AUTHOR'S NOTES: And here we reach the final chapter of Act II before we move to the fateful meeting on the Hoshidan plains. Despite the somewhat somber theme here, this is kind of a breather chapter before the fecal matter collides with the air circulation device. Barring the obvious Corrin and Kamui, I would probably say at this point that Camilla is going to remain one of the more central characters to the story, and her role in this saga is massive compared to her role in the games. I won't spoil anything about that just yet though. That would ruin the fun. (Also: Happy birthday, Xander.)
Happy Reading!

CHAPTER 35: Warmth is Gone

Sing with me a song of Mourning and Death...

Hoshido immediately got to work preparing both to meet the Nohrians, and to give Mikoto a proper funeral. It was an all-day thing, and since the only correspondence they received from Nohr was to meet them near a border province at a river crossing. They were given a day of leeway out of respect for the departed Queen Mikoto, whose funeral ceremonies and proceedings lasted most of the day. Corrin, Ryoma, Hinoka, Yukimura, Orochi, Reina, Roku, Saizo, Kagero, and even Zenzi said different things in parting, and most people were pretty certain that both Zenzi and Hinoka were softly sobbing after they had sat down. Sakura was much less subtle about it, and Kamui was weeping into Camilla's shoulder, while she remained rather stoic. Kamui did find it surprising when Camilla gently lifted her head and moved away from her, wondering what she was up to.

To everyone's surprise, Camilla got up before the final parting of the ways, and gave a eulogy of her own to Mikoto out of respect.

"Lady Mikoto and I did not know each other long," she began, "And even now I'm sure that many of you are not fully comfortable with the presence of a Nohrian Princess at the funeral of your beloved queen, particularly after the enmity our countries have displayed for so long. However… Despite only having met her recently at the Izumo Peace Summit, I will say right now that Mikoto felt more like a mother to me than my own mother ever did. I will not go into specifics, but it suffices me to say that I loved Lady Mikoto with the same fervor as many of you do. She was a beloved mother and a paragon of kindness and empathy. The continent of Ferevs has lost a miraculous woman… for someone to have such a profound effect even on me in such a short time, I felt morally obligated to give her these last words as a final respect. I have emphasized many times with the royal family that my own family is the center of my life and that which I cherish above all else. Lady Mikoto was family to me, even in the brief time I knew her. I will not forget her sacrifices, nor will I forget her dreams."

She ended her speech abruptly and returned to sit with Kamui again, leaving a sort of awed silence in her wake. Yukimura stepped back up to help officiate the closing of the ceremony.

"That was…" he admitted, "a remarkably touching eulogy, actually. I will admit that I feared the worst when I saw the Nohrian disrupt the process just now… but it seems that Princess Camilla is merely a further reminder of how vast this tragedy is for the people of Hoshido, and even of Ferevs as a whole."

He continued with a few closing words, and the somber ceremony concluded a few minutes later. Ryoma actually stopped Camilla as they returned to the castle. Hinoka stood beside him, and Sakura behind her. Even Takumi couldn't help but stop to look at Camilla.

"That was…" Ryoma cleared his throat, "more touching than I would have expected. Thank you."

"I was not lying when I emphasized how important my family is to me," Camilla softly explained, "the discussion she and I had in Izumo was a turning point for me, and I knew that this woman's intentions were pure. I stand also by my promise to find whoever did this and end them—permanently."

"I understand," Ryoma nodded, "and I do not suspect that you were involved in any way. Still… I am admittedly surprised at what you did and said. It is not unwelcome… but I apologize for not thinking better of you before."

"It's agonizing to lose family," Camilla agreed, "I can hardly fathom how anguishing this must be for all of you."

"It's… hard…" Hinoka stuttered, "But… I've gotta admit, Camilla… that was actually really beautiful. I really hope you meant everything you said."

"I meant every word." she kissed the crown of Hinoka's head. "Your mother was a good woman. Maybe it's Kamui's affection rubbing off on me, but I think I could get along with all of you fairly well—even you, young man." She turned to Takumi.

"It wasn't bad…" Takumi scoffed, "and just because it wasn't you doesn't mean it wasn't Nohr…"

Camilla simply stared Takumi down until he caved.

"Alright!" he shook his head, "Alright… It… hit me really hard, alright. I'm angry. Our Mother is dead and it's the same day she introduces our people to a Nohrian. Even my retainers are suspicious, but I… I guess I'm just looking for someone to take it out on."

"I'm not saying what you're doing is unreasonable," Camilla chuckled, "But like I told your siblings—I meant every word of what I said out there. My darling Kamui sees you as family. If you're her family, that means you're my family—and I would never betray my family."

"I'll… uh, have to get back to you on that," Takumi scratched his head, not entirely sure how to handle Camilla's forwardness especially with his own conflicted emotions. Just… good speech, alright? Don't bother me anymore about it though, okay?"

Camilla chuckled. "Don't worry; you got your point well enough across to me." she promised.

"So why did you do it?" Corrin was much more subtle with his emotions than Kamui, "How did you so swiftly befriend our mother that way?"

"Perhaps a story for another day," Camilla sighed, "My mother was a cold and unloving woman who cared for little save her own gain. She disappeared from the castle decades ago, but every now and again she showed up again to help me hone my skills. I know what she was trying to do, but she was never able to take my agency away. Don't worry about me though—I'm not here to share my sbob stories. I am here to mourn the loss of a wonderful queen and mother; and to offer you my utmost condolences for your loss."
"Th-thank you…" Corrin sighed. "I might not have lashed out, but I still see Mother's final moments playing in my head. I see why Kamui loves you so much…"

Kamui smiled sweetly as this went down, her eyes still red and watery from the ceremony earlier. As Corrin departed and Takumi walked away at a much faster pace than normal, little Sakura stepped up, first looking down at her feet and then up at Camilla's regal and somewhat commanding figure and posture. She fidgeted with her hands and then looked away.

"C-Can I tell you something?" she whispered.

"Sweetheart, you can tell me everything…" Camilla promised.

"That… that was a very beautiful speech." Sakura was trembling, clearly very afraid of what she was saying, or perhaps just intimidated by talking to someone so bold and commanding like Camilla, "Mother… she… she kind of just had that effect on people. I was so happy when I realized she had had that effect on you. I just… I just wanted to say th-thank you."

"You're very welcome," Camilla put her arms around Sakura, who reciprocated and buried her face into Camilla's shoulder.

"I miss her so much already!" Sakura cried, before realizing what she was doing, "Oh… I… I really shouldn't cry on you, sh-should I?"

"Sweetheart, this whole motherly game Momma Camilla plays isn't a facade either," Camilla chuckled at how sweet and polite Sakura was, "When something weighs so heavily on your heart, let it out. I used to listen to Kamui do the same thing from time to time."

Sakura did exactly that, and Kamui frowned. It was almost ironic now that Camilla was here. It was like she was bonding better with the Hoshidans than she was, and she was their flesh and blood. She hated to think of what would happen if they turned against her. Camilla was already a savage fighter to anyone she perceived as an enemy, but for those close to her to betray her… she knew that Camilla would not take it well, and that it would spell disaster.

Then she thought about Zenzi's words. What if she was right? What if there really was another player behind the scenes that wanted to see Nohr and Hoshido reduced to ruin? But for what cause? Why would anyone want that? Was there a rival kingdom or empire that could really bring the two mightiest nations in Ferevs to their knees?

Incidentally, Corrin was wondering the same thing. He knew he had to interrogate his retainers on this when he could, and so when he found the time, he confronted Zenzi and Roku about the exact issue.

"I have to know," he insisted, "If there is a kingdom large or powerful enough to topple Hoshido or Nohr, where is it? And more importantly, where are you from? If you refuse to say because you are from said kingdom, do not withhold that from me. I am not going to judge you for actions you did not commit."

"Even if we told you where we were from," Roku explained, "you would not believe us. We will just say that we are from a land far from here; northern and cold. No one there has a reputation here in Hoshido, but that's because they are not a threat. They are not the ones dealing with invisible troops like our current enemy."

Zenzi affirmed Roku's words, which were technically true. Ferox was far from Ferevs (to the point where no one had heard of it; though Feroxis, Ylisseans, and even Plegians had actually heard myths and legends of Hoshido and Nohr), but it was a northerly country and it was in fact rather cold a lot of the time.

"And who is the current enemy if not Nohr?" Corrin tilted his head.

"That's what we don't know," Zenzi lied, simply out of not wanting to trigger the curse. "Our people enjoy sparring, but not warring and invading like the flickering soldiers."

"I will trust you then," Corrin promised, "please don't let that trust be in vain."

"We came from a world plagued by war," Roku affirmed, "We do not wish to end up in another one just like it."

"What happened exactly?" Corrin looked curious, having realized he never asked his retainers such a basic question after all these years.

"There's not much to say that is worth discussing," Roku grunted, reminding Corrin why he usually didn't ask him or Zenzi about their pasts, "but to sum it up, most of our friends were dead before we came here. There's nothing worth returning to, and so we remain in Hoshido."

"A fair point," Corrin conceded, "I did not mean to bring up uncomfortable memories. Come; let us return to the castle. I don't imagine that tomorrow is going to be a very glorious meeting with so much of Hoshido blaming Nohr."

"All it's going to do is make them angrier at us," Zenzi frowned. She didn't want a battle against Nohr either, for she feared that Camilla's retainers would then return, which could potentially pit her and Roku against Arozza. Meeting on opposite sides of the battlefield as enemies was not something she wanted to happen at all.

Whether it was from Mikoto's all-day funeral ceremonies or whether it was from the grim anticipation of Nohr's retribution for the blame game that Hoshidans were playing on them, there was a looming silence that hovered over Castle Shirasagi that evening as the family members retired for the night. The lights that were usually on in Mikoto's room late into the evening were now off, and the room remained empty and untouched, waiting for an owner that would never return. Sakura wound up joining Hinoka to cry on each other's shoulders, while even Corrin found himself feeling more sensitive than usual.

Kamui was a wreck over it though, and it was only through the emotional fortitude of Camilla comforting her that evening that she was able to get any sleep at all. Her world had been turned sideways after all of the events that had transpired over the last few weeks: she hadn't even spent a week in Castle Krakenburg before she was captured by Hoshidans and brought to Shirasagi where her world was turned sideways. She met her mother and had nearly negotiated peace between Hoshido and Nohr, before Mikoto was given an untimely assassination, which finished turning her world upside-down.

She couldn't help but wonder what tomorrow would bring. Choosing which family she wanted to live with was not the Day of Reckoning, but this upcoming encounter was.