Hinoka sighed as she stared up at the ceiling, her thoughts far to much like a crazed pegasi to allow her to speak. To say today had gone different than she thought it would would be like saying Setsuna was a bit of a ditz.
First was reuniting with Tatsu and Kamui, an event she had been dreaming of since they had first left with her late father. At first it was just anxiously awaiting their return, but after Cheve it became dreaming of the day she'd see them again. Hinoka was proud to say that not once did she ever consider the possibility she'd never see them again, though that was mainly due to not wanting to have to experience the pain the very thought could bring.
For years she honed her body and mind, perfecting skills that would not only allow her to rescue her siblings, but than protect them as well. Obviously an incursion into Nohr would have been dangerous and required years of planning and preparation, but she would be ready. Or would have been if Tatsu and Kamui hadn't walked back into Hoshido.
Thinking on it, the knowledge that they had not been imprisoned as she had believed but instead raised to believe themselves King Garon's children should have been obvious. The were young enough when taken and such an event could have been blocked from their memory by either the trauma of the situation or even by Nohrian magic. Hinoka was more inclined to believe the former rather than the latter.
Even if Nohrian magic wasn't the culprit for their forgotten memories of Hoshido, Hinoka was certain it had to have something to do with Tatsu's eyes. She'd admit she didn't have a perfect memory of that time, but she was certain that Tatsu's eyes did NOT resemble that of a snake's. There was also the question as to the scar on Tatsu's right eye. When she had brought the subject up to Ryoma, he advised her to hold off on those kinds of questions until they returned to Shirasagi. They didn't want to ask to many probing questions since Tatsu and Kamui didn't fully trust them yet.
That was what was costing Hinoka sleep. She could sleep knowing her siblings had been raised to believe they belonged to Nohr. She could sleep knowing they had been trained, and maybe even experimented on to be used to fight against Hoshido. She wasn't happy about either, but with them now back safely with their real family they could be protected. But not trusted? Seen as strangers?
That just broke her heart.
Hinoka sighed again as she got up, being careful not to be to loud so as not to awaken Sakura who was fast asleep nearby. Hinoka couldn't help but smirk as she watched her younger sister sleep soundly, a small smile on the girl's face. Quietly, Hinoka left the small room and made her way outside to get some fresh air. Stepping out, Hinoka expected to hear only the sound of insects in the night air, but those were joined also by grunts and the sound of a sword swinging through the air.
Curious as to the source, Hinoka followed it to find Kamui doing sword repetitions. Before Hinoka even had the chance to announce her presence, Kamui pirouetted and entered a battle stance pointed at Hinoka, only to relax when she saw who was watching her.
"Oh, Princess Hinoka." Kamui said, standing up straight.
Hinoka furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Kamui? What are you doing up so late?"
Kamui scoffed in what sounded like amusement. "I could ask you the same question. I'm just getting my training in is all."
"Training?" Hinoka asked.
"Yep." Kamui said, returning to her swinging. "Back in Nohr, I'd spent most of the day training, whereas recently I haven't been able to do so. I don't want to slacken."
"Wait, you'd spend the day TRAINING?" Hinoka asked.
Kamui nodded. "There wasn't ever to much else to do most days. If I wasn't reading or playing the cello, than I'd just pick up a weapon and train with it."
Hinoka pursed her lips but decided to change the subject. "So uh, how is that maid doing, uhhh...Felicia?"
Kamui nodded. "Felicia is doing...well, as good as she can. She's taking Gunter's death hard..."
Hinoka remained quiet. Earlier in the day, Felicia had asked for this "Gunter's" status, only to hear the sad news that this person was dead. From what Hinoka was able to learn, this Gunter had been a caretaker and bodyguard who had died the day Ryoma found Tatsu and Kamui in the canyon. For whatever reason, Felicia had taken the news very hard, making Hinoka wonder what the connection between the two was.
"If you don't mind me asking..." Hinoka began. "Just who was this Gunter?"
Kamui stopped her sword swing, speaking after a moment. "He was...one of our caretakers in Nohr. He was like a father to all of us."
"All of us?" Hinoka asked.
Kamui nodded. "Yes. Tatsu, me, Felicia and her sister and our butler. All of us grew up together in Nohr and Gunter helped take care of us."
Felicia grew up with them? That would explain why Tatsu and Kamui seemed so protective of her, they saw her like a sister. It also meant that Felicia had been as much a prisoner of Garon has her siblings were. And here she had harshly judged the poor girl without knowing all the facts.
"I'm sorry..." She muttered.
"Huh?" Kamui asked.
"I was...rude to Felicia earlier." Hinoka said. "And I wanted to apologize."
"Well, thanks...but you do know I'm not the one you should apologize to right?" Kamui asked.
"Y-Yeah." Hinoka muttered. "It's just...it's hard. All these years I've hated Nohr for what they did to us, to you. Even if she was in the same situation as you two, she represents everything stolen from me."
Kamui was silent for a moment before she laid her sword on the ground, laying down to look up at the stars. "Why don't you join me down here and we can talk about it?"
Hinoka blinked before she joined her younger sister. Truth be told, she couldn't remember the last time she had simply stargazed, and she was starting to slightly regret it since she had forgotten how beautiful the night sky was. Stars glistened in the sky like precious jewels, covering the sky in beautiful light.
"Amazing isn't it?" Kamui asked, as if she could read Hinoka's thoughts.
Hinoka nodded. "It sure is."
"In Nohr we couldn't see stars like this." Kamui said. "More often than not, they were covered up by the clouds in the sky."
Hinoka pursed her lips, another pang going through her. "I'm sorry."
"Why?" Kamui asked.
Huh? Hinoka thought. "W-What do you mean?"
"Why apologize over something like that?" Kamui said. "Sure we couldn't see stars, but that didn't make Nohr a horrible place to live. Rather than stargaze, we'd read at night."
"W-Well," Hinoka explained. "It's just while you were imprisoned in-"
"Imprisoned?" Kamui interrupted her. "Is that how you all have thought of us?"
"Y-Yeah." Hinoka said.
"Hmmm..." Kamui went. "I can see why you would think that, but that isn't how we felt at all. To us, Nohr is our home. It's where we've lived our whole lives, and where our family is. For example, what is your opinion on King Garon? And please, be honest."
Hinoka pursed her lips. "If I'm honest...I-I hate him. He killed my father and took the two of you away. If it wasn't for him, our family would have never been torn up." Hinoka could feel her voice crack as tears came to her eyes. "A day hasn't gone by without me wishing he'd never existed to begin with..."
Kamui was silent for a moment as she thought over what Hinoka said. "Do you know what I think of him?" She asked.
Hinoka gulped. "N-No."
Kamui shuffled as she stared up at the sky. "Our Father-" Hinoka shuffled in discomfort hearing Garon referred to with such a title. "Has always had enemies, and with Tatsu's condition that would have made him a prime target. That's one of the reasons we were kept where we were, a place where we could be safe. Father would visit a few times each year, though normally for only a day or two before duties would call him back. That is, except for ten years ago."
"Ten years ago?" Hinoka asked.
Kamui scoffed in amusement. "Yeah. Ten years ago, during one of Father's visits, Tatsu had an episode."
Hinoka pursed her lips. Even after all these years she could still remember the severity of Tatsu's episodes, and the knowledge they still occured, or at least could, formed an uncomfortable pit in her stomach.
Kamui continued. "It was a pretty bad one, forcing him on bedrest for an entire week. If our Father had left, returned to Castle Krakenburg we wouldn't have blamed him. Instead, he stayed with us that entire week, administering to Tatsu himself. I'm sure that he had several meetings and other important things he had to do, but it was all swept aside that week. That week he was no longer King Garon but simply our father."
Hinoka pursed her lips, offering no response.
"We have always known King Garon as our father." Kamui said, standing up. "I get that you and your family have bad feelings and memories attached, but try and look at this from our perspective. Imagine if we were telling you that your actual family was in Nohr, and that Hoshido took you away at some early age. Would you believe it?"
No, Hinoka immediately thought, proving Kamui's point.
"Neither Tatsu or I doubt what you and Ryoma are saying, at least completely." Kamui said. "But keep in mind that there are people we love in Nohr, people who we do think of as family. And that's not going to change, regardless of whatever flows through us."
With that, Kamui walked away, leaving Hinoka to gaze up at the sky, her mind no less troubled than when she left her room.
...
"W-Whoa..." Felicia muttered as she looked around the treehouse Lillith had built.
True to her word, Lillith was able to bring Felicia to the strange realm she had made. All it had taken was Tatsu asking, and than Lillith disappeared. A moment later, Felicia was suddenly standing in the room, Lillith floating happily next to her while the poor maid looked around incredibly confused. The two than proceeded to explain to Felicia exactly where she was and what was going on, which only served to further confuse Felicia.
"So let me get this all straight. You're telling me that Lillith...OUR Lillith, is actually this cute little dragon thingy?" Felicia asked, pointing at the aforementioned dragon.
Lillith did a happy little somersault. "That's me!"
"And she created this...place where we come to in our dreams?" Felicia continued.
Tatsu nodded. "That is correct."
Felicia looked at Tatsu. "And in this world you're not sick?"
"Correct again." Tatsu said.
Felicia put a hand to her forehead. "This is all a lot to take in."
Tatsu chuckled. "No worries Felicia, it took us a while to understand as well."
Felicia looked around. "You said Lady Kamui was here as well. Where is she?"
"She was training and just finished a conversation with that red headed woman." Lillith said. "She's currently walking back to hers and Tatsu's room."
"She was talking with Princess Hinoka?" Tatsu asked.
Felicia didn't hear the next few parts of the conversation as she was to busy trying to compose herself. Hearing that she was alone with Tatsu had left her in a...flustered state. The fact this was supposed to be a dream was not helping either.
"Felicia?" Tatsu's voice than said, shocking Felicia out of her thoughts.
"S-Sorry! Ummm, yes?" She asked.
"Ummm, I was asking if you were okay? You went silent quickly." Tatsu said.
"Oh, ummm, I'm fine. Just...you know, still wrapping my head around this." Felicia said.
"Are you sure? Your face looks heated, and I know a thing or two about that haha." Tatsu said
Before Felicia could respond, the door to the treehouse opened and Kamui walked in.
"Wow, I fell asleep quick!" Kamui said before noticing Tatsu and the red faced Felicia. "Oh, am I interrupting something?"
Felicia went even more red, though Tatsu just looked confused. "Huh? What would you be interrupting?"
"I don't know. Something." Kamui shrugged. "So, I see we brought Felicia to this treehouse."
Felicia composed herself. "Y-Yes. To be honest, I'm still not sure if this is a dream or not though."
"Well when you keep having it happen to you every night, you'll get used to it." Kamui said.
"Well I have no reason to doubt you Milady." Felicia said. "So I guess the next question I have is what do we plan on doing now?"
"Well, Tatsu and I were going to stick around with these Hoshidans until we could figure out a way back to Nohr." Kamui said.
Felicia nodded. "That is a good idea Milady. We could also use the opportunity and report to King Garon any interesting information we learn."
"It may not be that simple." Tatsu said, rubbing his chin.
"What do you mean?" Felicia asked.
Tatsu looked at Kamui. "We've discussed this a little bit Kamui and I, but I don't know if Nohr is a safe place right now."
"What!?" Felicia exclaimed. "W-Why would you think that?"
"Hans." Kamui said. "You got separated from us before we could get to the bridge so you wouldn't know. The one who killed Gunter and nearly killed us was Hans."
"But that would be high treason!" Felicia said. "Why would he do something like that?"
"Xander told us how Hans used to run a particularly vicious brigand band." Tatsu said. "But I don't think Hans is alone in all of this."
"What do you mean?" Felicia asked.
"Think about it." Kamui said. "What does Hans stand to gain from all of this? What could his endgame be?"
"Ummm..." Felicia thought out loud. "I can't think of anything."
"A secure position." Tatsu said. "Hans is Garon's Blade, a right hand man who holds a lot of power. Power he couldn't otherwise possibly hope to gain otherwise. Power he will lose to Kamui eventually. If he gets rid of Kamui, than he might think his position to be secured."
"But would that work? That eems kind of short sighted to me." Felicia said.
Kamui shrugged. "Maybe that's all he's looking for, buying time til him and Iago are able to come up with something better."
"You think Lord Iago is also involved?" Felicia asked.
Tatsu's eyes darkened. "I do. And do me a favor Felicia, do not ever refer to that snake as a "Lord" again."
Felicia went red. "O-Oh, ummm, s-sorry Lord Tatsu..."
Tatsu's eyes widened in realization. "Gah! S-Sorry Felicia, i-it's just he's not worthy of such deference."
"I-It's fine..." Felicia muttered.
Kamui chuckled. "Yeesh Tatsu, though I can't say I blame you. To answer your question Felicia," Kamui said, turning to the maid. "While we don't have any proof, as Tatsu and I have discussed this we can see it happening."
"Before we left, Iago pulled Hans aside if you remember." Tatsu said. "Now while normally that wouldn't mean much, in hindsight they could have either made their plan or put the finishing touches on it."
"But how does this make Nohr unsafe? Surely if we get to King Garon, or even Prince Xander or any of your siblings they'll protect you." Felicia said.
"While normally I would agree with you, we have to be realistic." Tatsu said. "Where is our proof? It's our word against Hans's, and we all know our Father won't accept one of his retainers being accused of treason without definitive proof."
"So are we not going to return to Nohr?" Felicia asked.
"No, of course we are!" Kamui said. "But what I think Tatsu is saying is we're just going to be careful."
Tatsu nodded. "Nohr is going to be a viper's nest when we return. Hans, and if he is involved Iago as well, will most certainly accuse us of potential espionage when we do return, so we'll need to move carefully. That's why we're discussing this here and now, and will only discuss these things in this place."
Felicia nodded. "You don't want anyone listening in." She stated.
"Exactly." Kamui said. "We already know the Hoshidans are keeping an eye on us, though they say it's because they want to "make sure we're safe"."
Felicia pursed her lips. "They say they are your family. Do...do you believe them?"
Tatsu and Kamui remained silent for a moment. "Does it matter?" Tatsu finally asked.
"Huh?" Felicia responded. "What do you mean?"
"Even if what they say is true, it doesn't change how we were raised in Nohr. We have family there to." Tatsu said.
"This certainly is a troublesome situation." Kamui said. "A question that keep running through my mind though is whether or not Xander and Camilla know? If what Ryoma and the others have said is true, than they would have been old enough to remember us coming to Nohr."
Tatsu rubbed his chin as he thought that one over. It actually hadn't occurred to him that they might know. Knowing them as he did however, they probably didn't ask questions and only accepted the situation as it was.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound like I was questioning you two." Felicia said.
"No no no." Kamui said, waving her hands. "I don't think that at all and I'm sure Tatsu doesn't either."
"Yeah." Tatsu said with a chuckle. "You brought up a good point Felicia. Even with our time in Nohr, if these truly are our brother and sisters, than that will bring it's own heartache as well if we just leave."
"It would be nice if we could somehow bring peace because of this." Kamui said.
"Yeah..." Tatsu said again.
"Well, whatever you two decide to do, I'll follow." Felicia said.
Tatsu smiled warmly. "Thanks Felicia. It's always good to know you have our backs."
"Well, if that's it I'm going to go to bed." Kamui said. "We'll probably have an early start tomorrow."
Tatsu sighed. "And I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be difficult in more ways than one."
Felicia looked around confused. "Uhhhhh...w-what should I do?"
"Don't worry Felicia." Lillith suddenly said. "I have a room prepared for you."
"Really!?" Felicia exclaimed.
"When I saw you reunite with Tatsu and Kamui, I knew they'd bring you here so I already made one. Just follow me." Lillith said.
"Oh, um...okay." Felicia said before turning to Tatsu and Kamui. "G-Good night you two?"
Tatsu smiled. "Good night Felicia."
"Like we said. You'll get used to it." Kamui said.
With that Felicia followed the floating Lillith, leaving Tatsu and Kamui to climb into their beds.
"So do you think she'll get used to it?" Tatsu asked.
"I don't know, I haven't." Kamui answered.
...
And I'm back. Took a small break from writing cause I wanted to, and some things in my life have popped up making me far more busy. I'll try to write when I can, but updates may be slow for the next few weeks. Tis life.
So for this chapter, I kind of elaborated on the head canon past for Tatsu and Kamui. Again, I want to give the twins some reason to want to go back to Nohr, and I have a good explanation for why Garon seemed like an actual father that will appear later. I'll do some more elaborations later I'm sure.
Anyways, next chapter we'll have them reunite with Mikoto, and I'll answer reviews.
Fave, follow, review, and have a good night.