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Ch.7- "A Song of Birthrights and Love"

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The demesne of Nestra was everything Nerr imagined when she dreamed of seeing Nohr for all these years. Gently sloping hills and wide valleys tucked between steep mountains, every inch of fertile land filled with orchards and groves. And though winter was beginning to spread it's tendrils throughout Nohr, so far south, the weather remained mild, flowers continuing to dot the landscape, visited by thirsty bees as desperate to stock up before the land froze over as any human. The Nohrian girl felt as if she had died and gone to heaven- indeed, for the first time in weeks, she did not wake up with a blinding migraine, the pain and stiffness in her shoulders even easing slightly. This region, one of the richest and most bountiful in Nohr, was still not enough to impress the Hoshidans, however.

One night, they had taken refuge in an inn, deciding that they were too far from the open road to set up a camp, and that attempting to do so in the city might attract the attention of border guards, which could then attract the attention of royal soldiers. Honestly, Nerr felt that their attire and attitudes were attracting far more attention than any act of vagrancy could. Their brightly colored silks stood out like an inflammation amidst the subdued, dark palette Nohrians were accustomed to. As they sat down to dine, paying extra for a warm meal, the quartet of natives began eating with gusto the moment their food was set before them. As much as she savored the taste of deeply smoked meat and cabbage, the moment it touched her tongue, she felt herself growing nauseous. Nerr tamped the feeling down, convincing herself that it was because she had gotten used to eating nothing but tofu (that was what those horrible, tasteless cubes were called) and rice, and she had forgotten what real food tasted like. Takumi stabbed at the contents of his bowl with a fork, distaste etched on his face.

"This is it? Considering how much we paid, I thought we'd get more..."

"This is a Nohrian establishment." Hinoka muttered under her breath, looking just as upset. "Is it really any wonder they'd stiff us?" Oboro lifted her bowl to her nose, sniffing tentatively, before pushing it away with a cry of disgust.

"Ugh! I'm not eating this slop- it's sour!" Clutching her own fork so tightly, she could feel the metal start to bend, Nerr focused a hard stare at the lancer.

"It's sauerkraut. It's supposed to smell like that." The royal retainer crossed her arms over her chest, looking away from both the princess and her meal.

"Just because it's supposed to smell like that doesn't mean it should. I wouldn't give this to a dog."

"Same here..." Takumi muttered, pushing his bowl away as well. From beside her, Silas scoffed.

"If I weren't looking directly at this, I wouldn't believe it. I thought Hoshidans had some kind of religious belief about not wasting things."

"This is taking it too far." Tsubaki had tried an experimental bite, and was currently spitting it back into his napkin, taking great care to fold it back neatly. "What's the point of eating spoiled food if it's going to make you sick?"

"It's not spoiled!" A chorus of voices shouted at him in tandem. Nerr felt her headache coming back. There were people in Nohr who would kill- literally murder a person- to have such a meal before them. She remembered those horrible times in the late winter when the citadel's provisions inevitably ran out... Suppressing a shudder, she began eating again, not wanting her food to get cold. If it wasn't good enough for them, then they could just go hungry. She honestly doubted any of these Hoshidans knew what hunger actually felt like. To her surprise, Azura was eating, though it was more of a timid nibble.

"You're not complaining?" She asked, genuinely curious. The blunette woman looked like she had a delicate palate.

"I don't want to appear rude." Azura set her fork down. "Besides, I've eaten food like this before, so it's not entirely foreign to me. Personally, I'd prefer bakalar."

"G-given that we're still near the coast, it wouldn't be that hard to buy some." Zola surprised everyone by speaking up, though he quickly sank down in his seat when people's gazes turned towards him.

"Is that so? And, pray tell, how would you know that?" Nerr was the only person he didn't visibly flinch from when spoken to, so he turned his gaze slightly towards her.

"I, um... I used to live in Nestra. Taillade- that's my home town. It's a fishing village, and they export most of the seafood to the rest of Nohr, so... yeah. That's how." The princess leaned back, digesting that tidbit of information. Honestly, it was difficult to think of Zola having been born or raised anywhere- she always just sort of assumed he'd congealed in a gutter somewhere, like Hans or Iago. Hinoka drummed her fingers against the rough hewn table.

"So... you would know the area, right?"

"W-well, to an extent-"

"Good. Then you can tell us the quickest way to get to Chevalier." The dark mage shrank down even more.

"Oh. Uhm... Well, I guess that would be going inland, through Cyrkensia. There's a road there that leads straight to Chevalier..." Takumi scoffed loudly.

"And why the hell didn't you think to tell us that earlier? We could've saved time taking that route instead of skirting the coast!"

"Well, Lord Takumi, I didn't tell you because I thought you all might enjoy living a little longer." The sarcasm dripping from his voice was tangible. Sakura flinched a bit at the implied threat.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Cyrkensia's the largest city in Nestra, not to mention the most crowded. It's also always overflowing with soldiers. You know, because it's King Garon's favorite haunt. Oh... did you... not know that?" Nerr definitely knew that the king used to frequent the theaters and opera houses of the arts capital of Nohr, but as far as she knew, Garon had rarely left Windmire in recent years. Unless her siblings just felt it was cruel to tell her about things she had no way of ever experiencing for herself. She inhaled deeply, wondering just how many miles were between their current location and Cyrkensia. Was the king there even now? Surely not, given that he had an invasion to plan, but as Xander had always said, it was impossible to know what went on in his mind.

"So, the best course of action is to give Cyrkensia as wide a berth as possible, and stick to our current route."

"But that'll take forever!" The Hoshidan prince whined. "What if something's happened to Ryouma? We need to get to Chevalier and find him as quickly as possible!"

"You're going to have a really hard time finding him when Nohrian soldiers take you prisoner! Just ask Rinkah and Suzukaze- they'll tell you what happens when you get sloppy. And this time, I won't be there to get anybody pardoned." Hana scoffed.

"We're way more disciplined than Nohrian soldiers. We can deal with anything King Garon could possibly throw at us."

"I sure as hell won't make the same mistake twice if a Nohrian tries to get the upper hand on me." Rinkah growled, her ego still bruised from her capture, it seemed. Suzukaze shook his head, looking darkly pensive.

"Nerrida-sama has a point- even if we could win a fight against soldiers, a skirmish would not only slow us down, but would also alert King Garon that we're already here. The entire royal family is absent from Hoshido- knowing this could spur him into invading."

"Finally! Someone with a modicum of sense!" Silas gave the shinobi an approving thumbs up. "Trust me, I was in the Nohrian army- the only reason there hasn't been a full-scale attack so far is because the king is worried about swift retaliation."

"Which there still would be because our army is still in Hoshido." Hinoka explained with an air of exasperation. "Yukimura is our chief strategist for a reason, and he's in charge until we get back. Half our forces are lining the border at this very moment. Trust me; there's no way Nohr could invade without suffering heavy casualties." Azura had been silent the whole time, but softly spoke up.

"I believe Cyrkensia would be the least conspicuous route for us to take." Nerr stared at her, dumbfounded.

"...are you fucking stupid, Azura?"

"No," The singer snapped. "And unlike you, I've actually been there. It's a neutral region, like Izumo- in fact, it's the one place in Nohr where Hoshidans openly visit. In the entire country, it's the one city where we would be able to blend into the crowd."

"Well, then. It's decided. Tomorrow, we pack up and head for Cyrkensia." Takumi said flatly, tossing his fork down and getting to his feet to head upstairs to the beds. The Nohrian princess held her head in her hands, shaking it. Hoshidans toed a dangerous line between "incredibly brave" and "incurably stupid", and she was not sure which side of said line they were currently standing on. The smartest option for her group at the moment seemed to be following them to the city's gate, then slipping away and skirting the border. A large hand rested on her shoulder, and she looked up to see Jakob giving her a sympathetic look (he quickly removed his hand- impropriety and all that).

"Don't worry, milady. No harm will come to you, I swear it on my life."

"Heh. L-look at the bright side, Lady Nerr; if everything goes to hell, you can just slip over to the soldier's side and start fighting with them. No one would mistake you for a Hoshidan." Nerr could not tell if Zola's insistence that she looked every bit as Nohrian as she felt made her feel better, or if the realization that it would be incredibly tempting to do just as he said and abandon her birth family made her sad. She set her fork down in her nearly empty bowl, a few shreds of cabbage and pieces of potato all that was left. It would be easier to just pretend she didn't feel anything either way.

000

If the coastline of Nestra had been a diamond by the sea, Cyrkensia was a magnificent crown encrusted with every jewel known to man. There was not a single square foot that was not crammed with some wonder or another. Tailors and dressmakers lined the streets by the dozens, as did the studios of painters and sculptors. Perfumers and glovers, pomade studios and spice works were on every corner, and the air was bursting with scent. A baker's dozen of opera houses resided in the town, and countless smaller theaters where a person could see a performance of any kind and broaching any subject. It was a hundred, thousand times better than Gunther had described it to her, and Nerr felt torn between ebullience and sorrow. On one hand, her heart sang in delight at being in this bohemian utopia even though the cacophony of sound and the overwhelming crush of both scents and people were driving her to madness. On the other, the memories it dredged up, of listening, entranced, as her dearest retainer told her everything he had seen and heard amidst the canals, made her soul feel as if it were shattering piece by piece.

She could barely hear her Hoshidan siblings talking amongst themselves as they pushed their way through the crowded streets. She could barely hear her own heavy breathing over the whooshing over her blood pulsing through her ears. Even though it was late evening, she could not see the stars, indeed, could not see the sky at all over the golden haze of millions of torches and candles that lit every corner as bright as Hoshido in midday. This place was very similar to Shirasagi; too loud, too crowded, completely overwhelming. Nerr paused, jostled to and fro as people pushed past her, the world spinning in her eyes. She saw the ground rush up to meet her, but didn't even notice she had fallen until a pair of small, delicate hands grabbed her wrists and hauled her back to her feet. Azura's golden eyes blinked like lightning as she looked up at them.

"Are you alright, Nerr? Walking on crutches can't be easy with so many people around."

"You think it'd be easier if I was a dragon?" She asked, half joking. She groaned, falling slightly against the songstress. "I need to sit."

"We might lose track of the others..."

"Then put me back on the ground and go catch up with them." She could not help herself snapping, raising a hand to her forehead and wishing her fingers were colder. "I- I'm sorry, Azura. Just... go. I'll catch up with everyone later. Just go." To her honest surprise, the singer did not heed her advice and rejoin her family. Instead, she led the Nohrian princess over to a somewhat secluded avenue. Nerr leaned against the nearest building, wincing at the sound of her armor scraping against the brick exterior.

"...you don't look so good, Nerr."

"Trust me, I feel much worse." She closed her eyes, feeling them sting even as her throat tightened. "Gods, I should not have come here. I wanted to just take Silas and Jakob and Zola, and keep going the long way around... I'm so stupid..." Silence lapsed between them, if one could call it such with all the chattering going on mere feet away. When Azura spoke again, her voice was almost thoughtful.

"Is that because you're worried about running into soldiers, or because you can't wait to be rid of us?"

"Both." Nerr responded earnestly. Those were major contributing reasons, but at the moment, they were the furthest reasons from her mind. "But... it's so much more than that. ...Oh gods, I don't want to be here. It's exactly like he said it was. I hate it..." She could feel tears leaking through her tightly screwed eyelids, could feel them running down her cheeks, and she hated herself for it. 'Conceal it, don't feel it- don't let it show' Xander had always warned her that being a princess meant keeping her emotion in check at all times, but even the slightest reminder of her brother made the tears flow harder. She could only imagine how awkward this was for Azura, watching this mean, intolerable, anti-Hoshidan girl cry like a baby in public. Were Nerr in her place, she would have been slowly backing away, looking for the perfect opportunity to run. But Azura, it seemed, had more guts than that. Even though her voice was a clear indication of just how uncomfortable she was, she spoke up when she could have been plotting her escape.

"...it's just like how who said it was? One of the Nohrian princes?" Nerr shook her head, unable to speak. She was biting her lip so hard she could just taste a hint of metal on her tongue- if she opened her mouth, she'd start bawling. "Then who?"

"Nobody." She gasped. It hurt, as though her heart had been struck with an iron rod, to call Gunther "nobody", but she could not bear to speak about him, not to a stranger. She had tried to speak to Jakob, weeks ago, while they were still in Hoshido. She'd told him exactly what happened, and waited for his response, waited for him to lament and be just as miserable as she was, but it never came. "Tragic," he'd said, as if he had just been told it was going to rain that day. She never broached the subject again, and had no intention of doing so. Sniffling, she wiped her eyes on her sleeve, forcing herself to breathe more calmly.

"We need to get back to the others." Azura frowned slightly, her brows furrowed.

"Are you sure? Given how crowded the streets are, I doubt they'll get too far ahead of us. We can stay a moment longer."

"Why are you acting so nice and thoughtful?" Nerr blurted out, the words past her lips before she could even think about what she was saying.

"...what do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. You're being... nice, and it's weird. A few weeks ago- hell, a few days ago, I know you would've left me right where I was, so why are you acting like you care now? Do you think I'm coming around to the thought of being a Hoshidan like you, that I'm rearing to join my strength to your cause and drive those wicked Nohrians back? Because I can assure you I am not." Azura remained silent for a long time, her face stoic, her eyes unreadable. When she finally spoke, she looked away from the other princess, towards the sickly glow that concealed the sky.

"I know. It's plain as day that you've been dying to get back to Nohr. The moment we got off the boat, your whole demeanor changed. I thought by now, you might have bonded a bit with your siblings, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen any time soon. For a while- for a long time, actually- I rather resented you for that fact. It's horrible, knowing how badly they want to get to know you, and watching your relationship stagnate."

"They could always try coming over and sparking up a conversation with me if they want to get know me so badly." She snapped mulishly. To her surprise, Azura nodded slightly.

"I agree. The day we departed to Nohr, I've been wishing we could be done here so we could go home. To Hoshido. My home. And then I started thinking that, as terrible as I feel in Nohr, you must have felt even worse in Hoshido. After all, I still have the family I grew up with surrounding me. You? You don't have anyone. You're all alone." She did not mince words, this fragile looking waif. Nerr looked down at her hand, taking a moment to steady her breathing, which was becoming rather erratic. "I know how it feels to be alone. I was alone in Nohr, and for a long time, I was alone in Hoshido. But Mikoto-sama reached out to me- she was the first one there when I was upset or lonely, and even though she wasn't really my family, it helped so much. She would be heartbroken to see you like you are now, so... I think it's the least I can do to try and return that kindness." So that was it. Just like back in Shirasagi, before the attack, Azura was doing everything out of a sense of loyalty to her mother. Surprisingly, Nerr did not feel resentful about that revelation. The truth was, the reason really didn't matter to her.

It had been so, so long since she'd had an even remotely sympathetic shoulder to lean on that she no longer cared even if said sympathy was genuine. She was tired. Three months, it had been just inching on three months since the onset of this ordeal, this "war" that she'd somehow been instrumental in starting, and already she was so tired. Gunther had been a soldier for twenty years before she'd even been born, she recalled mournfully, twenty years of skirmishes and raids and at least one war that had only lasted a year or so before a tremulous ceasefire was arranged. Gods above, how could a person live through that? Maybe death had been a blessing for him- it certainly felt like it would be a blessing for her on days like this... Nerr kept those thoughts locked in her head where they belonged, expending a tremendous effort to raise her head and look at the other princess. Despite identifying as Hoshidan, she was still a princess of Nohr; Xander and Camilla and Leo and Elise's sister... did that make her Nerr's sister, too? She wasn't quite ready to think of the songstress. in familial terms quite yet.

"Thank you, Azura. I appreciate it. Truly." A small smile tugged at the corners of Azura's lips.

"You're welcome, Nerr. Now, I think we really do need to find the others. They'll probably think we ran into soldiers if they turn around and we're not there." Heaving a sigh, the Nohrian girl adjusted her crutches and pushed herself from the wall. In a place like Cyrkensia that had everything a person could need or want, she wondered if there were any specialist healers residing in town. With every passing day, she grew more desperate to regain the use of her leg. Unable to perform any sort of training exercises, she could feel her skills going to seed. Azura was deliberately walking slowly so she could keep up, which was a good thing because had she been walking much faster as she rounded the next corner, she would have run smack dab into the man turning towards them.

"Oh! Sorry about that, I wasn't really- Heeey! You're humans, right? Are you from Hoshi- oop. You're not from Hoshido. My bad." Nerr was so taken aback by this strange conversation started by this even stranger man that it took a while to find her words, but she managed to call out to him before he could walk away.

"She's from Hoshido." She pointed as best she could to Azura, who glared at her. It did seem rather foolish to go around announcing that someone was from the enemy country in Nohr, but it was clear that this man was Hoshidan as well. After all, no Nohrian would be caught dead in a... what were they called? Yukata? The short navy robe was loosely tied at his waist, the collar gaping enough to expose a muscular, if not thin, chest. Dark blonde hair aside, he looked like so many other Hoshidan men she'd seen, with his delicate, almost feminine features... until she took note of the large, triangular ears perched atop his head. They twitched slightly, as did the bushy tail that seemed to protrude from the base of his spine. She could not help but stare at it, which was certainly rude, but it seemed the... creature... was too busy staring at Azura to notice. He frowned slightly.

"Seriously? You're from Hoshido? You don't look it."

"I'm not from Hoshido, but I am Hoshidan." The singer explained as vaguely as possible. The man's ears pressed against his skull for a moment as he seemed to ponder her words, then snapped back up as he smiled.

"Cool beans! My name's Nishiki, and I've been looking for some Hoshidan humans, but you and your friend are the first ones that haven't run off screaming."

"Uhm..."

"What?"

"What's confusing you- the human part or the screaming part?"

"Both, maybe?" Nishiki laughed slightly.

"You know, humans? Like you don't have fuzzy ears or tails? And you don't transform into any other creatures?" Nerr shrugged as best as she could with her crutches.

"Guess I don't know; I'm more manakete than human."

"Ooooh... What's that?" The Nohrian princess was saved from trying to explain the ancient race she used to read about in history books by a tug on her sleeve. Azura was slowly backing away, her face pallid in the sallow glow.

"Azura? What's wrong?"

"Nerr... I think he's a Kitsune..." Her voice was tight with fear, and the other princess had to wonder what was so terrifying about that if Faceless barely startled her. Nishiki nodded enthusiastically.

"Yup! That's exactly what I am. I can turn into a fox! Wanna see?" The man (fox-man, apparently) shuffled through his pockets before pulling out an amber stone, similar to Nerr's dragonstone. Azura yelped in fear, nearly tripping over her own feet in her haste to back away.

"No! Please, no!"

"What the hell's got you so spooked?"

"Kitsune are wild beasts!" She hissed, seemingly unaware that one of those "wild beasts" was listening to her very intently. "They butcher and kill any human they come across- they're savages!"

"Hey!" Nishiki stepped forward, his ears flattened against his head as his tail bristled in agitation. "I'll have you know that most of those stories humans tell about us are slander, alright? We don't kill anyone who doesn't come into our territory posing a threat. You'd do the same to protect your family and friends, wouldn't you?"

"I would." Nerr answered honestly. The Kitsune. nodded in approval.

"See? You get it. Man, what's the deal with humans? They shit themselves at the sight of anything different from them..." She turned back towards the blunette singer, who still looked on the verge of having a panic attack.

"He seems nice." Azura slowly straightened, perhaps realizing that she was in no immediate danger.

"Well... Nishiki-san... what are you doing so far from home? I thought Kitsune. didn't leave their territory for any reason..." She dropped her voice to a muttered whisper. "...other than to kill humans..."

"I heard that, human! My ears are better than yours. But to answer your question, I'm here to return a favor to someone. Any time someone's nice to me, I have to be nice in return. One day, I walked out of my hamlet and met some humans. And they were so excellent to me! I had to find a way to repay them, and that led to me meeting more humans, who were also super nice. One favor led to another, and I wound up here without even know how I got here. I don't even know where 'here' is!" For someone very lost and very far from home, he certainly seemed chipper. Nerr found his personality charming (especially for a Hoshidan). Azura also seemed to be warming up to this supposed blood-thirsty killer, though there was still a hint of reservation in her voice.

"So... you're lost?"

"Nah, Kitsune. don't get lost."

"...let me put it another way; do you know how to get home?"

"Nope! But it doesn't matter, I can't go home yet anyway. I owe someone here a big favor- that's why I've been looking for some Hoshidan humans; the Nohrian ones think I'm something called a 'gaar-oo' and keep trying to tell me to go back to the mountains. Can you guys help me?" Azura bit her lip, looking torn.

"We have companions we need to get back to, lest they think something happened to us..."

"But I need help...!" Nishiki whined in a very canid manner. His lower lip quivered as he looked upon the princesses. "Pleeeease? I'll be your best friend forever!" Nerr groaned loudly. She could never bear to see poor, pathetic animals, and with his fuzzy ears and bushy tail, this Kitsune. was just animalistic enough to tug at her heartstrings. She turned towards the singer.

"You go find the others- I'll see what he wants."

"Nerr! We shouldn't split up- what if either of us runs into soldiers?" She was right.

"Then... we go see what he wants, then go find the others."

"Actually," Nishiki had grabbed each of their wrists and was already dragging them forward. She nearly fell at the sudden movement. "What I want is for you to help my friend, and if you two have other human friends, they might be able to help even better! We can go get Layla, then all four of us can find your buddies!"

It had taken several minutes for Nishiki to navigate the sprawling alleys and boulevards, finally coming across a young woman in a very revealing white and gold ensemble. She had been sitting on a bench, sniffling and weeping bitterly, and did not stop even when he dragged her to her feet, insisting that he would see her repaid if it was the last thing he did. Needless to say, their entourage was not pleased when the princesses resurfaced, ranting and raving about how worried they'd been. Azura hung her head, looking shamefaced, but Nerr simply informed them that she had taken ill and their sister had stayed with her until she felt better. If they had really been so worried, they could have easily backtracked a bit and found them. Leaving her Hoshidan siblings to their fuming, she turned her attention to this Layla. Her face, which might have been pretty otherwise, was red and sticky with tears, her eyes swollen and bloodshot.

"Que pasa? Porque lloras?" She had learned a bit of the southern dialects, but had never had an opportunity to actually put them to use. Sniffling, the woman looked up at her, wiping her eyes, though the tears continued oozing over her fingers.

"Oh... you're Nohrian. I thought- I thought you were all Hoshidans..."

"It doesn't really matter regardless. How can we help you?" She shook her head, the pale pink hair under her veil brushing over her shoulders.

"I- I don't think you can..."

"Try me. It's a royal's duty to look after their-" She cut herself off, but it seemed Layla was too busy trying to swallow her sobs to notice.

"Well... I-it's my mother... She lives a few miles for here and she's- she's dying... I need to go and see her right away, but I can't..."

"Why not?" Takumi asked, his frown not born of anger for once, it seemed, or at least, simply anger at the situation.

"I'm a singer, and I have a performance scheduled for tonight."

"Well, can't they get someone else to sing your part?" Hinoka asked, sympathy writ on her face. Layla shook her head again.

"No. King Garon is going to be there, and he's going to be really mad if I'm not there. He- he's my company's patron, and he expects to see us when he comes to town. But... how can I sing at a time like this?!" She wailed, bursting into wracking sobs again. Nishiki rubbed her back, trying to soothe her. Everyone else was too stunned by this wretched news to spare a thought for the wretched singer. "King Garon is here, in the city? Now?"

"Isn't this exactly what I warned you all about?" Zola hissed angrily. "But you just wouldn't listen!"

"Shut up, Zola! Now isn't the time for pointing fingers; we need to figure out what we're going to do." Azura looked pensive as her siblings argued with the mage, her eyes hard as she turned her attention towards Layla.

"I believe that we can help. I can perform in your stead." The Nohrian singer's sobs quieted a bit, a glimmer of hope shining in her eyes.

"Do you- do you really think that will work?" Nerr did not give the princess a chance to respond.

"Not at all! Azura, are you insane? Do you actually think for two seconds this will work?" Far from realizing the folly of this ill-conceived plan, Azura looked resolutely determined.

"Don't you see, Nerr? This is our chance to take the enemy by surprise. We shouldn't waste the opportunity."

"She's got a point." Hinoka agreed gravely. "We could sneak into whatever opera house Garon is in, and while he's distracted by Azura's singing, we can capture him. Nohr would have no choice but to negotiate for peace!" Silas laughed aloud, paying no heed to the glares directed at him.

"Do you people all have a death wish? There are going to be soldiers everywhere- do you really think they won't notice you sneaking past and borrowing their king?"

"Also," Jakob chimed in, his lips turned down in a scowl. "Do you really believe the head of the most powerful army on the planet isn't going to put up a fight? I know you Hoshidans are blissfully ignorant in the ways of the world outside your little bubble, but in Nohr, 'negotiate' means 'send someone's head back in a box of scorpions'. And I can assure you, that's what he's going to do to each and every one of you." Nerr's temples throbbed fiercely, and she was grateful her comrades made every point she had been intending to make. She looked Azura square in the eye.

"Azura. Rushing into things because it's easier is why we're in this predicament to begin with. So instead of running with the first plan that pops into mind, maybe consider thinking things through a bit." She looked at Layla, who seemed quite disheartened upon realizing that aide would not come so easily as she had hoped. "What song are you supposed to sing?"

"Um... we're doing a medley. I'm going to be singing 'Leiden Lied' from 'Ondine's Lament'." She looked back to the other princess.

"Do you know that song?"

"...I'm afraid not." Nerr's first instinct was to rage at her, for how could she have lived in Nohr and not known one of it's most famous songs, but she stilled her tongue.

"You see? This is the gods' way of saying this is a ridiculous plan. My opinion? Layla, you need to go see your mother, consequences be damned, and if King Garon has anything to say about it, simply tell him the truth. He's a cold man, for certain, but he understands how important family is. As for the rest of us, we need to forget we were ever here and be on our way."

"So that's your answer? Run away, like cowards?" Takumi's disgusted tone was eating away at her last nerve.

"My answer is to not run into certain death!"

"Um... I hate to interrupt, but... even if this girl could sing for Layla, can you guys not tell that these two look COMPLETELY different? I mean, I know you don't have sweet fox vision like me, but..." Nishiki trailed off, and Nerr nodded deeply.

"Exactly! Another folly of your plan." Azura did not look as turned off as Nerr was hoping she would by now. In fact, she smiled a bit.

"Nishiki-san, we have a mage traveling with us who can make me look exactly like Layla. Your decision to accept Zola is looking quite sage now, Nerr." ''Because Nohrians only deserve to live when they serve a purpose, right...?' She had to physically bite her tongue to keep those thoughts in her mind. Zola shook his head, backing away only to be blocked from escape by Hinata and Tsubaki.

"Wait. Wait. ...wait. What do you want me to do?"

"Exactly as I said- use whatever dark illusions you did to disguise yourself as Izana to make me look like Layla. I know it's dangerous, but this is out best chance to end the war before the casualties start climbing."

"Um... I don't know... King Garon would definitely kill me if he found out I had anything to do with this..." Hinoka stepped forward, her weapon drawn.

"That's too bad, because we'll definitely kill you if you don't do it. You're supposed to be on our side now. Don't you see we're trying to end this war peacefully, you little creep?" Nerr ignored the threats, unable to tear her attention away from the source of all this madness.

"Azura... I'm sure I already know, but what song were you planning on singing since you don't know the song you should be singing?"

"You know exactly which song, Nerr." The Nohrian girl nodded, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Right, right... You know the orchestra that's playing won't be playing THAT, right? So even if you manage to sing your song while a different song is playing in the background- no easy feat, believe you me- the second everyone realizes you don't know the lyrics to one of Nohr's most famous songs, the jig is up. You'll be a pin cushion before you reach the refrain." She looked over at the Hoshidan royals, a pleading expression on her face. "For the love of the gods, please tell her this is a stupid idea that's going to get her killed! You don't understand how paranoid Father is!" The word slipped from her tongue before she even realized it, but at once, a deathly quiet fell over the others. Sakura looked up at her, hurt.

"Y-you... you called King Garon 'Father'..." Hinoka could only shake her head in stunned disbelief, while Takumi physically recoiled from her.

"...that's what this is all about, isn't it? You still think of that monster, that disease, as your real father."

"No! That's not what this is about-"

"You're not even denying it! What the hell is it going to take for you to realize you're not one of them, you never were one of them, and you'll never be one of them?!" Nerr fell silent, unable to muster up the will power to argue the point any more. The eldest princess inhaled deeply.

"This is the best plan we've got. We're going through with it. Layla, right? Where are you supposed to be performing?"

"Um... the Grand Palais du O'pra. You can't miss it; it's the largest opera house in Nestra. Oh... Are you really sure about all this? If you fail, King Garon is going to be really mad..."

"Don't worry about it." Azura smiled at her reassuringly, though it did not reach her eyes. "Just go see your mother while you still can. And thank you for providing us with this opportunity." Layla seemed hesitant, but it was clear familial duty outweighed everything else. She nodded and turned on her heel, smiling for the first time since they had met her.

"All right. Gods bless you all for this. And good luck!" She ran, melting into the crowd. Nerr watched her go, feeling as if she had just seen her last chance of escaping this place in one piece flee right along with the singer. Everything seemed to grow dim for a moment, and it took a while for her to realize Zola was speaking, under great duress by the sound of it.

"-Lady Azura as Layla. However, you must understand that my spell won't change her voice; I was practicing my Izana impression for weeks! I hope you've got some good pipes, Lady Azura... ugh..."

"What is it? What's wrong, Zola?"

"Eh... it's just... you know you're going to get killed if you go in there, right? Everything Sir Jakob and Sir Silas and Lady Nerr said was absolutely right. If you just leave now-"

"That's not happening." Takumi snarled in a low, dangerous voice. The dark mage cried out in fear, shrinking away from him.

"Well, then... maybe it would just be better for Lady Nerr to do it."

"What?" She could not help herself from questioning him aloud, along with several other people, Azura included.

"Well... you actually know the lyrics, do you not?"

"Of course I do." Zola nodded, as if she were proving his point.

"And I've heard tell that you're a very talented singer."

"Of course she is; milady's voice can be likened to an angel's." Ever loyal, Jakob could not pass up the opportunity to sing her praises, even if they damned her. The Nohrian princess chuckled darkly.

"Rest assured- Azura is talented enough... at least, with the one song she knows. Besides, I wouldn't begrudge her her moment in the limelight."

"You know that's not what this is about, Nerr."

"Truly? Because it feels like it." She fell silent after that, allowing the Hoshidans to make their own plans. A few months ago, she would've crowed to watch their foolish attempts to take down Nohr crash and burn. Now... she just wanted everything to be done with so she could get some rest.

000

The Grand Palais lived up to it's name, with hundreds of windows reflecting the light of hundreds of crystal chandeliers each alight with hundreds of candles. It seemed that the elite of both Nohr and Hoshido packed it's halls, decked out in their finest silks and brocades and glittering jewels. There were already performers on the stage, dancing to the upbeat melody played by the orchestra lower down. The walls were lined with boxes for ticket holders, but there were no floor seats. Instead, the entire auditorium had been flooded, and gondolas crowded it's shimmering surface. Zola had performed quite a miracle, his magic changing Azura's golden eyes to blue and lazuline hair to a soft rose. The shape of her eyes, nose, even lips had changed before their eyes. Her dress remained the same (the mage stated that he hadn't gotten a good enough look at Layla's to change it from memory), but being white and gold, it seemed to pass well enough for the original.

Given that they were sneaking into a building packed with soldiers, it was decided that it would be much too suspicious if the entirety of their company snuck in, so only the royals and a small handful of others accompanied Azura. Wearing long robes they'd "borrowed" to cover their Hoshidan garb, the siblings looked like members of the chorus, and donning their traditional Nohrian clothes, Jakob, Silas and Zola all looked like extras. An incredibly awkward moment had arisen when one of the performers mistook not only Layla nee-Azura, but also Nerr, as cast members and tried to usher them both onto stage. They had to assure him that they would be there shortly to get away. The backstage area was filled with props, and proved a tight squeeze, but it was the only way they could keep an eye on the songstress. in case (when, most assuredly when) things went wrong. Azura turned as much as she could to face Nerr. It was strange to look into those doleful blue eyes knowing that a sharp gilt lay beneath their surface.

"Do you really know this song that 'Layla' is supposed to sing?"

"Everyone in Nohr does, Azura. That's why I'm trying to convince you not to do this."

"I have to, Nerr. I want... I need there to be peace." Clearly, there was no arguing with her. Had this not been suicidally foolish, she would've even been impressed. "...maybe you could teach me the lyrics? I tend to pick up songs quickly." It had been a long time, a very long time, since Nerr had even hummed anything in front of another person, and with so many people so close to her, she could feel her throat squeeze shut, but she needed to impress upon this stupid, naïve girl just what she was getting herself into. She took a deep breath- she'd need it.

"Just as the stars in the sky, the star in this castle I long for is just out of my reach, too- it doesn't matter how loudly I scream and cry; nothing matters now, my voice will never reach you- On the ship that night, my sisters came to see me; offering a silver knife, they looked like ghosts-"

"Gods above, stop." Takumi hissed, cringing. "My head hurts just listening to that. No human on the planet can sing that fast!"

"I barely understood half of what you just said..." Azura lamented.

"I know- it took me months to learn that song by heart; I still stumble over the lyrics. That's what they're expecting you to sing." For a moment, it seemed as though it might be dawning on her how futile an endeavor this was, but she shook her head, her expression resolute.

"Well, I'm afraid they'll get what they're going to get. Hopefully, we can get to King Garon while everyone's booing me." She joked weakly. Takumi pushed past her, opening the thick velvet curtain that hid them an inch.

"Speaking of which, where is he? Everyone's taking their places, it looks like they show's starting soon." Nerr bumped him out of the way, squinting a bit. It was difficult to see past the performers, and gods help them if he was up in one of the boxes- a familiar face jumped out at her from amidst the gondolas.

"He's right there! Front and center!" At first, she was peeved that a keen eyed archer like Takumi couldn't spot something right in front of his face, but it dawned on her that the prince had never seen Nohr's king before. None of the Hoshidan royals, save Ryouma perhaps, would have been able to pick him out of a crowd. He was not wearing his usual, heavy ebony armor, having replaced it with a fine doublet that glimmered with gold and silver thread, an even more sumptuous cloak fastened to his shoulders. A wave of misery washed over her as she looked at him- this was the father she had always dreamed of making proud, the regal king, not the hateful monster who brushed aside everything that stood between him and his goal. She was stopped from running off by Takumi leaning over her to look back out.

"Who's that sitting next to him? One of his many concubines?" Next to him? She took a second glance. She had been so overwhelmed seeing him, her father for so long, that she hadn't even noticed another person in the gondola beside him. Given how large he was, it was no wonder she barely noticed the tiny figure huddled amongst the cushions. Wearing a pale pink polonaise, her long, flaxen hair was twined around her head in braids, Elise looked much older than her scant twelve years would suggest, though her heavy expression undoubtedly added to that.

"That's my sister, Elise..." She gripped the curtain tightly, nearly ripping the fabric as she fought every instinct to rush out and pull her little sister into a hug. Elise was never the one who looked sad- she was always bright and cheerful, and made everything around her bright and cheerful as well. The music began, a tiny instrumental swell. Azura swore under her breath.

"I think that's my cue." Pushing past the others, she stepped from the curtains, walking to the center of the stage, every step graceful and measured. Nerr could hear exactly where the music was picking up, she had heard Xander play this same piece for her so many times, she could hear it in her sleep, Even though I'm destined to fade into foam... She held her breath, silently praying against all odds that Azura might have been jerking them around, that she actually did know the song, and just wanted them to be shocked and impressed when she began singing. Alas, prayers more often than not went unanswered. She watched, a frustrated scream tearing at her throat in desperation to get out, as the songstress. slowly raised her hands above her head, singing in a completely different tempo than what the music indicated she should.

"In a white light, a hand reaches through..."

'Gods NO, Azura! What are you DOING, you stupid bitch...?!' As the songstress. brought her hands down, waving them before her face, tendrils of water streamed from her fingertips, like liquid ribbons. They did not fall to the floor either, remaining suspended in midair as she drew forth more water with each collected movement.

"A double-edged blade cuts your heart in two. Waking dreams fade away; embrace the brand new day..."

If she fought with even half the concentration and discipline she exhibited when she danced, she would be a one-woman army. Certainly, lifting one's leg so high, and spinning so rapidly whilst continuing to sing took years of training.

"Sing with me a song of Birthrights and Love, that light scatters to the sky above..."

Even though people had begun murmuring about the strange performance, it was clear that whatever magic was imbued in the lyrics was taking a hold of them. Nerr could see people swaying in their seats, their expressions dazed. Even Elise's eyes seemed glazed over, her mouth slightly ajar. As Azura twirled, her hair and skirt billowing out around her with dramatic effect, the water from the indoor lake rose, glowing with magic and filling the entire room with an eerie, cold light.

"Dawn breaks through the gloom, white as a bone. Lost in Thoughts, All Alone..."

"They're distracted!" Hinoka whispered, excitement in her voice. The flames of her Amaterasu jumped to life. "Now's our chance, we can-" She was cut off by the sound of people screaming in fear, Azura's voice clear above them. A large ball of fire had exploded right where she had been standing, the impact and heat knocking her back where she hit the ground hard. The drops of water that had been suspended in the air came down, soaking everyone in the sudden deluge. King Garon had gotten to his feet, the glowing runes that surrounded him fading, though their afterimage remained.

"I am severely disappointed in whoever thought this trap up... Nerr! I know you hear me, idiot girl. Come out and face me like a woman." A pair of small, slightly sweaty hands closed over her own, and she looked down at Sakura, her coral-colored eyes wide in fear.

"D-don't do it, nee-sama! It's a trick, h-he'll kill you!"

"I won't tell you again, Nerr." Garon's growling rasp of a voice was magnified by the extreme acoustics of the auditorium. "Come out and face me, or I'll turn this singer of yours into a pin cushion, just as I did with your dear father." Her jaw clenched tightly, his mockery making her blood boil. She cast her crutches aside; she refused to be seen as weaker than she was in his eyes. Every step felt as though she would fall, the pain coursing through her right side so much that she wanted to scream, but she pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth to keep quiet. Azura was just beginning to get back to her feet, her dress seared away in places, crimson lesions that blistered already appearing even though the illusion. The king bared his teeth at her, the closest he could get to a smile, she was sure.

"Such a profound limp. Do the Hoshidans not wish to waste their resources on a pawn like you? Don't try to deny it, girl; that's all you are to them. A figurehead, to be used and discarded. Why else would they have dragged you back here instead of leaving you in the castle where you'd be safe? At least I tried to spare you from the truth of what you were; I let you live a happy, peaceful existence, free from burdens and pain. And this is how you repay me- with deceit and betrayal... You ugly, wretched thing." She let his words bounce off her, sharp and painful, ready to stab into her if she moved an inch, if she showed the slightest weakness.

"Soldiers! Bring her to me." She had barely even noticed the guards, knights and sentries in full armor surrounding the stage, their weapons drawn. A commotion behind her signaled the rest of their group appearing from the back of the stage, weapons drawn and not looking to go down without a fight. Garon didn't even seemed surprised, though Elise clearly did. She got to her feet, windmilling her arms to keep from falling over into the water. The king reached out to steady her at once, and his youngest child looked up at him with a hurt expression.

"Father! Wh-what are they going to do to my Nerr?" She could not stop herself from calling out to her sister.

"Don't worry, Elise. I'll be fine." Garon's blood red eyes narrowed as he looked from his true child to the impostor he'd "raised" for the last fifteen years. She could not help but wonder, did he feel anything for her? Had he ever?

"How fascinating. Despite your treason and betrayal, you still act as though you care about your sister's feelings? Did you care when you turned your back on her and walked back to those heathens? Did you care when she wailed for you for weeks on end?" It felt as though a knife had been forced through her ribs. Azura stepped forward, still appearing as Layla, and frowning deeply.

"How did you anticipate this, Garon?" The king returned her scowl.

"Do not speak to me so blasély, my daughter." The songstress. backed away, eyes wide in surprise. "You take me for a fool, do you not? How those Hoshidans have turned you against me... Did you really think I would not recognize my own wife's favorite song? The song she sang to me more times than I can count? I know those words better than you do, Azura!" Azura shook her head in dismay, and Garon nodded, smiling cruelly, intending to drive the knife in even further.

"Perhaps I might have even thought this was all a horrible coincidence in any other life... but truly Nerr, your stupidity must have some limits. Willingly allowing one of my own men to travel with you, and after he tried to kill you, no less! Your naivety is embarrassing..." She sucked in a gasp, turning to face Zola, only to be met with the acrid wisps of smoke left dissipating after a warp spell. The dark mage had reappeared on a gondola beside the king, cowering behind his arms.

"My liege, what are you doing?! She didn't need to know that!"

"No... no! Zola couldn't have been behind this, he was constantly in my sight!"

"He proved his loyalty!" Takumi argued, looking almost as betrayed as Nerr felt. "I'd be dead if it weren't for him."

"Gods, you're so damn stupid- No wonder Lady Nerr's so trusting; it must be hereditary. I did it so you'd let your guard down, you fool!" His cowering manner fell away, replaced with disgust as he glared at Takumi, hate etched into every line on his face. "You think I would've taken a blow for you if that sniveling healer of yours hadn't been right there? You think I actually cared about your miserable life? I wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire, Takumi, and I'm sure anyone who's spent five minutes in your presence would feel the same way."

"You motherfucker! I'll kill you myself!" He had already summoned an arrow, and was about to let it loose when the around him froze, so suddenly and sharply, Nerr could feel the chill from where she was standing. Crying out in pain, the Hoshidan prince dropped his arrows, tucking his now frostbitten hands under his arms.

"Uh, how about you don't?" Zola turned back to his king, lowering his eyes respectfully. "Um... Your Majesty... I've done everything you've asked of me... I pray this will be enough to earn my way back into your good graces so as to not be executed by Prince Leo?" Garon gave a noncommittal grunt. If he had stopped there, perhaps everything would have worked out fine for the mage, but as people were wont to do, he decided to press his luck. "And, erm... your grace...? W-would it... inconvenience you terribly to perhaps... p-pardon Lady Nerr? Th-this isn't her fault, the Hoshidans have practically brainwashed her. The entire time I've been in her company, she's spoken of nothing bu-but returning to Nohr, where she knows she belongs." Nerr could hardly believe her ears. She would've laughed, only she worried that once she started, she'd never be able to stop again, because the whole situation was too funny.

"Are you actually trying to speak on my behalf after betraying me?!" Zola flinched, looking back at her with earnest eyes (bullshit- every expression he'd ever worn had been a lie).

"I-I-I never betrayed you! I've been h-helping you! I'm helping you even now, see? Please, King Garon, I b-beg you!"

"This grows tiresome..." The king reached for his belt, where a massive, partially serrated ax hung. It was as long as the king was tall, yet he held it with one hand as though it weighed nothing. Zola paled considerably, falling to his knees as he stared up at the massive axehead, his jaw falling open as his lips trembled.

"W-w-wait... b-b-b-bu-"

"But nothing!" Garon snarled. "You think you have the right to ask me for anything?! Let alone for that traitorous whore's life!? Clearly, she's corrupted you as well." With the utmost of ease, the Nohrian king brought his ax down on the mage.

The massive, ornately embossed blade cut through whatever flesh and bone it met as easily as butter. Zola shuddered violently for a moment, before he split fully in half, blood erupting like a geyser from every severed artery as his lungs and intestines slipped out of the skin that had contained them, into the upholstered boat. Elise shrieked in terror, nearly falling from the boat once more in her haste to escape the gruesome scene. This time, her father's grasp did nothing to calm her as she struggled in his grip, kicking and clawing at him. Her attacks, if they could even be called that, were ineffective, but the king released her nonetheless. Picking up her skirts, the young Nohrian princess leapt onto one of the piers linking the boats together and fled the room, her hysterical sobs lingering long after she vanished from sight, though they were eventually swallowed by the terrified screams of the other opera goers. Those who had not taken the opportunity to flee the moment Hoshidans arrived, those who had watched the scene unfold with a macabre curiosity, now shrieked in horror as they too scrambled to escape, lest they be the next victim of the king's wrath. Nerr wished she could join them. She wished she too could run away. But she could not move, pain and disbelief both rooting her to the ground. She could barely see, the world a blur of colors as hot water dripped from her eyes. Garon's voice, cold and heartless, barely cut through her sorrow.

"Still you pity a... creature... such as that! After he admitted to betraying you, you waste tears for his corpse! You stupid chit, this is the source of your weakness. This is why you could never be a true Nohrian!"

"I'm not like you..." She whispered brokenly, unable to raise her voice any higher, tears choking her throat. It took all her strength to not cover her leaking eyes with her hands like a frightened child. "I'm not a monster..." Takumi had picked his bow, though it was clear every movement hurt.

"I'll show you weakness... Just come a little closer, you fiend...!"

"Takumi, no!" The illusion disguising Azura's true identity had faded away, now that the one maintaining it was dead. "We can't make a stand here- there are too many of them. We need to escape and regroup!"

"Azura!" Garon's voice was hard as usual, but held an undertone of urgency. "Do not make Nerr's mistake, do not return to those savages! You are finally home where you belong. Your mother would not want you to live your life in peril... Come back, daughter. I will protect you..." He stretched his hand out to the songstress, something darkening his eyes... perhaps grief. Azura took one look at him, flecked with blood, still holding his weapon in the other hand... and spat at him, her eyes filling with hatred.

"My mother would be rolling over in her grave if she saw the monster you've become. I am not your daughter; you are nothing to me, you bastard. I hope you rot in hell!" The king's eye widened, and for a moment he looked stunned, even hurt, as her words washed over him... but it was quickly engulfed by the all-consuming rage burning over him.

"After years of being the Hoshidan's plaything, suddenly my love isn't good enough for you? So be it. You can die right along with them, then." Arcane runes glowed in the air around him, but by this time, everyone had realized what that signified, and was already running back towards the far end of the stage. Nerr, with her injured foot, could barely walk, much less run, but she felt a pair of strong arms encased in metal slip behind her back and under her knees, lifting her up. Silas grinned cheekily at her.

"Need a lift?"

"I'm too heavy for you!"

"Nah, this is literally the moment I've been training for all my life; I finally get to save you like a dashing knight in shining armor!" She was glad his voice sounded upbeat and happy, even though his eyes showed he was clearly as distraught by recent events as she was. She needed to pretend for a moment. Pretend the world wasn't going to hell, pretend everything wasn't going horribly wrong... it was nice to just pretend they were children playing at being knights. As they ran down the stairs leading to the back of the theater, they could hear the deafening clang of plate mail as soldiers ran after them, trying to find them or at least, cut them off.

"It sounds like they're sending reinforcements..."

"Indeed." Nerr's heart stopped at the sound of the calm enragement of Xander's voice. Everyone had stopped in their tracks, perhaps intrinsically realizing that the stone faced man at the bottom of the stairs blocking their path was no mere soldier they could barrel over. The crown prince's violet eyes were dark with hatred, and they pierced through her as easily as any sword. "So... it's come to this. You dare stage an attack against out king... the same man you once called 'Father'."

"Xander..."

"And in a public place! Full of innocent bystanders! Tell me, Nerr, if your little plan had succeeded, how many civilian casualties would there have been before you secured a victory? Or would that simply have been the price to pay to achieve 'peace'?"

"Perhaps you should ask your king that same question before posing it to your sister, milord!" Silas shouted down angrily at the prince. "Nerr told me about the attack King Garon issued against the Hoshidans, and I know she told you as well. You stand there and decry someone for doing the exact same thing as you... or are such actions only considered atrocities when you're the one suffering?"

"Your words mean nothing, traitor." Despite his stone-faced exterior, Nerr could see the turmoil brewing behind his eyes. There it was again, a chink in his armor. This was what she needed, she just needed to make him hear what she had to say...

"Xander, please; stop being a drama queen and listen-"

"I will not." He spat, defenses up once again, his anger, his disappointment tempering his obstinance. "You accompany the enemy into our home. You put your people in danger, dragging Hoshidans to their doorstep. You have betrayed your family in the most egregious of ways, and as such, deserve a traitor's death. I have had time to think on your actions, and they remain unjustifiable- you refuse to trust us, yet have the gall to condemn us for not trusting you. No... Draw your sword, Nerr, and we'll settle this once and for all. Death is too kind a fate for all the pain you've caused us." For a moment, neither of them made any moment.

"...I can't walk. You'll have to come up here and kill me, then." Her cold flippancy only served to make him more irate.

"No excuses! I've seen you crawl with two broken legs to get what you want!" His anger was eating away at his princely facade, something she had never witnessed before. It was terrifying. "Go on, coward! If you would oppose us, then kill your brother with your own two hands! Destroy the very friends and soldiers who once protected you! I'm sure you'll have no qualms about running Leo or Elise through, seeing as you care nothing for them! If Sir Gunther could see you now, even he would be ashamed..." And just like that, every emotion that had coalesced inside her ignited into white hot rage. The nerve of him, daring to invoke the name of her beloved to shame her. After he had brushed off the other man's death as though nothing of value had been lost. Her skin felt overly hot as she struggled to free herself from Silas' grip. She landed on the stairs hard, agony surging through her leg, but even the pain only served to further fuel her rage. Her vision was fading back to silver, crimson bleeding around her periphery and blurring everything together.

"Don't you dare speak his name while you protect his murderer! I may have called King Garon 'Father', but the man who raised me is dead because of him!" Her words sounded muffled, and it felt like her teeth were liquefying and re-hardening into a singular tooth. "I would gladly return home, Xander, but not until that feculent skamelar pays for all the pain he's caused me. I'll have my pound of flesh if I have to go THROUGH you to get it!" The first time she had transformed, both partially and fully, she had been overwhelmed with a potent cocktail of grief and rage, and that was exactly the combination of emotions she felt at the moment.

She could feel the flesh of her leg stretch and distend, parts of the skin tanning into a thick hide while others twisted into metallic scales that wrapped around her. The bones remaining in her foot reformed themselves into a spear-like protrusion, and unnatural though it was, it no longer hurt for her to put her weight on it. She didn't even attempt to draw her weapon as she charged at her brother- her whole body was a weapon, waiting to be unsheathed. She could destroy anything if given half a chance- the only thing that stopped her, she realized, was that she did not want to. In her heart of hearts, she did not want to be a killer. But the voice, quiet but soothing, in the back of her head told her that, yes; she actually did. She wanted to rip this horrible man to pieces until he couldn't say anything else hurtful to her. A blast of cold air brushed against her horn, deeply nicking the curved protrusion before it hit Xander square in the chest. It knocked him back with a grunt of pain, and Takumi ran past her, grabbing the wrist that had not grown ten times larger.

"Are you crazy?! We need to run!" She could've fought him, pulled away, gone back to her quarry like the voice in her head was telling her she should. She'd feel better then, if she broke something. Burned something. Destroyed something. That would ease the pain in her head, her heart. Nerr shook her head, feeling her jaw shrink as color started bleeding back into the gray of her vision. She prayed that Xander would not take his anger at her out on anyone else, but she could hardly turn to see behind her, much less change direction and run back.

000

They had met the rest of the group further north, in a relatively deserted part of town. Given that it was the tanning district, that was hardly surprising. Water flowed through the streets ceaselessly here, foul and bloody, a putrid pink froth. The stench of decomposing meat scraped off rotting hides, reeking tanning fluids and caustic lyes would be enough to drive anyone but the nose dead away. If there were a fresh, steaming pile of manure nearby, Nerr would have gladly shoved her face into it to avoid inhaling the nauseating fetor. How could something that felt so lovely smell so damn terrible? She opened her mouth to speak, but ended up retching instead, unable to stop the half digested food and bile rushing up her throat. It splattered across the slick paving stones, mixing with the vile stew of putrefaction already running over her bare feet. Takumi groaned in disgust and pulled away from her, sounding as if he were close to vomiting himself.

"Ugh, I... I think we're safe here..."

"You're mistaken." Nerr looked up for a moment, but another retch distracted her once more. By this time, she was simply dry heaving, but she couldn't stop. To her surprise, Xander was not driving his sword through her back. He wasn't even lecturing her. In fact, he waited patiently until she stopped gagging, wiping her mouth on her sleeve.

"...you can't escape from me, Nerr."

"Oh gods, Xander..."

"You've gotten stronger, little princess. But not strong enough. You have betrayed not only your king and country, but your people, your whole family. To think... I once called you 'sister' and loved you with all my heart..."

"The only reason you got attached to her in the first place was because that anyan coward you call a father kidnapped her!" Hinoka raged, leveling her Amaterasu with Xander's throat. "This isn't Nerrida's fault; blame him!"

"Silence, you byak slattern. This does not concern you. Draw your damned sword, Nerr. I will end this now." Her hand went to the Yato's grip on pure instinct alone- it was so much like all those times she had trained with Xander back at the citadel... only it was nothing like that. It had been a long time since she'd actually even held her sword; he would be so disappointed if he knew. Fortunately for her, the crown prince did not have a chance to see what her stance had degraded into. A pastel blur of pink and blonde ran between them, further churning the fetid water that flowed at their feet. Elise gasped for air, her face flushed and damp with both sweat and tears, but her round, violet eyes were hard.

"X-Xander! Nerr...! Please, st-stop what you're-" She broke off in a hacking cough, clearly not used to such physical demands. "-stop what you're doing!"

"Elise! What are you doing out here, it's not safe!" A young girl running through the city all alone; where were her retainers? Xander seemed far less concerned with his little sister's safety, and more concerned about losing face in her eyes.

"Return to Father, Elise. You don't need to bear witness to this."

"No!" The Nohrian princess glared at her brother, standing at her full height (which was barely enough to reach his chest) and moving directly in front of him, her arms outstretched. "I won't let you hurt Nerr! If you want to fight one of your sisters so badly, then... then fight me..." Her voice wavered towards the end, her courage quickly failing her. It sicked Nerr, to think that her little sister had to stand up for her and fight her battles.

"Elise, listen to Xander. You shouldn't be here." She was tempted to push the blonde girl back in the direction she came, but a thin hand closed around her wrist, dragging her off in the other direction. Azura barely spared the arguing Nohrians a second glance as she ran.

"Quickly. She has him distracted; now's our chance! We have to cut our losses and run. Fighting here puts the innocent people of Nestra at risk." Xander's words from earlier popped back into her mind, unbidden. There had been so many people in the opera house, so many bystanders between them and the king. They could have easily gotten caught in the cross-hairs, and most assuredly would have if Garon felt that he was in danger of losing. It was funny how Azura didn't seem to care about that before they were outnumbered... As she ran, her brother's voice rose to follow her.

"That's right. Run away while you still can. I will always find you, little princess!" As horrible as it was to dwell on, she knew he was right. Xander put his king, his family, and his country above all else, and in one day, she had burned her bridges back to all of them. She would be hounded until one of them were dead, and she already knew in her heart that it would have to be her.

000

A/N- So, I've heard that sauerkraut is an acquired taste. I wouldn't know, since I've been eating it since I was a child. I imagine that Hoshidans (especially the upper crust you have in your party) would be pretty repulsed by peasant food- hell, I remember back when nobody knew what polenta was (another dish I grew up with), and acted like they were better than it. (it still weirds me out to realize there are people who've never eaten grits)

And that plan, one of Azura's many, well thought-out plans... To be honest, my first intention was to scrap it and try to come up with something less stupid (Nerr suggested my first AND last suggestion), but the dance sequences are, without a doubt, my favorite scenes in the game (at least, the Japanese versions), so I had to write them. But something that bothers me on both routes is... why is the orchestra playing "Lost in Thoughts"? I mean... that's a -REDACTED- song, how could they possibly know it? And I doubt it was what Layla was originally going to sing. I can even think that maybe they were playing something similar in Conquest, and that's why the tempo is faster, but that pretty rendition in Birthright? That makes no sense; fuck you, Fates plot. One last thing- I like the thought of Garon being a good dad and taking Elise to the opera to get her mind off things, and also, actually noticing and caring about Azura when he sees her again. I like writing Garon as a good dad sometimes.