Hello and welcome to my first big project! This story will be a VERY AU retelling of Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest, starring Beruka as the main character! I've never done something like this before, so I really hope it turns out well and everyone enjoys it! This is an idea I've had for quite some time, and I truly tried my best to do the first chapter justice.

Note 1: This is not an attempt at rewriting Fates to make the story better or anything like that. Plenty of other authors have done that better than I ever could. This is simply me taking characters I love and putting a new spin on the stories that surround them.

Note 2: that this fic is rated T, though may change to M in later chapters depending on the content of certain events. But if the rating does change, just note that no lemons are planned for this story.

So without further ado...

Chapter 1

The Price of Loyalty

Pain.

Pain is such a basic word, especially when describing what the Nohrian assassin is feeling now. Perhaps agony would be a better word, or maybe... No, now isn't the time. She knows that she must keep moving, or else the enemy will catch up to her. And that's the last thing she wants... Right? To make a great escape, defying all odds... That's what she's good at. That, and killing people. What other skills could she possibly need right now? Well for starters, she wouldn't say no to knowing how to seemingly teleport away like those Hoshidan ninja seem to do. Speaking of...

Beruka is snapped from her thoughts as a silver shuriken strikes the tree that she's resting against, mere inches from her head. She would be dead right now if it weren't for the heavy rain that's obscuring the vision of her pursuers. Having no choice but to keep moving, Beruka continues onward as best she can, powering through the pain that's coming from the arrow embedded in her outer right thigh. A Hoshidan archer got a lucky shot in a bit earlier while she was preoccupied with fighting off two oni savages, and as much as she'd like to, she knows she can't remove the arrow unless she wants to bleed out even faster than she already is.

A flash of lightning illuminates the forest around her, giving the assassin a very brief glimpse of the many silhouettes that are in the forest around her, hidden by the darkness and the rain. It's safe to assume that none of these figures are allies. Why would they be? She was sent here alone on a scouting mission, after all. Who would think to send backup to someone with as perfect a record as hers? It's all too obvious that Beruka is on her own out here. And if she doesn't find a way to lose the Hoshidans soon, then her chances of making it out of here alive are... well, let's just focus on the mission, hm?

Jumping over a fallen log and ducking under a low-hanging branch, Beruka tries to focus on what's immediately in front of her. Her former master had taught her how to make a quick getaway if a mission went sideways, but one thing he never taught her was escaping from a very well trained army in a foreign forest during a midnight thunderstorm. This was very much outside of the job description she received back when Princess Camilla hired her on as a retainer. She was supposed to stay by her liege's side and protect her at all costs, so why she of all people was sent on a scouting mission deep into Hoshidan territory is beyond her right now.

Finally, after a seemingly endless run through the forest, Beruka can just barely see the flickering torches that accompany Hoshido's outpost on their side of the Bottomless Canyon. If she were any less busy she might stop to wonder what type of magic they were using to keep the torches lit in this thunderstorm, but that's a question for another day. She comes to a stop, crouching down behind a tree and some bushes. Her sharp, watchful eyes quickly take count of how many guards are currently visible, a number that's unfortunately pretty high. Now, it's time for the really hard part...

Making it past the outpost and to the other side of the canyon.

Gripping two of her daggers, Beruka slips in and out of the shadows, staying in the treeline for the time being as she inches closer to the first of the relatively tall towers that marks a corner of the outpost. She can't hear or see her persuers at the moment, meaning she's hopefully lost them in the rain for the time being. Now closer to the tower, Beruka crouches behind a large bush and tries to take in what she can see of her surroundings, with no help from the heavy rain that doesn't seem to be near its end. She spots three guards, one by the door to the tower and two up on the wall that connects this tower to the next. If she times it right, she could get past the door guard without the other two noticing her...

Suddenly, her survival instincts kick in and she quickly turns around, just in time to use one of her daggers to block a shuriken that was aimed straight at the back of her head. Beruka glances around warily, still unable to see much through the darkness and the rain. But she knows that only an elite Hoshidan ninja could make a shot that accurate... And that means finding her assailant won't be an easy task. "Should I make a run for it?" the assassin thinks to herself. "If I do, I'll have to deal with guards as well as the ninja... Assuming there's just one. But I may not have a choice... Staying here to try and fight through the shadows would be a sure death sentence. At least charging through the outpost would give me more light to work with."

Steeling herself for what may very well be her final fight, Beruka turns and jumps past the treeline, into the light and toward the first tower. The guard sees her and reaches for his katana, but a well-aimed dagger throw from the assassin strikes his throat, causing the man to stumble backwards, then fall. Just before he reaches the ground, Beruka retrieves the dagger and in one fluid motion, opens the tower door and slips inside, closing it just as two silver shuriken strike the wood. She knew that ninja wouldn't just let her run. And she knows that they'll be inside to stop her momentarily. So, not wasting any time, Beruka hurries to the second floor and out onto the top of the stone wall.

The two guards she made note of before notice her, both drawing their yumis and aiming. Not about to be struck by a second or third arrow, Beruka throws both daggers at the two archers, striking one in the stomach while simply knocking the yumi out of the other's hands. Charging at them, she makes sure to retrieve her dagger from the one she struck before pushing him off the wall. She dodges a punch from the second archer, then grabs his arm and pulls him around her, continuing his momentum with a good kick that sends him over the wall as well. There, two more down.

Hopping up over the edge of the wall after a quick climb, the ninja from before lands behind her. She figured they would catch up quickly, but she'd just hoped that she would've been a lot quicker. This wound in her leg is really slowing her down... Gripping her daggers, Beruka faces the ninja head-on. Their quick movements as they run at her combined with the rain make it hard to see their face, though she swears that she saw a flash of green hair... No time for idle thoughts. The ninja's swift slashes are proving to be quite difficult for the wounded assassin to block, and they're giving her little time to fight back. Parrying slash after slash, Beruka is slowly being pushed back, losing ground quickly. She had received excellent training in the past, and yet she was nowhere near the skill level of this ninja.

Realizing that this fight is hopeless, Beruka decides to take a big risk. She gathers all her strength and leaps backward, off of the side of the wall that's facing into the courtyard of the outpost. Her actions certainly catch her attacker by surprise, as they see her fall back-first into a stack of wooden crates. She crashes through the first couple crates before tumbling off of the rest and hitting the ground. She's just thrown herself into the heart of an enemy outpost... But she didn't have any other option, other than block attacks until she was inevitably cut down. Slowly standing up, Beruka can hear several Hoshidan soldiers rushing into the courtyard, drawing their weapons as they approach her. She feels sharp pains in her ribs and her left arm courtesy of the crates she just smashed through, and there's blood trickling from her forehead. Though... at least the rain seems to be calming down a bit.

Clutching her injured arm as she stands up as straight as she can, Beruka watches with a frown as she's surrounded by Hoshidan guardsmen. Their katanas are pointed at her, and archers up on the other walls are all aiming at her. She dropped her daggers when she fell, and she's feeling far too weak to reach for another weapon. But she's an assassin of Nohr, and she wasn't trained to surrender. She was trained to escape, and if escape isn't possible, then she's to die before any information is extracted from her. She braces herself, ready to run but instead she finds herself falling to one knee, the blood loss from her arrow wound proving to be too great for her. How could she be so reckless? What drove her to make such a drastic and dangerous risk? Before she can answer herself, a swift blow to the back of her head renders her unconscious. The assassin falls to the ground for the second time.

Perhaps this really was a bad idea after all.

Pain.

Pain is... actually a pretty good word to describe what Beruka is feeling now. Her head is throbbing, and her body is sore. She slowly opens her eyes, her mind a bit hazy. What happened? She remembers running through the forest... She remembers fighting up on the wall... She remembers falling... twice? But one was just falling over, after she...

Her eyes widen and she quickly sits up, though she immediately regrets that as that sharp pain from her ribs returns. She remembers what happened now... But where was she? Looking around, she finds her surroundings to be quite... bright? Warm? A pale pink colored wall covers three sides of the room, with the fourth wall being made up of Hoshidan style paper sliding doors, or whatever they're called. Hoshidan terminology wasn't something she was taught. Turning to her more immediate surroundings, Beruka realizes that she's resting on a rather comfortable bed with warm blankets over her and soft pillows behind her. A small window on the right-hand wall allows warm sunlight to enter the room, and a breeze gently blows in from outside. The fact that she's alive is... surprising, to say the least, and that goes double for the fact that she's not in a dungeon right now. The only way a place this nice could be a prison cell is if she's in Izumo... But that doesn't even make sense, they wouldn't want a prisoner from Nohr, and why would the Hoshidans have given her up? This must be Hoshido...

As Beruka gathers her thoughts and tries to make sense of this situation, one of the sliding doors opens. A young cleric enters carrying a pitcher of water, her robes clearly of the Hoshidan clergy. On impulse, Beruka reaches for a dagger, only to find that it's not there. In fact, none of her equipment seems to be nearby, including her clothes. Had it really taken her so long to notice her new outfit that consisted of a simple white robe, covering most of her bandages? That blow to the head must have done a number on her...

Surprisingly, the cleric barely gives Beruka a glance as she walks over to an empty basin and pours the water in. Though, based on how quickly the girl shuffles out of the room the moment the pitcher is empty, it's easy for Beruka to guess that the cleric wasn't too keen on the idea of being in the same room with a Nohrian assassin. But that just raises the questions again of where she is, and why she's here instead of in a dungeon somewhere. Deciding that she's spent enough time in this bed, Beruka slowly and carefully gets out of bed, being mindful of her injuries. Thankfully, the wound on her leg seems mostly healed, or at least healed just enough for her to walk without much of a limp. Perhaps that cleric was the one who healed her?

The assassin wastes no time in looking around the room, digging through drawers and sifting through cabinets. Unfortunately for her, she can't find any trace of her clothes or armor, or even anything that resembles the type of clothing one would wear in a fight. The only clothing item she can find is a white... kimono? Some Hoshidan garment with red floral patterns on it, certainly not ideal but better than this simple robe. Donning the new garb, it takes Beruka longer than she would care to admit to figure out how to tie it at the front, and in the end she just opts for a simple knot that's in no possible way correct, but she doesn't care. The only reason she's wearing this thing is because the robe from before was just a bit too revealing, especially for if she got into a fight. And who would flaunt their body in a fight anyway? ...Her own question is answered as her thoughts drift back to her liege, Princess Camilla. How she must be worrying so unnecessarily over her right now.

Beruka makes one last look around the room, looking for anything that could be used as a weapon. Unfortunately... there's nothing. Not even a vase or book to throw, should the need arise. With no other options, Beruka walks over to the sliding door and opens it, stepping out into the hallway. She looks around, taking note that she's at one end of the hallway, with the only way to go is forward, toward what appears to be a wooden walkway that's exposed to the outdoors, covered only by a wooden roof. Slowly approaching this way outside, Beruka cautiously peeks through the doors of each room, but surprisingly finding each room empty aside from a few pieces of basic furniture. It's hard to assess who exactly lives here when it appears as though nobody lives here. But that couldn't be the case... Right? Why would the Hoshidans leave her here unsupervised? But of course, there was still that young cleric... Did she live here? And why aren't there any guards? So many questions are racing through the assassin's mind as she heads to the end of the hallway.

Reaching the end of the empty hall and stepping outside onto the wooden platform, Beruka can immediately see a simple Hoshidan garden. There are rocks, flowers, and even a small stream all weaving around a stone walkway that leisurely winds through the garden and toward a wall with two big wooden doors. Perking up a bit, Beruka assumes that those doors are her best bet at getting out of here, though her feeling of relief is only brief as she once again realizes that there are no guards. She still hasn't seen a single person other than that cleric from before. Most people in this situation would immediately run for the exit, but she's not most people, and that's how she's survived for so long. She's an assassin of Nohr, and there was no way that the Hoshidans would simply allow her to walk out of here. Every fiber of her being is telling her that she's standing in the middle of a trap of some kind, and she'll have to figure out why she's here before she can attempt an escape.

Without many other options to choose from, Beruka continues on, walking along the wooden pathway. She finds that it's actually quite easy to become distracted by the beauty of the garden, and she's not even the type to pay attention to that kind of stuff normally. For a moment, she can almost feel her mind getting lost in the sound of rustling leaves and the gently blowing breeze... Until she hears something else. Something new. A new gust of wind, while not any stronger than the breeze it's most certainly more noticeable and out of place to one with a trained ear. Something just dropped in, and it dropped in right behind her. Pausing in her tracks, Beruka can just barely detect a presence behind her, and she suddenly becomes once again aware of how unarmed she is at the moment. Taking a deep breath and acknowledging to herself that this is the only way to get answers, she turns around.

Upon seeing her potential assailant, she instantly recognizes him as the same green-haired ninja from before. It may have been dark that night, but she's certain that this is the same man. She tenses up and steps back a bit as the man stares her down, as if he's judging just how much of a threat she is right now. But can she blame him? She's a Nohrian killer in a place that's very clearly Hoshidan. Acting on instinct, Beruka reaches for one of her weapons, temporarily forgetting that she has none. The man seems to find this quite amusing, however, as a slight smile appears on his face.

"I believe that you're missing something... Perhaps you're looking for these?" The man pats his waist, drawing her attention to the fact that her daggers are now securely on his belt. "I can tell that you have many questions. I don't blame you, I'm likely the only person you've spoken to today. But worry not, Assassin, all will be explained. Is there anywhere in particular you would like me to start?"

"...Why am I here?" Her voice quiet as always, though her throat feels as though she hasn't spoken in quite some time. Just how long has it been? "I'd expected you to kill me there at the border... But you didn't..."

"An astute observation." The man says with a chuckle. "But you're right. I could've killed you, and yet here you stand. I chose to spare your life because right when you were surrounded and gravely injured, I saw something in your eyes. I saw fear." He starts walking away, motioning for her to follow, which she does. They walk down a few steps and start along the path that winds through the garden.

"Impossible. I don't feel fear." Beruka says, remembering full well how strictly her teacher taught her to let go of fear.

"Don't you? Hm. Well, in that moment, despite what appeared to be fear in your eyes, and despite your injuries, you were prepared to fight to your last breath to avoid capture. You saw that you were surrounded, and yet you were prepared to use the last of your strength to push through and get as far as you could before you were taken out. Why is that?"

"...I was trained to never surrender. I either finish my mission or die, that's all."

"Interesting..." The ninja stops in front of a small man-made pond, watching the koi fish swim about peacefully. "You see, I was under the impression that Nohrians were either cowards or too foolhardy to realize when they're beaten. You... You aren't either of those. You recognized when you were beaten, and yet you didn't surrender or beg for your life like one might expect. Your dedication to your mission was quite commendable."

"Er... Thanks. I guess." Beruka certainly hadn't expected to be complimented after failing a mission... And by a Hoshidan, no less. "...But is that why I'm here? Just because you wanted to compliment me?"

"Hm? Oh, right, of course. My apologies." He starts walking along the path again, and Beruka follows. "I brought you here for more than just compliments. I brought you here because your loyalty, whether it be to a single master or your nation itself, reminds me quite a lot of how the ninja of Hoshido operate. We live and die for our masters, or for some it's the missions that we dedicate our lives to, like you. And I suppose the duties of a ninja are much like those of an assassin like you... Spying, killing from the shadows, or really doing anything and everything that our lieges wouldn't want done publicly. Does this sound like your job description to you?"

"I... suppose there are similarities, yes." In truth, Beruka is finding it quite hard to admit that there are really so many similarities between Nohrian assassins and Hoshidan ninja. She had always believed that the two nations had nothing in common at all, and that's why they hated each other. "...What are you getting at?"

"I suppose I'll state it plainly then." He stops and turns around, looking her in the eyes. "I want you to become a ninja in the service of Hoshido."

Beruka stopped in her tracks. Perhaps she hadn't heard him correctly. He wanted her to... what? He was asking her to betray not only her homeland, but Princess Camilla as well. She had sworn her loyalty to the eldest princess of Nohr, due to her being the first person to show Beruka any form of kindness since her late teacher, although that's not saying much. Plus, her former employer had gone back on his word, and Princess Camilla had offered a larger sum for her services... Thinking back on it, Beruka realizes that she was right to think that there large differences between Nohrian assassins and Hoshidan ninja. The assassins are only truly loyal to money, while the ninja have devoted their lives to serving their countries or their lords. Her teacher taught her that money was all that truly mattered, and how one obtains it isn't relevant. She was raised to be blindly obedient to whomever offers more coin. The thought of abandoning that way of life has never even crossed her mind until now, where she's being offered a chance to not only leave her past behind, but use her skills in service of a more noble cause.

Why then, would the ninja even consider recruiting an outsider, especially one from the land of their bitter enemies?

"Why would you want me specifically? I don't practice your ways of honor or devotion."

"Perhaps not. And in all honesty, very few of us are truly on board with my idea to recruit you... But we have few other options." The man turns back to look at the gardens. "Every day, war with your country is becoming more and more likely. We have lost so many ninjas; not just to Nohr, but to Mokushu as well. Their allegiances have been made quite clear on this matter."

"...So you've become desperate."

He sighs, not in annoyance at her blunt observation but in sadness, ashamed that things have even gotten this far. "You are correct, Assassin. We have become very desperate. We are at the brink of disaster. We barely have the number of scouts needed to accurately survey the situations in enemy territories, let alone the numbers to protect the royal family in the event of an invasion. Some of the... less loyal in our ranks have deserted, joining the armies of Mokushu instead. We have no choice but to seek outside help, and based on the devotion you have to your given mission, devotion that I have seen with my own two eyes, I truly believe that you have all the qualities we need in a ninja and more."

Beruka pauses, carefully mulling over his words. If he speaks true, then perhaps Nohr would have the upper hand in the event of a war breaking out. If she were to escape, and return to Nohr with this information... Perhaps this mission wouldn't be a failure after all.

But wait, there is a problem... A major problem, one that might overturn everything. The Kingdom of Nohr, and King Garon in particular, is known for not trusting those who return after being captured. She has witnessed on more than one occasion Nohrian soldiers and even assassins and scouts such as herself be cut down for simply revealing that they were captured, King Garon not wanting to change a Hoshidan spy entering their ranks. So for her to be under the care of the Hoshidans, and not even locked in a dungeon... It would take but a single message from a Nohrian spy who happens to see her to completely destroy her chances of crossing the border alive, let alone make it to Castle Krakenburg to deliver news of the Hoshidans' weakness. Does this mean that her chances of returning home are gone? No, there's surely another option...

"What is your price?"

Beruka is snapped from her thoughts, looking back at the man. "...What?"

"I can see the conflict within you, though you do a remarkable job concealing it." The man is looking at her again, a slight smile on his face. Is he really so amused by her? "I know you assassin types. You work for the highest bidder. I know this arrangement is quite different than how ninjas are normally recruited, but... These are desperate times. So, name your price. How much does your loyalty cost?"

This... This is familiar. Too familiar. Beruka can remember the night she had been sent to kill Princess Camilla... She had asked the same thing. "What is the price of your loyalty?" Then, Beruka had betrayed her employer and gone into the service of the Nohrian royal family. Is... Is this the same? Could she really just switch sides just like that, even after everything Princess Camilla had done for her? Of course, the eldest Princess of Nohr was unlike any employer Beruka has ever had. But when that happened, she had initially accepted the offer as a means of survival. Survival was in her blood, beaten into her as a child by her master. Then again, she had also been taught to always finish the mission. But at times, those two ways of thinking were at conflict within her... Sometimes survival and finishing the mission don't go hand-in-hand. She was quick to pick survival when she faced the axe of Princess Camilla, but she was driven by her loyalty to said princess to finish that recent scouting mission... Which is the correct way of thinking? Which is she supposed to do now?

"Do you want to live or die?"

Orochi opens her eyes, her violet pupils adjusting to the dim light of the room. What a peculiar vision... She stands up from her cross-legged sitting position, stretching her legs after several hours of quiet meditation. It's easy to get quiet here, in her own little corner of the castle; her magical habits and gift for divination have caused the others in the castle to distance themselves from her, so she's not likely to be interrupted. The only people really comfortable with visiting her in her domain are Reina, Saizo, and of course her liege Queen Mikoto. Even then, it's not often that she's visited by those people.

Thinking back to her vision, Orochi finds it rather interesting that a Nohrian assassin of all people is being considered for recruitment. She knew the ninja clans of Hoshido were desperate, but this? Well, perhaps she should inform Her Highness just in case, though it might also be humorous to tell Saizo about this... Because whether they needed help or not, there is no way he would approve of his brother's plan. Clearly, Kaze is acting on his own right now, probably hoping to get positive results before his older twin comes crashing down on him like an angry red tsunami. Which sounds quite humorous in its own right.

"But something about that Nohrian girl seems... Different. Unique." Orochi thinks to herself, gathering her scrolls into a handy little carrier that she puts on her back before walking over to the door and opening it. "There was quite a conflict in her, at least from what I saw in the vision. Perhaps things will become even more interesting yet~"

Stepping out into the hallway, the Royal Diviner makes her way through the corridors until finally reaching the main areas of the castle. She passes by a pair of guards, giving them a wink and a teasing sway of her hips before moving on, entering the main hall that connects nearly all the areas of the castle. There are plenty of guards here, as expected given that it's the front entrance, but there are also a lot of servants as well. These servants are dutifully cleaning the various historical paintings that line the walls and polishing the series of statues that stand proudly in between where the paintings are hanging, forming two rows that lead from the front doorway to the end of the main hall, where a great painting of the late King Sumeragi hangs on the wall. Standing before the painting, observing the servants who are polishing its frame, is the woman of Orochi's current search; Queen Mikoto, with her other retainer Reina standing dutifully by her side. Orochi approaches the duo and bows, the slight rattle of the scrolls in the carrier catching their attention. Reina, already knowing who it is, simply glances back and gives the diviner a nod and a smile, while Mikoto turns around to greet the Violet haired woman.

"Hello, Orochi. I assume your meditations were peaceful?" Mikoto asks with a warm smile, the kind of motherly smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts.

"As always, Your Highness." Orochi stands up straight, adjusting the strap of the carrier that crosses over her chest. "Though, I did have an interesting vision that you may want to hear about."

"Oh? Well, then by all means. Walk with me. Reina?"

"I will remain here, Milady. I'll see that these are finished to your liking."

"As I know you will. Come, Orochi." Mikoto walks away, heading down one of the hallways that branches off from the main hall, followed closely by Orochi. The pair walks for a short while, until they've reached a series of windows that look out over the castle gardens down below them. Here, Mikoto knows they will have privacy to speak. "So tell me, Orochi. What of this vision of yours?"

"Well, to put it simply, I saw Saizo's brother, Kaze, speaking with a prisoner that was recently captured while attempting to scout the area."

"Well, that is hardly out of the ordinary for our ninjas to do. Though I assume there is more to this than simply interrogating a prisoner?"

"As astute as always, Your Grace" Orochi says with a smile. "Yes, there is more. Kaze has elected to house this woman in one of the mountain temples, rather than in the dungeon. And he has offered her a deal, her life spared in exchange for her becoming a ninja in service of Hoshido. Er... I don't think that was his exact wording, but the vision was hazy so forgive me."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, my dear" Mikoto says with a smile of her own, though that smile fades as she looks down at the gardeners tending to the plants down below them. "Kaze has indeed made a rash decision... I am well aware of the situation with our ninjas, and that we are losing more than we are gaining. But I had not expected him to make such a bold move without first consulting either myself or even Yukimura. Hm... Tell me, what was this woman's answer?"

"I'm afraid I cannot say, Milady Mikoto. The vision ended just before then. But, if I may offer my perspective..."

"Of course you can. I will never turn down your valuable insight, Orochi."

"Thank you, Milady. From what I observed, this woman has much conflict within her. I sensed a dark past behind her eyes... Of course, visions can be fickle. It's entirely possible that I observed incorrectly..." Orochi turns and joins Mikoto in looking out the window, though she focuses her attention on the cloudless sky rather than on the garden. "But no matter how distorted my vision was, I can say one thing for certain; Kaze was doing everything he could to persuade her. And if what I read behind her eyes is correct, then that woman is caught between a rock and a hard place, as the saying goes."

"Yes, I see... Thank you, Orochi, I will take your words into consideration." Mikoto turns just in time to see one of the guards from the main hall approaching.

"My Queen! Sir Kaze has just arrived, and he wishes to have an audience with you as soon as possible! He... He has a Nohrian woman with him."

AT LONG LAST, I'VE GOTTEN THIS CHAPTER OUT!

Dramatics aside, those who have sticking with me in PMs know full well how long this first chapter has been in development. Unfortunately, there was a severe case of writer's block on my end, coupled with lack of motivation and a ton of personal stuff going on, but hey, better late than never right?

I want to give a HUGE thank you to NohrianCavalier, who helped me structure not only this chapter but future chapters as well. And another big shout-out to Temporal King, who helped me workshop some ideas back in the earliest stages of this story's development.

This is the first chapter of many, and I'm so excited to finally be getting this out there for people to see. I'm absolutely loving what I've got planned, and I hope everyone who reads this sticks around for the many, many surprises to come in this story about loyalty and magic.

If you liked this first chapter or maybe have some critiques or even questions about it, please leave a review! I will read every review that comes my way, and I appreciate feedback more than anything. Or even if you don't have anything to say in a review, simply following/favoriting the story lets me know that people want to see more. Hell, even share it around if you know anyone who might like this story!

Chapter 2 won't take nearly as long to come out as this one did, I can guarantee that. And with all that said, I'll see you in the next one.