I am here to remind everyone that this fic is ABSOLUTELY an AU.

I prefer to write AUs as they are a bit more fun to work with

That being said, I study up on my canon and mostly wouldn't write about something I didn't know anything about. I just choose not to abide by canon.

I mean, while you really should expect nothing but AU's to come out of me, I understand that I may have confused some people as far as my intentions go.

And for that, I added the AU tag to the story,

I apologize for letting you down, and I hope you can still try and enjoy the story.

The Princess's Dragon Bride

Chapter 2: In a Far Off Castle

Chrom poured the bottle's contents into the other king's goblet. He was starting to regret not sending for a few barrels of ale.

"What kind of a man is your son?" Bowser finally broke the silence.

"Marth?" Chrom raised his goblet to his face, "oh, well, he's a smart lad," he took a sip from his wine as he gathered his thoughts, "always studying, seeking to learn new things."

Bowser's chalice was empty, and in another mighty swig, he held it out for Chrom to refill. "And how strong is he?"

"He's uh," Chrom winced, "he'd make for a skilled tactician," he wasn't lying. Marth had a knack for tactics. Although Chrom knew his son was far from perfect.

Bowser sighed as he watched Chrom fuss with another bottle. "It'll have to do.."

Chrom handed the Koopa King another round of wine. "Any reason you're so interested?" he glanced back at his second glass. Recalling the other king had run laps around him in drinks.

Bowser took his time with this round. "I'm looking for a safe home for my daughter," there was some kind of dread that started to creep into Chrom's stomach. "I want to know she'll be safe and happy if something should ever happen to me," and with those words, Chrom's buzz was gone as his stomach hit the floor.

"I see," he raised his cup, hoping to hide his ever creeping frown. "well, uh, I'm honored you chose to come to me for advice," he prayed; his voice didn't betray his heart.

"Advice?" at that Bowser roared with laughter "well, I guess it would be, huh,"

When he lowered his own half-full chalice, he faked the best smile he could. "Were those not your intentions."

Bowser put down his empty cup, and before Chrom could reach to pour him another one, he snagged the bottle off the table himself. "Have you ever thought of arranging a marriage for your kids?"

Chrom felt sick. "Not really," he prayed to Naga; his face wouldn't betray a single screaming thought in his head "it uh … it hadn't crossed my mind."

"Well, maybe you should." Bowser grinned as he drank what was left of the wine "it's a good way to make powerful allies.."

He could almost hear his father's voice in those very words. Finally, with his throat dry, he managed, "I'm sure it is."

Lucina led the other princess through the vast halls of the Castle. There were many places in the castle she should have showed her first, but only one seemed to strike her as a priority at the moment.

Lucina guided the other girl to a lovely door just opposite of one, just as ornate. Although it was clear to see one had undergone quite a bit more abuse. "This," she flung open the door, and Corrin almost winced at the screams of protest from the hinges, "is my room" she made a motion to one of the plush chairs in the sitting room, "take a seat. I have something I need to do."

Corrin sat delicately in one of the enormous armchairs and waited. Finally, when the other girl was out of sight, Corrin almost sighed as she sank into the plush embrace of the chair, thankful to get off her feet for a second.

She ran a hand over the elegant slippers she was gifted for this meeting and had to restrain herself from tossing them across the room. Instead, she settled for letting them fall to the floor, snuggled into the recliner, praying the other girl would take her time.

She wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep but was very aware of the overwhelming fear that overtook her as she woke up. She looked around, hoping that the other Princess was still tending to her own deeds.

Lucina smirked at her from the armchair beside her. "Rough trip?"

Corrin blushed deeply as she straightened up and avoided making eye contact. Then after a moment, she tried to subtly put on her slippers in hopes of not letting the other girl see.

"Fancy slippers, eh" Luci leaned back in her own chair. "Don't worry, I can't stand them either" Corrin looked up at the other girl in shock as her heart started soring.

It was then that she took in the other girl's outfit. Luci was dressed in a dark blue tunic, a long-sleeved shirt underneath that. She also had long dark trousers that matched her overall outfit. The outfit was a far cry from princess-like. However, it suited her far more than the blue and white dress.

"You can hide them here if you don't want to keep them on," Luci smiled "a dress long enough should be able to hide whatever shoes you wear" at that, she motioned to her training boots. "I didn't take off mine and hoped no one would notice.."

At that, Corrin couldn't help but giggle in excitement. She wanted so badly to toss them into the river, but knowing Kamic, he would see her and find them. "Promise?"

"Promise," Luci stood and approached her new friend, "hell, don't be afraid to rush in here and take 'em if you ever have to." she offered her a hand, "you're always welcome."

Corrin took the hand up and almost hugged her "thank you."

"I mean it though," she smiled "don't be afraid to come in if you ever need anything. No need to knock."

Corrin chuckled "all right, I'll hold you to that."

The two walked arm in arm until they reached a pair of huge double doors. "This" when Lucina opened the door this time, she made sure to take a bit more care than last time. "Is the library" she stepped aside to let Corrin in first.

The room was massive, and while Corrin had seen a library before, it was strange to see the floor so soft and fuzzy. Perhaps it was the soft light of twilight seeping in through the windows or so many plush rugs that lay around the room that made it feel so cozy. Giant chairs sat beside tables and gathered around the fireplace. Thousands of different books of all shapes, sizes, and colors crowded the vast shelves. Some simple with plane covers with small titles carved into leather and others huge and ornate. The shelves were stacked high so far they towered over her.

"You'll find my brother and me here in the mornings to keep up with our studies" Luci stepped into the room and followed Corrin's line of sight, "although it's more likely you'll find Marth here more than me."

Corrin's eyes drifted to one of the enormous plush chairs "he always has his nose in a book, studying something or other." Luci began to stretch, "says he's preparing to be Exalt one day." she leaned back until Corrin heard a concerning pop.

"Lady Lucina?" a voice called out from the maze of books, and both girls turned to find the boy from earlier cradling a stack of books "what brings you around here."

"Oh hey Shulk," Luci straightened and motioned to the boy, "although I guess if you need Shulk, you'll find him here too."

"Showing Lady Corrin around the castle?" Shulk smiled

"Yup," Luci smiled back, and a softer sharper tone added, "it's the least I could do after a certain someone ditched her in the hall" at that, Shulk winced.

He looked down at his books then back at the girls and after a moment said, "I'll go talk to him"

Lucina sighed a soft "good luck with that."

She looked back at Corrin who's excitement has stilled and left her twiddling her fingers as she waited for Luci to finish up her conversation. Finally, Luci looked back up at her father's oracle and smiled "well, I guess on with our tour, right, Corrin."

At the mention of her name Corrin brightened up "right."

"Well, have fun, you two" Shulk chuckled as he watched them leave.

Corrin watched the halls trying desperately to make sense of all the twists and turns of the corridors. Hopefully, in time, they would make sense to her; after all, her father had his castle remodeled every other week.

Lucina led her through a vast archway to an expansive courtyard. "These are the training grounds" she made a sweeping motion with her arm to a small field. Racks of weapons, and what she could only assume were the poor dismembered corpses of a good number of training dummies.

"you'll find me here more often than not" she picked up a practice sword that looked oddly similar to the blade she saw on Exalt Chrom's hip earlier today. "If you're lucky, you might find my father here every now and then."

Lucina looked down at the blade and smiled at it fondly "he taught me everything I know about using a sword," she shook her head, reminding herself why she was here.

"Sorry about that" she held out her hand, and Corrin took it without thinking. "Let me show you something."

Luci led her new friend behind a weapon rack that hid a sizable hole. "I broke this one while I was training," Corrin giggled quietly. "I tucked it behind this stand, and I don't think anyone's found it yet."

Luci ducked into the hole behind the rack, and Corrin followed her without thinking.

What laid beyond the broken wall was a passage cut through two walls of bushes of what must have been from the Royal garden. Corrin continued to follow her friend taking in the vastly different colors of the many flowers peeked out from the green.

When the passage stopped, Corrin found a decrepit old gazebo. Vines curled around the pillar, with the structure itself frail and hidden by the trees surrounding it. What it did oversee was a pond that Corrin figured it mist be deeper than expected. And in the light of the setting sun, it looked almost as if they had stepped into another world.

"If I'm not in the training grounds, I'll be here napping," Luci said with a soft blush crossing her cheeks.

The two sat on the smooth stone bench and looked out at the pond. "I want to assume it's somewhere in the Royal Garden." Corrin watched her friend as she stared out at the small sanctuary, "but I've been all around the castle looking for it, and I haven't been able to find it yet."

Corrin rested her palm against the cold stone and scooted a bit closer to her friend "maybe it's outside the castle wall?"

Luci met her gaze with a look of drawing realization. "I've never considered that," her eyes sparkled, "a secret passage out of the castle.."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" a spark of joy began to dance in her chest.

Lucina grinned back. "Name the day, and I'll show you around my city myself.,"

At that, Corrin tackled her new friend in a tight hug. The two lay on the floor giggling at the thought of sneaking off unnoticed.

After a moment, Lucina stood and began to walk towards the passage, "I'm going to go see if the coast is clear."

Corrin stood herself, but something had caught her eye. She wasn't sure if she had seen it before, but into one of the pillars, she could see symbols carved into one of the pillars. She didn't understand parts of the carving, but she knew a heart when she saw it; perhaps she would ask Lucina about it.

When Luci called her, the two managed to get out of the sanctuary without being noticed, and perhaps it was the darkness of night that had protected them.

Back through the vast maze of corridors, and suddenly Corrin was standing before another door "this should be your room," Luci smiled.

"Thank you," Corrin smiled. "I had fun today.."

"I'm glad" Lucina smiled, and Corrin resisted the urge to hug her.

Corrin opened the door, but before she had fully stepped inside, she turned to meet her new friend one last time that day. "Good Night, Lucina.."

"good night, Corrin" perhaps this trip wouldn't be so bad after all.

AN: so Fun Fact: originally, Luci was going to show Corrin a random gazebo in the Royal Garden, but my late-night lazy brain didn't want to build up another scene, so instead, I decided that a hole-in-the-wall getaway was a better idea.

Remember this place. I have plans for it.

And yes, it does have a backstory. I'm glad you asked. But I'll reveal that in time

Anyways I hope you enjoyed

~ S. Rosey (4/22/21)