I don't own Fire Emblem

Boy writing is exhausting when you write for a long time and then take a break.

Chapter 13: Princess of Darkness

Corrin's POV

"Kamui…" Corrin sighed as she sat against the walls outside of the throne room in Krakenburg. She kicked her legs around absentmindedly before she adjusted her gauntlets. She was dressed up in new armor now, it was seen fit to reward her for rooting out a "traitor" at least that was what Iago told her. Her armor was black and gold in color, designed a bit after her older brother's armor but with agility in mind. She even had a new cloak with the stamp of Nohr on it. The only problem she had with it was that it showed off a bit too much cleavage for her taste and unfortunately her undersuit on her legs were more like stockings than pants so the top of her legs were shown and she had to use her fault to try and hide it. She liked the armor and once upon a time she would have liked to show skin like that. Except after meeting Iago and Hans…she didn't particularly like the idea as much anymore. How did Camilla deal with everything?

Officially the armor was supposed to be a symbol of Garon's trust in her. Corrin only felt disgusted with the idea of the King of Nohr trusting her though. Why? Because she stepped on her brother to get into that position. It was funny, before everything she would have been more than happy to be rewarded like that but now she just felt disgusted with herself. In a sick twist of irony her twin's act of defiance put her in a good position to pursue her own plan. The feeling of the Yato against her side reminded her to be strong.

After the battle at the fields, Iago had ordered Corrin and her family back to Krakenburg. Xander didn't even have time to call the meeting together or halt the invasion. Leo's injuries would have killed any chance they had at halting the invasion regardless and it would have made it even harder for Corrin to convince the Nohrian high class to believe her. She would have looked like a spy for sure. Corrin didn't want to but she knew that speaking out was a bad idea, at least for now. Even Xander didn't dare speak up so she was forced to sit back and just deal with the events that happened.

"How did it come to this?" Corrin thought angrily as she flicked her fingers against her gauntlets slowly. She combed her white hair to give her something to do as she thought about everything that happened. She hadn't been able to really think about it lately since she had to keep up appearances in public and she was busy worrying about Leo as well. She had not even been able to ask Xander or Camilla bout anything her twin said. It wasn't until she arrived in Krakenburg where she was alone with her thoughts finally that she could think about everything clearly.

She didn't make her decision lightly, she thought about everything that could happen, including the war actually happening. Except she didn't account for the idea that her twin would actually decide against her. The look on his face was burned into her mind along with the betrayed looks on Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi and Sakura's faces. She loved them, she really did and she knew that they lost their mother but she knew this was the right decision! They needed to remove Garon not remove the entire kingdom!

"Darn it Kamui…" Corrin swore as she shook her head. Why did he do it! That brother of hers and his stuck up morality! For all his pride in his logic, he had no tact for dealing with this issue! Corrin flinched when that thought passed through her mind and she shook her head. She couldn't fault her brother's logic and desire to protect Hoshido. Except she also couldn't help but be angry with Kamui though; didn't he know the turmoil he put the rest of them through?

Xander had been silent for almost the entirety of the trip back to Krakenburg. The only time he spoke was when someone asked him something and no one wanted to ask him anything since he had a haunted look on his face. Camilla had practically locked herself away and Corrin had only seen her at meal times. She tried to talk to her but Camilla would just shoo her away and tell her to "go play". Leo was bedridden for most of the trip and he kept talking about how he would make Kamui pay, so that made it hard for Corrin to sit with him. Corrin was angry with her twin for hurting him but she knew that he didn't do it to kill. Elise was the biggest problem though; it was like she died on the inside and put up a front to keep them away. Corrin was at her wit's end, she didn't know what to do. She spent the whole trip from Hoshido to Nohr trying to keep the family alive.

"Damn it…" Corrin swore as she felt tears well up in her eyes. Her twin…her best friend was gone, for the first time in her life she was without him and she was scared. She needed him; he was always the braver of them. She needed him to make the plan work didn't he see that! Now she was stuck on her own!

"Corrin?" the princess's head shot up and she blinked before she saw Leo standing before her, staring at her worriedly.

"Leo! How are you feeling! You're up!" Corrin jumped to her feet but before she touched him, she hesitated. Her eyes trailed down to the cane the dark knight was using to stand. Leo smiled wryly before he pulled her into a gentle hug with one arm. Corrin hugged him back before she backed off.

"Indeed, I was technically able to stand days ago but the healers kept me confined to let it heal faster. Don't worry I am quite all right. I only need the cane for a few days. Nothing really hurts except for my pride," Leo joked but Corrin didn't particularly feel like laughing. She just adjusted the straps on her new armor again and twirled a piece of her hair. Leo sighed before he adjusted so he was leaning against the wall next to her.

"I have something for you…" Leo said as he pulled something out of his pouch. Corrin turned to see what it was and she squealed when she saw that it was her scarf!

"You fixed it!" Corrin gushed as she pulled him into a tight hug. Leo tensed and Corrin quickly let him go with a guilty smile. Leo just gave her a pained smile, then he wrapped the scarf around her neck, snugly. Corrin sighed as she pulled the scarf around her snugly and rubbed her face into the soft fabric. It still surprised her to no end that Leo was able to make that.

"You were thinking about him weren't you?" Leo asked, and there went the mood… Corrin didn't answer since he knew the answer already.

"You should kick out any feelings you hold for him…he's a traitor…" Leo said rather venomously. Corrin ended up glaring at him for that and Leo shrugged.

"He betrayed us all for his "real" family. He picked them over the people who raised him for over ten years," Leo drawled and Corrin forced down the urge to smack him.

"He's my twin, Leo…you don't just kick feelings out over night. Not even you can do that…you know Kamui wasn't trying to kill you…" Corrin replied gently and Leo's hands clenched into fists and his eyes lit with fire. Corrin wasn't happy with her twin's choice of actions either but she wasn't naïve enough to believe that Kamui missed Leo's heart on mistake; the healers told them that nothing vital had been pierced. Her twin wasn't Xander or Ryoma but he could have done more damage with the maneuver he pulled.

"He's a traitor and he will face a traitors punishment for what he's done," Leo swore but Corrin just crossed her arms and shook her head.

"Make sure YOU believe those words before you actually say them," Corrin chided and Leo glared at her before he sighed.

"He is still a traitor…" Leo muttered and Corrin sighed but before she could reply, she heard the familiar steps of a certain Paladin. She turned to greet her older brother only for it to die in her throat. Xander looked tired and weary like he had just been told he had to do something he didn't agree with.

"Xander?" Corrin asked.

"Elise and Camilla are feeling…unwell and will not be joining us for this meeting," Xander spoke and Corrin sighed and shook her head.

"Do I even want to ask?" Corrin asked sadly. Xander shrugged and came over to stand next to them and leaned against the wall. This was new, he never did things like that; he always stood straight even if it was for long periods of time.

"They are in pain as we all are. They will…adapt in time or perhaps if we bring the Little Prince back they will return…" Xander commented and Corrin shook her head while Leo scoffed.

"The King has labeled him as a traitor. The only way he'll come back here is in a coffin," Corrin muttered and Xander nodded. Then he leaned down towards Corrin and she leaned closer as well.

"Unfortunately, events have postponed the call for the meeting. There are many who will believe that you are working with Kamui to bring ruin to Nohr. You will have to bide your time and earn the trust of the people. Until then we fight," Corrin sighed but she nodded in acceptance. She figured as much, it was only natural considering that she and Kamui were always close. Still though, she felt like Xander didn't exactly buy into the plan, even back at the crossroads. It seemed more like he was just saying it because he wanted the twins to come back. He seemed more fed up with the situation as Corrin looked at him now. Though she couldn't blame him, he was probably trying to figure out how to hold the family together. Still though…during the trip he didn't look quite as ragged as he did there, perhaps he was hiding it all that time?

"Or we could just go through with the war and wipe them out…" Leo suggested and Corrin gave him a glare, which made the dark knight shrug.

"Regardless of the circumstances, we need to fight," Xander sighed and Corrin shook her head.

"Just making sure the options are there…" Leo dismissed. Corrin was about to throttle him but before she could, the doors to the throne room opened up and they all straightened up. Corrin shuddered inwardly when she saw Iago step out of the throne room.

"Ah, Prince Xander. How nice of you to join us; tell me, where are Princess Camilla and Princess Elise?" Iago asked with disgustingly fake worry. His eyes went to Corrin and the princess shuffled a little uncomfortably. She was thankful she didn't get the armor until she got to Krakenburg. The creep was already eyeing her quite a lot on trip, especially the when they were stuck on the ocean part of their journey.

"Our sisters are unwell…they are also being cared for by their retainers. There is no need for you to do anything, Iago…" Xander moved in front of Corrin and the princess felt Leo take her hand. Iago frowned and scoffed in a stuck up way before he turned away with a sneer. Corrin watched him leave like a child who was told he couldn't have a toy.

"Such a waste of a pretty face…" Corrin thought she heard him say before he walked off. She shivered inwardly, wasn't that guy at least ten years older than her?

"Parasite, I don't know why Father keeps him around…" Xander muttered. Corrin made it a note that if-when Xander replaced the King, they would kick that man out first thing, Hans too if he was still around.

"He'll never touch, Corrin as long as I am around…" Leo swore and Corrin blushed at the sheer protectiveness in his voice. She giggled, making the dark knight blush, then she leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"My hero…" Corrin teased and Leo looked like he was about to blow, but he looked pleased, very pleased actually.

"Come along, you two…" Xander commanded as he already walked into the throne room. Corrin gave Leo one last smile before she let go of his hand and followed after their older brother and she heard Leo's cane tap the floor behind her as a sign that he was moving.

"Corrin followed Xander into the throne room to be greeted by the King. Garon looked as menacing as she remembered if not more, perhaps she felt that way because her sister's weren't with her and her twin was now a traitor. Still…she got the new armor so that had to mean that she was not going to be killed or detained. Corrin did what she could to remain calm and not give off any hints that she really didn't feel safe around the king.

"Ah…Corrin, I was wondering when you would arrive. I see the new armor suits you. Good, I feared that the measurements were off. You see the moment I got word of your heroic deeds, I saw fit to finally give you something befitting of your status…" Garon's voice boomed through the hall. Corrin wasn't even in front of the throne yet and it sounded like he was standing right in front of her.

"Heroic deeds?" Corrin asked, confused. She came to a stop next to Xander but Leo didn't come up to stand with them. The King nodded before he stood from the throne.

"Indeed, Xander told me about how you played your traitorous twin into revealing his true colors as a traitor to Nohr. He also mentioned that you managed to slay the Hoshidian Queen and bring down that accursed barrier that had been keeping us out of that forsaken kingdom. You have given us two great boons," Garon boasted and Corrin barely contained her surprise. She looked towards Xander and saw that his eyes were closed and it all clicked in her head. He…he lied to the king to try and protect her and he threw her twin to the wolves…

"It's true father, the traitor tried to kill me and Corrin saved me," Leo finally moved up to her other side and Corrin turned to him in barely contained shock. Leo…he was in on it too… Did that mean Elise and Camilla knew about it too? That would explain why they stayed away, they probably couldn't stomach the idea, Corrin couldn't either. Except she had to if she wanted her plan to be worth it, otherwise everyone would die. She didn't want Xander to kill Kamui, she didn't want to see her families kill each other.

"I see…regardless of these accolades though, the fact remains that many of my court believe that you are working as a spy for Hoshido to destroy us…since your brother still lives. He could be a great threat, especially if he has a spy on our side…" Garon commented and Corrin flinched. She felt Leo and Xander tense as well as the king gazed down at them, critically.

"I am willing to give you a chance to prove yourself though…" Corrin nearly collapsed as she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Leo started coughing and Xander just closed his eyes again.

"Thank you, my King…" Corrin didn't want to call that man her father anymore if she could help it.

"One of our kingdom's tribes have refused to answer our calls to war and are even openly rebelling against us. We have received word that they are even harboring Hoshidian spies in their midst. I want you to travel there and put them down. I don't care whether you kill them or reaffirm their loyalty to us," Garon explained and Corrin's breath nearly hitched. The ice tribe…wasn't that the tribe Felica and Flora belonged to? Xander did say Flora went missing…

"Of course, my King. I will not fail you…" Corrin said respectfully, doing her best to remember what Kamui taught her about political tact.

"We shall set out immediately, Father. This will be swift," Xander proclaimed and Corrin let a small smile leak onto her face despite her budding anger towards her brother for throwing Kamui to the wolves.

"No! There is no doubt that you would crush these rebels together This is a test for Corrin, to prove her loyalty and her worth. She will undertake this mission without any aid from you or your siblings…" Garon commanded and Corrin winced. Alone? Maybe he was trying to get her killed.

"Wha-but Father. Corrin can not take an entire tribe of rebels alone!" Xander pleaded but Garon held his hand up.

"You are needed in Hoshido to continue the invasion, if you truly intend to be the Crown Prince you will fulfill your duty and lead our men. Camilla and Leo shall accompany you as well. Elise will stay in Nohr for a time before she will journey to Hoshido as well. Also…if you find that traitor, I want him brought back alive if possible so he can suffer…a traitor's death," Garon commanded and Xander grunted but he knelt his head in submission. Corrin shuddered at the thought, Xander couldn't really be agreeing to that right?

"Father, surely you can't mean to send her alone though!" Leo interjected and Garon glared right at him and the dark knight flinched. Corrin felt her heart clench, she hoped the King was not in a punishing mood. She didn't know if she could stand back if Leo got hurt.

"Do you believe me a fool, Leo? I would not send Corrin in completely alone. There would be no point in the test if I did that. I merely wish to see her act in a small group and in command of a larger group," Garon explained in an annoyed manner. Leo bowed and stepped back while Corrin let out another relieved sigh in her head.

"There is already a force of men waiting near the tribe. You will have to make your way through the Forlorn Forest to reach them. Do not fear though, I will not send you completely alone…" the doors opened behind Corrin and she turned around to see a face she didn't think she'd see again.

"Greetings, Milady. I trust you are in need of my services once again?"

"Jakob!?"

Ok everyone thanks for reading! Let me know what you think! Also on a final note I am going to take a break so don't expect the next chapter for a bit. I'm taking a week off from this and then I'll get back to it.