The Road Not Trekked

by SilverShadow1711

We can only ever walk down one path in life... The coming of age story of a young princess as everything she's ever known and loved in life comes crashing down around her. Something of a retelling of Fire Emblem Fates

6. A Hard Truth

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Ch. 6- "A Hard Truth"

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It was impossible to know exactly how much time was passing in Hoshido. Though the sky occasionally darkened a bit, Nerr had covered the screen windows with the tiny robes scattered about her room. She wanted nothing to do with the cruel Hoshidan light. She didn't want to remember where she was, but it was inescapable. Every time she tried to run, the guards caught her and dragged her back before the empress and prince. Ryouma glared at her, shaking his head in disgust, while Mikoto just sighed sadly. It didn't take long for Nerr to give up her hopes of escape. Her siblings probably didn't even know she was in Hoshido, assuming she had fallen into the ravine. There was no one coming for her, no one expecting her... She was alone, hopeless... As she lay in the corner, curled into a tight ball, a dim memory of another dark cell rose to the surface of her mind, flickering like a dying flame before retreating back to the depths.

Occasionally, food was left outside her door, by her supposed sisters (the younger one, Sakura, more than the other), but it always went uneaten. Sometimes, Mikoto would call out to her from the other side of the door, but her entreaties to talk were ignored. The only thing Nerr did in her captivity was indulge in her oldest hobby- sleep. Whenever her eyes flickered open, she shut them tightly again, forcing herself to drift off again. Her muscles ached from being still for so long, her head hurt and she felt sick to her stomach, but it didn't matter. While most of her dreams were nightmares, filled with blood and screams and being torn away from her family, occasionally, she would return to the Citadel, indulging in Jakob and Flora's culinary creations, riding with Lilith, listening to Gunther's stories... It was those brief fantasies she longed for. She prayed, every time she woke, as she was dozing off again, that a merciful god would let her pass in her sleep so that those happy fantasies could once again become reality.

One day, the screen door slid open, and she cringed, unaccustomed to the sudden light and sound. Her head pounded as she opened her eyes, blinking hard to try and focus. A Hoshidan solider stood in her doorway.

"Mikoto-sama wishes to speak to you." Nerr scowled and pulled her small comforter over her head, leaving her feet exposed.

"Tell your bitch queen to go to hell. I have nothing to say to her." Heavy feet clomped over to her, and a large hand grabbed her arm, roughly heaving her to her feet. She gasped, affronted, as the soldier sneered at her.

"Listen, you worthless piece of trash. Mikoto-sama might be willing to forgive your sins against Hoshido, but she's the only one. The rest of us would gladly take the first chance we got to teach a Nohrian whore a lesson, so you'd best appreciate the protection our empress offers..." It took a moment for Nerr to understand what the wretched soldier was telling her, and hazy memories of cruel and lewd Nohrian guards swam to the surface of her mind, their grins and eyes sending shivers down her spine. Gritting her teeth, the Nohrian princess twisted in the soldier's grip, driving her heel into his groin with as much force as she could. With an emasculate wail, he let her go, dropping to his knees.

"I don't need anyone's protection. I know how to deal with savage animals on my own." Stepping over the guard's body, she sighed deeply and headed out into the direction of the throne room.

000

A potent mix of dread and anger churned in Nerr's gut as she approached the Hoshidan throne, where Empress Mikoto was standing. The older woman smiled warmly as her daughter approached.

"You look better after a few days to yourself, Nerrida." 'Oh, shut up, you bitch...' She bit her tongue, though it would've been amusing to see how her so-called mother would respond to those unsavory thoughts.

"What do you want now?" She seethed. The empress cringed at her harsh tone.

"Nerrida... I'm so sorry things have to be like this. Please, if you don't believe anything else I say, believe that. Even if you don't understand my motives as a sovereign, try to understand them as a mother." The Nohrian girl adamantly refused to do such a thing.

"I understand that you're a liar with no honor. Tell me what you've called me here for, or let me resume waiting for death." Mikoto sighed deeply, looking physically wounded. When she opened her eyes, they were filled with sorrow.

"There is... something I'd like to ask of you. Would you try sitting on the throne for a moment?"

Nerr looked up at the behemoth throne, scowling. It looked normal enough, aside from being hideous, but appearances could be deceiving. She remembered reading about torture methods. There were plenty that involved chairs; chairs with large spikes jutting from them, chairs laced with poison, ones with straps that held you down while your torturers crushed or burned away your feet... There were no visible spikes or straps, but that didn't mean poison was out of the question.

"Why would I do that?" She asked, her suspicions rising. "What are you plotting?"

"I'm not plotting anything, Nerrida. This throne is infused with the power of the First Dragons. Those who sit on it regain their true form, their true mind..."

"Their true memories?" Nerr interjected. "That's what you're saying? If I sit on your fancy chair, I'll miraculously remember all the things you've been claiming?"

"...yes." The empress looked utterly heartbroken. "I would think that you would remember something, you weren't that young... I don't know if the Nohrians sealed them away, or if you repressed them, but I know they're there! I know you remember me and your siblings... All you have to do is sit here and everything will come back..."

"Everything..." Nerr felt her fingers tremble as she recalled those hazy, half-memories that sometimes crossed her mind. The darkness and terror and pain that haunted her bits and pieces, all becoming crystal clear... "N-no... No, I don't want to...!" She stumbled back from the throne, shaking her head fervently. Mikoto stepped down, approaching her with outstretched hands, an apologetic look on her face.

"Calm down, Nerr. I'm sorry, please calm down. I'm not going to force you to do something that makes you uncomfortable..." For a moment, the younger girl began calming down, until heavy footfalls sounded behind her. Starting, she leapt about a foot in the air, and turned around, expecting another guard intent on forcing her onto the throne. Instead, an older man, bespectacled and unshaven, approached them. His hair was a similar same shade to Nerr's, and sloppily tied into a short ponytail. He smiled at the empress, paying the Nohrian girl no mind.

"Excuse me, Mikoto-sama. The ceremony is about to begin." At once, the empress's serene mask went back up.

"Thank you, Yukimura-san. Nerrida, I doubt you remember him, but this is Yukimura, one of our strategists and my advisor."

"Of course I don't remember him." Nerr hissed under her breath. "Even if I did, why would I know one of your advisors?"

"Ah, perhaps I can explain." The tactician, like his empress, sounded older than he looked. "I used to look after you when you were young, princess. I remember that time so clearly, I must say it's a shock to see how you've grown up. But a pleasant shock, for you've become as lovely as your mother." The empress laughed sweetly.

"Oh, hush. You're too much. All jests aside, I'm certain we would be lost without him."

"You're much too kind, empress. I'm simply here to help in any way I can." Nerr had been distracted by the strange, flirtatious turn the conversation had taken, but quickly recalled something worrying that had been said.

"What ceremony? What are you two talking about?"

"Well..." Mikoto seemed to slump a bit. "I had planned on making a public announcement of your return-"

"WHAT?! Why would you do that?!" A throat cleared loudly behind her, and she whirled around to see Ryouma standing there with his sisters, another young man with long hair who looked about Leo's age, and the traitor princess, Azura.

"There have been rumors that Nohrian spies have infiltrated the castle. It's creating unrest in the capital. The sooner we tell them that there is nothing here but our returned princess, the sooner they'll calm down." The prince turned to their tactician. "Yukimura-san, is everything ready?"

"Of course. People have already begun to gather at the plaza." Nerr laughed humorlessly.

"So you wish to drag me out and put me on display for the public. Never mind that I didn't agree to this. Never mind that I want nothing to do with your people..."

"These are your people, Nerrida." Mikoto's voice was surprisingly firm. "This is your home, and it's only right that your subjects learn their princess has returned to them. I've arranged for your sisters and your brother, Takumi, to give you a tour of the capital. I used to take you out there all the time when you were little- the sights and smells might bring something back."

"It won't, but as your prisoner, I suppose I have no choice."

"Nerrida, you're not-"

"You do realize that it would've been kinder for you to just execute me from the beginning, right?" She turned her back on the empress, refusing to listen to any more of her lies or excuses, turning her attention instead to her new retinue. Hinoka beamed at her mother.

"We'd be happy to show her around. Thank you, Mother."

"And you, Azura? You'll join them as well?"

"Of course. It would be my pleasure." The other Nohrian girl approached Nerr, her gaze inscrutable. "Hello, Nerrida."

"Don't speak to me. I've nothing to say to you, traitor..." She hissed. There were more choice words on the tip of her tongue, but her thoughts were interrupted as the youngest Hoshidan, Sakura, bounded up to her, smiling shyly.

"Um, I can't w-wait to show you around, n-nee-sama. I-I think you'll really l-like it here."

"I doubt it." She said quietly, her steps as heavy as her heart as she followed her supposed siblings from the castle.

000

The castle town was a hundred, thousand times worse than the Hoshidan countryside. The overly bright sky was compounded by the chaos of a large town. The streets were lined with vendors selling goods and food, and people were crammed together so tightly they could hardly squeeze past each other to walk. As Hinoka and Sakura dragged her into the throng, Nerr could feel her pulse quicken, her palms growing clammy.

It was so loud, as if all the people in the world were yelling directly into her ear. The smells, roasting meat and boiling vegetables and perfumes and spices, would've been pleasant on their own, but together they assailed her sensitive nose painfully. People jostled her from every side, knocking her around. Though her sword was at her side, she could not have reached for it in an emergency if she tried. She panted, hard, feeling as though there were no air in her lungs. Hinoka was saying something to her, she could see the other girl's mouth moving, but could hear nothing over the cacophony. A small hand rested on her arm, and she looked down to see Sakura's worried gaze.

"Nee-sama? Are you okay?" Nerr shook her head, the world spinning even faster as she did. It was too much, the sights, the sounds... She craved the calm of the Northern Citadel. Breaking away from the Hoshidan royals, she ran past them, paying no heed to the people she bowled over in her haste. She needed to get somewhere calm, somewhere secluded... skidding to a halt, she ducked into an alley. It led to another crowded street, but was itself deserted.

Breathing hard, Nerr lowered herself to the ground, her legs shaking like jelly. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she buried her face in them and began rocking. It was an old habit, one she had tried desperately to give up, but whenever she found herself overwhelmed, she could not help but retreat into a corner and huddle into a ball. It was unbecoming of a princess, Xander would scold her terribly if he ever saw such weakness, but it mattered not. Xander thought she was dead and she was at the mercy of Hoshidans... loud, garish, smelly Hoshidans that one could not escape... She cringed, curling up tighter as a group of people approached her.

"Nerr..." Hinoka's voice was a mix of concern and annoyance. "What was that about? Why'd you run off like that?" Sakura knelt down beside her.

"What's wrong, Nee-sama? W-why do you look so scared?"

"It's too much..." She whispered, her voice muffled by her arms. "It's too loud, it's too bright, I can't stand it..."

"It's not that loud." Hinoka argued.

"It's loud compared to Nohr. Even the markets in Windmire weren't this... raucous..." Azura's voice was quiet. Nerr would've agreed with her, if she wasn't still mad at the other woman. A male voice scoffed, barely audible over the racket from the street.

"I guess Nohrians are just allergic to things like sunshine, and friendliness."

"That's enough out of you, Takumi. Come on, Nerrida, we have to get to the plaza. Mother is waiting for us." Nerr groaned, her arms stiffening. A plaza full of Hoshidans, staring at her... such a thing was the stuff of nightmares.

"Nee-sama, we c-can't drag her out there if she doesn't f-feel good. Um, N-Nerrida-san?" Reluctantly, the Nohrian girl lifted her eyes. Sakura smiled slightly. "M-maybe eating something w-would make you feel better. Here." She handed Nerr a steaming white bun. Away from the multitudes of smells, it gave off quite an intoxicating aroma.

"What is it?"

"Well, u-um, it's a bun filled with s-sweet bean paste. T-they're one of my favorites. I-I hope you l-like it too..."

Still hesitant about trusting Hoshidans, but unable to ignore the ravenous beast in her stomach, she quietly took the proffered food, reining herself in not to inhale it in one gulp. It was different from anything she'd ever eaten in Nohr, the sweet taste of something she knew only to be savory turning her stomach, but she forced herself to keep eating. It wasn't bad, truly, just something that must've been an acquired taste. Slowly, her shaking stopped and her breathing returned to normal.

"Feeling better?" Azura inquired, a silent glare her only response. Hinoka took her hands, pulling her brusquely to her feet.

"We don't want to keep everyone waiting. We might have to run- just don't you take off in the opposite direction." Her voice was teasing, but there was a hint of threat in her tone. She glanced down at Nerr's feet and sighed. "Why didn't anybody think to give you shoes before you left?" Shaking her head, she walked back into the crowd, her siblings following, with Nerr bringing up the rear. Or so she thought, until she noticed the boy, who's name she thought was Takumi, standing behind her, a fierce scowl twisting his otherwise youthful features.

"What's your problem?" She snapped, in no mood for more belligerent Hoshidans. His voice was just as short as hers.

"You are. That's some act you put on, all weak and defenseless..."

"That was no act- you're horrible country overwhelms the senses."

"Don't you talk about Hoshido that way!" He thrust a finger in her face, hatred plain on his. Nerr slapped his hand away, returning his glare tenfold.

"I'll say whatever I wish." For a long time, they looked at each other in silence. Then, the younger boy spoke up.

"Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be heading back to Nohr soon?"

"I'm here because you're people dragged me here against my will. And trust me, boy- if I had my way, I'd have been back in Nohr a week ago."

"Takumi..." They looked up just in time to see Azura approaching them. "Don't harass her like that."

"Shut up, Azura! I don't need Nohrians pretending to be my sisters." He pushed past her rudely, catching up to his eldest sister. Azura's face was, for the most part stoic, but just as she could see through Xander's mask, Nerr too saw the faint trace of distress on the other princess's face. But unlike Xander, who would've inspired sympathy in her, she could only scoff.

"Goodness. You've been here almost as long as I've been in Norh, and you're still just another Nohrian to them. One has to wonder how enjoyable it is living amongst such cold people..."

"That's not- Takumi's just-"

"Save your breath- I have no desire to hear anything you have to say." She continued walking in the direction the other Hoshidans had, groaning in annoyance as the other woman trotted to catch up to her.

"Nerrida-"

"It's Nerr. I am sick of hearing that."

"...alright. Nerr, then. I know you're upset with me for telling Empress Mikoto about you're leaving-" Nerr rounded on the girl, her eyes blazing.

"Upset? No, I'm upset that I'm stuck in this awful country. I am furious with you! I could be home now if it wasn't for you! Honestly, it's taking every ounce of self control I have to not strangle you to death with your own hair!" Azura lowered her eyes, having the decency to look ashamed of herself.

"I guess I deserve that..."

"Damn straight, you do!"

"But you have to understand, I didn't do it to be cruel. For fifteen years, I've listened to your mother talk about you. Fifteen years of hearing her relive the four that she had with you. She tries to look calm and collected and regal in public, but in private... She used to go in your room to cry all the time. She would hold your clothes and toys and just weep for hours on end. ...I knew she would be devastated if you left. I couldn't just stand by and let that happen."

Nerr found herself at a loss for words. She could not imagine her father mourning for her in such a way. Her brothers and sisters, definitely- she could see Elise and Camilla crying their eyes out. Had she not been caught up in this maelstrom of confusion and lies and uncertainty, she would herself be mourning Gunther just as desperately. Maybe... maybe it was true, that this woman she had no recollection of was her mother, maybe... something had happened and she wound up in Nohr, but none of that mattered. She looked back up at Azura, her anger receding at the sight of her mournful face.

"Maybe you were trying to help her. But what about me? Do I truly have no say in this? Mikoto may be my mother, but that doesn't matter to me. I grew up without a mother- I can live without one. I can't live without my brothers and sisters, my friends and family. I don't want to be here- I want to go home...!"

"I... I'm sorry..."

"U-um..." They both looked down to see Sakura standing off to the side, looking at the ground, her hands twisting in her red silk skirt. "I-I don't mean to interrupt, but... H-Hinoka-san says you n-need to hurry up..." Azura smiled warmly at the young girl.

"Of course. We'll be right there." Her face was much less warm as she looked back at Nerr. "Well? Are you coming?" Nerr sighed deeply, that ever-present hopelessness washing over her once more.

"I have no choice. If I refuse, you'll tell mother I'm lost and she'll send her goons after me again."

000

The town plaza was not as crowded as the market, though perhaps it only felt that way because all the people were off to the side, forming a large circle around the center where Mikoto stood with Nerr. The princess paid little mind to what her mother (it was growing wearisome to keep thinking 'supposed-mother) was saying, her arms outstretched as she addressed her subject.

"My people, I am so glad you could join me on this most glorious of days. I know there have been rumors of Nohrian spies, but I assure you all, that is false. No, the only thing that has come to our great land from Nohr is our long-lost daughter, Nerrida." At this, the crowd began cheering and applauding. Nerr wanted to cover her ears from the deafening roar, but she steeled herself. She was a princess of Nohr, regardless of what anyone said, and she would present herself as such. Still, her gaze wandered away from the crowd and over the various statues in the plaza. They were all different types of dragons, some she had seen in books, others that were foreign to her, like the one in who's shadow she stood. It's wings were half furled around it's long, coiling body, casting a blessed shadow over her, shielding her from the harsh sun's rays. Mikoto turned towards Nerr, a smile and expectant look on her face. Had she wanted her to say something? The Nohrian girl hadn't heard half of what she'd said.

She opened her mouth to tell the empress that if she wanted some tearful dreck of how happy she was to be back, she could forget it, but a strange burning cold at her hip distracted her. She glanced down to see Ganglari glowing in it's scabbard, enveloped in the same malefic aura that had been present at the Infinite Chasm. For a moment, she thought of reaching down, taking it out and examining it, but the memory of it freezing to her skin and dragging her down stayed her hand. There was no time for such a thing, anyway, for with a blast of darkness, it broke free from the scabbard, shredding the leather as it flew into the crowd. There were cries of pain and shock as it knocked people aside. All Nerr saw amidst the chaos in the crowd was a large ball of light, not the bright light of Hoshido, but a dark light, the kind that burned in the magic fueled fires in Nohr... but what would Nohrian magic be doing in Hoshido?

A large blast of energy erupted from the crowd, the shock waves sending people flying like leaves in the wind, and knocking Nerr back into the dragon statue so hard she was certain she felt something snap. As she tried to catch her breath, she noticed the large houses and building that surrounded the plaza crumbling. In the midst of the destruction, she could just make out a shadowy figure, but it was nearly impossible to see through the thick smoke and dust. Something flew past her cheek, so close she could feel it graze her skin, drawing blood. Fletchettes, consumed with an arcane energy, whizzed past her, occasionally catching on her clothes and hair, cutting everything they met to shreds. They came, faster and thicker until the air was full of them. She needed to move, she needed to get out of the way... they were going so fast that when they struck someplace vital (and they would, it was not a question of if, but when), her armor would not be enough to stop them.

But even though her mind told her that, Nerr could not force her body to respond. She was, in fact, frozen with shock, with fear. 'This is my death,' she thought, rather calmly. 'I'm going to die now. I knew I would die in Hoshido...' The princess was about to lift her arm, not to fend off anything, but to cover her eyes- she did not want to see this cruel, unexpected death coming, but before she could block anything out, a sudden movement from her right caught her eye. It was hard to make out; all she could see was something white jump in front of her, and a blast of dark magic. A loud, anguished scream cleared her mind, and Nerr looked up to see Empress Mikoto standing in front of her, pure agony on her face. The white of her silk robes was quickly consumed by red, gushing from the jagged holes in her chest and stomach.

Wisps of dark smoke rose from the wounds, curling and dissipating in the air. The older woman whimpered in pain, stumbling blindly towards Nerr, who reached out as she fell without any conscious thought. She lowered the empress to the ground, cradling her head as torrents of blood oozed over her legs and arms. To say she was in shock was an understatement. This woman, this stranger to her, had thrown her life away to save Nerr's. Mikoto's face, already pale, had gone white as the marble of the now-ruined statues surrounding them. Slowly, she opened her eyes, which were already growing dull as her life seeped out.

"You're... not hurt?" She whispered, her voice tight with pain. "Tell me you're okay..." Nerr felt her throat tighten painfully and she gasped for air to answer.

"I'm fine." The empress, her mother, smiled, heedless of the blood gathering at the corners of her mouth.

"Good. I'm... so... glad..." Her eyes fluttered, closing partway as she sighed in a very final way, going limp in Nerr's arms.

The suddenness, for it came so unexpectedly, was what hurt Nerr the most. People died in war, certainly, even sovereigns, but this was no battlefield. There was no fighting going on here. And granted, she did not like Hoshidans, lest of all their lying empress, but never did she want this to happen. Fighting soldiers far away from innocent people was acceptable, but this... This was just murder. A murder made all the more cruel for the knowledge that, rightfully, Nerr should've been the one killed. That blast was coming towards her, it was intended for her, from the same sword that nearly took her life once before. She had been prepared to die, she wasn't afraid, her family probably already thought she was dead.

Instead, another family lost their mother, her life so cruelly snuffed out to save a child who didn't even acknowledge her. Tears clouded Nerr's vision as sobs choked her. She wished now that she could go back and do things differently, that she had at least acted like she believed Mikoto's claims, that she had maybe smiled at her, just once. She had died without hearing the girl she was convinced was her daughter even call her 'mother'. The Nohrian girl felt that she would drown in her guilt.

"Mother!" She wailed, as if somehow, the limp body in her arm would awaken by hearing it. She called out to the dead woman again and again, the guilt tearing her apart. Behind her, another voice, younger and even more distraught, called out for mother as well. She could vaguely hear Ryouma yelling something, charging past her with a furious roar, but all of that seemed far away. All Nerr could focus on was the blood, still warm but cooling quickly, on her legs, and her pulse pounding in her ears. With every beat of her heart, her vision flashed a painfully blinding white before fading to black. White, black, white, black- the princess was certain she was going blind, but even that seemed inconsequential, compared to the pain radiating throughout her body. It was the same pain she'd felt at the chasm, only so much more pronounced.

This time, there was no anger to distract her from the worst aspects of it, only guilt whispering maliciously in her ear, you deserve this...It felt as if she were burning from the inside out, filled to the brim with boiling oil that seared and scalded every inch of her. Her hands shook, with pain, with grief, as the burning sank into her bones. The air was so hot around her that every breath was agony. As the pain reached it's crescendo, she could endure it silently no longer. Throwing her head back, she screamed in agony, the sound tearing through her throat and bouncing around inside her brain. She wanted to curl into a tight ball until the pain subsided, but it felt as if she were on a rack, being stretched in every direction. This time it was not just one arm pulling until the ligaments tore and muscles snapped- it was every limb, her neck, her spine. Everything was being pulled apart and burned away. Her clothes seemed to crumble like ash as her armor fused to her skin, her jaw ripped off, her skull split open. There was no end to the agony she endured; how could she not be dead yet?

Suddenly, with no warning, the pain began to ease, the burning subsiding. She wanted to collapse in exhaustion, to weep and moan at the phantom pain in her body, but a voice in her head forced her to stand upright. I am strong, the voice said, sounding so sure of itself that Nerr believed it. Even so, something was most assuredly wrong. Upright still felt like she was on her knees, resting most of her weight on her hands. And the ground, strewn with blood and debris, was so far away. Even the colors, that had once been so vibrant, were now all reduced to varying shades of gray. There were panicked screams behind her, and among them, a familiar voice in a horrified tone.

"Gods above! What is that?!" From much further away, Ryouma answered. Normally, Nerr's hearing was better than most, but now? She could hear the eldest Hoshidan prince as if he stood not a foot from her.

"It's a dragon. I never thought I'd see the day..." He sounded awestruck. Nerr glanced around, noticing that while Suzukaze, Rinkah and Azura were all battered and bruised, they were otherwise unharmed. And also, staring at her, agape. She was the dragon. Such a thing had been in books, of course- ancient races of dragons who took the form of humans and could change back with special stones.

But she had no stone, and really, how could she not have known she was a dragon? Though in hindsight, she recalled a few times when Gunther had brought a wyrmslayer to their weapons training. Felicia and Jakob had handled the blade with no problem, but just being near the horrid thing, the hilt stretched with the hide of long dead dragons and decorated with fangs, made her ill at ease. Once, the blade had burned her through her gloves, and afterwards, her hands would be covered with a terrible burning rash. The metal they were forged with was only fatal to dragons, so it never made sense why she grew so ill around them... until now.

But there were more pressing matters than being a dragon. Their small group was surrounded by flickering, vaguely human shapes. With purple flames licking at their feet, they were mostly invisible, but with her new, heightened senses, Nerr didn't need to see them for she could smell them. They gave off the same putrid reek that she could now associate with Ganglari. Slowly, the vague forms began shambling towards them, rippling as they moved, like water congealed into something solid. Sakura gasped in fear and ducked back, hiding behind Azura.

"Nee-sama? What are those things!?"

"It doesn't matter. They're out for blood."

"Probably more Nohrian magic." Rinkah's voice was filled with disdain. "I don't care what they are; they're dead!" She rushed towards them, swinging her club, Suzukaze silent but close behind. It was not a result of Nohrian magic, Nerr refused to believe that, but like Rinkah, she too did not care what they were. They were somehow associated with Ganglari, the cursed thing that was responsible for all this destruction, all her guilt. They would all perish. She cried out her frustration, her hatred, a distorted roar in her ears. Azura, when she spoke up, could barely be heard.

"Nerr, be careful! Some of these fiends are carrying wyrmslayers. I don't know how you react to them normally, but in this form, they might kill you." Were she able to escape her own head, Nerr would've told the other girl that she was already quite wary of wyrmslayers, thank you, but it didn't matter either way. At that moment, hatred fueled by grief and guilt overruled all rational thought. She did not care what wyrmslayers might do to her- all that mattered was taking their wielders down with her.

It was difficult to see where her foes were; the air around them shimmered, but with her new monochrome vision, it was hard to tell what was movement and what was dust in the air. Even their scent did not help in calculating their attacks. It did not change as they moved, heating and cooling as it did with Rinkah and Suzukaze, but rather, remained the same, flat carrion smell regardless. Such a thing might hinder another fighter, but Nerr was better than that. She had trained long and hard so as to not be taken off guard by anyone or thing. And though there was no sword in her hand now, she found she carried an equally deadly weapon. A whoosh of metal cutting air sounded below her and she looked down to see a vague figure take a swing at her. It's sword hit her leg (which felt like an arm, so she regarded it as such), but what normally would've left at least a smarting bruise barely caught her attention. It was as if she were made of stone; strong, unfeeling, indestructible.

Screaming a shrill battle cry, Nerr swung her elongated neck, intending to knock the nuisance aside. She did not figure in the added weight protruding sharply from her forehead. With a loud, squelching sound, her elegantly curved horns pierced through the fiend's jerkin and flesh, lacerating organs before poking through the other side. Perhaps under different circumstances she would've been horrified by what she'd done, but it seemed that this death was... hollow, in a way. There was no cry of pain, no guttural death rattle... Even the blood that sprinkled on her face as she shook her head to detach the body was cold, more like water than freshly spilled blood. It was more like killing one of those Faceless monstrosities than a living, breathing person. And it was all the better, for now, Nerr could reap her vengeance without guilt.

The nicks and dings left by their swords were barely worth her attention, and even the mage's (she caught the faint, familiar smell of elder magic about them) thunder spells only tingled a bit. Their flesh tore easily, like soft wet paper, spilling blood and innards onto the cracked and broken plaza stones, adding to the carnage. Further away, on the other side of the plaza, Ryouma was fighting... something. It was putting up much more of a fight than the cannon fodder she faced, and seemed skilled, for the crimson samurai could not so much as land a blow on it. A loud, pained cry rang out through the still air, catching her attention. It had to have been the prince, for when he spoke, his voice was tight with pain.

"You can kill me... but you cannot... kill the spirit of... Hoshido..."

"Nii-sama, no! Please, don't die, we can't lose you too..." Sakura cried loudly, trying to rush over to him, the tassels of her strange healing stave fluttering behind her. Azura held her back, pulling her away just as one of the invisible demons lashed out, the serrated blade striking the air that had, only second ago, been occupied by their youngest Hoshidan princess.

Regaining it's footing, the creature rushed out, drawing back it's sword once more to strike, and this time, it's aim would be true. Nerr could not allow such a thing- she could not let another life be cut short, especially one only beginning. She ran forward, so unused to this strange, loping gait but covering more ground in a single step than she could normally in five. She knocked Sakura and Azura out of the way, rearing up on her hind legs (which were just her legs, as far as her human anatomy was concerned) with the intention of trampling the miscreant to death, but before she could bring her full weight down on it's head, it had already swung it's sword, the faint green of the hammered ore gleaming ever so slightly in the hazy light.

The wyrmslayer connected with her exposed chest, it's serrated teeth cutting through the metallic scales, rending the tough hide beneath. An agony unlike anything she'd ever felt tore through the Nohrian girl, and she dropped down, all thoughts of counter-attacks banished from her mind. She could feel blood pouring freely from her wound, running down her stomach and arms and splashing onto the dusty stone beneath her. It flowed so thickly, so fast, that she could feel herself growing weaker by the second. The smell of burning flesh was a thousand times more potent in this form, and though the blade rose again, to cut off her head for certain, as one must do with dragons, she could not move even an inch. If she had bought young Sakura the time to escape, then she could die at peace, at least some of her guilt alleviated. But, just as always seemed to happen when she made her peace, death did not come. The figure above her jerked suddenly, as if hit from behind. As it turned to look, a loud, angry shout accompanied a heavy blow from a mace. The being's head was crushed like an apple, chunks of skull and brains sent flying from the blow, along with cinders. Rinkah pulled her mace back as the flickering form slumped to the ground, the lethal blade falling harmlessly from it's hand. Still holding a handful of throwing stars, Suzukaze returned them to the pouch at his waist and rushed over, kneeling beside Nerr.

"Lady Nerr, are you alright? Please say-" He paused, the fact that she may have difficulty speaking in such a form dawning on him. "Please make some sign that you're alright." She wanted to yell at him, maybe throttle him with her tail or the massive wings that had sprouted from her shoulders for making such a ridiculous request, but she was too weak. The flow of blood was slowing, but still not stopping completely. Her legs shook with the effort of staying upright, and she slipped down to her knees, breathing hard.

"Oh no... Oh no no no..." Sakura sidled up to her, clutching her staff so tightly it seemed the delicate handle would snap in two. "Oh, p-please don't die, nee-sama... Y-y-you have to be a-alright..."

"Sakura... maybe you should try healing her. You are holding a festal." Azura's voice was calm as always, bordering on nonchalant. Loathe as she was to admit it, Nerr was grateful someone was capable of keeping their head in a crisis. The young princess only just seemed to remember that she was a healer, standing a little straighter as she waved her staff over the Nohrian girl. The familiar burning stinging that accompanied healing wounds was exacerbated by the severity of them, and she roared in pain as the gaping hole in her chest sealed itself. Terrified at the sight of an angry dragon, Sakura dashed back behind Azura, nearly in tears.

"I-I'm sorry, nee-sama!"

"I doubt she's mad at you, princess." Suzukaze's voice was calm as well as he stood back up, surveying the plaza. "I don't see any more attackers. I think we've dispatched them all."

"Not quite..." Rinkah stood near the base of the ruined dragon statue in the middle of the plaza, peering around it. The green-haired ninja followed her, his footfalls almost completely silent. "I think that's who Prince Ryouma was fighting."

"Where it he?"

"Who, Prince Ryouma?" The dark skinned woman shook her head, frowning thoughtfully. "He sounded like he was beat. Probably crawled away somewhere to recover. It's not like there's a corpse there or anything." Forcing herself back on her feet (all four of them, as it were), Nerr limped over to where the Hoshidans stood, following their gaze. This figure was more substantial than the others- she could make out a tall person in a robe, holding a short Hoshidan-style blade. Unlike the other attackers who charged at them, this one remained still, not holding a stance, not looking around... just... waiting. Voicing her thoughts for her, Suzukaze spoke up.

"Why is that one just standing there? Surely it knows we're here."

"I don't know..." Rinkah scowled. "All I know is if that thing bested Prince Ryouma, we don't have a snowball's chance in hell against it."

She was absolutely right. Someone wielding a light blade would be much too fast for Rinkah with her heavy mace, and though Suzukaze was fleet-footed, the shinobi's silly metal stars would not so much as leave a scratch on their final opponent. Nerr narrowed her eyes, a grim suspicion growing in her gut. She had barely been able to see earlier, the dust had been so thick in the air, but she knew she had witnessed Ganglari flying into a figure's hand's, something (or someone) tall, it's form indistinct, as if it were wearing a cloak... She lifted her head and sniffed the air. Blood and smoke and dust assailed her, but above that, the wretched smell that the cursed sword reeked of... and that this final demon reeked of as well, even stronger than it's minions. This was the evil monster that had wrought destruction and brought death... This was the foul mis-creation that was responsible for the grief weighing down on her.

Growling low in her throat, Nerr began stalking towards the still figure. There would be no element of surprise- she was too large and slow for that now, but it didn't matter. Her fury burned so much stronger than any magic this... this... demon could muster. A hand on her thigh (or haunches- it was so hard to figure out what parts of her body were what anymore) stopped her and she craned her neck around to look, a much easier task now that her neck was so much longer. Azura stood beside her, looking grim.

"You can't fight that thing alone, Nerr. You're too weak." Weak... Nerr did not want to hear that, especially when the voice in her head still contradicted it, whispering to her enticingly, You are strong, you have the might of ten men, pitiful chattel cannot stop you... She lowered her head, fixing the other girl with a scowl. 'Don't tell me what I can't do. I'm stronger than you are...' The words she spoke were not nearly so coherent as they were in her mind, coming out as a long, drawn out growl. Even like that, though, it seemed she got her point across, for Azura removed her hand quite quickly.

"Alright, alright. It's obvious I can't stop you. ...but let me help you, at least a bit." Nerr wanted to scoff aloud, but could not make her vocal cords obey. This scrawny wisp of a woman, help her in battle? Such was to laugh. The other princess had picked up a lance, or at least, some scrap of metal on a long stick, but even the way she held it spoke to the fact that she'd never been trained to handle weapons. It was agony that she could not figure out how to speak properly so as to derisively ask what kind of help the bluenette planned on offering, but her question was being answered all the same.

Azura raised her arms to the heavens, vocalizing in the same high, warbling tone Nerr had heard back at the lake that day. This was no time to be singing, and she was sorely tempted to lash out at the other princess for even attempting such a foolish thing, but a gentle glow caught her eye, giving her pause. Water pooled on the ground below the singer's feet, washing away the blood and dust, droplets rising in the air, saturating it, until it felt as if she were standing in the midst of a gentle summer rain. In an instant, it felt as if the world had been rinsed clean- no more blood and death bogging down her breath. Even the wound on her chest didn't hurt as badly, the last remnants of pain fading away. All at once, as Azura broke off her held note to breathe, the calm feeling was gone, but it's effects remained. Nerr stood up straighter, feeling as if she'd just gotten a second and third wind. Catching her breath, the other woman looked at her, and hand held to her chest.

"I hope that's enough." he said quietly. It was, but Nerr did not attempt to convey that to her. She simply turned her sights back to the monster who's death would bring peace to her guilt ravaged mind. In all that time, the creature had not moved an inch, though it watched her as she approached, and for a split second, she saw that it's head was cocked curiously, as if it were amused by her. Unlike the minions she had dispatched, this one was not silent. It spoke, for lack of a better word, as she drew near, in a deep, masculine voice that sounded rusty from ill-use.

"Show me... what... you've got. Heh. Heh. Heh." That laughed, which seemed more like a cough than an expression of amusement, enraged her. Roaring with fury, she charged at the evanescent being, tackling it until she'd pinned it against the crumbling remains of one of the sturdier buildings. Her horns had ripped through this one's flesh as well, and it was now helpless, like a butterfly with a pin through it. Even so, it laughed again, that dry, toneless exhalation of breath.

"Not... bad... Heh. Heh. Heh." And all at once, it was gone. It simply faded into the air, as if it had been air itself, leaving not a trace behind, no blood or gore, not even it's blade. Nerr looked around frantically trying to see if it had simply warped behind her... but there was nothing there. Nothing but destruction and death... Empress Mikoto's body still lay on the stone, cold and unmoving... and she had not even been able to bring her killer to justice. It was Gunther all over again, only this time, it wasn't just her grief weighing down on her, but the grief of the empress's children, her people.

All of it crushing Nerr, drowning her, forcing her to suffer for the sin of being alive when it should've been her lying cold and dead on the ground. Shaking from the barely contained anger and guilt, she threw her head back, screaming like a child throwing a tantrum. Why was all this happening? It wasn't fair... All she'd wanted was to prove her worth to her father, to make a contribution to her country, to help bring an end to the fighting so people could live in peace... She knew there would be death, but why did it keep happening to others in her place? She cried out again, certain she was weeping, but feeling no tears as she thrashed about. Faintly, barely audible over her rage, she could hear a familiar voice singing.

"You are the ocean's gray waves, destined to seek life beyond the shore, just out of reach..."

Nerr paused, breathing hard as she turned her attention to the source. Azura walked towards her, stepping delicately over the rubble, her arms outstretched. She was bathed in the same glow as before when she sang, as well as the same drizzle. Behind her, the Nohrian girl noticed Sakura waving her staff over Ryouma, who must've dragged himself over to the group, his clothes torn and bloody. He seemed to be on his last legs, but the moment he noticed what Azura was doing, he clambered to his feet, stumbling as he tried to run towards her.

"Azura, no, stop! It's dangerous!" Dangerous?! Nerr huffed, indignation overtaking her anger for a moment. She was dangerous now? She wasn't dangerous when she was helping the overgrown lobster's sisters, or trying to run away from his goons. Just as the eldest prince reached her, a pillar or water erupted around the songstress, spinning like a cyclone, so rapidly that the moment Ryouma ran into it, it knocked him back. He hit the ground hard, groaning in pain though he lifted his head off the dirty stone look back up at her. As the water receded, Azura glanced back at him for but a moment before returning to the task at hand. Breathing deeply, she began again, her face a mask of concentration.

"You are the ocean's gray waves, destined to seek life beyond the shore, just out of reach..."

As she drew closer, Nerr could see that her pendant was glowing, or more specifically, the sliver of blue stone housed in it. It had the same calming effect that she'd felt when Azura sang earlier, but this time, rather than put her mind at ease, it made her (metaphorical) hair stand on end. There was some kind of enchantment in that song, it had to be a spell of some sort. The closer the other woman came, the weaker she felt, and that feeling, of impending helplessness, terrified her. Every step Azura took towards her, she took one back, feeling like a cornered rodent. 'Stop!', she screamed at the bluenette, as she felt her back end brush against the rubble. She had no where left to go, but still the songstress continued her assault, even smiling slightly now, as if she knew her spell was working.

"Yet the waters ever change-"

'Shut up! Shut up shut up SHUT UP!' Nerr was screaming, but her words were incomprehensible to anyone but herself. The rational part of her mid knew that, but that part was tiny in comparison to the anger and fear, and so it was easy to convince herself that her words were simply being ignored. Growling, she reared back, lashing out at the other woman, and striking her across the face. The only reason it had been with an open hand was because her new, elongated fingers did not want to ball into a fist. She'd had the desire to do so since their first meeting, and now finally she had given that horrid, traitorous little wretch what-for. With a cry that sounded more startled than hurt, Azura fell back, hitting the ground limply, and the spell was broken.

In the distance, she could hear Sakura crying, but she didn't care. Nor did she feel any better after finally taking her anger out on someone she felt was more than deserving of it. No, all Nerr felt was the same misery and anger than had been churning inside her for nearly a fortnight. It was too much, it would not stop... She screamed again, the anger giving way to a physical pain in her chest. 'Gods, make it stop, make it stop...' She prayed. Behind her closed eyes, the bright glow came back, and she looked down in disbelief. She had been certain that blow had knocked Azura unconscious- she looked frail enough to be unable to withstand a single hit- but even as she lay prone on the ground, her voice, so weak, rang out.

"Flowing like time..."

The pillar of water surrounded them both this time, droplets breaking against her skin, drenching her. Slowly, as if it required more effort than she had, Azura lifted her head to look up at Nerr. Her left cheek was swollen and bloody, where she had been struck, and though she was clearly in pain, she still smiled slightly. That was more infuriating than anything.

"The path is... yours to climb- Argh!"

Before she could even think on what she was doing, Nerr reached out, grabbing the other woman by the throat and forcing her back down. It would be so easy to just squeeze a little and pop her head off like a doll's. Growling and breathing hard, Nerr leaned down, her face almost touching Azura's. The pendant still glowed, the bright light hurting her eyes. 'Shut up... don't you ever shut up...?!' This girl exemplified everything Nerr hated about Hoshido- the fact that everything she did was just, for the right reasons; her stupid clothes, her two-faced attitude... It was her fault all of this happened. If she had just kept her gods damned mouth shut and let Nerr go back to Nohr like she wanted to, she would've been far away from the capital if-slash-when Ganglari exploded. There would've been no destruction, no loss of life (save her own), and their empress would've still been alive. If she had just shut up... A small, frail hand reached up, resting lightly on her wrist. Azura's breath was shaky, and as she blinked rapidly, the tears welling in her eyes overflowed, running down the sides of her face.

"Kill me if you want... but... do it as yourself." 'I AM myself. I'm DAGEROUS, remember? I'm an evil Nohrian, because everything from Nohr is evil...' Even as she thought those words, the memory of her brothers and sisters came to her mind. How could Nohr be so bad if it made people like that? Like her retainers? A long, long time ago, Xander had been discussing politics with her. In many instances of war, there were no rules, he'd told her. You did whatever was necessary to win. Destroying crops, poisoning wells, killing innocents... the ends justified the means. Except they didn't. Barbarians fight like that, with no remorse. With no honor. Nohrians are no savages. We do not take innocent life. She... she had believed that once, not so long ago... She had refused to execute unarmed prisoners, even though they had tried to kill her.

This girl beneath her wouldn't have been able to hurt her even if she had been armed. As annoying as she was, as hateful as she was, Nerr could not kill her. That would be proving the Hoshidans right; it would stain her family's honor, and though she was undoubtedly dead to them, they still lived on in her heart. Slowly, reluctantly, she pulled her hand back, and stepped away. Once again, her anger had burned out, leaving nothing but sadness in it's wake. Whimpering, Nerr withdrew back into the rubble, curling herself into as tiny as ball as she could manage With her long, gangly limbs, it was difficult, but it seemed that she was shrinking in on herself. Muscles and tendons felt like they were being wrapped back into her, like a spool of thread, as her bones ground back to their original size. It hurt, not nearly as much as it had before, but enough that it drove off all conscious thought.

It only took second before she was back to normal, curled up on the filthy ground, but it felt like hours. The pain had not relented this time, as it had after her first transformation, instead growing sharper and concentrating in her head. With every beat of her pounding heart, it felt as if someone was driving a pick ax in her skull. Just as the pain grew unbearable and she was sure she would faint or die, it stopped. It was gone so suddenly that it left the princess feeling lightheaded. She collapsed onto her side, shaking violently, uncontrollably, as if she were afflicted with fever chills. She felt so weak, so helpless... A familiar feeling. Whimpering, she closed her eyes, cringing as another dark memory flashed before her. Only this time, it was not a hazy reel of barely remembered sounds and impressions, but a very clear image...

She had been on the ground, cleaner than the one she was on now, though not by much. It was dark, Nohr dark, and someone stood in front of her. A man, with long, wild hair. He grunted in pain as arrows flew past her, some hitting the stone walls of the building surrounding them, the sharp little flecks of stone cutting her as they hit. With a tortured groan, the man in front of her dropped down to one knee, sinking his sword into the ground and leaning on it in a vain attempt to stay upright. Her father... she knew it was her father because she remembered wanting to run to him, to cry out, 'papa!' and hide in his long robes, away from all the scary things. But she couldn't move, she was too afraid.

A deep voice grew louder as a huge man, wearing strange black armor and carrying an enormous ax, approached her father. He said something about being disappointed, but she couldn't listen, she was too busy looking at the thick blade gleaming in the faint torchlight, at the blood dripping on the stone. The scary man raised his ax and swung it. Nerr tried to look away, but it was too late. She had seen the blood spray over the walls, had seen her father fall to the ground with a loud, gurgling cry. He was still, so still, occasionally twitching slightly... Blood pooled around him, sinking in between the paving stones. Tears blurred her vision, burning her eyes as they fell hard and fast down her cheeks.

"You poor thing..." The voice was suddenly so close that she hurt her neck turning to face it. The scary man now stood next to her, and there was no one in between them now. He looked so much older than her father, his face ashen and lined with deep wrinkles. His beard was longer too, and snowy white, just as his hair was, though both were flecked with bright red blood. It ran down his armor in thick rivers, barely visible against the black. She tried backing away from the huge, scary man, but it was no good- he was too fast, standing over her before she could even think to run. His lips were pulled up, but it didn't look like a smile. It reminded her of seeing a dog bare it's teeth, growling and snarling.

"Orphaned at such a... tender, young age... You are MY child now..." he reached down, and everything went black...

"Are you alright, Nerr?" She cringed at Azura's voice, quiet but still so loud right next to her ear. Nerr curled into a tighter ball, whimpering and covering her face. She didn't want them to know she was crying- it was bad enough she knew, could feel the hot tears cutting tracks through the dust and grime on her face.

Mikoto had gotten her wish after all- she remembered. Not just that one, horrid scene, but so many horrid scene, those early days in Nohr... She'd wanted to forget those, those were the main things she'd wanted pushed away, and now, they were back... But the worst part was, they had been telling the truth. Mikoto and Ryouma... she remembered them- not as vividly, but still. The high prince was smaller in her memories, but still just as mean and cold, and Mikoto... she remembered being held tenderly, being sung something, a lullaby maybe... It was strange to remember a lullaby not sung to her by Camilla or Gunther, but there it was. The empress really was her mother... and now, it was too late to acknowledge it.

"Nerr, are you alright?" Azura asked again, a hint of panic in her voice this time. Nerr shook her head.

"No... No, nothing is alright... Oh gods, it's all wrong..."

"It's okay, Nerr. Don't worry about it- that wasn't you." So confused by the direction of the conversation, Nerr had to look up. The other woman's face was still swollen, but the bleeding had stopped. She must've been talking about her draconic rampage. Bile rose in Nerr's throat. Oh, that had been her, alright, but she felt too guilty as it was to admit that. Still, she was grateful for the opportunity to jump on any topic that wasn't the nightmarish scenes playing out in her mind.

"I don't understand... how-how could this have happened? What happened to me?"

"It must be the blood of the ancient dragons in your veins." But that made no sense. Breathing hard, Nerr forced herself into a sitting position.

"That can't be. All royals have dragon blood- that's what makes them royals. Do you turn into a dragon?" The songstress shook her head solemnly.

"I'm afraid I don't. I've heard of it, of the manaketes, but this is my first time seeing it." Nerr had heard of manaketes too, but it still didn't make sense. None of her Nohrian siblings could become dragons- she was certain because if he could, Leo would never have shut up about it- but it seemed that didn't matter since she wasn't truly related to any of them. But why not the Hoshidans? Surely they shared a trait such as this? As she inhaled deeply, the stench of blood and smoke and death cut through her thoughts like a knife.

"Oh gods... wh-what happened to all the people? A-are they okay, have they been evacuated?" She clambered to her feet, looking around and she stumbled, taking everything in for the first time with clear eyes. The once painfully bright sky had been obscured almost entirely with a thick haze of smoke. The stalls, the buildings, everything that had once stood was now a smoldering ruin.

Amidst the bricks and beams, she could see body parts strewn about, pinned beneath the rubble. An arm here, a leg there... some of them old and enfeebled, others tiny and plump. Not ten feet from where she stood, she noticed what seemed like a doll's hand, swollen and purple sticking out from a heavy slab... It's owner was probably two or three at the oldest. Nerr felt her throat constrict in the midst of all the death. These people, her people she had been told, meant nothing to her on a personal level. Individually, their deaths would not have accounted for much to her, but on such a grand scale...So many people dead. And for what? Wordlessly, Ryouma walked over to her, following her gaze passively.

"Do you see, Nerrida? This is the work of Nohrians. This is what they do." She wanted to yell at him, to shout that no, it wasn't, it couldn't be. Nohr was too full of good people to be capable of such atrocities, but she knew it would do no good. And besides, she was so very tired... The prince, her brother she supposed, turned towards her, looking even more angry than he had as he surveyed the damage, "Let me guess; that sword you carried... it was a gift from King Garon?" she said nothing, turning away from him. There was no need to confirm what he already believed, or in this case, already knew. The man nodded gravely. "Of course it was. He masterminded this whole thing. You were just a pawn in his game."

Even though it was true, it did not hurt any less. He's my father, he wouldn't do that... But that argument didn't hold as much water now that she remembered the truth, remembered watching that scary man cut her father down before her eyes, the cruel smile on his face as he reached down to grab her... Ryouma was still talking, but she didn't want to listen anymore. Garon knew she'd be captured and brought before the empress... did he also know how badly she would want to leave? That she would try to escape at every opportunity, and be thwarted each time? The princess pressed her hands to her temples, trying to ward off the returning headache. If only they had just let her go, everything would've been alright... Instead, she'd brought death to their door, unwittingly, but all the same.

"I'm so sorry..." She whispered, unable to raise her voice anymore. She'd meant what she'd said to Azura earlier- she could live without a mother, but that didn't mean she wanted anyone else to. If only she had died-

"Your apology means nothing!" A hateful voice hissed behind her. Turning, she noticed Takumi and Hinoka, their clothes torn and dirty, but otherwise, they seemed alright. She could see where tears had run down the younger boy's face, but they were dry now. There was no sorrow in his face now, only anger and hatred. "This is all your fault!" He screamed at Nerr. "Our mother is dead, along with countless others! And it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't shown up on our doorstep!" Once again, anger began boiling inside her. Nerr knew it was her fault, but she didn't need this arrogant little nothing telling her that, and for all the wrong reasons besides. She walked up to him, her eyes narrowed in annoyance, her voice surprisingly level.

"I 'showed up on your doorstep'? That's how you think it happened, like I just waltzed into Hoshido and came knocking for a visit? Listen, you little stool- you can blame me for this all you want, but don't think for a second that I was here because I wanted to be here. Your fucking soldiers knocked me out and dragged me here, against my will! I tried to leave, but your mother wouldn't let me! If I'd had my way, I'd have been in Nohr a week ago! Hate me for what happened, but don't you dare act like I wanted this to happen." Far from being back into a corner, her anger only served to make him more belligerent.

"Shut your lying, whore mouth! You honestly expect me to believe this wasn't all your doing? You were probably in on it from the beginning! Why the hell else would you bring a sword to a peaceful gathering unless you knew what would happen?! It should've been you, you bitch. You're the one who should've died!"

"Takumi, that's enough." Ryouma had been content to stand there and listen quietly all this time, but as he noticed his brother's hands ball into fists, he interjected. Azura stepped forward, placing a light hand on Takumi's arm.

"Your words won't change anything, and neither will your anger. Besides-"

"Shut up, Azura!" he viciously slapped her hand away, round on her. "You're the same as that... bitch, Nerrida! You've probably been spying on us from the moment you came here! Everyone knows Nohrians can't be trusted, yet they just welcomed you both into the fold. You see what happens when you trust Nohrians? You see?!"

"Takumi, what are you saying? Stop it!" Hinoka's voice was surprisingly quiet, laced with anger, though at who, one could not say. "You just saw Nerrida and Azura help defeat those Nohrian soldiers. They wouldn't help us if they were in on it- they'd have just run away in the confusion."

"Unless that's what they wanted you to think! What better way to keep spoon feeding you lies than to pretend to help after all the killing and destruction already happened?" Loathe as she was to admit it, Takumi had a point. Still, Nerr kept quiet, unwilling to try and correct anybody or waste her breath talking to the infuriated boy. It seemed Azura had not had enough of his venom yet, for she kept trying to coax him.

"Takumi, please. Nerr is your sister. It's fine if you don't trust me, but she's your flesh and blood." That bothered her for some reason. Nerr turned back towards them, unwilling to let such a thing slide.

"That doesn't matter-"

"You're right, Nohrian. It doesn't matter. My mother is dead. Thanks to you. You're not my sister."

"...and that's fine. If you don't think of me as your sister, I can live with that, because I don't think of you as my brother. We're strangers to one another. But Azura is your sister. You grew up together, she was raised as part of your family. That bond should matter more than a few drops of blood shared with someone you just met. It's fine if you don't trust me, but she had nothing to do with anything." For a moment, Takumi was silent (so were the rest of the siblings, but they weren't the ones who looked ready to take a swing at her), but then he walked up to her. Even in bare feet, Nerr stood a few inches taller than him, but that hardly fazed the boy as he glared up at her.

"Why don't you just leave, Nohrian, before you kill anyone else?" She returned his gaze coolly.

"Maybe I would, if you people would let me."

"Please, wait!" They both looked up to see the tactician, Yukimura, jogging up to them. It seems he had been further in the rubble, still looking for survivors, judging by his dusty clothes and bleeding hands. The older man sighed deeply, reaching up to adjust his glasses. One of the lenses was cracked. "You are both upset, but this is not what Mikoto-sama would've wanted."

"Oh, go to hell, Yukimura. Just because you were in love with her doesn't mean you know anything. And besides, it doesn't matter what Mother would've wanted because she's dead now! Thanks to somebody..." The tactician closed his eyes, looking as if a heavy weight had descended on him for a long moment.

"You're right. Mikoto-sama is dead, which is why you should not shame her memory by acting so cruelly. What would she say if she say you behaving this way? She loved her family above all else- it would destroy her to see you two fighting. This is not how she wanted you to respond to her demise..." For the first time, Ryouma appeared interested in what was being said.

"What do you mean, in response to her demise? Did she say something to you?" Yukimura sighed once more, looking horribly downtrodden.

"Yes. Before we left for the plaza, Mikoto-sama confided to Yuugiri, Orochi and myself that... that she knew she was going to die. Perhaps it was a premonition, or perhaps she simply understood the way King Garon thinks, but she knew this would happen. Not this, exactly, but her ultimate death. She asked us not to say anything, but... well, it seems a moot point now." He turned then towards Nerr. "This is not your fault, Nerrida-sama. Your mother would not want to hear you blame yourself." Hanging her head, the princess seethed quietly. Takumi was right- it didn't matter what their mother wanted, because she was dead.

"More importantly than appointing blame," Yukimura continued, seeing that his placating words were not having the desired effect on either party. "I believe you should take a moment to examine the plaza's central statue, or what remains of it..." The siblings all approached the base of the statue, craning their necks to see. Curiosity getting the better of her, Nerr looked up the the point they were fixated on. In the dim, smoky light, she could just make out a glint of gold. Squinting, she noticed that there was a blade, made of shining bronze or copper by the look of it, with a strange, ridged grip and pronged pommel.

"What the hell is what? Some kind of sword?"

"It can't be..." Ryouma muttered, more to himself than her. Nerr agreed- surely such an awkward hilt would make it impossible to wield, and how could it have been embedded within the statue? Ignoring the impossible scenario of it materializing within the marble, the stone surely would've rendered the blade useless.

"I believe it is. The divine Yatogami." Nerr scoffed under her breath. Divine? Please. Clearly Yukimura had no idea what he was talking about. How could he even see the damned thing- with her above average sight, it was a faint glint in the distance, and his glasses were broken. Not hearing her, or else, ignoring her, the tactician continued. "Much like your Raijinto, Ryouma-sama, and your Fuujin Yumi, Takumi-sama.. Even your Ameteratsu, Hinoka-sama. I've heard there are other divine weapons, but I'm afraid I don't know much about them, but I'd heard much about the Yatogami. Only one may wield it, one chose by the blade itself." This time, Nerr scoffed loud enough to know she was heard.

"Aren't you a little old to believe in fairytales?" He turned an even gaze towards her.

"Says the woman who turned into a dragon? It would appear fairytales have more truth in them than not..."

Shaking her head in exasperation, Nerr turned on her heel. She wondered if she could slip away unnoticed while the others were enraptured by their fairytale come to life. Being chosen by a sword, what nonsense. She'd taken no more than five steps when panicked cries erupted behind her. Without thinking, she turned back around, regretting it at once. The Yato... something, had been hovering in the air above the base of the statue. As she noticed it, it hurtled towards her, much the same way that Ganglari had repelled from her. It was coming straight at her, so fast that, divine or not, it would probably take off her head. Crying out unconsciously in fear, Nerr threw her hands up to shield her face from the incoming blow. But it did not slam into her, not even hitting her hand.

Despite the speed of it's trajectory, the hilt only just brushed her palm. Grabbing it out of fear that it might try to strike her if left alone, Nerr opened her eyes slowly, shutting them once more as a blinding light emanated from the blade. Only when the light dimmed behind her eyelids did she tentatively crack them open. The blade, long and thin, was indeed the color of dull copper, though it was inlaid with crimson stones near the guard on both sides. And despite it's strange ridges, the grip was not nearly as uncomfortable as she had thought it would be. The blade felt... right in her hand, much more balanced than Ganglari had been. But divine? Not likely. Her siblings, however, seemed to buy into Yukimura's hype.

"The blade has chosen Nerrida!" Ryouma's voice was stunned, and while Takumi sounded surprised as well, it was buried beneath a layer of disgust.

"Impossible. The Yatogami wouldn't choose a filthy Nohrian to wield it."

"Shut up, Takumi." Hinoka slapped him on the arm. "Nerrida, do you know what this means? Heh heh, you're destined! You're destined to help us drive back those Nohrian devils! I knew it, I knew getting you back would make everything better!" Drive back the Nohrians? Raise a hand against her people? No, she could never, and if that was what using a Hoshidan blade meant, she would gladly throw it in the first ravine she came across. In response to her thoughts, it seemed, the blade warmed in her hand. It was not the painful burning/freezing that Ganglari had done- this was a much gentler sensation, like she had just dipped her hand into a nice, warm tub.

"N-nee-sama? Are you l-listening? C-can you hear us?"

Nerr did hear them, but only distantly, for she was not paying attention. Everything about this day, these events, felt like it had been put together to test her limits. The explosion was her father's doing- her adopted father, for lack of a better word- there was no doubt of that. Maybe even Hans' actions, though she still refused to believe her father ordered Gunther's death- that made no sense at all. But this strange sword stuck in a stone, her new draconic form? Who was behind that? Her head pounded fiercely, and she wanted nothing more than to curl up on the dirty ground again and go to sleep, preferably never to wake again, but as it were, there was no rest for the weary.

A small group of Hoshidan soldiers ran towards them, clambering over the rubble. Judging by the pristine state of their uniforms, it seemed they hadn't been caught in the blast, but they looked shaken nonetheless. Suzukaze approached them, the news they had apparently so disconcerting, it seemed to physically wound him. Nodding, they ran back in the direction they came from, while the shinobi dashed towards the royals, kneeling before Ryouma.

"Ryouma-sama, I fear there is unsettling news. Scouts have reported that a massive Nohrian battalion is gathering at the border. They're a day's journey from the capital at most."

"Gods, those dastards...! They organize an attack on our capital, murder our sovereign, then try to invade? No... This is the final straw." Ryouma's face was stony, his jaw clenched so tightly Nerr could see a tic in his cheek. "I have worked hard to avoid an all-out war, but now... death is too good for them. Who's with me?" Hinoka and Takumi cheered, the former more enthusiastically than the latter.

"We'll drive those Nohrian dastards right back to hell! For every drop of innocent Hoshidan blood they've spilled, I'll kill them twice!" The elder princess roared. Her younger brother was calmer in his fury.

"They all have to die... It's the only way we'll ever have peace..." The high prince nodded grimly.

"We must gather our forces. Yukimura, send a missive that all soldiers, all reserves are to report to the castle immediately. We will meet the Nohrians head on this time, and we will salt the earth with their blood."

000

Wordlessly, Nerr followed her siblings (she begrudgingly acquiesced that they were in fact her family, though they all still felt like strangers to her) back to the castle. There was so much hustle and bustle as soldiers geared up, polishing their armor and sharpening their weapons. She could've gone back to her room, but she decided against it- it felt too much like a cell, so small and dark and cramped... It was better than the cell she'd known in Nohr so long ago- there were no rats and it did not reek of mildew- but it brought back unpleasant memories all the same. Utterly miserable, she retreated to a relatively desolate hallway, her back against the wall and her knees pulled up to her chest. The Yato blade rested in her lap, not glowing or doing anything special. It was dull and dingy, in worse shape that her old bronze practice sword, but it's blade was still razor sharp.

The Nohrian princess- she was Hoshidan by blood, but in her heart, Nerr would always be Nohrian- ran her fingers over the flat edge of the blade, tracing the stones set within it. There was so much upheaval, so much chaos... She wanted to scream and cry, but it felt as if she were empty, worn out and used up. There were no more tears within her to be shed, no more breath to be exhaled. Sighing, she closed her eyes, more aware than ever that sleep would not come. A shadow descended over her, and she didn't need to look up to know who it was. Those footsteps could only come from bare feet.

"You should be resting, Nerr. Ryouma is leading the troops to the border in a few hours." A short pause. "You are going, aren't you?"

"I don't have a choice." She muttered. There was no way Ryouma would leave her unattended in the castle, especially now. A thought suddenly popped into her mind. "I wonder who's leading the Nohrian forces... Maybe it's Xander. He is Nohr's best soldier, it would make sense for Father to send him to lead an invasion..." For the first time in ages, Nerr felt a surge of hope in her breast.

If Xander was there, then perhaps she could force her way to the front lines, and he would see that she was not dead. He would give her guidance, as he always had in the past. Clinging to that delicate lifeline, Nerr got to her feet. A small hand on her wrist gave her pause. Most of her clothes had been torn, or else burned away earlier, and no one cared enough to pester her about changing into whole (but Hoshidan) garb. Azura's gloves exposed her fingers, and the other woman could feel how smooth and delicate they were. Hands that had never held a weapon or scraped the hard ground... hands of a princess, truly.

"If you become embroiled in a fight now, especially against any Nohrians you might now, it would be easy to lose control. Your dragon blood could take over again."

"So?" Nerr failed to see the issue. So she could turn into a raging murder beast and cut a swathe through any Hoshidans who tried to keep her from Xander. That actually sounded like a viable plan... Azura sighed deeply, annoyed that she wasn't grasping the severity of the situation.

"If you yield completely to your bestial impulses, you may lose your humanity altogether." That got through to her. Nerr had read many stories, some fantastical, some based in ancient history, of mad dragons that rampaged without sense or reason, destroying all in their path until some valiant knight came along to cut them down. In her youth, such stories had been the setting of her most enjoyable daydreams, but she had always been the maiden in need of saving in them, not the dragon falling to the knight's sword.

"Well, what do I do? I-I can't stop it- it happens when I get angry, and I'm always angry now." If she transformed on the battlefield, she might, in her rage-addled mind, attack Xander. Of course, her brother would put her down with ease, he was one of the strongest people she knew, but she didn't want that to be her last memory, her dear brother striking her down like some rabid beast... Azura tugged on her hand, breaking her free from her melancholy thoughts.

"I know something that can help. Come with me."

Silently, Nerr followed the other girl, pushing past the throngs of people headed in the opposite direction. Further and further into the depths of the castle, until they stopped at a large screen door. Azura slid it open and stepped inside, Nerr following suit if only because she didn't trust any lurking guards that might be about. The room was exceedingly large, almost as big as the throne room. Scrolls and maps and tomes filled the shelves, along with beautiful figurines and statues. A delicately sculpted ivory and gold bow lay on a dais, glimmering slightly in the low light. Nerr looked around, feeling more in awe of this room than anything else in Hoshido.

"Where are we?"

"This is Empress Mikoto's room."

"What?" She rounded on the other girl, who was currently rummaging among the the figures and knickknacks. "These are the empress's chambers? And you just waltz in here and snoop around? Where are the guards?"

"There are no guards- who would enter the sovereign's chambers without her permission?" Azura stopped her search for a moment to fix the other woman with an irksome glare. "And I am not 'snooping around'. I'm looking for something she showed once, for this very situation." She returned to her search, muttering to herself that it was 'somewhere around here...' "Aha! Here it is, I knew it was here somewhere."

Overwhelmed by curiosity, Nerr approached the other princess, her brows draw together as Azura turned to face her, holding something in her hand. It was a blue stone, cut in a pear shape, about the size of a fist. There was a small skull encased in the crystal, like that of a wyvern, only so very tiny. Nerr had heard of stones made of hardened ancient sap that sometimes held insects in their depths, but a crystal? With a dragon's head? It was beyond baffling.

"What is that thing?"

"It's a Dragonstone. Manaketes use it to contain their powers. Hopefully, it will absorb yours, giving you the ability to keep a human form but transform into a dragon at will." Nerr nodded, not entirely grasping the concept, but long winded explanations were the least pressing thing on her mind.

"Okaaaay... I'm sure that makes sense, but what I don't understand is why would Empress Mikoto even have this? I mean, did she turn into a dragon?"

"No. I... I think she was saving this... for you. For when you came back."

"What?! Why would she have this for me? How could she know that I was a dragon? Why didn't she tell me this from the beginning?!" Azura sighed deeply and closed her eyes. She looked almost as weary as Nerr felt.

"I don't know. Maybe she thought you wouldn't believe her. All I know is that when I was younger, she showed this to me. When I asked her about it, she just said, 'it's for someone special'. She never brought it up again, but I can't think of anyone more special to her that you." The guilt of that simple statement hit her like a hammer, which was probably Azura's intent.

"Anyway, even if it wasn't for you, I'm sure she would understand your need for it now. Take it." Still a bit wary, but much more compliant than she normally would've been, Nerr reached out, taking the stone in her own hands. It was cool, like hardened water- not ice, just... water somehow made solid. "Good, now close your eyes..." Through her closed lids, Nerr could tell the stone was glowing. From her hands, a cooling sensation spread up her arms, through her chest and head, and down her legs. It was as if water were being flushed through her veins, replacing the blood and leaving her with a (brief) sense of calm. When she opened her eyes, she noticed Azura glancing at the stone with a slight smile curving her lips. "I think it worked. You should be okay. This stone is attuned to you now. You'd best keep it safe."

"...thank you, Azura." It was painful to say, what with the guilt and annoyance still roiling within her, but now, it had been reduced to a low simmer, not enough to cloud her gratitude. "I know I've been cold to you- not entirely undeserved, but still. If I were you, I don't think I would be willing to give me the time of day, much less be kind... if that made any sense."

"It did. I understand what you're saying. And you're right; normally I wouldn't be kind to someone who clearly doesn't want my kindness, but... I empathize with you." The golden eyes that met Nerr's crimson were inscrutable. "Everything is new and scary, so much has happened so fast... I don't think this cold person is the real you, Nerr. I believe that, if the circumstances were different, you wouldn't be so harsh. Empress Mikoto and Yukimura, and Ryouma and Hinoka... They've told me so much about you that, even though we've only just met, I can't help but feel close to that person... That person I think you really are."

"I think you overestimate how good of a person I really am, but I thank you for it nonetheless. You've helped me, and one day, I hope to return the favor."

"There's no need to think you're in my debt." Azura shook her head, her long hair fluttering around her. "Truth be told, I might be doing this more for Empress Mikoto than you, anyways... And that's why I'm coming with you to face Nohr."

"To keep me from running away again?"

"I don't know. Will you run away again?" That was a question Nerr did not have an answer to.