CHAPTER TWO

When Azura awoke, she felt as though there was an army of taiko drums beating their rhythm inside her head. What she assumed to be a woven blanket covered her from head-to-toe, and the heat from her breath stifled her.

She kept her eyes closed. Was she in a cart? It sounded like she was. Did that mean she had been captured? Most likely. They were probably planning to return her to Nohr- they wouldn't be the first. They also probably would leave her unharmed, as if they damaged her they were damaging the merchandise.

She couldn't stop a groan from escaping.

The blanket pulled away from her, and light hit her eyelids. Her head throbbed even more.

"Lady Azura? Are you awake?" This man's voice seemed kind, but she wasn't taking any chances. She didn't open her eyes.

"Of course she's awake- you just pulled her blanket away." She stiffened as she recognised her captor's voice.

"Ah! Sorry milady." The blanket returned, but it didn't cover her face this time. Gingerly, she felt around to check if she was tied up. She was. "Are you really awake?"

"Stop bothering her." She stiffened again. His voice replayed her kidnapping all over again in her mind- his hand on her mouth, on her arms. The searing pain in her skull. She felt dirty.

"Oh, sorry. Hey, Haitaka. Aren't we coming up to a village soon? What'll we do with her then?"

"Keep her in the cart."

"Aw, really?" The kinder voice sounded younger.

"Yes, really. Every righteous prick and his mother is out looking for her." Her heart soared, but it fell again–there was probably a reward. "Do you really wanna throw your life away because you feel bad for her?"

"…No."

"Exactly."

For a while, there was no sound other than the wheels on the road and the men's footsteps. Cautiously, she sat up.

"Oh look, she lives." Her captor- Haitaka- had been walking beside the cart. She froze under his cold gaze. "What do you want?"

"Um… may I… well, it isn't proper for ladies to say it." She gestured towards the thick forest to her left with her head.

Haitaka's eyes widened in understanding, but he quickly became gruff again. "Hitoshi, go with her." He took a swig from a pouch he removed from his belt. Water? Or was it alcohol? "Don't let her escape."

"Sure thing, boss."

This Hitoshi person lifted her out of the cart as though she was one of Sakura's fragile dolls. Her stomach clenched and unclenched with nerves. They wouldn't have done anything to her, right?

As the pair entered the silent forest, she planned how best to remove her noisy geta without alarming him. The Hoshidan shoes were impractical to wear in this situation. One protruding root, and her plan would be ruined.

"You won't run away, will you?" The deeper they headed into the forest, the more uncomfortable he became.

"Of course not." She smiled at him to ease his worries, but he looked straight ahead.

Then he frowned. "Um, I think we're far enough now, milady." He looked back towards the road and shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

She smiled again. "I understand. Could you please cut these? It's just my kimono is difficult to manage with bound hands…"

"Of course, milady." He flushed and did as she asked.

"Could you also please turn around?"

"Sure thing, milady." Again, he did as she asked.

She took a deep breath and slowly, carefully, took off her geta. The forest floor seemed to tremble beneath her bare feet.

Then she ran.

She remembered too late that her kimono would hold her back. It stubbornly restricted her movement, and its long sleeves got caught on low-hanging branches.

"Lady Azura? Lady Azura!" Hitoshi shouted from somewhere behind her. She didn't dare turn around. He crashed through the vegetation behind her, getting closer with every thumping footfall.

He was behind her. So close. She could feel it. Her breathing was loud, and her heart thumped in her ears.

And then he tackled her to the uncaring ground, and it was all over.

Corrin walked beside him.

Any other day, he would have been overjoyed. However, in the Woods of the Forlorn it was difficult to feel any positive emotions. It was too damp and musty, and with every step his leather boots sunk even more into the swampy ground. So he settled for mild satisfaction instead.

Lucy whinnied in agitation every few minutes. He wished he could place Corrin atop her to save the princess the discomfort of squelching steps, but the excess weight would probably get them both stuck.

"So um, Silas? Is it true that we were childhood friends?" She didn't attempt eye contact with him, preferring to search the ground for anything protruding that could trip her up.

"Yeah. You're a lot taller!" He grinned. "It's been ages. We used to play together." Silas waited for a signal to elaborate. She gave it with a questioning tilt of her head.

"You always said how badly you wanted to see the world. So one day I made us a picnic and snuck you out for a few hours to explore. I even packed your favorite meal; vegetarian chowder!" At every sentence's end he excitedly waved around the reins in his hand. "I knew taking you beyond the walls was forbidden, but... I also knew how much it would mean to you. The guards tried to execute me when we returned, but you wouldn't let them do it."

For weeks afterwards, he'd suffered nightmares of his almost death.

"No, it can't be…" Corrin muttered. He listened to every sound she made with bated breath. She then turned her face to him, her eyes wide. "Silas?! Is it really you? Of course I remember you! I can't believe it!" She smiled. "It's been a lifetime since I last saw you. You look so different!"

Perhaps it was possible to feel overjoyed in the Woods of the Forlorn.

"You too!" He grinned back. "I wanted to visit, but I was banned from ever returning after that. I became a knight so that one day I might be able to see you again. Now here we are, in the middle of one of your messes! Just like old times, huh?" He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly serious. "If you will allow me, I would be honored to fight at your side."

Her smile was softer now. "Silas... Thank you. You really are a sight for sore eyes."

"-all supposed to be resting." A few strides away, Elise was reuniting with her faithful retainers.

"Heehee, I'm sorry I made you worry. I was just too excited to see Corrin again!" Despite the danger she had been in, she was nonchalant.

"Ah, I finally have the privilege of meeting Elise's retainers. Thank you for coming." Corrin turned away from him to speak with Effie and Arthur.

"But really Xander is the one you should thank. He went behind Father's back and sent us all out here to keep you safe!" Elise was always jovial, even when describing treason.

Oh Xander. The perfect Crown Prince of Nohr. His blond hair and brooding nature fit well with his stern gaze and tall stature; he was every noblewoman's dream man. Whenever he appeared in public, they always gossiped about which girl he danced with at which ball. Yet, he remained oblivious to those swooning. Or he didn't care. Either way, the prince remained without a wife.

It would be a lie to say that Silas wasn't a little jealous.

"Xander... Well, I certainly can't die before thanking him." Corrin grabbed the hilt of her sword. "All the more reason to prevail in subduing this rebellion!"

Corrin wasn't so famous. Unlike her siblings, who had survived the Nohrian court's barbaric underbelly and knew its intricacies all too well, she had been sheltered in the Northern Fortress. Her prison was far away from her family, and Silas resented it.

The group fell into a comfortable silence as they trudged through the trees.

A/N:

It's nice to be writing again yo. Also I hope there's no formatting errors this time.