Author's Note:

I will try to have the next chapter out faster. This includes some filler (though I didn'd intend for it to be, so?), and reading back it may be a bit more than necessary. But I want to get out at least something, and it has some important character development and whatnot. I've been getting 3-5 hours of sleep max a night for about two months due to a busy schedule, and it's hard to find time to write, not to mention time to write that I'm awake enough to make coherent sentences. Hopefully things will get better soon. And if this chapter is slightly different than the others in terms of writing style, that's to reflect the difference between Robin being the narrator of sorts, and Corrin being that. Now without further ado, enjoy.


"Thank you so much for the ride, Captain," Corrin said with a bow. "I don't know how we could have made it here otherwise. And thank you even more for letting us stop early. I know this wasn't your original destination, so I really appreciate you changing your course for us."

The captain gave Corrin a smile, clapping the girl on the back. "Don't worry about it, sweetie! And call me Drake, please. It was a pleasure serving you nobles. If you ever need a ship, just call for Drake of Senin, and me and my crew will be with you as soon as we can! So go on safe now, because I want to be seeing your pretty little face again. Bye!"

Drake took a step back and waved, throwing a dagger from her side up at her ship when she noticed her crew was just standing there. They all plastered on smiles similar to their captain's once the weapon hit wood, waving Corrin off in an over-the-top manner.

"Uh, yeah. See you then!" Corrin replied, giving a quick wave of her own and running off to join her companions.

Night had already fallen by the time they made land, and the city where they docked was asleep. Still, there could have been people milling about, so it was up to the Nohrian members of Corrin's Army to find somewhere to stay for the night and locate the clinic to drop Robin at. Though Frete belonged to the kingdom of Nestra, not Nohr, Hoshidans were still met with suspicion, and a member of the Nohrian royal family would surely draw attention. So that meant only a few members of Corrin's Army could leave the docks, while Corrin, Camilla, Azura and most of the Hoshidans were left to finish with Drake.

It also meant Jakob was with Selena trying to get the group some rooms in an inn, while Gunter and Beruka went searching for the clinic with Robin. Jakob's staff could only do so much. It was thus decided that it'd be best to find a place with professional healers, herbs, and medicines to give Robin the best chance of a full recovery.

If you asked Corrin, Beruka was badly hurt herself and probably shouldn't have been walking. But the wyvern rider was on her feet, and wasn't acting hurt, so Corrin couldn't convince her to rest.

Reina and Orochi had wandered off to find some place to hide Redrum and Subaki's pegasus. Since they were on the Nohrian side of the bottomless canyon, Gunter was fine taking his horse, while Camilla guarded her and Beruka's wyverns.

Saizo, Kaze, and Kagero had also gone off into the night, looking for where they and the other Hoshidans could stay if the inn didn't work out. As ninja, they were able to stay hidden as they traversed the town, something that never failed to impress Corrin.

'Man, ninja are cool!' she thought, walking over to the trees Takumi, Sakura and their retainers were sitting under. 'If I ever get a Hoshidan retainer, I'm definitely going to get a ninja. Too bad there aren't any in Nohr, that would have made my days in the castle so much more fun…'

"I-its nice how the captain got s-so friendly after Robin got hurt, is-isn't it?" Sakura asked, one retainer on each arm.

"Not really," her brother responded, twirling the Fujin Yumi. "She just got nice because she's after our money. Her niceness wasn't because she felt bad for Robin - it was because she realized she was in the presence of members of both the major royal families of the continent, and that if she was good she'd be payed big bucks. It wasn't like she was acting from the heart. She was acting out of selfish greed."

"Wh-what…?" Sakura said, tearing up.

Takumi's eyes widened. "N-not to say that it was a bad thing! It's great to see you being so optimistic Sakura! I'm sure that at least some of it was heart based kindness! D-don't start crying now!"

Despite Takumi's words, the tears began to fall from Sakura's eyes. "Damn! I- er, I'm sorry Sakura. I didn't mean it, really! C'mon, cheer up. No need to cry!"

"D-do you th-think," Sakura said, shaking, "do you thi-ink you c-c-could give me a h-hug? To make up f-f-for it?"

With a nod, Takumi got up and did so, which effectively his Sakura from view. At her back was a tree, at her sides her retainers, so her front had been the only part visible. Her face was visible at first, but she poked out an arm to undo Takumi's hairtie and cover the rest of her, like a screen.

"H-huh? What are you doing!?" Takumi said, trying to pull away.

Sakura's grip must have tightened though, because the Hoshidan Prince found himself caught.

"I'm c-cold…. Don't let g-go… you're warm." Her voice was muffled, but Sakura's voice was still audible to those around her.

Wait, that was why she was stuttering so badly? She was just shivering, not nervous! Although neither was good. And it was probably both.

'Aw, I'm sorry too, Sakura. I should have planned something out so we wouldn't be caught like this, out in the night air without blankets… I guess we could get out our camping material, but Saizo and Jakob advised against it since we're in plain sight. Oh, what to do?'

Camilla giggled from where she was hiding under a nearby tree, and Takumi tensed. He was probably blushing under the blanket formed by his hair.

"You two are quite the sweet siblings. It can get quite cold back in the castle, so next time I see Leo shiver, I think I'll try that. His face when I push him up to a wall will surely be adorable," the Nohrian princess said.

Corrin pictured it in her head - Leo, walking down the halls muttering under his breath about the terrible weather, when Camilla would run up, spin him around, and push him down so her hair could veil him. He probably wouldn't appreciate it, and Corrin couldn't help but smile when she thought about his reaction. He'd blush so hard, his face would probably match Sakura's hair! And then Elise would get the idea to copy Camilla and try it some other time, but she'd be too short to reach him…

But for all that to happen, the four of them would have to reunite. Corrin couldn't just keep Camilla with her while Xander, Leo, and Elise were back with Garon. She couldn't separate a family like that. One that she wasn't sure if she was still even a part of.

A tap on Corrin's shoulder made her jump up an inch, yelling out in surprise until a hand covered her mouth and a hard chest met her back, keeping her from turning her legs or torso.

She did manage to move her head enough to see familiar green hair though, and relaxed. Kaze had come back.

"I'm sorry about that, Corrin, but when you made a noise I was worried you would alert the villagers," he explained, releasing his grip on Corrin and allowing the white haired princess to step away.

"Don't worry about it, Kaze. It's my fault for yelling so loudly. I should have been more on guard so I would've seen you come back."

"Not necessarily. Staying out of sight and slipping past people's guards is my job, if you don't mind me saying so."

"Of course not! I just kinda feel like there are some things I really need to improve in, so I can keep everyone else safe."

"I understand."

"Thanks, Kaze," Corrin replied. She threw a glance over to where the Hoshidan royals were, having scrambled to standing positions upon Kaze's appearance. Sakura was still shivering with Subaki and Hana at her sides, but Takumi had jumped up between his two retainers, hair messy and falling slightly past his waist. It was a silly sight, and Corrin could hear Camilla giggling again. "But that brings up another thing - why are you back so soon? Did you find anything?"

"Yes, though it is nothing good. Jakob and Selena managed to locate an inn, but it was at full capacity. They sent me back to inform you while they moved on to find another. However, given the size of this town, I don't think they'll be successful. We may have to stay outside for the night."

"Ou-outside?" Sakura asked, shivering.

Kaze's eyes widened momentarily, and he frowned. "Unless Jakob and Selena report manage to get us rooms at another inn, it seems so. I'm sorry, Lady Sakura."

The princess sniffed, upset, and Corrin felt terrible.

Subaki and Hana were quick to brighten the mood, however, giving Sakura words of encouragement and promises of help.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you nice and warm!"

"I'll make sure you're perfectly comfortable while we wait."

"And I'll make sure you have a comfortable cot to lie down on!"

"And I will make sure you have a comfortable cot and a comfortable headrest."

"You can count on me to get you a fluffy blanket as well!"

"As will I get you a warm cup of tea so you may feel as warm on the inside as well!"

"Well, I'll…"

Corrin sighed as Sakura's retainers bickered, promising their liege better and better accommodations and items. Sure, they might be able to give her a nice time outside, but it still wouldn't compare to a night's rest in an inn.

Azura seemed to sense her frustration.

"Corrin, take a deep breath," the songstress told her, "this will work out fine. It isn't as if we haven't had to sleep out in the open while on a march, nor is it as if this will be the last time. Sakura and the others, including me, are slightly disappointed we can't go inside when we're so close, but it isn't anything we can't get over. So relax, this will work out fine."

Camilla silently walked over and hugged Corrin from behind, pushing the girl's head into her bosom. "As Azura says. This is not the end of the world, my dear. I have only just begun traveling with you, so I can't say how this compares to things that have happened up until now, but I can say how this will be compared to what's waiting for us as we get closer and closer to father and whoever this mysterious character we're facing is. I hate to see you in such pain. For your face to be contorted like that… My dear, please tell me if there's anything I can do. You're not in this alone. You have all of us to help you."

Subaki and Hana's argument had grown to include Oboro and Hinata, with Takumi and Sakura trying to calm the four down, and their voices were providing a nice background noise for Corrin to escape too. But at the moment she was focused on Azura and Camilla, as well as Kaze who was looking at her expectantly. It really made her feel like she had to say something, to bring noise to their own group.

"Yeah, I guess so. It's just, in comparison to Robin-"

Azura shook her head, interrupting her fellow princess. "- who already has war experience, if his stories are anything to go by. You don't need to hold yourself to the same standards, Corrin. And he's discussed some things with us too, hasn't he? It's not as though he's never uttered a single word to us outside of battle. Even he valued our input, and you should too."

Corrin took a breath in to object, but found herself without anything to say. She couldn't find anything wrong with Azura's words.

Camilla, however, found something interesting.

"Oh? He has war experience, you say? Now battle experience I understand, as there's been a lot of fighting as of late, but what war experience could he possibly have past what Corrin had participated in? There haven't been any wars recent enough for him to have participated in other than this one, as far as I know."

"I don't know. He says he's from another land, and that he has amnesia, but I'm not so sure which of his words are true and which aren't. Well, I can tell when his words are true. But he has this tone of voice he uses when his words may or may not be true, and when he speaks in half truths. So I know he's participated in a war, or at least recalls participating in one, but I couldn't tell you about the details. Whatever he said about them falls into the category of 'might be true, might be false, might be in-between.'" Azura responded.

"Hmm… like our three then?"

"'Our three'?"

"A few years back, three people showed up to the Nohrian castle and made their way into being the retainers of Leo, Xander, and I, Selena being one of them. Their fighting styles weren't those shaped from endless training drills like most members of the military or passing mercenary groups. When they fought to earn their positions, it was in the style of those who've had to fight for their lives against unique foes. Like people who've seen battle over and over, and know what it's like to face someone they've never trained with or under, nor even heard of. I caught Selena talking with one of her companions, Odin, a short time ago, when she mentioned how she never thought she would be 'caught up in another pointless war.' It was just before we were about to depart in search of Corrin, and so I didn't bring it up, but now I can't help but feel they're somehow related. Selena's war and Robin's. They recognized each other, after all. But they didn't seem to recognize each other as allies. At least, Selena didn't. I'll ask her about it some other day, though. It's late now, and will be even later by the time we're settled and in private. For now, let's put our minds on something else, shall we, my sweet little sister?"

"I guess." Corrin nodded, and pulled away from Camilla.

She and Azura looked back at Corrin, waiting for her to say something. Kaze did the same, throwing a slight glance to where his brother and Kagero had gone off to.

"Kaze, do you think you could go look for Jakob and Selena again? You can get back here faster than them, so I'd appreciate if your check to see if they've made any process in getting us a room somewhere."

Kaze have a quick bow. "Of course, Milady." Then he was off, disappearing into the night.

Back with the Hoshidan royals, there appeared to be some sort of game going on, with Sakura and Takumi sitting on opposite sides of a board while their retainers cheered them on. Quietly, since at some point they remembered that they were supposed to be making as little noise as possible, but still heartily. Corrin didn't know the rules or what was going on, but after a second Azura leaned on to tell her that Takumi was winning, though he seemed to be going easy on his sister. That made Corrin smile, and she walked over to watch while she waited to hear back from Kaze or one of the others.


"Lady Corrin," Kaze called, having returned after roughly an hour, "we've found somewhere to stay."

"You have!?" Corrin exclaimed, shooting to her feet. After bring thoroughly defeated by Takumi time and time again in some game called 'Shogi,' she was ready for an excuse to move on.

"Yes. We will have to share beds, and some of us may have to sleep on the floor, but it is at least indoors and will shield us from the elements. Is that alright with you?"

Corrin nodded, and before she could respond Sakura stood up too, shouting a quick "Of course!"

Camilla and Azura both chuckled at the younger princess' outburst, and the girl blushed, turning her head down.

Hana drew the attention away from her liege and back toward herself when she requested Kaze lead them to their destination immediately, loudly making her way toward him. The ninja granted her request, making his way to an opening in the forest nearby.

It was best if they didn't make a commotion moving through town, he said, and Corrin found herself in agreement.

Some time later the group of ten found themselves in front of a large house, two stories high and a large way across. A large clearing behind the house was bordered on three sides by forest and on the fourth by the house itself, and thus hidden from the eyes of anyone looking at it from anywhere but the forest or inside the house. The trees provided good posts, so Camilla tied up her and Beruka's wyverns, whispering to them before stepping away.

Kaze walked up to the back door, knocking in a specific pattern. Ten seconds later, an old lady opened the door, dressed in sleeping clothes and obviously quite tired. She greeted the group, and when Corrin walked in she found Kagero and Selena drinking tea at an old wooden table, silent. Reina was in a room visible through the doorway, staring at something on the wall.

There were enough chairs at the table for all but the lady herself, and Corrin felt bad sitting when someone so much older than her couldn't, so she offered up her seat. However, the lady refused.

"Oh no, sweetie. You feel free to sit on down. I'm afraid my back hasn't been all the good lately, and if I sit on something so low I don't know if I'll be able to get back up again," she said, giving Corrin a sweet smile.

The woman had thick silver hair that reached her chin in straight locks, and eyes slightly darker than periwinkle that dropped under thin eyebrows. She wasn't particularly tall, standing at roughly Sakura's height with her slight hunch, and had dark bags under her eyes that showed either sickness or stress. Because of the comment about her back, Corrin figured it was the first.

"Oh, well thank you," Corrin said, taking a seat. "I'm sorry about your back, miss…?"

"Lalami. But you can call me Miss Mimi, if you want. What would your name be?"

"Oh, I'm Corrin!" the princess said, smiling.

"Corrin, hm? What a lovely name. And what about the rest of you?" Mimi asked, looking around the table.

One by one everyone introduced themselves, finishing at Selena who must've introduced herself alongside Kagero when they entered.

While everyone was saying their names, Corrin took the time to look around the room, taking in what she could see. The house was neat, with everything in its place and no clutter to speak of. Knick knacks of various styles sat on the many shelves of the house. There was a red and purple color scheme to it all, with each area focusing on one of the two alongside a secondary, more muted color. All in all, it was very well organized and very well taken care of.

However, it wasn't perfect. A fine layer of dust had settled on most of the items. A much thicker layer had settled on everything above eye level. With how well everything seemed to be doing, no paint chips or permanent stains, Corrin couldn't help but wonder what had changed recently to let everything go.

She looked back over to Mimi, who was chuckling in response to something Hana had said, and frowned. The old woman was shaking where she stood, and not because of laughter. Her poor condition had to be the reason. And when Corrin looked back to where the dust grew thicker, her thoughts solidified. Someone with a bad back wouldn't be able to climb up to dust or clean anything. So when they got dirty, Miss Mimi wouldn't have been able to clean anything.

Excusing herself, Corrin walked into an adjacent room to see if it was in a similar state. There she found Reina staring at something mounted on the wall, arms crossed. She must have taken her armor off when she arrived, since she was wearing a loose too instead of her usual getup and metal… whatever it was, that she kept on her back. It helped the woman look relaxed, and made her more approachable.

When Corrin stepped to Reina's side so she could get a look at whatever it was Reina was so focused on, the woman spoke up: "It's amazing isn't it?" she whispered, nodding her head at the object in front of her.

There, pinned to the wall, was a bow, alongside an old quiver filled with arrows. Or rather, there was a yumi. One that looked weird somehow. Corrin couldn't quite put her finger on it. But she didn't have to ask what was so special, because Reina explained it first.

"I never thought that I would get to see it. The yumi of Shuichirou of the Western Skies. I heard that it was modified to do extra damage, but this is more than I expected. Not only is it thicker than a regular yumi, but it has bladed tips like that of a naginata. Whoever the craftsman was, they must have been blessed to have been able to create something like this. By design alone you would think it would break or cave, but here it is, decades after it was out to such heavy use. And Shuichirou must have been monstrously strong to have been able to draw this. A regular yumi is hard enough to string and pull back - something as thick and heavy as this seems impossible to wield. But he did it. And that's how he became so famous. Oh, I can feel the aura of this bow flow over me. The blood this weapon must have spilled… Ah, if it wasn't disrespectful to Lalami I would love to pull Shuichirou's yumi right from the wall and have a go with it. Maybe if I wielded it, the memories of the lives it's taken would flow to me as well…"

Corrin blinked. "Huh?"

"Oh," Reina sighed, looking down at Corrin, "I suppose you wouldn't know. What a pity, too. Shuichirou's story is one of my favorites. When I was a child, there was a Kinshi Knight in the employ of the royal family named Shuichirou. He was an odd man, always humming to himself rather than speaking with the other troops, and heavily muscled for someone who uses a flying mount. Not to say that there are no Pegasus or Kinshi Knights who couldn't put up a fight in hand to hand combat, but the kind of muscles he had are normally reserved for Oni Savages and the like. Archers have backs to envy due to their work, as well as well toned arms, but he was beyond buff, if you don't mind my phrasing. Simply put, he was exquisite. Could have strangled a man with a single hand, if you ask me. Of course, I was young, so I may have an idealized picture of him, but no matter.

"Shuichirou, important as he was being a strong member of the army and a good acquaintance of the royal family, was always a subject of controversy. Because, despite regular regulations, he didn't live in the barracks with other soldiers, nor did he live anywhere in Hoshido that his fellow Kinshi Knights could find. Whenever there was battle and his skill was required, he would fly in from the west, swooping down to slaughter all those in his way. They say he had a custom bow, one that could decimate both in close quarters and from afar. Now I see how. Really, using a bladed bow instead of a naginata? What a wonderful timesaver!

"Oh, and what a wonderful way to feel the battle. The naginata is effective, but long. With this bow he would have been right by his victims' heads as he took their lives. He would be had the greatest view of their eyes as the light faded away, and the best angle at which to hear their screams. And the blood, so warm from such a recent kill, wouldn't have had any trouble reaching him if he was so close to the wound. I bet he was soaking by the end of every battle. Ah-! What a lovely sight that must have been. I'm jealous of his wife. Lalami's extremely lucky to have had a husband like that. Even if the stories talk about how he didn't rejoice in the bloodbaths he embarked on, the fact that he went on them sends me head over heels. It's a pity he isn't around anymore. I would be overjoyed to ask him about his battles and what went through his head as he fought them."

"Wait, you mean Shuichirou was Lalami's husband!?"

"Of course, don't you see his bow sitting here in her house? There are other pieces of his equipment and armor located in some of the other rooms, as well as some gifts from the royal family and prizes of military service. Not to mention the Hoshidan wall scrolls and color scheme. Haven't you noticed the reds, and all the eastern style paintings? Even his story matches up. No wonder he refused to live with the other soldiers. If he did, he would have had to leave Lalami. What kind of man would leave his lover behind? So he just stayed with her here, in the west, until he was needed. Or maybe not exactly here, but somewhere to the west of headquarters. Such an admirable man…"

Reina went silent, breathlessly staring at the yumi before her. When she kept silent for another thirty seconds Corrin walked back to the table the others were sitting at, throwing one last glance at the weapon Reina so admired.

Corrin had never heard the story, but for that she was kind of glad. The respect and awe Reina showed when giving it really made the story all the more impressive, giving it life, and Corrin doubted anyone else would have been able to tell it so well, excluding Lalami, or Miss Mimi as she had asked to be called, herself.

But Corrin wasn't going to ask the old lady. Asking about someone's dead husband seemed rude.

The story was also a nice explanation as to why Mimi had let the group in. She was married to a member of the Hoshidan royal army at some point, so maybe she felt an obligation to help the royal family. Or maybe it was that she trusted Hoshidans and knew how much opposition they would get in Frete. Perhaps it was just that she was a nice lady wanting to help a lost group out. Corrin didn't know.

When she sat back down, the princess noticed how empty the table had become. Of the original group, only Kaze, Kagero, and Camilla remained. Miss Mimi was standing in her kitchen, pouring four cups of tea.

"I was wondering if you were coming back," she greeted, setting cups in front of Corrin, Kaze, and Camilla. She then walked back into the kitchen to retrieve the tea pot, refilling Kagero's cup before setting it down and retrieving her own cup.

"Ah, sorry about that. I was just listening to my friend Reina talk about-" Corrin paused, unsure of what to say next. Should she make something up? Or should She be honest and risk upsetting Miss Mimi?

"Shuichirou, right? She seemed enamored with him when I mentioned his name. You know, usually a woman gets upset when a much younger lady gets giddy over her man. But your friend seemed so honorable in her admiration that I couldn't help but smile. She's an odd one, but it was nice to be able to talk to someone about my husband. It's been so long…"

Miss Mimi trailed off, and silence filled the room.

The five of them sat (and stood, in Mimi's case) there like that for a few minutes, only moving to refill their tea cups. It was nice, a welcoming peace when compared to what Corrin and her army had been dealing with since the day they had gotten together.

Once the teapot was empty and the contents of the teacups gone, Kaze rise to his feet, quickly grabbing everyone's cups before Miss Mimi could get to them. Corrin shot up too, swiping the teapot right as the old lady's fingertips reached it.

"Not tonight, Miss Mimi! You're already hosting us! The least we can do is wash a few dishes in return."

"Ah…" the woman started, breathing deeply. "Well, who am I to stop you. Thank you two. I'll be heading to bed now if that's all right with you. If anything comes up during the night, feel free to knock on my door to wake me. If I'm right, your friends Jakob and Orochi are preparing your rooms. They insisted on doing it themselevs, rather than letting me. Or rather, the one dressed as a butler insisted on doing it himself, and the woman forced her way in. Any complaints you have can be filed with them. Goodnight, young lady, young man."

"Goodnight," Corrin and Kaze voiced simultaneously, the former waving while the latter gave a small bow.

When Miss Mimi was out of sight, Kaze took the teapot from Corrin's hands.

"If you don't mind me asking," the ninja began, "have you ever washed dishes before?"

Corrin frowned. "Well, no, but that doesn't mean I never can! Let me help out, come on."

"I would love to, Lady Corrin, but this is a very expensive and fragile tea set. If you were to drop part of it because you were unused to how slippery fine porcelain becomes when wet, it would surely break. I don't think Miss Lalami would appreciate a guest offering to lessen her work and then destroying her property in turn."

"Th-that's-"

"Completely true," Jakob butted in, walking to Corrin's side. His sleeves were rolled up, and a fine sheen of sweat was visible on his forehead. "Now then, if you'll allow me."

Kaze handed over the teapot, and Jakob got to work.

"I'm completely useless, aren't I…"

"Not at all Lady Corrin!" the two men hastily replied, furrowing their brows.

"But I can't even wash dishes…"

"There are many other useful things you can do, Lady Corrin."

"Like what?"

"Like…"

Corrin pouted.

"There's no one more skilled than you at cheering up our army, for one," Kaze supplied.

Jakob nodded. "And you're one of the most skilled fighters we have, as well."

"Plus," Kaze added, "when it comes to making new friends and allies, you're always the driving figure. Our forces would be much smaller if it weren't for you and your charisma."

"Really?" Corrin asked, eyes glistening. "Thank you you two, it means a lot!"

Corrin threw her arms around the butler and ninja, gripping them tightly. Kaze let out a happy sigh, and Jakob chuckled.

"Now then… When you're done with the dishes, do you two think you could help me with something? We might lose out on some sleep, but…"

"Anything for you, Lady Corrin," the two men responded.

Corrin grinned, and explained her plan.


"This is…" Miss Mimi began, looking at the shelves in front of her.

Jakob, Kaze, and Corrin all looked at each other, smiling in their own ways.

Not a single speck of dust was anywhere to be seen in the house, a result of hard work by the three the night before.

Or rather, night and morning before, as they had only finished about twenty minutes prior to the old lady walking down the stairs, but close enough.

"Oh my goodness. This is wonderful. Thank you all so much!"

Tears formed in Miss Mimi's eyes, and she made her way over to Corrin, hugging the dragon princess.

"I can't tell you the last time everything was as spotless as this. And are those figurines polished? I didn't even know I still had polish in the house!" Mimi moved over to hold up a small figure of a kinshi, flying high over a bright meadow.

The truth was there hadn't been any polish left in the house, but Jakob had snuck out to buy some while Kaze and Corrin were dusting. Corrin threw the butler a glance and saw him smiling, radiant pride evident from the way his eyes sparkled. It was his idea, and it payed off well.

The trio had also recruited Reina partway through, when they realized she was still looking at Shuichirou's belongings, telling her that Miss Mimi probably wouldn't mind the Kinshi Knight touching her husband's belongings if it was to clean them. That motivated her immediately, and Reina set to work, cleaning with a fervor matched only by Jakob. The more she cleaned, the more she could touch, after all.

After looking at her now sparkling shelves, Miss Mimi moved toward the kitchen, telling the four to "go on and rest for a little" while she made breakfast. Except, she never finished her sentence. Because there on the table was a full Hoshidan style meal, in front of a well cushioned chair that Corrin had made by piling on pillows and blankets from one of the couches in the other room. The princess figured that it would provide enough support for her hostess. It was mainly inspired by how bad Corrin felt watching Miss Mimi stand and shake the night before, and how she wished the old woman could relax.

Reina had been the one in charge of making Miss Mimi's breakfast, using an old recipe she said was popular with people her parents' age, like Shuichirou would be and Miss Mimi likely was. The Kinshi Knight figured the old lady hadn't had anything like it since her husband had passed away, and that it would be a real treat. And by the way Miss Mimi's eyes lit up when she took a bite, it seemed to be just that.

Jakob went into the kitchen to make breakfast for the rest of their companions, having gotten Selena up earlier that morning to shop for supplies. Of course, as soon as the redhead returned and set down that which she had purchased, she went immediately to bed, not helping prepare or even put away anything, but it was help enough. Corrin still wasn't sure what the town's reaction would be to seeing Hoshidans running around.

And speaking of Hoshidans running around, there was someone missing whom Corrin hadn't seen since he ran off the night before.

"Hey Kaze," Corrin asked, drawing the ninja's attention, "did you ever see Saizo come in last night?"

"...no." Frowning, Kaze glanced at the door.

Did Saizo even know where they were staying? And while she was in that note, did Gunter or Beruka know either? They had never shown up to Miss Mimi's house. Wait, did they even find the clinic and get Robin in?!

"Is something wrong?" Miss Mimi asked, putting down the chopsticks she was using.

"No no, everything's fine! I was just wondering where someone was, but it's not important. I'm sure they're doing well!"

"Say, did your friend ever contact you from the clinic?"

"You know about that?"

"Of course. Jakob and… Selena I think it was, told me about your sick friend when they came to my door. I found out more when that female ninja, Kagero, came, but I have a pretty good idea of the situation. Are you going to go visit your friend after breakfast?"

"Ah, yes. Well, after I find out where the clinic is. Do you think you could lead me there, Miss Mimi?"

"Of course I can-"

"- after Lady Corrin gets at least three hours of sleep in," Jakob interrupted from his position in the kitchen.

Corrin took in a breath to object, but Kaze backed the butler up. "I agree. Whatever condition Robin is in, he's likely unconscious, and you arriving three hours earlier or later won't be the death of him. You've been up all night Lady Corrin, and need to rest. You're the backbone of our group, and we can't have you getting sick now. That, and we all care for your health. As companions, we don't want to see you going down too."

Miss Mimi nodded. "I agree. So, I will be leading you to the clinic, but not until I've made sure you got in a good nap! Now go on then, sweetie. If you want, you can sleep in my room, away from all your noisy companions."

"Oh no, I couldn't do that!" Corrin said, waving her hands. "I'll just take the room set out for me. I'm sure everyone will quiet down when I ask them to!"

"Of course. If you want to clean up, there's a bathroom off to the right of my room. Feel free to take a nice, long soak in the tub to relax. There's a few hair rubs my daughters keep in there that you can use if you wish. You've certainly got beautiful locks that I'd hate to see ruined by something as pesky as war!"

"Daughters?"

"Yes, three of them. Why do you think I have such a large house? They've all grown up and moved away though. They still visit, but never all at once, so it was nice having you here. It brings some life back into the house. Of course, having you all is much more lively than having just my three girls over, but it's fun nonetheless. Now scamper off, you, or I'll convince your friends here to keep you under house arrest and not let you visit the clinic at all."

"Yes ma'am!"

Corrin sped off to the rooms her companions were staying in, popping her head in each one until she found the one with her bag. Inside were Orochi, Selena, and Camilla. Orochi was sitting on one of the beds, looking at some odd cards, while Camilla and Selena were sharing the other one. Selena was quite asleep, hair strewn everywhere, but Camilla was awake, lazily looking at her retainer snooze on. She looked up to Corrin as the dragon princess walked in, giving her younger sister a lazy smile before returning to what she had been doing, running a hand through Selena's red locks. Orochi stood, relinquishing the bed, but Corrin shook her head, motioning to the bag sitting at the bed's foot. Orochi glanced down at it and smiled, opening up the closet nearby to retrieve a towel which she shoved in Corrin's hands with a smile.

The diviner then grabbed the bag herself and led Corrin over to the bathroom Miss Mimi had spoken of, turning on the tap and letting water fill the tub. When she didn't move after it filled, Corrin posed a question to the older woman.

"Um, what are you doing, if you don't mind me asking?"

"What am I doing?" Orochi responded, putting a finger to her lip, "Well what does it look like I'm doing? I'm preparing a bath for you, silly! Haven't your servants done that for you in Nohr? From what Jakob says, that was commonplace over in the fortress you were kept in."

"W-well yes, but… uh, what are you planning on doing exactly?"

"Washing your hair! I used to do it all the time when you were little, and I even washed Lady Mikoto's hair a few times within the past couple years."

"Oh. Then, uh, feel free. I'll just… sink in."

Timidly stripping, Corrin stepped into the tub, full to the point of almost overflowing. She sat under the water for as long as she could hold her breath, only getting out when she needed to breathe. Once up, Corrin looked up to Orochi for a second, blushing at the woman's bright smile. She then hugged her knees to her chest and moved her head to face the opposite wall.

Orochi giggled in response, scooping up a handful of light hair and procuring a brush from somewhere nearby, brushing out the long white locks while Corrin blew awkward bubbles in the water.

"You know, there's no need to be so closed off. We're both women, and it's standard in Hoshido to take baths together. Though some people prefer to wear towels the entire time, spoiling the fun," Orochi commented.

Corrin didn't say anything in response, just making more bubbles, and Orochi sighed. "If you want, I'm sure there's bubble formula I could use to cover you up. Would you prefer that?"

Corrin nodded, and Orochi rose to retrieve the bottle.

A minute later the tub was a mass of bubbles and soap, with Corrin's head and hair being the only part of her visible.

The princess wouldn't say it out loud, but she didn't really like soap bubbles. They obscured her view of the water, and her connection to it, and that was never a pleasant thing. Water always helped to calm her. Sitting in it would help, but it wasn't as nice as resting in a tub unmuddled with soap bubbles. Corrin couldn't really explain what exactly it was that made her so happy when around water, but whatever it was was obvious enough for Jakob and the other servants back in the fortress to notice. Whenever something bad happened and her mood would take a turn for the worse, there always seemed to be a bath waiting for her, warm and freshly drawn. If there was a pool there, she probably would have jumped in it on a daily basis.

"So, how does that feel?" Orochi asked, rubbing some floral-scented thing into Corrin's hair.

"Nice…"

"Oh, a word reply rather than a bubble? How special!"

"Hey! You could understand what I meant, so I don't see what's wrong with it!"

"Nothing at all, princess. It's cute. And familiar. Queen Mikoto would do the same thing whenever she went for a soak. She was always more interested in playing with the water than getting clean, even when she had an important meeting she needed to be preparing for and didn't really have the time to goof off. Like mother like daughter, I suppose."

"..." Corrin didn't reply, instead blowing more bubbles.

Should she tell Orochi how bad it made her feel to be compared to Mikoto? Because on one hand it was wonderful knowing she shared something with the mother she never got to meet, but on the other it was terrible to be reminded that she had ended the life of someone who would never again be able to do those things. But, that was part of life. In any case, Corrin did want to hear more about what her mother was like, so the information was appreciated. Just… maybe not at the moment.

"...-eally are exhausted, aren't you?" a distant voice said, startling Corrin.

After a few seconds she realized the bath water had cooled to room temperature, and that her hair was free of the soapy bubbles she could have sworn were in there before.

Orochi stood over the princess, hands holding out a fluffy towel. "Dozing off like that in the tub can be bad for you, you know. I wouldn't want you getting cold, and then catching one!"

Corrin looked up at her, still drowsy.

"But I guess that's what happens when you run yourself so hard and don't get a good night's rest. C'mon, let's get you dried off and to bed, okay?"

Corrin continued to stare at Orochi for a second, her groggy mind not quite processing what Orochi was saying. She realized after a second though, shooting up to grab the goal Orochi was holding.

The princess was still in a wet tub, however, and slipped forward with the motion. Orochi was there to catch her however, wrapping her up in the towel and setting her down outside the tub.

"You really are just like your mother. I swear, if we have a repeat of the incident where she slid into a wall after getting out of the bath and gave herself a concussion…" Orochi was muttering to herself, low enough that she probably didn't think Corrin could hear, but the younger woman caught it anyway.

Her mother was really clumsy like that? Corrin figured that as a queen she'd be a little more… poised. Graceful. But it seems not.

Corrin thanked Orochi for the help and put on a nightgown, wringing her hair out with the towel as she walked back to the room she was sharing with her sister, Selena, and Orochi herself. Selena hadn't moved since Corrin had left, but Camilla was gone.

'She must be downstairs getting breakfast with the others,' Corrin thought, crawling into the bed Orochi had been sitting on earlier.

With one last glance up at Orochi, Corrin gave a slight smile, before curling up under the covers and closing her eyes.


Author's Note: And that's the end. I was falling asleep while writing this, and once I wrote that last sentence I took a five hour long nap. Like I said up above, this is filler. But this is probably the best split for this area. Also to everyone wanting me to split more from the game's path, here's the first major time it'll happen. Some chapters will fall back in line with what happens in game, some may be more unique. Also here's most of Corrin's character building arc for a while. She doesn't feel good enough, so everyone has to reassure her. She'll be better from now on. Less self-doubting. Hope this was at least sort of interesting, even if nothing good happens. When I finish this story I may go and cut this chapter out, and just add the important parts to the next one. I just really don't want to make you all wait longer, and I've barely started the next chapter (edit: probably won't, since you guys say it's fine. thanks for the reviews!). Thanks for reading. Oh, and last thing. I'm thinking of changing my username to Mariyekos. I'll make a poll up on my profile about it, so please do that if you have the time!

Originally posted March 27, 2017, ~7,600 words without ANs.

Eruran out.