April 19th, 1506 AD
"There's not a lot of light out here, huh?" Corrin commented on the gray sky above them as they traversed through the trail into Windmire. Despite the darkness, it did bring an air of beauty to it all. As the filter of black allowed for the stars to always linger over Nohr. The misty sun was a sort of background to it all rather than taking center stage.
The albino princess turned to Elise, who clung onto the reins of her horse with a large grin on her face. Corrin chuckled to her sister, "It's all so breathtaking… I'm so thankful to be able to see the stars with all of you."
"Yeah!" Elise cheered, "Maybe we could have a picnic together after we arrive home!" The youngest waved to Camilla, who flew overhead on her wyvern. The eldest sister slowly drew closer to the ground to listen to Elise, "Do you think we'll all have time to have a picnic? Ooh! Maybe Father might be able to join as well!"
Camilla flinched at her gleeful hope, "I… I don't think Father has the luxury of being able to spend time like that." Before Elise could get dour, Camilla quickly answered. "But I can assure you that we'll all be together for a picnic. Isn't that right, Xander?"
The princesses turned to their older brother in the back, who was talking to Gunter about something. Xander frowned at what the elder knight was commenting on. And from what could be heard from their conversation, 'deaths from the famine outbreak'.
Camilla sighed at their talk, "Big Brother, can we please not talk about such news right now? This is a happy moment, let's focus on solving our problems when we can."
Gunter said a quick apology for sparking the conversation while Xander simply nodded to her words. Corrin felt an unease stirring in her stomach. She was aware of Nohr's trouble in gathering enough food for the kingdom, but it was hard to swallow when you're faced with the reality of it.
"Is that…" Corrin trailed off as she saw the line of people walking past them, a good few yards away. Solemn, tired guardsmen that trailed behind a cart with a tarp over its haul.
She only wished that the tarp covered all of it. A hand peeked out, limp and bloodied as it hung from the end of the wagon.
"O-Oh…"
Camilla drifted closer to her sister, patting her head in comfort. "All people must meet the same fate eventually, it's the nature of life."
While that may have been true, Corrin has never seen a funeral. Or… seen one that involved the deceased to be carted away by guardsmen. The princess bit down on her bottom lip as she gripped the reins of her horse. Doubts played out in her mind as they reached the castle gate.
The group entered the empty streets of Windmire, muted colors were laid out before them. Every building in sight was either made from metal, stone, or both. The one thing that stood out from the desolate area was the spire of light that radiated in the center of the capital. Corrin looked around the streets, slightly disappointed at the fact that no one was out of their houses. But that was to be expected with the weather… The smell of rainwater plaguing the air was a signal for clouds to come by. Or at least, that's what she inferred. Despite the haze covering the sky, it was still 'sunny'.
"Open the gates!" The guards standing near the large doors to the castle shouted to his fellow men. The royals slowly moved themselves to the castle as the large doors into Krakenburg were pushed open. The footmen bowed to their graces as they entered, Corrin and Elise waved to them as their horses followed Xander.
As those large metal doors were forced open, rays of light emanated and struck Corrin's sight. Once her eyes had adjusted, the princess was able to see the city that was inside these walls. Windmire was like a funnel, it's walls containing homes of its denizens that were connected by pathways adjacent to their neighbors. Each light from a residence was like a spark that fueled the artificial fire that radiated the capital.
"It's like…. A star was made here." Corrin gaped at the brilliance of it all as they rode onto the path to Krakenburg. She turned to Leo, who rode alongside her. "How is it this bright?"
"Our mages have since implemented a lighting enchantment on each building here." Leo gestured to the entirety of the capital with his hand. "It's the closest thing to a constant sun we will have here in Windmire."
"Wow, Nohr has really advanced since I last remembered…" Corrin commented as the doors to Krakenburg were opened.
As her horse slowly came to a stop, the princess began to ponder about Father. She hasn't seen him in the last five years. The only sense of contact the two had was the occasional letter between them. In truth, their relationship felt more like strangers than father and daughter. Amongst the first thing she was to do when moving into Krakenburg, was to form a closer bond to Garon. They all stopped at the stables at the entrance, leaving their horses to the attendants there. Corrin saw the maids pull out their items alongside Jakob, Felicia, Flora, and Gunter. Her siblings had stepped off their mounts and spoke to the animal's caretakers. Leaving Lilith and Corrin to talk.
"Lady Corrin, are you alright?" Lilith began, observing her liege's skittish movements.
"Y-Yeah. Yes, I'm fine." Corrin rubbed her arm and looked to the ground as she spoke, "It's just… a lot to take in, I don't remember much of Windmire when I was young. So it's like entering a new world."
"I understand," Lilith nodded her head, "It does seem to take away your breath."
"Yeah…" The princess' eyes shifted to-and-fro before letting herself speak once again, "I'm glad you all came with me here. I know you haven't been long with us, but it does seem like you've always been a part of our little fortress."
Lilith was taken aback by those words, eyes widened and lips pursed, before smiling at her liege. However that seemed to fade away as Lilith lingered on those words, "Lady Corrin… I… I'd like to tell you… that I'm grateful to be a part of your life."
Corrin paused, believing those words to be true however it seemed like Lilith was avoiding something. The inflections of her voice told her so. But for Lilith's privacy, she decided to ignore such ideas and simply smiled back at her attendant.
After settling their animals into their stables, Camilla's wyvern had a bit more attention than the horses; they had moved themselves into the castle. They were greeted by stalwart guards that stood like sentries that refused to move an inch. Elise laughed at their statue-like forms and gave a friendly wave before being moved indoors by Leo.
"Don't bother them, Elise." The youngest son of Garon pushed his sister forward.
The youngest princess pouted, "Oh lighten up, will you?"
A gravely laughter arose from their squabble. The group turned their heads to it, to see King Garon standing with a smirk. Corrin recoiled from his appearance, he looked exactly how he did when she was a girl yet Corrin felt so uneased by him. Perhaps it was the armor he wore, such black steel seemed to have highlighted the strength he carried with him. Whatever it may have been, it made her father seem so… terrifying.
"I see you all have returned safely to me," The king acknowledged with power booming in his voice. He looked to Corrin, who nearly jumped at how sudden he shifted his sight to.
"Y-yes, Father. Long have I wished to see you and visit Castle Krakenburg again. I feel like I'm dreaming…" Corrin attempted to hold back her trembling in his presence. She needed to show she was strong and could be of use to Nohr.
The king laughed, not like the stoic glee that she noticed during his rare visits but one that could rattle bones at such low volume. "It is only thanks to your diligence that you are here. I am told you are now a warrior almost on par with Xander. That you finally possess the strength to be an instrument of Nohr's power in the world."
"But Father," Elise spoke up, walking next to Corrin. "Will she be alright outside the fortress?"
"Yes, I worry about that as well," Camilla brought a hand to her chest. "To suddenly pull her out of the fortress and throw her into the responsibilities of Nohr is quite daunting…"
"Oh, that's no problem!" Corrin cheered as she stepped in front of her sisters, "I've been practically preparing for that my whole life!"
Garon chuckled at her enthusiasm, "And I am certain that such training has prepared you well, daughter. As you know, Nohr is seeking to expand its territory into the eastern half of Ragea. However, Hoshido's border security prevents us from doing so. We will need as much strength as you can offer us."
"Yes," Corrin turned to bow to the king. "I'm aware of Nohr's goal, and I intend to fulfill my role thusly."
"We of the royal family are descendants of the ancient gods‒ the Dusk Dragon, Erobos." Garon walked away, his back facing them as he made it up to a higher platform. "As inheritors of that divine strength, we conquer those who oppose us with ease. One who learns to wield that power can destroy an entire army of common troops. Xander, Camilla, and Leo have already shown that they possess this power. I expect no less from you."
Corrin bowed once again to her father's words. "I will do my best to meet your expectations, Father."
Garon hummed, indiscernible if he accepted her words or if he was unimpressed by them. "If you intend to serve Nohr, then you will need a suitable weapon that will aid you. Iago, please reveal what you've created."
"Yes, milord…" A lanky man with a half-mask walked into vision with a sword. King Garon's tactician, Corrin remembered. His retainer handed Corrin the blade he carried, "I had overseen this weapon's creation, myself. Do not waste it, Princess…"
"T-Thank you…" Corrin took the blade before slowly backpedaling away. Her siblings walked to her side and glared at the tactician. The man simply scoffed at their cold stares before moving away.
Corrin unsheathed the curved sword to examine it alongside her brothers and sisters. The blade was ebony and scaled, a purple miasma surging from it. There was a large silver loop-guard and on the center of the hilt was a red eye. Holding such a weapon in her hands disturbed her, to say the least.
"This is Ganglari, a sword that has been infused with magic that has been concentrated by our mages." Garon walked to his child with the slightest upwards twitch of his lips. "It may not look pleasing to the eye but such power it contains will serve our goals well."
Corrin unsheathed the weapon before bowing her head, "Thank you for the generous gift, Father."
"Hm…. Generous indeed." Xander whispered as he looked into the eye of the hilt.
"Now…" Garon raised an arm, looking to the guards that stood near the entrance to the cells. "Show me that you are capable of using such a weapon. Guards, let out the prisoners!"
They did as such, opening the lock that blocked the doors. Immediately, one of the prisoners had swung a club into one of the guard's face. The other's chest was struck by multiple shuriken, his body falling on his back as blood trickled from him. Xander reached for his sword as he saw eight Hoshidans rush out.
"No." Garon raised a hand to stop his son, "This is Corrin's test. Whatever occurs, do not interfere. Prisoners of Hoshido! You have been chosen to be the stepping stones for my second daughter. Strike her down, then I will let you go free and be pardoned."
"Father‒"
"Silence, Camilla." Garon shot his eldest daughter a glare, "If Corrin does not prove herself her, then she will never be able to fulfill her role to Nohr. Do not disrespect her honor by interfering." The king looked to Corrin, "You will use the aid of your servants, your siblings will watch from afar."
Corrin blinked twice at his demands. She looked to her brothers and sisters, who were forced to step backwards from the field and watch their sister's evaluation. The princess gulped at the severity of the situation. Her father has thrown her head-first into the water… Sink or swim, as the saying goes.
"Lady Corrin," Gunter stepped to Corrin's side, his weapon equipped at ready. "I may have passed my prime but I can still fight for you."
Jakob laughed at his words, "Naturally, I can't allow someone of advanced years to bear a burden alone. So allow me to step in. Flora, Felicia? Stay by Lady Corrin's side while I take out the trash."
"I… guess I can't really do much here," Lilith laughed as everyone prepared their weapons. The stable girl slowly walked backwards to stand by the royals. "I'll cheer you all on instead!"
Corrin smiled at her friends' support. With a fire in her chest, she unsheathed the Ganglari and raised her blade to the enemies before her. "I'm ready!"
One of them, a girl that had tan skin and a mask resting on her white hair, stepped up and slammed the ground with her club. "Before you stands Rinkah, daughter of the Flame Tribe! Now tell me yours, Nohrian!"
Corrin closed eyes and let out a breath before leveling her stance, "I am Princess Corrin Arya, second daughter to King Garon! In the name of Nohr, I will defeat you!"
The oni savage scoffed at the princess's attempt to sound bold, "What a bunch of drivel… Right, Kaze? ...Kaze?"
The green-haired ninja's eyes were set on the Nohrian princess, muttering to himself as he stood frozen. "White hair… Red eyes… Pale skin… Could it be?"
"Kaze, what are you mumbling about?" The ninja reeled back in surprise at the oni savage's voice. Kaze shook his head and focused himself, turning back to the enemy before him.
"Sorry, I lost myself there…" The ninja bowed his head in apology before moving himself to the back.
Corrin surveyed the situation as her retainers stuck close to her. Before her stood samurai, oni savages, and a ninja. The room she was in was large with plenty of space. At the center was an area of debris that… seemed strange.
"I think… there's a dragon vein here." Corrin slowly walked to the center as the Hoshidan ran towards them.
"Lady Corrin!" With a quick throw of his knife, Jakob struck the samurai in the shoulder. Gunter immediately rushed to force the soldiers away with the maids behind him.
"S-Sorry about that!" Corrin quickly dipped her head in apology before turning back to the debris, "Just… I have an idea."
The princess raised a hand towards the mass of broken wood and stone. Corrin closed her eyes and furrowed her brows, attempting to find the vein's exact location. A burst of heat shot through her head, she found it! With a deep exhale, she exerted that energy she built up and made contact with the ground. She signaled for a blast of wind to erupt from under and blew away the debris, knocking several Hoshidan soldiers off their feet in the explosion.
"Well done, milady!" Felicia cheered as they saw the enemy crumble from the explosion. However that rush of excitement was gone when the soldiers stood up. Still clinging to their weapons and letting out heavy breaths.
Things looked much worse when it was revealed what Corrin created. The ground that was covered by the debris had begun glowing green, it was a healing circle. With an immediate call, Corrin rushed into the area with her retainers and blocked off the entrances into it. The healing tiles would not heal major wounds but it would certainly heal any bruises or minor cuts.
"Gunter, uh… you and Jakob defend the right. Flora, Felicia, you two help defend the left with me! Stay close to the walls and attack from a distance! Be prepared to move to the other side when I say so." Corrin focused on taking advantage of the principals of the weapon triangle when she could.
They went with the plan without much difficulty at first. Jakob, Flora, and Felicia dealt with the samurai that attempted to use the walls for cover. Gunter defended his younger allies and helped Corrin deal with the Oni Savages. It was rough, but they were able to scrape by. Few soldiers stood before them, unable to access the healing area they were in that kept Corrin's team rejuvenated.
Waves of shuriken caused Corrin to leap backwards, nearly falling on her back from the sudden jump. However, the girl was forced to the ground when the Flame Tribe girl had kicked her in the chest. Rinkah raised her club and sent it to smash Corrin's face in, the princess narrowly dodging the attack with a roll. The Oni Savage attempted to heave her weapon over her shoulder but was forced to drop it when a knife was thrown towards her. Rinkah jumped out of the way, narrowly grazing her shoulder.
"Stay where you are!" The butler demanded as he held a knife in a throwing position. "Harm milady, then you will face a painful death!"
Corrin leveled herself, brushing off what little bruises she had, the princess stood in front of her group with her blade gripped. She glared at her enemies, attempting to gather some sense of intimidation. Corrin growled, "Submit now and let this battle end, you Hoshidans can not fight any longer…"
The soldiers skittishly raised their weapon and hesitantly stared down the Nohrians. Knowing fully well they would not escape with their lives. Yet they refused to be taken prisoner again.
"I've seen enough…" Garon's voice interjected, not bothering to raise his voice yet still commanded the room. "Corrin, you've proven your strength. Now… prove your determination, kill them."
"What?!" Corrin looked to her father after his cold command, leaving her open for an attack.
"DIE, SCUM!" A samurai leaped with his katana gripped, summoning the last of his strength for an attack on Corrin's life.
A dart emblazoned in purple energy shot through the young man's chest like an arrow. Blood splattered from the hole that was formed. His body fell to the ground, twitching as it slowly gave out its last breath of life before Corrin's feet. The princess's head shifted back to her father, who raised a hand that glowed in the same shade of purple. The king sighed as the magic energy he emitted had dissipated.
"See this? Submit to mercy, then you will fall." Garon raised a finger to the guards beside him. The soldiers immediately went to hold down the remaining Hoshidans at their king's unspoken orders. The king allowed them to be beaten further, weakening whatever Corrin left. Camilla and Leo blocked Elise's vision while Corrin stared in shock at the viscerality.
Garon looked to his children as they watched the prisoners' whippings, "Let this be a learning experience for all of you…"
The king slowly walked to the Hoshidans, being handed a large axe by one of the guards on his saunter to them. He stopped at the ninja, lifting his head up by his green hair. The man attempted to slip out of the guards clutches, his weakened bones failing him. Garon looked to his audience as he raised his large ax.
"Father, please!" Corrin managed to shout. "These people are beaten! They don't need to die! Can we not show a little mercy?"
"Nohr does not allow such naive ideals such as mercy. Watch, children…" Garon signaled the guard holding him to let go. The ninja dropped to the ground, holding himself by his hands and knees. The man knew he could not escape, he stayed frozen as Garon raised his ax. "Let this sight mold you into the strength that our people need. Follow this example."
The room became cold and time seemed to freeze. Corrin shut her eyes, unable to bear the sight of a beheading. Let alone the executioner being Father.
"Father, wait!" Leo's voice interjected, causing Garon to stop. "I understand your meaning… Nohr must focus on the end goal rather than what leads it to. I'm sorry that I haven't seen this during my own trial. But I have seen the errors of my way, and the rest of my siblings. Please, allow me to prove my will…"
Without any hesitation in his movement, Leo gripped onto his tome, the Brynhildur. His hand grazed against the cover, gathering magic energy that radiated from it. And with a quick flick of his hand, the prince fired multiple darts of violet energy that shot into each Hoshidan. The guards that held them down dropped their limp bodies. The prisoners laid there, lifeless and cold. And Corrin was left in shock at the fact that her younger brother would do such a thing.
Garon looked to his youngest son as he stepped away from the corpses. He spoke in a voice that had a tone of genuine pride. "Well done, Leo. I see you have grown to suit Nohr's expectations. You four could learn from your brother. No matter how much strength you have, you must have the will and the determination to support it."
The king looked to his middle child, who shivered a bit at his presence. Garon ignored such shaking and spoke his piece, "Corrin, you have proven yourself to be strong. But you are still naive to fall victim to mercy. Learn how to carry such weight. And remember this, if you were at the end of a blade, they would not hesitate. So neither should you."
With that, the king walked off into another room. Ordering the soldiers to clean up the bodies before closing the door shut with Iago in tow. Xander stepped in to bid the guards a break and let his and Leo's retainers take care of it. Corrin clenched her teeth at their lack of empathy for the people that Leo killed. They may have been enemies, but to just… kill someone like that!
"Hey, Corrin?" Elise tugged at her older sister's arm. She looked at the girl, still having a smile on her face despite what they saw. "It's okay, Leo handled it."
"E-Elise!" Corrin almost growled at such words. "How could‒"
"Calm down, Sister…" Leo sighed as he held his tome at his side, "The spell I casted was a sleep hex with a few extra steps, mimicking death quite well. I probably should have followed Father's wishes and saved us the trouble, but I wouldn't want to stir up a fuss."
"I… Really? Thank you, Leo." Corrin gave her brother a quick hug, catching him off guard. "I don't know what to say…"
Leo coughed into a closed fist to hide his growing sheepishness, "You don't have to say anything else."
"Milord," One of Xander's retainers called to the prince, a mercenary man with silver hair, carrying the green haired ninja by the shoulders as he spoke to him. "Where do we put them?"
"Take them to the tunnel, give them vulneraries, and be discreet about it." The crown prince answered sternly.
"Oh! Oh!" His other retainer, a girl with blue pigtails with pink ends, had pointed to the samurai that laid there in a pool of his own blood. "What about this one? Do we take him too? He's all bloody and cold!"
Xander stood silent for a moment before shaking his head. "I'll deal with that, just take the ones that are not actually dead. Laslow, make sure she doesn't get lost."
The mercenary nodded, tugging Peri along as she hummed a tune. The two walked alongside Odin and Niles, Leo's retainers, and carried off the prisoners. Leaving the royals and Corrin's servants in the room. An awkward silence lingered between them as they all looked at Corrin.
"I know… I should have just…" The princess found it difficult to speak, it all came out as heavy sighs. The royals left it at that, simply giving their sister reassuring smiles before moving her to where the prisoners were.
"Listen well…" Xander spoke in a low yet stern voice as the Hoshidans stood before him, "These tunnels will lead you out of Nohr's borders. The only reason why your lives are spared is because of my sister's kind heart. And if you ever cross paths with Nohr's might again, then you will not get off so easily…"
The Hoshidan soldiers looked at each other hesitantly, each of their weapons stripped away. They slowly began to walk away with one leading with a lantern in hand. The two stragglers were the ninja and oni savage girl, less fearful of the Nohrians than their ninja in particular seemed quite distant, his face was blank as he looked between the Nohrian royals. Before he rushed off, his eyes landed on Corrin. The princess saw how his eyes carried subtle emotions that she could not determine with the quick glance they shared. But a small part of her… felt like she's seen him before.
"Tch… To be treated as lowly as this." Rinkah gritted her teeth as she stared down the five of them with great animosity. "Corrin, was it? Well, the next time we meet… I will make you pay for this humiliation!"
Corrin gave the slightest chuckle at what she presumed to be a complete overreaction, "That's not something I would look forward to. Actually, I would like to be friends the next time we meet."
"Just how foolish are you, girl? I am a warrior of Hoshido, our paths could not contrast any differently!" Her words did not change Corrin's attitude.
"I understand that our nations may be in conflict with each other. But when peace does come, I'd like to start a nice grounds for a friendship between us."
Rinkah once again scoffed at such naivety she spewed, "I've heard rumors of a Nohrian Princess who they have kept locked up from the outside world. I see that the proof is before me. If we do meet again, the world will have no doubt taught you the error of your ways."
With that last spit of venom, the Flame Tribesman left to rejoin her fellow Hoshidans. Corrin left out one last sigh, lowering her smile towards them. She uttered her complaint, "I just wish there was an easier way to deal with all of this…"
"Yes, but unfortunately there isn't…" Xander nodded as their siblings walked back to the castle, "Come Little Princess, let's head back before Father notices us gone for too long."