Of Friends and Conflicts
The Forlorn Woods were dark and foreboding and Kamui couldn't help but feel a chill ran down her spine.
There were dead trees everywhere; puddles of mud and grime as well, and that smell! It smelled like the dead in this place but still, Kamui pressed on. She walked over the mud and grime and avoided the fallen branches trying to find her way out.
She didn't know how long she'll be trapped in these woods.
Perhaps she should have taken a few more days to plan but Kamui knew that time was not something she had.
She barely had had time for a bath and a meal before Iago sent her on her way, telling her to head through the woods of Forlorn to get to the mountains and then meet the Ice Tribe and put an end to their rebellion. But she didn't know how.
She figured she could try to talk to the leader, whoever it was…and then…and then what?
The princess wouldn't know what to say.
Kamui had only taken this mission to get away from Garon and now she had to go through with it.
She had come back to Nohr to die and now she'll get her wish but then she'll remember Elise and Camilla and Leon and Marx and she'll let out a cry.
Soon after their meeting with Garon and the revelation that she was not their real sister, Elise had hugged her tight and told her that it didn't matter what everyone else said, she was still her big sister and that would never change. Camilla had just let out a loud sob and had hugged both her and little Elise, crying out that she still loved her little sister so much. Leon just shook his head with a smile, assuring her that despite everything, she was still his (annoying) big sister (he also slyly added that they assumed Garon had had an affair with a Hoshidan and that they had accepted that fact long ago before Marx smacked him in the head).
And Marx…Marx just stood there with a smile on his face and said nothing.
And Kamui had wanted to get angry at him too but she couldn't muster the strength to do so. Perhaps she didn't know all the details about her kidnapping but she knew that Marx was not to blame for her current misery.
Her Father, her real father, was dead because of the King of Nohr (and her).
She hated the man that had snatched her away from her Mother and siblings. She hated the man that had used her as a weapon of conquest. And she hated the man that had made her kill her own Mother.
The only thing that had stopped Kamui from outright turning into that monster again was the presence of her adoptive siblings.
They had comforted her; they had hugged her and told her that no matter what, they still loved her and that they were sorry for what happened to her real Mother. And Kamui remembered crying.
She cried because she had been planning to do what the King of Nohr had done to her; she would have left her siblings without a Father.
In her mind, it would have been poetic justice.
The King of Nohr would be killed by the princess he had kidnapped…it would have been perfect.
And yet, killing him wouldn't bring her parents back. Killing him would just make her adoptive siblings miserable because for all that he was, Garon was still their Father and they loved him. But she stopped loving him the moment she found out the truth back in the bridge; there had been some doubts but those doubts just shattered into pieces when her Mother died in her arms.
To Kamui, the King of Nohr was a monster and she hated him with all her might.
But then, when she thought of his children, she sighed and decided…for them.
The only reason she'll keep the King alive was because of them even if she knew it was wrong, she'll listen to the King and his whims because Kamui loved her adoptive siblings and she'll hate herself if she broke their heart.
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Kamui let out a loud sigh as she looked up; the mark she had left with her silver sword was still there.
She had been going in circles for a while now. This was the second time she had passed by the same tree, no doubt about it.
Perhaps, getting a lantern would have been smart but now here she was lost and alone.
Keep yourself together, Kamui, the princess thought, if you let this get to you…it won't do you good…now…if I just—
She could hear them; the steps stomped on the mud and grime, splishing! and splashing! The strangers stomped too hard to be human and she couldn't make out the strange clic and clac of a horse's hooves. She could barely make out the smell too. They smelled like fruit left to rot and it make Kamui wrinkle her nose slightly. They were getting closer and closer and then…
"….GYYYAAAAAARGGGHHHHH!"
One of them appeared through the crowd of trees suddenly, slamming its big arms on the ground in front of Kamui, sending mud everywhere.
Kamui let out a loud yelp as another jumped nearby, before she kicked the thing in the face and sent it staggering back as more and more of these creatures surrounded her. .
Sword in hand, the princess faced off against the strange creatures; they had grin, almost grey, skin and were bulky, taller than any man she had seen. They had chains all over their arms, strung together like a spider's web. And on their faces, a strange mask made of metal that let out roar after roar as they surrounded her.
Kamui glared at the creatures around her, and then, jumped before the strange beings could tackle her down.
She slashed one of the creature's nearby, before plugging the sword right on its chest. It let out one last miserable roar before its body turned into dust.
"GYARRGGGHHHH!" The group of creatures jumped towards her and Kamui rolled away, only to gasp out in surprise as one of the creatures grabbed her cape and pulled her up. Before the creature could do anything, however, Kamui slashed the creature's hand, cutting it and in turn, setting herself free from its grasp.
It let out another roar as it grabbed its arm in pain and watched as its hand turned into dust before another strike from the silver sword got the creature straight in the face.
"GYAAAaarrggg…ghh….!"
More and more creatures came out of the dark, as Kamui slashed and cut all around her.
She wouldn't last long…unless…
She could use that.
The stone was in her small leather bag that she kept by her sheath and it would only take a couple of seconds. She could do it. She could transform into that again.
Kamui knew she could easily tare them apart if she could just transform into that beast.
But she didn't want to.
She couldn't bear turning into that beast again and be reminded of what she had done and what she had failed to do.
And she just couldn't—
"ROOOOAAAARGGGYAAAAHHH!"
One of the creatures let out a loud roar and then slammed its hand into the mud. It twisted its hand on the mud and threw it at Kamui's face. The princess barely had time to react as the mud clouded her vision and hurt her eyes.
"Aagh!"
"ROOOAAARGGGYUUUUAAAHHH!"
She tried hitting the air around her, trying to keep those creatures at bay as she tried in vain to remove the mud from her eyes. She could hear the creatures getting closer and closer and still her eyes burned. The princess tried to step back but could hear them behind her.
She was surrounded.
She was alone and surrounded…her hand went towards her leather bag and she quickly began to dig inside to get the stone out and—
"KAMUI!"
"GYAAAaaaahhhhhhhh….!"
Kamui had managed to uncover one eye and noticed that one of the creatures had a lance stuck on the side of the head.
"MASTER KAMUI!"
A pair of blades flew through the air and slammed themselves firmly on the other creatures, distracting them enough so Kamui could escape. Her eyes could barely make out her rescuers not too far away, but she didn't care.
She could recognize Joker's voice anywhere…but the first voice…it seemed so familiar and…
…she saw them now!
She could barely make out Joker and Flora and Felicia nearby and then a horse…and finally a young knight with the unruliest gray hair she had ever…no…it couldn't be…could it…?
"…Cyrus…?"
And the monsters roared.
When Queen Mikoto found out that Kamui had gone back to Nohr, her first reaction was a small smile before asking—begging—Katsu to tell her the truth. Her son's silence was all she needed to break down in a crying fit.
Katsu tried to soothe her sadness but he would never dare tell her the truth of why Kamui had left. Or why her body was in incredible pain.
Hinoka had come up with the idea; they would tell her that the capital had been attacked and that she and Aqua had been hurt during the attack and that…and that Kamui had fled in the confusion.
Katsu knew that their Mother wouldn't believe them.
Mikoto was smart enough to know when her children were hiding things from her and if she were to find out the truth they didn't know how she'll react.
The prince didn't even know how he was supposed to take this. He wasn't used to lying, heck; Aqua always did say he was a terrible liar. And yet, despite it all, he had lied to his Mother, because they all figured that knowing the truth would make her feel the worst of them all.
During all this time, he had avoided Ryoma like the plague.
He was mad.
The fact that Ryoma had lied to them—to her—about Mother had made his blood boil. The only reason he hadn't punch the elder prince was because of their Mother. And then there were his other siblings.
Takumi had just yelled at Ryoma once and then just sighed whenever Kamui was brought up; Katsu could tell a part of his younger brother blame Kamui for the attack and the death of all those people and what could have been the Queen's death as well and the other just couldn't help but sigh and stare at nothing wonder if things would change if Kamui knew the truth. Sakura, for her part, kept Mikoto company at all times. She no longer was in the infirmary all day as she used to but she'll drop by once or twice during the day to check on the injured. She didn't talk to Ryoma nor did she want to. Aqua and Hinoka had just sighed and while they still talked to Ryoma, they avoided him.
And Ryoma just accepted it.
The eldest prince of Hoshido just went about his duties as usual but there was always a sad look on his eyes whenever his siblings would ignore him. Katsu could say he was sorry for him but he didn't. Ryoma deserve every bit of anger coming his way because he hadn't trusted Kamui enough and now she had run away from home and back into enemy lands.
She had run back to the Nohrians…she would do their dirty work and then finally…Katsu didn't want to think about it.
For now, he was just worried for Aqua.
The days after Kamui fled, the old men in the council had called for the girl to be sent back to Nohrian lands.
Ryoma and Hinoka had protested of course, with the elder prince pointing out that they'll be wasting resources and time because a chosen few decided that she was untrustworthy because of the actions of the Nohrians. Even so, the attacks had been constant.
While Ryoma had managed to convince the men, with support from Lord Haruto, to let Aqua stay, others had not taken kindly to it. People would try to attack her every chance they got, from insults to outright injuring her while she was alone. A man had even attacked her while she was accompanying Sakura to see to the injured in the makeshift temple they were using as a hospital for those injured. Kazahana made quick work of him before Aqua and Sakura were rushed back home.
These attacks, too, were kept from Mikoto but when Katsu found out he was livid.
Aqua had managed to soothe his anger somewhat and assured him that everything was going to be fine. She was fine and that was it.
But Katsu could tell she was upset; he could tell she wanted to get angry at Kamui—at someone—but she couldn't manage it. She just sighed and sang and tried to forget her troubles.
Katsu would sigh and lean against her as she sang and then he'll think back to the days Kamui was happy to be back home.
Cyrus was…taller than she remembered, Kamui noted, as she cleaned her face.
The fight had ended minutes ago and she still couldn't believe her old friend was here.
He had grown up from that feeble, skinny boy into a handsome young man but Kamui just mentally shrugged and smiled as she thanked Joker for the handkerchief.
"Anytime my lady…but…I must insist on a scolding…!" Joker began with a glare.
"For whom?"
"For you! Did you want to die, my lady!? Is that why you didn't seek my help?"
"Well…" Kamui sent Elise and her two escorts a look. "…I was supposed to be doing this alone…wasn't I, Elise?"
"But sister…!" the younger princess began, puffing her cheeks in annoyance. "If we hadn't arrived you'll be hurt!"
"And I thank you…but putting yourselves at risk isn't worth it, Elise…especially if the King finds out…"
"It's fine! It's fine! Marx sent us to help you!"
"…did he…?"
"Yeah! Umm…sister…why are you glaring…?"
"I'm thinking about smacking that silly head of his for sending you to these dangerous woods!"
"Ah! Kamui, please don't get angry at brother! He only sent me because that wouldn't alert Father and…"
Kamui just sighed as Elise tried to explain herself.
Oh well…she'll just have to deal with the consequences later. Still, it was foolish of Marx to send Elise this way. She was his flesh and blood and she…she was the outsider. She was the fake. She was the…
"Hey…Ka—I mean, Lady Kamui…" The princess turned to look back at her old friend who sent her a nervous smile. She returned it.
"…since when did you decide to call me a 'lady', Cyrus? I thought we were friends…"
"Well! Well! You actually recognized me!" He laughed.
"Forget you and that hair of yours?" Kamui asked, smiling sweetly before she chuckled. "It's been so long…!"
"Umm…" That was Elise. "You two already know each other…?"
"You could say…but right now isn't the time…" Kamui said, shaking her head. "…I should be heading to the Ice Tribe Village…"
"Ah! AH!" Felicia jumped up and down, a hand on the air. "W-we…I mean…me and Flora can lead you there…Lady Kamui!" She sounded nervous, more so than usual. Not that Kamui could blame her…she was nervous too.
"Thank you, you two…" the white haired princess said with a smile that the twins timidly returned. They soon began shouting instructions to the others to follow their lead; Kamui behind them with Elise and Joker in between while Cyrus and Elise's two escorts, Arthur and Effie, guarded the rear.
As they walked, Kamui began to think.
What could she do about the Ice Tribe…?
She still wasn't too sure about her course of action. Perhaps if she told them that she came in peace…no…that'll be foolish. If they found out their rebellion had been exposed they wouldn't let her leave alive…but the King told her she could do what she wanted.
She knew killing them all wasn't going to make things right but how could she talk if they wouldn't listen?
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She could do this…she could do this…she could—
No. No, she couldn't.
But she and Felicia were already here.
They could barely make out the village from where they were standing and now they had their chance. They could simply injure Kamui and leave her vulnerable and then they would—
No!
Flora couldn't do that and she knew Felicia couldn't either.
Kamui's only crime was obeying her father's orders.
But now, she was in their element. She and the others wouldn't stand a chance in the cold.
The young maid felt Felicia grab her hand and give it a slight squeeze; they had to do it now or risk it. Flora nodded back and asked the others—nervously—to stop and had asked the older princess to come closer.
"Yes…? Oh…is that it?" Kamui asked as she approached them; she was using her cape as a makeshift cloak for the time being but they could tell she was shaking. She was looking at their village that still stood some distance away.
"…Lady…Kamui…" Felicia began, slowly, causing Kamui to turn to face her.
"Yes…? You guys called me…did you see anything wrong…?"
"…N-no…"
"...No?"
"…No…" Felicia went on, watching from the corner of her eye as Flora stepped to Kamui's side.
"…so…nothing happened, Felicia…? I'm afraid I don't…"
Flora had her knife in her hands but Kamui was surprisingly fast; she grabbed unto the maid's hand and looked at her straight in the eyes as the others behind them gasped.
"Flora! What are you doi—" Felicia had her two knives pressed neatly on Kamui's throat. "F-felicia…"
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING!?" Joker cried out, knives out, as Cyrus stepped off of his horse with a lance on his hands.
"UNHAND HER!" he cried, as Elise cried out and her two escorts put themselves in front of her.
"What is the meaning of such treachery!?" the blonde knight, Arthur, cried.
"Please let go of my sister…Kamui…" Felicia said slowly, her eyes darting between her and the armed men and woman nearby. The princess complied almost immediately only to feel the tip of a knife near her stomach.
"What…what are you doing…?"
"…We can't let you…reach the Ice Tribe…" Flora said, glaring. "You would dare to kill my people! I would rather kill you first!"
"Flora…listen…I…!"
"Flora! Felicia! Stop! Please!" Elise cried out. She was nervous and holding unto the woman, Effie's, arm. "Don't hurt my sister!"
"Please…think about what you're doing…" the knight, Cyrus, began, only for Flora to shake her head.
"We have thought long enough! I'm sorry!"
"NO! PLEASE!"
Kamui didn't say anything as she felt the tip of the knife dig into her armor and then…it stopped…before she knew it, she was being pushed to the ground by Felicia and Flora and then from her place watched them run into the distance.
"STOP!" Kamui cried before Cyrus or Joker could throw their weapons at the fleeing sisters.
"My lady! Are you alright!?"
"Kamui! Here let me…!"
And then, a storm of snow and ice surrounded the area and the sisters were gone.
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"I could have made the shot…"
"…and I told you not to, Zero…"
"…remind me why I didn't kill that maid again…"
"Because I threatened you with a death curse…"
"She almost killed the princess, though…and you'll let her leave…"
"She isn't stupid, Zero…she knows she and her sister are dead the moment Princess Kamui falls…she wants to run back home and warn her father…our job is to make sure the princess completes her mission. Those were Master Leon's orders."
"Ah…you could at least let me hit the girl in the leg…then she'll be useless in the fight…"
"Please don't make me curse you….and now…let's go…if we move now, we might reach them before they get to the gates."
"Whatever you say, Nyx…"
A/N: Finally! Fire Emblem Fates has released and I'm still poor! Ha!
Anyway, here's the new chapter! A little late, I know...but I hit a writer's block when writing this one...for inspiration, I looked back at my previous story and added a few things here and there...the next chapter would also seem a little familiar to those that read the last story for obvious reasons but I hope you'll enjoy it nonetheless.
PokemonLuver151: Conquest...but not for a while anyway.
ilovefonandalaude: And about that question about Cyrus and Kamui...its a secret!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please read and review and have a good day! (Or night...its dark outside here...)
