Chapter Eight: Hoshido/Nohr

Everything is a mess.

Hinoka grits her teeth and swings her naginata across the chest of a soldier. The soldier cries out, falling back, and another takes the empty spot. She deflects the attempt to strike her Pegasus, and kick's the mount's sides.

"Hiya!" Hinoka shouts, flying high into the air. She scans the field below, watching as Hoshidian soldiers clash with Nohrian soldiers. She is quietly thankful there are no wyvern knights here to stop her from assessing or swooping down. She pulls up from another dive, eyes roaming the field. The small army Nohr dispatched to follow them is slowly depleting.

A flash of blue and red, and Hinoka whips her head to stare over at the corner of the battlefield. She is diving towards the ground before she can register the sight, her heart pinching. "Takumi!"

"Now, now," a Nohrian dark mage sneers and steps back, away from the landing princess. The end of the man's jester-like hat slips around his shoulder as he leans in and whispers to his hostage. "Any sudden moves and your sister will be hit with the brunt of my attack."

If looks could kill, the dark mage, Zola, would be dead ten times over. Takumi lets the Nohrian underlings bring him to his knees, holding his arms back. Hinoka and he share a look of grim determination, but do nothing.

Zola holds up a hand, a black ball swirling as he grins happily at the princess. "Nothing to say, your highness? I guess it would be risky to make me angry." With his other hand, Zola grabs some of Takumi's hair and jerks his head back. Hinoka tenses. Zola laughs. It's a thin, sick sound. "After all, I have your precious brother. This one hasn't betrayed you. This one hasn't left you. Where is Prince Ryoma, I wonder? Could he have turned traitor, too?"

Takumi snarls and tries to rip his head free. Zola just smirks.

"I'll give you one warning!" Hinoka yells, readying her weapon. "Let him go."

Zola's smile is all yellow teeth. He releases Takumi and steps back. The black ball of magic in his hand starts to pulse. He goes to say something when a scream rings comes from behind them.

"Brother!"

Hinoka whirls around, and the breath leaves her. Sakura shakes from where she stands a hundred feet away, staring towards them. Before Hinoka's view of her little sister is swallowed up by the closing in Nohrian forces, the woman can see a few allies fighting around Sakura. Ninjas Kaze and Saizo, as well as Sakura's retainer Hana, are on the ground blocking attacks aimed at the youngest princess. Subaki is flying, trying to draw arrow fire.

"Hinoka!" the woman turns at the sound of her brother shouting. Takumi's face is filled with rage when he goes from looking for Sakura to staring at his older sister. "Get Sakura out of here, now!"

"Takumi-"

"That's an order, Hinoka!" Takumi shouts, desperation tingeing his face. He tries to shake the arms keeping him prisoner, but they jerk him back. "Go!"

"While this has been rather interesting," Zola drawls, walking over to grasp Takumi's shoulder. The magic in the man's hand fluxes and starts to spread, "we really must be leaving now."

The black magic expands and encircles the four, blocking Takumi from his sibling's view. Hinoka reaches out a hand on instinct, but the magic constricts and disappears. Zola, the two soldiers, and Takumi are gone.

Hinoka growls and kicks her Pegasus into the sky. She shouts down at the battling group. "Kaze! Saizo! Get Sakura to Fort Jinya as planned and alert Yakimura to Takumi's capture! Keep out of sight! Hana! Subaki! Help me make sure these soldiers don't follow them!"

Sakura doesn't have time to protest as Kaze picks her up, and they and Saizo disappear. Hinoka lands to help Hana keep back the soldiers on the ground, while Subaki distracts them in the air.

The Hoshido forces are spread out, trying to stop the small armies Nohr sent across the border as the two armies retreated.

Ryoma has been missing since he left the group, commanding his siblings to reach Fort Jinya and inform the people of Corrin's betrayal.

Takumi has been kidnapped right in front of her, and who knows where he is now.

As much as she loves her sister, Sakura is a liability. Takumi delivered the correct order in getting her away from battle. Hopefully the pair of ninjas can keep her safe and hidden.

Hinoka has no idea where her own retainers are in the battlefield, and calls out for them to help hold back the last of the small, Nohrian force.

The red haired woman's grip tightens around her weapon as she slices at a soldier.

Everything is a mess.

;;;

"Elise," Leo says softly, casting his slouching sister a sidelong look. "Corrin made his decision. He is not with us, so he is against us."

Elise's hands grip the reigns of her horse tighter, not lifting her head up to speak back to him. "I want to be with him. I don't want to lose him again."

"Elise," Leo snaps softly. She flinches, turning her head away from his. Leo feels regret, but stays outwardly emotionless. "You cannot say things like that. Especially once we've reached the castle." He pauses, watching as Camilla loops back on her dragon mount. He meets her gaze, and nods a greeting. Camilla smiles back from the air, but the smile quickly drops when she looks at Elise. Camilla flies up ahead again. "Corrin is not with us anymore, and we cannot do anything to help him now."

Leo turns to face forwards. He doesn't notice Elise raise her head slightly, an expression of realization spreading into her eyes.

Elise sits up and straightens, looking like the proud, lovable princess of Nohr. She sees Leo hiding a smile at her actions, the same way she hides her hope. Her grip on the reigns is still tight, but it is in excitement rather than pain.

She sees Xander, further up ahead of them. He has barely said two sentences to his siblings since departing the battlefield.

Camilla circles in the sky, not letting others see how distraught she is behind her blank mask.

Leo, on his horse beside Elise, says what he does to keep them safe. He advises and tries not to let his own feelings get in the way.

Elise forms a plan.

The Nohr siblings all hold a shred of hope that Corrin will come back and choose them. It is the hope that keeps Xander in pain, because he knows their father won't be happy. Camilla doesn't cry, because she hopes and believes Corrin will come back. Leo will lock himself in his room, because one of his family is out there and unreachable. Elise is going to sneak around.

The youngest princess creates her plan.

She will protect her family, even if it means hurting some of them when she finally leaves the palace for good.