Though the band of soldiers' spirits may have brightened with the new day, a dark cloud loomed over the morose princess still.

Kamui had barely slept for three hours the previous night. How could she? The Silent Dragon—the very being they'd set out to kill—had appeared to her in private, and not only that, but she'd been told that apparently she could potentially live for thousands of years. Thousands. She wasn't even thirty yet, and she still felt as if the early years of her life had come and gone. What was she supposed to do with this knowledge?

Corrin told her that he was lying, but Kamui knew a liar when she saw one, and Anankos spoke nothing but the truth. She would live to see empires rise and fall, billions of sunrises and sunsets, and everyone around her crumble to dust. According to Anankos, Kana was the same, but not Sophie. Camilla always used to tell her that parents outliving their children was always a tragedy whenever she'd talk about the countless men she'd killed over the course of that damned war, and now, Kamui was expected to go through exactly that. It made her sick to her stomach.

A thought dawned on her. Even if she did have a natural lifespan of over a millennium, people died of unnatural causes all of the time. The fact that she could outlive everyone she'd ever met did not necessarily mean that she would. There was still the matter of her physically aging slowing to a halt, but whenever she felt the time was the right…

"So, how've your other set of brothers and sisters been treating you?"

The question cut through the white noise of Kamui's mind like steel through flesh, snapping her out of her own head and back to reality. It took a second to process where she was. She had a fork in her hand. There was chatter all around her. Camilla, Silas, and Elise were sitting with her at a wooden table, all with plates of food in front of them. Right, she was supposed to be eating breakfast. She blinked and raised a forkful of scrambled eggs to her mouth.

"Fine," she said as she took a bite.

Camilla frowned. "I don't believe you. I may not be watching you like a hawk, but every time I see you interact with them, it's like seeing a baby wolf rejected by its pack. You seem so sad."

"Don't I always seem sad?"

Kamui's words seem to momentarily shock the queen, her body growing stiff before she let out a deep sigh. "You do, yes, but it's a different sort of sadness. When you're around them, it's almost as if you're in pain…I don't like seeing you like that, Kamui."

She didn't respond. Instead, she focused her attention on the breakfast that had been prepared for her. As the mood at the table grew more and more dour, Silas cleared his throat and offered a friendly smile.

"Don't beat yourself up over it. I mean, you can't expect them to do a complete one-eighty in just a few days, can you? Think about it. They probably spent years despising you, so they're not just going to suddenly stop just because Corrin thinks you're cool now. Didn't you used to hate them, too? I'm sure they'll come around eventually."

Silas wasn't as helpful as he thought he was, but Kamui appreciated the sentiment nonetheless. "I never hated them," she corrected, not bothering to look up from her food. "When the war began in earnest, I was ambivalent at best and apathetic at worst. They never mattered to me because I thought of them as just more enemies. Corrin was the one I directed my hate towards, and that was only because I felt he betrayed us. I suppose he returned the favor a few years later."

"And I'm assuming that you don't still feel that way, do you?"

Kamui pursed her lips. "…Of course not. After everything that's happened, how could I?" She raised her fork to her mouth, paused, then gently set it back down on her plate before propping her elbows up on the table and holding her head in her hands. "When I was in captivity in Shirasagi, Hinoka and Takumi came to visit my cell one night. At first I thought that they'd come to kill me themselves, or that I might receive the same sort of reprimanding that Corrin had given me, but I didn't get either. They just talked to me."

"About?"

"Hinoka wanted to know why I didn't walk with Corrin on the day that Mother died. She'd spent her entire life working herself to the bone so that she could become the best soldier she could be and one day bring her little brother and sister home, all for me to choose to fight against her in a war. At the time, she said that she didn't hate me, but…I think she was just saying that for my sake. As for Takumi, he told me all about how I was only there due to my own decisions and about how much strife I'd caused them over the years. He ended up threatening your lives as well, but in retrospect, I don't think he meant it. He just wanted to upset me."

"Well, that wasn't very nice of him," Camilla said with a maternal disappointment in her voice.

"No, it wasn't, but I can't blame him. After all, I've done some not-so-nice things in my days, too." The princess sighed and sank deeper into her seat. Gods, she was tired. "After all that, I couldn't very well go on not feeling anything towards them. I mean so much to them, even if it's not in a positive way. The way Ryoma looks at me…it's as if all he can see is what's come of this war. Not his little sister. Sakura seems sympathetic, and I don't believe that Azura holds any ill will towards anyone, but as for the rest, I don't think that there's anything I could do that would make them forgive me."

"Well, I say to hell with that notion to begin with."

Kamui raised her head only to see Camilla looking surprisingly upset, a deep frown on her face and her arms crossed. Elise and Silas, too, seemed surprised.

"Kamui, you know full well that you are the light of my life. You are one of the kindest, most loving, goodhearted people I know, and if those Hoshidans can't see that, then it's their loss. If they're always just going to see you as Big Bad Kamui, then why bother putting any energy towards lamenting over that? If you ask me, I say forget about them." A vein bulged in the queen's forehead and her face began to redden, her jaw clenched. "With the way they treat you, they don't deserve you."

Upon noticing the pained look on Kamui's face and the growing irritation on Camilla's, Silas promptly leaned closer to the queen to grab Kamui's attention and intervened. "W-well, I don't know if it's a good idea to be THAT extreme. If she wants a good relationship with her birth family, then what's to stop her from pursuing that?" He nudged Elise with his elbow and gave her a desperate look. "What do you think, Elise?"

The young princess did not so much as look up from her food, instead only shrugging. "I don't think anything," she mumbled. "I don't know these people. All I have to go off of is how I observe them and what Kamui says about them, and anything I would get from that isn't guaranteed to be accurate. Whatever I'd have to say would be worthless."

Kamui winced. She would have expected a response like that from someone like Leo or Dwyer, but Elise? Her bright, bubbly baby sister? It was then that a thought dawned on her…when was the last time she had actually seen Elise's smile? Last she could recall was on the night she'd discovered the scars on Kamui's legs, and that was weeks ago. While it was true that Elise's perpetual jubilance had of course mellowed out over the years as she'd matured, she was still usually optimistic and vivacious. Lately, however, she'd been taciturn and glum. Had…had seeing Kamui's scars had that much of an effect on her, or was there something else going on?

With a frustrated huff, Silas shook his head and gulped down the rest of his milk. "Man, you guys are really bringing me down. Just because we're still fighting even after the war's ended doesn't mean we have to be all gloomy."

"I agree! In fact, I'm in rather high spirits today."

They turned their heads to watch as Shigure approached with his usual smile on his face and a pep in his step. While his mother had been taking her time returning to her usual self, Shigure seemed to have been in a good mood even after Xander died. Kamui supposed it made sense. After all, his plan of joining two armies together to stand against a mad god was finally coming to fruition.

"Good morning, Shigure!" Camilla greeted with a friendly wave, the tension instantly draining away from her face. "Done with breakfast already? Tell me, how did you like it? Our Peri worked extra hard to make it as delicious as it could be!"

"Why, I'd say it was rather delectable. She's a talented cook indeed. Now, I'm just here to let you know that after about two hours of travel today, we'll be coming across an old library that Mother and I used to visit often. In fact, it's how we have so much knowledge on Valla to begin with. Corrin would like for us to stop there to see if there's anything we can use to discern the location of the Silent Dragon."

Elise raised an eyebrow. "But…Iago said that the books that talked about the curse were lies. What if we just find more misinformation?"

"Unlikely. We know for a fact that most of what Mother and I have gathered over the years is true, and since it's all information we've gained from the library, I believe it's safe to say that the only falsified information is the kind that's related to the curse, and even then it may not be completely wrong. Either way, we believe that making a pitstop at the library will be greatly beneficial for us."

"And if we're attacked while we're there?"

"Then we fight just like we would if we were anywhere else."

Kamui opened her mouth to speak, but stopped upon noticing a head of shimmering azure hair just behind Shigure's back. The girl gasped when she realized that she'd been seen and took cover. Kamui blinked at her.

"I can see you, you know. You're…Midori, right?"

After a few moments, the little girl peeked out from behind her older brother and stared at the foreigners with a furrowed brow. Kamui recalled that this was the girl that'd seemed the most hesitant about assisting in the plan to free her from her captivity in Shirasagi. It'd never crossed her mind at the time, but now, the thought occurred to her that this girl was Shigure's little sister.

"Oh, aren't you just the cutest little thing! Your mother must feel so lucky to have you," Camilla said, adoration dripping from her words. Silas only smiled while Elise seemed more interested in finishing her breakfast than greeting anyone. Midori did not acknowledge those two, instead keeping her gaze fixed on Kamui as she bit down on her tongue.

"…Kotomi wants to talk to you."

And with that, she scurried off like a kitten that had been startled by something much larger.

"Kotomi?" Silas' nose wrinkled. "Corrin's kid? She wants to talk to you? Hey, maybe that means your Hoshidan family is warming up to you faster than we thought!"

Kamui gave a faux smile. "Maybe so."

The chances of Kotomi simply wanting to engage in casual conversation were low, so Kamui figured that there must have been something important that she wanted to speak to her about. As far as she could gather, Kotomi had been the one to organize the scheme to liberate her before she could be executed, so it likely was related to that.

"I'll go see what she wants. Be back soon."

"Don't take too long! Your food will get cold if you do!" Camilla warned, but by that point, Kamui had already made her way halfway across the mess hall towards the table where Kotomi was. To her surprise, she found that the young kunoichi was sitting with both of her children alongside Shiro, Selkie, and Rhajat. As the princess approached, a sly smile crept across the diviner's face.

"Well, well. It's been far too long, Princess Kamui. It hurts that you haven't come to see me even once since arriving in Hoshido, you know," Rhajat said, feigning offense. "I forgive you, though. As long as I get to see your face, I don't mind having to wait a little bit."

"Hey." Kana snapped his fingers. "Not only is she out of your age range, but she's already married with two kids."

"Out of my age range? She's what, twenty-six or so? I turned twenty-three not too long ago."

Sophie gasped, leaning closer in awe. "You're twenty-three? But you look like a teenager! How do you keep your skin so nice and smooth?"

"I think you're exaggerating how old twenty-three is. To answer your question, dark magic can do wonders for the body. Well," Rhajat cast a sympathetic look over towards the direction where Nyx was sitting alone with Niles, "provided you take the proper precautions. Otherwise, it could prove disastrous."

"Ooh!" Selkie's ears stood straight up. "Do you think your magic could make my fox form even bigger? What if I were HUGE? Then I could tear through bad guys like it was nothing!"

Kotomi raised a stiff hand before Rhajat could respond, her eyes closed and lips in a tight line. "Please, you guys, let's not get off topic…Princess Kamui. Would you mind sitting with us for a moment?"

"Of course not."

Kana scooted over on the bench to make room for his mother, twisting up his face upon brushing shoulders with Sophie. She stuck her tongue out at him before Kamui sat. "Is there something I can help you with?" Kamui asked.

"Sort of," Shiro answered with a mouthful of half-chewed sausage. Noticing everyone's displeased expressions, he rolled his eyes and swallowed before continuing. "Kotomi's stressing herself out over nothing and wants to know what you think."

"It is not nothing," Kotomi insisted, almost hissing. She took a deep breath and looked her aunt in the eyes. "Now that things are more…stable, and now that my father's condition has improved, I've been considering coming clean to him about the role my friends and I played in your escape from Castle Shirasagi."

Rhajat snickered. "Aw, you called us your friends. How cute."

"Hush. My concern is that the truth will come out one way or another, and I fear that if it does without us intending for it to, the consequences will be…harsh, to say the least. Though it may appear that my father is back to normal, there is still that darkness in his eyes. I'm worried that his mood may be volatile."

Kamui raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by 'volatile'?"

"Well, I've asked my mother about it, and she tells me that he claims that Anankos' influence over him was broken when you two, err, stabbed each other during the final battle of the war. However, I fear that that may not be the case. Tell me, when exactly did my father's eyes change their appearance? Were you there to witness it?"

"I was. It happened when—" At that moment, Kamui became painfully aware that her children were sitting right next to her. How could she tell the truth in this situation? Was she supposed to be honest and say that it started while she was begging him to kill her right then and there? Of course not. "…He, ah, had me backed into a corner at one point. He seemed dead set on killing me at the time, and there was this purple fog surrounding him, but he seemed to take that fog into his body by way of willpower alone. He wanted a fair fight as opposed to killing a fish in a barrel, I suppose. That was when his eyes started to change. Of course, he was still enraged after that, but he insists that he was the one in full control then."

Kotomi pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. "I see…I'm told that something similar happened to Uncle Takumi at one point, and that he was saved by hearing Auntie Azura's song. The fog then dissipated rather than being drawn into himself…this is what's vexing me."

"You see what I mean, right?" Shiro shot an imperative look towards Kamui and shrugged his shoulders. "Of course the darkness is going to go away differently—they were different situations. Takumi's was dealt with using Azura's song and Corrin's was dealt with by his own will or something. It's really not something to stress yourself out over, Kotomi."

"And what if it isn't gone? Assuming the fog represents the Silent Dragon's control over someone, it didn't disappear for my father, it just went somewhere else. What if Anankos is biding his time and waiting for the right moment to seize control so that he can take us all out in one fell swoop?"

Kana cocked his head, unconvinced. "I see where you're coming from, but don't you think he would have done that by now? We all sleep in the same general area, after all. He could have crept out of bed and stuck a dagger in our throats just last night."

"Mhm! And Uncle Corrin's real quiet when he wants to be, too. It's 'cause of all that ninja training he got from Auntie Kagero and Uncle Kaze! I bet he even has some way to mask his scent so that Daddy and I wouldn't be able to smell him!"

"Was the only reason you all decided to stay here while I consulted Kamui so that you could try to convince her that I'm paranoid?" Kotomi accused with a rare harshness in her tone. She sighed, removing her glasses and rubbing her shirt against the lenses. For the first time, Kamui noticed that those glasses held beneath them a hidden intensity, one that no one would ever believe could lay within such an otherwise polite and soft spoken young woman. "As I was saying. What do you think? You know my father better than anyone—certainly better than I. I've only spent around a collective three years living with him, after all."

Kamui held her hands in her lap as she paid close attention to Kotomi's words. Could it be true? For as much as he maintained that Anankos' influence on him faded during their fight in Castle Shirasagi, the man she crossed blades with at the time certainly did not seem like the little brother she once knew. Then again, neither did the man she was fighting alongside now. Evidently he had undergone a dramatic shift in personality during their years apart just as she had, having gone from a meek and bashful boy to a strong and confident man. It was entirely possible that this change in temperament had included gaining the capacity to exhibit such , from what she understood, the words he spoke at the time were unlike those that Takumi had said when Anankos had him in his grasp. They were rational and coherent, but more than that, they were so quintessentially Corrin .

As she sat, all their eyes watching her, her brother's words echoed in her mind.

"You're nothing but a beast in human skin."

"All you do is kill, and destroy, and burn and break and bury and take."

"Monster. Murderer. Coward."

A chill ran down her spine as she dug her fingernails into her thighs, wincing not from the pain—she was far too used to it by now—but from the memories.

Kotomi stared. "Princess…?"

"Ah!" Kamui shot up with wide eyes, glancing over her surroundings and reminding herself that she was supposed to be addressing another person. "Apologies, I had to think about the question for a moment. I…truth be told, I cannot say for sure. Your theory seems plausible, however, we have no real way of knowing for sure. I wouldn't fret over it if I were you, though, unless you'd like to spend the rest of this journey worrying about whether or not your own father is going to stab you in the back. If you're correct and Anankos does still have some semblance of control over him, then…well, we'll deal with that when the time comes. I'm certain we can help him without hurting him. Much."

The young girl thinned her eyes and shifted in her seat. Though she did not appear to be entirely convinced, she nodded along. "I see. If that's what you think, then I'll trust you. Thank you."

Sophie let out a sigh of relief, leaning back in her chair. "Phew. I was worried for a second there. If we had to come up with some sort of contingency plan for if Uncle Corrin turned on us, I don't know if I could take it."

"That kind of sounds like fun though. Can we do it anyway?" Selkie asked, tail wagging.

"Feel free to do that on your own. As for myself, I'm planning on seeing if I can't get a few magical pointers from the poindexter prince while we're around each other," Rhajat said, rising out of her seat and taking a step away from the table. She gave Kamui a look. "Oh, and just in case, make sure not to let the little one know about this conversation. She's still being kept out of the loop."

Kana raised an eyebrow. "Little one?"

"Mhm. Corrin's other daughter, Kara." Suddenly, Shiro's eyebrows raised before he smiled, amused. "Hey. Kana, Kara. Isn't that funny? Anyway, when we were busting your mom out of imprisonment, we opted not to let her know since she probably would have spilled the beans. She's a good kid, just really attached to her dad. More than Selkie, even, and that's saying something."

"What?! Kara doesn't love her daddy more than I love mine!"

"Not a contest, relax." Shiro waved her off and turned back to Kana. "Since Corrin definitely would not have been down with us rescuing the woman he was hellbent on killing, we all figured that we should keep her out of it. Judging by her reaction after Kamui got away, it was the right call."

Kotomi nodded in agreement. "That's right. I fear for what would have happened to my friends and I if we opted to include her in the plan. For as much as I love my sister, she can be…a handful."

"Tell me about it," Sophie said, snickering. She ruffled her little brother's hair, prompting him to jerk his head away and whine in protest. "She's young, though. I'm sure she'll get better when she's older, just like my little bundle of angst here."

"Oh would you shut up?!"

Laughing at her children bickering as usual, Kamui stood. "Now, if that's all you need from me, I'm going to go prepare for today's journey. I presume Shigure has informed you all of our new destination. It shouldn't be too far, but I want to make sure that everything is in order beforehand."

"Yes, that's all. I thank you again for your consultation," Kotomi said, bowing as best she could while seated.

Sophie waved, grabbing Kana's hand and puppeting him to do the same. "Later, Mom!"

Kamui gave her good tidings to the Hoshidan children and patted her own kids on the head before leaving. Though a two hour journey was not a long one, there was still much to be done. She would have to ensure that the mounts were properly fed and stabled, weapons were entirely accounted for as well as in good condition, and that everyone was in good enough health to journey on foot. With a deep breath, she continued onwards towards her duties for the day.


The library was imposing even from a distance. Up close, though, it was terrifying.

The architectural style was similar to that of Nohr. Complete with an exterior made of what resembled black stone, countless spires and towers, and a single towering steeple in the center of it all, it evoked the various crumbling castles scattered around Nohr that had been in ruins for nearly a thousand years as noble families rose and fell. What added to this was that the library itself appeared to be rather old, clearly having not been tended to in years. The stone was severely cracked all around and several portions of the building appeared to be beginning to crumble away, evident by the numerous holes all around.

The interior was even worse. While the library did appear to be rather large from the outside, nothing could have prepared the band of soldiers for what awaited them on the inside. The library could only be described as vast. Twisting stairs led to floors upon floors of what felt like an infinite amount of books that lined the walls, almost as if they were the walls themselves. The only source of illumination was the sunlight peering in from glass windows scattered about each level of the building, revealing billions of dust particles floating through the air.

"This place feels like a biohazard," Mitama said with a wince, covering her mouth and nose with her sleeve. They all stood at the bottom level of the library, most of them looking up at the floors above them.

"You can say that again." Velouria stifled a cough and cringed. "Do we get masks or something? I doubt I can stay here for more than ten minutes without suffering an asthma attack—and I don't even have asthma."

"Don't you collect balls of dust? I thought this would be a paradise for you," Forrest teased. "That aside, these two are right. We can try and open all the windows, but I doubt that would be much help."

Rhajat let out a sigh loud enough to draw everyone's attention towards her, then mumbling something under her breath. "…Useless. Dad."

"Already ahead of you, sweetheart."

Hayato cracked his knuckles and took a step forward, closing his eyes and inhaling as deep as he could. The man reached out his hands, circlets of wind appearing around his wrists and each of his fingers before expanding wider and wider. Then, the rings shot out from Hayato's hands and scattered all throughout the library as they continued to grow. It was then that everyone noticed that they could breathe clearer now, and looking into the sunbeams revealed that there was no dust drifting through the air.

Rinkah crossed her arms, impressed. "That's my man."

Corrin smiled at him as Rhajat gagged. "Thank you, Hayato. We all appreciate it. Now then." The commander turned around and put his hands on his hips, looking skyward and scanning his surroundings. "There are ten stories in total to this library, all of which consist of several rooms, hallways and the like. This is the only major milestone we have planned today, so I'm willing to spend all day here, truthfully. However, there's still the matter of how exactly we're going to go about looking through all of this without having to return tomorrow morning. There may be a lot of us, but everyone going off on their own would certainly only result in people searching areas that others have already been through."

Azura could not help but giggle to herself, standing by Corrin's side and looking as healthy as she had for weeks. "I'm sure you can all see where he's going with this. We're going to be divided into groups and assigned sections of the library to examine. The two of us spent much of last night deliberating over who would be with who and the sections they would take, all while staring at what may have been the worst attempt at a floor plan that I've ever seen." The songstress shrugged. "What can I say? I'm no artist."

"Now then!" Corrin clapped and smiled at those around him, friends, family, and strangers alike, all while his dark eyes seemed to almost shimmer in the sunlight. "Azura and I have taken it upon ourselves to decide what the teams of four will be on our own. Before we announce what they are, I implore you all to think of it as a team building exercise."

Immediately, several people groaned while others shifted uncomfortably where they stood. They could all tell what was coming from a mile away. Kamui in particular grimaced, her eyes darting from one Hoshidan to the other. Hopefully, Corrin would be merciful.

"Many of us haven't gotten to know our new companions very well recently. Some even harbor negative feelings towards the people that are supposed to be their allies. A lack of trust could cost a life on the battlefield, and in order to minimize the risk of something like that happening, we're going to be having two Hoshidans and two Nohrians on each team. Without further adieu, I'll begin with myself." Though still he smiled, the uneasy expressions on his soldiers' faces gave him pause. Regardless, he knew this would benefit them all. "Silas, Takumi, Effie. Step forward, if you will."

Kamui's eyes widened as the aforementioned individuals approached him. Were Corrin and Azura insane? Silas held no contempt for him at all, though Effie was another story altogether. As the muscular woman walked forward, she bore a glare that threatened to pierce right through Corrin's very being. The disdain she held for him was almost palpable. She wanted to rip his head from his shoulders, and who could blame her after he slit her husband's throat right before her eyes?

Silas waved before awkwardly putting a hand on Corrin's shoulder. "Hey, man. I haven't gotten the chance to say this yet, but uh, sorry about your arm."

Corrin nonchalantly waved it off using the arm in question, directing his amicable smile towards Effie in particular. She looked as if she were about to spit in his face. "Don't worry about it. It's really not all that inconvenient. It's certainly handy in a fight."

No one laughed.

Azura cleared her throat. "Now then, for my team. I would like for Elise, Ryoma, and Leo to step forward, please."

All three did as they were told with stone cold expressions, taking their spots next to Azura. Niles chuckled and nudged the man next to him. "How fitting, a squad full of blue bloods. Am I right?"

"Do not touch me," Saizo responded.

Corrin gestured as he spoke. "Next, Keaton, Kaden, Jakob, and Felicia."

"You totally put the dogs and the servants together on purpose, didn't you?" Keaton asked as he stepped to the side with his assigned group members.

"I'll have you know that I am a fox, thank you very much."

"And I'm more than just a simple servant! I-I'm the best darn maid in all of Hoshido!"

Before the minor spat could continue, Azura cleared her throat. "Kagero and Orochi will be partnering with Selena and Nyx."

The women wordlessly took their places off to the side. While Orochi appeared to be intrigued and Kagero indifferent, Selena had on her usual perpetually annoyed face and Nyx looked slightly pleased that she was being put with more mature women.

That was when Corrin's eyes landed on Kamui's. She froze as his smile faded. With that, he took a deep breath, and spoke slowly.

"Next, I would like for Kamui and Camilla to split off. You two will be partnering up with Hinoka and Oboro."

Cruel. Her brother was cruel.

"Bastard," Oboro spat with a scowl before Kamui could even take a step. "Like hell I'm working with those murderers. I'll search on my own if I have to."

"I understand your hesitance, but—"

" Hesitance? No, this is refusal. You can't expect me to just be all buddy-buddy with a pair of fucking Nohrian princessess— especially not these two—after everything that's happened. You're dreaming."

Corrin opened his mouth to retort, though luckily for him, his brother raised his hand and intervened with a sigh.

"Oboro, relax. I'm sure that a lot of us aren't big on this idea either, but we're going through with it anyway. It wouldn't be fair to everyone else to make an exception just for you," Takumi explained. Oboro drew in a shaky breath, staring at him as if he had just struck her across the face.

"How could you say that?" she asked. "How could you say that when you know what they've done? What they do? You of all people should understand!"

"I do understand, believe me. You know how I was when I was a kid, but that's just it, I was a kid. " Takumi caught one of his wife's fists as it flew at him, effortlessly doing the same with the other before pressing them together and bringing his lips to them, staring into her eye as it filled with tears. "Oboro, I'm sorry, I really am, but it's time to let go. At the very least try, please. You don't have to be nice or even say a word to them, but for the sake of us all, set aside your prejudices just this once."

Oboro trembled where she stood for a few moments before clenching her teeth and jerking her hands out of Takumi's grasp. She spent what felt like minutes glaring at him before looking back at everyone and stomping over to her assigned team, making sure to keep her distance from Camilla and Kamui both. Her face was as red as Hinoka's hair.

As for the tomboy princess, she took her assignment without a word of complaint just like a good soldier would. She did not so much as look at either Nohrian, though, making sure to keep her attention on her younger brother. Kamui supposed that it was better than being looked at as if she were some kind of mistake.

While Corrin and Azura gave the rest of the team assignments, Kamui stared at the Hoshidans that had been made to work with her. Being this close to Hinoka alone would be enough to put Kamui on edge, but with Oboro in the picture as well, she felt as if there were a knife to her back. Hinoka was nothing she couldn't handle with a few breathing exercises. Oboro, on the other hand, was another beast altogether.

Though they were technically sisters-in-law, they'd never so much as spoken a word to each other. It made sense. The two had never crossed paths during the war, and once they were working together, it seemed like Oboro was going out of her way to avoid contact with anyone from Nohr. Kamui did not know much about her, but Felicia had told her that she hated Nohrians with a passion for reasons the maid did not quite understand. This was what made Kamui nervous. It was one thing to despise someone because they were once your enemy in war, but to despise them simply due to their heritage was another thing entirely. She doubted that she would be able to get through to her even if she were to put all of her effort into it, though it was not as if she would ever attempt to strike up a conversation with any one of the Hoshidans. Surely they all hated her already.

Kamui bit down on her tongue. There really was no use in lamenting that fact as she had been. After what she'd taken part in—the battles she'd led, the people she'd slain—they had every right to hate her. She thought back to the scene Charlotte had described to her when they'd returned to Nohr after her rescue. Hundreds of people cheering for her to be hanged and crying out in outrage when it was revealed that she'd escaped, only to resume their jubilance when their desire for blood was sated anyway. Then, those very same people looking up at her almost in reverence when Corrin had declared her to be the "Savior Princess". The common people of Hoshido were fickle, but not its soldiers. Not the people who had witnessed first hand the carnage and destruction of war. Their hatred was undoubtedly so deeply rooted that there was no hope of ever reversing it. This was certainly true, and yet, Kamui had noticed something during her short time in Valla. Between several people of both nations, there were bonds forming.

Her own children seemed to get along swimmingly with those of Hoshido—but that was only natural. They were kids, after all. Though, Peri and Azama also seemed to enjoy each other's company. Silas had made nice with both Kaze and Azura, Leo and Takumi miraculously held a mutual respect for one another, and Camilla and Orochi were a match made in heaven.

Kamui thought for a moment that perhaps she was wrong.

She was certainly doing herself no favors when it came to earning the favor of the Hoshidans, though. Of course they would make friends among themselves. At the end of the day, most of them were simply soldiers following orders. Kamui, however, was not like them. Men lived and died at her word, countless lives had been lost under her command, Hoshido's future queen was killed in a battle she'd led, her mother had died protecting her—

"Kamui, darling? You're staring off into space again."

She was, wasn't she? Several forced blinks brought her back to reality only to find that everyone around her had already begun to make their way towards their designated area of the library, Corrin included. She frowned; she'd hope that she'd get the chance to ask him to reconsider.

"Yes, my apologies. Just lost in thought," she said. "Where are we supposed to be searching?"

Camilla gestured to one of the floors that was high above them. "Upper right wing, fifth floor. I imagine the walk up the stairs will be quite a taxing one, but we're all soldiers here. Physical exertion is something I'm certain we're all used to now." With that same motherly smile she always put on, Camilla extended her hand out to Hinoka. "Well now, girls. Shall we?"

Hinoka glanced at the queen's hand just for a moment before facing forward once again and advancing without a word. Oboro followed close behind.

"How rude. I do hope that Corrin hasn't picked up the Hoshidans' apparent lack of manners." Camilla huffed, then taking her sister's hand and starting off towards the main staircase.

As she walked, Kamui sent up a silent prayer that one of the groups would find information on The Silent Dragon's dwelling before ten minutes had passed. Those prayers fell on deaf ears as they always did.

Even after a half hour of near silence spent scanning a stuffy room full of old and weathered tomes, no one had come to announce that their search was over. Kamui found herself growing more and more anxious as time passed. Every moment she spent flipping through the pages of a book, she could feel a single eye's gaze boring into her soul. She would have feared for her life had it not been for her elder sister's presence.

Camilla was the only one of them to speak. She opened up a book and coughed as dust drifted into the air. "My, my. Hayato may have been able to dispel all this dirt and dust from the air, but I wish that he could have cleaned up these old books as well. Am I asking for too much?"

The reception was the same as the numerous other comments she had made during their survey—silence. Hinoka, Oboro, and Kamui continued their examination without paying the others any attention. Kamui in particular only even looked up from the tomes she perused in order to grab another one. The organizational system of this library seemed nonsensical. There were no authors listed on any book, the topics ranged from everything to agriculture to weaponsmithing, and there were books written in old Nohrian, contemporary Nohrian, Hoshidan, as well as a language that she did not recognize. It was frustrating. If they knew how the classification system worked, then finding information would not be nearly as difficult as it currently was.

"You're awfully invested in this hunt aren't you, Kamui?" Camilla asked, peeking over her shoulder. Kamui hadn't even noticed her approach. "Tell me, what's on your mind?"

"This library is…strange," she answered before clearing her throat. "There are books in different languages right next to each other and there isn't any rhyme or reason when it comes to the placement of differing subjects. It's as if the people who shelved these books just put them wherever there was space."

Camilla smiled. "Ah, you noticed that as well. You've always been so keen-eyed and astute." That was a lie, of course. Nevertheless, Camilla turned to Hinoka and waved. "Tell me, Your Highness. Was she like that even as a baby? I'd love to know what her behavior was like in her younger years."

Pausing for a second, Hinoka looked up from her book and stared at the shelf in front of her. After a few moments, she sighed, continuing to flip through the pages.

"Somewhat. It stemmed from her curiosity, I think."

Upon receiving an answer, Camilla's eyes lit up. Finally she had managed to get a word out of the princess. "So, she was a curious little thing, was she?" she continued. "I assume she was rather capricious as well, yes? Children often are."

"She was. Always running around the castle and doing whatever she set her mind to," Hinoka said flatly. "She and Corrin were the same. Disobedient and full of energy. They caused a lot of stress for our servants, but…it was fun. For me."

Kamui could have sworn that she heard a smile in her voice.

Camilla sighed blissfully, folding her hands over each other and putting them against her cheek. "Oh, how cute. I wish I had the chance to know that version of my darling Kamui. See, Leo and Elise were incredibly well behaved even as babies. They would completely finish their meals, go to bed on time, and remain silent in the presence of adults. I'm sure that sounds like every parent's dream, but for me, it was almost boring. Still, I adored them anyway."

" 間抜け."

Everyone turned their attention towards Oboro, Hinoka in particular looking rather shocked. Kamui bit her lip as Camilla simply tilted her head at the woman still refusing to face them.

"Hm? Did you say something, Oboro? My apologies, but I'm afraid I couldn't quite understand you."

"No shit they would end up like that. You know how the people over in Nohr raise their children. They treat them like slaves. The fact that you people still allow corporal punishment in your schools is downright barbaric."

"I see. Well, I can assure you that Elise and Leo weren't brought up in the way you're likely thinking. There were times where their instructors and nurses were strict with them, yes, but they were given much freedom when it came to things such as areas of study and how they spent their free time. I would say that they had quite a liberating upbringing."

Oboro almost growled. "And can you say the same for the millions of kids that are treated like dogs and tossed out onto the streets of Windmire or some other city? Those same kids that have childhoods so shitty that they make the braindead decision to dedicate their lives fighting for a nation that hates them, or worse, having to resort to cutting throats in the dead of night to make ends meet. Yeah, I'm sure they're all treated like angels by the maids that they definitely have, absolutely."

"Oboro…" Hinoka stepped forward, but Camilla stopped her with a simple raise of the hand. By now, her smile had died.

"I take it you hold no love for Nohr or its people. Might I ask why?"

Kamui winced; that was a mistake. Immediately, Oboro threw the book she was holding against the ground and spun around, glaring at Camilla with bared teeth. "Maybe because it's the most wretched, contemptible, despicable country in the entire world. Everything from your culture to your traditions to your ideology makes me want to vomit. You people teach your children that power is everything and they grow up to teach their kids the same, and the cycle continues. Things like equality, charity, and education? None of that shit matters in Nohr, only how far you can throw a javelin or how fat your pockets are. That's the reason why you have families starving in the slums while rich nobles gorge themselves just a district over. People can't find work, and so they turn to crime, and that crime gets people killed. But none of that matters as long as at the end of the day, someone makes their money."

As Camilla listened patiently, Kamui and Hinoka looked at each other with conflicted faces. Neither of them had any idea how long this vituperation would last.

"Because money is power, right? And you know what you people do with that power? Conquest," Oboro spat, jabbing her finger towards the woman. "All Nohr is good for is metal. Your food, clothing, even your damn animals all come from places you've conquered and colonized when the only reason you were strong enough to do such things in the first place is because of their generosity. Nohr could have been a small, humble little kingdom, but your ancestors were just greedy power hungry warmongers, just like every ruler of Nohr's been. It wasn't enough to have just what was necessary, you wanted plenty. And so you fought, and killed, all in the name of your shitty little upstart country that's grown into a powerhouse built on a mountain of corpses, and do you want to know what's the best part? I wouldn't even hate Nohr just for that." Oboro shook her head and clenched her fists, trembling. "It's that none of that matters to a single one of you. You run around telling tales of glorious battle to impressionable children and they grow up thinking that that's how the world should work. Subjugation of the weak by the strong—as if treachery and massacres make someone strong. And that'll never change. You people will always believe that the crimes you commit are justified because they're committed by Nohr, and Nohr can do no wrong, because it's Nohr. Every last one of you…heartless monsters that would slit their own mothers' throats for a nickel. The world would be a better place if you would all drop dead."

Kamui's nails dug into the leather binding of the book she held in hand. Every word from Oboro's mouth struck like a small dagger against her soul, a thousand cuts rendering her spirit feeble and frail. She could feel herself slipping further and further into the abyss of her mind as the seconds ticked by. Oboro was right. She and every one of her companions were wicked, and vile, and evil. They were beyond redemption, beyond salvation. There would never be peace for them because they did not deserve it. All that awaited them was eternal damnation in the fiery depths of—

"I see. Your contempt for Nohrians runs quite deep," Camilla said, snapping Kamui's mind out of its stupor. She spoke with the candor of a mother comforting her child, honeyed words belying the pitiful little frown on her face. "Might I ask why it is that you don't seem to hold the same disdain for my dearest little brother? Clearly you respect him enough to at the very least follow his orders."

"Oh, believe me, I hated him when he first got to Hoshido. Corrin is different, though. He's not like you lot. He's denounced the place he was raised in time and time again, meanwhile little miss Savior Princess here turned her back on her true people without a second thought. He may be naive, but at least his heart is good, unlike yours. Yours is rotten. Rotten and stone cold."

To her surprise, Camilla let out a small laugh, speaking before Oboro could berate her even more. "You poor soul. You've had to endure a lot of pain, haven't you? I know it may not mean much coming from me, but…you have my condolences for what happened to your parents. Such a tragedy never should have occurred."

Oboro's eyes widened and she drew in a shaky breath, staring. Kamui shot her sister a bewildered look—what sort of game was she playing? Was she intentionally trying to get a rise out of her?

"H-how dare you?!" Oboro spat, stomping closer to Camilla to a fire in her eyes. "What do you know about my mom and dad anyway?! Not a damn thing!"

"What, do you think that that sort of knowledge is unknown?" Camilla asked with a curious tilt of her head. "You're a princess now, you know. A lot of information about you is publicly available to anyone who desires it. Though, I didn't have to go digging through any records. I've known all about you for years." Her smile returned, but this time, it did not reach her eyes. "I hope that you can find some sense of closure in the fact that the person who killed your parents has been dead for months."

That was when Oboro let out a scream of rage and slammed the queen against a shelf, dozens of books toppling down from above. Immediately, Hinoka moved to restrain her, but was stopped by Camilla raising her hand once again. Kamui looked on in horror, hands over her mouth.

"If you value your life, you'd better start talking right now," Oboro hissed through grit teeth, pressing her forearm against Camilla's neck.

"I was doing exactly that before you so rudely interrupted."

Camilla removed the woman with little effort, taking hold of her arm and holding it up. Oboro jerked away and stumbled backwards. Kamui reminded herself that there was nothing to worry about in regards to her sister's safety, for Camilla had a natural strength that rivaled her own.

"You say that us Nohrians are soulless. Cruel, sadistic, evil. The way you assume this of all of us is…childish." Nohr's queen thinned her arms and took a single step forward. She was not much taller than Oboro, but at that moment, she was as imposing as her father always was. "We disgust you. We make you sick. Our lack of humanity is repulsive to you. Now, I have to wonder. In your entire life, have you ever taken a single moment to truly gaze into a mirror? You'll recall that it was your people that cheered on the reinstatement of an act they deemed barbaric a century ago so that they could make a show of enacting their justice. You'll recall that it was your people who were trampling over themselves as they desperately tried to get a closer look at the lifeless body of a young woman who'd been hanged simply because she was the next best thing after their traitor of a princess. Was it because she played a part in freeing Kamui? Was it because she was retainer to Nohr's eldest princess, and that the retainer of Hoshido's eldest princess had been killed days prior? All these excuses meant to justify the senseless murder of someone who was practically a still little girl, when at the end of the day, the only reason needed was that she was Nohrian. She was the enemy."

Oboro bit her tongue. "I—"

"I'm not finished," Camilla said curtly. She took another step towards Oboro. "You think we're heartless? Incapable of empathy? Do you know how many days I spent in mourning after my own little brother took the life of someone who was like a daughter to me? After he left her corpse on our doorstep just because he knew it would hurt us? It would have destroyed me had it not been for the support of the people I love. They are the only reason that I'm able to go on, day after day, and you have the gall to call them monsters simply because they committed the crime of being from the wrong side of the border? Who do you think you are to cast such condemnation on an entire nation of people like that?"

Kamui grimaced. "Camilla…"

"Frankly, some of what you say isn't too far from the truth. Our culture is one that values dominance above all else and it's disgusting. I despise the legacy that my bloodline holds, but if you think that the sins of the father are bared by all those he calls his subject, then you're daft. The fact of the matter is that the people of both our countries are capable of horrible things. Every person to ever live on this planet is. Nohrians? Hoshidans? At their core, there is no difference. We all have a bit of the devil in us. I've known that since I was a little girl, and yet here you are preaching that my people are more worthy of contempt than yours." The queen closed her eyes and took in a deep breath to calm herself, for her face had been reddening and her volume growing louder and louder as she spoke. "…I am not going to make excuses for Beruka's past. I meant what I said. The tragedy that befell your parents never should have happened, and I understand how badly it hurt you, but the fact that you use that to justify your prejudice shows that you're still just a child. So I have but one thing left to say to you, Your Highness."

Camilla leaned in so that she was almost touching foreheads with Oboro, eyes sharp and words sharper.

"Grow. Up."

No one said a word. As Hinoka and Kamui looked on in shock, Oboro gazed into Camilla's eyes with a righteous fury, her face so red that it looked as if all her blood had gathered there. With teeth bared and fists balled, she seemed poised to strike.

That was when a lone tear fell down her cheek and she shoved past the queen, disappearing out the door and down the corridor in an instant.

Camilla let out a deep breath that she'd been holding in and put a hand over her chest. "My, what a piece of work…phew. I can feel myself getting a bit lightheaded. I fear I may have raised my voice too much."

"Camilla…I don't really think that that was necessary," Kamui mumbled, gingerly reaching for another book to examine.

"Necessary or not, I refuse to stand idly by as someone denigrates the people that I love. Holding a personal vendetta in one thing, but it's immature to direct one's resentment towards the entire population of a nation." Camilla returned to her shelf and continued perusing with a calm look on her face. "Ah. I apologize for making you witness that, Princess Hinoka. I meant no disrespect."

Swallowing dryly, Hinoka promptly averted her eyes. "It's fine," she blurted, pressing her lips together. "I'm ah…I'm sorry about your retainer. I know how it feels to lose one, and the fact that her death was caused by someone so close to you can't be easy to deal with."

"It hasn't," Camilla said. "Truth be told, I used to lie awake at night thinking about him. What I'd say to him if we both survived the war regardless of who emerged victorious, the ways in which I wanted to hurt him as revenge for hurting her, but after a while, I realized something. No matter what he does, nothing can change how I feel towards him. He could put his sword through my chest, and at the end of the day I would still love him, because…he'll always be my Little Prince."

Kamui's chest tightened at her sister's final words. For as long as she'd known her, Camilla had never once referred to Corrin as "Little Prince", nor did she ever call her "Little Princess". For all the adoring pet names she used, she'd never used those ones. Those were reserved for Xander.

The princess' attention was stolen by Asugi, who casually walked through the open door with his eyes aimed down the hall. "Uh. She okay?"

"She'll be fine. Asugi, was it? Do you need something from us?" Camilla asked.

"Yup. Corrin's calling us all to the lobby. Looks like Sunshine—uh, Rhajat—and her gang found somethin' that he thinks we should all take a look at, I guess. Sent me to go fetch people. Guess Oboro's gonna have to sit this one out, huh?"

"Yes, it seems she will," Hinoka said as she shut the book she was looking through and set it on the shelf. She did not bother to look up from the ground as she made her way across the room and out the doorway, heading right towards the library lobby downstairs. Asugi raised an eyebrow and watched as she left.

"Man, I dunno what you ladies were talking about before I got here, but I'm glad I didn't walk right into the middle of it." The young man mumbled while backing out of the room and continuing towards the next group he had to alert.

By the time the sisters made it to the lobby, most of the other groups had already arrived, with the stragglers appearing only a few minutes after. Oboro's absence was noticed immediately, though curiously, not a soul inquired as to where she may have gone. Kamui figured that the looks on her and Hinoka's faces told all that needed to be said despite the fact that neither of them had anything to do with Oboro's decision to abandon her group.

It was hard not to notice the dozens of old, generic-looking books strewn about the large table that they'd gathered around. There was nothing indicative on any of their covers or spines. They were simply standard leather bound tomes, which raised the question of why they were called here to begin with. Corrin insisted on waiting for everyone (minus Oboro) to arrive before revealing anything, though. That was just like him.

The final group to show up consisted of Shiro, Matoi, Soleil and Velouria. Their excuse had something to do with Velouria refusing to stop picking through a particularly impressive mass of dust bunnies, though Kamui found herself too distracted to pay attention to the details. Finally, her other half cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Well then, with that very riveting story out of the way—thanks again for reeling her in, Matoi—I can get to why we're here. Unfortunately, we haven't yet found any information regarding the Silent Dragon's location yet, but by my estimates, we haven't even covered a quarter of the library yet. Keep at it, guys. On that note, the team consisting of Rhajat, Sophie, Midori and Forrest have stumbled upon something that I think is rather interesting. I figured that I may as well present it to you all as a sort of break from all the page-flipping I'm sure you must be tired of." A giddy smile crept across Corrin's face as if he were a child about to receive a gift from his mother. "I think it'd be best if I just showed it to you instead of explaining. Go ahead, take one and open it up. There should be enough for us all."

Scattered murmurs sounded among the band of soldiers as they obliged. Interest piqued, Kamui gingerly took a book from the table and opened up the first page. It was blank. Flipping to the next one, however, almost made her drop the book entirely. Next to an eerily accurate portrait sketch of none other than herself was text that made her skin crawl.

NAME: KAMUI DISENDRA

AGE: 27

SEX: FEMALE

DATE OF BIRTH: 25TH OF JUNE, 1115

ETHNICITY: HOSHIDAN (NOTE: RAISED NOHRIAN)

RACE: HOSHIDAN/VALLITE (NOTE: 1/4TH ASTRAL DRAGON)

HEIGHT: 162 CM

That was as far as she got before she slammed the book shut, heart pounding in her chest.

What in the world was this? A book filled with information pertaining to her specifically? No, that was far too unlikely. She took a glance at the people around her, many of which seemed to be put off by what they were seeing while others were deeply interested. They couldn't all be reading about her. It was more likely that they were reading about…

"Themselves," Kamui whispered before looking up to face Corrin. "These books. Th-they contain information about whoever is reading it?"

Corrin nodded, his eyes shining with wonder. "Right you are, Sis. I could barely believe it myself when I opened one. I mean, the magic that it'd take to pull that off is incredible, and on dozens of individual books, no less. Azura, this sort of thing isn't common in Valla, is it?"

Thinning her eyes at the book in her hand, Azura kept on reading. "No," she muttered. "It's…the first I've ever heard of such a thing—goodness, these are incredibly detailed. There are things here from when I was just an infant…things I don't even remember myself."

"Mine seems to be broken. For starters, the height. Come on, I'm taller than that!" Niles exclaimed.

Odin furrowed his brow. "Hm, it appears that my profile is also defective. There are an abundance of inaccuracies here, not to mention the complete lack of any of my legendary quests of chivalry and—" his breath hitched in his throat as his eye caught a particular line. He promptly pressed his lips together and ceased speaking.

Kamui could not help but stare at the book in her hands. From the large amount of pages, she presumed that this book likely contained every bit of information there was to know about her. Her combat style, favorite color, type of woman, everything. The thought made her blood run cold. Something such as this should not have existed. To have everything about herself laid out in front of her would be unbearable.

Gently closing his book and setting it down before him, Ryoma closed his eyes, his expression firm. "While I must admit that a magical item such as this one is indeed fascinating, I have no need for it. I am a man that is already fully aware of all that there is to know about himself."

"I must agree," Leo added, doing the same to his own book. "Even if there are things about me that I may not understand completely, I would much rather come to know them on my own rather than reading it on a page. "

Takumi tossed his book onto the table. "I have to say I wouldn't have taken you as the kind of guy to pass up an opportunity to learn anything new, especially from a text. Maybe you're not as much of a bookworm as I took you for."

Kotomi and Mozu set their books gently on the table. Selena, Laslow, and Odin did as well. Many of the children seemed eager to read about themselves, particularly Soleil, Selkie, Kiragi, and Kara. Others read on with dark expressions, such as Shiro, Siegbert, Dwyer, and Kana. Kamui shifted her eyes to watch the glow on her brother's face fade as he came to the realization that this would not be the sort of fun thing he had expected it to be.

"…Well, then," the commander began, clearing his throat. "I suppose that's enough of that. If you're interested, do feel free to take one with you when we leave. I'm sure no one will miss it. That being said, let us return to our search. Daylight is finite, after all. Dismissed."

The group dispersed and returned back to where they had been previously, though many with their moods now soured. She knew she shouldn't have, but Kamui had to wonder what it was about certain people's books that made them not wish to confront its contents. Kotomi and Elise specifically seemed more reluctant than most to do so much as flip a single page in theirs'. As she wondered, Kamui found herself being tapped on the shoulder. She turned to look up at her sister, who was smiling down on her like she always did.

"You look like you've seen a ghost. Tell me, what's gotten you so shaken?"

Camilla didn't have to ask if Kamui was alright, she already knew the answer. "Ah…it's something small, really. My uh, my name in the book was Kamui Disendra."

The queen's smile seemed to grow ever so slightly before steadily fading. "I see. You were expecting it to say Asuka, weren't you?"

"Yes," Kamui blurted, immediately biting down on her tongue. "No. I don't know. I-I guess it makes sense because Corrin denounced Father as his father while I never did, so I'm only an Asuka by blood, but I was thinking that maybe because things aren't as estranged between my Hoshidan family and I now that maybe it would be the name listed? But you and Leo and Elise are still my family, and I don't know if a name is all it takes to represent that, and as much as I want to be closer with my Hoshidan family—"

"Breathe, darling." Camilla placed her hands gently on Kamui's cheeks and placed a tender kiss on her forehead before looking her in the eyes. "It isn't absurd to be a part of two families. I know it can be difficult trying to find your place in one or the other, but I can promise that no matter what happens, we're going to be there for every step along the way."

Kamui chewed her bottom lip as her older sister stepped back. The instant that Camilla's hands left her skin, she felt cold. She wanted that warmth back.

"I'm going to head back to our little room with my good friend Princess Hinoka. You take your time returning, okay? Don't push yourself."

Though she wished to say more, all Kamui did was nod. Moments later, Camilla was gone, as were most of the people in the room. She did not get a second to herself before Corrin approached her, seeing that she was now alone.

"So, should I ask what happened to Oboro or are things better left unsaid?"

Making a fist to punch him with, Kamui steeled her will and forced her arm to stay by her side. Instead, she only thinned her eyes at her brother. "First of all, I often wonder if you've inherited Father's cruelty, and we aren't even related to him by blood. To answer your question…she went off on Camilla, Camilla retorted a little too harshly, I think, and then she stormed out of the room. No idea where she went."

"I see." Corrin held his chin for a moment and hummed. "Well, it won't do to not know where one of our allies is at a time like this. You can stay with Hinoka and Camilla. I'll get Selkie to find her. It's sort of her thing. You know, nose and all."

Kamui raised an eyebrow and smirked. "I can't help but feel like Velouria would be more suited for such a task, but I won't argue with you."

"Good choice," Corrin snickered. That was when Kamui felt it was okay to punch him in the arm, though it only made him laugh more.

"So, how's your search going so far?"

"About the same as everyone else's. Coming up on a lot of nothing. It would help if the—"

"Books were more organized, right? But I'm talking about Effie. Have you made any headway with her at all?"

Grimacing, Corrin averted his eyes and put a hand on the back of his neck. The answer was clear as day. "I don't blame her, honestly. A lot of us have done some pretty bad things to each other—I believe it was Mozu that took Oboro's eye out, actually—but every time I think about what I did to her, I feel sick. The only reason Azura and I put her on the same team as me was to see if we could maybe come to some sort of reconciliation, but she hasn't said a word. Is she usually so quiet?"

Kamui shook her head, crossing her arms. "No. Soft spoken, but she talks about as much as your average person. She's usually sweet and gentle, but after what happened…well, she hasn't been herself. I can see why she'd find it difficult to even be around you."

"I can't help but wonder if I'm being selfish here. I feel as if the only reason I want to make up with her is because I don't wish for her to hate me and not because I wish to provide her some sense of closure. Perhaps…perhaps it's best to simply leave her be."

"That may be true. If you've already apologized and she still won't say a word to you, then I suppose there isn't much to be done."

Corrin's mouth became a tight line. Kamui blinked at him before leaning closer, standing on her toes so that she was inches from her face. "You have apologized, haven't you?"

"I…to be frank, I feel like if I address her first, she'll end up ripping my tongue out before I can even finish a sentence."

"Good lord, Corrin, what am I going to do with you?" With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes and massaged her temples. "If you want to make amends with someone, then you have to put in the effort to actually confront them. You can't just expect them to suddenly make conversation and for everything to be peachy keen."

"I know, I know. Sorry, it's just easier said than done, you know? I'll be sure to try and talk to her by the end of the day, I promise."

"Good. You may want to do the same with Elise as well. Leo and Camilla may have forgiven you, but Elise is…I don't know. I haven't seen her smile in ages. If you can help with that in any way, then I would be forever grateful."

"I will. On that note, what about you? You've been with Hinoka for a while now. Any progress?"

Kamui bit her lip and looked away. She had been hoping he wouldn't bring that up, but she supposed she had it coming. "Ah…well, she's spoken to Camilla, at least. She doesn't seem to despise me like Effie does you, but it's almost as if being around me is painful for her. This morning, Camilla suggested that I simply give up on any hope of winning her, Takumi, and Ryoma over, but…I don't think that I can do that. I don't think that I can spend the rest of my life like this."

"Don't worry, you won't have to. I know these people well, and they're not the type to hold onto hatred for too long, especially Takumi. Honestly, anything I'd have to say to you would just be parotting your own advice." With a small smile, Corrin placed his hand on his sister's shoulder and gently squeezed. "You're going to be fine, Kamui, trust me. It'll all work out in the end. Now, go back upstairs and make your big brother proud."

Kamui scoffed, brushing his hand away and giggling. "You may be taller than me, but you'll always be my little brother."


"I wonder if the other teams are having better luck."

Camilla wondered aloud as she, Hinoka, Kamui, and Oboro continued their search. After over two hours, the constant reaching and flipping was beginning to wear on them, and it showed both on their weary faces and in their sluggish movements. Oboro had returned not long after the brief break concluded, still opting for silence and refusing to look any one of the other women in the eye.

Their hands were dry from rubbing against rough and weathered pages and eyes red from dust floating into them. Hinoka appeared to be the most tired of them all, frequently yawning and eyes barely drifting across the contents of a single book before moving on to the next one.

"Unlikely," Kamui mumbled. "If they were, we probably would have been called back to the lobby by now. I imagine that they're all as exhausted as we are."

"Well, the children definitely have more energy than we do," Hinoka noted, stifling another yawn. "I wouldn't be surprised if Selkie is still gleeful as ever or if Rhajat has improvised a spell to scan books for her. Despite her temperament, that girl has a good head on her shoulders."

"And such gorgeous skin as well," Camilla sighed, frowning. "I'll have to ask her what sorts of products she uses later. It's so smooth and pretty, like the top of a fresh jar of peanut butter."

Kamui chuckled as she wiped the dust from her hands on the fabric of her armor, then grabbing another book from the shelf. Crouched down, she was nearly done with an entire wall. "I'm not sure she would appreciate her skin being compared to peanut butter of all things, Sister. You have a point, though. The complexions of her mother and father blended together rather nicely, I'd say."

"Oh! Do you remember that maid you were enamored with the year Flora came to live with us? She had skin just like Rinkah's. Come to think of it, she probably originated from the Flame Tribe as well."

"Try not to let that slip around Rhajat—I think she has some sort of crush on me. Back when I was a prisoner, she was captivated by my teeth of all things. On top of that, she called me pretty, and—" Kamui cut herself off when she felt the tips of her ears growing red, prompting the laughter of Camilla and even a slight smile from Hinoka. Oboro, however, remained stone-faced.

"Are you…interested in women?" Hinoka asked quietly, a genuine curiosity in her face. "N-not that I'm implying you're attracted to Rhajat."

Kamui was thankful that her back was turned to the other three and that she was so low to the ground, otherwise they would surely comment on the fact that her head resembled a ripe tomato at the moment. She struggled to find the words to answer such a question, especially in response to Hinoka of all people.

"Ah…yes, actually."

Hinoka's smile grew ever so slightly, though no one saw. "So that woman who's always hanging around you, with the mismatched eyes. Is she your girlfriend?"

Kamui wished she could crawl into a hole and die right then and there. Gods, first Corrin, now her? she thought.

"No, we're just…close. Closer than most friends, I think."

"Ah, so you're nakayoshi . I suppose the best translation into Nohrian would be something along the lines of 'intimate friend'. In Hoshidan, it's a term used mainly to refer to people whose relationship goes beyond friendship, but isn't quite romantic either."

So that was the term that Corrin had forgotten. Now that she was hearing it explained to her, it seemed to apply to her and Peri rather well. This made the smile return to her face.

"Ooh, fascinating! You'll have to teach me more Hoshidan words. I've always wanted to learn, but oh, I was just so busy all the time, and now that I'm queen…well, let's just say that I likely won't be opening any Hoshidan dictionaries any time soon, but that's fine, because now I have you!"

The moment Kamui unconsciously turned her head to look at those around her was the moment that Hinoka's smile died, though strangely, the light seemed to remain in her eyes. Kamui, too, frowned. For as much as she loved Camilla and for as empathetic she could be, sometimes she could speak without putting much thought into her words. Here she was speaking as if she and Hinoka were going to be the best of friends when this was all over in spite of their history. Sure, they were mostly getting along now, but that was because they had to. Otherwise, the mission was doomed.

"Hm." Hinoka closed a book and placed it back on the shelf, staring at her feet. "I uh…it seems I've forgotten something back down in the lobby. I'll be right back, I'll go retrieve it." She turned around and looked at Kamui without meeting her eyes, making her heart begin to pound. "Kamui, would you mind accompanying me? I know there probably isn't anything lurking in the building, but still. For safety's sake."

Kamui held her tongue between her teeth as a bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. There was something in Hinoka's eyes. Something desperate, something pleading. She was smart enough to know that her older sister was clearly lying, but she wondered just what it was she had in store for her.

"O-of course." She stood, stretched, and followed Hinoka out the door. Before she left, she glanced over her shoulder only to see Camilla giving her a thumbs up, a wide grin on her face. Kamui sent up a prayer that the gesture would bring good tidings.

As the sisters walked slowly down the hall and descended the stairs, neither one said a word. Hinoka did not so much as glance back to make sure Kamui was even still with her. Both simply kept their heads up and gaze forward. Kamui walked with her lips pursed and hands straight at her side. The paranoid part of her mind was certain that she was about to be killed while the logical part knew that there was something Hinoka wanted to speak about in private. Though she did not know what it was, she dreaded having to face it.

Upon reaching the lobby, Hinoka approached the central table, stood for a moment, and pulled something from the inside of the long red and white jacket she wore. She placed her hands flat on the table and leaned forward, head hanging low.

"How much of your book did you read?" she asked. Her voice was low and hushed, as if the thought of someone hearing her was terrifying.

Kamui bit her lip. Why did she want to know something like that?

"Um…I got about halfway through the front page before I decided that I didn't want to see any more," she answered, throat dry and hands clammy. Was Hinoka only trying to make conversation without Camilla and Oboro listening in? "How far did you get?"

Hinoka shook her head. "I didn't. I read the book for a while, but…it wasn't my book."

Kamui's blood ran cold. The world seemed to spin around her as she struggled to stand—she knew where this was going, and the sea of dread that threatened to drown her only grew by the second.

Gods, no. Please no…

"I don't know if it was like this for anyone else. If it was, someone probably would have spoken up, but—" the older princess trailed off, her nails carving through the table's surface as she drew them in. "My best guess is that those books show you the profile of the person whose presence is strongest in your mind. At the time, I suppose that person was you, Kamui."

"I—" her voice caught in her throat. What was she to say? Oh Gods, how much had Hinoka seen? If those books were as detailed as the others made them out to be, then her entire life could have potentially been laid out plainly for another to read. Every lie she'd ever told, everyone she'd ever killed, every time she'd ever punished herself for every sin. The thought of anyone knowing was maddening.

Hinoka continued, still staring down at the floor beneath her. "I told myself I shouldn't read too far because it would be a privacy violation, but I just couldn't help myself. I genuinely am sorry." She let out a shaky breath and let her hands slide from the tabletop, standing straight up. "To be honest, ever since the war ended, I haven't known how to feel. About you, about Corrin or Azura, or even myself. You can understand why, I presume. Spent my whole life training to bring you back, then I get you back, and—" The princess let out a sad, quiet laugh. "We've been over this already, haven't we? There's no need to repeat myself."

Both were silent for nearly a minute straight. Hinoka struggled to find words while Kamui could not bring herself to open her mouth. She did not dare interrupt her elder sister, for the consequences could prove to be fatal.

"Gods. Look at me." Hinoka shook her head and let her shoulders fall. "I've never been the best at talking to people, you know. Ryoma or Corrin usually do all the talking; I never really learned how to communicate when I was growing up. This is the best I can do, so you'll have to forgive me." The princess took a deep breath, and then, she began. "Ever since we defeated the Mad King and put an end to the war, I haven't been able to get you out of my head. Ryoma, Sakura, Takumi and I all planned on letting Corrin kill you, you know. I can't speak for the rest of them, but thinking back on it, it wasn't because I thought you deserved to die or anything like that. I just thought that if Corrin killed you, then maybe he would go back to normal. I thought that if he didn't get what he wanted, then…well, then I would end up losing both of you. Again. And I guess I just couldn't handle that."

She grit her teeth and clenched her fists tightly at her side, making Kamui take a small step back in fear. "And look at what happened. The big bad guy is dead, and most of us made it out just fine. If it weren't for you, we would have lost far more than just Prince Xander that day. I was wrong—we all were. You're both still alive, and now, we have both our twins back. Ryoma, Takumi and are cold towards you, but Gods, Corrin adores you, and I haven't been able to stop asking myself why. We fought you for years, you're responsible for the deaths of countless Hoshidan soldiers—you even led the attack that took Scarlet's life, so how can he look at you like none of that even matters?!"

Hinoka's tone rose in intensity and the hairs on the back of Kamui's neck stiffened as a result. The dragon's mind was cloudy. Was this it? Was she going to die right here when they were so close to finally putting an end to all of this—and at the hands of Hinoka no less? Her body told her to flee, but her mind said to stay put. If this was how she would meet her end, then so be it. It was what she deserved. Retribution.

"Then he had to call us all down to show us those books. Those stupid books. I…I read through some of yours. Even when we were searching, I snuck in some reading, but none of you ever noticed." Her voice fell to a whisper as the tension left her body. "I've always had this idea of you in my head of what you were supposed to be like. Every time we've met, that image of you was built up more and more. You were supposed to be cold. Heartless. Ruthless. But…these past few weeks, it's become harder and harder to maintain that idea. I look at you and I don't see a merciless warmonger who only cares about conquest and glory, but a sad, lonely little girl. Honestly, you sort of remind me of myself when I was younger. Then, I read through your book, and…Gods. Gods. "

Hinoka's hands began to tremble, so she forced them steady by balling her fists once more. Veins bulged on the back of her palms from the pressure before the rest of her body began to shake as well.

"All this time I've wanted to hate you so much. I needed to. But now I realize that…that…"

When Hinoka turned to face her, Kamui's heart leapt in her chest before promptly sinking upon seeing her face. Quivering lip, bright red nose, and heavy tears rolling down pale cheeks.

"I just want my baby sister back."

Kamui stared, her guard dropping for the first time since leaving the room they had been assigned. Hinoka was crying. Hinoka was crying over her. She herself was no stranger to crying until her tear ducts were empty, but the first and only time someone had shed tears for her, they'd thought she was dead. Now, however, someone was weeping for her again, and it was the last person she would expect.

"Whenever I look at you, I'm reminded of how I failed to bring you and Corrin home. I'm r-reminded of how much hardship we've all faced as a result of that stupid war, and how much Hoshidan blood is on your hands, but damn it, I can't do it. I just can't hate you. And I—I feel guilty, because I'm supposed to want nothing to do with you, but I can't stop myself. I want to talk to you, and smile with you, and laugh with you, and do all the things a big sister should, but how can I bring myself to do that knowing all that you've done?"

Hinoka's sobbing quickly overtook her speech, leaving Kamui to gaze at her crying mess of a sister. There it was again. That pit in her stomach—that persistent guilt that was constantly eating away at her. What was she to say? She could never answer for her sins, but she couldn't very well leave Hinoka here to wallow in her misery, that would only cement her as a truly terrible person. She supposed that all there was to do was to finally speak and be as honest as she could.

She put her hands on her chest and walked towards the princess. "Hinoka, I…I know I've done horrible things. I think about them every day, but I suppose if you read my profile in that book, then you already know that. I can't take back what I've done. If I could turn back time, then I assure you things would have worked out differently, but that's impossible." She bit her lip and hesitantly reached out, placing a gentle hand on her sister's shoulder. Hinoka uncovered her face, and for the first time since Kamui's captivity, she looked her little sister in the eyes. "Someone once said to me that there's no use in dwelling on what-ifs or getting hung up on the past, because there's nothing you can do to change it. All you can do is deal with the consequences of your actions as best you can and move forward, and for me, I think that making amends constitutes doing exactly that. I understand how you feel. About me, about Corrin, everything. If I were in your position, I'd likely react the same way, but for what it's worth, I do truly want to make peace with you, Sakura, Ryoma, everyone. I don't want to live out the rest of my life estranged from…my family."

Tears still flowing from her eyes, Hinoka leaned in close and threw her arms around her sister, pulling her into a tight embrace. Kamui swore that her heart came to a stop right then and there. Was any of this real? Never in a million years would she think that she'd actually be hugging one of her Hoshidan siblings, but here she was, standing on just her toes as her big sister raised her up. A part of her felt as if she were committing a taboo, but then again, sins were sins because of how good they felt. With that in mind, she slowly allowed her hands to rest on Hinoka's back, the sisters finally embracing each other.

It was euphoric.

They stayed like that for a while, content to stand in silence, until Hinoka gently released Kamui from her embrace and began to wipe away her tears. Sniveling, her eyes fell to the ground.

"Sorry. It's unbecoming of me to behave like that."

"There's no need to apologize. Believe me, I've done the same thing far too often."

Hinoka laughed as she dried her face, then gesturing to the book she had set down on the table. "Ah, so, I was thinking. With how much ground we've got covered and how long we've all been looking, I'd say that it's pretty unlikely that there is any information regarding the Silent Dragon's whereabouts to be found. That being said, now that we know how these books really work, I was thinking that…um…"

"We could use it to discern the location of the Silent Dragon!" A wide smile spread across Kamui's face and her eyes lit up with joy. "All one would have to do is have him in mind when they open the book! Hinoka, you've done it!"

The princess' face went red yet again, though this time it was not because she was crying. "O-oh, it's nothing. I'm sure anyone would have come to that conclusion once they realized the true nature of the books, it just so happens that I was the first one to do it."

"That doesn't matter. Point is, because of you, we can finally get out of this dusty old library!" Kamui let out an uncharacteristically giddy squeal of joy, even beginning to bounce in place. "I'm going to go get Corrin—you stay here while I tell him what you've discovered!"

"You don't have to—" Hinoka started to protest, but before she knew it, Kamui was already speeding up the spiral stairs, elated. She let out a blissful sigh and watched as her sister disappeared up the stairs.

She felt as if a weight had been lifted from her chest. After years of pain and strife, she could finally begin healing. They both could. Hinoka only hoped that she'd one day be able to say the same for the rest of her siblings, for that was the only way that they could be the thing she'd longed for ever since that fateful day when she'd lost her baby brother and sister.

A family.


A/N: You know, when I started this epilogue, I thought to myself "Yeah, I'll have this done by the end of the summer. It's not like I plan for it to be more than six chapters or so".

As fate would have it, I vastly overestimated the amount of free time and creative drive I would have.

When I was younger, I guess I was just a lot more productive? I could sit at my computer for days and crank out a chapter like it was nothing (Chapter 26 of If Fate Wills it So was written in three sittings, fun fact), but now that I'm like, an adult with a job and responsibilities and stuff, doing so is waaaay harder. On top of the lack of free time, the writer's block is way more frequent as well. Like, I was hoping to be able to get out at least a chapter a month like I did with the last fic I wrote, but I spent weeks deliberating over this chapter alone, and honestly, I'm still not totally satisfied with how it came out despite there being plenty of moments that I am proud of.

Man. I still plan on this epilogue only being 6 - 8 chapters long, but I really can't get an estimate on when it'll actually be finished. A part of me wants to work on other projects to maybe get myself out of this stupor, but when I'm not working on this, I feel like I'm being rude to my readers, ya know? Ah well, I'm probably just being self conscious. All that aside, I do hope you enjoyed this chapter and I can't wait to deliver the next one...whenever that might be. You guys know the drill by now, next up is a chapter centered around everyone's favorite good boy. See ya then.

(Kudos to you if you get the title reference.)