Italics = Thought

I do not own Fire Emblem.

Cross published on A03

"We want to make a deal."

These were six small words he never thought he'd hear from an Anna. Yet this was exactly what Corrin had just been told. He had decided to respond to the Anna's call to meet. He hadn't seen the outside of the building he was now in, but if the interior was anything to go by, it was inconceivably huge.

His Anna, whom he mentally nicknamed Haven-Anna for sanity's sake, kept a smug, defiant look on her face.

The 'Head' of the family wasn't old, as he had expected. Rather, she appeared to be a little older than Elise. Yet every other Anna (aside from Haven's own) appeared to hang on her every word, as though it were law.

"We will provide you with resources. Any you require." Head-Anna decreed in a solemn voice that didn't seem to belong to her body. It sounded far too old.

"And in return?"

"We wish for two things. We want to know what you are doing, and we wish to maintain and protect our interests in your Nohr and Hoshido."

"…No Anna, or their merchandise will be harmed by my Havenites unless said Anna attacks first." Corrin stated. "Until the first shipment of resources reaches us, I must keep my…activities secret, I'm afraid."

"….Do you not trust us?" Another Anna, one that wore eyeglasses and a plain red robe asked in a slightly offended tone.

"Oh, I do." Corrin said. "It's just her.." He nodded at Haven-Anna "That doesn't trust you."

"We will accept the terms."

Head-Anna's voice put an end to any further arguments.

"Pleasure doing business, My Lady." Corrin said cheerfully as he stood up and bowed, before Glasses-Anna stop him.

"There is one other matter. Your uh….'Haven' lacks an official Anna."

"I already have an Anna, thank you."

"Surely it would be better if-"

Her protest was cut short when a pleasantly threatening smile formed on Corrin's face. "I. Have. An. Anna."

Head-Anna sighed, and spoke. Her words sounding tired and heavy. "Very well…Anna, of Ylisse. As head of the Anna Family, I formally invite you to…rejoin our family."

Haven-Anna tilted her head, and brought her finger to her lip in mock thought.

"Accepted."

After they had said their goodbyes, they left the room, and headed back to the portal.

"You got what you wanted?" Corrin asked as they walked away.

"Sorta. I'm back in the family and no longer hated by them….and they did 'fall at your feet'…but they can't give me what I want." Her voice suddenly turned very small. "They can't give me my home back."

"No….but perhaps I can give you a new home." Corrin said kindly.

Anna smiled, and sniffled a little. "Stop it, you'll make me cry."

"No one wants that.."

Anna laughed. "Alright, enough of the heartwarming crap. Let's get you back and get you married."

Morgan had, once again, cornered Azura, and was now dragging her toward the Plegian camp, a mild look of frustration on the silver haired maiden's face.

"I don't mind this one." Azura said, almost pleading. "Honest!"

"No." Morgan stated firmly. "You are getting married in mere days and I will be damned I my friend gets married in a dancers robe."

"It's fine."

"The hell it is!" Morgan shouted. "You look like a dang stripper!"

"Careful now Morgan.." The blunette cautioned.

"….Okay, that was harsh and overboard. Blame my lack of coffee."

Azura frowned, and Morgan found herself in need of a new topic. Fast.

"I gotta ask..." Morgan started before pausing. "How'd you hide Shigure from the Hoshidiots? I doubt they'd miss the fact you had a bastard kid.."

The silver haired girl was struck shock still by the glare she received from the blunette.

"Do. Not Call my son a bastard." She seethed, her hand tightening around her lance. "His name is Shigure!"

The Plegian held her hands up defensively. "Sorry sorry!"

"…Apology accepted."

"So! How'd you hide it?" Morgan grinned. "Come on! There's gotta be a story there…"

"We had help from a… esteemed colleague." Azura said quietly. "Archduke Izana."

"Yeeeeah…..I…don't know who that is."

"He's an…eccentric ."

"Are we talking 'Haha' eccentric or 'Batshit mad' eccentric?"

"The first one..."

"Gotcha!"

"…It was…about a year ago now." Azura explained. "Shortly after Corrin turned nineteen. He and I managed to sneak out to celebrate. We went to the place we first met and…things happened."

"You got drunk, had sex and one hell of a hangover in the morning?" Morgan teased, and bit back a laugh at the sight of Azura's steadily reddening face.

"Sh-shush!" Azura hissed in embarrassment, before quietly adding "It wasn't our first time.."

"Come again?"

This, predictably, earned her another glare before Azura continued her story.

"….When I discovered I was pregnant, I was terrified. Corrin had long since headed home, and Mozu was still traumatised…so I ran. I tried to cross the border into Nohr but was forced away. So I headed to Izumo. Izana was so very understanding. He managed...somehow…to get a message to Corrin. I do not remember the exact details, but three days later, stumbling and without rest, my Corrin staggered into Izumo. He organised a home for Shigure, as well as people to watch over him. I only told Mozu after she figured out I was lying."

"Gunter and Silas?" Morgan asked. "Siggy calls Gunter 'Grapa' and Silas 'Squaa!'…so I've got to assume.."

"Yes, Silas and Gunter."

"He likes Lilith, you know." Morgan grinned.

Azura smiled. "I think it's hard not to know that. Where was I?" Azura pondered "Oh…he stayed with me for the whole thing….we almost stayed there for good. Izana even offered us a manor house in his land."

"But you left."

"We did."

"Was it worth it?"

Azura waved a hand, the ghost of a grin on her face. "Look around, and tell me if it was worth it."

Morgan smiled. She didn't need to answer. Both women knew it. "There is one thing….how were you punished for vanishing?"

"I was simply told off. Mikoto was happier to have me back than she was angry at me."

"And Corrin?"

"I believe Corrin was flogged for it."

Morgan winced, and tried desperately to come up with a new topic.

"Ah! Why call him Shigure? Gotta be a story there…"

"That is an easy one. He's named after-

A group of young children rushed past them, chasing what could only be described as a 'Flying Fish-Cat-Lizard…thing', riding on a shiny orb of glass. This utterly unpredictable, thoroughly ludicrous incident caused both girls to lose their train of thoughts.

"….Azura?"

"Yes Morgan?"

"You still need a dress."

Nyx was deep in reading a tome, one that Anankos had left behind. It was from another world, and provided her with a thoroughly interesting theory on fire magic and its practical applications in everyday life.

Her quiet delight was interrupted by somewhat loud 'uhm-ing' and 'ah-ing' from somewhere in the library.

Nyx tried, for a full five minutes, to block said annoying sound, before snapping the tome shut an stalking toward the source of the annoyance.

The redheaded man smiled cheerfully at her approach. "Afternoon!"

"Why are you making such noise?"

"I am trying to decide on what to read." He said simply. "I am torn between magical theory, and a good old murder mystery."

"Pick something and leave. This is a library. Not a store." Nyx stated.

"Why are you still in here?" The young man inquired from out of the blue. "It's a beautiful day, you can always read outside."

Nyx glared at him. "It's quiet here. I like the quiet."

The young man shrugged, grabbed a book at random, and headed out, offering a vague wave on his way. "Think about it."

Nyx sighed, and sat back down.

She had research to do! She might be able to remove her curse at last! Or at least find out something.

Still…

He didn't look at me like I was a monster..

A small smile tugged at her lips.

Maybe it wouldn't be all bad..