I awaken to the sound of yelling and chaos, but in a way this brings a smile to my face. It wouldn't be a regular day without the infamous morning rush, where everyone races to the mess hall for breakfast. In the distance, I hear Caeldori hollering, claiming that Asugi has stolen her undergarments yet again, and I stifle a chuckle.
I peer beside me and see that Azura has left, but that was to be expected. I yawn and stretch, preparing for a new day. I cloak myself with thicker clothing and head down for breakfast.
When I enter the mess hall, I see that everyone is scattered everywhere, smiling and eating happily. I see Caeldori on the verge of snapping as Asugi pokes at her teasingly. The children of the Deeprealms are a handful sometimes, but in a lot of situations, they lighten the tension weighing down everyone. We are fighting for them. We're fighting to protect Hoshido. We're fighting to free the Nohrians from the wrath of my Father's iron fist.
"Hi, Lady Corrin!" Felicia calls, waving her hand in the air enthusiastically. Her blue eyes widen with joy. Despite her self-consciousness and clumsy nature, she's a relatively happy woman. I wave back, not nearly with as much enthusiasm. There's too much stress. There's too many things to think about and plan for. For all we know, Nohr could invade today.
"Lighten up a little, wouldja?" Felicia jokes, punching my arm playfully.
I sigh, feeling the corners of my eyes droop. "Can't anyone at least pretend to be serious for five seconds? I appreciate your cheeriness, but we're storming into Nohrian territory today. There's still a LOT to prepare for, and would if we suffer casualties? I'd never forgive myself." I feel like giving up, like crying until I can't cry anymore. I sulk miserably into my hands. "Plus, I have to come face to face with them, and they will know that I murdered the man I once called my Father."
Felicia places an encouraging hand on my back. "We're here for you Lady Corrin," she beams.
I feign a smile. "Thanks. I'm going to grab breakfast. I suggest you do the same. It's going to be a long day."
Felicia nods, making her hair fly everywhere. She looks like she has bedhead now, but I don't want to mention it to her. I grab a bowl of fresh fruit salad from the tables filled with food. It will be a long day indeed.
"All right!" I shout, capturing the focus of my troops. Everyone gazes up at me intently, save for Azama and Setsuna. Azama looks aloof as usual. Setsuna seems to be in a daze. I walk over to Setsuna, peering into her eyes. She snaps out of her daze, shaking her head rapidly.
I sigh, but try not to let it show. "Are the Pegasi and horses fed, groomed, and properly suited?" I ask Caeldori. She's pretty good with the animals.
"Yes, Lady Corrin," she says, bowing her head. "They're in tip-top shape. Up to your standard."
At least somebody has it together, I think to myself. "Is everybody armored? Have the weapons been polished? God, where's the healers?" I pace frantically in front of my troops, babbling like a madwoman. They must think I've gone nuts.
"Right here," a tiny voice says, and I see Sakura in the crowd of soldiers. She stands beside Jakob, Felicia, and Azama. I glance at every face in the crowd. They appear to be nervous, yet they smile valiantly, facing my way. In that moment, my demeanor changes. We can do this. We have to.
Hoshidan flags wave proudly in the wind as we stand in front of the Nohrian castle, ready to infiltrate. "Are you ready?" I ask my troops hastily, not wanting to stall any longer. "This is it. Please don't split up. Always make sure a healer is in reach. They are vital to guarantee success."
My troops nod understandingly. I hear some of them gulp nervously. "Help each other out," I say. "We're all allies here." Wiping my sweaty palms on the soft part of my armor, I dash as my comrades follow behind me. We charge toward the Nohrian castle, but to our surprise, no Nohrian soldiers come racing outside to fend us off. We reach the entrance, piling in large amounts.
"What do we do?" Kaze asks. Panic is evident in his voice. "It's all dark, and there's so many paths. Corrin, what do we do?"
The question rattles me in an instant. What do we do? Disorient and kill. A typical Nohrian tactic. I feel my heartbeat course throughout the length of my body. While my memory of the Nohrian castle is hazy, their troops know it inside and out. We'll be slaughtered before we even see it coming.
I make a plan in that moment to try and make it to the upper level via a secret path on the lowest level. I remember it faintly. As a child, it's probably the only thing I managed to remember about this place. I charge blindly into the dark, praying to the gods I don't run into a sword or a spear. I feel around everywhere, groping blindly in the dark, and my fingers skim across a doorway. I head inside. How many risks am I willing to take to ensure victory?
To my relief, the lowest level is at least dimly lit by torches hanging from the wall. I adjust my eyes. I must be in a room where the brig is. Metal cages are aligned in rows and columns. As I dash past all of the cells, I glance quickly into each one. Few people are there, and all of them look too exhausted to even lift a finger.
Then I come across a little boy with blonde hair, and large brown eyes. I stop in my tracks and glare at him, wondering what he could've done to end up locked up in a rusted cell.
"Who are you?" he asks quietly, not meeting my gaze. "Why are you here? To hurt me?" The little boy asks questions that seem like statements. My mind is focused on the war, but a small portion of me is focused on him instead.
"My name is Corrin," I say, smiling a faint smile, then frown. "You should be free. Why does King Garon have you in here?"
"He's my father," the boy responds softly. "He went mad with rage when my mother died giving birth to me. He blames me for her death. I've been in here for as long as I can remember."
"That's horrible," I say, and I mean it. It's only another reason why King Garon must repent for his actions. "Well," I say, chuckling a little. "Guess you and I are siblings. King Garon is my father too."
The little boy gazes up with wide eyes. "Really?" he beams happily. A sparkle shimmers in his eyes. This boy likely has no friends. It must be nice to have something in common with someone else.
I laugh. "Yeah. And I want to get you out of here. We don't have much time. Do you know where the keys are?"
He points into the distance. "You killed the soldier with the keys," he says in a stating the obvious tone. "...Corrin? Corrin, are you okay?"
I did what? I don't remember coming down here and slaughtering an armed soldier. I ask myself just exactly who I am and what I've become, but the boy's voice and the loud clanking upstairs bring me back to reality. I approach the dead soldier, taking the keys from his corpse. "I'm sorry," I mutter with despair. I shake my head and return to the cell, unlocking it hastily. "What's your name?" I ask quickly. My mind is out of control. They'll be here soon.
"Domonic," he says, looking me head on.
"Domonic," I confirm, grasping his shoulders. "We have to go. There's-"
I hear defenses breech as hollers fill the other end of the room. They've found me. "C'mon!" I shout, slinging Domonic over my shoulder. My heart pounds violently against my chest. I sprint with Domonic slung over me, and what I see next startles me. Camilla is on her mount with a tome in hand, ready to blast me with powerful magic. Her eyes seem as if they're longing for something. I really don't know if she could bring herself to kill me, but before she can even make that decision, a shining arrow pierces her mount's wing, knocking her off.
"Takumi!" I shout with relief. He nods at me encouragingly. I peer over at Camilla. Thankfully she is still alive. Soon enough I learn to never experience relief on the battlefield, as a shrilling cry rips through my ears. I realize that it came from Domonic. A hand axe had sailed through the air, slicing his armorless back. He sobs, and my whole world falls to my feet. Looking at the damage done, I can easily see that a simple staff will not fix this. That hit was meant for me.
I wave an arm frantically in the air. "Retreat!" I yell at the top of my lungs. We're disorganized and outnumbered. Tears slip down my cheeks as I clutch at my little brother's wound. "Retreat…"
