What a mess this had become.
Not only did Father get weakened by the rogue dancer's performance, the culprit was nowhere in sight after he shifted his attention from his father to the stage.
"Gods." Leo muttered under his breath as he tore his way through the panicked crowd and to his steed. He hopped on and gasped when he heard the sound of iron clashing.
Corrin flew back from the momentum of the attack and gripped the Yato tightly with both hands before charging again at the Hoshidan soldier. Almost immediately, his heart beat sped up and he felt his stomach painfully sink.
"Dammit. Why did we sit so far from each other!" He cursed as he helplessly watched as she and each member of her party were in battle. Thank the Gods that Silas was fighting alongside Corrin, occasionally deflecting attacks and giving her a chance to breathe. Anxious, Leo whipped the reigns before rushing over to the heated battlefield.
Please be safe, Corrin.
Corrin felt droplets of sweat slide down her cheeks as she used the Yato for yet another attack.
"Corrin! Let me take on the front lines. Go back to Elise and get healed!" Silas suggested.
She shook her head. "No, I got this." She charged with a battle scream and used the blunt side of her sword to knock the soldier down. "And stay down!"
"Nice!" Silas cheered.
"Thanks…" She wiped the sweat from brow. Her shoulders heaved up and down as she watched her friends try their best to battle while keeping their balance on the gondolas. "This is the worst place to have a battle. I can't imagine how your horse hasn't fallen into the water, Silas."
Her childhood friend chuckled. "You and me both." He tenderly pat the mane of his steed, trying to placate her from the violence around them.
She smiled, straightening her back. "We should keep moving forward. Maybe we can catch up with the dancer."
Silas nodded. "I agree, but looks like our new friend Keaton could use some help."
A few gondolas behind them, Keaton took a few steps back from the two archers cornering him. He barely dodged the rain of arrows before gripping his Beaststone and transforming into a ferocious 7 ft tall black and white beast. He released a roar that bounced off the walls of the theatre, heightened by the great acoustics. He charged and clawed the two soldiers.
"Haha, that's all you guys got? How boring!" He laughed to himself when the unconscious bodies fell on the ground.
"Well. I take that back." Silas whistled, impressed and thankful that Keaton was on their side and not the other way around. Imagine having to battle a 7 ft giant, so tall he could block the sun. Silas felt the skin on his back jump up at the very thought. "Yep. Very grateful."
"Wait, we have to tell him about giving our enemies mercy!" Corrin cried out, nearly toppling over from running on the gondolas.
Silas reached out for her. "Wait, I think Elise already let him know!"
She stopped in her tracks and turned around. "What when?"
"Apparently he had a cut from his journey to Cyrkensia and Elise mended him up and let him know before any of the Hoshidans got too close." He explained. "She told me to let you know but it slipped my mind until now, sorry!"
"Oh, thank goodness." She gave a sigh of relief.
"What is this about having mercy on the Hoshidans?" Leo mused as he arrived, gripping Brynhildr tightly, ready for use.
"Leo!" Corrin gasped. "I thought you were another soldier, I almost pointed my sword at you."
Her brother chuckled. "I think I saw you do that before. Glad to know you're always on your toes, regardless of whether or not you're in battle."
"Thanks Leo. I try my best."
"Glad you guys are having a nice reunion but we got trouble!" Silas pointed at the three soldiers rushing towards them, their lances pointed straight ahead.
"Leo, get behind me!" Corrin immediately got in a battle stance, ready to attack.
Ignoring her, Leo rushed in front of her and flipped open the Brynhildr and snapped his palm out. "Just because I am the younger sibling does not mean I need you to take the lead. I can handle this by myself." A bundle of energy burst from his palm and released a tall tree to block their way. He flipped the pages of the tome and called forth lightning, striking two of the three.
The last one howled as he made his way towards Corrin.
"I missed." Leo hissed.
"I got you now, traitor!" He charged.
Before Leo could use Lightning again, Silas ran and deflected the attack, giving Corrin an opening. She rushed and attacked the Hoshidan, making sure to aim away from any vital organs.
The soldier screamed as the Yato broke skin on his fore arm, dropping the lance. He collapsed on the ground and mumbled curses as he crawled for his lance. His fingertips were inches away until Leo kicked the weapon into the water. "You should know what battles to fight and when to stand down. Do they even teach that Hoshido?"
"Leo." Corrin chastised. "We're trying to forge a road of peace." Further provoking the Hoshidan army could lead to more problems than she wanted.
"Shut up you dirty Norhians!" The soldier cursed. "Spewing lies of wanting peace, when all you do is leave fire blazing behind you!"
"If our leader was a liar, she easily could've struck you down. But she didn't." Silas interjected, irked at this stranger yelling at his precious friend.
Corrin shook her head. "No, he's right to show disdain to us. Our history backs it up." She locked eyes with the injured Hoshidan soldier. "But heed my words, we have left that destructive warfare mentality behind us and do not plan to take any more lives for the sake of this war. My troops and I are paving way a new path of mercy for the Kingdom of Nohr. Mark my words, we will bring an end to this war and peace to this land."
Leo watched, breathless and in awe of his totally transformed sister. No longer was she the timid little girl crying whenever the siblings had to leave, she was now a beautiful tall leader, making powerful strides for a new era. And he would never admit it aloud, but she looked so cool.
"Xander! Camilla! Leo! Elise!" Six-year old Corrin whined, "Please don't go!" She tried to scamper towards the only exit of the gloomy tower where the Nohrian siblings stood, all with a matching forlorn expression. Gunter knelt down and picked up the whining princess and carried her in his arms.
"Now, now, Princess Corrin. They'll return by the next full moon." Gunter reminded her. She thrashed in his arms but his grip was firm.
"No, why can't they stay a little longer?" She demanded, tears welling up in her doe-like eyes. "I didn't even get to hear all of their stories!"
Xander smiled wistfully as he walked up and gently tousled her hair. "We'll be back soon, Little Princess. We promise."
"Of course, and we'll have so many more great stories to tell you." Camilla smiled, lifting the hair from Corrin's forehead and planted a chaste kiss. "We'll miss you so much, love."
Elise also began to sob, her hand tightly gripping onto Camilla's. "Big sister Corrin, don't cry or I'm going to cry too!" She squealed before bursting out in a shriek, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Corrin gasped sharply. "Elise!" She furiously nodded her head as she wiped her tears with cursory. "Y-You're right, I can't let little sister Elise see me like this!" She gave Elise a big toothy grin, her cheeks still flushed.
"That's a good girl, Corrin." Camilla praised her. She sighed dotingly, proud of how mature Corrin could be.
Xander nudged Leo's shoulder. "Ow!" Leo scowled as he looked up to his eldest sibling.
"Say something nice to little Corrin." Xander said through a big grin, his eyes shifting from Leo to Corrin.
Young Prince Leo was never good with emotions and despised when he had to show it. Being so open and transparent made him uncomfortable beyond words. He felt safest behind his little scowl.
Blankly, he stared at Corrin and her red eyes.
"Leo." Xander said sternly, still with a smile towards his beloved little sister.
Leo looked pleadingly at him but was returned a glower. Leo swallowed the tremoring lump in his throat before he stepped up to Corrin and Gunter.
"Gunter, c-could you please place Corrin down." Leo asked, timidly.
The head butler looked at Corrin, noting how she had calmed down. "Of course, Prince Leo." He lowered himself and gently placed her on the marble tile.
Leo nodded, thanking him. His hands became clammy as he stared, almost intensely, at Corrin.
Corrin shifted uncomfortably where she stood, wiping the last tear from the corner of her eye. "Yes Leo? Is everything okay?"
His cheeks burned as he hesitantly took a step forward, completely silent.
She looked at him oddly, tipping her head like a puppy. "Le—!"
Leo gave her a tight hug before abruptly pushing her away and rushing back to Camilla, cowering behind her.
Corrin was awestruck, blinking a few minutes to take in what her usually distant little brother did. A wide grin cracked on her face, the balls of her cheek pink with glee.
"Thank you Leo!"
It was no doubt the brightest smile Leo ever saw, and it was directed not at eldest brother Xander or motherly Camilla. She was smiling so radiantly, it was as if a brief period of sun broke the eternal bruised skies above the kingdom, and it was all for Leo.
The young prince felt his breathing hitched, gripping the hem of Camilla's black gown tightly, wondering what this uncomfortable churning sensation in his stomach
To others, they would say it was adorable how his first crush was born.
For him, it was beyond embarrassing.
Corrin met up with the rest of the group after defeating Kumagera and the rest of the soldiers. She saw how weary and battered everyone was. No one was expecting a battle right after dealing with Cheve. She saw Elise and Viktor rushing to help with everyone's wounds and she nodded, thanking them.
"I'm glad no one is badly hurt." Corrin said, sliding the Yato back into her belt loop. "We somehow managed to win…but it seems that singer got away. Who even has the kind of power necessary to curse Father with a song?"
"I don't know, but I intend to find out. She's most certainly with the Hoshidans." Leo said, running a hand through his honey-colored hair. "We'll be in a world of hurt if she shows up again. She must be stopped."
Corrin looked down at her shoes as she pondered deeply. "I'm not convinced she was Hoshidan…I have a strange feeling that…." Something inside was telling her to remain quiet.
"Corrin!" King Garon gruffed from behind her. Corrin quickly turned around to see her father leaning slightly on a Nohrian soldier. Iago stood tall next to him, giving a snooty side eye at her. Adjacent = to him stood Hans, he had a toothy smirk as he held his axe behind him, leaving a dotted trail of Hoshidan blood behind him.
"Father!" How are you feeling?" Corrin asked, rushing over to his side, offering to help support his weight.
He swatted her away, mildly disgusted. "I'm fine, my daughter."
"Oh," Corrin said meekly, taken aback. Though she was surprised she even was as this was his usual treatment towards her.
"I have a new task for you." Garon slowly said, venom dripping from each word. "Kill all of the singers in Nestra. Every last one of them."
Corrin's eyes enlarged as her mouth hung agape. For a moment, she struggled to get any words from her windpipe. Images of the dancers near the entrance of the city flashed in her mind, they were having fun in the midst of an annual festival, of a period of fun and bliss. They were part of a neutral city, they had no part in this war. They were innocent! "What? Y-You can't be serious! It was the Hoshidans who attacked us. The other performers are inno—!"
Xander stepped forward, next to her, and tightly gripped her shoulder. "Corrin…" He said, warningly.
"Foolish girl. Always hiding behind the Crown Prince when you need to know your place." Garon began to slowly fume as his voice grew darker. "This is the only way to keep our royal family safe. Perhaps if you had caught the guilty party, the others could have been spared." He sneered.
Those words struck Corrin like a shower of knives, each one making her heart painfully ache.
"But we must destroy anyone who might pose a threat to the Nohrian throne. As I said, rebellions are like seeds, and we must salt the earth before they sprout." He gave one last glare at Corrin before facing his back to her. "You've seen many battles by now. Surely you've at least learned that much."
"But Father! I won't—" She began to protest.
"Consider it done, my king." Iago said coolly, bowing slightly and placing a hand on his chest.
"Leave it to us, Your Majesty" Hans sneered before curtly bowing.
"Iago, Hans. I look forward to hearing good news of Corrin's efforts." Garon said before walking towards the exit of the theatre.
"Wait!" Corrin shouted. "Both of you! Father, I tried to bring this up earlier, but now it simply can't wait." Her heart was pounding furiously, roaring like a lion in her chest. "You keep ordering me to take the lives of innocent people. Why?! If we showed mercy and tried to talk things out instead, no one would have to die. Lives could be saved! Even if we managed to win this way, people would lose faith in our kingdom!"
Garon's eyes narrowed, he pushed the soldier away from him and stepped towards Corrin. Immediately, the aura became heavy and dark. "Lose faith? Are you a princess or a saint, you foolish child? After what you did in Cheve, I'm shocked to hear such a moralistic complaint."
Corrin gulped. "It's true…I didn't stop Hans in Cheve, as much as I wanted to." Her hands fisted up, her nails digging deeply into her skin. "But what happened there tortured me, Father. It's no way to solve a conflict. Killing innocent people for our own benefit…for selfish glory and control… Is that really the Nohrian way? Is that really the legacy you wished to leave behind?!" Corrin stomped her foot in the ground, her voice in a crescendo by the end.
"You finally understand, though you still fight it." His eyes lit up, surrounded by dark sullen bags. "I desire only to rule Hoshido. I, and those who follow me, will do whatever it takes to achieve that. I don't care if the peons that fill our towns don't trust us. They are nothing to me." He grinned darkly. "Those who disobey will die. The rest will quickly learn."
Her breathing hitched as a tear welled up. "Father… you can't mean that…" She said in a soft whisper, stepping forward, utterly defeated.
"Corrin, that's enough." Leo spoke up, grabbing her hand and pulling her back. "Let's go. Father, Corrin is clearly exhausted from her travels and our recent battle. Please forgive her rude remarks. She doesn't truly feel that way."
"That's not true, Leo!" She snapped.
"I said that's enough!" He shushed her. "Let's go. Now."
Corrin parted her lips, ready to protest but noted the concerned looks of her team all around her. If Garon commanded it, Hans and the rest of the Nohrain army wouldn't hesitate to strike them all down.
Reluctantly, she nodded and followed her little brother. Her shattered heart trailing slowly behind her.
Leo dragged Corrin into a dimly lit corner near the entrance of the theatre. He pushed her against the wall and began to yell, for once losing control of his emotions. "What were you thinking, challenging Father like that?" Leo roared. "Do you have a death wish?"
If he were to do anything to you, I wouldn't be able to stop it. Not at that time and place. I would've been so powerless.
His heart wretched at the thought of losing her, forever. He felt it once when Corrin stood in between the Nohrian siblings and the Hoshidan siblings. He would've lost her had she chosen to side with Crown Prince Ryouma and the others.
Leaning against the cold stone wall, Corrin winced from the tone of his voice. She never saw Leo so distraught and never had he raised his voice to this extent.
"Leo, you heard the awful things he said. You don't agree with him…right? You can't agree that it's acceptable to kill innocent people for our own benefit!" She pleaded, grabbing and shaking his hands. "Leo!"
Hastily, Leo shook his hands out of her grip and brought them back to his side. "Of course I don't. Why do you think I helped you save Kaze and Rinkah?" Leo cursed at the heat slowly rushing to his cheeks. "But just because we disagree doesn't mean we can openly disobey Father. If you do, one of these days he'll overreact and have you killed on the spot. Trust me, Sister. It's best to just stay silent and follow orders."
Her shoulders slumped. "That's what Camilla said…"
Leo nodded. "Your other siblings and I have been living under Father' thumb our whole lives. I am certain Xander and Elise would tell you the same thing."
"I see." Corrin mumbled. "I know that's how you and the others have been forced to live all these years…I understand your perspective, but I simply can't carry out the orders Father just gave. I refuse to harm the innocent. All I want to do is protect them—to protect everyone." She gripped the adorn handle of the Yato. "I can't be another pawn on Father's game board. I refuse to. I have to stop Iago and Hans."
Leo grabbed her wrist, stopping her from drawing out the legendary weapon once more. "Corrin, wait! Now is not the time to be brash and act upon your emotions." He chastised her. "Think about who you're talking to. You know me better than that. As I said, we must follow Father's order's or at least appear to follow them."
Corrin looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"
"Listen well." Leo advised. "We may not be able to openly disobey him, but we are not powerless. Us royal siblings have made an art of appearing to be good little soldiers…All while secretly manipulating things for the better from behind the scenes. How do you think we've survived this long with our souls intact?" He smiled wistfully, loosening his grip on her.
"Leo…I'm impressed. But isn't it dangerous to go behind Father's back all the time?"
"Sometimes the righteous path is the most treacherous one to walk." Leo nodded, as if reminding himself of this. "Listen up, start searching in unlikely places to give the performers time to escape. If our soldiers catch any of them I'll step in and insist on killing them myself. I can't promise we'll be able to save them all, but that's the best I can do."
It was like a ton of weight was lifted from her aching shoulders, like Leo was now kneeling next of her, helping her shoulder the weight of the world.
Corrin embraced her arms around her little brother. "Leo…thank you. I'm sorry I doubted you, even if just for a moment." She whispered into his armor, holding him tighter.
Leo stood rigid for a moment, his mind rushing with the options to choose. Should he immediately push her away like he usually does or no? He couldn't even think properly with his heart pounding away so loudly in his ear.
His arms slowly left his side to wrap them around her tiny frame. She was so small and delicate yet she was still able to withstand the weight of two worlds, of two kingdoms. One hand rested on her snowy white curls, gently pushing her head closer to his chest. "Don't worry about it, Sister. You've worked so hard until now, and you must be exhausted beyond words. Let your little brother help carry you through this arduous journey." His heart ached every time he verbally acknowledged their relationship.
Corrin's eyes widened as her face flushed pink. By a young age she was accustomed to Xander and Camilla spoiling her, even Elise when she reached a certain age. Camilla always brushed her unruly hair while humming a gentle tune. Xander would dedicate so many hours to teach her the art of wielding a sword and training her. Elise would even give her her last slice of cake, though sometimes it was reluctantly. But Leo, he never showered her with this attention. He often kept his nose in his Brynhildr or in other books, away from the rest of the siblings. Though he was usually distant, she never doubted his love for her.
"Leo…" Corrin began to say. She yelped as he held her even tighter.
"Listen carefully. I'm always here for you, Corrin. I'm no hero or anything but I will always be there to stop any blades that may come at you." He closed his eyes, and prayed to the Gods that they could just stay like this, in each other's arms.
His eyes snapped open when he felt warmth rushing from his side. He loosened the embrace and looked down at his belt that held the ancient tome.
"Huh? My Brynhildr is…glowing!"
Corrin gasped as she looked down at her Yato that mimicked the tome's light. "Could it be?"
"And so is your Yato…What is going on?" Leo demanded.
"Is this the transformation the Rainbow Sage spoke of…?" Corrin yelped as the Yato flashed brightly, making the two shield their eyes from its lavender light. When the light faded, Corrin winced as she looked at her now altered weapon.
"The Yato has transformed!" She drew her blade and noted a gem glowing from the hilt. "This must be the Grim Yato the Rainbow Sage told me about!" She said, breathless and in awe of the legendary weapon.
"Grim Yato…what are you talking about? Did I miss something?" Leo asked, for once absolutely flabbergasted. He took a glance at his tome and gave a sigh of relief that the abrupt glowing ceased.
"In Notre Sagesse, I sought out the Rainbow Sage as Xander suggested. The Sage said I would join forces with another hero of Nohr... And when I did, that my Yato would evolve into the Grim Yato." Corrin explained.
"The Sage said that? Incredible. Does that mean…" Leo pondered aloud. "I'm that Nohrian hero?"
Corrin nodded with a grin. "That's the only explanation. There's some sort of otherworldly connection between our weapons. The Sage also said my sword is fated to become the true Seal of Flames. That's all he was able to tell me."
Leo looked at the Brynhildr, his hand grazing the engraved writing on the pristine dark leather cover. "The Seal of Flames…I wish I had time to digest all of this, but time is a luxury we don't have at the moment."
She nodded, realizing the weight of the original situation at hand. "Yes, you're right."
"Iago and Hans might have already captured some of the soldiers. I'll leave you here. Promise not to challenge Father while I'm gone."
She nodded.
"I mean that, Sister. Your life depends on it." He said sternly.
She nodded once more, but slower than before, understanding the absolute truth behind his words.
"Alright, I'll meet you later, Sister." He ran from the quiet solace of the corner and into the loud raging fire of the center of Cyrkensia.
As he ran towards his steed, he chastised himself over and over again.
How could you have hold her like that, you fool! You're letting your feelings show. You absolutely can't let her know!
He couldn't, not after Corrin having her reality of being Nohrian royalty being destroyed. After enduring the trauma of choosing against her birth family. And soon, undoubtedly, she would have to draw swords against that family.
He couldn't tell her his feelings for her after all of that, how could he? All he could do now is hold true to his words and forever be there for her.
I have to work harder to blanket these feelings and to protect Corrin. Nohrian Hero or not, I have to be there for her before anyone else.
He met his steed and jumped onto the saddle and gripped the reigns. He stopped for a moment and looked at his hands.
The prince could still feel her warmth lingering from his palms. Just moments ago, they were tenderly held in Corrin's small warm hands. He wished that the lingering sensation would never fade.
Corrin's heart burned as she thought of the chaos and madness rushing around her. She rested her back on the wall, her fisted hand hovered over her beating heart. Taking a deep breathe, she slowly exhaled and her lids fluttered opened.
Like Leo said, there was no time to waste. Lives are at stake, Corrin!
She reached for her Yato and winced as her palm met the handle.
"Why…does my hand hurt?"
Slowly, she turned her hand and saw her palm had become a canvas. Angry red nail indents littered her hand and some skin had been broken, the rogue drops of blood had dried into a messy russet painting. Finally, she felt and acknowledged all of the pain she had been inflicting on herself.
Finally we're straying from heavy game dialogue and to the bulk of the story! Whoooooo
Ages:
Xander:12
Camilla:10
Corrin:6
Leo:5
Elise:3