AN: Uploading stories and taking the time to write them has consumed my soul. It may slow down after the first few chapters. Enjoy!

Corrin's POV

After I was excused from the treaty alliance I went to my room and quickly disrobed, thrusting the kimono off and tearing the bandages off. I was shaking, that exchange with the man had left me shaken, I had never felt that way about anyone or had a reaction towards anyone that way. He smelled like spice and of the grass, not a bad smell at all. I couldn't shake the feeling and immediately jumped into my bed in just my small clothes and pulled the covers up. I couldn't face them, what my mother and elder brother were trying to do wasn't going to work. I prayed it wouldn't be me that they chose, I didn't want to leave the only family and home I had ever known.

I fell asleep not long after and what felt like only two minutes I was awaken by gentle fingers caressing my forehead. I opened my eyes and saw my mother sitting on my bed, her eyes gazing down at me as she gently caressed my face. I turned more so that I could look at her and she retracted her hand quickly. I could see by her face that a decision had been made, and I knew.

"It's me, isn't it?" I softly asked, not daring to look at her anymore.

"Yes, darling, it's you. We offered Hinoka with her being the eldest, but he didn't want to marry her after her outburst about Nohrian Scum. They wanted Sakura initially, but their prince chose you." Her words were soft, but I felt the sting build up behind my eyes. I didn't want this.

"Mother, you can't do this to me," I choked out, my throat was tightening down, and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Corrin, I'm sorry, but this is what royals do. We secure alliances to better our countries," She looked at her hands as she spoke. I knew this was hard on her too, but at that moment I didn't care.

"I don't love him mother, I can't love him." I cried out.

"We don't have the luxury of love, just the luxury of knowing our countrymen and people are well taken care of by the sacrifices we make. This is yours. You are to marry the Nohrian Prince in a week," She said softly. "The alliance is signed. I thought it best I be the one to tell you."

"Well you didn't exactly give me any choice or notice," I said back bitingly. My mother finally looked at me and her stare turned hard.

"This is your job. Your duty. You are to marry the Nohrian Prince in exchange for your father and for Nohrian gold we desperately need. Our coffers are low, which you very well know, and we need this trade route to work to bring jewels back into our kingdom."

"Some job, some duty, I don't even get a say in the matter. I just answer yes to whatever you and Ryoma dream up and I have no say." I was acting like a child right now, but I didn't care, this was the rest of my life we were talking about and I had no say in anything they were doing right now.

"Corrin, I am your queen first and foremost and you will do it. This is to better Hoshido and to better our lives. You will be taken care of, we have seen to that." Her gaze turned soft on her last words. "You can take one maid and one retainer of your choice with you, but that is all that can go with you. You may not take any items or clothing. You will hereafter be a Nohrian Crown Princess."

I turned away from her and pushed the covers off me and stood up. "Well, since I'm no longer going to be a Hoshidan Princess, why don't you just leave now. I don't want to see you right now mother."

My mother didn't say anything, but I heard the rustling of bed sheets and steps, then the door closing. I crumpled to the floor and sobbed. I didn't want this at all. I wanted to marry the person I loved, not some prince I have nothing in common with. I had heard of their ways and how they handle their women. They were overly sexualized, and they were treated lower than animals. I even heard the king had a concubine of women just begging for his attention. How could I ever hope to compete with a brothel of women throwing themselves at my future husband? What kind of marriage would that be?

I didn't know how long I was on the floor, but I heard my door open and shut and over my sobs I heard Lenore's intake of breath. She rushed to me on the floor and wrapped her arms around me. I sobbed into her shoulder and she patted my head softly, like a child. Lenore had helped to raise me, and she was more of a mother to me than Mikoto was at times. I heard her soft voice shushing me, and when my tears had subsided a bit, she finally pulled away and looked at me.

"My dear, what is wrong?"

"Lenore… I am to be married."

Lenore's face was a visible look of shock, while she too knew that the likelihood of me marrying who I wanted was slim, especially with Hinoka being the elder sister, she too couldn't believe I had no choice. I quietly told her what had occurred after she had woken me up and she stayed quiet and listened. I finally looked at her face and choked out my next words.

"How can I marry a prince I don't love?"

Lenore chose her next words carefully before she answered me, but I could tell this news broke her too.

"You do it with grace. You may not be able to love him, but you can be graceful and show them that this will not break you. You are from a wonderful line of Hoshidan's, and you will show them how a Hoshidan Princess will not break. Maybe waver, but never break. You can do this, Corrin. I assure you that you will not be alone in this. You still have your siblings, and with that you have me. We will get you through this. Maybe Prince Xander will not be as bad you think. And, maybe if he is, you can… well…" She trailed off not leaving much to the imagination. An affair. Something I would never submit to even if I could.

"Lenore, how am I supposed to marry someone that I don't know is my question now?"

"You get to know him then. You have a week. Why don't you get ready for your daily sparring practice with Hinoka, then maybe you can seek out the prince and try to see if you're compatible. If you deem that you're not, then at least you know what you're getting into."

"That… Doesn't sound so bad…" I sniffled out and Lenore stood up. She offered her hand to me and helped me to stand as well.

"Now, no more crying and sitting on the floor. Let's get you ready to go out to the barracks and we'll get you about your daily routine, okay mistress?" She said with a smile. I smiled back at her and knew that she was the handmaiden I would be taking with me.

Xander's POV

I had just finished washing my face, mainly to wake me up after the small sleep I had. Some of the water had gotten into my hair but it was no matter, I had to be ready for the day. I brushed my wet blond hair back and put my circlet back on my head. I looked up in the mirror that was fashioned in the guest room they had given me. I was to be married in a week to a Hoshidan Princess. One I had never even spoken to or even gotten to know. She was probably frail and weak as all Hoshidan women tend to be, she wouldn't make it a month in Nohr. It was likely she may die, and then I could marry my real love.

His thoughts turned to Nyx, the black-haired mage that frequented the Nohrian library. She was beautiful and smart and strong. She was the kind of future Queen Nohr needed, not some soft woman that wouldn't be able to last the brittle winters. His thoughts immediately went to a memory on the last night he was in Nohr.

She looked at me as we laid in bed together, both of us in nothing and only the bed sheets to hide our nudity. Her head was on my bare chest and her fingers traced circles around my nipple. I looked at her and kissed the top of her head, and she turned pensive.

"You're going to marry another woman, going to meet her in a week, aren't you?" She said softly. I gazed at the love of my life and frowned.

"Yes, I am. But you know I love you, Nyx. I will forever love you," He said softly. "I may be married to her on paper, but she is nothing to me, do you understand? I am only doing this to help my people and appease father. For all I care nothing has changed."

"Except you'll be married," She retorted. She sat up and the sheet fell off her body. She was very slim, she had the body of a fourteen-year-old, but I knew she was much older than that. She was trapped in this body even though she was hundreds of years old. We had discussed it at length, and we had even researched on how to reverse the spell. "I don't want to share you, Xander."

"I will be in no woman's bed but yours. You are what matter," I sat up on those words and took her face in my hands. "I love you, Nyx."

She looked at me for a while before she answered. "I love you too. Maybe we can make this work. We will see when you get back from your trip."

A knock on his door jerked me to the present and I called out that they could enter. I turned and saw Leo was now leaning against the door, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. Leo and I weren't exactly close, but we did have a like mindedness on things when it came to our kingdom. Leo always felt overshadowed by me and I hated that he felt that way, but it was inevitable with me being the first born.

"Well, what do you think of your bride-to-be?" he asked with a small laugh.

"She'll do for now," I said evenly. I wouldn't let it be known I wasn't attracted to her shapely body or to her demeanor. Hoshidan women held no appeal for me at all. I liked strong women that could hold their own in wits and battle.

"You were the one that suggested her, brother."

"Given the other choices which would you have picked?"

"Fair enough. I did hear that they have a sparring ring that they use to train their soldiers, how would you feel about taking Laslow with you and see what they have to offer?" Leo said with a shrug. "I know you haven't practiced since we left, so I thought you might want to get some exercise in."

"And do the libraries offer anything to you, brother?"

"I don't know yet, I was planning on going there after I left you. Laslow is outside the door already waiting on you, see you at lunch time."

With that, my younger brother took off out of the door. I sighed and grabbed my sword, Siegfried, off the shelf that it rested on. With that I stepped out of the door and saw my retainer, Laslow, there waiting for me. He nodded at me and grinned, I knew he was in heaven. Plenty of women for him to romance and none that knew of his reputation here. Despite his womanizing ways, he was one hell of a retainer, and that is why I kept him around. His prowess with a blade almost matched my own and he knew how to use it too. This was the kind of warriors Nohr had, smart and strong.

We went through the castle and stepped up to the barracks door. There were a ton of noises and grunting coming from the area. Steel on steel and feet and hands being used to gain the upper hand. The barracks area was large as was the sparring ring. There were multiple areas where people were fighting. I watched as the Hoshidan warriors battled it out against one another, and it surprised me that they had this much fight in them. Their stances were a little different than Nohr's own, but it was effective.

As I circled the warriors fighting, a flash of silver hair caught my eye. I turned my gaze and saw the Hoshidan bride-to-be, battling it out with her sister, the red-haired spitfire. Corrin's back was to me and Hinoka was too busy focusing on the fight to pay me any attention. Corrin had a golden blade that she wielded against her sister's lance, or what they called it here, naginata. Corrin was in white and black armor and her hair was pulled back into a high pony tail. She was flurrying away her sister's strokes with her weapon and she managed to dance away every time Hinoka came at her with her naginata. It was like a dance I was watching. I could see that sweat was beading on her and her sister's brow and they were breathing heavily.

Corrin launched herself forward and lunged at red head. Hinoka managed to deflect the blow but she wasn't ready for Corrin's leg to slide out and up and hit her right across her side, causing her to step out of the sparring lines. The battle was won to Corrin. Hinoka stood up and laughing went to her sister, saying words that I couldn't hear. It was then that I saw Hinoka's gaze rest on me and her eyes tighten. Seeing her sister's change in face, Corrin turned to look and saw me standing there watching them. Her lips flattened into a thin line and I knew that she wasn't pleased being watched.

She stepped off the dais where they were fighting and she approached me, but not before handing her blade to an olive haired male that was standing watching her. She walked up to me and I then noticed that in her armor, she had a nice shape. Her breasts weren't as small as I had once thought, and she had curves around her hips and legs. Things that the kimono obviously wouldn't allow to show.

"Enjoy the show?" She asked, still a little breathless. She was standing a few feet away from me and I could smell her again. Lilies and cinnamon now mixed with a little body sweat. It was an odd mixture of smells.

"Undoubtedly," I answered calmly. My gaze met hers and then again, an electric fire went between the two of us. It started around my middle and started to spread. Her red eyes darkened a bit.

"Well, it's a good thing you're here, I wanted to speak to you about the wedding," She said confidently, her hand going up to wipe sweat off her forehead.

"What about it?"

"Considering that we are to be married in a week I thought it was prudent to know my future husband, don't you agree?" She said with a small smile. That smile didn't meet her eyes, and I knew that she was just as unhappy about this as me.

"I don't think that would be a bad idea. When do you propose that we do this?" I answered.

"How about dinner time? We can have supper together, supervised of course," she replied. Her eyes then moved a little down my body, and it rested below my waist. Just as quickly as she had looked, she pulled her gaze back up to my eyes. I could have sworn she checked me out and that a small flush was going around the tip of her pointed ears.

"That will work fine. Just arrange it with my retainers and they'll see to it I make it there on time." I looked at her and had to admit that she had a pretty smile. Her smile lit up her face at that point and she nodded.

"Kaze will meet with your retainers in a while and we will get it done. I hope Shirasagi Castle is to your liking?" She inquired politely. Behind her, Hinoka was moving to get off the sparring circle and she handed her naginata to a blond-haired female and made her way over to where we were conversing.

"It has been very welcoming, thank-you, your highness," I answered with a nod of my head. She smiled and at that moment her sister appeared at her side. The difference between the two was startling now that I was really looking at them. Hinoka was taller than Corrin by about six inches. Corrin was tiny in height, what a little princess she was.

"What do you want, Prince?" Hinoka said bitingly towards me. I arched an eyebrow and turned to her and frowned.

"I didn't realize I was talking to you." I turned back to Corrin and gave another nod. "I'll see you around supper time then. Good luck with your training." With that I turned on my heel and walked out of the sparring area.

Corrin's POV

Lenore had done a phenomenal job of dressing me and arranging a dinner for Xander and I. She had me in a bright blue kimono that had silver leaves embroidered on it, my hair was flowing freely down my back in its natural waves and had a lily adorned in it. She had given me a necklace that was from our treasury and it was silver with a bright blue sapphire in the center. I thought I looked splendid. We were planning on having the dinner in the guest hall, which was set up with Kaze and Lenore being our chaperones. Xander could bring two of his own but I had no idea of who he would bring.

I made my way to the hall and took a deep breath before entering the room. Once I pushed open the door and saw the table ready as well as Kaze already there with the man that Xander was with earlier. I turned to my right and saw Xander standing there with a steady expression on his face. He was dressed nicely in a black shirt with the white cravat and black pants. The shirt was pulled tightly across his chest which showed his muscles when he moved. I looked up at his eyes immediately and felt that familiar electric fire whenever I gazed in them.

"Princess Corrin, thank-you for arranging this meal," Xander spoke first. He took a few steps forward and offered his hand to me. I stared at him for a moment, I didn't want to touch him. This was not okay but considering in a week we'd be married I would have to get over that quickly. I swallowed and felt my throat tighten in response. I laid my hand in his and he clasped it to escort me to my seat.

"You're welcome, your highness," I answered with a steady voice, which surprised me considering how nervous I was. I sat down in the seat that was offered to me and looked at the table of food.

The table itself was small and there were only two chairs available, one for me and on the opposite side, one for him. The table had a pot of tea in the center with cups and on either side of the tea pot was cooked fish and rice. The other side had an assortment of vegetables which were native to Hoshido. Lenore entered at that moment and set about serving the food to us, I sat silently, staring at my plate. I couldn't bear to look at Xander at the moment, I didn't want that feeling again.

"So, Prince Xander, why don't you tell me about where you grew up," I said softly. Earlier today, I was emboldened being in a group setting, but this intimate gathering was a little too much for me.

"I grew up in Nohr in Castle Krakenburg. I don't really know what else you'd like to know," he answered gruffly. I could tell this was going to be like pulling teeth.

I cleared my throat and took a bite of the food, it was delicious, as I knew it would be with Lenore overseeing things. "Well I'm just trying to get a sense of who you are before I say, 'I do'," I said gently. I glanced up at him and he was just staring at me, not saying anything and not even taking a bite of food.

"There's not much to it. I'm doing my duty as the Crown Prince and that's all you need to know for now," he retorted sharply. I blinked at him. Did he despise me as much as I disliked him? This was not going how I had planned.

"Well, I'm doing mine too you know. We're both in a situation that we don't like, maybe we can try to get along and do what we need to?" I was a little firmer in my voice this time around, I wasn't going to let him bully me.

"We need to get married and do our duties and keep the treaty going, that is what we need to do." He just gazed at me and when he spoke it was like the words didn't match his expression. He was totally and utterly confusing me. Earlier he was okay with talking about things and now it seemed he was walled off.

"I understand my duty, Prince, I'm just trying to get to know the man I'm going to be married to for life. It's a long time to be with someone you know," I answered lightly. I saw his expression change and then it seemed like it finally dawned on him that this would be a lifetime thing. Then as soon as that vulnerability showed, it disappeared again. Back in place was that mask of expressionless nothing.

"Well, as you said we have plenty of time to get to know one another, yes?"

I looked down at my plate and set my fork down, looking back up at him a moment later. I steeled myself and said my next words. "Prince Xander I don't believe you understand the sacrifice I am making. I'll be going with you to your country. I'll be leaving my home and my family to be better acquainted with yours. I am giving up everything for this treaty and this alliance and this marriage. You? You're giving up nothing. You will have your home and your family with you. So, I think you can indulge me when I ask you questions about yourself."

"Indulge you? Indulge you?" he repeated mockingly, and I finally saw a flash of anger cross his face. "I have given up much for this. Do you really think that I want a Hosidan Princess for my bride? One that knows nothing of my kingdom and people? Do you really think I want a wife that has never suffered a day in her life? Little princess, you know nothing. You will never know anything about my sacrifice. I am honor bound to my country to do what is right, and if marrying you will give my people the things they need then I will do it gladly. You think that just because you're giving up your family that it is the worst thing ever? I am giving up more."

I stared at him as he pushed his chair back and stood up quickly. His retainer was at his side quickly and up until that moment I didn't notice another woman by the door that also appeared at his side. She had bright dual toned hair and she was an odd mixture. I stood up hastily and put my fork down and stared at him. I think it was in that moment that he realized he might have said too much to me. He nodded his head to me, and that mask was back on and he was staring at me. Still, that electric fire just whirred between the two of us.

"I am afraid I have said too much. Do not seek me out again for these ventures. I will see you on our wedding day. If you'll excuse me," he said in a monotoned voice.

With that he walked to the door, his retainers on his heels and he walked out. I sat back down in my chair, sort of stunned at how things quickly turned for the worse. This was the man I was marrying, and I couldn't even know him.

AN: Okay and done. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks guys!