Author's note: Here ends the three-part battle of Corrin's house. Will the ending be happy or sad? Which characters will see victory and who will see defeat? Read on to find out.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fire Emblem.

Chapter seventeen: Proof of Love

"Corrin," Niles said, sighing, "take off the damn ring. It's over."

Corrin stared. She couldn't move; she couldn't speak. She was struck dumb — she had only enough awareness to feel stupid and humiliated. She wished she could have been stronger in that moment. She didn't want to give her siblings the satisfaction of seeing her break down, as a small child would, in the face of hardship.

"There, look — she's still such a little girl. We must keep her in her tower to protect her."

King Garon had said those words to Corrin when she had turned fifteen years old. Her family had come to visit her in the Northern Fortress, and she had taken the opportunity to try and convince her father to allow her to leave. He had been unnecessarily cruel when denying her — he had laughed in her face, and then yelled when she wouldn't let up. Finally, she had stupidly burst into tears, and by so doing had apparently proven that she was still too young and fragile to be free.

I won't make that mistake again… she decided.

Corrin hid her face by dropping her gaze and focusing on her hand. As she struggled to regain her compose, she pretended to have trouble removing the little golden ring from her finger; she twisted and turned, and when she felt strong enough to look Niles in the face, she tugged the ring off. Then she raised her head and held the ring out to him.

Niles didn't immediately take the ring. "What's with that face?" he asked calmly. "Do you think because I'm asking for a piece of gold back, I don't love you?"

Corrin bit her lip — hard. She couldn't speak, so she nodded.

Niles sighed. "Corrin, I thought we had already established that we love each?"

Corrin nodded again. "I know. But… Aren't you giving up?" she whispered.

"Never." Niles shook his head. "But I realized that there is one mistake on my part that I do have to admit to before we can move forward. And it has to do with that ring I gave you."

Elise gasped. "You stole it!"

Niles rolled his eyes. Corrin shivered; as soon as Niles had spoken, she had forgotten that there was an audience to her drama. She quickly wiped her eyes, remembering her resolve.

"No, my lady, I did not steal the ring," Niles said in a slow, exasperated voice. Then he smirked. "But I suppose, in a way, I did take something without permission."

Niles left his unfinished thought hanging in the air. Corrin wanted to scream. But Elise saved her the strain and embarrassment by exclaiming for herself, "What did you steal?"

Niles laughed. "Corrin's hand."

Corrin's eyes widened. Then she blushed. You sweet, idiot man! she cried in relief.

"Corrin, I shouldn't have proposed to you without first seeking your family's approval — especially the approval of your scary surrogate father." Niles glanced at Xander. With more civility than Corrin had heard from Niles all evening, he continued, "Lord Xander, I apologize for my rashness. I refuse to take full blame for this situation and Corrin's pain, but I will admit to partial responsibility. Will that satisfy your bloodlust, Lady Camilla?"

Camilla laughed. "Oh, Niles! I can see why my darling Corrin fell in love with you. You can sweet talk, certainly. Makes me wonder whether there is a truthful bone in your body." Camilla purred, "What is that old saying? 'The more truthful they are, the more brittle the bone?' Shall we test that theory?"

Niles shrugged his shoulders. "Well. I didn't think it would be that easy." he admitted. "You obviously need more than a 'mea culpa' to trust me. I did prepare for that, of course."

"Then keep going," Leo insisted. "We'll listen this time."

"Thank you, my lord." Niles bowed his head to Leo. Corrin could have kissed her brother right there. She was inexpressibly thankful that Niles had earned at least one true ally — no, a friend — among her siblings.

"As I said," Niles continued, his harsh tone returning as he focused his address on Corrin's elder siblings, "I should have at least sought Lord Xander's blessing before proposing to Corrin. If I had, she might have been spared this mess; and maybe you all would have thought better of me and my intentions. But I didn't, so she wasn't, and neither was I. But I won't let it continue."

Niles took a deep breath, gathering enough nerve to grin at Xander. "I can see two endings for this love story. Either I am to marry Corrin with your blessing, or I am to marry her without it. In the latter case, I'll probably end up dead, hanged for kidnapping a Nohrian princess. You could save me the neck ache, though, and just kill me right now."

"Niles!" Corrin exclaimed. But Niles shook his head.

"I'm dead serious, Corrin," he said with a laugh. "I am willing to marry you without their approval, to hell with consequences."

Corrin shivered. Elise giggled. "That's the sweetest thing ever!" she cried. "To die for love — what could be better?"

"Living in love," Corrin snapped. "Even if we can't marry," she murmured, "I would still rather we live."

"That's not living in love," Niles said. "That's living apart. And for my part, I would rather die tragically than surrender."

Camilla hummed her approval. "I think that a very wise decision, Niles. I'm pleasantly surprised."

"And thrilled, I'm sure." Niles retorted.

Xander scoffed. "So this is your brave offer? Either we give in and promise not to interfere in your marriage, or you con us into killing you? Is suicide the extent of your bravery?"

"Suicide can be a brave tactic, if done independently." Niles mused. "But I'm not offering to kill myself. I said you will have to kill me — one of you, at least. Perhaps you'll need to flip a coin?"

Corrin held her breath. Stop saying that! she wanted to screamed. But Niles and Xander continued to banter.

"It doesn't matter what you call it, as you have no intention of dying. It's a bluff." Xander declared. "I'm eager to call it, but I know that would just be walking into your trap. Obviously, everything I say and do against you turns Corrin even further against me." Xander grimaced. "For that, you disgusting pile of filth, I will never forgive you."

"We're going to be such good brothers-in-law." Niles murmured.

"You've laid your trap well, thief." Xander admitted, growing louder as he grew more angry. "If I can't get rid of you, then I have to give in to you, correct? It's that simple."

"Not quite." Niles said. "I'm willing to work with you, or for you, actually, in order to win your trust."

"Oh?" Xander scoffed. "How?"

"You will not consent to my marrying Corrin because you don't think I love her beyond her material wealth — you'll notice 'material' covers all of your interesting theories: her money, her palace life, her body." Niles laughed at his own cleverness. Corrin blushed. "So, I shall commit myself to a test to prove my honest to goodness love!"

Corrin's eyes widened. She was surprised, and judging by the silence in the room, she guessed her siblings were as well. She didn't know what Niles meant, exactly, but she was more curious about what Xander thought. Her wonder gave her enough courage to glance at Xander. He was still glaring at Niles, but his attention was not so intense; his expression was marred by thoughtfulness.

"Lord Xander," Niles sang, "what will your choice be — will you test me? or will you kill me?"

Xander met Corrin's gaze. "Do you really love him?" he asked.

Corrin was startled by the sudden question, but she nodded. "Yes."

"And you think he loves you."

Corrin forced herself to give a small, confident smile. "I know he does." she whispered.

Xander sighed. "I don't think so. Or maybe he does, for now. But he strikes me as the sort who gets bored easily."

Niles scoffed. "I'm so confused!" he exclaimed. "Do I love Corrin or not? Am I using her — for what? Can't you stay true to any one answer yourself?"

Xander grimaced. "Do not tempt me into slitting your throat right now."

Corrin flinched. She quickly asked, "Xander, please, will you let him prove himself?"

Xander's gaze wandered to their siblings. Corrin turned to see them as well.

"It seems like a waste of time to me," Camilla pouted, crossing her arms. "I think we should at least beat him and send him away for even trying to marrying my baby sister!"

Elise bounced up and down in excitement. "No way! I think testing Niles' love is the most romantic thing I'll ever see! We definitely need to give him a test."

Leo rolled his eyes. "This isn't a game, Elise!" he shouted.

"But it is, my lord," Niles responded. "And Corrin is the prize."

"I don't like the idea that my sister is a prize in a power struggle," Leo muttered, glaring at Niles, then Xander. "I also think a test is a waste of time — but that's because I believe Niles will not fail."

"If I may have a say," Azura said softly, "I agree with Leo. But if they can not marry without everyone's consent, then I agree that Niles should at least have the opportunity to prove himself."

Corrin smiled honestly, now. She felt suddenly hopeful, and less distanced from her siblings. She turned to Xander with renewed energy, confident enough to meet his hard gaze.

Xander was smiling, too. Corrin briefly wondered if he had been touched by their siblings' faith in Niles, or perhaps by Niles' determination itself. Slowly, that feeling of warmth left Corrin and she grew increasingly more anxious. Xander wasn't smiling, she realized — he was smirking.

"Very well!" Xander exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "We'll have a trial of love to test Niles' attention span. Does that sound pleasant to everyone?"

"Yay!" cheered Elise. Everyone else remained quiet. Corrin could feel the tension in the air; she was not the only one to notice Xander's sudden amusement.

"Xander," asked Camilla, sounding excited, "do you have an idea for the trial?"

"Yes, actually. But first, what are the rules for your game, Niles?"

Niles scoffed. "You call it a game as though you disapprove, my lord. But wasn't it you who started this?"

"I don't want to argue again," Xander growled. "Let's try to be civil until your trial is over. Now, the rules, please."

"Very well, I'll accept your truce. The rules are few and simple! You invent a single test — trial, whatever you want to call it — that I must attempt in order to prove my undying love and devotion for Corrin. If I succeed, which I will, you must apologize to both of us and bless our marriage. If I suddenly drop dead of a mysterious axe wound," Niles glanced at Camilla, "and thus lose through default, then I can not marry Corrin and must promise to go where she'll never see me again. Are we all agreed upon the rules?"

No, thought Corrin. She couldn't say so, however, least she sound as though she were doubting Niles' fortitude.

"Agreed." Xander spoke for his siblings. "And I may name any challenge?"

"Yes." Niles answered.

"And no one can object?"

"Has anyone ever questioned your wisdom, Crown Prince?"

Xander laughed coldly. "You mock me, but you are right. There must be a king to lead — even in this game, and I shall play the part. For now."

There was a distinct pause in the room. Corrin closed her eyes and thought hard on Xander's words. Something he had said made her… uneasy.

Camilla laughed. "Oh Xander!" she exclaimed. "That's perfect!"

"Xander, you're insane!" Leo shouted angrily. "That's impossible — and cruel!"

Xander scoffed. "Do you think so, Niles?" he asked tauntingly. Corrin looked at Niles, who grimaced.

"… As I said," he muttered, "I can't object without forfeiting."

"I don't understand!" Corrin cried, frightened. "What's going on?"

Elise echoed Corrin's question over and over again. "What? What's happening? What's Niles supposed to do?"

Azura, too, looked angry. She and Leo exchanged glances, but neither spoke.

Corrin turned to Niles, but he continued to glare at Xander. Finally, Xander answered her silent plead.

"Your suitor, little princess," Xander exclaimed, "is to pay a visit to the king!"

Ending note: By the way, I just uploaded my Castle Address on my profile. If any of you Americans care to visit, I shall be very happy to exchange accessories and battle. Sadly, Nintendo has region-locked the game, so we can't visit each other if you don't live in NA.