Both he and Garon studied each other for several silent moments, neither of them backing down. Just when Corrin thought they might as well have converted into statues, Garon shifted in his stance and slowly folded his hands behind his back. The same grimace marred his expression.

"What is your motivation behind this, child?" he finally asked.

Leo replied without a hitch. "I handed off my last assignment to Niles, for he proved to be more suitable for the job. However… I fear I may become idle should I neglect my duties any longer."

Corrin couldn't help but marvel at just how convincing Leo sounded. The way he delivered his words was precise. Crisp. Believable. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought him to be capable - even willing - of carrying out any "duty", no matter how brutal or cruel, in the name of Nohrian law.

But like always, Garon exhibited no outward reaction. "Tell me why you are suitable for this task." His eyes briefly flicked to Corrin as he said this.

Leo's tone grew even colder. "Treason is an unforgivable transgression worthy only of death. Rest assured, Father… In the unlikely event that she defects, I'll hunt her down and exact justice with my own two hands."

The sharpness of his words sent a chill down Corrin's spine, and she found that she actually believed him. Suddenly, she couldn't bear to look at him for any longer. She slowly turned away from him, lifting her eyes to a brooding Garon once again. She was fairly certain that she appeared to be scared out of her mind, which would probably help her case, she distantly realized.

Another moment of tense silence passed. "I expect nothing less from a Nohrian prince," Garon finally declared. "I hereby order you to accompany her and ensure that the objective is completed. Failure will not be tolerated."

"Yes, Father. I understand."

Garon grunted in acknowledgement. "Good. Both of you will depart by sundown tonight. Iago will provide you with the necessary details."

Tonight?! Corrin incredulously echoed. He truly does think of us as just pawns, doesn't he?

After some inquiry into the particulars of Camilla and Elise's last assignments, the royal siblings were free to leave at last. As Corrin trailed out after them, her thoughts returned to Azura. Just when she and Leo had uncovered the pendant's true potential, they were immediately whisked away on some elaborate mission. To collect taxes, no less! And to top it off, it was all her fault.

When the group neared the entrance hall, Corrin's siblings bid their farewells, and each went their separate ways. Well… all of them except for one. Her younger brother lingered in the doorway as Corrin approached, regarding her with a calm, measured look. Even though he exuded none of the coldness from before, Corrin still experienced a bout of uneasiness upon returning his gaze.

She fumbled for something to say so as to distract herself from her disquieting feelings. "I… suppose we have quite a bit to prepare for, don't we?"

"To say the least." He quirked an eyebrow and inclined his head toward the back exit of the entrance hall. "Care for a stroll among the flowers? It may be the last opportunity we have for a while."

Something in his voice indicated that he didn't want to visit the gardens for fun. Giving him a small nod, Corrin promptly followed him out into the open air. She squinted against the sun as it beamed down upon them, grimly noting that she would have much more exposure to it from here on out.

"Leo, listen…" she began, unable to remain quiet any longer. "It's my fault that we're going on this trip to begin with. I… I sought out Iago earlier about proving myself to Garon." The words were spilling from her now. "Back then, I was under the impression that you were still away… and that you may not be back for some time. I thought that maybe I could meet up with you, if I could just get permission to go outside… but now I realize how narrow-minded of a decision that was. I want to apologize to you… even though I know that won't change anything." She paused to catch her breath, a bit self-conscious about her mini-tirade.

Leo blinked as he returned her gaze with a level one of his own, although he was noticeably taken aback by her sudden outburst. "All's well that ends well," he settled on saying. "Or… as well as we can make it out to be. To be frank, I wasn't expecting to gain Garon's approval."

She chose her words carefully before answering. "Yes, it's quite unlike him to change his mind once he decides on something. But with the way you handled yourself in there…" She shivered, unable to help herself. "It's a wonder he doesn't always listen to you."

He fell silent at her remarks, no doubt churning over the implications in his head, until a realization seemed to grip him all of a sudden. Pinching together his eyebrows, he took a step closer to her. "Sister," he began, a note of - worry, was it? - in his voice, "You do know that I was spouting nonsense in there, right?"

In the back of the mind, Corrin did know - but hearing his direct reassurances relaxed her nonetheless. She focused her gaze on a group of hydrangeas just behind him, finding further comfort in their soothing colors. "I know, I know… I trust you. I'm glad you're able to guide me on my first mission, Leo." She lowered her voice as she murmured her next words. "But what will we do about our findings? About the pendant?"

He sighed and hastily ran his fingers through his hair, clearly agitated by the inconvenience of the situation. But even though he was noticeably irritated, Corrin felt a guilty sort of pleasure from admiring the way the sun's rays danced through his locks as he went through with the motion. They're a perfect gold, she mused, hoping that none of her thoughts were discernible from her expression. They perfectly match the shogi pieces from our last game. Most certainly much softer, though…

Leo responded to her question, giving no indication of having noticed her momentary lapse in attention. "That's the thing. As promising as the pendant sounds, we won't be able to do a thing about it while we're away. For all intents and purposes, Azura is confined here indefinitely."

Corrin picked up on where he was going. "So…"

"So, we'll have to play the part of loyal Nohrian pawns and collect his oh-so-important taxes."

Corrin's heart sank as a possibility dawned on her. "What if they aren't able to meet the quota?"

Leo pursed his lips, his tone a little harder. "Best not to dwell on such matters unless they present themselves to us."

They met up with Iago a little while after that, receiving from him a quick debrief and the necessary supplies. Their destination, rather than spanning across the entire Western border, turned out to be the small coastal town of Baugh. It would require a trip of roughly 3 days on horseback. Leo and Corrin were given exactly 2 weeks, beginning from the moment they set foot in town, to accrue the necessary funds.

Corrin wondered how in the world her superiors (and who were they, really? Garon? Iago? Someone else?) were going to ascertain the exact timing of their arrival, but wisely kept her mouth shut during the debriefing. If she asked Iago any questions not directly related to the fundamentals of the mission, she was fairly certain he would throw them back in her face. Or - even worse - at Garon's.

She spent the rest of the day tidying up her belongings until the sun began its slow descent through the horizon, at which point she was summoned to the entrance hall once more. Much to her surprise, she found all of her siblings waiting eagerly for her. Leo stood among them, clad from head-to-toe in his practical black armor. His collar also appeared to be inside-out.

"Ah, my dear, sweet Corrin," Camilla gushed, immediately throwing her arms around the newcomer. "You grow up way too fast, you know that? You're already embarking on adult missions, engaging in adult behaviors…"

Corrin pointedly ignored that last comment for fear of sparking an unwanted conversation. "I am an adult, Camilla. I just hope… that this mission won't be too sobering."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Elise chimed in, tilting her head in confusion. "You're not bringing alcohol with you, right?"

"Elise!" Camilla gasped, her eyes nearly bugging out of her head. "How in the Gods do you know about that?"

"Niles talks about it all the time whenever he-"

"Wait, never mind," Camilla interrupted, her expression considerably darkening. "I'll need to have a nice little 'chat' with him when he gets back."

Leo shook his head and sighed as they bantered back and forth, but Corrin thought she could detect a hint of a smile on his lips. She approached him and playfully nudged his arm, earning a slightly startled look from him. Huh. Had that been a strange action on her end?

Nonetheless, she couldn't stop herself now, and a grin spread across her face. "You may want to double-check your bearings. Especially around the neck area."

He blinked a few times before the truth hit him. "Of all the - why now?" He abruptly angled his body away from her and desperately fumbled with his collar in an attempt to correct his wrongdoings. The splash of color on his cheeks only served to widen Corrin's grin as she turned toward Xander.

"Thank you for vouching for me in there. I don't know how Garon would have reacted had he found out that I was actually failing my trainings."

The small smile he gave her was warm and sincere. "There was nothing else to say, really. You truly are excelling in our matches. It's a wonder you weren't given an assignment a long time ago."

How much would that have complicated things? Corrin briefly considered. "Wow, that's lofty praise coming from you, Xander. I'll have to work extra hard to keep up with your expectations from now on."

Leo had apparently dealt with his clothing conundrum and suddenly appeared next to Corrin, resting an armored hand on her shoulder. "The sunlight is fading, Sister. We'd best make ample use of it while we still can."

Corrin imagined that she could feel warmth on her shoulder from where he was contacting her, even though she knew their armor went a long way toward preventing any sort of heat transfer. "Yes, you're right. I suppose this is goodbye for now, then?" Her last question was directed toward Xander.

Xander gave a slow nod, but not before regarding Leo with a puzzled look. "For now."

Corrin said her goodbyes to both of her sisters, surprised at the difficulty of doing so. Just as she and Leo were leaving for the stables, Jakob materialized from around the corner.

"Jakob!" she exclaimed, having nearly forgotten about him. "I was wondering where you were. You've heard about our mission, yes?"

"Most certainly, Milady," he breezily replied. "If there's anything I can do for you while you're away, don't hesitate to call upon my services. I'll be sure to provide them in a most timely manner."

A wistful smile danced upon Corrin's lips - she would miss him too. "You have my word. Thank you, as always."

He shook his head and swept her a gallant bow. "The pleasure is all mine."

Instead of heading inside, he waited in the doorway and quietly watched from afar while she and Leo set off to fetch their horses. Despite the overall grimness of the situation, Corrin felt a bubble of anticipation well up within her as she strapped her belongings to the back of her horse and hoisted herself comfortably onto the saddle. Never before had she been permitted to take a horse past the castle grounds, let alone Windmire. Not only would she be doing so now, but she would be free to revel in the scenery of her country for the very first time in her life. Well… as "free" as she would ever be.

Leo caught her eye as he mounted his own steed. "Someone's a bit excited." There was a rare note of humor in his voice.

Corrin smiled gleefully, unable to help herself. "How could I not be? I haven't breathed fresh air in ages!"

He chuckled as they both set off at a light trot. "There's nothing wrong with feeling that way, of course. But remember… we're not taking this trip for leisure."

"I know that. But I'm allowed to enjoy things while I still can, aren't I?"

She had posed that question as a rhetorical one, too caught up in her surge of enthusiasm to stop and consider its implications. Little did she know, however, that her words served as an ominous omen for the nearby future.

As there were only a few hours of daylight left, the two of them had made very little progress toward completing their journey before Leo suggested that they retire for the night. Corrin reluctantly consented, knowing that it would be some time before she was in any state of mind to sleep. Against all odds, anticipation continued to crackle through her veins.

They opted to set up camp next to a murmuring riverbank, around which towering deciduous trees were plentifully scattered. As Corrin busied herself with the soon-to-be tent, she basked in the newfound sensations that were only made possible by her current environment: the lingering scent of musk, the incessant chirping of crickets, the crispness of the cool night air as it nipped at her cheeks. The overload of stimuli threatened to overwhelm her senses in the best way possible, but even they couldn't manage to draw a portion of her attention away from Leo as he positioned himself at the river's edge.

He held an unfamiliar tome in his hand, eyes fixed on some indistinguishable point in the distance. His lips were moving speedily as they strung together indiscernible words that were no doubt taken directly from the tome. Forgetting momentarily about the tent, Corrin openly gawked. There was just something about the way he engaged with his magical craft that made him so mesmerizingly attractive (not that she didn't find him charming on a general basis). It was during these times that Corrin felt no more in control of herself than a firefly helplessly drawn to a flame. Leo may have been practicing dark magic, but for all she knew, he was her blazing wellspring of light.

The rapidly dropping temperature alerted Corrin to the importance of the task at hand. She reluctantly tore her gaze away from her coveted brother and finished pitching the tent, her stomach performing a small somersault when she noted its petite size. Under the assumption that they would sleep on opposite ends of the tent, that still left only a few feet of empty space between them. As soon as the realization came to her, she internally kicked herself. Why should she be nervous about such a thing? They didn't have the need nor the luxury to bring an additional tent, given their desire to pack lightly. And they were siblings, for crying out loud! It was completely acceptable—encouraged, even—for close siblings to share the same sleeping quarters in any kind of scenario.

But did the same customs apply for fake siblings?

"Sister?" Leo's voice sounded next to her, much too close.

"Oh!" She jerked her head toward him, distantly aware of the fact that she had been vacantly staring at the tent. "Sorry... I was lost in thought."

He gave her a puzzled look but ultimately decided not to pursue the issue. "I asked if you would like some dinner. Although, to pass would be unwise… We both need to nourish our strength."

She nodded, briefly glancing over to the campfire behind them. "Of course. In the event that we're attacked by bandits, we should be adequately prepared."

He produced a smirk. "Not quite what I meant, but you're not wrong. In any case, my barrier will protect us from potential… intruders."

So that's what he was doing earlier, she deduced. "Amazing. How do you even go about learning such a vast number of spells?"

He shrugged in a seemingly nonchalant manner, but Corrin knew better; he rarely passed up a chance to discuss magic. "Persistence and time. The sheer size of the repertoire isn't as daunting when you pick it apart, little by little. It helped tremendously that I was able to begin my studies from a fairly young age."

As Corrin processed his words, she recalled one of their past conversations in which he admitted to having chosen magic because of Xander's preference for the sword. While she certainly didn't deny the truth of his claim, she also didn't believe that he hadn't developed a love for the dark arts throughout the process of refining his skills. Even from watching him tonight, she could tell—his magic came directly from his soul. A mage indifferent to their craft would have never achieved the level of mastery that Leo consistently demonstrated.

"That's true," she agreed. "If you really think about it, persistence and time will allow one to exceed in any given field. But you… you're amazing, even considering everything. I find it difficult to look away from you whenever you're casting a spell."

She had blurted out that last part without thinking and promptly regretted it, feeling a spark of heat graze her cheeks. Suddenly, she was extremely thankful for the dim lighting. He didn't seem to notice, though, and averted his gaze. "Compared to you, I hardly stand out."

She blinked, unsure as to what he meant. "Okay, I may be a dragon, but I can't create a life-draining miasma! I would sacrifice an embarrassing number of things just to acquire that one skill."

That earned her a wry smile from him. "You'd like to drain the life from your enemies? I never knew you to be such a sadist, Corrin."

She flushed again as she attempted to counter his quip. "You know that's not what I mean! Besides, you do it all the time, so you have no right to judge me."

"Hmph. Fair enough."

They enjoyed their dinner with a light note to the atmosphere, bantering comfortably with each other as if their current circumstances were akin to a stroll in the park. But even though Corrin found herself genuinely at ease, she couldn't help but try to prolong their time at the campfire. For reasons she wasn't willing to openly admit, the thought of sharing a tent with her love interest—even as a sort of necessity—filled her with a jittery type of nervousness. So, in order to delay the inevitable, she cranked up her talkativeness. And to her surprise, Leo didn't resist. She half-expected him to cut her off mid-ramble and insist that they rest their bodies for the coming journey, but he didn't. He instead played listener to her stories with seemingly apt attention, providing astute commentary at just the right moments. Even when the campfire had been reduced to a pitiful mound of glowing embers clinging to their last vestiges of life, he continued to sit quietly and allow Corrin to have her way. Although confused, she wasn't about to squander this rare opportunity.

"I don't think we've ever discussed anything for this long," he amusedly remarked as she finished reminiscing about a baby Elise. "We've hardly been granted the time. I suppose this mission is good for some things."

"You're right," said Corrin, the realization sending tiny waves of happiness throughout her body. "We've always been interrupted by one thing or another—or completely silent. Our last match of shogi was borderline brutal, by the way. Our longest yet. And you didn't say a single word until it ended!"

"What can I say? You've been progressing well, and it manifests in each subsequent match. You very well may overthrow my throne one of these days."

She nearly scoffed at his choice of wording and settled on rolling her eyes instead. "That's your modesty speaking for you. I could practice for years and still never stand a chance."

Even in the darkness, she could tell that he was fighting to keep himself from smiling. "Hmm… maybe so."

She opened her mouth to reply, but her words shriveled up when she saw him rise into a standing position. Oh, no. My time is up, she knew. But she made no effort to stop him, because what would that accomplish? Nothing. They both needed to sleep eventually, and there was only one tent. Those two statements were immutable facts. What Corrin needed to do was calm herself, or else she wouldn't receive any of the former.

"Forgive me, but I'm rather tired," he admitted, already in the process of stripping off his armor. "I would love nothing more than to lounge here with you, but I fear I may doze off unexpectedly. Shall we continue this tomorrow?"

"Yes, of course," Corrin automatically replied, acutely aware of her pounding heart. "I'm sorry for keeping you up so late."

His soft chuckle broke through the air. "No need to apologize… I thoroughly enjoyed myself."

And with that, he directed his attention to his armor as he began peeling it away from his body, piece by piece. Corrin had enough sense to stop herself from staring and elected to disappear into the tent to prepare for the coming night. As she worked around her own armor and subsequently slipped into comfy undergarments, she managed to quell her rising nervousness. Yes, she would be sleeping next to Leo… but they would be doing so for many more nights. To freak out each and every time would surely take a toll on her mental health!

Upon wrapping up her night routine, Corrin slipped into her sleeping bag and tightly shut her eyes in the hope that doing so would be enough to induce some drowsiness. To her chagrin, it wasn't—and her wakefulness was only heightened when she heard the zipper to the tent's opening signal Leo's entrance. Suddenly wanting desperately to appear sound asleep, she kept her eyes closed and her breathing as slow and steady as she could muster.

At first, she heard nothing—had Leo seen through her ruse?—but after several seconds, he quietly crossed the short distance to his own sleeping bag and situated himself inside. Corrin relaxed slightly, having been completely unprepared to handle the embarrassment that came with being called out. She dared not to move a muscle as she continued to listen to her surroundings, picking up only on Leo's soft breathing in the process. Some time passed—exactly how much, Corrin had no way of knowing—and his breathing gradually transitioned to become more full, more regular. For reasons unbeknownst to her at the time, this one indication of his continued presence relaxed her immensely. I've never witnessed him so vulnerable, she eventually realized. I've never witnessed him without any barriers.

She held this realization close to her heart like a child with a brand new toy, taking pleasure in the way it filled her with a much-needed sense of security and connection. As these emotions churned within her, she barely gave thought to the fact that she was slowly but steadily slipping out of consciousness and into the neighboring realm of dreams.

Dream she didn't, however. In what felt like an instant since her falling asleep, she woke up with a start. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, an echo of a noise lingered in the back of her mind—not quite tangible enough to be pinpointed, but present all the same. Was this what had disturbed her slumber? Her drowsy brain briefly considered the possibility before writing it off in favor of going back to sleep. Perhaps she had heard the cry of a nearby beast, in which case Leo's magical barrier would keep them both well-protected. Nothing to worry about, her sleep-induced brain concluded. Just go back to sleep...

Her eyelids had barely drooped closed before the same noise sounded from close behind: some sort of vocalization. Leo's voice! she belatedly registered, all but shooting out of her sleeping bag. He had produced a number of distressed moans while she was unconscious, and they led her to believe now that he was experiencing some kind of pain. Is he injured?! Corrin panicked, frantically wriggling out of her sleeping bag and crawling over to where he laid. Much to her relief, he appeared to be physically fine, at least. Aside from the crinkle in his brow, it was apparent that he was very much asleep—and very much in agony. Plagued by the horrors of his dream, he tossed and turned as he fought to regain control of his subconscious. Corrin could barely stand to see him in such an agonizing state, so her subsequent decision to rouse him into wakefulness was swift.

"Leo," she urgently whispered, grasping his shoulders and shaking him as gently as she could. "Leo, wake up!"

She shook him for a few more seconds before his eyelids finally fluttered open, his breaths coming out in shallow gasps. His eyes were wide and unfocused as his mind, no doubt remembering those illusory horrors, began the transition to reality. After a short moment, he seemed to realize what had just transpired and fixed Corrin with a near-frantic look.

"Sister," he whispered, almost too softly for her to hear. "That one was by far the most horrific to date."

The fear laced throughout his words broke Corrin's heart, and she automatically adopted a soothing tone as she attempted to console him. "You're okay now. However horrible it was, it was just a dream. I'm here, and so are you. Everything's okay."

"Is it, though?" He decided to sit up, groaning and lifting a hand to his head as he did so. "For now, that may very well be. But it only takes one moment… one wrong decision… to lose everything."

She had no clue as to what he meant by that, but she didn't intend to pursue it. She knew from countless personal experiences that words borne from dream-induced emotions often bordered on the irrational. The more he remained awake, the more he would begin to realize this.

"Sometimes that's true," she conceded, searching his expression for any kind of emotional reaction. "But now is not the time to dwell on such possibilities. What matters is that whatever you experienced in your dream simply does not exist at this specific time or place. Whenever I have nightmares, I remind myself of that fact."

He tightly shut his eyes and turned his face away. "You're right. I know you are, and yet… I can't seem to calm myself."

"That's alright," she pressed on. "It's hard to shake off the lingering remnants of a nightmare. Why don't you give yourself a moment to adjust to your surroundings?"

Carefully, timidly, she reached out and rested her fingers on top of his. His were warm—much too warm—but comforting all the same.

At first, he made no move. He continued to shield his face and eyes as the battle for logic and emotion waged on within him. Several agonizingly-slow seconds passed, during which he did nothing. Until… he slowly turned to face her. When he opened his eyes, she saw in them a newfound resolve, but also something else mildly unsettling. Desperation? Dejection? Both? She couldn't quite say for sure.

The skin beneath her palm tingled as he rotated his hand in such a way that allowed his fingers to interlace with hers. She continued to gaze at him, frozen, as her heart leaped into her throat. Was this his attempt to acclimate himself?

He finally broke the silence with a low murmur. "Stay with me."

Phrased not in the form of a request, but a command. And at this point, it didn't matter what he desired of Corrin. Had he ordered her to jump into a horde of faceless unarmed, she would have done so without hesitation if it benefitted him in any way. Such was the extent of her steadfast love and loyalty. Compared to what she was willing to do, this demand barely required anything of her. Except…

"I… I'm already here, aren't I?" She cocked her head to the side, genuinely confused by his words. "I was over there but just a moment ago. I'm not going anywhere."

He sighed in the manner a professor would upon dealing with a troublesome group of students. "That's not what I mean. I mean… stay here. Like this." He squeezed their interlocked fingers to emphasize his point.

Understanding dawned upon Corrin, and a flurry of questions promptly flooded her mind. "Like… sleep with you? I mean—next to you? But why? Why would you…?" She trailed off, her impulse to launch an interrogation temporarily giving way to baffled silence.

He looked at her as if the answer were painfully obvious. "I'd feel much safer if you were within close distance. If anything happened, I could protect you more easily."

She blinked, still terribly confused. The gap between their sleeping spaces clocked out at just a few feet, rendering his explanation null and void—not to mention the existence of his defensive barrier. Once again, a small part of her began to wonder: were his feelings for her really platonic in nature? Would she actually allow herself to believe in the possibility of… reciprocated feelings?

"Well… sure," she agreed, already intoxicated by the thought of closing the distance between their bodies. "...If it'll help you feel better."

"It most certainly will," he breezily replied, an air of his usual confidence already beginning to leak into his tone. "I daresay I won't have another nightmare for the rest of the night."

She eyed him again, confused by his implications. Should I just ask him? She entertained the thought briefly before writing it off. If he only thinks of me as a sister, nothing will ever be the same. I'll just make things more awkward if I'm wrong…

"Here," she suggested, reluctantly letting go of his hand and reaching over to her own sleeping bag. She tugged it closer and overlaid its edges with the one they currently sat on. "Now it's practically one bed."

He seemed pleased with her resourcefulness and slipped out of his sleeping bag before nimbly stretching himself across its surface. He didn't say anything, but his anticipation was written all over his face. She found his expression so cute—puppy dog cute, if she would even admit that to herself—that she wanted nothing more in that moment than to throw herself at him. Thankfully, however, her self-control won out, and she managed to lie down back-first on the other side of the makeshift futon without (hopefully) coming off as too hopelessly eager.

She extended her arm toward him and offered her hand. "How's this?"

His fingers quickly found hers, sending bits of warmth and electricity back up her arm. "Mmm. Good."

They said nothing more after that, even though Corrin still grappled with a plethora of internal questions and concerns. She stared up at the ceiling of the tent, afraid that if she moved even an inch, this precious moment would somehow slip through her fingers like liquid. Her brain no longer craved for the sweet abyss of sleep; she continued to lie there, willingly frozen, drinking in the sensation of Leo's hand. The skin of his palm was much too soft and smooth, she thought, until she remembered that he rarely, if ever, engaged in physical activity. It was only natural to conclude that casting spells as a primary means of combat would hardly develop calluses.

After an indescribable amount of time, she noticed the change in Leo's breathing that signaled his transition into unconsciousness. Thank goodness, she thought, fervently hoping that he wouldn't undergo another nightmare. Much to her relief, his breathing remained steady and even, and his movements minimal. She finally closed her own eyes, well aware of the regret she would feel in the morning if she avoided sleep entirely - and somehow, either through her own mental will or an insidious physical exhaustion, she eventually slipped under.

Corrin woke up in an empty tent and was on the verge of panicking until her ears picked up on the sound of a nearby crackling fire. After groggily wiping her eyes and sitting up, she noticed with a start that she had migrated fully to Leo's side of the tent in her sleep. At what point did that happen? she wondered with a twinge of embarrassment. Before, or after he left? Shoving the possibility of the former option to the back of her mind (as well as her associated feelings), she smoothed out her nightgown and crawled over to the entrance of the tent. As she unzipped the flap separating her from the outside world, a blinding beam of sunlight came streaming in, illuminating her body with warmth. They would be facing yet another scorching day.

Once her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, she quickly spotted Leo sitting at the blazing campfire, stirring something in a sizzling frying pan. He caught her eye and flashed her one of his warm, heart-fluttering smiles. "Good morning, sister. I take it you slept well?"

She stepped through the tent's opening and approached him, intrigued by the mouth-watering scent carried over by the smoke. "Good morning… brother. Yes, I did, for the most part. I'm more concerned about you, though. Did you experience any more… interruptions?"

"None at all," he replied, dishing up what appeared to be some sort of hash into a bowl. He handed it to her before proceeding to handle his own portion. "And it's all thanks to you. Your presence has an undeniably calming effect."

She attempted to play off her flusteredness with a light laugh. "I didn't do much. I'm just glad you were able to have a restful night."

He shook his head, and although his eyes were on his cooking, the intensity of his next statement struck her like a slap in the face. "You did much more than you realize, Corrin."

At a temporary loss for words, she began to sample some of her breakfast and was immediately astounded by the depth of flavor residing within what appeared to be (quite honestly) a pile of mush. Consequently, it didn't take very long for the two of them to eat their collective fills and pack up their temporary campsite. Upon mounting their horses once more, they set off in a westward direction and utilized most of the daylight for this express purpose (save a few pit stops for bathroom breaks). Once evening fell, camp was set up in a similar fashion. After enjoying another pleasant supper by the fire, they each retired to the tent with the intent of completing their journey the following day.

Thankfully, falling asleep was no challenge to Corrin this time around. The day's expedition, combined with the gruesome heat, had rendered both her mind and soul well beyond weary. After creating another makeshift futon and tentatively weaving her fingers through Leo's, she had lost consciousness in instants.

Waking up, however, proved to be more troubling.

The exact trigger of her wakefulness remained to be discovered. But as soon as her eyelids fluttered open… she was greeted with the sight of Leo's neck and collarbone, mere inches from her face. As a spike of adrenaline surged through her, locking her muscles in place, her brain began to swiftly put two and two together. Once again, she had gravitated to his side of the tent in her sleep—except this time, he was also an occupant. From what she could tell, he seemed to currently be asleep. Perhaps he remained unaware of the current scenario, then? The possibility flashed in her mind but was quickly dashed when she took notice of the strange weight on her waist.

She looked down. His arm. Drooped around her waist.

And in fact… they were much closer than she had ever even dreamed to hope for. She could feel the heat emanating from his body, smell the sweet scent of his skin, see his chest rise and fall with each breath… These beloved details, all of which had been previously denied to anyone, were now laid bare for her complete and unbridled consumption. She found it nearly too overwhelming to comprehend, and after a lengthy moment of consideration, she managed to execute the decision that was—in retrospect—the only one she found reasonable at that point in time.

She moved closer.

Granted, there hadn't been much space separating them in the first place—and there were certain places, such as her waist, forearms, and shins—that were already in contact with his body. But even so, it wasn't enough. If she let this moment pass, she worried, she may never find an opportunity like this again. And so she shifted ever closer.

He thankfully exhibited no outward reaction, having experienced no interruption to his sleep. She felt a small smile creep onto her lips as a wonderful sense of ease flooded over her, along with the smug knowledge that she would never forget this feeling for as long as she lived. She remained like this for as long as she dared, until eventually her eyelids began to feel heavy. I've enjoyed this plenty, she told herself as she did nothing to combat her growing sleepiness. Maybe I'll wake up and discover that it was all just a dream.

And indeed, the next time she regained consciousness, she woke up to an empty tent once more. By no means, however, did the last sequence of events feel anything other than real. As she wiped the grogginess from her eyes and joined Leo (who, by the way, gave no indication of having been aware of their… unusual sleeping arrangements) outside for another delectable breakfast, the sensation of his electrifying proximity, his warmth, remained fresh in her mind. Even after they set out to complete their journey, her thoughts rarely strayed elsewhere. It was only around dusk, when they rounded the hill overlooking the quaint oceantown of Baugh, that Corrin's mind returned to the task at hand.

Oceantown was probably too grandiose a term to describe the community before her eyes, she quickly decided. After performing a cursory sweep of the area, she counted around twenty homes, maybe thirty at most. Compared to the Hoshidan capital and its towering settlements and resplendent architecture, these buildings appeared to be completely bare. Even as she made this observation, however… she was by no means ignorant of the little details that accentuated the town's unique beauty. As she and Leo stalled at the top of the hill, she could clearly see the nearby ocean glittering beautifully in the distance under the heat of the full sun, as well as taste the salty air with each breath. Below them, she could see the residents of Baugh going about their daily business—and while some barely paid people any attention, others elected to strike up their friends in easy conversation. Something about this scene calmed Corrin to her core, but as she and Leo ushered their horses forward, she began to feel trickles of uneasiness.

Her shift in feelings had stemmed from the way people were looking at her. She had given a few people warm smiles, but received nothing but wary looks in return. As she and Leo approached what appeared to be the town square, some residents even regarded them with open disdain. Startled by their unexpected reactions, Corrin spared a glance at her brother, who was silently trotting by her side. He kept his jaw set and gaze rigidly fixed ahead, seemingly impervious to the scorn of the townspeople. It was almost as if… he had been expecting something like this, she dismally realized.

It wasn't long before they were approached by someone—a middle-aged man, from the looks of it—who had a sickeningly sweet smile plastered on his face. He stopped a few feet from their horses, wringing his hands together as he spoke. "Welcome, welcome, our esteemed guests of honor!" he exclaimed. "We've been eagerly awaiting your return, O Royal Ones. Fancy a meal? A moment of repose? Whatever your desire, we shall most hastily provide it. For now, allow us—if you will—to escort your steeds to our stables, and yourselves to your humble abode."

Corrin's mouth felt dry, and she found that she couldn't bring herself to respond. Thankfully, however, Leo addressed the man with a ready reply. "Our dearest thanks, Chief Charles."

The man emitted a nervous laugh, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "Please, no honorifics are necessary. Follow me, if you'll please."

And with that, he swiveled around and set off in the opposite direction whence they had come. Corrin and Leo dismounted their horses and handed them off to two of the townspeople who promptly identified themselves as stable workers. Marginally grateful to be back on her feet, Corrin thanked them before trailing after the town chief, Leo following closely behind.