A/N:
Posted: June 12th, 2016
Last Updated: February 13th, 2019
Views as of Posting: 669
Chapters before AU begins: 4
To everyone who made it this far, I hope you're enjoying the ride!
Not much to preface this chapter. The My Castle feature doesn't exist here and Lilith's… different.
Chapter 1 Updates:
- Fixed chronological error regarding Corrin's understanding of his transformation while attacking Hans
- Slightly edited dialogue regarding Xander's recognition of Hans's wounds
- Grammatical corrections
All changes are purely stylistic and do not impact the story. Efforts will be made to minimize these types of updates in the future.
Now, onto the story…
Chapter 2: Taken (Corrin, Leo, Felicia)
My kin, my gods, my blood. First Dragons, I call on you. Grant us access to the Astral Plane!
[…]
Numbness paralyzed Corrin's body. He found himself lying flat on the ground, arms at his side and legs together in a coffin-like position. Warm sunlight showered onto his face, though he could not open his eyes.
He felt almost at peace in the pleasant atmosphere around him. His arm didn't move a single inch despite his best efforts. The feeling of serenity faded away, replaced with panic. He was imprisoned within his own body.
(Where am I? Wasn't I falling into the Bottomless Canyon?)
Fortunately, the Prince began regaining sensation in his body. He opened and closed his hands, then slowly stretched his feet. His mouth tasted slightly of blood, yet he did not feel pain. The young Prince finally regained his vision and witnessed what kind of world awaited him.
He found himself on a field of fresh grass, recently cut. Around the field grew several trees with thousands of pink cherry blossoms. The entire field was surrounded by gray stone walls. The sky was bright blue, but no sun or stars shone in the sky.
"Hello, Corrin."
"Ah?!"
The detached female voice caught him off guard. He scrambled up to his feet, searching the ground. Ganglari was lying in the grass only a few feet away, having lost its purple glow and reverted back to regular form. The Prince quickly retrieved the sword and scanned the horizons.
Out of the blue, a tiny creature descended from above his head, landing on his hair. Corrin jumped backwards and prepared to strike the fiend toying with him. Before him floated a curious sight.
A blue shrimp-like creature sporting two tails bobbed in the air, carrying a blue orb. The being wore a maid's bow and stared at the Nohrian Prince with a smile bearing its tiny fangs.
"Who- what are you?" Corrin sputtered.
"Lord Corrin… I knew this day would come eventually." The creature spoke. "You have fallen down the Bottomless Canyon. I'm sorry, but- you have died."
"What?" Corrin exclaimed, "No! I-"
Of course. It made sense. No one could have possibly survive such a long fall. The field around them felt too peaceful to exist in the physical world. This must be what the afterlife was. Corrin fell to his knees in defeat as the reality of his fate set in.
(I'm sorry everyone… I've let you down.)
"Hee hee!" The shrimp laughed, doing a backflip in the air, "Just kidding! My name is Lilith. Welcome to the Astral Plane!"
Corrin sighed in relief and clutched his chest. He stood back up, withdrawing his blade.
"Are you a dragon?" He questioned calmly.
"Yes. You've seen me before, remember?"
Corrin shook his head. He had never seen such a strange creature before, much less any animal with the power to transport anyone to this "Astral Plane". Millions of other questions peppered his mind. Was his patrol safe? What about his family?
"That strange bird you rescued in the barn." Lilith cocked her head.
"Wait… that was you?" Corrin exclaimed.
The Prince did raise a strange blue bird back to health when he was young, but it didn't look anything like a dragon or shrimp. Then again, his memory of his childhood was very foggy.
"It was! You were so kind to me that I decided to take human form that I might serve you!"
"Wait." Corrin interrupted, "I don't remember seeing you with Felicia or Jakob when I was little. Or did I forget about that too?"
"Well, I tried to enter the castle as a maid," The dragon sighed, "but they wouldn't let strangers serve in the castle, so I decided to settle in Windmire. I hid myself and followed you after I heard about your first expedition."
"Ah, I see. I guess I owe you one then. Now where are we?"
"The Astral Plane is a world parallel to the one in which you live. The First Dragons have granted us the power to inhabit this dimension."
Worry filled Corrin's mind again. Too much has already happened today. His family and the entire Nohrian army was probably searching for him. Now, he has been teleported in a different land by a magical shrimp-dragon. Either he was saved by a servant living under his nose for years or she isn't telling the truth. He needed to get back to someplace familiar as soon as possible.
"I have so much to learn…" Corrin breathed, looking towards the path leading out of the field. "But I have some business in the other world."
"Hey, why not take a small rest?" Lilith replied, "I can bring you back, but maybe you should cool off a bit first."
That last phrase ignited a nerve inside Corrin. His anger upon Hans's murder of Gunter returned.
"Cool off?" Corrin retorted, "Cool off? I just fought off the god forsaken Hoshidan army in a border patrol. My childhood friend, Gunter, fell to his death in front of my own eyes. We were both betrayed by our own man, and now he's on his way back to the king and my family!"
(If you've been watching over me, you've seen all of that then, right?)
"Something compelled my own blade to drag me into the Bottomless Canyon. Now, I'm in this strange 'Astral Plane' in front of you, a dragon I apparently mistook for a bird, and who has been spying on me for who knows how long?" He continued, flaring his nostrils, "My entire world is falling apart. How do I cool down from that?"
Lilith stared at his impressive display of rage without saying a word. Her eyes were unfazed by the sudden outburst. Corrin huffed briefly and tugged on his collar for more air. His anger was replaced with newfound shame.
Perhaps he overstepped a line. This Lilith creature did save his life from the Bottomless Canyon, allegedly. She never did anything wrong, in fact. At the very least, she probably held the only key in returning to Nohr.
"I'm sorry." Corrin said, "A lot has happened today. I'm sure you know."
"I understand." Lilith bowed, "I just feel a lot less lonely around you. It's a shame we never met when I was in my human form."
"Lilith…"
(Wow. I have been a complete buffoon towards her…)
"Ah, no bother!" the dragon smiled, "I guess we'll have to keep in touch back in Nohr then!"
"I would like that." Corrin smiled back, "I do owe you one after all. Now, about returning to the other world?"
"Of course, milord. There is just one thing you should know before you go back. When I open the portal, you will return to the same location you came from. That means you'll arrive right on the Hoshidan border."
The Prince gripped his sword. It's true that be might pop back in the middle of the Hoshidan army, but he had no choice at this point. After the battle, Hoshido would surely increase their patrols in the area. At that point, he would never be able to return home safely. It was either now or never.
"I understand." he said, "I'll be ready for anyone."
"Very well. Remember I've used up all my power and can no longer return to human form. So, if you see a house near the castle entrance with a very unkempt garden in the next few months…"
"Ha, alright then!" Corrin laughed, "I'll make sure to pay you a visit!"
"Great! Now close your eyes. I'll come after you in a few minutes."
Corrin took one last look at the luscious field of nature around him before he did as instructed. An intense heat manifested in front of him, engulfing his entire body and giving him odd shivers. The heat grew ever more powerful until he could no longer feel its intensity. He lost touch with the rest of his senses as well, one limb at a time, until all of a sudden he felt nothing. The darkness turned silent again.
[…]
Fshhhhh…
The intense light and burning sensation fizzled as a strong gust blew cold air around Corrin. Opening his eyes, he found himself on the bridge where Hans attacked him and Gunter. The air felt moist as the thick steam dissipated from his feet.
The Bottomless Canyon looked intimidating when he first arrived, but at nighttime it was completely nightmarish. The canyon's bottom was as dark as the sky. The clouds covered every single star and the atmosphere was complete silence. Even lightning, the only possible source of light at this hour, refused to illuminate the sky. Without any light or help, getting home would be nearly impossible.
(How much time has passed since I first fell?)
"Ah, hello?" Corrin called out.
"You're mine!"
A husky voice called out in the darkness. The young Prince looked around, sweating. There was no doubt a Hoshidan patrol still behind. His hand reached for Ganglari as he silently cursed his luck.
But before he could begin drawing his blade, a rounded, blunt object hit Corrin square on the back of his head. He fell forward as his legs immediately buckled under the heavy blow. He hit his face on the wooden planks and the entire world felt as if it were revolving around him.
"Wha-?"
Growing dizzy, Corrin staggered to lift himself off the ground but fell over in a doleful collapse. Slumped onto the ground, he started feeling the sensation of being knocked out cold again. The last things the Prince heard were the quiet footsteps of three Hoshidans approaching from behind.
Leo leaned forward on the large table, skimming through the maps, books, and reports laid on top. The information presented to him was overwhelming. Almost three years of Hoshido's geographic information were collected in one thick book. Another contained observations of samurai battle tactics. The large world map laid in front of him was plastered with circles and arrows, containing myriads of troop movement and choke-points.
Iago was standing beside him with arms crossed impatiently. The senior tactician had spent a good half hour organizing all of his preparations to show the Dark Knight. He did not try to hide his annoyance. From the evidence presented in front of Leo, the senior tactician's battle plans certainly looked polished enough for the commanders in the royal army to follow.
Finally, standing by the door of the War Council room was Jakob. The butler was requisitioned by King Garon to serve the two tacticians after Corrin's disappearance. Leo noticed that, despite his dutiful service to his master, the well-groomed servant showed no sign of grief as he simply accepted his new assignment. The Dark Knight quickly turned his attention back to Iago's invasion plans.
"I… am impressed." Leo finally said, "These schematics provide extraordinary detail. I can't see anything I would like to change from the overall impression."
"Of course they are." Iago replied, "These plans were masterminded by Sir Iago, King Garon's most trusted advisor."
Leo narrowed his eyes.
"What, did you think I cheated my way up to this rank?" Iago hissed.
The royal shut his mouth. He had clearly underestimated the senior tactician. It is almost as if he wasn't needed in the invasion plans after all. However, he made a promise to Xander. He had the power to move forces to search for his brother, as well as keep her sisters safe. Whether it was for the country, his family, or even his own ambitions, he must persevere.
"Now to follow up the border patrol, we shall launch two Faceless attacks, here and here, to overextend their defenses." Iago pointed at two regions in North Hoshido, a mountainous region and a recently constructed Hoshidan fortress.
"Once the Hoshidans concentrate their forces up north, we shall advance to their south, putting their army out of position and establishing a base here." His hands trailed toward a large circle on the map.
The area was a huge flat plain surrounded by several small rivers. Perfect territory for advancing with cavalry and supplies, though there were only few bridges in the area.
"What about the Great Barrier?" Leo pressed his finger and ran it along a thick blue line that was drawn along the Bottomless Canyon, separating the two great nations.
Iago paused and stared at the large circle. He scratched his head, unable to come up with a response to Leo's disdain.
(What's going on? Surely he couldn't have forgotten about the Barrier?)
"Jakob," He finally murmured, "Go grab us some tea. Black, if you will."
"Yes, milord." The butler replied. He quickly exited the room. Iago turned his gaze back towards the Dark Knight.
"Lord Leo, do you know the history of the Great Barrier?" Iago asked.
He nodded. The Great Barrier was the grand creation of Queen Mikoto, current ruler of Hoshido. After several border skirmishes with Nohr, the queen summoned a magical wall that extinguished the aggression Nohrians held for her people once they crossed the border. It was this magical barrier's existence that made the country resort to summoning Faceless and mercenaries to raid Hoshidan villages.
"King Garon told me to assume that the wall has disappeared." Iago shrugged.
"But that would mean…"
"Yes, it would."
The two stared at the Hoshidan Capital on the map. The dark mages of Nohr theorized that the Great Barrier was not a permanent structure. Rather, they were made of energy channeled by its original creator. To remove the wall, its creator must stop contributing their powers by some means. His eyes trailed back towards the thick blue line separating the nations
"But, how?"
"'How' is strictly confidential. Even I don't know how King Garon will pull it off. But, you shall tell no one, not even that butler, of our intention to destroy the Barrier."
"I see…"
"Before we continue, I have one last question for you." Iago said, rubbing his hands.
Leo scratched his forehead in annoyance as he watched the candlewax slowly overflow onto the castle floor. If the two of them continued to stall, they would never be able to finish briefing the invasion plans. He also had several more questions on his Father's plans of sabotages before Jakob returned with their tea.
"Why are we going to war?" the tactician asked.
"What?" Leo was caught off guard by the question.
"What are our people fighting for? What makes our cause just?"
Leo's answer was rehearsed and automatic.
"Land and resources. The people of Nohr need them to prosper."
"Incorrect, Lord Leo. The answer is revenge."
Revenge? Frankly, Nohr has launched more raids on Hoshidan villages during peacetime. The entire purpose of summoning the fell Faceless was to terrorize their citizens and to disrupt their agricultural production. As much as he hated to concede, painting Nohr as the victim in the entire conflict would prove difficult, especially as a justification for warfare.
"Hoshido always had better weather and bounty than our nation. While crop yields continue to fall and our people's scarceness spread, we came to them with trade offers." Iago explained, "We asked for their help and offered them wares for food, but they didn't offer any assistance. Instead, they halted trade with us."
(Is that why we keep on having food shortages?)
"These vile Hoshidans wish to starve us out of existence. They sit behind their little Great Barrier and laugh at us while we grow weaker by the day, until the order of our land is lost. We as a nation will collapse into chaos."
"W-wow." Leo managed incredulously, "Is all of that true?"
Nobody has ever told him any of this. He always perceived the Hoshidans as a peaceful, advanced nation. They were the object of every Nohrian's envy. Now, he could only view them as a heartless race, waiting for their neighbors to vanish.
"That's up to you." Iago replied.
Leo's face grew flustered. What kind of a response was that? He wondered if Iago just make up a sob story for a reaction. It has been a solid half hour since the senior tactician laid out the preliminary invasion strategy, and they barely evaluated the first few steps. He appeared to be purposely delaying the process.
"What are you saying then?" Leo gritted his teeth.
"Before battle, you must understand your own army." Iago replied, "Desire for glory is good, but hatred works much better. Memorize that narrative well, whether you believe it or not."
"So that's what most soldiers in Nohr believe…" Leo sighed at last.
There was no guarantee Iago was telling the truth, but he was right on one thing. Not everyone in the army seeks glory. Father never let his children leave the castle much, so they never really experienced what it was like to live as commoners. He has never actually lived in fear of bandits or putting enough food on the table. These are people who want to fight for a better future – whether it was the truth or complete lie.
"Yes. As a tactician you must learn the ability of pretending to care." Iago replied.
There he went again. Just before Iago almost convinced Leo of possessing something resembling human emotion to Leo, he underwent a complete withdrawal of everything he showed to make himself as perplexing as possible.
"Fine." Leo exasperated, trying to move along the discussion. "I'll keep their experiences in mind. Now let's hurry up already."
"Milord, I wasn't very pleased when King Garon appointed you to work with me." The senior tactician sighed, "But I was wrong to judge so quickly." The Dark Knight stared at him in disbelief.
(Did Iago suddenly have a change in heart?)
"I see potential in you." Iago stroked his chin with his fingers. "Yes, I can mold you into a fine asset for Nohr…"
Before Leo could respond, footsteps sounded from the hall outside along with the clinking sounds of a tea platter with utensils. The butler had returned.
"Your tea, gentlemen." Jakob returned to the room with the kettle and two drinks prepared.
"Thank you, butler." Iago grabbed his tea and took a sip. "Now, milord, let's not waste any more time. You still have a lot to learn."
Jakob returned to his posting, standing straight as a rod while waiting on the two men. The senior tactician began skimming through several books on the large table, looking for the right one to compliment the next phase of the invasion.
Leo gulped anxiously. He had clearly misjudged his father's advisor. Iago was not the sloppy tactician he thought before. He was actually quite competent, and yet he purposefully made himself difficult to trust. The man, first disgusted at the thought of collaborating with the royal, now declared himself to be his mentor? There was no telling what working with him and the rest of the royal army would be like.
(What in Anankos's name have I gotten myself into?)
"Fuh!"
Corrin grimaced as he took yet another powerful fist dug into his chest. Panting, he slouched forwards in his chair, arms tied. The mysterious man in front of him glared menacingly towards the Prince. The man had a tall build and one of his eyes had a scar on it. Most of his face was covered with a cloth, hiding his expression. Despite this, something seemed familiar about the dodgy captor.
The two had been in the same dimly-lit room for several minutes. There was no indication of where they were though the sound of crickets outside suggested it was deep into the night. The room only had a crudely constructed door and no windows. The rope bindings of the wooden chair dug deeper into his skin.
His captor had completely stripped him of his royal attire, leaving him only with a ruffled white undershirt and torn pants. His armor was piled up into a corner of the room and Ganglari were nowhere to be found, presumably confiscated by some Hoshidan guards.
"Speak Nohrian!" The man spat, "What is your nation scheming with this attack?"
"We're not scheming anything." Corrin retorted, "Just a simple misunderstanding between our forces."
"Filthy liar." The man stepped backwards and folded his arms, "Your forces almost captured a Hoshidan fortress with an inferior army. How is that possible without the commander planning in advance?"
That was not entirely true. Though the battle did go much better than expected, the Nohrian patrol would have been slaughtered without Gunter's assistance. This is not even mentioning most of the major injuries treated by Felicia after the battle.
"I don't know what to say." Corrin shrugged, "I guess I'm just an amazing commander then."
Upon hearing those words, the mysterious man stepped forward again. Without hesitation, he delivered a heavy left hook into Corrin's ribcage. The chair jolted backwards from the impact, making a loud screech as it grinded against the floor.
"Gahh!"
"We can do this all night, boy." The man hissed.
Corrin winced. "I'm only speaking the truth!"
He had been punched to the point where he felt a bone would break. His abdomen was extremely sore and some parts of his stomach were numb. Exhaustion consumed his torso. Sweat rolled down his back.
"Where even are we?" He complained weakly.
"I asked the damn questions!" The man wound up his right arm for another punch.
Pain and fatigue spread throughout the Prince's body. The dim fire burning in the middle of the room began to flicker. At this point the Hoshidan interrogating him appeared simply as a dark figure in front of the flame.
There were no avenues of escape. But before punched again, there is at least one last thing he could do before being sent off to the Hoshidan authorities. Xander told him that almost every Nohrian captured by them would be executed, so either way he was going to die.
(He's not getting any information from me.)
"Wait!" Corrin whispered suddenly. The man stopped his fist right before it connected with the Prince's face. "If you come closer, I'll tell you the secret Nohr has been hiding from you guys the whole time."
"Why should I come closer?" The man grunted.
"Uh, it's information so delicate, that only you can know about this." Corrin replied nervously, "Look. I'm restrained. Just come a little closer and I'll speak, please…"
Sighing, the man stepped to the spot right in front of the Prince and squatted slightly to meet him face to face. His breathing was deep and muffled through his facecloth, like a beast ready to tear its prey apart.
"You better have a good explana-"
Before the man could finish his sentenced, Corrin looked straight into his eyes, closed his mouth, and proceeded with all of his might to spit into his captor's eye.
A good hit.
The man did not back off or even flinch despite the insulting attack. He simply stood up, wiped his eye, and reached into his chest. He pulled out a small, lustrous thing that barely dimly in the fire's light. That object was a large iron shuriken.
"Bad move." The Hoshidan chuckled, "Prepare to face the consequences."
"Glory to Nohr!" The Prince hissed.
Though his words were defiant, Corrin's chest convulsed. To die so soon after leaving the Northern Fortress for the first time would be a shame. Resigning to his fate, the Prince closed his eyes and sagged his head.
Before the man could strike with the shuriken, the lone door to the room slowly creaked open and new footsteps entered the room. Opening his eyes, Corrin saw a familiar green-haired man and local, dark-skinned tribeswoman enter the room.
"Saizo, what are you doing?" The tribeswoman gasped, "Stop!"
"But Rinkah!" the man grunted, "I was just interrogating our little commander here. Why stop now?"
(Rinkah?!)
Before the entire expedition to the Northern Bottomless Canyon, Corrin met two prisoners allied with Hoshido - Rinkah and Suzukaze. King Garon ordered him to execute both of them, but he refused to do so. Corrin and Leo managed to help them escape, but Father was very much angered by his rebellious behavior. Thus, Father ordered him to scout the abandoned fortress, leading to this horrible expedition.
"Orders from the Queen have changed." Rinkah replied.
"Did you see what he did to Omozu?" Saizo retorted, "He deserves punishment."
Omozu - defender of the abandoned fortress. Memories of his face and bloodied body pierced by his dark blade returned. It became obvious why his interrogator's clothes looked so familiar. The two possibly had some sort of relation, both serving as Hoshidan comrades.
"He's only wounded, not dead." She shook her head, "This isn't necessary."
"Yes, Saizo." The green-haired man supported her, "This is not an honorable way to treat a defeated foe. Allow us to handle him."
Saizo stared incredulously at the two people who have entered the room, then back at the Prince. Muttering under his breath, he stuffed his shuriken back into his uniform and stepped towards the door. Before leaving, he glared at Corrin one last time, pointed as his neck, and made a snapping gesture with his hands.
"Oh, thank Anankos…" Corrin sighed after the ninja finally left, sitting up straight. His heart rate was out of control. Not often does a person face Death in the eyes just to witness him walk away.
"Hey there." Rinkah stepped to his side and dropped to one knee, "I knew we'll meet again someday."
"Ah, yeah." The Prince coughed, "Thanks, Rinkah, and… Suzukaze, right?"
"Yes, Prince Corrin." The green-haired man quickly bowed, "Please, feel free to refer to me as Kaze instead."
The two Hoshidans looked completely different from their defeated selves at the Windmire Arena. Rinkah's skin appeared much more vivid thanks to her red war paint, and despite the room's chilling temperature she had no problem exposing her midriff through traditional clothing.
Kaze's uniform on the other hand was no longer torn-up. He wore arm guards with two large blades that were currently folded but looked dangerous nonetheless. The two had clearly recovered their fighting spirits back in the East.
"You must excuse my brother." Kaze continued, "His loyalty and honor as a ninja is only challenged by his temper."
The ninja made a hand gesture at Rinkah. She proceeded to walk to the back of the chair and began loosening the rope binding Corrin to the furniture. After just a few seconds of twisting, his exhausted arms were finally freed.
"No kidding." Corrin replied, breathing on his hands. "He packs quite a punch."
"Are you hurt milord?" The ninja asked in a concerned voice.
(What is this gentle tone? I almost regret spitting on your brother.)
"Prince Corrin?"
"Ah, uh, not anymore." the Prince stammered, "I'm fine."
He tried to smile despite the bruises on his torso and weakness in his legs. It actually did not feel too different from his training with Xander. Kaze did not look convinced, but kept his mouth shut.
"Yeah, you're fine." Rinkah smiled, "Sorry about that bump on your head."
Corrin rubbed the back of his head and surely enough, a large bulge was there, at the place where he was hit and knocked out. Saizo's ruthless interrogation made him forget all about it.
"Where are we, exactly?" Corrin asked, staring warily at the tribeswoman.
"This is a Flame Tribe village in eastern territory." She replied, "I'm going to hand you over to the Hoshidan Authorities."
"I see." The Prince coughed, "I suppose they'll want to hear an explanation for the unprovoked attack… and then they'll probably execute me." If Saizo's reaction to his story was any indication, the Hoshidan army would surely bludgeon him to death.
"Heh. I don't think so." Rinkah smirked.
"Yes." Kaze nodded, "On the contrary - I'm glad we found you, Prince Corrin."
"You are?" Corrin was taken aback, "Wait, am I missing something?"
He tried to stand up from his seat, but when he contracted his core sharp pain prevented him from doing so. The Prince barely managed to get his behind a few centimeters into the air before plopping back down in frustration.
"Please rest for the rest of the night." Kaze reassured, extending his hand. "All will be explained tomorrow."
"I'll get you some hide to sleep in." Rinkah yawned, "I hope you like bears."
Corrin sighed.
"I guess I don't have a choice."
Wherever these two were going to take him, it looked like a long journey ahead. Looking at the soothing smile of the green ninja and the indifferent eyes of the Flame Tribe warrior, his worries were somewhat alleviated. With a stroke of good fortune, he might be able to survive in Hoshido for another day.
The young lady sat down at the breakfast table and laid her head down in gloom. Early mornings always had that effect on the people. It had the agony of forcing people from bed, but the cloudy climate made it so they could barely even enjoy the morning sunlight. It was just like another day in the Nohrian capital, or so she thought a few days ago. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she broke into a sob.
While she cried, a maid came to her side with several plates balanced in her hand, frowning. She set down the silverware and gently nudged the maiden. After the nudging had no effect, the maid sighed and sat down next to her.
"Felicia, what's wrong?" The maid gently asked, "Did you break another teacup? You're not even in your uniform this morning."
"Oh, Flora." Felicia choked, "Sorry, I'll pull myself together."
"Yes, but what happened? Flora pressed, "I haven't seen you this upset before."
Serving as a maid at Castle Krakenburg had its share of difficulties. No matter what she did, Felicia could never fix her clumsiness next to the dishes, utensils, or just about anything. It upsets her sometimes, but never had it moved her to tears.
"Oh, it just that with Lord Corrin gone, I don't know what to do." Felicia wiped her eyes, "I miss him already."
"Ah, he's gone missing." Flora patted her sister on the back, "If he's not in the castle, don't worry about him. We still have work to do right now."
"How could you say that?" Felicia sniffed, "We helped the royal family take care of him when he was little. Next thing you know, he's gone off somewhere."
(I mean, it was mostly Jakob and I who cared for him, but still…)
"I'm sure he's fine." Flora sighed, grabbing a handkerchief from her pocket. Her sister gratefully took it from her hands and blew into it.
"I hope he's safe too."
"And I hope you two get back to work." A third voice resonated from the back of the room. The two sisters turned around to see a man tapping his feet impatiently next to the door. He donned a frown and dark circles underneath his eyes.
"Jakob!" Flora beamed, "Yes, I'm just cheering my little sister up."
"Again?" He shook his head, "We were over this yesterday, Felicia. As much as you hope, you cannot cry Lord Corrin back to us."
"I know." Felicia scowled and threw the handkerchief back to the table. She stuffed her head back into her arms. "Just, why did he have to disappear now?"
Their battle near the Bottomless Canyon went very well. Not a single Nohrian soldier died in battle. A few even gave her a few gifts as a thank you for helping their wounds recover. Why did just their leader disappear, and just before getting home?
Jakob raised his head, as if deep in thought.
"Maybe to escape from your cooking." He finally concluded.
"Jakob!" Flora snapped, "That was rude."
"Trying to lighten the mood." The butler dismissed.
"Never mind that." Flora sighed, "You look absolutely exhausted."
Jakob folded his arms. "Yes. I was up late last night with the royal family's self-declared prodigy and the masked mage."
"Lord Leo and Iago?" Felicia looked up at him.
"Correct." He replied, "They were going on and on about how to invade Hoshido…"
"Wait, what?" Flora gasped. She quickly stood up from the table and walked up to Jakob. "We're going to war with Hoshido?"
Jakob shrugged, "King Garon told them and the rest of the family yesterday. He'll spread the word soon."
War with Hoshido. Deep in Felicia's heart, she knew something like this would eventually come. She, Flora, and Jakob were all trained in self-defense to protect the castle just in case they were attacked or invaded. Oddly, she was better with fighting with a knife than chopping up vegetables with one.
"Oh no!" Flora exclaimed, "We're going to war. The Ice Tribe, everyone…"
"But the Ice Tribe is the furthest from the border." Felicia said, "Aren't they safe?"
"You don't understand." Flora frowned, "This is terrible. Our poor, poor family!"
(But they're far away from the battle?)
"Yes, we might need to fight back if we are ever attacked." Jakob pointed out, "That should not be too hard, especially since we have a talented fighter right here."
"Who, me?" Felicia pointed at herself in surprise.
"Yes, you." Jakob grinned, "The soldiers this morning talked about how great of a healer you were. One even told me you helped our lord take down their leader."
Memories of the battle yesterday came back. Corrin was in a stalemate with the Hoshidan ninja. They were constantly switching positions, trying to land a strike on the other. Felicia took a deep breath and pulled out one of her many knives. She took aim at the ninja and threw it. To her dismay, Corrin jumped dangerously close to her throwing knife's path and almost got grazed, but it just missed him.
"I could have been less sloppy, I suppose." Felicia sighed. She wanted to forget everything that had happened that day, before his master's disappearance.
"You also healed Master Corrin in the battle from an arrow wound." Jakob continued to commend her, though he did not know that was a fluke as well.
"Eh, I tried to heal the wound with the arrow still in it." Felicia admitted in shame after recollecting the events.
"Wow." Jakob suppressed a chuckle, "That's hilarious. Even from you."
"Mmm…" Felicia grumbled.
Despite his cheeky comments, the maid did somehow feel a lot better. Flora and Jakob had always found a way to cheer her up when she was at her lowest. She was truly lucky to be working with such caring people.
"Anything else about the war, though?" Her sister cut in, "From Lord Leo or Iago?"
"Not too much I can recall." Jakob replied, "I know your tribe isn't involved at least, and most of the invasion details I can't release."
"Hmm, I see." Flora fidgeted.
"Alright, I'll get back to work you two." Jakob rubbed his hands together impatiently, "I'm sure that's what Master Corrin would want us to do."
Felicia nodded and stood up from the table. The butler said his farewells and returned to the kitchen. Flora gave her sister a hug before cleaning off the breakfast table and picked up the plates with that.
"Let me help you with that before I get changed." Felicia grabbed half of the dirty plates that was on her stack.
"Thanks." Flora replied.
The two made their way down the main hall and into the kitchen. Behind her sister's back, Felicia almost dropped the silverware but thankfully caught herself before colliding into a pillar. They both dropped their loads and washed their hands.
Flora rolled up her sleeves and immediately began washing the dishes. Her hands and washcloth moved gracefully, taking the plates and washing them vigorously. She then carefully yet effortlessly dropped them off to the side, sparkling like new.
(Wow. Why can't I be that talented?)
"War with Hoshido." Flora broke the silence while still washing, "Sounds dangerous."
"Wonder when they'll announce it to everyone." Felicia sighed.
"I hope our tribe doesn't get dragged into this."
"Don't worry! Even if they are, they're great at fighting!"
Upon hearing those words, Flora stopped in the middle of her washing briefly before returning to her work just as abruptly. The awkward silence returned as Felicia pondered what was going on inside her sister's mind.
"You really don't understand, do you?" She snapped.
"Eh? What?" Felicia asked, shocked at her sudden anger.
Flora has never snapped like that before. War with Hoshido should not impact her so much, Felicia thought. She isn't a soldier and their family wouldn't let the tribe join the war. She would do anything to leave behind the sudden tension and have the situation deescalate.
"Never mind." Flora exhaled deeply, "Sorry. I was just hoping that you're better now."
"Yup! Thanks to you, sis!" Felicia smiled, "I'll go get changed!"
Flora turned to the younger maid. "Do you think the war will stop if Corrin comes back?"
(If Corrin comes back…)
"Flora." Felicia grabbed her sister's shoulders, "That's a brilliant idea! I'll tell Jakob!"
"What?"
With that, Felicia ran to her changing room with a smile on her face, leaving her flabbergasted sibling behind.
Corrin yawned as he stared outside of the wagon. Two horses powered through the dirt road, pulling the Hoshidan-style wagon as it vibrated against the shallow holes. Despite being a wealthier country, their roads seemed to be much less maintained. They had left the village settlement early morning with a Hoshidan merchant and his ride. It was now late in the afternoon. Rinkah and Kaze stared at the Prince as he held his head.
"You know." Rinkah spoke at last, "You would feel less tired if you slept more." Though the animal hides felt silky and pleasant yesterday, Corrin didn't fall asleep because of the anxiousness of having her keeping watch.
"Sorry." He grumbled, "I'm not used to strangers watching me sleep."
"Strangers?" Rinkah scoffed.
"My sister, Camilla used to watch over me until I slept." Corrin admitted, "She stopped when I told her to though."
"Adorable. How old were you when she stopped making sure you fell asleep? Six?"
"Sixteen."
An awkward silence filled the carriage, only broken by the wagon meeting another set of tiny potholes. Rinkah's mouth was left open in disbelief. She probably would have reacted the same if she saw how Camilla treated him in real life, too
(Huh. I just realized how much I miss everyone.)
"Some siblings are just bad at listening." Kaze shrugged.
Corrin laughed in relief. "Someone who understands me!"
"We should be at Shirasagi any minute now." The ninja continued. "These thoroughbreds we captured from Nohr travel incredibly fast."
"No way." Corrin said, "You captured Revenants?"
Revenants are a rare breed of horses native to Nohr. Dark mages experimented with these horses and blessed their feet through magic, or so the story goes. Most horses perished while being trained in special stables. Less than a hundred horses remained in the Nohrian army, making up less than a twentieth of the cavalry. They were only available to the elite forces and formerly Gunter's control.
Usually, getting from Windmire City to the border takes over five days on foot or two days on horseback. Revenants can make the journey in twelve hours, which was the reason his patrol made it to the abandoned fortress so quickly. They were essential in moving soldiers and critical supplies quickly.
"Yes." Rinkah nodded, "I thought you would know why we were traveling so fast."
"I was too busy thinking about your sloppy roads." Corrin replied just in time for another bump to rock the wagon back and forth. It was miraculous the wagon had not fallen apart already, or that none of them suffered a concussion.
"Right, now we're going to meet the royal family." Kaze reminded, "Do you have your side of the story ready?"
The Prince nodded slowly. It wasn't a particularly interesting story. The patrol left the night before yesterday with the cavalry and troop carriages. They arrive at the canyon yesterday morning where they ended up with an accident leading to a fight with Omozu. Afterwards, they were going to return home. They would have arrived yesterday evening but he fell into-
(Damn, I can't mention Lilith! They'll never believe that story.)
"You don't seem so sure." Rinkah frowned.
"No, no" Corrin responded, "I'm just a bit dizzy, that's all."
(No problem. I just need to make a plausible story to why I stayed behind, until night, on the bridge, unescorted-)
The carriage began to decelerate as Corrin felt his body being dragged forward slightly. It was obvious that despite acquiring two Revenants, the Hoshidan people have yet to properly use them.
"Alright, we're here." Kaze said as he looked outside the wagon.
"Already?" Corrin began to sweat.
Rinkah stretched her arms. "Yes, let's meet the royals."
Surely enough, the wagon stopped shortly afterwards. Gazing out of the wagon's window, a colossal sight greeting the young Prince. A sheer-sided mountain stood before them. The Hoshidan capital was almost completely hidden behind it. However, the most impressive piece in the entire set was the absolutely massive castle on top of the heights.
The brown and white structure had Hoshidan-styled curved roofs that shown light blue in the evening sun. The sun was setting, covering the entire structure in a paint of orange. Several gates led to the large entrance to the castle followed by stairs that led up the mountainside. Trees with cherry blossoms peppered the landscape around the entire structure. Corrin's amazement vanished upon thinking about the climb up.
"I know that's beautiful." He whispered, "But that's also a bit silly."
"It's not as hard to get up there as you think." Kaze reassured.
As always, Kaze had a reassuring effect in his voice. The Prince followed the two off the wagon, stepping upon the first of many steps towards Castle Shirasagi.
[…]
And the ninja was right. The stairs to the castle were long and unwinding, making for an easy ascent. Perhaps it was the awe of the castle's size and the sight of the setting sun that made the journey trouble-free. Corrin never saw such a sunset back in Windmire. The two finally reached the throne room of the castle and walked along a wide red carpet. At the end sat a large golden throne that was unoccupied.
As the three approached the throne, Corrin saw a samurai in white and red armor waiting for them. Hoshido's entire theme seemed to be amazing and artistic structures that lied on the edge of utter ridiculousness.
The samurai's armor was no exception. It had several red plates on his shoulders and chest area, He even a mask with a chin guard. The Prince just got his white Nohrian armor and cape back, but it was put to shame at the sight of such polish.
The ninja walked up to the samurai and bowed.
"Welcome back, Suzukaze." The soldier spoke, "Good work."
"Thank you, Lord Ryoma." Kaze replied.
Corrin looked at Rinkah in surprise. "Did… did he just say Lord Ryoma?"
Lord Ryoma, famed warrior of the East. His ability with a sword rivals that even of Xander. He was feared among the Nohrian army for good reason; everyone he has ever fought him grimaces at the mention of his name.
"Yes." Rinkah replied, "This is the High Prince of Hoshido, Lord Ryoma."
"I understand." Corrin gazed at the warrior and gulped.
"Hmm…" Ryoma stared back, examining the Prince of Nohr.
"What are you waiting for?" The young Prince said, "If you're going to execute me, please get on with it."
The High Prince might as well finished what Saizo has started. At least he looked like he was capable of delivering a quick, painless death. Ryoma smiled and pointed to a corner behind Corrin. Kaze stood up immediately. He and Rinkah looked in the same direction and both straightened their posture. Corrin turned around.
From another door in the throne room emerged a beautiful woman with black hair and in a white and golden dress. A shiny, circular headpiece kept her long hair together as it extended long past her shoulders. It must be another royal of Hoshido, Corrin thought.
"I cannot believe it is really you…" The woman smiled warmly.
"Sorry." The Prince stared more closely, "Do we know each other?"
The woman's aura of mysteriousness suddenly broke as she broke into tears. Corrin stepped back and looked both at Rinkah and Kaze. The two of them were smiling for some reason, adding more to the confusion.
"Was it something I said?" Corrin whispered.
"Oh, I missed you so much!" The woman cried, "Come here Kamui, my sweet child!"
(Kamui!?)
The woman ran forward and wrapped her hands around the Prince. Corrin stood his ground, paralyzed. Slowly, he placed his arms awkwardly around the stranger and patted her on the back before pulling away.
"Your sweet child!?" He said, "What are you talking about? That's not possible…" Really, he just wanted to stop having the three other pairs of eyes stare at him while he tried to make sense of the entire situation.
"Oh, my poor Kamui." The woman sniffed, "It's a sad story. When you were very young, you were abducted by forces from Nohr. I am your mother, Mikoto. All this time, I didn't know if I'd ever see you again?"
There she was. Queen Mikoto of Hoshido crying in front of her supposed son, claiming that she was the mother of a Nohrian Prince. Corrin had no idea how any of this had happened. He must have gotten mixed up with some other royal.
"But King Garon is my father! None of what you're saying makes any sense." He retorted.
"It must be quite a shock, but I assure you that she speaks the truth." Ryoma chipped in, lowering his arms. "I am your older brother, Ryoma."
"No, no, no…" Corrin shook his head in disbelief. "Xander is my older brother! Leo, Elise, and Camilla are my siblings…"
"Are those the Nohrian royals?" Ryoma scoffed, "They're not your real family."
(What? But they are the only family I had!)
Memories flooded back. Memories of his training with Xander in the Northern Fortress. Memories of losing at chess against Leo. Memories of playing with his dear sisters. Everything felt so real.
Was it all an illusion?
"Are you sure about this?" Jakob hissed at his colleague.
Felicia nodded vigorously. The two were standing outside of Xander's station. The Crown Prince had been working nonstop since the morning and was about to take a break. It was the perfect time to talk to them.
"You can leave if you want." Felicia tilted her head.
"No, I won't" Jakob sighed. "I just hope he listens."
"I guess we have no reason to continue waiting."
Felicia took a deep breath and knocked. A voice on the inside invited them in. Jakob grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. Sure enough, Xander was on the other side, sitting on a desk with an inked feather. Several papers were at his side with his ink pot. His royal sword, Siegfried, was hung upon the office wall.
Upon entering, Xander finished his document and put down the feather. Jakob instinctually stepped forward to help him organize the mess of papers on his desk. The Prince raised his hand to refuse as he piled everything together to a corner of the desk before finally turning his attention to the visitors.
"What can I do for you?" Xander greeted.
Nervousness began to fill the maid's mind. She nudged Jakob, who looked at her in shock. He nudged her back, prompting her to speak for the both of them. Sighing, Felicia finally opened her mouth.
"We want to join the Expeditionary Force!" She finally blurted out.
"Really?" Xander blinked. "You want to join the Expeditionary Force? But why?"
"We feel as if we could help get Corrin back." Jakob replied.
Flora's thoughts earlier were spot on. She believed Nohr declared war on Hoshido because their Prince was captured. If that was true, the war would end if Nohr got its royalty back, and they would finally be able to see Corrin again.
The Crown Prince furled his brow and tapped on the desk. Felicia resisted the urge to fidget nervously while Jakob's breathing became shallow. Time felt like it was stopped as no one in the room moved a muscle.
"That's very noble." Xander finally said, "But you need not risk your life for him."
"We assure you we want to." Jakob asserted with a firmer tone.
Xander continued nonetheless. "If you're worried about your job, we will always find someone else for you…"
"Er, it's not all about Corrin!" Felicia piped, "You know about my clumsiness. It's not fit for a maid! I feel like I can serve Nohr better in the army!"
"What?" Xander lifted an eyebrow.
"Yes." Jakob nodded, "I have grown tired of serving Iago. I believe he has an insatiable appetite for black tea and poor manners."
(Not solid reasons, but anything to convince him…)
Xander stared down at the stack of papers on his desk and pondered. Another lull filled the room. "Alright." He said, "If you are really that eager, I'll consider it."
"Really?" Felicia asked eagerly.
"You two have proven your ability in the past, so we can skip the regular training." Xander replied. He took out a small sheet of paper from the pile and began scribbling small notes onto it before setting it aside again.
"Thank you, milord." Jakob bowed, "You will not regret it."
"No promises, however." Xander said, "Now, have a good evening."
Giddy with excitement, Felicia followed the butler out of the room and closed the door behind him. Once they were in the hall she gave a small twirl and laughed. Jakob watched her with an unimpressed face.
"You seem enthusiastic for war." He complained.
"No, I'm enthusiastic about helping the army find Corrin!" Felicia replied. The two began walking down the hall to the change rooms.
(He would do the same for us, right?)
"Fair enough." Jakob yawned, "I wish to have him back as well."
Felicia beamed. "The faster he comes back to us, the faster we can return to being servants."
The two finally reached the change rooms after taking a left into a smaller hallway lit with torches. Jakob picked out his clothes from the storage room and started walking towards one of the doors.
"Even if we're in the Expeditionary Force, we'll probably just work as healers." Jakob sighed while unfolding his clothes.
"Then we will save people's lives in the meantime." Felicia chirped.
"I'm just wondering what Gunter would think."
Felicia nodded. Gunter's loss was particular jarring to Jakob. Though she was never very close to the great Great Knight, he often spent time with the butler and teaching him self-defense.
"Well, I'll get changed now, so…" The butler frowned.
"Oh right, seeya!" She waved with a smile.
Jakob shook his head in exasperation as he entered the stall. Once he was out of view, she stopped waving and dropped her arms, reflecting on what could happen next. If war was anything like the battle at the fortress, it should last only weeks.
She dismissed all of those troubling thoughts. When Corrin was little, she pledged her loyalty to him and it was her duty to protect her master. That is what it means to be the model maid. The only thing she could hope for is to find him still alive, and help bring him back home.
"Rinkah, Suzukaze, you two are dismissed." Ryoma commanded.
The two Hoshidans bowed and walked out of the throne room. Only Corrin and his alleged brother and mother were left in the vicinity. If they were really family, this was the most awkward family reunion in the history of both nations.
"My name is not Kamui." Corrin grumbled.
Corrin was a proud name. It was the one King Garon gave to him. When he was little, he loved the sound of it. Never in his life has his family ever called him "Kamui" or however the name was pronounced.
"I still remember the day you were taken." Ryoma explained, "In those days, there was tension between Hoshido and Nohr, but no full-blown war."
"Yeah, Xand-" Corrin paused, "A Nohrian Prince told me."
"Not until Garon lured King Sumeragi – our father – to Cheve under false pretenses." He continued, "He said it was for a peace conference."
"Oh, that's nice of-"
"His real plan was to murder our father in cold blood." The high Prince's tone turned dead serious. Corrin was taken aback. He had not heard of a King Sumeragi or an assassination attempt by Father.
"And to make matters worse... he kidnapped you." Ryoma finished.
That story sounded even more ridiculous than the one he was not supposed to tell about Lilith. It was like a mundane fairy tale written for whoever was named Kamui at best and an attempt to mislead him at worst.
"No." Corrin shook his head. "That's just not possible."
"You really don't remember any of this?" Ryoma asked, "Not even a single memory?"
"Honestly I have only the vaguest memories from my early childhood."
Corrin closed his eyes and tried to remember hard. Nothing came to mind other than the eyes of his Nohrian siblings watching through the door bars as he sat in his room. Nothing before that was buried in his memories. Just an isolated childhood and an incredible sense of loneliness.
Ryoma sighed. "Well, I can't imagine the Nohrian royals would share much of your past with you."
(That's because they were exactly the past with me.)
"So where's everyone else?" Corrin looked around the empty throne room. If there was anything similar between the royal families, it would be that there would be several children in line for the throne.
"You have another younger brother and two sisters." Mikoto smiled, "All of them are stationed elsewhere right now due to the Nohrian attack yesterday."
"Ah yes," The Prince scratched the back of his head, "About that…"
The Hoshidan royal family did not recognize that the one who unfortunately commanded the Nohrian attack on the fort stood right in front of them, Corrin guessed. Either that, or they already forgave him. The Prince silently hoped for the latter.
"Um, so when are they coming back?" Corrin questioned, wanting to suspend his disbelief and entertain Ryoma's story.
"Takumi will be coming back tomorrow." Ryoma answered, "He leads our archer regiments and will be returning from the northern village."
"Sakura and Hinoka are currently stationed at Fort Jinya." Mikoto added.
Takumi. Sakura. Hinoka. The exotic names spun in Corrin's head. They sounded more like the names of Hoshidan dishes rather than people. Like the rich and filling beef stew back in Nohr that has the succulent taste that wraps around your tongue and reminds you how hungry you are whenever you think about it…
"They sound… like fun." Corrin murmured.
"Are you alright?" Mikoto asked concernedly.
"I'm a bit drained." He admitted, "Sorry."
It was a long and wasteful day. Being poked awake by Rinkah after a very short sleep was already unpleasant. Riding in a rickety wagon with a still-bruised stomach and bumpy roads wasn't much better.
"You need sleep, my child." Mikoto lifted her arm and snapped her hand at Ryoma.
"Understood." Ryoma said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Kamui. We have lots to catch up on."
The High Prince left the room briskly. Corrin turned back towards the Hoshidan queen, who has not stopped smiling ever since he entered the castle. A sense of familial affection seemed to be cast from her.
"So." Corrin said, "Kamui?"
"Kamui was the name I gave you when you were little." Mikoto replied, "What did they call you back at Nohr?"
"Corrin." The Prince posed as if some sort of hero while reciting his name.
"Oh, a fine name." Mikoto said, "What do you wish to be called?"
"Err… whatever you prefer is fine."
"Kamui it is."
Corrin sighed, wondering if his former life was lost forever. Was he destined to live in Hoshido as "Kamui"? To be placed under a new roof and forget about the past years of his life?
"I know you're confused and maybe scared." Mikoto cut into his thoughts, as if she could somehow read them, "But we're so happy you're back..."
(Might as well play along…)
"Ah," Corrin bowed respectfully, "Thanks for your hospitality, Queen Mikoto."
"Please," she said, "Call me Mother."
Corrin struggled to say the word. "Er, thanks… mother?"
"You look completely worn out." She laughed, "Night will be here soon so you need some sleep."
As much as the day was about to be over, sleep was the last thing on the Prince's mind. There was a lot to explore in the castle and about his previous life. He felt useless the entire day while he was stuck at the back of the wagon.
"Uh…" Corrin looked at the ground.
"Would it help if I said it like a mother?" Mikoto tilted her head.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt."
"Go off to bed." Mikoto raised her voice and pointed at the door.
"Okay!" Corrin stepped back in fear.
An odd smile formed on his face. It felt almost natural being scolded by Mikoto. It was the same feeling when Camilla or Xander scolded him at home. She showed off an unexplained feeling of homeliness.
"Thank you, son." Mikoto laughed, happy as well. "Let me show you to your room."
The queen began walking gracefully towards the hallway. Corrin slowly followed close behind. The doors in the hallway were elegantly constructed. Instead of grey cobblestone, the walls were made from an off-white plaster.
Mikoto lead the Prince towards a room and opened the wooden door. The room was decently sized with torches and windows to view the outside. Indeed, the sun was already beginning to set. A large bed with silk blankets was positioned near the wall.
"You spent the whole day travelling, so please rest." The queen smiled, "We'll have plenty to talk about over breakfast tomorrow with your brothers."
"Cool." Corrin replied, still staring at the luxurious room in front. It was much more spacious and colorful than his quarters in Krakenburg.
In fact, any room would have been better.
"Good night, Kamui." Mikoto said before walking away.
The Prince watched his mother as she walked away. Her graceful pace along with her magnificent dress disappeared from step as she turned a corner. There was no one else around and for once, Corrin was not being monitored.
Castle Shirasagi was certainly a nice place to live in, but it didn't feel familiar enough. Corrin sighed loudly. There needed to be mementos or paintings or something behind that could remind him of his past. Something had to be left behind.
(I guess I have all of tomorrow to find out.)
Sighing, the Prince removed his armor and fell onto the bed. Not long after, the sanctity of sleep enveloped him.
[…]
A blurry image appeared in front of Corrin. He was in some sort of alleyway street. Small houses were on both sides. The road was made of cobblestone and the sky was dark blue. The image started getting blurrier and blurrier.
Then suddenly, a figure appeared in front of him, standing in the middle of the street. His vision was too blurry to see anything detailed. The man stood with his arms and legs spread out, as if to protect something. His back was turned away.
Then, the image flashed white. Upon returning, the street and houses were still there. However, the man was now on the ground. Behind him stood a large group of men, resembling soldiers.
The image flashed one last time. This time, the vision shocked the Prince. The man was completely gone. The only thing left was another older man, possessing a long grey beard. His face was distorted and he held out a large black hand. It came closer and covered his vision, extending until eventually everything turned black.
[…]
The next morning, Corrin opened his eyes and got up groggily.
(What a peculiar dream.)
Rubbing his eyes, he pulled himself from the bed. Yesterday's sleep significantly refreshed his body. It was a beautiful day outside. The sun shone from the window. Not a single cloud peppered the sky. A noise came from beyond the door, sounding of a female singing softly.
Curious, the Prince placed his ear on the door to listen closer. The singing was absolutely beautiful, certainly nothing he has ever heard before. Corrin found his head attached to the door, unable to pull away from the angelic voice.
"You are the ocean's gray waves…"
A/N: Thanks for reading!
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