A/N: Oh... this hurt to type up.

B.I. Beast: Azura took the week off, so no. The only characters here are the Hoshidan and Nohrian Royals, Corrin and Kamui, his wife Felicia and her husband Kaze, and Kana.

Off in the distance, Corrin spotted an enormous castle in the distance, the one he assumes is where this greater evil lies. His eyes glaze over the building, before his mind goes back to the last few days, where the Vallites had suddenly intensified their assaults, before just stopping. The fracture between his and Kamui's army was clear from those fights, even more so for the gap between Kamui's own family. While the only real injury on Corrin's side was Hinoka's pegasus having its leg getting a gash along it, there were a number of major hits on Kamui's side.

Xander sported a new scar across his chest, a sword strike that landed after he was hit by a fireball. Camilla took the brunt of a lightning spell, protecting Kamui. Leo had a single puncture wound on his right shoulder. Kaze took several sword and axe hits for Kamui. Kamui and Elise were the only ones truly unharmed.

Of course, that was all on the physical level, emotions were a whole other story. Kamui and Kaze were caught somewhere between closer and farther. One moment would have them in arm's reach, the next would be at least two spears apart. This has been happening since the morning after Xander and Corrin had a near fight. However, at first they would be closer for longer, then it started slowly shifting to being apart for longer.

The idea of it caused him to shiver, as he couldn't possibly imagine him and Felicia doing the same. How does Kaze feel about the marriage? Surely they love each other, right? Were the Nohrian royals married, too? Surely they weren't stripped of that joyous feeling… Waking up every morning, the love of your life lying beside you.

"Brother." Takumi walks beside him, a concerned look on the archer's face, "I'm assuming you're going to talk to… her, tonight?"

"I am." Corrin will think of something, it'll just take time.

"Mind if I join you?" He hesitates, as much as he loves his family, they don't share the same optimistic view as him, but…

"I want to bring my wife with me, this time." A full smile shows on his face, maybe if he can get both Kaze and Kamui there…

Takumi looked hurt for the briefest of moments, but nods, "Good luck, brother." With that piece said, the two depart from each other, with Corrin heading to go to Felicia.

Considering the early-ish hours, he found her in their tent, trying intently on properly putting her princess outfit on, with Kana helping her. "It feels tight again…" The Ice Tribe Maid made Hoshidan Princess sighs.

"Really? I made sure to make the knot loose…" Kana replies.

Even now, Felicia still struggles with the simple things, but he wouldn't want her any other way. "You have the wrong sash for that outfit, love." Felicia startles at his voice, her face going red with embarrassment, while Kana lets out a small 'oh, whoops'. Smiling, Corrin heads over to sift through her various pieces of clothing, his eyes quickly locating the correct one. "Here, let me get this for you."

Well, he would have, had Kana not gently nudged herself in between them, "Can I do it, daddy?" She asked, eyes as wide as ever when it comes to questions. "I gotta learn these things, too!" She smiles, and he can guess her mind is running through the moments where she'll get to dress as a princess.

"You never did tell us if you prefer to wear the Ice Tribe's princess garb or the Hoshidan princess's dress." Corrin pointed out as he gave her the sash.

Kana scrunches her face… kind of like how Elise did when she was focusing intently on something. A sudden pain hits his heart, there is a version of Elise out there right now. "Actually," Kana finally speaks up, "Auntie Camilla told me she would sew me a dress!" For some reason, only Camilla gets 'Auntie', Hinoka and Sakura get 'Aunt'. "Daddy?" Her expression turns concerned.

"You're thinking about them, aren't you?" Felicia asks. "I need to admit, it's… unnerving sometimes, seeing them." She sniffles as she looks away, tears already forming, "I look their way, and when I see Princess Elise…" As with Flora, her tears crystallize into small icicles as they drop off of her face… Corrin doesn't know if Kana ever inherited that part, and he hopes he never has to know. The only tears Kana should ever have are ones of joy, overwhelming happiness. Their war took too much from them.

...but Kamui lost so much more. "Sh…" He coos as he moves to pull Felicia into a hug, "Please don't cry." Maybe tonight won't be a good night to take Felicia with him. He resolves to go back to Takumi and accept his offer to join him in the latest attempt for Kamui.

Kamui glanced forwards as they marched, spotting the huge castle that doesn't look so far away. That 'great evil' must be waiting there. Yet, even with such a task so close at hand, she wasn't thinking about that coming battle. There were, arguably, more important things to worry about. One of them was obviously the collective problem of Corrin's army, but the other?

Kaze. It had been nearly a week since her most vulnerable display, and she was so close to having him take her that night, but she backed out. Why? He loves her, he wants to take care of her, but she keeps pushing him back. Her body suddenly shivers from the thought of Kaze's touch, even if it was just simple strokes. It had been months since they last shared a bed… and at least a year since she gave herself to him.

The Ninja is, once more, at about one lance's distance from her. Xander takes the front, Leo is off to one side, seemingly entranced in whatever Hoshidan scroll that was pilfered from the royal library, Camilla is next to Elise, who are both bringing up the rear. And as for Corrin's army? Everyone is roughly within arms' reach…

It's sickening.

Yet, at the same time, she's envious. Maybe, maybe she should talk to Corrin?

No! What is she thinking?! Those Hoshidans have been nothing but a nuisance! All they're good at doing is provoking her family and spitting lies about their war! Kamui grits her teeth, enough to where it starts to hurt. Why did that man bring them here? She would've taken almost everyone above them.

Kamui looks up, firstly noticing the distinct lack of anyone else within her frontal line of sight. They're… all behind her, positioned in such a way that most of her body is blocked by theirs. Which means, it… She brings a hand up to her face. And there they are.

Tears. She cried, in the open. Where anyone could have seen her. She formed fists with her hands, squeezing them harder than how her teeth were clenched, willing the sorrow away with pain. But it wouldn't stop, why won't it stop!? Teeth grinding her teeth down, gauntleted fingers scratching her palms, but that had little effect compared to the tears falling down her face. It won't stop, it won't stop!

People are shouting now, but she ignores it. Her shell is crumbling and she can't get the parts back together fast enough.

She tried to ignore it, anyway. Arguments get harder to ignore when the sound of battle accompanies it. "Brynhildr!" Leo's voice is the one that breaks her from her trance, alongside the distinct flair of his Divine Weapon.

"If you take even a single step closer to my dear Kamui…" Camilla adds.

"She needs help! Look at her!" Corrin. "Is this what happens every time? You just let her stand there?" Silence, "Family helps each other, you can't just…"

"Silence!" Xander's voice booms.

Somehow though, beyond all of that, she still manages to hear another, much smaller voice, "Daddy?" It's… Kana, was it? "Why is everyone being so mean right now?"

"We shouldn't be fighting, guys." Elise follows up.

"Don't we have enough things to worry about?" Felicia.

Kamui turns on her heel, face as composed as it should be. It's easier to stay hollow if her opposers fight back. They are in the wrong, she is in the right. "Enough." She spits out, pointing her Yato at Corrin. She is in the wrong, they are in the right. "Back off."

"Well, is it? Do they not support you when you are down?" Wrong!

"Stop, please."

"We shouldn't…"

Kamui swings her sword and assumes her stance, "Leave us alone." Right!

"Love?"

"Daaady!"

"You've crossed the threshold for the last time!" Siegfried is raised high, and even without Xander being on his mount, his speed is impressive. Corrin raises his Yato, intent on trying to block…

He threw it away? Why?! Is he finally giving in? That thought was cut off the very next second, when Corrin suddenly darted forward, taking the attack over a second earlier due to purposely getting in the way. A magical barrier glimmered around him, literally a half-second before Siegfried bit into him. Sakura is holding a staff in her hands, then quickly changed it out for another one, working at a speed that seems to defy normality.

But, why did he… managing to rip her eyes away from Corrin and Xander, she saw another form on the ground, a smaller framed girl with long pigtails… "Elise?" Why did she…?

"I'm not letting you take her again, Xander!" Corrin snarled, his body partially shifted, head armor in place, his maw snapped around Xander's arm enough to prevent movement.

"Elise!" The youngest princess's name echoed through the area, and it took a moment to realize that Kamui was the one who screamed it. Her little sister flinched as Kamui stormed over to her, "Why the hell did you do that?!" She jabs a finger at Corrin, "The Hoshidans are our enemy! How could you have forgotten that!?"

"...fine." The rest of her reply was too quiet to hear.

"Eli…"

"It's because they're right!" Never before had Kamui seen Elise stand her ground like this. Her eyes were burning with a fire that would have put Hinoka's to shame, "We aren't fine, we're never together like a family! You… You threw Hoshido to big brother Xander after you moved the capital! He rarely gets to leave that office. Leo spends his time in Hoshido, taking whatever Hoshidan book or scroll or whatever he can get! And you… you've changed." The fire died out some when it came to Kamui, "You aren't the big sister you were." Elise's stance is still solid, but her eyes are now downcast. That is until her eyes were suddenly watering, "B-big s-sister?" She took a step back, her eyes wide.

"Damnit, Kamui!" She felt a pair of stern hands grab her and pull her away from Elise. "Why did you…?" She stopped focusing on Xander as her eyes scanned Elise, "...do you understand?!" trying to find why she suddenly looks so fearful, why she's openly crying, why… "Kamui!" A forceful shake from her big brother breaks her focus, "Did you not hear me?" Xander doesn't look angry, no…. He looks absolutely livid. But, what did she do? "Kamui!"

She grits her teeth as she rips her gaze from Xander, looking over Elise again… and there it is. Adorned on her right cheek is a nasty patch of red skin, in the shape of a hand, the fingertip part of this imprint has pierced her skin… Kamui looked at her right hand, where the fingertip part of her gauntlet has small pieces of skin on it, a minor amount of blood accompanying. "L-little sister?" Kamui whimpers.

She slapped Elise. "Kamui!" Xander yelled again, snapping her back into reality.

"Let go!" She nearly screamed in response, attempting to pull herself from Xander, who is stubbornly holding on to her arm. "Big brother!"

"Answer me!" He demands.

"Stand down." She spits back before she could even stop herself.

"As your King…"

"As your Commander…" The two stare each other down.

He finally lets her arm go, "When we get back to Nohr, little sister…" He lets the sentence hang.

Kamui turns on her heel and takes the front for marching, they still have several hours before it's time to camp…

Why would Elise risk her life for that… Hoshidan? That question didn't hurt nearly as much as the second. Why did she slap Elise?