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

Chapter twenty-four: More Crossroads

Corrin returned with her siblings and Niles to Leo's rooms. Niles had finished recovering from his ordeal while Xander and Leo supported him through the castle, and had "entertained" the royal children with his sarcasm and questionable wit. Corrin wondered at his mood; he seemed almost giddy. She worried he was too relieved at having survived his audience with the king.

Niles finally calmed down after she told him what had happened with Iago. She had waited until Leo's room was clear of everyone but themselves and its master; then she had whispered the entire tale to him, watching his face for a reaction. He took the news in silence, his face never betraying what he felt. However, his behavior and tone changed towards Xander immediately, becoming more respectful, more quiet, which told Corrin everything Niles would not say.

She might have felt happy, then, but time never would stand still for her relationship. Before the day was over, a message was sent by King Garon, summoning Niles to another interview the following morning. It had said no more, allowing Corrin to read between the lines and dwell over every unwritten threat.

She returned to her temporary room feeling tight in her chest. She laid down in the bed and stared at the walls of the lonely room, suddenly missing the crowded tent she had shared with Azura and Mozu. She had never lived in the palace at Krakenburg, and thus did not have a bedroom to call her own. She had been given a spare one that happened to sit in the hallway near her siblings' rooms; but it was not home to her.

She missed the small, sparse space of her little house in the astral planes. She missed the warmth of her friends and sisters when the weather turned and they had to share a bed to keep warm. When things were bad on the road, Corrin would sit up with Azura and Elise to talk nonsense and giggle all night long. It had never failed to save Corrin from despair before. She longed to run to her sisters, or her brothers, or Niles himself — but she was alone.

Eventually, despite her struggles, she did fall asleep. A few hours slipped by unobserved, but it was still night when a knock interrupted Corrin's restless dreams.

The noise caused her to sit up in bed, listening. Minutes seemed to pass before she heard it again — a swift, quiet knock on her door. Corrin crawled forward, not leaving the bed. She wasn't exactly afraid, but she was baffled as to who her visitor could be.

The knocking stopped. There was a pause, during which Corrin wondered whether the person on the other side of the door had given up and left. Her heart skipped a beat when the knob began to turn; Corrin had not locked the door. It had never occurred to her that someone might try to enter.

Corrin prepared herself to pounce at the intruder, but relaxed when she saw Niles slip inside. Then she gasped at him, but waited until he had closed the door to whisper, "Niles! what are you doing in here?"

He didn't answer, but first came forward until he was standing beside her bed. She quickly pulled up her bed covers, feeling self-conscious even in her modest nightgown. He finally answered softly, "I came to see you. That floor was so uncomfortable, I couldn't sleep."

"And you thought a hazardous jaunt into my room was a good way to pass the night?" Corrin asked, shivering — from cold or fright, she wasn't sure. "Niles, if anyone finds you in here, they'll kill you!"

"I was careful," he replied evenly. "I waited until Lord Leo started snoring to sneak out, and the hall was completely empty when I passed through. Now, may I jump in?"

"What?" Corrin blushed. "Y-you mean, in my bed?"

Niles smirked. "Yes — unless you're expecting other company?"

Corrin didn't respond. Dumbly, she moved over to make room for Niles under the covers. He didn't "jump in", however, as he had said; instead, he took the time to remove whatever clothing he had put on to journey to her room, meaning his shoes and his shirt. Then he finally lay down beside her.

"This is much better than the floor," he murmured. "And you're far warmer company than a throw rug."

Corrin tried to laugh, but the noise she made was closer to a squeak. She moved over further.

"It's been awhile since we've done this," Niles continued. "Lord Xander's rule made it impossible to be alone together."

"That's what he was hoping for," Corrin whispered.

"You weren't so squeamish last time," Niles commented, trying to pull closer to Corrin; she backed even further away. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" Corrin said too quickly. She sighed. "I… It's just… This time, I know it's not actually appropriate for us to be sharing a bed." She blushed deeper and hoped Niles couldn't see in the dark.

Niles laughed. "Oh, that's right — Xander had to warn you against me. I had actually forgotten that. I can't believe you didn't know."

Corrin wasn't sure how to answer that. She babbled, "I guess things might have been very different between us had I known!"

"Really?" Niles asked excitedly.

Corrin wanted to slap herself. Oh gods, he thinks I'm flirting with him! she thought, panicking.

Aloud, Corrin said, "I don't know, really! But… didn't you say to Elise that you did try to… to… seduce me," she choked, "once, before I knew?"

"No, I didn't say that," Niles murmured, touching Corrin's hair. "I said I tried a few times to seduce you before you knew what I was doing. I tried a couple of times, Corrin, but they all fell inexplicably flat — like right now."

Corrin shot straight up. "Niles!" she hissed. "Please, don't say things like that!"

But Niles' face was frighteningly grave. "I'm not teasing, Corrin. I wouldn't dare at this point. I came here tonight with that purpose. But if I disgust you…"

"No!" Corrin exclaimed. She steeled herself and reached out to take his hand. "Not at all, Niles. But, why? Why tonight, when we're so close to the finish? If someone found out you were here, it could jeopardize everything."

Niles sighed. "Corrin, you're not going to like hearing this, and I know we've argued about this before, but I could die tomorrow. I don't know King Garon, but from what I've heard about his exploits and from the picture you, Leo, and Lord Xander have been painting for me, the man I saw today was not he. This interview could be an excuse to draw me in front of the king so I can be executed for daring to ask for your hand."

Corrin shivered again. "I know," she whispered, "and I'm terrified."

"I have to take that risk, Corrin," he said. "If there's the slightest chance I live and can marry you, then I have to risk it all. But before I do, I want to hold you like a man should hold his wife. If I can just experience that, I can at least face death with one less regret."

Corrin was too nervous to breath. She wanted to pull her hand away from Niles, to turn and hide herself from him, but she couldn't move. In the silence that ensued, Niles pulled Corrin a little closer to himself. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"Corrin?" he asked.

Corrin wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said, "but I can't! It's just… I would be betraying my siblings' trust! They finally seem to accept you, or at least are very close to it. I can't risk jeopardizing that!"

Niles sighed, but he didn't seem angry. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, soothing her cries.

"What's more," Corrin whispered, trying to ignore her flustered feelings at his touch, "to give in now, when we're so close, would feel like giving up. I still believe we will get through this! we will be married! And, then, we can…" She trailed off. Niles laughed shortly.

"I understand," he whispered. "I won't push you again."

Corrin nodded and wiped her eyes. "Thank you."

"Do you want me to leave?"

Corrin hesitated. "I… I don't know. What if we oversleep? Someone might notice you're gone, and then —"

"Corrin, that die has already been cast." Niles insisted. "I can go back and pretend I never left, but I think that would be more dangerous than staying here and waiting 'til morning to go. Please, if I can't sleep with you tonight, at least let me sleep beside you?"

Corrin blushed deeper, but something in Niles' voice distracted her. She leaned closer to his face, struggling to see in the dark. "Are you afraid of tomorrow?" she whispered.

Niles scoffed. "As a strong man, I should deny it. … But I am scared. And I would really like to stay here and be scared next to you."

Slowly, Corrin nodded her head. "Then, please stay."

They both laid down on the bed. Corrin hesitatingly placed her head on Niles' chest; he wrapped his arm around her and laid his hand on her shoulder, tugging her closer to him. She felt incredibly uncomfortable, but she didn't pull away.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you," she whispered.

They didn't say more. Niles seemed to fall asleep quickly; but Corrin lay awake for a long time, scarcely able to breath, desperately wanting to pull away and at the same time pull closer to his warmth. When she did finally close her eyes, she still felt Niles' arm around her in her dreams; and worse still, she could hear his heartbeat all night long, for she did not move her head from his chest.

Ending note: Writing Niles is hard!