Rumors were a nasty thing.

Felicia hated them, despite the fact she had talked about her fair share of them. Throughout the camp, they ran rampant like the plague. Gossip and whispers of who was in love with who, of spies being in the camp, of more invisible soldiers wreaking havoc to further cause a rift between Nohr and Hoshido relations...and of who was cheating on who, all this and more were a part of the daily cycle of hubbub present throughout the army.

In particular, she hated when she and her husband were a part of said stories. Most of the time they led to no good, like what was happening now for instance.

The gossip that Corrin was cheating on her with the princess of Hoshido, Azura. More than once had someone come up to her, concern in their gaze as they asked if everything was all right, like it was any of their business. More than once she had seen Corrin and Azura together, talking in serious tones about gods knows what. Sometimes they even laughed and joked around one another. While Felicia had told herself repeatedly that they were just friends, that only worked for so long.

One day, she saw them actually hug and her trepidation only grew. Upset, she fled to their tent in tears, ignoring the cries of her husband explaining that it wasn't what it looked like as she did.

Curled up in a ball on the bed, she cried, and the thought if what she had just seen meant the end of her and Corrin's relationship only made her sob harder. Some time passed before she felt familiar arms gently pull her from her position (she hadn't even heard the flap of the tent opening in her crying) and enclose her in a hug from the person she wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to at the moment.

"Felicia, that wasn't what it looked like." Corrin's voice was soft, gentle, like he was trying to approach a frightened animal.

"Oh really?" She croaked in disbelief, pulling away from him to look up into his crimson eyes. "I find that hard to believe!" She stood up from the bed with fists clenched. "Don't think I haven't heard the rumors about you two, don't think I haven't seen just how close you two seem to be!"

"Felicia…" He said slowly. "We were just—"

"Just what? Deciding that you were going to get married or something and leave me behind?!" She was shouting now, angry tears sliding down her cheeks. "I don't believe for a second that you were just hugging as friends! Not with what's been going on between you two. Do you think I'm stupid?"

A sigh, then. "No Felicia. I don't." He stood up, looking pained. "But I think you're misinterpreting what we were doing."

She shook her head. "No I'm not." She refused to let him fool her. "You've been cheating on me, haven't you?" She said, voice lowering to a whisper.

"What?!" Corrin exclaimed. "No I haven't! Would you just listen to me for a second?!" His voice was frustrated now, perhaps even a bit hurt. He took a deep breath before continuing. "Azura and I share an unique relationship, Felicia that is true. But we hold no romantic feelings for each other. We're just friends…even though you don't believe that. She's been through hardships, terrible things Felicia." He stepped closer to her. "We both have. And that what's allowed us to grow close, see each other as…"

"As what?" Felicia said, trembling.

"Almost siblings." He took her hands in his own. She didn't move. "Love, the only reason we were hugging is because she's under a lot of stress right now. I promise you." He said in earnest. He wiped the tears from her eyes with a hand.

"Stress from what Corrin?" She demanded, stepping back a few steps.

Her husband sighed. "I can't tell you that. At least not yet. But I promise you, I'll tell you after we reach the Bottomless Canyon. Please Felicia. Listen to me. Please." He was practically begging now.

Despite the pain she felt, the hurt, she wanted to believe him more than anything. But she still had questions. "Why can't you tell me now, Corrin? What could it possibly be?"

Seeing that she was starting to calm down, he walked up towards her again, cupping her face in his hands. "Please. Trust me. You have no idea how much I want to tell you right now...If I do tell, I'll lose you forever." He whispered.

Seeing the earnestness in his face, Felicia decided she would trust him. She placed one of her hands over his own.

"You promise, Corrin? You promise to tell me?"

Without missing a beat he replied, "I promise."