A/N:
Posted: October 10th, 2016
Last Updated: March 15th, 2019
Views as of Posting: 4 854
Sorry about this chapter's delay… I'll give you all a heads-up next time if personal matters affect my schedule.
We wrap up the battle this chapter. Admittedly, I'm not too experienced with writing battle scenes. I tried experimenting with multiple POVs and I hope they connect well. (Don't worry. Not all battles last this long.)
We have new people to pair up! See A/N at the end.
Responses:
Agenr of Chaos (sic?): Reforming Nohr from the inside was something I always wanted for Conquest. It's something I want to incorporate into this story. Whether Corrin will be successful or not is another matter.
Guest: Thanks for your elaborate explanation! I'll keep an eye on it if/when that concept becomes relevant. Azura's orb is a very weak plot device in the original story. I don't even know if I'll incorporate it in this fanfiction. However, if I do, I'll know exactly how to execute it.
Dragonna: Thanks for your comments. I believe Leo explained in the previous chapter that Hoshido imposed tariffs and embargoes, making them a scapegoat for the Nohr's problems. There's no other way for King Garon to justify his war to masses of unhappy peasants. Without spoiling too much, he's a liar who exploits grievances for his own desires.
PersonaUserOrpheus3245: Same response as above
Chapter 6 Updates:
- Grammatical corrections
- Edited Corrin's internal monologue.
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 7: The Invasion Begins, Part II (Camilla, Xander, Corrin)
Camilla pursed her lips as she soared high above the battlefield. The large wyvern puffed from its nostrils as the Princess gently patted its head. The invaders and defenders dotted the grass, resembling mere insects. An organized dive would be suicide with all the archers below.
A small patrol of Pegasus knights rose to their altitude earlier, testing their defenses. After they failed to force an impact, they flew towards Elise's caravan. The other, much larger flock harassed Xander's forces at North Bridge below. Along with the samurai, the combined regiments brought the entire front to a stalemate. Her wyvern riders circled in the sky, as quietly as a swarm of dragons would allow. They waited to pounce on their prey.
"Lady Camilla, orders?"
Her most delectable retainer, Beruka, broke off from the end of the chevron formation. The young woman held level with the royal at point, a worried expression clouding her usually apathetic face.
"Almost, dear." Camilla reassured, "When the time's right." She loosened her shoulders and suppressed a yawn. The heights made even breathing a burden.
Beruka flew off without complaint. The royal desperately wanted to help her elder brother and the cavaliers, but the defenders didn't let up a single opening. She briefly considered diverting to South Bridge, but the risks were the same.
Her little schmoopie would have to protect himself a bit longer.
"They're gettin' shredded down there." A man to her left warned.
"Only a bit more…"
Her underling's comments were becoming reality. The Pegasus knights broke their approach and hung above Xander's horsemen like frenzied geese, throwing javelins at the Nohrians or pecking at them with slim lances.
The low-flying clouds slowly dispersed in the wind, allowing the Nohrian to scout out Ryoma's army. The opportunity they waited for finally peeked its head.
She whistled cheerfully. "Oh everybody! Follow my lead!"
Camilla veered forward until she was right above Xander's forces at North Bridge. Her swarm gathered into a spherical formation around her. Many took deep breaths, lightheaded from the height. Prince Takumi's archers were relocating- their eyes off the skies.
"Heehee..." The Princess smiled, grabbing an axe strapped to her mount's side, "Now, sweethearts, as we rehearsed! Bash their heads in for me!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
The lowest of the wyvern riders descended first, diving straight down. Camilla followed with the middle layer until the entire regiment was more or less a straight line, drilling towards the ground. Air rushed passed the princess as she descended. She tightened her legs to maintain her balance. Speed was an important factor as well - passing out from diving too fast would be fatal.
(Dying before even reaching the battle? How embarrassing…)
"Hey, above!" A Pegasus knight shouted, noticing the advance at last.
The Hoshidan fliers beneath began to notice the swarm approaching from above. A few swiftly glided away, but the majority were too slow to reaction. The wyverns pulled up quickly, dispersing into the enemy flock.
Camilla adjusted her angle slowly, immediately feeling twice as heavy. Her steel axe gleamed in the sunlight, demanding to cleave flesh. Blood coursed throughout her veins. From the corner of her vision, she caught sight of the river.
Her silent prayers were answered. Prince Takumi's forces looked up in confusion. A few drew arrows instinctively and aimed at them. As they were about to shoot, their commander resentfully ordered them to stop.
The two aerial regiments tussled, dotting the skies and weaving into each other. The archers lowered their weapons in visible frustration, afraid of hitting their allies. The cavalry below were briefly relieved.
(My, my. Who will be my first target?)
Beruka pursued a Pegasus knight not far from her.
"There you are!"
When the two were just about to fly past her, Camilla intercepted the enemy flier from the side. She hacked into her foe's torso. The armor gave away easily at the hard swing. The Hoshidan grunted, almost dropping her naginata.
Beruka prompted her steed to give a final effort in the chase. The beast roared as it closed the distance, eventually flying just underneath the Pegasus knight. The retainer chopped at the red straps underneath the mount's stomach, severing it easily. The wounded steed slowed down. Its rider pulled on its reins to no avail.
Camilla saw the opening to strike again. She flew to right of the Pegasus and almost playfully rammed it from the side. The knight was unaware the only thing fastening her body to the steed was sliced. Her desperate efforts to hold on dissolved into a scream as she lost her balance, plummeting towards the ground.
"Sorry darling!" she called.
Beruka gave a quick nod and broke off.
(One down. Dozens more to go)
The Princess scouted for the next target.
Once again, she did not need to. Another Pegasus knight swooned upward from below, underneath her blind spot. Her wyvern screeched as the naginata pierced its hide. Camilla held onto its body and rubbed her poor dragon's head.
Turning to see who dared attack her precious, her eyes fell on the infamous redhead commander. Hinoka steadily turned her mount around. The two royals confronted each other with unrestrained malice in their eyes.
"You!" Hinoka hissed, "You're that Nohrian princess!"
"Heh heh, I have finally found you…" Camilla beamed, "Corrin's imposter sister."
"Shut up! You don't know how many years I've waited for Kamui to return to us!" The redhead pointed her naginata towards the sun
"Well, you don't know about the weeks I've waited either."
The Sky Princess paused. "…That's a shorter time."
"They outweigh even an eternity of sorrow you might have." Camilla sniffed, wiping her right eye.
"We'll see about that!" Hinoka exclaimed. She lowered her lance and dove forward.
Camilla followed suit by brandishing her axe.
On the first pass, Hinoka stabbed forward.
She barely missed as Camilla shifted course right.
The Nohrian Princess swung her weapon from the side.
Hinoka swerved the opposite direction in time. She coughed as the two reached the end of their lunges and circled back.
Camilla's wyvern growled feverishly. The stomach wound began taking its toll. There was no guarantee they would be fast enough to dodge the next attack.
(Corrin chose Nohr over Hoshido. He chose me instead of her.)
"There's no way I can lose." She reassured herself.
The two Princesses faced each other again. They came in for another clash.
Wind rushed past their hair. Fury burned deep in their scowls.
Camilla smirked upon seeing Hinoka lowering her naginata.
"Time to play!"
The tide slowly turned against the Crown Prince's favor. With every passing second, the situation qualified less as a battle and more as a farce. Xander's cavalry could not make any progress on the northern flank. Not a single soldier or horse dared step on North Bridge.
It was not because they lacked the courage. There was just no way they could break through. Prince Ryoma's forces lined up on the other side of the river's edge. Pegasus Knights flew above the invaders, scouting and picking off the stragglers. Prince Takumi's archers rained down barrage after barrage of iron at their position; the silent arrows terrified both man and beast.
The scenario was so dismal, the Nohrian cavaliers were forced to ride around in huge circles to avoid the constant onslaught. Xander had no idea what Iago was thinking. Five hundred was way too few to spearhead an invasion.
"Milord, we can't hold this position forever. The horses are getting fatigued." The captain of the 7th Reconnaissance regiment reported, riding to his side.
Xander furled an eyebrow, "Keep everyone moving on the grass. Withdraw fifty paces. Once they cross over, we shall overrun them."
The Crown Prince remained unconvinced by his own words. The defenders were not budging from their positions. They turtled behind the arrows and Pegasus knights, waiting for the other side to thin out. Cavaliers were struggling to find locations just outside of the Takumi's range.
"Take a look south." The captain pointed, "I suggest we should retreat."
"No! We will not waver against these-"
Xander's jaw stayed open mid-sentence when his eyes looked towards where he was pointing. The only defenses on their side of South Bridge were a few healers and supply wagons. Leo and Elise were nowhere to be found. Corrin was absentmindedly watching across the stream.
(… What were they thinking?)
His sight darted to back to the east side of the river. A mounted incursion was darting past small groups of samurai. The 9th Royal Lances quickly reached the rear of the enemy forces, right in front of what looked like unarmed Hoshidans. As a staff glowed dimly in the distance, Corrin's body shone brilliantly.
"They're flanking Hoshido's rear." Xander murmured.
"While leaving our entire south defenseless." His subordinate cursed.
Indeed, some of the samurai gave up their pursuit. A few repositioned themselves around the bridge, maintaining their dense formation. Corrin had teleported away, for some reason. Elise's caravan was completely out in the open.
"Very well." The Crown Prince nodded with fabricated composure, "Move 7th Reconnaissance to South Bridge to reinforce. I'll sound the retreat if necessary."
"Yes, milord!"
The captain rode back to his regiment. Xander shook his head in disbelief. He did not expect Leo to take such risks on the battlefield. His attention floated back to North Bridge, where the flurry of arrows stopped temporarily. The ground resembled a dead forest. Arrows were rooted into the ground like thin, branchless trees.
The 4th Reconnaissance regiment took most of the losses – most of the cavaliers were all out of vulneraries. 7th Reconnaissance was understrength as well, especially after dividing its forces. Xander lowered his head. He did all he could to keep everyone alive, but routing Ryoma's forces was impossible. I must not fail Father in my first battle, he declared. There were no more tactics he could deploy-
"Ahhhh!"
He shuddered at the sudden holler, tugging on the reins of his stallion. The mount raised its front legs in the air in fear. A tumbling mass caught the corner of the Crown Prince's sight: a white and red blur falling towards the ground.
Crack!
The object landed with a sickening sound. A Pegasus knight had fallen from the sky, landing awkwardly on her backbone. She could not pick herself up, convulsing in pain from the impact. Xander gazed at her shaking body before raising his head.
Camilla brought her swarm down upon Princess Hinoka's fliers. The javelins thrown from the air were replaced with the shrieks and the neighs of the Hoshidans and their steeds. Takumi's archers stood dumbfounded.
(Perfect! We need to buy Leo and Elise more time…)
"Soldiers of Nohr!" Xander shouted, "Attack position, now!"
What remained of the two regiments returned to their pre-battle formation. If Camilla won the battle in the air, they could finally cross North Bridge.
He stared back at the Pegasus knight with sympathy. Mortality stared back, too weak to whimper. No amount of healing could save her now.
A tear fell down her cheek.
A difficult decision.
The Crown Prince put the crippled Hoshidan out of her misery with a clean slash. He returned to the vanguard, not looking back.
"Hurrah!"
The cavaliers drew their weapons after hearing Hoshido's war cry. Despite losing help from the skies, the enemy prepared themselves to advance. Xander leered at the sight. Hoshido was desperately trying to retake the initiative.
He squinted to get a better view. Prince Ryoma walked to the front of his samurai. The High Prince put his hand the ground, making it glow. His arm shuddered at the shining white light.
(A… dragon vein?)
The brightness from the ground formed into a ball of light. It leapt from Ryoma's hand and into the air, zigzagging violently. The Nohrians watched as the ball abruptly slammed into the river. Clouds of steam erupted from the impact.
Within seconds, the water on both sides of North Bridge seemingly disappeared. What remained in was a ditch. The stream seemed to completely vanish as far as they could see upstream; its existence was expelled from this world.
"Hurrah!"
The samurai cried again as they ran into the ditch. Ryoma spearheaded the strike with his holy katana. Xander's veterans were taken aback at the sudden rush.
"Pull back!" He ordered, "Fifty paces, go!"
The Expeditionary Force retreated before another barrage of arrows hit their position. Wounded horses limped their way towards the caravan. After losing the North Bridge chokepoint, the invaders found themselves horribly disorganized.
The samurai emerged from the ditch, not slowed down by the mud. Outnumbered, outmaneuvered, out of ideas, and out of breath, the cavalry stood their ground against the fresh Hoshidan defenders. Proud war banners blew in the wind on both sides. The stark standoff between the two armies was something similar to ancient fantasy. Xander always knew he would cross swords with his rival heir one day, but he had never expected it as soon.
Ryoma stopped and glared at the Crown Prince.
"Nohrian commander! You face the High Prince of Hoshido, Ryoma! I challenge you to single combat!"
"I ask you, 'High Prince'." Xander replied. "Why would we agree to single combat, if I already possess the advantage?"
"Very well." Ryoma spat, "Samurai! For Queen Mikoto!"
Xander gritted his teeth.
"For the glory of Nohr, awaken iron!"
The two heirs charged at each other with their armies following behind. The two holy blades met. Siegfried gleamed as it made contact with one of Raijinto's sparks. A burst of energy from the clash pushed both swords and their owners back.
Xander swerved his armored horse steed into the midst of his cavalry, losing sight of Ryoma. The field was locked with fierce fighting. Wyverns and Pegasus mounts joined the battle, chasing each other and looking for easy pickings on the ground.
Two samurai teamed up against the Crown Prince. Xander raised his sword and dashed towards them. The forward-most warrior sidestepped out of the way, attempting to strike the mount.
Xander swung Siegfried in time to catch the Hoshidan mid-attack, neatly slitting his foes' stomach. The samurai staggered back, clutching his chest in shock.
The other swordsman found his way to the rear of his steed. He stabbed at the stallion's rear and cut through the horse's light chainmail. The awkward angle made the wound shallow, but it was enough to startle the mount.
The horse neighed loudly and kicked backwards. The samurai was caught off-guard by the quick retaliation. Two powerful feet that extended far beyond his imagination smashed the Hoshidan's thigh. The samurai dropped his weapon as the impact propelled him back. The Crown Prince doubled back, chasing the warrior away.
"Good move." He patted his stallion's back. The mount flared its nostrils, satisfied with his contribution.
Around him, wounded cavaliers and samurai were slowly retreating to the rear of their units. Cries of bloodshed still drowned out every other noise. Soldiers hoisting banners on both sides dropped their ensigns to join the fight.
As per military doctrine, the cavalry tried to extend the line and surround the Hoshidans. Their foes spread out just as quickly, refusing to be boxed in. Ryoma's footmen weren't going to yield the fight easily.
From his right, a patrol of veteran cavaliers pulled away from the fight, their face covered in blood, unsure whether it was their own or their foes.
(We need to end this quickly)
Xander launched into the fray once again, stabbing at soldiers on both sides with Siegfried. The blade's purple hue grew brighter each time it struck down another Hoshidan. Shortly, a group of samurai lied on the grass, wounded or near death.
Not far from him, a whirlwind of swords tore through the Nohrian ranks. Prince Ryoma made his appearance again. His swordsmanship with Raijinto made his fighting a blur. His anger left a merciless trail of blood behind him.
The wounded cavaliers had no choice but to scamper southward. Dead horses fell on the ground, breathing heavily, weakly, then never again. There was no telling which side was winning until the inevitable rematch resurfaced.
Xander charged at the High Prince, unable to swallow the sight of any more losses. Ryoma finished off his last challenger before turning to meet him. Raijinto's sparks grew ever louder in face of the challenge.
"Fiend! I will not allow a filthy Nohrian to sully my honor!" Ryoma scoffed.
Xander glowered. "What foolishness. You leave me no choice."
He yanked on his stallion's reins with his left hand. The horse jumped high into the air towards Ryoma, attempting to crash into him. The High Prince stepped out of the way. Xander was prepared, bringing down Siegfried to his right.
Ryoma parried the attack, forcing the longsword up into the air. He tried immobilizing Xander by attacking his mount's back leg. The horse sloppily hopped out of the way. The Crown Prince lost his balance at the ill-timed dodge.
"And so, you have breathed your last!" The High Prince roared.
Xander recovered quickly, but he failed to dodge in time. Ryoma slashed his chest. The formidable plate armor he wore was not enough to block the divine katana. Odd sparks rocked his body. A thin stream of red trailed from the exposed wound.
"Gah…" He panted. A shallow cut, but a long one.
Ryoma did not relent as he jumped in for another blow. He aimed for the horse's midsection and plunged in his katana. The stallion screeched grotesquely and started to lose its footing. Xander jumped off his mount before it fell over.
"Coward!" The Ryoma accused, "Return Kamui to us!"
"Never!"
The Crown Prince was no longer holding back his wrath. Father and his entire nation depended on his victory. He lunged forward, tightening his hold on Siegfried. Pain seized his heart with every step.
Ryoma dodged with ease, responding with a stab to Xander's hip. Jolts of lightning coursed through his body yet again. He stumbled forward and turned towards his seemingly invincible foe.
(Am I… really going to fall here?)
Corrin bit back his anguish as he saw Sakura fall to the ground. The hilt of his sword was enough to knock out the frail shrine maiden. Without thinking, he seized his sister's festal and broke it into two.
The shattered pieces fell next to her small facedown body. He spent the next minute nervously looking both ways, in case anyone else wanted to finish the job their own way. There was no way anyone was going to kill his sister.
"Someone will take her away to safety…" he whispered to himself, "Someone will take her to safety. Someone will-"
Maybe if he said it enough, he would not feel so guilty about it.
A cavalier rode to his side, pointing her lance to the shrine maiden's body. Corrin quickly jumped between the soldier and his sister, putting his hands up.
"I already got her." He lied, "Let's fight someone else."
The Nohrian paused, trying to read his face. She slowly raised her lance and trotted away without saying a word. Corrin gasped in relief and sheathed Ganglari. No one was going to kill her sister.
"Heeey guys!" Elise exclaimed urgently, "Time's up!"
She pointed at a group of samurai closing. The cavaliers trotted back with Leo after finishing off their targets. Injured maidens and broken rods were scattered on the field. A few curious troubadours rode around, inspecting them for salvage. The Hoshidan combat support was mostly shattered.
"Archers are too well guarded to attack. I think we did enough damage here." Leo narrowed his eyes, "Or, at least some of us tried to."
"Yeah." Corrin agreed, "Let's get out of here."
Elise sulked. "Sorry my staff broke. I swear I could have used it three times…"
"Don't worry." The young Prince scratched his head, "We have him."
Corrin looked to Leo, who looked away unhappily. Elise looked at him as well, tilting her head. The Dark Prince gave an audibly frustrated sigh as he saw the enemy forces closing in.
He gave into to his brother's demand.
[…]
"Don't fall off." Leo grunted.
The Hoshidans were now dangerously close. As they shortened the distance, Corrin secured himself onto Leo's horse and held on tight. Elise attempted and utterly failed to hide her amusement.
"Alrighty everyone!" She shouted, "Next stop, South Bridge!"
The royal troubadour led the hasty retreat. Leo's thoroughbred struggled with the weight of its two riders, slowly falling to the back of the line. Leo slapped its neck, prompting the steed to keep up with the others.
Corrin's horse-riding skills were elementary at most. Living in the north for most of his life did not provide much time for practice. It was embarrassing enough to know everyone else in the Nohrian royal family had already mastered the skill.
To see even his little sister outperform him was discouraging to say the least.
(No. Now's not the time to think about that…)
The young Prince clung onto his brother for dear life as the horse galloped. He felt Leo's body shudder with slight repulsion. Elise led the regiment's movement into small curves as she evaded the small pockets of soldiers.
After the largest groups were past them, she slowed down her pace. Only one more patrol separated them from the large wooden passageway.
She pointed at the river. "Leo, Corrin! Loooook!"
The final patrol was massive, but oddly, the soldiers were not facing them. Instead, the Hoshidans were beginning to step onto their side of South Bridge. Leo's breathing became shallow after he slowed down his steed.
"They're going for the convoy." He mused, "That was quick."
"No!" Corrin exclaimed, "We must rescue them!" Felicia and Jakob fighting for their lives with their small daggers was the last thing he wanted to see.
Elise exclaimed, "Not yet. Look closer!"
From the opposite side of the river, a horde of cavaliers separated themselves from Xander's army and rode south towards them. Takumi's archers fired off a volley, trying to catch them on the run. They missed by a long shot.
Leo grinned. "Xander sent us his blessing."
"Yay, he's awesome!" Elise raised her arms in premature celebration.
"Huh." Corrin scratched behind his pointed ear, "What do you suggest? We can't stay behind enemy lines forever."
The reinforcements formed a solid wall sealing off their side of the passage. Behind them, a few members of the caravan left their wagons to join the battle. Felicia and Jakob were at the very back, holding forth their Heal Rods.
"Listen carefully. I'll only say this once." Leo hissed at everybody, "Those samurai don't know we're crossing the bridge yet. Once they're at the halfway point, cross. We along with Xander's reinforcements will surround them. They'll be trapped and crushed accordingly."
Corrin nodded slowly. Leo somehow makes every step sound simple.
After a few seconds of waiting, the last samurai stepped off the grass. Leo called to his troops to move in. The 9th Royal Lances dashed at the bridge with Elise's troubadours following closely behind. The Hoshidans turned around.
Their confusion quickly lifted as they prepared to fight.
The Nohrian reinforcements caught sight of the situation. The captain of the 7th Reconnaissance regiment commanded his soldiers to storm the bridge. Corrin blinked as a group of healers backed them up. No sight of Felicia or Jakob.
Leo's regiment reached the east side, blocking off the last chance of escape.
"You can stop holding onto me, brother." He grunted.
"Oh, s-sorry."
Corrin hopped off the tired steed and unsheathed Ganglari once again. The Hoshidans realized they were surrounded and they spanned outwards to protect both fronts. Elise stared worriedly at the hostile forces still approaching from behind.
"We need to hurry!" She beckoned.
Leo opened up Brynhildr. "My pleasure. Everyone, attack!"
[…]
The samurai were a lot bulkier than Corrin initially estimated. Their desperation only bolstered their fighting spirit. The cavaliers switched to using lances and stabbed the powerful mass from both sides.
Leo's regiment went first, forming the frontline against the opponents trapped on the bridge. Behind them were Elise's troubadours, routinely healing the wounded. Corrin was forced to watch the battle from behind - the passage was too narrow for everyone to fight at once. In a way, he was lucky not to fight the country he lived in just yesterday. Felicia or Jakob were lost above the heads of the combatants.
A sense of worry began to build. An evanescent heat rose from a hidden packet. Azura's present to him was reacting to something. If what she told him was true about turning into a powerful dragon, they could gain the upper edge and-
(But, can I really place my trust in this stone?)
In a blink, the vague memories of him on the roof, trying to kill Hinoka resurfaced. An almost drunken sense of destruction seized him that very moment. The thought of being a prisoner inside his own body tortured his mind.
There was no way such a weapon could be used for good. There was no way he could simply "accept" that the Dragonstone would work on its first go.
It was a risk he could not afford to take.
"How annoying." Leo frowned.
The Dark Prince looked the book and held his right hand forward, speaking some undecipherable incantation. A small tree sprouted from the middle of the bridge. It struck several samurai, provoking cries of pain. The plant's roots left sizable holes in the lumber when it finally disappeared.
"Hey, Leo." Corrin breathed, "That wasn't necessary"
"It speeds things along." The Dark Prince replied, "We'll repair this woodwork."
"No, not that. There's no reason to kill them! If we wound them, they'll surrender."
His brother seemingly forgot the Hoshidans lost Sakura and most of their shrine maidens. Even the smallest wound could worsen and end someone's life.
"Corrin." Leo snapped, "We got a patrol of samurai closing in behind us. If they get here, then we too will get surrounded. For our protection, I cannot let that happen. We don't know if they have the intention of letting us live either."
"Ah- but…" He could not think of any more arguments on the dot.
The rest of the engagement ensued as expected. The Expeditionary Force slowly overpowered the Hoshidans from both fronts, compressing the patrol into an even tighter formation. Some jumped off the bridge in a desperate attempt to escape.
The cavaliers rewarded them with javelins in their back as they swam away.
Corrin felt powerless as he witnessed the massacre. Elise looked away, pretending nothing was happening at all. They could do nothing but watch the foot soldiers get picked off one by one. A horse kicked a body into the river to make more room for itself. The corpse hit the water with a loud splash.
(Come on… surrender already…)
Despite their best efforts, the Nohrian thrust came too late. The patrol on South Bridge fought long enough for reinforcements to arrive at the back. Half of Leo's regiment doubled back to form a protective circle around the troubadours.
Corrin panicked as he faced the new threat. Elise let out a squeal of alarm.
"Everyone, stop!"
The heated shout came from a samurai on the bridge. The two armies turned their attention to the call. Leo ordered his regiment to stand down. The three royals pushed through the cavaliers to the front, where they met the owner of the voice.
"H-Hana?" Corrin exclaimed.
The Dark Prince stepped back. "You know this commander, Corrin?"
"I knew there was something off when I first saw you!" She snarled upon recognizing the Prince, "We were right to doubt you, Nohrian scum!"
The words hit Corrin like an anvil.
"Enough." Leo interrupted, "What are you scheming?"
Hana sheathed her katana. "We're… surrendering." She gritted her teeth in shame.
"Very well. Withdraw your weapons and follow us to our side." The samurai from the reinforcements raised their voices in protest.
"Wait!" Corrin exclaimed, still shaking off her stinging remark.
If what almost happened to Rinkah and Suzukaze would happen to Hana, he had to do something. All of the Hoshidans would be executed as prisoners of war.
"Are you suggesting we continue fighting?" Leo asked, his patience becoming thin, "That's unexpected of you."
"No." Corrin said, "We should… let them go."
"What?" His brother turned to him, "Why would we do that?"
(I have to play my cards right…)
"Hana." Corrin said with a firm tone, "If we let your people go, I want you to tell every regiment in the south to leave the battlefield."
His siblings watched in curiosity.
"Like I'll do that!" She retorted, "This battle is far from over! Ryoma and the others will defeat you all!"
Leo scoffed. "Think again."
"What?"
Corrin picked his words carefully. "Your healers have been… relieved of their duty for the time being. Your wounded can't get healed, and if they keep on fighting-"
The samurai stared at him in horror. Hana's reaction was the polar opposite. She unsheathed her katana instead, her face turning red at the Corrin's news. The prince shuddered at her response. Those were not the words she wanted to hear.
"Bastard! What did you do to Sakura?" She shouted.
"We did what we're going to do to you, if you don't meet our demands." Leo replied.
"Leo, stop aggravating them!" Corrin hissed under his breath. He turned back to Hana. "Leave your weapons behind and we'll let you through. If you don't want any more people to die today, withdraw from South Bridge!"
Hana's entire body shook, and then the entire ground shook. The Nohrian royals looked around in dismay. The Prince's eyes fixated northwards. A ball of light emerged from the ground and smashed into the river, causing hot steam to fill the air. North Bridge was under attack again.
"Hurrah!" A war cry sounded.
(A dragon vein!)
The mass of Ryoma's samurai jumped into the artificial channel. Tensions rose immediately as everyone on the bridge raised their weapons again. Unfortunately, the ditch was still too deep for the trapped Hoshidans to jump off.
"Xander." Leo said, "We thoroughly searched that area before. How did you-"
"You think we don't know our own land?" Hana retorted.
Corrin's brother was oddly nonchalant about being caught off-guard. Ryoma's push only made their situation more urgent.
"Look, your army is launching an attack without anyone to heal them." Corrin tried to reason, "Even if you do beat us back, many of your wounded will die before they return home. If you spread the word and sound the retreat, we can preserve lives on both sides."
He silently wanted to add that Sakura was still alive.
"Huh…" Hana cursed after brief contemplation, "To lose to savages like you here-"
"-means you can live another day."
The retainer sheathed her weapon and raised her hand. The Hoshidans forfeited the battle.
Samurai threw their katana into the ditch and formed a small column. Leo's regiment split to both sides of the bridge, allowing them to return to their side. The most unruly of the cavaliers spat insults at the defeated as they passed.
The caravan was safe once again. A small victory in the massive battle.
"Wow, that was amazing Corrin!" Elise beamed, "Nice job!"
"Fine work." His younger brother admitted, "Even though there were about a hundred ways that could have gone wrong. You're certainly lucky..."
Corrin only breathed a sigh of relief. He did not know whether his idea was going to work either. In the meantime, he at least stopped more people from dying. A cold wind ruffled his blue cape, sending shivers down his spine.
"Let's return to the caravan." He suggested, staring at the captain waving at them from the opposite side. Hana's outburst and Sakura's despair drained every last bit of energy from him.
Leo blinked. "About time."
Camilla dived downward. She pulled up after barely hitting the ground. Her wyvern struggled with the tricky maneuvers. Hinoka chased after them, her healthy steed having a much easier time keeping up. A second Pegasus knight joined her pursuit.
(Oh, someone else needs punishment.)
The Nohrian princess caught sight of Beruka and climbed to her altitude. She led the two Hoshidans to her retainer. The stout wyvern rider joined the fight, following Hinoka from behind. The chasers were now being chased.
"Tsubaki, keep her off me." Hinoka demanded.
"Yes, milady." Her ally flipped around to engage Beruka.
The rest of the wyvern riders were making progress in repelling the Pegasus knights. Hinoka soon realized her new position. She gave up her fruitless chase to support her weakening regiment.
"What a dull lady." Camilla yawned, "No wonder Corrin didn't like her."
She took a break to scan the ground.
The archers were ready to launch more arrows - they could stay idle no longer. Xander and Ryoma locked into ferocious fighting in the epicenter of both armies. Camilla swooped down to help the ground forces.
She witnessed in dismay Ryoma striking down Xander's mount. The Crown Prince jumped off his horse and missed the Hoshidan swordmaster again. He covered a wound to his hip, red flowing onto his hand.
Before thinking, the Princess charged in from behind, swinging her weapon at Ryoma's back. He jumped away swiftly. Camilla almost accidently struck Xander while pulling up. She landed her injured wyvern and turned around, glaring at the Hoshidan prince.
"You!" Ryoma said, "Don't interrupt our duel."
"I'm sorry dear." She purred, "I can't let him hog all the fun for himself!"
Her brother coughed. "Camilla…"
"Very well. You too shall join his grave!" The High Prince raised Raijinto again.
He hurried towards her mount and leapt for a strike. Xander intercepted with a parry, saving Camilla's pet. The large wyvern roared. Smoke seeped out of its nostrils and into the Crown Prince. The fumes pushed him back.
"You're wounded." She whispered to Xander, "Get to Elise's caravan."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! Give Corrin a big hug for me if you bump into him, please!"
Xander remounted his frightened stallion and swerved behind his fellow soldiers. Camilla withdrew her axe and picked up a tome fastened to her steed. While taking off into the air, she delicately dusted off the cover.
"I hope I remember how this works…"
She opened the tome.
(Thunder!)
A surge of power flowed through her hand and then out of it. A bolt of lightning flowed towards the ground, too fast for Ryoma to dodge. He grunted as he took the hit.
"Shameful fiend!" He cursed, "How dare you interfere with my fight?"
"Loosen up, darling." Camilla smiled sweetly, "It's just a war, after all."
She continued shooting her magic at the High Prince until he found a way to counter. Ryoma raised his katana in front of his face as the lightning struck. The blade absorbed the attack. The cracking sound of sparks intensified and Camilla felt the energy reflect back into her hand. It burned, slightly charring the tome's pages.
"Not bad." She shrugged, "I guess playtime's over. Bye!"
"Hey, hold on!"
To the Prince's vexation, Camilla took off back into the sky. Just in time, the horses and samurai running in from both sides collided. Xander's stallion was galloping towards the convoy at his fastest pace. The Princess rubbed her chest in relief. She had her own duel to finish.
She located Hinoka after half a minute of searching and pursued. The Sky Princess took down two more wyverns in the air before changing course towards her. Beruka was nowhere to be seen, presumably withdrew to heal her wounds.
"Back for more?" She taunted, "Or are you going to keep on running away like the royal nomad you are?"
"Sorry for the delay." Camilla took out her steel axe again, "I had a small errand."
"Then let's end this already!"
The two flew at each other with renewed vigor. Hinoka held her naginata and lunged forward with respectable speed. Camilla pulled her wyvern into the air. The iron lance scraped the beast's claw, causing it to roar in pain.
Camilla turned her steed around and pulled out her Thunder tome again. It became obvious her opponent only attacked linearly. Hinoka's speed made it difficult for her to turn sharply. An easy shot lined up as the Sky Princess only started circling back. The Nohrian princess launched the power of her tome into the air.
A bolt traveled straight towards her opponent's torso. It scored a direct hit on Hinoka's steed. Her Pegasus slowed down for a brief moment. It then neighed loudly before flying straight towards the caster.
(What? That barely did anything!)
Hinoka jousted forward. Camilla fumbled to grab her axe again. She was a moment too late. Hinoka's naginata penetrated her armor, gouging into her stomach. The Hoshidan pulled back, blood dripping from her weapon.
"Hah…" Camilla groaned, "Good hit… I think." An uncomfortable spasm made its way up to her bosom.
"Serves you right!" Hinoka sneered, "If you want to live, give Kamui back to us!"
"I'm afraid that's not possible." She replied, "You may not have him."
The two readied their weapons and charged at each other. Camilla's vision to blur. The constant soaring made her nauseous. Instead of attacking, she raised her axe sideways as an improvised shield.
Hinoka's naginata hit the steel axe. Its momentum was nearly powerful enough to knock it out of the royal's hand. Then, the unexpected followed. The Hoshidan naginata broke on impact, its iron tip falling to the ground.
"Perfect!"
Camilla saw an opening and pulled up behind Hinoka. She wrapped her fingers around her axe and turned rapidly into her blind spot. The Sky Princess haphazardly grabbed a javelin to use as a makeshift lance.
The Nohrian caught her off-guard. Camilla brought down her weapon, digging into her right shoulder armor. Hinoka screeched in pain. The pitiful weapon she wielded fell from her hand. The sky princess tried to grab another, but stopped.
"Kah!" She shouted, "I'll defeat you! I will-"
Her injured tendon disagreed.
"If I were you, I would quit while I'm ahead." Camilla grimaced. Her stomach pain intensified after her hefty swing, "I suggest you retreat and we call this a draw."
She took pleasure in watching Hinoka's confidence fade.
"You-"
Her sentence was left unfinished as several arrows flew past them. The archers resumed firing at the sky.
The metal struck fliers from both sides, forcing them to dive further downwards. Takumi made the decision to exterminate everything in the sky. Camilla did not wait for the rest of her response.
She fled from her opponent, back to higher altitudes with the rest of the wyvern riders. Hinoka withdrew as well, her regiment having taken numerous losses.
(Good luck Xander. It's up to you now…)
Corrin's group and 7th Reconnaissance met up on their side of South Bridge. Xander's subordinate quickly filled him in on the situation to the north.
"So, a stalemate." Leo coughed, "They were willing to take North Bridge at all costs."
"Correct." The captain nodded, "They have the willpower to fight to the death."
"I think you give those brigands more credit than they deserve." The Dark Prince chuckled darkly, "Thanks for your help. Restock at the caravan before you leave."
"Certainly, milord."
Corrin stared as his younger siblings returned to their own regiments. The captain gave them a small nod before taking the reinforcements back north. The cavaliers and troubadours dropped off their loot and exchanged their old gear for new.
The caravan was closer to South Bridge than he thought. A small line of Xander's cavaliers headed back and forth between the convoy and the northern battlefield. The Pegasus knights managed to damage the wheels of most of the wagons.
No wonder they couldn't flee from the incoming samurai.
"M-milord!" Felicia exclaimed with joy, "You're safe!"
"Indeed." Jakob said, gripping his dagger. "Do you have any wounds that require attention?"
"No, I'm fine." Corrin insisted, "I'm glad to see you two safe as well."
As he waited for his brother's next orders, Corrin took the opportunity to salvage a vulnerary from the convoy. Felicia and Jakob returned to their colleagues and began tending to the survivors of the bridge fight.
It was not long until he caught sight of Elise waving at him again. Corrin gave a polite dismissal to his two former servants before rejoining his siblings. The two were on a very flat hill staring at North Bridge.
"This is bad." Elise sobbed, "I don't know what to do!"
"Hey, what's wrong?" He inquired.
"Everything" Leo scoffed, "Arrows are flying again. The wyvern riders are retreating. This is not going according to plan."
"We need to help them then!" Corrin retorted, wondering why they were just standing around like clueless puppies.
"Our orders are to guard this foothold." Leo replied, "If they wanted help, Xander would have sent a messenger or raven by now. And - hold on a second…"
Elise piped, "And if he couldn't?"
"- Ask him yourself." The Dark Prince pointed in the distance, "He's right there."
Elise's and Corrin's eyes led to where he was pointing. After squinting, he recognized Xander midway in a surprisingly slow retreat.
The Crown Prince caught sight of them as well, raising his hand in reply. His chest had red flowing over the black plate armor. Far behind him was the remainder of his two regiments, following their leader. North Bridge appeared to be lost.
"He's wounded!" Corrin exclaimed.
"And so is his steed." Leo flinched at the poor sight his elder brother before turning to Corrin, "Elise and I will handle this. Return to the healers. Bring them to us."
"Understood."
The young Prince sprinted back to the convoy as fast as he could.
[…]
Corrin's legs dug at his stamina. The physical exertion of running all over the grasslands made his muscles sore. The adrenaline he relied on before was long gone, exposing his human limitations. Jakob and Felicia marched behind him with the rest of the Nohrian healers. Even on the battlefield, they would always the first to run up to him whenever he was in trouble.
Elise and Leo finally made contact with Xander. The Crown Prince hopped on his horse and feel to his knees. His horse's head lowered itself in a semi-conscious state. The troubadour raised her rod slowly, trying to identify all of the wounds.
"Watch out!" Felicia suddenly called at Corrin's side.
On the other side of the river, Takumi waited for them to stop moving. With rest of his bowmen, the royal took aim at the Crown Prince. A stream of light sailed cross the river towards Xander.
"Takumi!" Corrin exclaimed.
Before it could hit any of them, Leo raised his hand in response.
The ground before him cracked open. The summoned tree rose from the unnatural ground at a lightning speed. Takumi's light arrow pierced the middle of the plant, shaking a few dark green leaves off.
The small tree decayed into the ground, revealing the Leo's sullen face behind it.
"Impressive shot." he commented.
Takumi glared back and parted from the riverside. As Elise finished her work tending to Xander, Corrin ran to their side. The sight of his older brother sent a chill down his spine. He had never seen him look so defeated before. Though the wound was gone, his armor still bore holes and scratches. His cape was torn into a sad piece of fabric barely hanging from his back.
"Thanks for the help." The Crown Prince coughed, "They crossed onto our side… but it's not over yet… We need to hold here. We cannot lose this..."
Corrin looked up. Within a moment's time the rest of Xander's soldier returned. They completely worn themselves out from fighting Ryoma. Few shot worried glances at each other when they saw the condition of their commander.
"Slow down your breathing." Jakob advised.
Elise's troubadours returned from the caravan. They got to work immediately, scattering into the huge crowd. In the distance, the samurai prepared for their final attack.
"We need to see this through." He repeated.
"We can't retreat after coming this far." Leo winced, "My mentor would chew me out if I decided otherwise."
"I'm starving now! I want to go home with everyone, so let's hurry up already!" Elise puffed her cheeks.
There was no convincing them. Corrin hung his head.
"Fine. Then count me in as well." The young Prince groaned, "I made a vow not to let any of my family die. As a prince, I must uphold it."
(For both sides… It's the least I can do.)
"Y-yeah!" Felicia nodded, "I'll cook Elise and you all a feast when we return to the castle!"
Jakob leaned into the maid's ear. " You were supposed to make everyone look forward to making it back."
"Everyone…" Xander murmured with relief, picking himself up and turning to his fellow soldiers. "Very well. One last push, for the glory of Nohr!"
The Crown Prince raised Siegfried into the air one final time. His black stallion kicked its front legs in the air with renewed vigor. The Expeditionary Force raised their lances and staves. Corrin looked at his leader and proud brother, feeling the exhaustion evaporating from his body.
This battle needed to end already.
"Hrah!"
The Crown Prince put down another Hoshidan by riding past her and slicing the back of her neck. Leo and Corrin followed from behind, protecting his rear. Siegfried's lust for battle was alive and well.
(This had to be the final engagement.)
"Left side, left!"
He turned to his left to see a samurai jump high into the air. Corrin leapt forward to meet him. The white-haired Prince stabbed from below, catching the foe's shin in the air. The swordsman landed on the ground in surprise.
"Good hit!"
Xander gave his brother a nod of approval. He was surprised at the young Prince's bursts of speed – someone unimaginably skilled trained him during his absence.
Leo brandished a katana he looted from a fallen samurai. The weapon was too unusual for his liking, so he eventually threw it back at his foes. He flipped furiously through his tome for another attack.
"Where's Ryoma?" He cried, raising his hand to summon another tree.
"I don't know." The Crown Prince replied, "He'll always find you first."
The combat support gave the Nohrians the upper edge. Felicia, Jakob, and the others were agile enough to dodge, and even served as a distraction for the opposing forces. He was right to give them a chance to serve in the army.
"Hey! Watch out!"
The sound of metal collided again as Corrin parried an incoming samurai. The young Prince flashed him a frown as he repelled the attacker. Xander swallowed and focused his attention to the battle.
The three brothers started pushing the Hoshidans back. Xander told Leo to scout ahead as he and Corrin continued onward.
The stallion crashed into a group of Hoshidans as its master swung Siegfried at both sides. The samurai fled the scene, leaving a hole for more reinforcements to trickle in. The line remained stagnant
"Hey." Corrin prompted, "How did your troops get so beaten up?"
Xander frowned. "Prince Takumi and Princess Hinoka."
The names themselves were enough of a response.
"Dammit…" The young Prince shook his head, "Wait, where did Camilla go?"
(Camilla!)
Xander felt a pang of dread before turning back. Her entire regiment seemingly disappeared into thin air, along with Hinoka's.
"Where's Camilla?" Corrin repeated himself with a more urgent tone.
"We'll find her soon. We need to hold this line." Xander responded.
"Report!"
A Nohrian captain cried at the top of his lungs as he made his way back to his brothers. His return was inexpertly fast. Xander prompted Corrin to back up from the front, letting two more cavalier to replace them.
"Report." Xander said as he closed the distance.
"Ryoma was spotted down there." The soldier pointed to the west, "Leo's requesting your assistance immediately!"
"Understood." The Crown Prince nodded, "Tell the captain here we'll be gone. Go!"
The two brothers made their way to the west. Leo was frantically assigning men to different positions. Jakob and Felicia were behind him, staring at the fighters before them. Ryoma's distinctive armor was lost in the middle of the samurai.
"Good to see you." Leo grimaced, "If we don't win soon, we're done for."
"But we're doing well!" Corrin exclaimed, "What happened?"
"Prince Takumi isn't going to stand there forever." He replied, "Scout reported he's preparing to move across North Bridge."
"But they're archers!" Xander said, "What will they do over here?"
"… They're going to shoot close range." Corrin said, "This is terrible."
(How did you know that?)
"Look!"
The High Prince finally fell into Xander's sights, away from the Hoshidan army. He was arguing intensely with strategist Yukimura on his lion-like karakari, behind a small group of bodyguards. Ryoma's face was plastered with disbelief.
"Corrin, Leo." Xander called to his brothers, "Now's a good opportunity for us to take out their strategist."
"Agreed." Leo said, looking at the two converse. His hands flip to another page.
Corrin raised Ganglari in front of him, hiding his expression. Xander and Leo rode gallantly towards the few samurai. The young prince's feet stayed planted onto the ground. His eyes reduced themselves to a blank stare. He held a stone-sized object in his left hand and opened his mouth.
"Corrin!" Xander yelled, "We can't take him ourselves!"
"I must end this fight-" He repeated.
(Ryoma may have bested me the first round, but with all three of us, he wouldn't stand a chance.)
"Come on already!" Leo grunted.
Ganglari vibrated as the white-haired prince continued staying still. Yukimura's bodyguards have long noticed their rush. They alarmed the aged strategist, leading him to scamper away on his mechanical puppet.
The Crown Prince scoffed, "He's too far. Pull back!"
"Damn him…" Leo spat.
The two turned and fled in the opposite direction. Ryoma looked upon the Corrin in disgust, drawing out Raijinto. The prince stared back intensely at his former "brother". Whatever was in his left palm emitted a cold blue light peeking through his fingers- perhaps a divine artifact of some sort.
"I must end this-" He repeated.
"Milord!" A Nohrian behind him shouted hoarsely.
Corrin could not react in time. A samurai charged forward from his right and stabbed deep into his hip. His eyes widened as he held his side in pain. His leg buckled, causing him to fall lopsidedly. His left hand still clutched the stone.
"No!" Leo cried.
Two cavaliers went after the Hoshidan. The samurai jumped back, fleeing to the rear. The two Princes rode up to their brother's side.
"Corrin, you-" Xander exclaimed, "Healer! Get a healer over here!"
Felicia responded immediately, running towards her former master in a panic. She quickly located the stab wound and raised her staff over it. Blood continued flowing from the open gash onto the grass.
(Come on… Save him!)
The maid closed her eyes in concentration.
"Hoshido, retreat!" Ryoma shouted abruptly.
The three samurai paused at his command, confused. Slowly, the entire army began backing towards the bridge, katana still unsheathed.
"Do not pursue!" Xander barked.
They were in no position to fall into a new trap. With a thin smile of relief, Felicia stepped up from her former master. Corrin's wound had closed up, only leaving a few splotches of blood on the ground. His eyes blinked rapidly.
After they were far enough, the Hoshidan defenders put away their weapons and marched across the bridge. The Expeditionary Force lowered their arms at last.
"I guess… Hana got through." Corrin said weakly, holding his hand to the ground and slowly getting up.
"Of course she did." Leo nodded, "Guess the Hoshidans aren't braindead after all."
"Someone explain to me what's going on!" Xander demanded.
[…]
War is fascinating when painted on giant canvasses and written in history books, but up close it is another story. Dead horses, wyverns, and Pegasus mounts littered the ground on both sides of the river. The dead were placed in body sacks and transported onto the caravans. The captains of each regiment performed headcounts and counted their losses. The Hoshidan army were long gone when everyone settled down, but the destruction left behind was evident.
As Felicia and Jakob tended to Corrin's wounds, Leo explained what happened at South Bridge. The two had demounted, and had their prized steeds inspected. His brother's risky maneuvers caught Xander off guard. Knocking out the enemy healers was critical to forcing Ryoma's retreat.
(But still…)
"You were fortunate." Xander sighed, "Good call."
"It wasn't my idea. You have Corrin to thank." Leo said.
"He suggested it?"
"Yeah. Though, I'm still not too sure."
Xander looked at him blankly, "What do you mean?"
Leo slowly rolled his fingers into a fist, deep in thought.
"I'm not sure." He finally said, "Corrin acted very questionably when he was at South Bridge, and that whole incident when he saw Ryoma again…"
"That's fine." The Crown Prince replied, "He's been under their care for about a fortnight. It's hard to draw your blade against your former guardians."
"You say that as if you had similar experience." Leo's eyes gleamed.
"He proved his loyalty by fighting by our side. Give him some time to recover."
"I hope you're right."
The younger brother excused himself to check on his own regiment. Ever since he was little, his emotions were easy to read. He was clearly still suspicious of his brother, but that was ridiculous.
Xander walked to Corrin's side, who was sitting next to one of the wagons. The white-haired prince looked up to him. Felicia and Jakob had gone off for break.
"How are you doing, Corrin?" Xander sat down next to him, leaning against the wooden wagon.
"I'm fine." He said, "Sorry for what happened earlier."
The Crown Prince sighed. "It's alright. You wouldn't fall to such a weak attack." He noticed the stone-like object he held was gone.
"What was that thing you had in your hand?" Xander prosecuted.
"Oh, a gift from a friend." Corrin replied, "I placed it somewhere safer."
"Ah."
The two sat with each other in silence, looking at the brilliant blue sky not often seen in Nohr; the peace after the storm.
"Hey, Xander." Corrin said, sitting up straighter. "Is Camilla okay?"
"Yes, she is." He answered, "We gave her a location to fly to if she needs to flee. It's on the way back."
The young Prince loosened his posture in relief. He took off his armor, now with a slice through its side, and examined his wound. The skin was red with dried blood and almost no scarring. Corrin winced as he gently rubbed the area.
"Why… are we invading?" He asked again, "Why are we killing each other senselessly?
That was a very good question.
"I want to justify the reason, but I can't." Xander rubbed his chin, "I'm not in favor of this war, but Father and his ministers pressed for it. You should ask him when we return to Krakenburg."
"Right." Corrin said weakly.
Xander got up and kneeled in front of him.
"Little Prince. No matter what you believe we think of you, we're family."
"We have difficult paths in front of us, and I hope we take the one that reaches peace the fastest- Until then, I promise I will keep you safe."
Corrin's stomach growled as he looked out from the near-empty wagon. Half of the army stayed behind in the grassland, guarding the bridges until the construction regiment would arrive. Four long days have passed since that gruesome battle.
On paper, the numbers were sobering. Out of the five hundred who spearheaded the invasion, around a fifth never made it back - almost an entire regiment's worth. Among the dead were seventy-six cavaliers, seven wyvern riders, five great knights, and two troubadours. All complete strangers to him. They would always be complete strangers to him. They also counted well over a hundred dead horses.
The patrol met up with Camilla several paces from the battlefield. She nearly smothered him with a big hug and refused ever to leave his side again. It took some time for two men to separate him from her grasp. He did not have much to answer her and Elise's questions. Mentioning Ryoma or the others choked him up.
Again, he found himself isolated by his own will. He occasionally stared at the blue stone Azura gave to him, wondering why it did not activate earlier.
Xander and his siblings had no time to catch up with him. They told him he should rest well until they reached the castle. The Princes' strict leadership broke through the solemn survivors. The second day was the most unsettling for everyone. The wagons were low on supplies, so they made makeshift graves for the bodies to loosen the load. They stuck each dead comrades' sword on the spot where they were buried, and said quick prayers.
A cavalier sobbed lightly, regretful she did not bring back her friend's horse as well.
On the third day, their mood improved dramatically. The army camped in the woods on familiar territory. The fittest of the Expeditionary Force caught everyone something resembling supper. They cooked some boar, and other creatures over a large fire. It was not much, but it was something. The cavaliers sung around their makeshift campsite and gloated about their contributions to the battle.
A few Nohrians cracked jokes on how Camilla would stand outside of Corrin's tent and look out for him the entire night. Leo occasionally glanced at him and his sisters as they talked fervently in his wagon. He turned his red face away each time.
Other than those few moments, he spent the rest of his time sleeping. He did not get a chance to say goodbye to his Hoshidan family and Azura. Felicia and Jakob were at the back of the Expeditionary Forces, unable to talk to Corrin until midnight. Even then, it was always for a few minutes before they were shooed back into their own tents.
At the end of the fourth day, they finally entered the walls of Windmire Capital. The buildings were no different from when he first left with Gunther and Felicia. Chilly wind greeted him as he stepped out of the wagon to march.
It was late evening, and the soldiers disbanded to the barracks in the city west. Not a single civilian was outside and the sky was dark - a much different atmosphere from Shirasagi.
"We're home." Leo said, looking around the street, "You still remember the way to the castle right?"
"No. I didn't leave the fortress often." Corrin replied.
"That's fine." Xander sighed, "Come. We have a report to give Father."
"Ah, okay."
He needed answers. For his family on both sides, he wanted to find an end to the terrible war.
Corrin could barely see his brother's face as he followed everyone down the long street. The Crown Prince gave a nod to the royal guards. The Nohrian sentries opened the large wooden door for them, bowing before they passed by.
Before them, Father.
A/N: Thanks for reading!
Our second person to be paired is Jakob! The poll can be found on my profile page, closing October 25th. I actually have a better idea of how to write these characters, so there will only be three choices.
The next chapter is coming October 24th!
Reviews on how to improve are always welcome. If you like what you read, follow / favorite for updates.