This one's fairly long... I hope you enjoy!

-K

Corrin nearly choked on her tea as she internalized the gravity of Camilla's words. "W-Wait… why? For a mission?"

"I'm afraid so, sweetie. King Garon isn't one to hold off on these kinds of things. As soon as one of us returns, one usually leaves."

Corrin stared blankly at her sister for a moment, at a loss for how to respond. This was the one thing she hadn't foreseen coming. If Leo remained preoccupied by his mission for weeks, or even months… their investigation would also be left on hold. Without Leo's intellect, could she be able to uncover the truth behind Anankos alone? Would time even permit her to do so?

As she reasoned with herself, the dull ache in her heart reminded her of the predominant reason for her distress: she would miss him. She would miss his presence, the sound of his voice, his unrelentingly witty remarks. After having finally overcome her blundering nervousness around him, it seemed unfair to have Garon whisk him away so soon. Was this somehow a message from the gods that her love would never come to fruition? As silly as that notion sounded, it seemed plausible at the very least.

Camilla cocked her head to the side as she processed Corrin's reaction. "Oh, dear… You're upset. Do you want him to tutor you that badly? Somehow, I don't think that's the case."

Corrin snapped out of her thoughts and hastily came up with a response. The keenness in Camilla's gaze did not go unnoticed. "Well… yes, actually. I enjoy our tutoring sessions. He makes a very good teacher."

Camilla's expression remained unconvinced. "He certainly does, that boy. But is that really the only reason?"

Corrin desperately stalled for time. "Reason? For what?"

"Your sadness. Even if you try, you'll never be able to hide it from Big Sister."

Corrin entertained the idea of arguing against her claim, or possibly even playing dumb, but the earnestness in Camilla's voice convinced her otherwise. Electing to remain honest with her sister, she sighed. "You're right, Camilla. I…" She paused for a moment as she decided to take a different approach. "You do know that we're not related by blood, you and I."

Camilla was smiling now. "We've known for quite some time."

Corrin felt like fidgeting, but forced herself to remain still as she continued with her line of reasoning. "Then… Then it isn't so strange if I… if I-"

"Love him?"

A bolt of electricity shot through Corrin's veins at the sound of hearing the L-word out loud. "Yes… But you know what I mean, right?"

A giggle escaped from Camilla's lips. "Oh, most certainly. You've fallen in love with him! That isn't something to be taken lightly, I hope you know. I'm so very proud of you!"

Before Corrin had a chance to reply, she found herself completely engulfed in Camilla's iron embrace. "Sister! My tea!" she gasped as her beverage sloshed around dangerously in her cup. She strained to set it back on the table, but the strength of Camilla's hug allowed no more than a couple inches of movement.

"Oh, who cares?" Camilla gushed, tightening her arms even more. "You're in love! And you're finally admitting it!"

Corrin finally relented to her sister's physical advances, sagging against her in defeat. "You say that as if you've already known for a while."

Another giggle resounded from Camilla's chest. "Of course I have, dearie. I told you - you can't hide anything from me."

Corrin stiffened as two questions surfaced in her mind. "Am I… am I really that obvious?" Has Leo caught on?

Camilla loosened her grip and daintily lifted a hand to her cheek. "You're so easy to read, it's cute! Whenever we're all together, you can hardly seem to function. It's the most adorable thing."

"More like cringey, if you ask me," Selena quipped.

Camilla's gaze turned as sharp as a blade as she directed it toward her retainer. "Selena! That's no way to address a woman in love!"

"What's so cute about losing the capacity to speak, huh?"

"Everything, actually. When you fall in love, you'll understand."

As the two of them quibbled with one another, Corrin seized the opportunity to quickly gulp down her remaining tea. She relished in the feeling of the lukewarm liquid flowing down her throat, and the thought occurred to her that she may have been dehydrated. I need to remember to take good care of my body, or I might actually become ill, she knew. And Felicia would be completely beside herself.

She set the empty cup on the table, an involuntary sigh escaping from her lips. Now that Camilla (and Selena) openly knew her secret, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. But even so… she couldn't shake off the lingering disappointment that came with hearing about Leo's current whereabouts. For at least a couple of weeks, she would be devoid of him, and on top of that, she would have no means of guaranteeing his safety.

In that moment, Corrin decided that she was sick and tired of being useless. Every waking moment of her life was confined to the castle, and for what? So that Garon could cultivate her into an unbeatable weapon for Nohr and showcase his military supremacy? She knew about his ultimate plans to utilize her as a tool of destruction - she had always known, and that was precisely the reason she had done everything in her power to resist him.

That is… until now.

What if, Corrin considered, she willingly complied with Garon's agenda? Outwardly, at least. Upon demonstrating an acceptable level of combative ability to him, she would undoubtedly be granted the right to leave the castle. She could carry out his twisted requests by way of no other avenue. And in the event that she obtain this privilege, she would be free to explore the outside world as she pleased - as long as she reconvened with Garon on time.

Which meant… that she could also meet up with Leo.

Yes… the more she mentally churned over the proposition, the more favorable it became! Leo's sudden departure didn't necessarily have to put their investigation on hold. Through her own power, she could earn unbridled access to the entirety of the Nohrian kingdom. Not only would she have the option of joining Leo - she could also tap into a larger breadth of resources, hopefully those with the potential to aid them in their quest for truth.

Fueled by a newfound motivation, Corrin shot up from the couch. The chatter initiated by the two other women instantly died down as they both turned toward her, puzzled looks on their faces.

"Something wrong?" Camilla inquired.

"No, nothing's wrong," Corrin replied with a small smile. "I just thought of something I've been neglecting to do. Thank you for lending me an ear, sister. Now I know how wonderful it is to have someone intimately understand you."

"Of course, love! Anytime you need to vent, you come to me. And I'm not taking "no" for an answer." She ended her sentence with a not-so-subtle wink.

Corrin giggled and nodded. "I wouldn't even dream of refusing you. Now, if you'll excuse me…" She gave them both a curt bow before exiting the parlor and making her way toward her least favorite portion of the castle - Garon's chambers. She encountered Jakob along the way, who promptly offered her a cup of tea. She had no choice but to (politely) decline his offer, eliciting within her a slight twinge of regret. If only her circumstances allowed for such a lifestyle! At the present moment, she desired nothing more than to peacefully live out her days within the castle walls, having tea with her family and friends as she pleased. But pressing problems demanded her attention and threatened to undermine the stability of said castle. The cup of tea she had enjoyed with Camilla would probably be her last for a long while.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally arrived at the long corridor leading to Garon's chambers. The lanterns lining both walls were just barely lit, bathing the narrow space in an unusual dimness. The sudden coldness of atmosphere made her skin prickle and her hands clammy, but she steeled herself and continued forward. If she gave up now, then her chances of promptly reuniting with Leo would be completely dashed.

As Corrin neared her destination, two things struck her as undeniably odd. Immediately concerning was the accessibility (or rather, the lack thereof) of the entrance: the double doors leading into Garon's chambers, which she had only seen propped wide open, were now sealed shut. Had this been the only obstacle she encountered, she may have written it off as normal. After all, she was by no means a frequent visitor to his private chambers, so how would she know how Garon usually left his room? And regarding the matter of his possession by a mad dragon, it wouldn't be particularly out of the ordinary for such an entity to guard his private quarters.

But Corrin's suspicions skyrocketed when she noticed the dark figure standing stiffly in front of the entrance, and even more so when she got close enough to identify said figure: Iago. The sound of her footsteps caught his attention, and as he turned in her direction, his thin lips curled into a sickening sneer. The mere sight of his expression revolted Corrin to such a degree that she experienced the visceral urge to punch him in the face. One day, she repeated to herself in an effort to quell the strength of her reaction. One day, when he is no longer protected by Garon's shadow...

"Well, well… If it isn't the princess herself," he addressed her once they were within speaking distance. The more he spoke, the more his sneer grew. "It isn't often we meet here, Corrin. Ah, forgive me - Lady Corrin. You must have a good reason for showing up, or is it that you wish to deliberately cause me trouble?"

I bet a good hit to his skull would wipe that sneer off his face, Corrin hypothesized. "Please refrain from the unnecessary remarks, Iago," she replied, trying to prevent any of her disgust from leaking into her face. "You're not the one I'm seeking out today. I've come to request an audience with King Garon."

Iago remained rooted in his spot as he produced the wispiest of laughs. "You wound me, milady. Surely you should know by now that our Majesty is heavily occupied at this time."

Corrin raised an eyebrow, searching Iago's expression for any hints as to what he meant. "I don't, actually. When will he be free to speak with me?"

"Hmph…" The smile faded from Iago's lips, his piercing gaze already a fraction more menacing. "You seem to be under the impression that you're guaranteed a meeting with him. It is very likely, however, that our Lord and Majesty will be too exhausted to speak with anyone, let alone you. In the event that he wishes not to see you, I will kindly relate to him your reasons for coming."

There is something definitely going on here, Corrin knew. Something I won't be able to uncover just by lingering here. "Fine," she relented. "I wish to prove to King Garon the strength of my power. My training sessions with Xander have proved fruitful, and I believe I am now primed to carry out Father's quests as he sees fit. I wish to further his ambitions, as a true Nohrian princess should." She kept her tone steady and clear in an effort to sound confident.

Iago fell briefly silent as he processed her claims, his beady eyes narrowed in discernible scrutiny. "Is that so. Well, I will relay to His Majesty your… sentiments. Whether or not he believes you is up to him."

Corrin forced herself to bow. "Thank you." Wanting to spend not even another minute in his presence, she swiveled around and set off down the hallway, in the direction whence she came. Just as she turned the corner, Iago's mocking voice drifted to her ears.

"A true Nohrian princess? Hah! No amount of groveling will change the fact that you're a fake."

Clenching her teeth, she ignored him and continued on.

Exhausted and drained, Corrin decided to retire to her room and unwind for the remainder of the afternoon. She spent a large fraction of time in the bathtub in the hopes that the warm water might wash away her irritation as it did the oil from her skin. And it worked, somewhat, which came as a delightful surprise. After stepping out of the bath, she slipped on a comfortable sundress and dressed her hair in a bun, unwilling at the present moment to deal with wet curls. Even the simple act of changing outfits helped to ease her earlier bout of anxiety. Wishing suddenly to dry her hair outside, she exited her room for the second time that day and made her way toward the gardens.

A warm breeze gently rustled the surrounding foliage as she arrived. Corrin smiled softly to herself, wondering half-seriously if that was the wind's way of greeting her. A setting sun peeked slightly below the clouds, blanketing a small portion of the garden in a sliver of orange light. The last time I sought out this place was also during sunset, Corrin remembered. If only Azura would appear… then everything would be the same.

But Azura didn't appear. Corrin remained unattended amongst the flowers, with only the occasional breeze to accompany her. She seized the opportunity to bask in her solitude and lowered herself on a bench. She undid her bun, allowing her long locks to flow freely down her back. Leaning her head back and closing her eyes, she relished the soothing feeling of the wind on the back of her neck as it dried her hair. Nohrian summers aren't always as brutal as they say, she thought. At this time of the day, the temperature is perfect.

She stayed in that position for a while, choosing to forget temporarily about the issues that normally plagued her mind. It wasn't until she heard the rise of excited voices within the castle that she opened her eyes.

The sun had completely set by this point, but the area remained sporadically illuminated by the lingering fireflies. Torn between enjoying the scenery and returning to the castle, Corrin's curiosity eventually won out. After taking a moment to stretch, she stood up and began to pursue the source of the voices. Her search led her to the nearby entrance hall, at which point she paused and listened. Judging from the wide variety of timbres among the mingling of voices, she was able to ascertain that multiple people were present beyond this set of doors. Even after straining to hear, however, the muffledness rendered any identification nearly impossible. I suppose I'll just have to go inside and see what this is all about, she resolved, reaching for the door handle and pulling it open.

Corrin squinted as soon as her eyes were met with the harsh light of the overhead chandelier, and it took her a few seconds to fully adjust to her new surroundings. "Ouch," she instinctively muttered, attempting to shield her eyes with the shadow of her hand.

As her environment came into focus, Corrin's gaze was drawn at once to the figure standing directly under the chandelier, clad in all black. Convinced that her eyes were deceiving her, she rubbed them thoroughly and stared again, only to behold the same vision. The Gods must be playing tricks on me, she concluded, nervously biting her lip. Or I've committed a grave mistake!

The young girl who had been tugging on said person's arm happened to glance behind her at this moment. As she recognized Corrin, her lips broke out into an elated grin, and she abandoned her elder brother for her female counterpart. "Big Sis!" she sang, dashing toward the stunned princess.

As Elise threw her arms around Corrin, the latter finally noticed that every one of her Nohrian siblings now stood before her, and that the amalgamation of mysterious voices had belonged to them. "Hey, Elise," she greeted, returning her embrace with a gentler one of her own. Her eyes, however, remained fixed on her younger brother. "I haven't seen you in a while, huh?"

While Elise gushed enthusiastically in response, the object of Corrin's attention turned around and coolly met her gaze. Within seconds, a smirk grazed his lips, only serving to heighten Corrin's adrenaline spike. Giving Elise one final squeeze, she carefully unpeeled herself from the younger princess and swiftly approached her brother. As she did so, Camilla and Xander offered their respective greetings (Camilla supplemented hers with a wink, much to Corrin's embarrassment) before returning to their ongoing conversation about rising merchandise sales and the like.

"Leo!" Corrin exclaimed, a mixture of conflicting emotions swirling within her. "You're here. I thought… I thought you'd be gone for a while."

He rested one hand lazily on his armored hip, cocking his head slightly to one side. "Why the disappointed look? Do you long for your dear brother to be whisked away so?"

She vehemently shook her head even though she knew she was being teased. "Heavens, no! I just… heard from Camilla that you were assigned a mission."

"Indeed I was. A rather involved one, at that. But I did everything in my power to resist it. As luck would have it, Niles has some history with many of the townsfolk. I used that as leverage to switch places with him, under the condition that I escort him to his destination first. You've caught me at a good time, actually - I've just barely returned."

Corrin's eyes widened in shock and admiration. He bargained with Garon… and won? "And it worked?" she lamely asked.

His smirk grew. "Well, I am standing before you now, am I not?"

She couldn't help but break into a smile. "Whenever negotiation and strategy are involved, you always end up on top. Please… you have to teach me your ways!"

He chuckled. "It would be my pleasure. But I must warn you… it won't be easy."

"Nothing worthwhile ever is." As she admired the beauty of his expression, she suddenly remembered the trigger of her earlier distress, causing her smile to fade. "But Leo… I might have made a mistake. Hopefully it didn't cost me anything, but I assumed that you were going to be absent for a while and… well… actually, I'll tell you later."

He raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to reply, only to be interrupted by Camilla as she popped in on their conversation. "My, oh my," she enthused, sidling right up to Corrin and endearingly pinching her cheek. "I don't think I've ever seen you wear this dress before! I must say - It's super cute, and it fits you perfectly!"

Corrin jerked away from Camilla's grip and tenderly lifted a hand to her cheek. "Ow, ow! Camilla, I love you, but sometimes you forget just how strong you are."

"Awww, I'm sorry, love." Camilla wore a delighted smile on her face as she said this, which immediately made Corrin skeptical of her apology. Without waiting for a reply from her sister, Camilla whirled on Leo with the same smile plastered on her lips. He leaned slightly back in response, but kept his feet rooted in the same place on the floor. Even as Camilla snaked an arm around his shoulders, he remained still, his slight frown the only indicator of his discomfort.

Even his tone remained smooth and calm as he spoke. "Camilla, you welcomed me home but just a moment ago. Is this really necessary?"

An exaggerated laugh escaped from her lips. "But of course! I wouldn't ever pass up an opportunity to dote on my adorable siblings. Speaking of, Corrin's dress is just that, isn't it?"

A lightbulb went off in Corrin's brain as she realized the objective behind her elder sister's actions. Acutely aware of the heat rising to her face, she attempted to deny Camilla's claims. "No, not really," she hurriedly spoke. "I mean, not at all! I'm not a huge fan of floral designs, anyway."

Camilla remained unfazed, glueing her eyes on the person next to her. "Ah, but I wasn't asking you - I was addressing our dearest Leo here."

The man in question cast his eyes briefly toward the ground before snapping his head up to attention. "You… Surely you don't mean to imply… that I've been wearing my collar inside out?"

The genuinely distressed look on his face sent Corrin into a flurry of giggles. As she struggled to compose herself, Camilla produced a chuckle of her own. "No, no, dearie. I'm not implying anything - I'm being quite literal. Even you must agree that Corrin looks dashing in that dress."

"I…" He paused for a moment, shifting his gaze toward Corrin. As her laughter died down, she noticed with a start the way he was studying her - and particularly the fact that his eyes refused to meet her own. Suddenly self-conscious, she began to twiddle her fingers. "You know, he doesn't have to answer that question if he doesn't-"

"It looks nice." His words rang clear as day.

Corrin blinked, her heart rate rising. "Huh?" Did he really just… compliment my appearance? Has he ever done that?

"It looks nice," he repeated, now refusing to look at her entirely. "On you, I mean. It looks nice… on you."

Corrin's mouth fell open in surprise, and she found that she was temporarily unable to offer up a reply. While they both stood together in baffled silence, their elder sister produced a triumphant cackle and finally stepped away from Leo. "Ahhh… Truer words have never been spoken!" she declared. "Truth be told, I wasn't expecting you of all people to admit such a thing, Leo."

He furrowed his eyebrows and pinched the bridge of his nose, releasing an exasperated sigh. "If you think I'm oblivious to your underlying intentions, then you're sorely-"

"Guys!" Elise's shrill cry cut through the air as she pranced up to them. Completely unaware of the awkward atmosphere, she launched off on one of her usual tirades. "Guess what? Jakob says he's making cinnamon rolls for dessert tonight! CINNAMON ROLLS! I'm so excited, I might literally die. Every time I ask him to make them, he says no! I honestly think he just says that to mess with me."

Eager to change the subject, Corrin seized the opportunity. "That's wonderful, Elise! But don't eat all of them, alright? I'd like to have some too!"

"Hehe! You got it, sis!"

Prompted by Elise's announcement, the royal siblings relocated themselves to the dining hall as they awaited their prepared meals. Corrin situated herself between Xander and Elise, admittedly still too flustered to seek out her younger brother (or deal with her elder sister). As she glanced around the table and witnessed her siblings engage with each other in lively conversation, she felt at peace. It isn't very often we enjoy a dinner with everyone present, she thought.

The food-stacked platters came and went, along with multiple topics of discussion. Most of said topics revolved around Xander and his recent exploits, although some pertained to the other siblings as well. Corrin found herself smiling and laughing along with the others, and before she knew it, the cinnamon rolls were being served. Jakob had clearly anticipated a large demand for dessert, for there were enough rolls to satisfy Elise's bottomless appetite and those of everyone else. As Corrin took her first bite, she nearly swooned - the glazed frosting melted easily on her tongue, and even the bread by itself contained the perfect amount of sweetness. What she wouldn't give to possess even an increment of Jakob's talent for baking!

After consuming nearly three entire cinnamon rolls on her own, Corrin stood up to excuse herself and made her way back (wobbled, more frankly) to her private quarters. Upon entering her room, she caught a glimpse of herself in her full-length mirror and paused in her tracks. Her eyes glossed over her sundress, lingering briefly on the frilled shoulder straps and skirt. It does look nice, she told herself, her thoughts returning to her earlier conversation with Camilla and Leo. Plopping down on her bed, she began to replay the event in her head. Did Leo really mean that? It certainly seemed like he was being serious… and he isn't really one to joke around unless it's completely obvious. But to think about the implications of his compliment… Argh! I can't!

Corrin furiously shook her head, as if the action could physically expel her thoughts from within. She stood up once more and rummaged around in her dresser, pulling out a silk nightgown and exchanging her sundress for the more comfortable article of clothing. Apprehensive of the prospect of falling asleep, she decided to curl up on her bed with a book. She ultimately plucked a piece of fiction from her bookshelf. As it had been years since she last even laid eyes on the title, she only remembered that the plot centered around twin mages.

Much to her delight, Corrin became completely immersed in the story shortly after opening the novel to its first page. Tears pricked her eyes as the exposition witnessed the brutal sacrifice of the mages' parents, and sweat coated her palms as the characters barely escaped a fearsome dragon with their lives still intact. Within an hour, she had made a significant dent in the novel, and her eyes continued to eagerly scan over line after line of text. Her emotional investment, in fact, was such that she jolted in surprise and nearly knocked the back of her head painfully against the bed railing upon hearing a few raps at her door.

Her consciousness instantaneously returned from the haunted forest inhabiting the novel to the emptiness of her room. After taking a moment to reorient herself to her surroundings, she closed the book and layed it face-down on top of her comforter. Throwing back her sheets, she slipped off her bed with the intention of addressing her visitor.

Corrin opened the door to reveal her coveted brother, now garbed in his usual tunic and holding an ornate book in one hand. "Oh!" she exclaimed, having expected anyone else but him. "Brother… Good evening. Care to come inside?"

He hesitated briefly in the entranceway before accepting her invitation. As Corrin closed the door behind him, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Are you sure it's alright? You're not about to turn in for the evening, are you?"

She gave him a quizzical look, unsure of his reasons for being tentative. In response, he turned fully towards her and pointedly lowered his gaze from her face to her body.

My nightgown! she immediately realized, angling her body away from him in embarrassment. The thin, silky fabric clung rather closely to her skin and left very little to the imagination, she knew. Oh, Gods… She should have known to expect a visitor at this time, let alone Leo! Why, oh why had she failed to foresee this kind of a situation?

"N-No, I wasn't planning on sleeping anytime soon," she stuttered, nervously clasping her hands together. "I just wanted to be… comfortable."

"Ah, I see," he replied, his tone a bit more curt than usual. "I, err… well. Are you still comfortable?"

As Corrin stood there, head lowered, gaze averted, she suddenly felt ridiculous. Completely ridiculous. After all, Leo was her own brother! The majority of both of their lives were spent in the company of each other, so what was there to be ashamed of? Sure, she loved him as a man - ardently - but that hardly changed the fact that he had always been familiar with her, and she with him. Hiding herself from him would do nothing but unnecessarily damage their rekindling relationship.

Banishing those shy tendencies from her brain, Corrin forced herself to unclasp her hands and fully face her brother. The way his gaze briefly lingered below her neck as it traced a path from her waist to her eyes did not slip past her notice, but she refused to shy away. "Of course I am," she replied in what she hoped was a confident manner. "Why wouldn't I be?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips. "I certainly can't think of any pertinent reasons."

His easy response served to keep her shyness at bay as she approached him, pointing at the book tucked under his elbow. "Anyway, I noticed the souvenir you've brought with you. Have you found anything, by chance?"

"Right you are," he answered, opening the spine to a dog-eared page and placing the book into her hands. "Why don't you read the passage beginning from the second paragraph of the first page… and tell me what you think?"

Her curiosity skyrocketing, Corrin lowered her eyes to the yellowing pages and quickly identified the passage's starting point. As she scanned through the lines of text, she softly muttered aloud her readings. "The Great Inhabitor of Dusk, seemingly impervious to all tools of destruction, is immune to all but the incorporeal." She paused and looked up, giving Leo an inquisitive look. "The incorporeal? That's a rather vague term, isn't it?"

He motioned with a nudge of his chin to continue. "The text elaborates."

Corrin obeyed, lowering her eyes to the book once more. "The corporeal realm is of no consequence to the Almighty Creator, for His very existence transcends the bounds of physicality. Only through auditory means can He be tamed. According to legend, He demonstrates subservience to one song in particular, that which requires an ancient stone to achieve its full effect."

Leo cut in before she had time to adequately process the passage. "You see, the song and the stone… They're our most vital clues at the moment. I can only assume the latter to be a dragonstone, or something very similar. How else could it contain the power to bring Anankos himself to his knees?"

Corrin averted her gaze to her carpet in thought. "That's the only thing that makes sense." Suddenly, she recalled the traumatizing events of a few months ago, when she had succumbed to her rage and grief over losing her biological mother. She remembered with painfully clear awareness the moment at which she transformed into her latent dragon self, as well as her inability to stop her body's ensuing rampage. She remembered everything - but once her transformation had taken place, she could do nothing but watch from within the shell of a beast. Helpless. Powerless. Broken. Until… Azura had stepped in.

It was by reliving her memory that something clicked into place.

"It is a dragonstone," she declared with a newfound confidence in her voice. "And I think - no, I know - that I've encountered it before."

Leo's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Truly? How can you be so sure?"

"Not too long ago, when I was staying in Hoshido, I lost control of myself for the first time," Corrin slowly said. "It was… the worst experience of my life, to be honest. My body transformed into that of a dragon against my will, but it was like I was still aware." She looked down at her own hands as she relayed this to him, reveling in how human they felt and appeared in the moment. "An instant was all it took. I became an enraged monster that attacked anyone who drew near. That is… until Azura brought me back."

Leo blinked. "You don't mean to say…"

She nodded. "She was singing. And I could feel her pendant beckoning to my body, quelling its rage. But it nearly failed. I nearly…" She tightly shut her eyes, as if the action could block out the horrid memory. "Anyway, I'm a direct descendant of Anankos. If the pendant could tame the monster in me, then-"

"Corrin."

She quickly looked up, the intensity of his tone startling her. He had leaned slightly forward and was now holding her gaze in a way that left her feeling vulnerable. But even so… she couldn't look away. How could she? The endless pools of brown residing within his eyes… they beckoned her forth, just like the pendant had.

A flash of pain grazed upon his expression. "I can't bear to hear you speak of yourself like that."

Still a bit distracted by the beauty of his eyes, she didn't quite understand what he meant. "Like… what?"

"Like a monster. I wish I could convey to you just how wrong you are."

She fidgeted slightly as she attempted to relay her reasoning. "Well… It's the undeniable truth that I went on that rampage in Hoshido. Had there been anyone around me, I would have murdered them in cold blood… even if I had known them, loved them." Her mouth formed a grimace. "Even if that person was you, Leo."

He fell momentarily silent, and she could tell he was processing her words. "...Okay, you may be right."

She resisted the urge to snort, the corners of her lips curling into a weak smile. "Wow. Uh… Thanks for the support."

"Hey… hear me out." He paused as a sigh escaped from his lips. "I won't deny that your enraged dragon form may have posed a danger to others. But that's just what it was - a form. It's proof that you're related to Anankos, yes… but you've shown yourself time and time again that you're the one in control, not it. You've shown yourself… and me… that you're so much more."

She could do nothing but stare at him, her breathing rate already beginning to pick up the pace. That's exactly the sort of thing I would read in a romance novel, she thought. He couldn't be… could he? No… that's absurd. Probably just wishful thinking on my end…

Realizing that he was naturally expecting her to respond, Corrin forced herself to laugh. "Wow, Leo… Look at you, always knowing just the thing to say. It's as if you're the older sibling in this relationship."

He cocked his head to the side, adopting an expression that she couldn't quite pinpoint. "I'm merely stating the truth."

"Well…" She couldn't bring herself to refute him. "Thank you. It means a lot." She closed the book in her hand with a soft thud before holding it out to him. "Anyway… I think it's clear what our next objective should be, isn't it?"

Still wearing that same perplexing expression, he reached out and retrieved the book from her. "Yes, I believe so. We'll need to consult with Azura as soon as possible."

"Then… I'll meet you tomorrow?" She offered up a small smile and twiddled with the ends of her hair, the thought already summoning forth butterflies in her stomach.

"Of course. I'll come get you."

The two of them stood together in a slightly uncomfortable silence, neither of them making an effort to move. Corrin twirled a few strands of hair around her pointer finger in an attempt to distract herself from the luring quality of his gaze. What was he waiting for? Not that she wanted him to leave… quite the contrary, in fact. But she couldn't just suggest that he spend the night with her - not without coming across as hopelessly desperate and/or delusional, at the very least. Hey, Leo, I have a request. Sleep with me? Ah, but not in the way you're thinking. I just want to feel you next to me… in a completely platonic way, of course.

Yeah, he would never buy that.

Her fingers froze mid-twirl as she considered that maybe he was waiting for a goodnight. A verbal utterance, perhaps. And very maybe possibly… a hug? Her eyes flicked briefly to his torso as she entertained the idea. It would be just a hug, but… why did the thought alone nearly send her to cloud nine?

All of her apprehensive deliberations occurred within just a few seconds of their shared silence. Still riddled with uncertainty, she fidgeted in place. "Well…" she began. "Sleep well, I… suppose?"

He closed his eyes as a chuckle escaped his lips, and Corrin wondered if he were perhaps laughing at her. "Yes. Goodnight, Sister." Opening his eyes once more, he lifted his free hand and briefly placed it on the crown of her head. When he retrieved it and swiveled around, promptly seeing himself out of her bedroom, she swore she could feel his warmth lingering in her hair.

Corrin turned toward her bed, her gaze landing on the unfinished novel laying face-down on the comforter. Who am I kidding… I can't be reading silly stories at a time like this, she chastised herself. I have to face reality.

And if her reality was filled with nightmares, then so be it.

"You look gorgeous, dear."

A light breeze rustled the flower petals atop Corrin's head, causing them to lightly tickle her cheeks. "You think so?" she inquired with a soft giggle.

"One of the most gorgeous sights I've ever been fortunate enough to behold."

"Oh, come on! Surely you're exaggerating. Haven't you looked at a mirror?"

"My sweet, sweet Corrin… The beauty of youth hasn't found a home in me for quite some time now. I'm afraid that time has since passed."

"But Mother, with all due respect… I wish I could convey to you just how wrong you are." As soon as the words left her mouth, she was nagged by a sense of familiarity. Had she heard them somewhere before?

Makoto chose not to respond, instead smiling in a way that made Corrin's stomach twist into a painful yet nostalgic knot. She lifted her face toward the crystal-clear sky as another wave of breezes leisurely rolled throughout the flower field. Although only a few feet physically separated the two of them, Corrin suddenly felt so far away.

"My daughter, the winds of change are upon us. What will you do?"

Corrin gave a nervous laugh. "What do you mean by that?" Suddenly, she was hit with a considerably stronger gust of wind. Despite her best efforts to keep it restrained, the flower crown flew off her head and scattered to the ground nearby. She ran over to its resting place and bent down to pick it up, mildly conscious of the fact that Makoto had failed to respond.

But when Corrin straightened up, flower crown still in hand, Makoto was no longer to be seen. In her mother's place, an endless expanse of grass stalks and flower fields stretched out for as far as she could see.

Humming quietly to herself, Corrin straightened the lace ribbon around her neck. Positioning herself in front of her full-view mirror, she nodded with satisfaction. To the unaware observer, she appeared poised, composed, and most certainly not plagued by compounding worries and the lingering remnants of unsettling dreams. Maybe if she continued to invest this much effort into keeping up her appearance, she would eventually begin to believe that myth herself.

As she began her daily descent down the spiral staircase, her mind returned to her dream from last night. Why couldn't she make anything of it? If she had learned anything from deciphering her latest dreams, it was that they had tangible ties to the real world. So what exactly was her late mother trying to tell her?

She put those thoughts on hold when she encountered Jakob at the bottom of the staircase. "Good morning, Jakob," she greeted. "How are you this morning?"

He gave a small, curt bow, his expression as cryptic as ever. "Lady Corrin—I'm doing just splendid, thanks to your newfound presence. Care for a cup of tea? Perhaps some breakfast as well?"

Corrin could still feel last evening's dinner (and the cinnamon rolls in particular) sitting at the bottom of her stomach like a rock. "Ah, I think I'll pass on the breakfast… but tea sounds nice."

"Lovely. If you'll just follow me, then."

Thankful for some sense of regularity in these uncertain times, she accompanied him into the kitchen. She sat down at the table as he set a pot of water on the stove, recalling their conversation from the other night. "So, ah, I was thinking about our talk from earlier… You know, the one concerning my feelings." She hesitated to go into any more detail for the fear of unwanted ears listening in to their conversation. "I was in denial with myself at the time. But now I understand."

Jakob turned away from the stove with a brief chuckle. "I figured it was only a matter of time. You are a most perceptive one, after all."

Corrin smiled wryly and folded her hands on top of the tablecloth. "Sometimes, I'm not so sure."

A few raps to her right brought her attention to the kitchen's main entrance. Lilith stood in the doorway, her eyebrows pinched slightly together. "I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, Lady Corrin," she prefaced, "but I'm here to summon you to King Garon's chambers. He requests a meeting with you and the rest of your siblings… and his patience seems to be wearing thin."

Corrin swallowed back a groan and slowly rose from the table. Her limbs began to feel like cumbersome weights. "Yes… I'll make my appearance very shortly." She turned toward Jakob, making no effort to hide the apprehension from her expression. "I'm terribly sorry to waste a batch of perfectly good tea, but I must be going. I'll… join you some other time?"

Jakob's mouth was set into a thin, hard line, and formed a look that Corrin had only seen when he braced himself for enemy combat. "It can't be helped, I'm afraid - but we'll have many more opportunities to hold a proper teatime."

If Garon doesn't murder me in cold blood, Corrin worried.

When she arrived at - quite frankly - her least favorite place on the planet, she discovered with some relief that only Xander was present among her siblings. From the way Lilith had phrased it, Corrin was under the impression that they had all been waiting for her for quite some time, while Garon angrily mulled over various ways to snuff out her life.

But thankfully, that had just been her anxiety thinking for her.

Allowing herself a nervous glance toward Garon and Iago at the front of the room, she strode up to her elder brother. "Xander," she murmured. "Do you have any idea why we're being called here?"

"None at all," he replied, keeping his gaze fixed on the authority figures. "It isn't very often that the entire family is summoned."

Confusion and worry still eating away at her mind, Corrin fell silent and trained her eyes to her feet.

No way would she look at her so-called father until she absolutely had to.

Fortunately, only a few more moments passed until the remaining three siblings filed into the room, one after the other. Camilla and Elise situated themselves behind Xander near the left wall, while Leo stood behind Corrin near the right. Corrin's nervousness spiked once she realized that she and Xander occupied the principal audience positions. Couldn't Lilith have bothered to be a little later in relaying her message?

Corrin's inner lamentations grinded abruptly to a halt once Garon rose from his throne. She automatically stood a little straighter, and she noticed the others do the same. The tension hanging in the air was almost palpable.

"Nohrian law is incontestable," he began, not even bothering with greetings, "and our subjects must know this. They defy me, they die. Such is the way of the world."

Such is the way of this country because of tyrants like you, Corrin mentally jabbed.

Garon paused for effect, a scowl permanently etched into his face. "Lately, the Western border towns have been challenging my authority. They refuse to pay the full extent of their taxes." His beady eyes did another sweep of the room before landing on Corrin. "You."

She mustered everything she could to prevent herself from cowering under his gaze. "Me?"

"Iago tells me you are now worthy to carry out my ambitions. You have proven yourself to Xander in the form of training." He shifted his gaze to Xander. "Is this true?"

Xander didn't even bat an eye. "Yes, Father."

Garon addressed Corrin once more. "Then it is settled. You will travel to the Western border and collect their unpaid taxes. Should they fail to comply, you slaughter them all."

At that moment, time seemed to come to a standstill for Corrin. She regretted ever having gone to Iago about her "desire" to prove herself. She regretted having slept in that morning, thereby squandering her one chance to talk to Azura about the pendant. She regretted her cowardice - her physical and mental inability to stand up for herself and directly challenge Garon's despotic rule.

Because now… she had no choice but to obey.

She opened her mouth to reply, her lips feeling unnaturally dry. But before she could get a word in, Xander spoke once again.

"With all due respect, Father, this is her very first mission. To send her alone would be suicide."

Garon's face contorted into an ugly snarl, but Xander showed no outward reaction. "Watch your words, boy. You have no right to question my decisions."

This is it, Corrin bleakly thought. This is how I'm going to meet my end.

Much to her unbridled shock, however, Iago came to her rescue. "My Lord, perhaps there is another matter that warrants your consideration. Lady Corrin has yet to prove her unconditional subservience to you. Should we send her off alone, she'll be unmonitored. She may yet slip away."

"Hmmm." Garon seemed to actually take this into account, and a fraction of hope trickled into Corrin. "Yes… She may." After an excruciatingly long moment of silence, he turned towards Xander. "You shall accompany her."

Xander's carefully constructed expression of calm indifference temporarily gave way to that of open surprise, as if he hadn't expected Garon to agree. "Yes, well… I'm afraid that I'm rather incapacitated at the moment. You see… Siegfried was broken on my recent mission, and I'm waiting on repairs. I am but useless without my sword."

Garon's eyes flared with anger. "You dare test my patience twice?"

"I'll do it."

The voice from behind Corrin was soft and terse, but clearly audible to all who were present. She slowly turned her head toward the back of the room, fully aware that Garon could call her out for an act of disrespect. What she beheld made her shiver in both admiration and… fear. Leo wore an expression she had never before seen on him, one that was devoid of any semblance of warmth. His eyes, cold and stony, stared directly at Garon, seemingly unfazed by the latter's authority. Suddenly, Corrin understood how he had been able to negotiate the conditions of his last mission. In this state, Leo appeared as the epitome of the cruel Nohrian prince.

When he next spoke, his tone allowed no room for objections. "I'll go with her."