AUTHOR'S NOTES: The decision has been reached, and the day of reckoning approaches. For those curious, yes I've got plans for Azura in the future. She hasn't had many lines or appearances because she's often in the back minding her own business. She's never really been one to say much. Conversely, here the story takes a shift, moving away from Kamui a little and focusing more on Camilla, and later on, Corrin. Here Camilla gets a taste of Hoshido... and likes a lot of what she sees-or rather, *who* she sees. As such, I am definitely not ruling out Ryoma/Camilla as a possible pairing, but... no promises.
Happy Reading!
CHAPTER 30: The Compromise
Sing with me a song of Splits and Intrigue...
With the royal families of Hoshido and Nohr having come to certain levels of agreement, the time came the following morning to part ways. Xander, Leo, and Elise would make their way back to the Hoshidan border cross over to the Nohrian side, where they would wait. Xander also planned to send word to Nohr to bring a small contingent of soldiers in case anything went wrong, but there would otherwise be no attack on Hoshido unless it was provoked.
Before they left and before Camilla parted from them to follow Kamui, Mikoto pulled them aside.
"Prince Xander; Princess Camilla; Prince Leo; Princess Elise…" she began, "I understand that you hardly know me, and do not expect we will have a chance to properly get to know each other for a long time."
The four siblings remained particularly wary, but heeded Mikoto's words.
"I do not wish to turn any of you against your father, but only against the notion of war," Mikoto continued, "not only for Kamui's sake, but for yours, and for that of Nohr and Hoshido alike. Perhaps I am just an old woman rambling off her dreams here, but I could die happy knowing that the families that raised my two children were as one."
"That is a lofty dream, Queen Mikoto," Xander indicated, "There would have to be a certain level of compromise, both from us but also from your children as well. You cannot expect us to strive for your dream while your children shoulder none of the burden."
"Part of the reason I am permitting Princess Camilla to accompany Kamui on this brief trip is for that reason," Mikoto clarified, "If they cannot even tolerate an outside presence, then I understand that I have work to do."
"And you're not worried at all about how some people might treat you?" Kamui pointed out.
"Darling, people can say whatever they want about me. It's when they go after my family that I became enraged." Camilla wasted no time clearing that up.
"As long as you can acknowledge that this is a two-way road," Xander nodded, "I think we can come to an agreement on that front."
"I acknowledge it, and will do everything in my power to ensure that Hoshido does its part," Mikoto promised. "Until then, I bid thee a fond farewell, Prince Xander, as well as the remainder of your family. Hopefully the next time we cross paths it will be as a united family instead of as enemies on the battlefield."
"Indeed," Xander agreed. He, Leo, and Elise said their goodbyes to Camilla and Kamui, even if it was only for a short while. Kamui and Camilla in turn bade them farewell, and after a few more hugs and parting words, Xander, Leo, and Elise turned to make their way back to the border.
Meanwhile Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, Sakura, Azura, Corrin, Kamui, and Camilla would return to Hoshido with Mikoto, the latter two only spending a couple of days there before they would return to Nohr for a lengthier time as the two kingdoms worked out their differences. Kamui felt like they were treading on thin ice. Maybe she had a slanted view of Garon ever since sitting on the Hoshidan Throne, but she didn't think he'd just settle for allowing Hoshido to live on in peace. That was actually part of her reasoning (in her own mind at least) as to why she wanted to return to Nohr. She entertained the idea of finding a way to reform and reduce Nohrian aggression without having it at the expense of Hoshido.
The journey back to Shirasagi was not overly eventful. Camilla mostly just spoke to Kamui, while most of the other Hoshidans barring Azura just ignored her existence. They arrived at the castle with little fanfare, other than a few passerby citizens whispering things as they saw the Nohrian princess. Upon reaching the castle, a few arrangements were made, mostly in Kamui's room, where accommodations for Camilla were set up, much to the delight of both princesses.
Despite this, and despite Mikoto encouraging her family not to treat Camilla as if she didn't exist, most of them simply ignored her. Camilla reciprocated in kind for the time being, but that didn't last too long. Incidentally, the one that she seemed most interested in speaking to was Ryoma.
"Now perhaps it is out of place for me to ask this," she began, "but if I'm allowed, I'd love to see how the High Prince of Hoshido fares in combat."
"Ha," Ryoma seemed amused, "I'm not sure if that's Kamui speaking from you, or if you were speaking from Kamui when she made the same request not more than a week ago."
"Is that acceptance I hear?" Camilla raised an eyebrow.
"I am always willing to prove my martial skill," Ryoma agreed, "provided you do not intend foul play of any kind."
"No need to worry about that, darling." Camilla assured him, "Take us Nohrians at face value on the field. We appear tough because we are."
Both Ryoma and Camilla seemed like they were holding things back, and they were. Ryoma knew he had trouble knowing when to fold, but knew that Camilla right right. Nohrians tended to be more straightforward in his experience, while he as well as many Hoshidans were well-acquainted with the underhanded tricks and tactics their country was notorious for.
"Don't you dare try to hurt our brother," Hinoka warned.
"Sweetie, I wouldn't dream of it," Camilla smiled as she gazed at Hinoka, "I am outnumbered and in the heart of Hoshidan territory. If I killed him, you would kill me, and then Kamui would be bereft of her favourite sister and I simply can't have that. No, if I spar with your brother—or with anyone from Hoshido, I will play fair."
"I know your reputation," Hinoka warned, "you are ruthless; bloodthirsty, even."
"That's completely true," Camilla agreed, "there are those who would threaten what remains of my family, and I simply cannot tolerate that in the least regard. None of you appear to be threatening myself or my family, and so I am not obligated to deliver the worst of my wrath upon you. It's really not that complicated, dear."
Hinoka was caught off-guard by Camilla's frank response, and her expression showed it.
"My, my... but you *are* a pretty little thing…" Camilla put her fingers under Hinoka's jawbone, caressing it in the same slow way she did with Kamui on a regular basis, "and you blush just like Kamui too. It's adorable!"
"I…" Hinoka went redder than her hair, "how do I even respond to that?!"
"Camilla," Kamui laughed, taking her sister's arm, "let's get settled in before we start causing too much mayhem, shall we?"
"Mayhem?" Camilla raised an eyebrow, "Darling, I was just expressing my appreciation for some of the many beautiful things I've noticed about Hoshido."
"No, you're eyeing Ryoma with that hungry look in your eyes that you get when you see someone you're attracted to." Kamui laughed, pulling Camilla out of earshot of the Hoshidans as she said this, "You're crazy, you know that?"
"23 years strong," Camilla kissed Kamui's forehead. "I do want to see if he is as talented with his hands as he looks to be though… I bet he wields his weapon with power and elegance."
"PLEASE tell me you're talking about his sword."
"Darling, of course I'm talking about his sword… or, katana, technically. What did you think I was referring to? Goodness, but you have a naughty mind…"
"So if I go to my room to write another book or something, I'm not going to come back out and find you proposing to the High Prince of Hoshido?"
"No guarantees, sweetie," Camilla giggled, "Although why are you going to write another book? Did you not just recently publish a serial called Dancers and Diviners?"
"How did you know about that?" Kamui gasped, "Did it already reach Nohr?"
"Your publisher is a diligent woman," Camilla giggled, "and I recognize my baby sister's writing anywhere, even despite your pseudonym."
"Anyways, yeah. I know I can do way better than Dancers and Diviners, and so I'm gonna start another one." Kamui nodded, "so knock if you need anything."
With this Kamui retreated to her room, leaving Camilla alone and surrounded by a castle full of Hoshidans. She started to make her way towards the courtyard, although on the way, crossed paths with a dark-blue-haired woman whose demonic glare lowered the room temperature by a few degrees. Fortunately for Camilla, she was unfazed.
"You should really get that face checked out, dear," she cooed, "that cannot be healthy."
The woman muttered something unintelligible except the word 'Nohrian'.
"I mean it," Camilla asserted, "you're a beautiful woman, and you've got excellent taste in attire. I don't think you should squander it with that ugly demon-face you're giving me."
This struck a chord with the girl, who cocked her head towards Camilla.
"Look, Lady… Camilla, isn't it?" she began, "I'm not trying to act all pissy and disrespectful. I just get… very uncomfortable… around Nohrians." Her left eye was twitching.
"Well, I can't speak for the monsters that would wrong a lovely girl with such great fashion sense," Camilla noted, "but this Nohrian princess and her sister don't seek any ill will towards you or any of Hoshido… provided we're offered the same respect, of course. Now come; can I at least know your name? I can ask Kamui if not."
"...I figured you'd mention Kamui at some point," she groaned, "the name's Oboro. Queen Mikoto told us to respect you as our guest, and I want to apologize in advance if I come off as harsh."
"I sense a distraught young woman more than anything," Camilla indicated, "Someone else who has lost a great deal to the nastier side of Nohr."
"What would you know about it?" Oboro scoffed. "A spoiled, privileged princess living in the safety of her castle wouldn't have to watch as her parents were mercilessly slaughtered right in front of her by marauders even though they were unarmed and begging for mercy."
There was a moment of awkward silence, in which Oboro's glare passed from Camilla's visage to the area around her. To her surprise, however, Camilla's response was not as harsh as she had anticipated it being.
"I admit that I did not lose my parents to any such event," she stated calmly, "but I also never had parents who loved me. The Nohrian Royal Court is a brutal and ruthless place, Oboro, dear. Wives and concubines of King Garon fought each other and each other's children to earn the king's favour. I watched siblings die. I was forced to slay some by my own hand. This madness persisted until there were only four of us left. So while yes, I don't know what it is like to lose my parents to the injustices of this world, I've lost plenty of family to them. And I don't know if my dear Kamui has told you or not, but family means everything to me."
Oboro was caught off-guard by Camilla's admittance.
"How do you live with yourself?" Oboro's eyes narrowed, "how can you stand to live in a country so vile that even its royalty aren't safe from one another!?"
"Because there are good people there too," Camilla answered, starting to walk, and managing to have Oboro follow. "Perhaps lacking compared to Hoshido, but circumstances are different. Xander, Leo, Elise, and later Kamui were the only childhood friends I had that didn't try to kill me. So, I took it upon myself to protect them. No one dared harm Xander—the crown prince; the son of Garon's first wife… but Leo and Elise was just as vulnerable as any of the other children. They came to me, and so I put my own life on the line as I entered the Deadly Game in their defense."
Oboro was silent as she listened to Camilla. She wasn't even sure where Camilla was taking her, but it seemed the princess had no real destination in mind; they were just walking as they conversed (and she hoped they wouldn't get lost).
"So yes," Camilla continued, "I don't expect you to suddenly reverse years of a jaded vendetta and suddenly like me or approve of my actions or Nohr's actions. But I would appreciate you not assuming that I've never lost anyone important to me simply because of my rank."
"No…" Oboro shook her head. "I… I let my anger get ahead of me. Still… I can't just forgive and forget, y'know? And I'm not just saying that because of where I am. I'm not hiding behind any kind of protection be it from my liege or from the Hoshidan royal family. It's just… who I am."
"That's not what drew me to you though," Camilla chortled. "Honestly, I'm more interested in your fashion sense."
"Are you really?" Oboro warned, "Because this could take hours if you're serious."
"Darling, I never make commitments unless I'm in it for the long run." Camilla cooed, "You can outfit me however you like."
Camilla was right insomuch that Oboro did not just suddenly trust her or trust Nohr, but perhaps some progress had been made today after all. Perhaps Camilla's visit to Hoshido would not be as full of enmity as she had thought.