A/N: After some careful consideration, chapter 7 has been both be re-done and will be split in half. The new chapter 7, this one, will only be from Corrin's PoV. Part 2, 'Chapter 8', will only be Kamui's PoV.
Again, this chapter will only have Corrin's PoV.
Temporal King: I told ya, I knew it. I couldn't sit here and just let it gooooo. So, here it is. This is it, I'm confident that this version will be the definite version. Now I just gotta re-do Kamui's part.
Corrin had never seen a situation devolve so quickly before in his entire life. One moment, he was pointing out issues in Kamui's family, the next Xander was practically man-handling Kamui, shouting about how she slapped Elise. Kamui slapped Elise. Corrin himself felt a sting, and for a moment he was stunned. Kamui slapped Elise. Even with his ever peaceful nature, he felt a pang of anger arise with that. Not only did events seem to repeat themselves, with Elise getting in front of Xander's sword, but now Elise was struck for wanting to help?!
It's clear as day that Kamui needs help, so why is her family, excluding Elise, so adamant about viewing things are 'okay'? He needs another approach, but what? He is honestly almost out of ideas. It doesn't help that he is pretty sure that this task in Valla is almost over. The castle is getting closer by the day, and even though the Vallites aren't as numerous, the quantity is being outdone by the quality. "Daddy?" Yet, even with all of that, few things hurt as bad as when Kana expresses concern. "Kamui hasn't smiled yet." His daughter is currently wearing her Maid outfit. She has an interest in cleaning, even if she's still learning.
"...I know, dear daughter." He slowly replies, "It's difficult."
"But, you promised me."
He takes a knee to meet her at eye level, "I… don't know if I'll be able to keep this promise. I'm so sorry." He strokes her light-pink hair as her eyes start to glisten, "Sh, please don't cry." He noticed that her tears were rather… reflective.
"It's cold here." Kana abruptly remarks, before one of her tears formed into an icicle as it drops off her face.
"Felicia? Love?" As much as Corrin would love to be able to comfort Kana back to a smile, he has no idea on how to teach her how to control her Ice Tribe-given abilities. He does remember that Felicia had to 'vent' her emotions into a snowstorm.
"Y-Yes!?" Felicia practically rips the flaps off of the tent as she rushes in… before slipping on a newly formed patch of ice on the ground. Thankfully, spending all of this time by her side, Corrin was able to catch her. "Whew, I don't know where that came from…" Her eyes suddenly shoot open as she turns her gaze towards Kana, "Oh, and now I do!" She nervously giggles. "Kana? Mommy is going to have to teach you some lessons!" The Hoshidan Princess cheerfully exclaims.
"O-On wh-what?" Gods, his daughter is actually shivering.
Felicia reluctantly gets herself out of Corrin's grasp, "You can trust me, love!" She smiles as she faces him, before turning it back to Kana, "It's about your Ice Tribe heritage!" With a smile on his own face, he steps back to give the two women some space. While he trusts she can handle things, he would rather not be in the immediate area of a mini-blizzard.
Corrin steps outside of the tent, another day of marching, another night of camping. It's a schedule he is honestly far too familiar with. Right now, Ryoma and Hinoka are in a conversation, Takumi is polishing his Fujin Yumi, and Sakura is handling the cooking. Sparing a moment, Corrin glances over at Kamui's side and… well, they're just there. He couldn't say much more about it. Camilla's cooking, but that is truly the only thing of note. Wait, even Kamui isn't out. If he had to take a guess, she's probably in her tent.
Maybe… maybe he'll skip talking to them tonight? It's been a while since he had a proper night with his own family. And even if they are infinitely patient, he'd rather not go too long without them. With that in mind, he gently walks over to Sakura, making sure he makes enough noise along the way, as to not to startle her. "Little sister?" He asks.
"O-One moment, pl-please." She briefly looks up, before stirring the stew some more. "It still needs more time…" There is a tinge of disappointment in her voice. "Did you need something?" She smiles.
"Do you need any help?" Is the first thing that comes out of his mouth.
She hums for a few seconds, "No, but thank you!" She spares a glance at him, before returning her attention to the stew, "Do you need any help?"
He was about to say some advice for Kamui, but… "I have all of my family with me, I can't ask for more."
"Then there is something wrong." Takumi calls out from his spot, seeming to be pleased with the now-cleaned Fujin Yumi.
"Kamui?" Hinoka asks.
"Brother, we should leave her be." Ryoma adds.
"Little sister?" Corrin turns his attention back to Sakura.
"We sh-should focus on u-us. I d-don't think we c-can help her."
"Things have only been getting worse for her." It's Ryoma again.
"...Alright." Corrin finally concedes, before taking a spot on one of the seats. "You're right."
"What matters is that you did what you could, right?" Felicia and Kana pops out of their tent, with the latter looking far more like the Kana he loves, smiling brightly.
"Daddy! Look at what I can do!" She proceeds to summon a few snowflakes, giggling as she dances around in them, before she ends up tripping and landing in Felicia's arms. "Oh, whoops." His wife and daughter take a spot beside him, then the others, with Sakura being last as she pours out some stew for everyone. For a moment, things were returning to normal, like they were on a simple camping trip.
Only for a moment, "Brother?" Takumi asks as his sharp eyes scan the area, landing on the form of a small woman, the youngest of the Nohrian royalty.
Elise is slowly inching over, with her Nohrian family sending… looks of sympathy? Are they envious that Elise is able to move on? That she has the will to step out of the clearly terrible situation Kamui's family is in? Corrin can still clearly see the red handprint on her cheek. For a moment, he felt like jumping up from his seat and embrace the youngest Nohrian Princess, but he manages to stop himself. An image comes and goes of his Elise, the one who bled out in Xander's hands, a man he once considered a big brother. "B-Big brother!" He hisses as the stew he was holding splashes off onto his lap, his body trembling. She's right there! Alive!
But she's not her! This isn't the Elise he called little sister at one point… but she is. For the first time since arriving here, he felt a sudden surge of emotions, far stronger than any other so far. She… isn't the same Elise. "Little brother." Ryoma gently states, "I can't claim to understand exactly what you're feeling, but…"
"She isn't the same Elise… I know." He quietly interrupts. "But still," Elise had stopped at about where the campfire's flames stopped providing light, providing more than enough illumination for all of them to see her clearly. Contracting her masterfully done dress and hair, her face is still glistening from tears, like she never bothered to wipe them off. "I hate seeing her like that." He always associated Elise as Nohrian's little ball of sunshine, but she looks anything but happy right now.
And so, for a moment, Corrin stands there, unable to form any proper words, as Elise stares back, seemingly in the same position. She's there, but she's not her. "Daddy?" Kana asks.
"Love?" Felicia follows up, and he spares a glance for both. Felicia would know better than anyone how badly Elise's death affected him. While Corrin is usually the one comforting Felicia, mostly due to her self-deprecating attitude when it comes to her clumsiness, Felicia was the one comforting Corrin through the nights. It became clear to her that he really cared for Elise over that time…
Cared for her more than a pseudo brother and sister relationship.
And now she's there… but she's not her. Corrin gulps, before turning his eyes back on Elise, who has yet to move, but somehow looks ready to leave the second she gets denied. "Princess Elise." He finally finds his voice. "Would you like to join us for dinner?" The effect was instantaneous…
She resumed her walk, moving much closer to a jog. "I would love to!" Up close, he could see in even clearer detail on just how different her face is compared to the rest of her. The very tips of the handprint, where the nails would be, there are small holes, like those in the tips of gauntlets. The streaks of dried tears actually divert from a normal trail, which means they were being wiped away, but she gave up after a while. "Um…" She starts, but seems unable to continue.
"Um…" He responds as awkwardly. She's there, but she's not her. "Would you like to sit down?" She simply nods, as if talking would just make things even weirder. "Then uh, over here?" He guides her to the spot near his, then allows her some space as he takes up the rest… still with his stew-stained pants. His mouth suddenly felt so much drier, "E-Elise?"
"Mhm?" The tension is extremely thick in the air.
"H-Here you go!" Which Sakura thankfully breaks by offering each of them a bowl.
"Ooo, thank you!" Elise exclaims, already sounding far more happy than how she looked earlier, however she doesn't actually to start eating yet, instead opting to just stare at it, as if this isn't actually happening.
"Love?" Corrin calls out, before gesturing towards his right cheek, Felicia nods.
"Princess Elise?" Felicia gently asks, "Would it be okay if I, uh, looked at your… cheek?"
"...It's alright, it has some ointment on it." She weakly tries to brush it off.
"Ice magic works faster than ointments."
"If you want to." Elise smiles.
"O-okay! This might sting for a tiny bit." Felicia's hands emit a small cold aura as they gently brush the princess's cheek, she jumps, but that's all the response she got. "There we go!"
"Thank you." Elise cheerfully says, then taking one sip of the stew, "Wooow, who made this? It's super-yummy!"
"I-I did, Pr-Princess E-Elise." Sakura speaks up. "I-I'm gl-glad you like it!"
For a moment, Elise's gaze becomes distant, and tears even start to form. "What's wrong?" Corrin is the first to ask.
Her eyes are now downcast, "A lot of bad things happened in the war." She starts off, causing the air to tense, "I'm so happy to see all of you alive and happy and…" She actually starts crying, "So many people died and big sister wasn't acting like big sister and everyone was getting so angry all the time and Kamui ordered us to start killing people and she removed me from the battles because she didn't want me to 'see the war' but that didn't stop the soldiers from informing me from what almost have killed them or the talk that happens around dinner times…" She rambles on.
"Little sister…" Corrin gently says, while pulling her into a hug, being mindful not to cause the stew to spill over. "Sh…"
"...D-Do you kn-know the last time someone hugged me?" She abruptly asks, as she digs to get more of the embrace, "It was near the start of the war, it's been years. Nobody wanted to hug me for three years." He responds with a quick squeeze. Even with her current sorrow, she still feels so nice.
"Elise…" He unconsciously says. She's here… but she's not her. It's an unfortunate fact he reminds himself as he has to pry himself from holding her any longer. "H-How are you?"
She opens her mouth, but closes it… then opens it again, "How'd you know?" She counters his question, "From last time? When…?"
If she actually finished her question, then he didn't hear it, though she doesn't have to. "Because… that's what happened in my world." He trembles in place, digging into that scar that has long since closed. He can still clearly see it happening, like it was just yesterday… rather than nearly three years ago.
"Oh." She replies in an anti-climatic manner.
"E-Elise!" Corrin suddenly exclaims, "I-I have something to show you." And how could he have forgotten? He did tell Jakob to have them preserved until the end of time. He was about to get up, but Felicia managed to keep him from leaping out of the seat.
"I'll get them." She offers a gentle smile, as if she knew he was going to bring this up. "I'll be right back, dear." She says to Kana, before placing her bowl to the side, and leaving for the Convoy.
"Did you get me something?" Elise asks, "Or is it for the… 'other' me?"
"It's… actually something the uh, 'other' you got me." He admits.
"Okaaay!" Felicia sings as she hands Corrin the precious small-wrapped present. It's a box.
That's only been opened one time before. "After the war, Jakob showed me my room in Krakenburg," He starts as he gently removes the ribbons, "You all… had a birthday party planned." He stopped himself as his vision blurs from another new set of tears. "And this one's… from you." He hands her the now unwrapped box.
Which she accepts, "Is this a miniature Dusk Dragon figurine?" She asks, "Enchanted wood?" Corrin hesitated, and simply nodded. "You… kept it?" While it should be a happy prospect… why does she sound sad about it?
"All of them. A sword from Xander, a sweater from Camilla, a…"
"'Manly Recollection of Cherished Events' from Leo?" She giggles… she finally giggles. It's a sound he dearly missed.
"Yes." He nods after he manages to stifle his own string of laughter. It seemed like…
"I wish she did the same." And once more, the atmosphere turned heavy.
"Do you mean…?"
"Kaze left with Big sister Kamui… then Kaze asked for Big sister Camilla, and for her to bring her tome with her." She stops herself, "I felt a surge of magic from that direction and before we left, I looked. Kamui had Camilla burn a room, the only thing I really saw was some armor… kinda of like what you have on now."
And he's wearing what Ryoma crafted for him… which means, "Gods." She had Camilla burn his… her room? What else did she do? Is it not bad enough that the Hoshidan Royal family is dead? That she had to destroy whatever remained? Maybe he shouldn't help? With that sort of grim realization occuring, he can see why Camilla, Leo, and Xander don't try to fix things. Kamui's too far gone, to help would risk making things worse… and he would know that latter part the best.
He looks over at Elise, who is now happily eating the stew while kicking her legs. She looks more like the Elise he knows… except.
She's here, but she's not her.