Namu Rosutoai: Glad to get you hooked! Was struggling a bit with the other fics, and decided to put my efforts into a 'new' idea.
Dandaman5: 'Raw' happiness isn't something I like pursuing in a fic. I've always emphasized the negativity, because… well, that's just what I personally enjoy reading about. The struggles and burdens on a person, with a few minutes to pull their heads out for a breather. Granted, some characters get more than a few minutes, and some never get to pull their head out… (Looks back a certain few fics)
I do try to keep myself from going down an Endless Negative loop, so the fics that do have that issue are ones I don't… like as much.
When Corrin finally comes to, his eyes frantically scan the area. He feels the ground and… Grass. No, a bush is around his form. A… dream? He moves to stand, pushing past the branches and leaves. He grips his sides and his teeth chitter. Cold… it's co-.
Not a dream. As his head breaches the bush, he can see grass, the sky. He can feel the cold Nohrian air, the leaves brushing on him. He can taste that fresh, cold air. He's… free? He blinks his eyes, since when? He remembers… he reaches to clutch his head. Headache.
At least his stomach feels satiated. Another cold breeze rushes by and he feels… warmth? He stooped down and picked up the blanket that..
When did he get a blanket?! He sniffs the blanket, clutching it tighter… metallic? Pinching the edges of the blanket with one hand, he pats himself down with the other… his skin feels… rough, crusty? He brings his hand up to his face…
Blood. Dried blood is caked on his hand.
He stumbles backwards and falls back into the bush. His heart races. His breathing quickens. Blood? From where? Who? He takes several moments to calm himself as he feels Instinct kicking in again. The sheer cold of the air hurts. Water, he needs water. He licks the inside of his mouth, before pushing himself back up onto his feet, and he finally departs from this bush.
Looking around, Castle Krakenburg is nowhere in sight. He's… somewhere in the middle of nowhere. No notable sights, no forests, no mountains, nothing but an extensive Plain with bushes scattered across.
He briefly lifts the blanket and looks under… prisoner rags, but there are no clear signs of injury. His muscles don't ache.
All of this blood isn't his.
"Jakob… Felicia… Flora." He mutters to himself, wrapping the blanket around him once more. "I pray that you are safe." He shivers. He needs to find warmth and water.
Warmth, heat… a fire.
He starts to walk, and every step is pained. Cold, so cold. He hisses and feels his vision blur.
It seems as if he only blinked and he's now at a flowing river, his thirst quenched. He staggers backwards again. "Why… can't I remember getting here?" He asks, folding the blanket over him, looking at his hands… the worst of the dried blood is gone, but some still remains. He looks around again… A deer lies dead, its fur had been ripped off and placed… near him. Fur… warmth. Within the blink of an eye, the fur is in his hands, and he layers it on him, the blanket next… warmth. "Is anyone else here?!" He asks, forcing out a shout.
Silence…
Did he do this himself?
He takes to looking at his hands again… more blood has been caked under his nails. He frowns, before clenching his fists and burrowing in the blanket and fur. He closes his eyes, listening to the sound of the river… peace. Warmth. He sighs. There's time to worry later… right now, he just needs to take care of himself…
Corrin awakens in the middle of the night. He isn't cold anymore. He groans and lifts his head… blood is fresh in the air again. He grunts and pulls the furs closer, before closing his eyes again. "...At least I'm not hurting anyone innocent…" He resolves, pausing as his memory flickers to when he was in his cell. "...And I wish there wasn't a war erupting." He sighs, his breathing steadying out. "And I hope that Xander made it through okay… even if he despises me, now."
A few minutes pass in silence, yet his body refuses to let him go back to sleep. He probably slept too much recently, but… his heart is beating faster than he would like. Corrin keeps his eyes open, looking around… listening.
A thump hits the ground, and Corrin is already standing, a lance-like appendage formed from his arm, and eyes locked on the source within the same second, in a movement so fast, he was unable to register himself doing it. Another thump… and his instincts calm.
Just a Rabbit. He sighs. The Rabbit twitches its whiskers, before hopping away.
He looks down at his arm, now a lance, and he accepts it for what it is. A part of him, just like this… Instinct that's been getting more of a command over his life for the past year.
Thirsty. In the middle of a cold Nohrian night… great. Corrin closes his eyes, and takes a breath. Water… water… he reaches to that part inside of him, the one that dictates these recent sudden actions and… Nothing. Why? He grimaces in frustration. He… he doesn't want to feel this cold to get a drink. It must be because he's not in enough danger. That his desire for water is still in 'Want' territory. But, if that's true, then why did his Instinct react so suddenly to a Rabbit of all things? Corrin rubs his forehead, feeling a headache forming. For something so simple, so primal, he sure is having a hard time understanding it.
He then shivers as another frigid breeze comes in. He reaches down and pulls up the blanket and furs, and then coughs.
Thirsty…
By the time he finds a lake, the sun is already rising, his feet feel frozen over, and he's finally parched to the point where he'd suspect this Instinct to take over, but he's assuming since he already found the water, then the instinct isn't kicking in yet. He stoops down and grabs a few handfuls of this chilling water, cold enough that drinking it hurts. Cold enough that his hands start shaking after a few scoops.
He coughs again, followed by a sneeze. "Ja-..." He stops himself. Alone, right. Alone and with a cold.
He stops scooping water and looks at himself, as the ripples slowly fade. He's no different than the last time he's looked at himself in the mirror, ironically. Sure, a bit more tired, but nothing really changed. His stomach growls… hunger.
The cycle continues. Hunger, thirst, exhaustion… no other schedule to be kept. No classes, no siblings, no servants. If he hungers, he must hunt. If he thirsts, he must find a source of water. If he's tired, he has to get his own…
The word den rings in his mind so clearly. A shelter within rocks, helping protect against the cold, a place to… claim, make his. Corrin rises from his spot, nodding to himself. He needs to find a territory to establish. He begins moving, purpose in his movements and…
His head whips to the South and he stares slightly upwards, towards a lone tree. He hesitates, waiting…
A bird flies out.
He shakes his head. He also needs to figure out his own Instincts better. They first get set off by a Rabbit earlier, and now a Bird?
"I want you to go All Out on this, big brother!"
Xander resisted smiling, while he appreciated the idea that Corrin believed he could handle the full might of his skills, he knew there was no real way Corrin could have closed the massive gap between their power within a mere year. "Very well." Still, he agreed, as he was heavily invested on what had made Corrin make such a bold request.
It wasn't until his armor was shattered and he was staring Death in the face that he regretted those words. However, he saw a glint in Corrin's eyes as he stopped himself from dealing the final blow…
He gasps for air, coughing as he exerts will over his body to open his eyes… blurry, the light is so bright and… "Crown Prince Xander! Wait, you aren't…!" He feels hands attempt to push him down, and yet, even as weakened as he is, Xander accrues more force and rises to a sitting position. The room around him spins, and this light isn't getting any dimmer yet! "Can you see me? How many fingers do I have holding up?" She raises both hands…
A servant, some Maid. "Seven." He replies as his vision slowly comes to…
"I'm sorry, Lord Xander, I had five fingers up, lie back down." She asserts.
Xander hesitates… his vision is still swimming. No, she's right. "Questions…?"
"You may ask me questions, after you lie down."
He complies, and he can hear her dip a rag of sorts in water, before squeezing some excess out. "What of my siblings?"
"Princess Camilla, Prince Leo, and Princess Elise are all unscathed and deathly worried about you."
"And…?"
"I'm afraid I do not know where they…"
"I meant Corrin!" He shouts, and immediately regrets it as he coughs as if he just swallowed something not meant to be eaten. Blood soon follows his coughing.
The Maid dabs the blood and pulls out a Staff. He feels something inside being mended. "Lord Corrin has been jailed."
Xander was about to retort that judgment call… but no. He can understand why. Corrin nearly killed him and yet… he does not feel anger. Corrin asked him to go 'All Out', but despite his insistence, Xander… still held back. Damn his own arrogance! Corrin really had something to prove and he didn't believe that Corrin made so much progress in so little time! "Bring Prince Leo here." He instead states.
"I… do not know where any of the Royals are, Lord Xander."
"Are they not in Krakenburg? Is that not where I am?"
"You are correct, Lord Xander, but once the horn for war had been…"
"War?" Xander cuts her off. No… this is too early, and it makes no sense! Xander is one of Garon's most powerful soldiers. Having him bed-ridden while the horn for war being called makes no sense! Xander could have easily carved a path, alone, through the fields of Hoshido. Why would Father call for war now?
Leo is probably with the logistics of the army, near the border of Hoshido and Nohr, so that information can easily travel to and away from him.
Camilla is either stationed in Nohr, as a lethal support, or in Hoshido, as the Primary Air Striker.
Elise has to be in Nohr, likely in the one of the major camps to dispense healing.
Xander was supposed to be headlining the first push.
And Corrin? Xander was never sure where Corrin would end up, but after that display of raw power? He would likely be stationed with Xander and that idea alone…
"I am lucid enough to hold a conversation, I request that I have some level of report to hold in my hands to read… or speak to a logistics member of the army." Xander commands.
"I can do that, Lord Xander…" Before she can finish, however…
"Ah, milord! I see you're well awake and feeling chipper!" Laslow walks in, his arms behind his back.
"Awake, yes. Chipper, not in the slightest." Xander stoically responds.
He chuckles, the Maid frowns. "I am quite busy here, sir Laslow."
"Yes yes, as I see, but have no fear, I won't be dallying for long… unless you're available later this evening?"
The Maid squeaks, Xander frowns. "Laslow."
Laslow chuckles again, "My apologies, milord. I've been ordered by Iago to deliver this report to you. Fresh off his desk." He extends his arm and holds out a stamped letter… Xander grunts with a nod as he takes it. At last! A proper report! "And for you…" He flicks his hand, and a rose seems to appear out of nowhere.
"Ah, so that was the bulge in your sleeve… you fancy yourself a trickster?" The Maid asks.
"A trickster? How dastardly, no, I consider myself…"
"Yes, I'm available later, trickster."
Laslow flushes as she plucks the rose from him. "A-a, yes! Milord, do you require me for anything else at this moment?"
Xander looks up from the envelope at his maiden-focused Retainer… and the Maid who is tending to him. "Only that you be available the minute I require you. Your Retainer service comes first, your philandring comes second."
He bows, "Understood, milord." He then departs.
Now then… he lies down for the Maid to go through her treatment… and he opens the envelope.
Military Report, to be opened and read only by Crown Prince Xander. If this letter has been opened or tampered with by anyone else, they are hereby charged with Tampering with War Details, Espionage, and High Treason!
Xander breaks the seal on the paper inside the letter and begins reading it.
Princess Camilla: Assigned the first Wyvern Squadron. While the Hoshidan Military is busy with the First Contact battle, Princess Camilla will be bombarding the Farms and Food Storage with Grease and Fire. Once their Army has caught on, she and any remaining of her squadron will return to Nohr, and prepare for a conjugated, second major assault.
Ah, King Garon is looking to kill their morale and force an early food shortage for the Hoshidans… a sound tactic, as long as the Front Line can draw attention to their Sky Knights and Archers.
Prince Leo: Stationed at the First Contact battle. His main goal will be to draw attention with the bulk of the Nohrian Military, focusing on diversion, so that Princess Camilla can secure as many bombardments as possible. He is expected to do this by getting as large a body count as possible within this fight.
Prince Leo is skilled in Tactics and on-the-fly adjustments, but even he will have issues if the majority of the Hoshidan Army come… especially if they so much as bring two Royals. Wait, there's a subnote…
Dark Magic Level 'A' authorized: Prince Leo is authorized to cast any Dark Magic needed to gain as much momentum as possible, up to creating Faceless. Prince Leo will have a secondary force to defend him.
Faceless… Xander never personally agreed with the mindless brutes, especially with the lengthy record of their own summoners being massacred, but… he knows Leo is one of the few who are capable of guaranteed control of them.
Princess Elise: Stationed at the First Contact battle. Her only goal is to keep the Military alive as long as possible, and to retreat as soon as Prince Leo gives the command.
Elise… on the front lines. Xander feels a faint sense of fear gripping his chest. He knows Elise is no warrior, nor has she even experienced a true battle yet… to throw her into the thick of it…
Teleportation Level 'S' authorized: Princess Elise will have a Scroll of Relocation on her person. This Scroll will take her and her retainers to Castle Krakenburg's High Security Prison. This location was chosen in the unlikely event that her scroll was stolen.
…He still can't quite agree with Iago's decision. At least, not without Xander himself there to assure her safety.
Prince Xander: After his recovery is complete, Prince Xander is to ride to Cheve and crush the Chevian Rebellion by any means necessary. Afterwards, he will join the War proper.
Cheve… yes. He's heard scant rumors of Chevians not bowing their knee to King Garon's authority. There have been similar rumors of discontent in the Ice Tribe, too. Very well! If His Highness decrees that Xander's best route of action for the betterment of Nohr is to demolish the Chevian Rebellion, then that is what he will do!
She crouches atop a tree branch. Unseen to the world, simply by being above the world. A million uncouth mortal rejects, and a scant few powerful hybrids. She's seen them with father. Laughing as they squabble over meaningless resources, always pointing their fingers towards another the second a misfortune happens. It never truly changes. Rulers come and go. New means of 'peace' form before greed sets in. Envy. It's never enough for them. They want what the other has. It turns into aggression…
War sets in. A victor emerges, peace is made, and the cycle repeats. It's so stupid that it's hilarious.
She tosses her precious stone up and down, her eyes hyper-focused on his progress, as he stoops down and seems to get entranced from the lake's surface. Hunting for fish, maybe?
It's been nearly a week. Where's his den? Those furs will only last so long, uncured. Perhaps it would be better to send him into a permanent Frenzy at this point. She sighs and shakes her head. She taps her foot on the branch. Hurry up and find a den!
He rises from his position and resumes moving… a determination to his stride. Finally! Her sharp eyes focus as he moves, and then gazes in the direction of where he's traveling…
Ah! Perfect! The Nohrian Border is in that direction… the border means mountains, mountains means prime spots for caves!
She feels a chill run down her spine and she instantly taps into her magic, transforming her into a bird.
He looks in her direction…
Wow, even from there? Perhaps… he is even more tuned to his Draconic heritage than she first thought? She spreads her wings and flies… she sees him shake his head and continues moving.
Good, he didn't suspect her.