hey! Are you gonna stand there and argue, or are you gonna buy somethin'?" The voice yelled out as Leo and Elise had directed their attention towards the originator of said voice.
The boy in question had been a simple farmer's boy, by the look of him. A few specks of mud or dirt plastered across his face; his blond hair slightly darker in color due to grime; and his expression showing one of impatience and a lack of respect.
To the people that had been standing behind the pair of Nohrian royals, they looked fearfully and incredulously at the boy. The air seemed to reek of tension of a sudden as the calming wind from before had started to pick up a tiny bit.
"Michael!" An older woman screamed as she emerged from a fair distance away, pulling the boy from the stand as she kneeled over to scold him.
"Mind your tongue around nobility. They can be…Well, remember what I told you about them…." She whispered within his ear before she made her way back to the stand.
"I apologize for that little outburst from my son. He can be a bit rowdy and not realize that he's talkin' to someone from your station." Came the woman's fearful reply as she quickly bowed her head to the two.
Elise had only looked up at Leo for a moment with a frown on her face, confusion evident upon her brow as she tugged on his shoulder.
"Um….Leo? Why is everyone so...scared all of a sudden?" Elise asked as Leo had simply sighed.
"Come on Elise, let's just go ahead and get the rest of our supplies." Leo had said as he gently scooped up Elise's hand and began dragging her away, much to the confusion and dismay of his younger sibling.
The two began to make their way down the street as they began to purchase the remaining amount of resources they needed, which ranged from feed for the horses, a bit more food for the journey, and a few long cloaks for their trek into Glondalas Mountains.
Elise had been notably silent during their shopping, bringing a small frown to Leo's face. After all, she should have been bouncing up and down with joy or pestering him with another question. And though it was a blessing that he had a moment to breathe, it still felt highly unnatural.
"Well, I'm surprised you aren't jumping for joy like earlier. Is something the matter?" He asked as Elise looked down for a moment.
"I guess….I'm just not too used to people acting so scared around us. It feels sort of odd to imagine that we'd be the ones to hurt them when we haven't done anything wrong." Came her whisper as Leo looked back towards the sky for a moment.
"It's their mentality. Or rather a human's need to identify people as threats before we even see them. If we know nothing about them, we come to our own conclusions about these people."
"So….sort of like us then? I mean, haven't there been a few times where Xander didn't think that a man that Father brought in was guilty?" Elise asked as Leo's face paled.
"Wait, you knew about those trials!?"
"Well, duh! You know, sometimes I read up on what you guys talk about when there's nothing else to do. It gets boring when you all are off doing your own thing and Effie is training."
She placed both of her hands at her hips and frowned at Leo, who had now recovered from his shock with a small grunt.
"Oh yes, I suppose you are able to contribute. Well if that's the case, why not brush up on war tactics and strategy then? It would certainly allow you to be allowed into the war meetings instead of being turned down. And it could stop your incessant whining about it too." Leo bit with a snarky tone as Elise had crossed her arms.
"And expect me to study up on 800-word books as thick as my fist? Can't I just come in anyways and learn as I go?" Elise asked with starry eyes, only for Leo to let out an exasperated sigh.
"You've got to be kidding me. You know for a fact that you won't get far in that meeting. If you studied up like Xander, Camilla, and I, then perhaps you could find yourself earning a bit more respect around here than just a head pat and smile."
With that retort, he gently flicked her on the forehead and made his back towards the inn.
"Alright, fine. I promise I'll try to look more at military strategies and junk." She reluctantly stated with the enthusiasm that could only be attributed to a sloth that was more sleepy than usual.
"And the power of logic and reason manages to triumph against your inaptitude for learning. I should consider a career in education if I'm able to have abstained from the royal line." Came his snide remark, earning him a swift punch to his arm.
"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up Big Brother." Elise muttered as she made her way back towards the inn, crossing her arms along the way.
An empty void, devoid of life, meaning, or reason. It seemed to stretch on for miles at a time, with no sign of it ever ending. There was no feeling of hot or cold here, nor was there any indication of wetness or wind.
It was simply a plain of nothing for which Corrin had stood in.
She had tried to call out to somebody or anybody to try and figure out where she was, but she was only surrounded by an eerie silence that sent a shiver up her spine.
The silence had been rather short-lived, however, as it was pierced by the sound of a barrage of sounds. Most sounded foreign and indistinguishable to her at a distance, but she simply continued towards the source of the sound.
As she ventured further, she could tell that she was slowly nearing the source, her heart beginning to pound a bit more.
Said sounds began to grow more into human speech and grunts, causing a look of confusion to come onto her face.
Eventually, she had neared a bright spherical object that had projected some sort of image. It radiated a strangely warm and familiar presence, almost lulling her into its embrace.
She slowly reached out to the image to see if she could touch it, her finger nearing the very edge of the sphere.
Before she could touch said thing, however, she had been interrupted by a bright flash of light that came from said spherical object. It engulfed her vision as it was peppered with black dots which had all but blinded her momentarily.
There had been a moment of silence in her temporary darkness as she wanted to let out a small groan in pain about being blinded.
However, the silence was cut through like a knife to butter when she heard the sound of what seemed to be a young boy.
"Oh come on! Can't I face someone else? She's 2 years older than me! This is NOT fair!"
And suddenly, her world had been illuminated once more. Though much to her surprise, it had been in a place that seemed wholesomely unfamiliar to her.
For one, the environment had seemed to resemble a training hall to her, but its color scheme seemed completely different than Nohr's.
Rather than the typical colors of purple, black, and gold, it seemed to be a bright jade green.
A pair of statues had stood tall in the corner of the room, both fashioned in the style of mythological beasts she had never seen in her life. They looked majestic and savage-like at the same time, almost resembling the wyverns that many Nohrians would ride.
Her thoughts had been interrupted by the sudden clash of weapons once more, causing the image to be redirected towards the fight once more.
"Come on! Aren't you going to put up a bit of a fight? Where's that fighting spirit?" A young girl had taunted. She had worn the makings of a Pegasus Knight outfit, with her short and brown hair styled in a tomboyish manner.
A smirk was on her face with a naginata in hand, which was pointed at another boy. He had his hair in a small ponytail, though it was certainly more wild than the girls.
"Oh come on Mahiru! You're like, 2 years older than me! This isn't fair!" He whined as the girl apparently named Mahiru had chuckled.
"Would you rather face your brother over there? Yeah, I don't think so." She said as she raised her naginata once more as she smirked at him.
"Unless you're scared that you can't beat me. Oh man, I know everyone will find that hilario-" She began to say before Takumi had run up to her, raising his wooden sword to meet her own naginata.
"Don't even think about it!" He yelled as his blade had collided with her naginata once more, and the two began their match.
Mahiru had managed to sidestep Takumi's first attack, seeing that he had leaned into it with most of his body weight. As a result, the young boy had fallen over to his knees for a second, stumbling as he tried to retake his stance.
Mahiru then took advantage of his momentary weakness as she used the broad side of the naginata and bonked Takumi on the head with it. Suffice to say, the strike had caused Takumi to rub the back of his head before scowling at her. And much to his dismay, some of his audience, mainly his older siblings, had been the one to chuckle a bit.
"Tch….Lucky shot…" He muttered as he raised his wooden blade once more to face Mahiru.
The girl had only chuckled a bit as she raised her naginata once more, a smirk slowly forming on her face as she took her stance once more.
Once again, Takumi had come charging at his opponent, lowering his sword to strike at her midsection.
The sword itself had met with Mahiru's naginata, making a brief thud that reverberated around the hollow training dojo.
For a moment, there had been a brief struggle as Mahiru and Takumi had both looked into one another's eyes. One furrowed in frustration, and the other raised in amusement and intrigue.
"Well, I thought you said you could take me? Where's that bravado?" Mahiru asked as she quickly twirled her naginata as she quickly escaped their blades interlocking, backing away to gain a bit of distance from Takumi.
"Maybe you should just quit while you're ahead Mahi….We'll see who's laughing after this!" He said as he leaped up a bit and aimed a high arching kick towards Mahiru, of which she had blocked with her naginata.
"Not bad...I might actually consider eating my words pineapple-head….Just maybe." She laughed as she twirled her naginata once more.
She then dove in to unleash a few pokes on Takumi, most of which he had dodged as well. Though, the last one had hit his gut, winding him for a quick moment.
"Hardy har har…..Little Miss Tomboy got the jump on me…." Takumi grunted as Mahiru's smile had instantly faded away, revealing an expression of irritation and annoyance.
"...I was going to give you a bit of a break. But after that comment-" Mahiru said as she charged at Takumi, now advancing forward with an aggressive attack style.
She had followed up every thrust with her weapon with a swift punch or kick to break through Takumi's guard. With every strike, the sound of wood colliding had bounced about the room, with small chips of the wood even splintering off from the ferocity of their attacks.
From what she could see, the pair had really been going at one another. Almost with a concerning amount of intensity and animosity to cause those around them to be a bit concerned.
The image had looked to the left, finding a girl no older than 9 years old sitting beside her. Her hair had been a neatly arranged red with a small flower within her hair, with her hand having been placed over her yukata in a worried state.
"It looks like those two are at it again…Hopefully, we don't have to get them healed at the infirmary." She stated before her eyes fell back on Corrin. Or rather, what the young dragoness hopefully presumed to be her.
Her body had seemingly turned her attention back to the fight at hand, now seeing that it had begun to sway ever so slightly in Mahiru's favor. Sweat seemed to bead one another's foreheads, but it was evident that Takumi was having a hard time keeping up with Mahiru.
This had cultivated in Takumi eventually being knocked back to the ground with a large thud. He tried in vain to regain his footing, only to receive a small snicker from Mahiru.
Confidently, Mahiru had placed her naginata down at his level as she put a hand on her hips.
"Well, looks like Little Miss Tomboy managed to get the drop on you after all. Now, maybe you should just give up before you-"
Her actions had been interrupted by seeing her naginata knocked away a few meters away from her, and a swift shove from Takumi. Mahiru, not expecting the sudden movement, had fallen to the floor with a small thud.
"Hmph. For someone that makes fun of me that often, you aren't very quick on your feet, are you?"
At that, the atmosphere in the room had spiked, as everyone's eyes had widened in a mixture of fear and anticipation.
Mahiru then cracked her knuckles as she lowered herself briefly.
"You….little...That's it!" She yelled as she leaped at Takumi, catching the young man off guard.
Eventually, the two of them had been roughing each other up, with the pair grabbing each other's hair and yelling at one another fiercely. Both of them had rolled around, with one another seemingly not running out of energy.
Corrin could hear a multitude of whispers from the other students as they watched the two tussle with one another.
However, there was a loud bang that vibrated throughout the room, causing everyone in the room to direct their attention towards its source.
It had come from one single man with a slightly exhausted but serious expression on his face. His left hand had been wrapped around his naginata and his other hand behind his back.
He had worn the armor of a Spear Master and had a long and ornamented naginata on his back.
He looked vaguely familiar to Corrin, though she couldn't quite place where she had seen him beforehand.
"Enough!" He called out in a commanding tone, causing both Takumi and Mahiru to visibly shake.
Corrin could see that the others in the room had all shit their mouths as well, obviously showing that the man had been some kind of instructor to the children.
Haitaka had only sighed as he placed a hand on his forehead and gently caressed it, his annoyance at the situation clear at hand.
"While you two are bound to become a bit aggressive during a fight, it doesn't exactly mean that you're allowed to charge at each other like animals," Haitaka said with a sigh as he walked up to the two of them.
"I understand that both of you aren't the fondest of each other. That's fine. A rivalry is what a person may need to push each other farther than they could themselves. That being said…," He began as he placed a hand on his hip, "you certainly don't need to act in the manner that you are at the moment."
"I'm only giving you permission to hurt each other while in that ring and when you have something made of wood or bamboo in your hands. Understand?" Haitaka said to him before turning back towards those who had been sitting down observing the fight.
"Besides that though….Excellent work, both of you. Now...everyone. If you can offer advice to the pair on how they can improve, and then I'll add what I personally saw as flaws." He said as he turned to the others in the room.
The 8 children had gathered around the small training pit as Takumi and Mahiru had looked up at their "judges".
"Well, if I may Master Haitaka….Both of you did fine in most areas. Takumi, your strikes seemed to never miss a beat, which forced Mahiru to stay on the offensive throughout the fight. Which leads me to what I was gonna say next…." The eldest child said as he stepped forward.
He had been adorned in lightweight clothing, resembling a kimono. It had been adorned with the images of crackling lightning, it being dyed a dark blue.
His long brown hair had been down to his lower back, it being nearly as wild as his younger brother's.
He had resembled the young man from Corrin's dream, albeit a bit younger and smaller compared to him. Roughly around the age of a teenager actually.
"Ryo has a point Takumi. But...you were kinda left wide open and were pretty easy to read when you got angry. If you can control that, then you can get better in no time!" The girl next to him had said as Haitaka had nodded in confirmation.
She had been adorned in a kimono herself, which had been a crystalline white, with her black hair flowing down to her shoulders. Her hazel eyes had been bright and alive with energy, with a perpetual smile adorned on her face.
"Right on the mark you two. Yes, your emotions hampered you on that one Takumi. Remember….emotions are vital to all of us. But just like anything, they need to be kept in check. If they aren't….we run the risk of letting the opponent mess with us." Haitaka said as he leaned back in his small chair.
"Now….would anyone like to comment on how Mahiru could have improved her performance?" Haitaka asked as two of the other kids had raised their hand to respond.
"Ah, go on Wil. Since your hand was up." Haitaka said as the young boy had stepped forward.
He had a casual and unassuming look to him, being dressed in a simple blue haori and hakama that had a small insignia on the back of it. He had white hair, similar to Corrin actually, and had pale blue eyes.
"Well….if I had to say something...It would probably be how you fight. I mean, I don't really like to call people out...But it seemed a bit too risky. Like you went in all gung-ho and stuff." Wil said as he placed his arms behind his head before turning back to Haitaka.
"But...isn't that somewhat justified though? A head-on approach seems like a good option if she can force him on the defensive though." Hana chimed in as she crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at Wil's comment.
"Not necessarily. Charging in blind can be equated with not respecting your opponent's skill. If that ever were to occur, it could lead to disastrous effects amidst combat. You'll let your own hubris get in the way of victory, which can cost you your life. Even if t-"
Just at that moment though, his voice seemed to be blocked out by a loud burst of what could only be described as metal grinding against metal. The sight of Haitaka and his students had slowly degraded away into a white blob form, resembling that of a faded scroll.
After a few moments of this so-called static, an image had finally appeared in front of Corrin, though it still seemed rather faded away. From what she could see, it resembled the image of a man with long brown hair that ran down his back.
He had been adorned in an armor similar to that of the people she saw earlier on and had a curved weapon at his side.
Upon closer inspection though, one could see the blood beginning to pour out from a few grievous wounds, all of which seemed to be deep and fatal. His armor that had originally been blue was dyed a sickly red, and his knees began to buckle.
He slowly looked in her direction with a mournful smile, his eyes downcast and his mouth already hacking up more blood.
The sound around her had been completely muted and muffled out, though the words he spoke next had been clear enough to hear.
"I'm sorry...my daughter." Came his response.
And with that statement, the world had been returned to a world of white once more, with all manner of feeling and sound being stripped away as quickly as it had been given.
Fear and anxiety had begun to fill her heart, unsure of what had just been shown to her, barely even registering the old man's words before he had succumbed to his death.
To have the nerve to call her his daughter, when the man looked nothing like King Garon? It was jaw-dropping and unnerving. Yet at that very time, she couldn't help but want to reach out to the man, sensing that said feeling was almost...natural for her.
Sadly, before she could even begin to piece together what it had meant to show her, the visions began to come and go much faster than it had before. Each one, now only presenting its mirage for a second before being replaced by another image.
Vision after vision had flashed within her mind, most taking place in somewhere she had never remembered.
Foreign people, foreign memories, foreign events that she could never recall or even pretend to remember.
As each one flew by, she could feel something within her brain start to pound. As more and more came, her suffering had only worsened as the pain seemed to intensify with each image.
To add to her misery, the images had only flashed at an even faster rate, causing her pain to increase twofold every time one passed.
The images even began to loop onto one another, creating a consistent looping effect that had sought to nearly drive Corrin mad.
The pain was excruciating to feel and it kept going on…
And on….
And on…
"Enough...please…" Came her pained cry as she slowly sank down to her knees.
"This will be for the good of Nohr, Rudy. She will accept it in time."
"This is our last chance to save our homeland Mikoto, but it is a slim one. Please, you must escape before he arrives. He must not have her in his possession."
"In the end, this world is nothing more than a broken mess. I had hoped that the broken pieces could reassemble themselves back together, but what mirror can put itself back together again?"
She had clasped her hands around her ears in a feeble effort to block out the pain and noise.
"Stop….Stop!" She cried out again as she closed her eyes, starting to shake her head to hopefully stop the sound.
Suffice to say, the images had only increased in volume and intensity, nearly distorting her perception of "reality" as she quickly felt her world fade into white once more.
Corrin's eyes had finally opened as she shot up in bed; her breaths labored and fast as her heart began to beat at a rapid rate. She slowly looked around the room to see if anybody from her dreams had somehow followed her into the real world, still unsure of whether she was safe or not.
However, after a few moments to catch her breath, the darkness of the inn had been the thing to eventually calm her down.
She was fine...at least physically. And what had happened was at least a dream of some sort...Though it was still concerning, to say the least.
She looked back at her cover and sheets to see that they were sweat ridden, the pillow a soggy mess.
"Well I suppose, that eliminates my chance for getting back to bed," Corrin began as she crossed her arms and shed off her covers, "and it's too early to go and wake up the others too. Great…"
After jumping off her bed, Corrin had slowly clutched her head while making her way towards the bathroom, all the while grabbing a small candle that had already been lit aflame.
She carried it and herself over to the bathroom lethargically, opening the door with a grace that could only be attributed to a drunk elephant.
Just as she expected, the smell was less than pleasant than what she was used to. Not to mention that the latrine was far from cleanly.
"If only every maid and butler were like Flora and Jakob…" She groaned to herself as she dusted off the seat on the commode and sat down on it.
It was there that she finally managed to collect her thoughts and reflect on her dream, or what she hoped was a dream.
"This has been going on for weeks….and it's always the same few people within them. Am I...missing something?" Came her whisper as her eyes slowly came to rest themselves on the sight of her hand.
For a moment, her heart had been overcome with the sense of loneliness as her eyes gently drifted upwards to the bathroom sink and mirror.
As she rose towards said mirror and sink, she gently placed a hand on her face.
Her fingers had gently run down her snow-white skin, it still as smooth as it had been for years. Then it came to rest on the tips of her pointed ears, slowly caressing them before a frown appeared on her face.
"I should be ecstatic that this is happening….But why do I feel so….out of place?" Corrin whispered to herself as she slowly let her hands fall down at her sides.
For some reason, the armor that had been clasped onto her being felt almost alien….foreign to the highest degree.
It had been now that she finally took a closer look upon her cape, seeing that it had been embroidered with the symbol of Nohr. A symbol, that she was always eager to embrace and wear as a badge of pride.
Now, it felt as if it were a badge of pride that she hardly deserved to bear at all. A false promotion that should have been gifted to another being...and yet she could never tell why exactly.
Had it been these said memories that provided these feelings of alienation and loneliness when she should have felt welcomed and humble?
Could they have such a power over her that she could forsake the obvious in turn for fabricated and baseless emotions?
"There's still...so many questions I have, but I keep hearing the same thing. Does that it mean it's true?" asked the young dragoness as her eyes had glanced downwards to her scabbard, her red globes of eyes staring at it in a certain fixation.
"Am I...even ready for this? To face Father again as a true daughter of Nohr? To stand there and accept whatever opinion he may hold of me, good or bad? To face the same strain that my siblings do on an everyday basis?" She pondered aloud once again, half-heartedly hoping for someone to answer the question.
Sadly, and not to her surprise, she received no answer.
This had only earned a sigh from her as she retreated into the bathtub and began to turn the crooked faucet.
A slow trickle of water began to fill the tub, though the water seemed to be quite murky on the surface. Initially earning a look of disgust from Corrin, she simply shrugged it off as the water not being completely sanitized.
"If it can happen during the Northern Fortress when they fail to purify the water, I should consider it lucky they have a bath here in general."
She slowly sank her feet into the tub, the icy cold water sending a chill up her spine. Hesitantly, she shrank back for a moment before groaning once more.
'Would be nice if it was least not as cold as ice though…." She whined before continuing her descent into the tub of water.
Due to the small size of it, she was heavily confined and pressed against the rims of said tub. Her legs could barely fit into it, causing the bottom half of them to spill outwards.
The nearly arctic water had caused her to slightly shiver at first from the sheer coldness of it, but the feeling came to pass in time.
Things seemed to slow around her as she slowly stared up at the ceiling once more, her eyes seemingly transfixed with a small spot upon it.
The chilling water from before slowly became more acceptable as time went on, the feeling becoming somewhat reminiscent.
"To think I'm still this sensitive to anything cold after years of living with Flora." Came her hushed quip before she let out a small chuckle.
Flora.
It had now just dawned on her of how she had barely even thought of said retainer, who was probably reconnecting with her family once more in the Ice Tribe.
However, her mind soon drifted back to their previous conversation before they left. The bitterness in her voice, whether she mentioned it or not; the cold look in her eyes; all of which had looked nothing like the tender and caring Flora she had come to know.
"You are Nohrian royalty and I am but a...simple maid. Perhaps not to you, but to your Father and older siblings, yes. It would be better if you kept it as such."
Not only did the words send her into a state of unrest, but the way she spoke them had only added to her unease.
They didn't sound sad, or even hushed to a degree.
It sounded like contempt; anger; the spite that would accompany a man or woman who's suffered a life of pain and misery.
Corrin had walked out of the inn and into the town square. The bazaar and street corners that were buzzing to life earlier that day had now been completely silent. The air that seemed brisk but comfortable now seemed chilly but refreshing.
Even the animals such as squirrels and hounds seemed to be fast asleep, most likely lulled to sleep by the sounds of chirping crickets.
The moon shined down upon the village, illuminating the night and basking everything in a pale white glow.
Slowly, her eyes had been directed towards the moon as she smiled up at the sight.
"I suppose living in the countryside gives a few perks. You could never spot a view like this." Corrin remarked to herself before she began to make her way towards the local spring.
After maneuvering her way about the small village, she came upon the small spring nestled in between a bit of forestry and shrubs.
Much to her amazement, it seemed to sparkle in the moonlight. Small glimmers had danced upon the water's edge, with each glimmer occasionally shining brighter than the one adjacent to it.
The sounds of an owl had rung throughout the spring, it most likely coming from a small tree with enough space to fit it.
Corrin, then she sat down on her knees to get a better glance of the water, eventually scooting up to the very edge of the ground where it met the actual water.
As her eyes scanned the water that had flowed beneath her, the faint visage of her form had appeared in the water's surface. She, of course, was briefly mesmerized by such a sight and reached out her hand into the spring.
The water felt rightfully cold, yet pure in some way. At least, less tainted than the water that had been in her tub.
Upon her touch, her image had rippled and distorted for a moment sending small waves across the spring until it had hit the dead center of it. The water itself seemed to glow beneath the surface, shining the portion she was near in a skyish blue color.
"Hm…? Is this lake….supposed to do that?" She mumbled to herself as she got slightly closer to the edge to the point where her face was barely touching the water itself.
Slowly enough, her reflection began to twist and morph in shape, now no longer resembling any sort of human. In fact, it showed the reflection of some type of…
Painting?
An environment?
A landscape perhaps?
Whatever it was, it certainly didn't match anything that had been around her.
From what she could see at least it seemed to resemble a place with heavy greenery, but the sky seemed to be this dreamy blue. Platforms in the distance seemed to be randomly off put the normal confines of gravity, some floating off in the distance.
"It looks so...disjointed," Corrin muttered once more as she stared at the image, once again transfixed.
Something about the image seemed vaguely familiar to her as if it were some kind of place she had been too long ago. Yet, the fact of the matter had reared its head once more.
What life she had known would only be found at the Northern Fortress.
"Why does this place feel so familiar…? It's not like I would have ever seen anything like it before. Although…," She began to ponder as she placed her unsubmerged hand to her chin, "it could be that it was something I saw in a book that Leo sent me?"
Whatever it was, it seemed to almost...beckon and call her forward into said lake. She couldn't explain it exactly, but her blood almost felt as if it wanted to jump right out of her body and into said lake. It was as if her body yearned to jump into the water, for whatever reason that might be.
Without thinking, she slowly dipped into the pool headfirst, letting the cool spring water soothe her body. It was brisk at first, similar to the water from the bathtub.
However, it felt purer...clean perhaps. The water itself had calmed her nerves, allowing her to briefly forget about the worries that plagued her earlier and be sent into a state of semi-euphoria.
She could feel her body slowly sinking into the water as she closed her eyes for a brief moment. Floating in the middle of the spring, she simply basked in her other senses for a moment longer while her sense of euphoria had only grown.
"Mi-" Came a voice in the distance, or what she presumed to be a voice. Through the water and her mental state, she could barely distinguish that it was a voice and not a stray animal of the like.
"M-la-d-!" The voice had called out once more, now causing Corrin to be shocked out of her relaxation. Her eyes had shot open in surprise as she quickly swam back up to the very top of the spring.
"Huh!? Is someone there?" Corrin called out, her head popping out from the water.
She quickly whipped her head to look around and see where the voice was coming from eventually having her eyes settle upon Gunter.
The man had apparently been on the very outskirts of the water, all with a look of both fascination and fear.
"Milady, I'd advise against in swimming in random wellsprings. If not for your sake, contaminating their water supply would be a poor use of your time. Even if you may be as clean as a bar of soap, you're still human." Gunter remarked as he made a gesture towards a small sign.
There it read something along the lines of preventing each person to get more than 2-3 cups per day, most likely to set some sort of rationing for it.
The young dragoness could only realize her mistake as she sheepishly rubbed the back of her head, a nervous smile coming onto her face.
"Oh! Sorry about that…"
She then began to peddle back towards the edge of the spring looking up to see that Gunter had now crossed his arms and sighed.
"Might I ask why you were out for a night of swimming, milady? Especially considering that it's close to sunrise." Gunter began with a small smirk on his face, something that was partly conceived by the darkness of the night.
Corrin's eyes had briefly shifted towards the ground, her nervousness obviously rearing its head once more as she unconsciously began to shuffle her feet around.
"I….just couldn't slee-...Wait a minute! I should be asking you why you're awake at this time! Even Jakob nods off at this point, and we both know how lording he can be over me."
"Well, what you don't know….is that I happen to enjoy the night time. It allows me a bit of...reprieve from the hardships of the day. And speaking of the boy….He's the reason that I can barely get a wink of sleep tonight. I would implore you to never shack me with that useless child again." Gunter muttered as he dusted his shoulder pad off.
"Oh, come on Gunter! I'm sure he can't be that bad! If you two just talked about your-" She began before Gunter cut her off.
"No."
"What? But why?"
"No milady."
"But you two shouldn't be fighting."
"I'm afraid what you're asking for is an impossibility."
"Seriously? But you two are even sort of similar!"
Corrin's cheeks had puffed up in irritation as she pouted at Gunter and crossed her arms.
"A pout and puppy-dog-eyes aren't going to convince me to suddenly start loving the boy. He's absolutely infuriating at every turn. He overestimates his skills and prances about as if he is the supreme source of knowledge on all things." Came Gunter's exasperated reply.
"Well, you both are my retainers. And despite your difference, you both are here to help me and keep me safe. At least until Father or Xander give you another assignment, right?"
The veteran knight could only nod his head in agreement as Corrin smirked up at him.
"Then it's my order to you that you try and play nice with Jakob. I'm sure if you two can stop bickering for two seconds, then you'll be able to make up with each other!" She said with a smile as Gunter had let out a simple grunt of disapproval.
"I must admit that you're sense of compassion is admirable milady. So...if you strive for the two of us to become better allies, I shall see to it that the boy and I can compromise." He stated before he pointed a finger at her.
"But that doesn't mean that I'll be a slouch when I see him fail in his duties. As his instructor, I won't let a single thing slip, as I've always done. And that is a promise I make upon my own honor as a Nohrian general." Gunter stated as Corrin had finally let a tiny chuckle slip.
"Okay, okay Gunter. I don't want you to be a complete robot to us, but just...try and be a bit more understanding. That's all I would want."
Corrin then plopped back down onto the grass as she looked up towards the lake once more, still admiring how it seemed to glisten and sparkle in the moon's light.
"You know….Gunter?"
The aged man had stared down at her in interest before responding.
"Yes, milady? Was there something else you wished to ask me? Perhaps a bit less….demanding?"
His response had caused Corrin to roll her eyes as her eyes turned back to the sight of him.
"You know...if there was ever one thing that I admired about you Gunter….I think it would have to be your attitude control when things seem tough. I always get super stressed out, or sometimes I can't think of anything to do. But when something starts giving you a hard time, you simply shrug it off and work through it." Corrin stated as she gently rested her head upon her arms.
Gunter had been slightly surprised by such a response, not quite expecting such praise. For a moment, he didn't quite know how to respond.
After a few moments, he slowly lowered himself down to her level and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"And you know very well that a man at my age has quite a lot to worry about. Just because I cease to show it doesn't mean that I don't feel it altogether. In fact," Gunter began as he looked towards the water, "I'm a man that has quite a lot on his shoulders."
"Well, of course, you have things to do Gunter. You're a High General of Nohr or something. Right? But you don't really seem to let it bother you though." Came the younger princess's response while pouting up at him once more.
"And you'd be right. The fear of making a wrong decision, the pain and dread that follows the moment you disappoint someone. Or perhaps even the anxiety of being held in contempt or disregard by those you seek approval from. It's….a hard thing to deal with, I'm sure. But what remedy such things are simply...confidence." Gunter said before he smiled down at Corrin.
"Well, that's easy for you to say. You're praised from every corner of Nohr for your services to everyone."
Corrin had crossed her arms once more, looking up to the man with an expression that could only be described as an annoyance.
"And you're exactly right milady. Confidence does stir within oneself after a great length of time. It takes dedication and a drive for what you're doing to become...confident...in one's abilities. Though it might seem mundane to say that it will come with "patience and understanding", there is nothing more you can give to others than what YOU can do." Gunter said before he let out a small sigh.
"Now if I had to guess, this is because you're worried about your place among your family and in court. Right milady?"
Gunter's violet eyes had looked directly into Corrin's, his answer almost indicating that he had peered into them to find his answer. And much to the dismay of Corrin, who had looked away and started to slowly run her hand along the water's surface.
"Well, you wouldn't be wrong."
"Milady….I know that adjusting in this new position is something that can be difficult. But you should NEVER stress yourself over you not being enough to your siblings. And especially your father. You are you, and you know what you can't and cannot do." Came his response, though it sounded strange….venomous for some reason.
It wasn't directed at her, but something certainly seemed to make him a bit agitated by that last phrase.
Corrin had been slightly shocked by that revelation, not exactly sure on what to say for a moment.
The only sounds that could be heard were those that came from the spring and the nature that had surrounded it. The gentle swaying of the leaves due to a slight breeze passing through; the occasional cricket chirp that could be heard in the distance…
Her expression then changed to a small smile before she gently wrapped her arms around Gunter, something that came to the surprise to the man. He simply backed up a bit, not exactly sure what to think about the hug for a moment.
"Thank you Gunter….I think I really needed that."
After a few moments though, Gunter had wrapped his arms around Corrin as well with a fond smile on his face.
"Anytime Milady. No matter how long my missions may be, I will always be here to lend my advice to you." He said before retreating from the hug.
The two then stood awkwardly for a moment longer before the chirping from a songbird had caused them both to turn towards the trees and skies.
The once dark and murky black that had been the skyline had now returned to its regular shade of grey, signaling that it was near "sunrise".
"On that note, we should return you back to the others. If they get up and see that you're missing, I could only pray upon what would happen next." Gunter said as he brushed off his armor and began to look back towards the path to town.
Corrin has stood up beside him as a small smile formed on her face as she continued to think upon Gunter's words.
"He's right. Maybe I shouldn't stress over any of this. If I just give it my all and what I can for Nohr, I'm sure Father will congratulate me!" Corrin thought to herself as her smile slowly broadened into a more animated grin.
"Right! Let's go!" Came her reply, her voice oozing with naive optimism.
But no amount of eagerness could fix one of her most fatal flaws, and that was her inability to leave out at an appointed time.
The sounds of neighing had spooked Corrin as she quickly fixed the rest of her hair and slapped her Bronze Sword to her hip once more.
"Coming! Coming! Sorry about that!" She sheepishly called out as she rushed out of the inn door to meet the rest of her siblings.
Jakob and Gunter had rolled their eyes with a certain fondness in them as her siblings either giggled at her expense or let out a long-winded sigh.
"And that marks the...9th time you've been fashionably late sister." Leo teased as he steered Jewel over to her. "It's truly mystifying to any man-made record recorder."
"You know, keeping track of it is just as disappointing…" Corrin has muttered under her breath as she crossed her arms.
Before their words could turn into an argument, however, Xander had cleared his throat; this effectively silencing both siblings as they directed their attention towards him.
"Well Little Princess, I suppose you can ride with the rest of us today. Camilla said that the winds are going to be a bit feisty in the Glondalas Mountains, and that could prove troublesome to add weight on Marzia." Xander stated as both he and Corrin had approached his steed.
"I've actually never really taken a walk through them despite us passing them a couple of times.
I'm guessing that's why we need these...cloaks?" Corrin pondered as she rubbed the brown felt that had covered her body.
The smell had been a little more than unpleasant, and the actual fur had tickled and prodded against her unprotected skin.
"Not to be the bearer of bad news, but these cloaks are the only way to keep yourself warm during the ride. And I'd rather do anything to prevent you from freezing to death.
Especially over something as trivial as it feels a bit dirty to wear." Came his response as he finally boarded his horse and invited a hand to have Corrin climb alongside him.
She looked to her left and right to see that everyone else had already partnered up with one another again, save for Elise and Leo.
"It seems we're ready to depart everyone. The journey should take us through the main pass of said mountains, where we'll take the southeastern route towards Krakenburg." Xander ordered before he looked towards Gunter to finish his point.
"Lord Xander and I will take the lead since we have more experience with this area. There are a few instances where the freshly laid snow can lead to accidents on narrow passageways. The more we can spot said instances, the better."