AUTHOR'S NOTES: And here we finally get a taste of some action. Some of the events in this chapter are inspired by certain events in Conquest, but obviously results will vary considering the direction of this story. That said, we finally get to see what happens when Nohr and Hoshido collide before they're allowed to actually kill each other. But then again, even that is going to end up a lot different than it was in the game...
Happy Reading!
CHAPTER 26: The Izumo Summit, Part 1
Sing with me a song of Magic and Schemes...
The road to Izumo seemed like it was taking forever, although that was probably most likely just because of how nervous Kamui was. Her heart had already stopped and dropped when she first heard the announcement that there were Nohrians on Hoshido's doorstep, and of course, they were her siblings searching for her. Not only were they searching for her, but they had come to try and negotiate her return.
At this point, Kamui's heart was beating so intensely that she was almost certain that someone could hear her. This conflict was going to escalate because of her, because she knew that it was she, not Corrin, that treaded the dangerous line between Hoshido and Nohr. Azura had treaded it once, but had since made peace with Hoshido at Corrin's side. While Mikoto had made it sound like only Xander was coming, she didn't exactly trust Garon. She believed that Mikoto had accepted what the message had told her, but after the revelations she had gained on the throne, Kamui did not put it above Garon to lie—again. Thus, she wondered who else would be coming, for if the wrong people came with Xander, it would be trouble. Kamui didn't imagine Hans would have any qualms with violating Izumo's nonviolence pact, and if Garon somehow managed to bring him along (or even come along himself) that nothing good would come from it.
Castle Izumo was another sight entirely. This place almost seemed disjointed from the rest of the world with how peaceful it was in contrast to the dangerous and hostile Nohrian regions, or the tension-fraught lands of Hoshido, who always seemed to be ready to bunker down in the event of an attack from their belligerent neighbors that they had been anticipating for years.
Of course, that was not the only thing thrown off upon being greeted. A fabulous man with flowing white hair stood in front of them with an ear-to-ear grin plastered on his face.
"Ahh… the royals from Hoshido have arrived! Welcome! Welcome! Those friends of yours are already inside waiting for you. Lady Mikoto, it's always the pleasure!" He turned towards the queen, who smiled and almost chuckled.
"You know this man?" Corrin tilted his head.
"Do not let his mannerisms throw you off." Mikoto smiled, "For he is a wise and learned individual. Although, I…"
"Hmm?" Corrin raised an eyebrow.
"Never mind it." Mikoto shook her head, "Perhaps even I am slightly anxious is all."
"Well, don't just sit here idling away!" Izana waved his hands, "come in! Do come in! The banquet is already in the preparation stage and your friends from Nohr are already inside and excited to meet their fellow guests!"
Takumi visibly scoffed, and even Kamui was pretty sure that none of the Nohrian royal family members were raring to meet their sworn enemies. She also knew that she was about to get put on the spot as well.
And yet sure enough, there was Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise, all dressed rather formally, although surprisingly devoid of their weapons and armor. It seemed that Izana took that nonviolent pact of his rather seriously. Of course, when Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura caught glimpses of them, both parties immediately began glaring daggers at one another. Kamui was fairly certain she even felt the temperature of the room rise several degrees in a matter of seconds, and she suddenly looked visibly uncomfortable.
"Kamui!" Xander took his eyes off of Ryoma as he looked her over. "You're alive and well. They have not harmed you at all, have they?"
"No," Kamui shook her head, "of course not. They—"
"Kamui, darling," Camilla interrupted her, "thank the gods you're okay. Don't ever leave my sight like that ever again!"
"Stay back, Kamui." Ryoma warned, "they will stop at nothing to steal you back from us again."
"They certainly have experience in that field." Hinoka added.
"And yet my darling Kamui was quite happy living with her family in Nohr." Camilla pointed out without skipping a beat, "After all, there's at least one among you who was stolen from Nohr who seems to much prefer Hoshido, is there not?" Her eyes locked into Azura, who looked down and took a step back. Regardless of who was on whose side, Camilla had a point.
"And yet none of that would have happened if Nohr hadn't stolen Kamui in the first place!" Hinoka argued, "Nohrian logic at its finest, I see."
"Speak ill of Nohr again, princess..." Xander's gaze turned to her. "And so help me…"
"You really desire to see my blade at your throat, don't you?" Ryoma actually drew out the Raijinto, causing Xander to raise his hands, for he was unarmed.
"Do it," he almost taunted Ryoma, "I dare you."
"Wouldn't that be a sight," Leo quipped, "Hoshido becoming the aggressor—the very thing they claimed to want to stop."
"Just give us back our sister and no one has to fight anyone!" Elise reasoned.
"She's got a twin brother born in Hoshido!" Takumi pointed out, "just because you Nohrian scum stole her doesn't mean you own her!"
Kamui glanced towards Takumi, about to open her mouth in support. The idea that she was not something to be owned, be it by Hoshido or by Nohr, was one that she staunchly supported. However, Izana, who had been whispering oddly comforting things to Sakura at the moment, stood up and raised his voice.
"Whoa!" Ryoma, Xander, Camilla, and Hinoka all froze as he shouted. "Whoa! I mean seriously, guys. Whoa, whoa, whoa! In the name of Izumo I command you to stop this violence and threats of violence at once! You may be at war, but as long as you're under my roof, you're going to play by MY rules. Luckily for you all, my rules are actually pretty fun. Now, now, Hoshidans… I'm going to have to ask for your weapons just like I did from the Nohrians. If you want to stab and eviscerate each other to your hearts' content after leaving here then by all means be my guest, but while you're in my lands there will be none of this bloodshedding nonsense."
"...fine," Ryoma sighed, as he led his family by example by turning over his katana. Hinoka followed suit, followed by Sakura, and lastly, Takumi. "As a fellow ruler, I will respect your law."
"Our blades are stayed," Xander warned, for it was clear that with their nice semi-formal attire that they were not armed (unless Camilla had a knife strapped to her thigh or something, which Kamui would not put above her), "but don't expect us to let our guards down. I do not need a weapon to kill any of you, and neither does Camilla. Our sister can attest to that."
Kamui turned red, but nodded. "They're right…" she admitted, turning to Ryoma, "but please… no aggression today, alright? I don't want to be some prize to be fought over."
She paused, and turned to her Nohrian kin, "and I wish to say the same to you. We're here to resolve this peacefully."
"Speaking of peacefully…" Takumi looked around, but it was Sakura who spoke.
"Hey! Where'd Mother go? She was just here a moment ago." It did suddenly seem odd that she was so quiet during this whole argument.
"We've been seated the whole time you've been here," Leo pointed out, "don't you Hoshidans dare try to pin this crime on us."
"There they are!" a voice shouted, "seize them!"
It was unclear who they were talking about, but suddenly, everyone in the room was restrained by soldiers, although only the ones holding the Hoshidans made further moves, where they bound the hands of Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, Sakura, Corrin, and even Azura.
"What the… unhand me!" Ryoma commanded.
"It's another Nohrian trap!" Hinoka screamed, "Just like the one they used against our father!"
"As Crown Prince of Nohr, I demand you release me at once!" Xander demanded, taking notice of Izana as more of his men came in to restrain and silence the Hoshidans from speaking. "What are you playing at, Izana? You just finished saying that violence was forbidden here!"
"Ah, but that's the thing!" Izana grinned. "I am not actually Izana!"
With a twirl and poof of smoke, "Izana" had vanished, and a scrawny, sleazy little man took his place, grinning and giggling.
"Zola!" Xander recognized this slimeball immediately. "Explain yourself!"
"Whew!" he sighed, dramatically wiping his brow, "it feels SO GOOD to finally be myself again. It was so hard trying to pretend to be that twit of an archduke for so long. I even had to disarm you guys just to make the act as perfect as it was!"
"Where is the real archduke Izana?" Xander demanded. "What have you done with him?" He and his siblings were only released after the Hoshidan royal family had been silenced and dragged away. A magical barrier appeared around them (likely Zola's work) which allowed them to witness what was happening around them, but all of them were powerless to act against it.
"He's locked away with dear Lady Mikoto!" Zola cackled, "and I'm sure after I've dealt with that and knocked a bit of sense back into King Garon's finest, that he'll be thrilled to have Prince Ryoma and his family as company in his ungodly prison cell! Hahaha!"
"Not on our watch!" Kamui asserted. "This can't be the Nohrian way, Xander."
"It's not!" Xander growled. "Zola, if you so much as lay a finger on any of them while we draw breath, that breath of yours will be your last!"
"Oh, bores." Zola blew a raspberry, "I suppose I'll just have to deal with you lot as well then. I'll just have to inform Garon that the infamous Hoshidan treachery got to your heads and you were too late to be saved. But without a royal family to lead them, King Garon will be able to march through Hoshido and claim it as his own! Perhaps he'll even grant me a new title up there with Lord Iago! Well, maybe I shouldn't fantasize too early when I still have some death sentencing to do. So if you'll excuse me… soldiers! Seize them! Spare them if they come to their senses, but if they don't, do what you must!" With a twirl and a poof of smoke, he vanished, although he was nearby. The actions of the Nohrian royals would determine a lot about what he would do to the Hoshidans, and the five of them gathered closer as the soldiers closed in on them.
"What are we going to do, big brother?" Elise sounded concerned.
"We're going to show Hoshido the new Nohrian way…" he declared, "Camilla?"
"With pleasure, darling." Camilla cooed, approaching the nearest would-be attacker. "Now, now, dear…" she cooed, "I understand that I might have overreacted… but I would really not like being put to death. I'll inform Zola that I'll be happy to help him execute the Hoshidans myself."
There were audible gasps from Camilla's siblings (except Xander), the loudest being from Kamui. Even the Hoshidans behind the barrier gasped.
Camilla put her hands on the sides of the man's head and leaned in. "I would never lie to you, darling…" she moved as if she was about to give him a lucky kiss, but suddenly jerked her hands so violently that everyone in the room heard his neck snap. Immediately, Camilla kicked the corpse aside, seized his sword, and tossed it to Xander.
"The new Nohrian way!" she grinned, clenching her fists as Xander stepped forward.
"We will not stand for Zola's treachery!" Xander warned the soldiers, "We will negotiate with Hoshido the proper way!"
Kamui sighed in relief as the soldiers started to back away when Xander pointed his newly acquired sword at them.
"And as such," he spoke mostly to Kamui, although may have purposely been in the Hoshidans' earshot, "we will free our sworn enemy."