It's been a while since the last Promise chapter? Are you folks ready for more? This part is Corrin-focused, so I do hope you enjoy it? Also, do you remember how I said in the summary that this tale follows the Birthright path with a twist? Well, you're about to find out what that twist involves.
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Without any further delay, let's begin shall we!
Letters and Decisions
"I think this is for you, milord. I implore you to take a look. The messenger who handed it to me came a very long way."
Paper folded into a neat tube, held in place by a fine wax seal. Narrowing his eyes, dismissing the soldier who delivered it with thanks, Corrin brought his full attention to this newest development.
It was a seal he recognized too. A lantern amidst the backdrop of fierce, crashing waves. Nestra. No other nation, big or small held such an interesting insignia to its name. In fact, interesting was far less the word. Unique, more like.
A letter, pristine and white, written with finely inked penmanship across only the most elegant of parchment. It sat before the eyes of a young price as he unfolded it, its magnitude far beyond anything he was prepared for. With a sigh, he ran a hand through his locks of majestic grey hair, looking to his taller, steadfast elder sibling for guidance with such a matter.
"Ryoma," a quiet, thoughtful breath slipped from his lips as he addressed the prince of Hoshido, eyes widened and thoughtful. "Can we trust such a letter, especially when the forces of Nohr already hold the small Kingdom of Nestra under their iron grip?"
Always the strong, reserved type, Ryoma pondered, looking between the paper upon the strategy table and back again with depth and thought. This was exactly why he needed to be here right now – to give his best judgement.
"I feel somewhat uneasy about this Corrin… but either way… our options are limited. At this moment in time only two roads, remain open to us."
Taking a seat to rest his tired feet, Corrin looked toward the ceiling, his mind ablaze with images of their past battles. How many times had sword and spear clashed since his choice to join Hoshido? How many had died on all sides since this war began?
It wasn't just Nohr and Hoshido either. No. If anything, any nation, any community that refused to stand beside Garon in his bid for conquest received a bitter taste of the same vulnerary. Mere days after clashing with the Hoshidan forces at the theatre in Cyrkensia, Garon accused the peaceful king of the coastal kingdom of conspiring with Ryoma's armies, or so the story went anyway.
The result? A once proud nation of people, filled with aloof warriors and some of the world's most skilled artisans, brought to their knees as steel boots marched headlong into the capital of their homeland. News from the ninja sent there had been sparse, but one thing was certain.
Countless scores of the poor and innocent had died, their homes burned to the ground, all while the noble houses were stripped of their riches and placed under strict military enforced curfew. Any that went against the orders of the solders, highborn or farmhand alike? They met their end on the spot.
Standing again, Corrin looked toward the letter once more.. It was too hurtful to think of the pain the Nestran's had endured any longer. In truth, a nasty twinge swam in his stomach, a sickness even.
"Between you and me, Ryoma," Corrin spoke quietly as his eyes fell upon the well-written paper with its curly handwriting, "I feel responsible for this… and if anything… I want to help them. Let me read the letter aloud and see what they have to say. I ask you to think before I begin, do such words as these sound hallow or part of a simple trap?"
The elder sibling relented, at least for the moment, giving a nod of approval as he folded his arms, standing strong as though a sentinel. "Go ahead, Corrin. I'm listening."
Taking a deep breath, the young dragon ran through the lines:
"Prince Corrin of Hoshido. I am sending you this note because the situation here in Nestra is most dire. Nery a month has passed since our occupation at the hands of Nohr, and yet we find ourselves experiencing the worst times in the history of our people. King Karus has been taken prisoner within Cyrkensia Tower. His daughter, our beloved Princess Safina? She is dead… and our armies are in ruins."
The simple act of reading such things stung terribly. Steeling himself once more, his fingers trembling as they squeezed around the refined edges of the paper, a mixture of painful discomfort and anger in equal measure, Corrin pushed onward, determined to read the rest.
"At present there is little in the way of defiance toward the Nohrian occupation, save for a small pocket of resistance lead by what remains of our Royal Guard. My name is Mereena… a survivor of the king's bodyguard and if this letter reaches you then I humbly ask that you send aid. What few of us that still stand are in the midst of piecing together a plan to free the king, but we cannot do it alone. Please…. If you send us support then Nestra will provide everything we can in your future battles against King Garon. Our men will stay by the docks in Cyrkensia each evening in waiting for anybody you can send."
Setting the letter back down upon the table, Corrin looked toward the flicker of the candle in the evening breeze, turning on his heels to his brother.
The expression upon Ryoma's face – one of such meaningful contemplation. He was most certainly weighing up their options. After all, they most definitely had to be careful as to where they sent men and supplies in future, especially since the Nohrian armies dwarfed their own in terms of size.
"Little brother," Ryoma sighed deeply, shaking his head with the most regrettable of frowns. "You have swayed me… and against my better judgement I find myself agreeing with you… especially as the Nohrian noose tightens around our neck the longer we remain camped here."
"At the moment," the prince continued, pointing toward a large and detailed map of cloth, pinned against the back wall, illuminated by a hanging light. "Morale is fantastic, but our food situation is less so. We can either break for Wolveskin Peak… or turn to Nestra, end their occupation and resupply there. I think we should go with the latter of those options and go over the mountain aferwards."
That was the best news Corrin had heard all day. Finally, he'd have the chance to draw his sword and aid the countless innocent people left to be preyed upon by the wolves.
"You have my thanks for this, Ryoma." Giving a bow to express the depth of his gratitude, Corrin brought his eyes to the map as well, moving to stand beside his sibling as to assess the situation together. "I have an idea, too. That is, if you're willing to hear me out."
"But of course. Please, share your thoughts. If anything, you've definitely proved yourself capable after our most recent victory."
It was all too simple, really – a two-pronged strategy to allow their men to prepare for what was to come next. It was bold, dangerous, but intricate in design, just the thing the Nohrians wouldn't be expecting.
"Okay… so we should begin by splitting our forces in two and encircling Cyrkensia. Nestra has its back to the sea. That much is common knowledge. So… if we surround the capital and hold them at siege… it gives a second small group enough time to slip into the city and meet with the resistance members. That much is at least a starting point."
The air around Ryoma seemed to change as he stood and listened – a subtle smile creeping upon his lips. Was he impressed? It sure seemed that way.
With a brief nod, the elder sibling gave his blessing, reaching out to point toward the map, running his finger around Nestra in a wide circle. "Who do you intend to send on such a difficult mission? You must keep in mind that very few of our men know Cyrkensia and its streets in detail. We need somebody capable of remaining out of sight…"
Two people came to mind above all else. One – a trusted and loyal retainer capable of dealing with any situation in a tactful manner. The other? A recent addition to Corrin's forces, but definitely somebody that knew the Nestran capital better than anyone else did.
"That's simple." Calm and confident, Corrin ran a hand through his steely locks. "My good friend and personal advisor, Kaze. I'll send him alongside Sirus, a Nestran rogue within our ranks. Rumour has it that he escaped from Cyrkensia to join us here. Working together, these two should be more than capable of the task."
"Very good, Corrin. I'll have my messengers send word to them both right away. Oh… and I almost forgot. I was meant to tell you sooner…. Hinoka. She asked to see you this evening. Be sure to find her when we're done here, alright?"
Hinoka? She wanted to see him again? Corrin's cheeks heated under the thought, a soft pink hue overtaking them. In the recent weeks and months he'd found himself getting ever closer to his slightly older, adopted sibling. A lifetime apart, and yet in such a short space of time they'd developed a real, heartfelt closeness. She was indeed one of his many things to smile about since choosing a side in this war.
"I'll definitely do that. Thanks for letting me know."
There was no place more relaxing later in the evening for the prince than his private quarters. Wide and spacious but yet homely in its own right, this was his space to decompress. Yet tonight of all nights, he needed company - the kind of company by somebody both strong-willed and understanding. Gunter used to take that role, but sadly he was gone now.
"How have you been faring since our last battle, brother?"
A question that rang out in Corrin's ears as he sat upon the edge of his bed, hands placed firmly within the confines of his lap. With tired eyes, he gazed upward, met with the sight of a tall, slender, redhead. Hinoka. As always, she was there for him, a voice of comfort amidst a sea of so many worries. The perfect companion.
As a leader he tried too hard to hide his moments of weakness, especially from the soldiers, but around her there was no need. After all, it felt as though she knew him inside out – that despite their separation she'd always been there in spirit.
"I've been thinking very hard about the path ahead of me… the steps I need to take in order to defeat the man I once called my father. So much has happened in such a short space of time…."
"Worry not…."
A sensation of softness, true compassionate warmth, caused the heart of the young dragon to jump within his chest. Hinoka reached out, her long, pale fingers resting upon his shoulder as she gave him a comforting pat, her usually powerful eyes looking so very gentle and compassionate.
"Whatever you decide to do… you'll always have the support of myself and the rest of our siblings. You don't need to face this kinda burden alone…. You're strong, Corrin, really strong. We've all seen the dragon within you… but you still have a kind, human soul."
The way she talked, with such depth and confidence, it was strange. Corrin had never heard his elder sibling go into such a meaningful area of discussion before. True, this was a new side entirely he'd seen to the fiery redhead, but not one that he disliked.
"Thank you, Hinoka. I'll be sure to keep your words close to heart. We still have such a long way to go, and sometimes I wonder if there's more I could do to help everyone."
She giggled at his words – leaning in close, her arms coiling around the prince's back in an dependable hug. Despite her headstrong disposition and the flames of sheer willpower within, it was apparent just how much of a considerate person Hinoka was deep down.
"You do more than enough. You're just one man, after all…. It's not what we achieve by ourselves that matters, but what we can accomplish when we work together. Think for a moment, Corrin…. Think of this army like a family. Do you reckon we'd win our battles if we fought for ourselves alone?"
Like the beacon of a sailing ship, far out in the ocean waters, Corrin beamed with realization. Just as his siblings meant so much to him, how they all worked together. So too did the army. The message from his sister was all too clear this time around.
'Don't try to take on the world all by yourself. You might not reach the outcome you're looking for.'
"I see where you're coming from. Trust me I do. Still…. You understand how much weight I feel when we go into battle, right? I feel as though I should use my gifts, my strengths to help others, especially since I have so much to give."
His words brought nothing but silence, Hinoka pausing as her cheeks, illuminated by the dim chandelier above, brightened in a gentle wave of red. Snuggling closer, her breath tickling against his neck, the princess rubbed her head against his shoulder in a chuckle.
"Now do you see why I fought so hard to bring you back when I was little? Your endless kindness and dedication are both things you've always held within… even as a small child. You might not think it, Corrin… but I've missed them terribly. Never lose such kindness. If the day comes when you become ruler it'll serve you well…."
Ruler? No. Such a thing was not what Corrin aspired to be. If anything, such a duty would fall upon Ryoma's shoulders, wouldn't it? Above all else, the princeling of Hoshido wanted to remain a warrior in service of his siblings – his biggest dream was to bring a peaceful land in which people could have simple, joyous lives.
Regardless, as he cuddled closer to Hinoka, taking in her scent, the familiar tinge of rosewood perfume bringing him to a calm, all too comfortable state, Corrin leaned in, heart within his chest thumping, to place a soft kiss upon her forehead.
"Thank you, sister. The moments we spend together like this, talking about the truth of our feelings? They help me more than you could possibly begin to imagine."
Hinoka brought her head up from her brother's shoulder, eyes burning with a flicker of strong, passionate fire. Corrin had never seen such a look before, but he didn't fear it. No, if anything, it only brought him closer. For some reason, one guided by deep-rooted emotion, he felt himself getting nearer to Hinoka each time they shared one another's company.
"Any time, Corrin. If you need me I'll always be by your side, both on the battlefield… and off it, too."
*Corrin and Hinoka attained support level B*
It had been a very long day, but if anything, Corrin could rest easy now, especially with a plan for the weeks ahead firmly in place. His next trial would be to alleviate his conscience, to aid the Nestrans in their time of most dire need. By turning the army around in weeks passed to aid the rebels at Cheve, he'd doomed the costal nation to such a fate, and now he'd undo that mistake, with an army at his back, and his family at his sides.
"I'll do the same for you too, Hinoka. I know what I have to do now... and I have you to thank for it. You've put my troubled mind at ease."
While his lungs still drew breath, there was no way Corrin would allow more innocent people to suffer at the hands of his father's evil. No matter how hard he'd tried to deny it in days past, push it to the back of his mind like so many of the whispers behind closed doors, Garon was a monster. There was no redeeming actions so cruel and heartless in nature.
The men who served him, Hans and Iago? They were just as bad, one a violent, lustful sadist and the other a sinister, calculating snake. Whichever one of them put the idea into their king's head to invade Nestra, would pay dearly. Corrin would make damned sure of that.
"Are you alright, Corrin? You have such a strange look going on there..."
He nodded - content to say the very least.
"I'm fine, Hinoka. If anything... the path ahead of me is clearer than it has been in a long time."
A road of light - one of Birthright and Fate waited upon the horizon.
To be continued….
Thank you for reading this chapter through until the end. Did you enjoy it? Is there anything you'd like to see in the future? You're more than welcome to leave some feedback and let me know. I'm grateful for all of the support my readers show.
I have plenty more Fire Emblem stories to read too, from spinoff chapters to Promise and oneshots for both Awakening and Fates.
As always, keep on supporting the Fire Emblem series. I'll see you in the next chapter!