Xander

I remained with my eyes focused on the land ahead. The snow and cold started to pierce my armor, but I refrained from shivering. I had to keep myself tongue-tied and stoic, to keep a lower profile. I noticed Laslow and Peri flanking me in my peripheral vision. I didn't turn my head, but I could see Laslow brandishing his silver sword, and Peri had her silver lance out.

Soon I could see the tribe in the distance. Iago turned to us, and the soldiers behind us, and he let out a sinister grin.

"I hope you're prepared to do this, Crown Prince." He chuckled. "I believe this is ample punishment for your insubordination."

I continued to remain silent as he turned away again. I noticed Ice Tribe members notice us and retreat into the buildings. As we stepped for in we were met by a number of Leo's resistance army, but none of my siblings. They had their weapons brandished, but our soldiers stepped before us, forming a barrier. I heard a shout as the door to a building behind us slammed open. I turned myself around, and noticed Leo struggling to keep himself on his feet. He closed the door before I could see if anyone else was inside, and he straightened himself.

"Lovely, you stepped right into our hands." Iago chuckled, stepping away from us. "Go on, we don't have all day."

I climbed off my horse and drew Siegfried. Leo looked at me, and then back at Iago. "You- You did it, didn't you?"

"Your brother is how your father always wanted him. Undeniably obedient, unlike you."

Leo's lip curled up in disgust and annoyance. "Iago, you bastard, using cheap tactics to force our hand!" He drew his blade, which drew the snow around in and crafted it into a blade.

"To put it simply, I don't care. I'll do what it takes to see King Garon's plans through! Now Xander, kill your brother and make an example out of him!"

I looked Leo in the eye, and attempted to communicate my intentions to him. Whether he read my look or not, I didn't know, as he ran for me, ignoring an injury on his side. I went for the defensive, locking blades with him. His eyes narrowed and he pressured Siegfried, forcing me to break away.

"Xander, listen to me!" He called out, readying his sword again. "You can free yourself, you just need to focus!"

I narrowed my eyes as he said this, and his own widened slightly. To counteract his reaction, I thrusted Siegfried at him, causing him to block. We traded blows back and forth, when a familiar situation came forth. His sword slipped between the bars of Siegfried's blade, causing us to lock together again. I pulled up, resulting in him losing grip again. The blade landed behind me, sinking into the snow. His eyes widened and he drew Brynhildr. I swung my blade for his head and he ducked underneath it, casting Brynhildr. Branches extended under my arm and stopped my swing. He moved behind me, drawing his sword from the ground. He swung at my back, as I was left open.

It stung a lot, and I was forced to bite my tongue to not make any noise. I then broke free from the plants trapping me, and turned to face him again. He swung again, and the blade gouged my armor. I kicked at him and he backed off. He drew Brynhildr again and cast the spell once again, pulling my legs down with branches. That was when I realized, he was trying to compensate for his own weakness. He was slowing down, due to pain, and was trying to slow me down accordingly.

His side, as I looked him over, the bandages on his side were opening. He didn't have his armor on, which made me all the more cautious of how heavy my blows were. I broke free of Leo's trap, and raised my arm, as his blade connected with my armor. I kicked at him once again, and while he was open I lunged at him, slamming the hilt of my blade into his stomach. As the blade connected, he bit his lip hard, causing blood to spray a little. He rolled on the floor before stopping, facing me, reeling in pain.

I heard Elise shout from through the window, but Camilla pulled her away. Iago stepped closer to us, almost trembling in anticipation, and eagerly ordered. "Finish him off, Crown Prince! Teach these useless resistance fighters how pointless their fighting is without a leader!"

I raised Siegfried in my hands, as Leo looked me in the eyes. I shifted the blade in my hand, and swung it around, nearly connecting with Iago's throat. What little bit of his magic continued to influence me stopped me before I could hurt him. I glanced at him.

"You seem to underestimate my intelligence, Iago." I told him, continuing to hold the sword to his throat. Iago spluttered.

"Y-you damn fool! You do realize what this means, right?!"

"Yes, I've committed mutiny against you." I looked at Leo. "But my eyes were opened. I'm not about to fight for a man who no longer is the one I grew up with."

Leo appeared somewhat shocked, as Iago growled. "Very well then. I'll let you play in ignorance. Your father will be furious, and you won't be forgiven for this!" He snapped his fingers, and he disappeared, retreating back to Krackenburg.

The abandoned soldiers looked around in confusion and fear. I started to speak. "Either you all join our side, or die by our side. Make your choice."

They looked amongst one another, before preparing their weapons again. "For Nohr!" One called out, and the others called out after them. They charged, as Ice Tribe reinforcements joined the others to push these soldiers back. I got Leo onto his feet, and my horse came over, and I got both of us onto it. "Just hold on." I told him, and I looked back at Laslow and Peri. "Our enemies are those Nohrian soldiers. Let's end this quickly."

Peri laughed and charged straight in, silver lance out. Laslow remained at our side. I was about to charge in, but Leo moved slightly, and I decided to hold back.


The battle was over quick, and Sakura walked toward us to guide Leo off my horse. The door to the building Camilla and Elise were in opened, revealing a number of citizens looking out through the doorway. They soon exited so Sakura could bring Leo back in. I climbed down, and looked at my sisters, who stepped out with the other people. After a few silent moments, Elise hurried over to me and embraced me.

"Xander, y-you're okay!" She exclaimed. I embraced her back, as a small smile started to grow on my face.

"I am, Elise, don't you worry." She pulled away and rubbed her eyes.

"I told Leo a while ago that I was really worried, and," She looked up at me and smiled. "Good thing my worry isn't right!"

I looked at Camilla. She smiled slightly, giving my shoulder a light squeeze. "I'm glad we aren't meeting at odds again." She sighed. "Too bad it was met by a clash against men that could have simply sided with us."

We went into the building, where Takumi was at the end of his own bed, and Leo was being tended to.

"Th-that was stupid of you." Sakura scolded my brother, who looked at us. Takumi gave me a dirty look, and I looked away from him.

"I didn't have much of a choice," he responded, looking back at her. "It was either let Xander attack all of you, or challenge him myself." He looked back at me, "How did you break free of that, by the way?"

I dug through my satchel and handed him a plant. He looked it over as Sakura mended his side, and he laughed slightly. "Xander, you're pretty sly, you know that?"

"What is it? Oh!" Elise looked it over. "It's mage's shield, a magic blocking agent. I remember that from my herbal studies!"

"Do you remember what it does when eaten?" Leo asked her and she shook her head. "The herb's properties linger in the body and attacks any magic that threatens the body, much like our own body when fighting illness. It doesn't last forever, though."

"I was reading through your books." I told him, "I found the herb and decided to take a risk."

"Prince Xander." I heard a voice address me. I turned to see Ryoma there, arms crossed. "So you've decided to finally join our cause."

"I have, though it wasn't without a nudge." I nodded to him.

"At least we have amassed a group here. I'm confident we have a good chance to make change within Nohr." Ryoma smiled slightly.

I remained silent. "Our father isn't a weak man. He can simply hold his own against a group of soldiers without breaking sweat. We can only make change if we either open his eyes or," I fell silent.

"Or we'll have to force father from his throne one way or another." Camilla spoke. "We can't back off now, with how far in we are."

"That's true." Ryoma nods.

"Can you all talk somewhere else?" Takumi asked, annoyed. "I kind of want to get to sleep sometime."

Ryoma chuckled. "Of course."

"We'll leave you two to take a nap." Camilla replied coyly, forcing a slight groan from Leo. "Get yourself some rest, little brother." We soon left, and I found myself to be the target of hostile looks from all around.

"It'll take some time for you to gain our trust, and, to be truthful, even I am still skeptical."

I understood why, and I nodded. I looked away, thinking for a moment. I soon took leave to the outskirts, shivering slightly. I was thinking about where I'd go from here, when something was set on my shoulder. I glanced to it and saw a cloak. I put it on, and saw Ryoma standing there. He walked up beside me, looking ahead.

"Quite the sight, isn't it?" He asked, looking at the sunset.

"Very." I responded, looking at the glistening snow. We both remained silent for a while, when Ryoma looked back at me.

"How aware were you that your father had done the things he did?" Ryoma asked me, and I looked up.

"I only knew what he did, not his intentions. I knew he killed your father, but I was told it was in a skirmish. Even Sakura was brought to us, and we were told she was just a victim of the crossfires."

"I see."

"He wasn't always like that, though. I remember when we were children, father was a gentle man. Leo used to always ask him for piggyback rides, and he would comply, but suddenly it all changed, he became stern and cold, and I have no idea why. It still perplexes me to this day."

"Your father was an honorable man, wasn't he?"

"He was." I looked at Ryoma, who looked at me. "That's all the more reason to end this."

"When an honorable man loses his sense of right and wrong, that man becomes dangerous."

I made a sound of agreement, and I held my hand out. "As the future king of Nohr, I promise that I'll work to repair our relationship with Hoshido, but only if you're willing to do the same."

Ryoma looked at my hand, and a smile grew on his face. He took my hand. "Of course. Change won't happen without cooperation." We shook hands, and started to head back, to talk more in the warmth of one of the buildings.