Italics = Thought

I do not own Fire Emblem.

Cross published on A03

The figure bolted the split second their arrow struck Corrin. Dashing from rooftop to rooftop, they vaulted to street level, and slipped off the robe, tossing into a heap in an alley.

Jakob dumped the bow and quiver with the robe, and kept running. He preferred knives true, but he was capable enough with a bow and arrow.

He only had a small window in which to act, and the Hoshidian army would soon be mobilised to find him the one who 'killed' their precious prince. With the Nohrian army already being deployed to retrieve Corrin from 'rescuing' Azura, the Hoshidiots would respond in kind.

He had to get out of Hoshido unharmed. Corrin expected it. He trusted him to do it. Only him.

Flora and Felicia had left to go and bring in their own people, as agreed. Kilma wanted freedom from Nohr, Corrin would give it to him. He wanted vengeance, Corrin would give it to him. He wanted his daughters free, Corrin would grant that request without hesitantion.

He needed to escape, and spark all-out war between Hoshido and Nohr.

And give the plan the distraction it required.

Mikoto bolted over to Corrin, and pulled the arrow out of his side and desperately tried to use her staff to heal her formerly lost son.

"C-Come on….work…p-please….W-WORK GODS DAMN YOU!" Mikoto screamed. "I-I C-CAN'T LOSE HIM AGAIN!"

"Your Majesty?" Lord Kobayashi said carefully, all trace of his former dismissiveness wiped away in an instant. Nohr had assassinated him. He had tried to suggest that Corrin had been a spy, yes, but even he had not wished for the boy's death. "…He's gone, Queen Mikoto. Let the boy pass on with grace."

"D-Don't say that!" The Queen snapped as she tried the staff again.

Nothing.

"N-No….NO!"

A wave of nauseas hush fell upon the crowd. Nohr's retaliation for their Prince's betrayal had been swift, and it had been a small mercy that it had been a single, well placed arrow that ended his life. To kill a man in battle was one thing, to kill them at a celebration was quite another.

So almost all eyes were on the Queen, now on her knees, letting out the cry of someone utterly broken. Utterly without hope.

It was only Takumi, watching in reverent silence, as Azura quietly slipped away and out of sight.

The Second Prince of Hoshido narrowed his eyes, and made his way through the crowd.

Something was going on, and he had to find out what.

He had caught her in bed with Corrin, they clearly had a serious relationship.

So why is she just leaving?

Hinoka arrived with Sakura the day after the incident. Her Pegasus had been left exhausted from fighting, so had forced her and Sakura to camp out overnight. She had arrived to find the entire city in mourning.

It hurt Ryoma immensely to have to break the news to the eldest of the two. Her anguished wails echoed throughout the halls of the Palace. She had fought through training, endured countless hours of falling down and picking herself up, and poured her heart and soul into becoming who she was now, all with the express purpose of bringing her brother home.

Only to have him die. At home. A day before she could meet him again.

As if the Kingdom needed more grief. Ryoma thought. At least they are both safe.

So for now, he just hugged his sister tightly, and let her cry.

We can deal with our response later. His thoughts continued. And we must respond to this affront. By force. I'll ready the armies of Hoshido, and we will tear down their filthy little kingdom, and avenge Corrin and Father's deaths upon EVERY LAST ONE OF THE SCUM!

The Plegian Remnant arrived in a bright field with a cloudless sky. Grass went on for as far as they could see. Birdsong ran in the air, and a pleasant breeze whipped at their hair and faces.

Many of them let out jubilant cheers and joyous cries. It was a new, undamaged world. The sins that they bore from the old world could be forgotten, they had to be forgotten.

Marc sighed exhaustedly, and fell to his knees, letting out a disbelieving laugh.

"It's real…" He gasped happily. "It's really real!"

"Looks like it." His sister's voice drifted into his ears as she sat next to him, the breeze whipping at her silvery hair. Ophelia let out a cheerful gurgle as she rested in her mother's arms.

"Welcome to Notre Sagasse kiddiewinks" The voice of Anna carried across the crowd, who fell silent, though joy still remained on their faces. "We're meeting Corrin here, although that may take some time, on account of the fact he is busy dying. Oh well, a few days of peace will do you good." The redhead nonchalantly explained.

The twins stared at Anna like she was a madwoman.

"E-Excuse me, Anna?" Marc started. "Did you say…busy dying?"

"Sure I did! Completely staged of course. But Nohr and Hoshido don't know that." A surprisingly dark look crossed Anna's face. Perhaps most terrifyingly, at least to Marc and Morgan, it was a look of complete and utter satisfaction. "They'll likely blame one another for his death, and march against one another. In the ensuing chaos, we will be able to collect The Old Man without interference from either nation. We'll just need to deal with the Sagaseen Pikemen, who just so happen to be some of the most talented soldiers in this corner of the world. Then, it's onto the Canyon and our last battle."

"…What the hell happened to you?" Marc asked nervously. "You weren't ever this….carefare about violence."

"That's what happens when you get abandoned by your Commander on a death world, get rescued by someone who is essentially the embodiment of all evil and then wake up in an entirely new fucking world, there are going to be…..changes." The smile on her face faded to a harsh scowl. "So forgive me if I am not the same 'friendly neighbourhood secret seller' I was before."

As quickly as it faded, Anna's smirk returned. "That's why I've thrown my lot in with Corrin. His plan….sweet Naga.. Your own father would be proud."

"Explain." Morgan demanded.

So Anna did.

Notre Sagasse. Not-Her-Father's voice intoned.

Those two words filled Selena's head, and an ever deepening feeling of dread wormed its way into the pit of her stomach.

Morgan and Marc are at Notre Sagasse.