A/N:
Posted: December 7th, 2016
Last Updated: March 15th, 2019
Views as of Posting: 5 676
Our second paralogue! You should know how these work by now. Also, an important update for our Jakob pairing poll at the Author's Notes at the end of this chapter.
Chapter 7 Updates:
- Grammatical corrections
All changes are purely stylistic and do not impact the story. Efforts will be made to minimize these types of changes in the future.
Now, onto the story…
Paralogue 2: The Defeated (Hinoka, Azura, Saizo)
[During the battle]
Thirteen years.
It was thirteen long years ago, when her younger brother was taken away, and when her father fell to a Nohrian ambush in foreign lands. The Hoshidan royal family was never the same ever since. Little Sakura stopped smiling. Takumi and Ryoma were completely speechless for a good three days after the incident. Queen Mikoto managed to hold a smooth transition into power, as the new leader of Hoshido.
Of course, some citizens believed it was so smooth, that she somehow predicted her husband's demise. Utter nonsense, but there was no reason to blame them. Hinoka and her siblings were initially distrustful of their "adoptive" mother. Throughout the years the Queen strove to win their love and trust, just as she did with the court and the people. She was amazingly skilled with a bow. Hinoka had difficulty dodging her practice arrows, even late in her combat training. Of course, there were several other fond memories of her kind Mother. Now that she was gone, they would never repeat themselves.
Hoshido lost her too.
(I didn't even have enough time to properly mourn over her.)
Kamui's return was one of the small beacons of hope for her. A small victory in an otherwise cruel world. The family had something to celebrate in a long, long time. That is why today, she found herself pointing a naginata at her fellow Hoshidan.
Hinoka winced as she readjusted her shoulder. Her last vulnerary closed up almost all of her wound, leaving behind only a thin line on her skin. The muscles underneath still felt sore and weak. That cursed Nohrian Princess sure had a powerful swinging arm. The regiment of Pegasus Knights, or what remained of it, assembled into their patrols and patched themselves up.
"Excuse me?" She said.
Tsubaki was on the other side of her weapon. He demounted and looked back at the Princess unfazed. Sakura's mad retainer somehow did not get a single splash of blood or tear in his crimson uniform.
"I am not going to lead my knights into battle." He repeated, "We are in no condition to fight, and we need to go to the healers first."
"My brother is fighting with Lord Xander's forces in what could be the final battle, and you're holding back?" Hinoka hissed.
She shook her head in disbelief. When they harassed Prince Xander's forces in the north, her regiment was intact. One fell swoop crippled their entire operation. Four understrength patrols remained. About a third were wounded.
"They aren't ready." Tsubaki replied, "They're too shaken up to fight…"
"What?" The Sky Princess was taken aback, "They're Hoshidan soldiers, aren't they? It's their job to get back into the fight."
Tsubaki sighed, "They're not like our regulars."
"I know that."
Yukimura gathered the entire force in Castle Shirasagi's reserves. Other than the few brigades of seasoned samurai, the rest of the Hoshidans were much younger - trainees barely more than a fortnight ago. Some even fled the Nohrian caravan upon seeing throwing knives, of all things.
(Absolutely pathetic.)
Hinoka tried to empathize with the shaken-up recruits. It was well known they had some of the most dangerous jobs in the Hoshidan military. Pegasus knights do not have the luxury of climbing back onto their mounts if they accidently "fall off". Even if some did survive crashing towards the ground, they often found themselves behind enemy lines, eventually captured or killed.
Deep in thought, Tsubaki nodded and gazed forward.
"Lady Hinoka, with all due respect I think anger is clouding your judgment. I cannot lead my patrol into battle."
"And why can't you?" The Princess coughed. Princess Camilla's wyverns withdrew mere minutes ago. It was the perfect time to press their advantage.
"Regrettably these people haven't achieved perfection like I have." Tsubaki shrugged, "Really, none of these patrols are. You're pushing them way too far."
Tsubaki's last words ignited the dead firewood in her broken heart - he was bold enough to defy her authority in the middle of the battle.
"Listen here, Tsubaki." She spat, "We lost a fifth of our regiment. I will not allow them to die in vain by running away. Until our strategist tells us otherwise, we're going to see this to the very end!" Her voice gradually grew shakier and shakier.
(We're going to see this to very end…)
"Well, yes. But-"
"That's the only condition, got it? We are not going to lose this battle! You might be Princess Sakura's trusted retainer, and think that you are 'all perfect' but I am the one dictating the terms here. So, you either get your mind or check, or I'll shove this naginata up your better half!"
Her voice rose loud enough for the Pegasus knights behind her to look at each other nervously. Tsubaki's jaw dropped at her sudden outburst, before he pulled away from the princess's side. His soldiers became very anxious all of a sudden. If they had to be kicked in the shins to get into the battle, then so be it.
"I apologize, Lady Hinoka" He said, nodding. "Hana was right after all."
She ignored the retainer's curt response. The battle was far from over. Kamui had been brainwashed by the vile Nohrians, and their eldest Princess was still breathing.
Hinoka, Tsubaki, and the three other patrol leaders reorganized themselves into four chevron-like formations. The Hoshidans whose mounts were too injured to fly excused themselves to return to Sakura on-ground. The princess easily found a tract of flat land suitable for takeoff.
"Knights, follow my lead!" The sky princess cried.
She tugged heavily on the reins. The mount let out a loud neigh and galloped forward. The others followed reluctantly. A quiet whisper of anger passed along the back of the formation. Cold air blew past her as the steed gained speed.
"Hoshido, retreat!"
Ryoma's booming voice came from across the dried river.
"What?" The Princess shouted, "Knights, halt!"
The back of her chevron decelerated first, to avoid colliding with the Hoshidans in front. Finally, Hinoka was able to slow down, staring forward blankly. Some of the Pegasus knights gave out an audible sigh of relief. Tsubaki withdrew his iron naginata and folded his arms. Hinoka could not see too clearly, but she saw Ryoma and Yukimura reluctantly retreating to the northern bridge from the west. The Nohrian cavalry held position, unsure what to do.
"Dammit…"
(This can't be happening.)
The battle was lost. The bridges were going to be lost. Were they retreating because they rescued Kamui? Or was he also lost? Holding back anxiety, Hinoka ordered the patrol leaders to turn around. The adrenaline faded away from her body to be replaced by a void of feeling.
"Your orders, Lady Hinoka?" Tsubaki asked in a tone tinged with haughtiness.
"Let's get back to Sakura…." She breathed, "Go." All that she could do was to hope for the best.
[...]
The Pegasus knights formed a line and followed Hinoka at the front. On their way south, she had noticed Takumi had abandoned his position and began moving eastward. Closer to the southern bridge, the Hoshidan samurai were in an unusual state of disarray. The soldiers were standing in the open, swords unsheathed and expressions dire. Leading from the bridge to the Hoshidan combat support-
"N-no…" She muttered.
"Lady Sakura!" Tsubaki cried out.
In front of her was a horrible sight. Broken staves littered the ground.
Almost half of them laid unconscious on the ground while the rest were tending to their own wounds. Blood splattered on the grass and weeds surrounding them. Sakura was nowhere to be found. She and Tsubaki got off their steeds to look for what was left of her family.
Thankfully, the two easily found Sakura, who was lying on the ground. Four healers were standing over their leader, monitoring her condition. Another was sitting beside the shrine maiden, cupping the young Princess's head in her hands. Hana was standing next to them in deep shock.
"What happened here?" Hinoka demanded, "Full story. Now."
(If only my own retainers were here, this would not have happened!)
"Some cavaliers slipped through the bridge and cut them down." Hana coughed, "They got away after we made it…"
"Are you telling me they got away too?" The Sky Princess groaned, "Impossible! They were on our side of the bridge! How did they escape?"
"I- I-"
Hinoka did not want to hear it. Her gaze fixated on Sakura, whose eyes were still closed. Tsubaki looked at the sky and closed his eyes, giving a silent prayer to the Dragon. Oddly, there were no visible wounds on the girl's body.
"Maiden, how's she doing?" She asked, baffled.
"She's doing okay." the healer murmured, "Looks like she was struck in the chin with a blunt object. Whoever struck her was looking to knock her out… Good hit too. Any lower, and the hit could have done permanent damage."
"And the others?"
"We're trying to revive the others. The Nohrians were in a frenzy, slashing every direction. They broke most of our festal equipment, so if your soldiers had any leftover vulneraries…"
Hinoka groaned, "Of course. Tsubaki, get on that. When will she wake up?"
"We don't know… We don't have any smelling salts to wake her up…"
"Those monsters!"
(The battle shouldn't have ended like this!)
The Princess pointed towards the rest of her knights, shouting Tsubaki off to retrieve the much-needed medicine. Fortunately, it looked like some of the healers were recovering. Sakura's regiment started salvaging any staff or material they could off the grassland around them.
"Hey Hana." Hinoka said emotionlessly, "Stop standing there and form a perimeter around us."
In her eyes, Sakura's retainers failed to live up to her expectations, but they had to answer for their miscalculations later. After whatever happened to Ryoma and Takumi's forces, they were going to need all the help they could get.
Yukimura was the first to return, followed by Prince Takumi and finally by Prince Ryoma. In between them, the healers who were knocked out slowly began waking. Most of them, at least. At last count, the healers carefully declared between just under a hundred fatalities within the attack. Considering the circumstances one of them described, they were lucky there were not more. Sakura's condition was still unknown.
The Hoshidan forces regrouped and, together, they retreated three hundred paces behind a hill to a makeshift campsite. They could no longer see the Nohrians, who were presumably gloating over their upset victory. Hinoka tried piecing the story together.
In short, Yukimura was forced to call the premature retreat after learning that the healers were decimated. If this were all planned out by Nohr, it would have been a brilliant diversion. Otherwise, they had the some of the best luck in the world.
(Oh, would we have kicked their asses if we had not retreated!)
Her Pegasus began grazing on some of the grass around the hill. The samurai covered their dead in brown rags to be brought home. Ryoma slowly walked towards the Sky Princess, knowing what she was going to say.
"We lost him, didn't we?"
The High Prince gave the slightest of nods.
Hinoka turned around and looked at the setting sum. Kamui had been kidnapped once again, but it did not feel the same as the first time. This time, no tears came out; she was way too exhausted to cry.
"How could this have happened?" She muttered, punching the ground. "What have I been fighting for all this time…?"
"We'll get him back." Ryoma said firmly, "We made a silent promise to Mother we would keep him safe. We can still keep it."
"I hope you're right."
Even though Queen Mikoto groomed her eldest son to become a public speaker, his words came out awfully dry. Their long-lost brother had indeed been brainwashed, but how could they save him? Even if they brought him back he would still be under their influence. One of the top diviners would have to inspect him for weeks.
She looked back at Ryoma. "How's Takumi doing?"
"He's not speaking to anyone." He replied, "After how he fought alongside Kamui at Fort Jinya, I can imagine this had must have taken quite a toll on him."
"He'll be good in an hour." Hinoka frowned, "If anything, he'll try to compete with us at being the first to bring Kamui back."
"This withdrawal only means their defeat will come another day. If our brother made it back to us once, he-"
The Sky Princess stretched her arms and yawned, "Alright, I'm done resting. What's the plan, Ryoma?"
"Yukimura?"
Nearby, the strategist was openly eavesdropping on the entire conversation. Ryoma simply pointed his palm at Yukimura, inviting his opinion. The aged man stepped forward and looked at both of them. His eyes looked dead tired.
"Lord Ryoma. Lady Hinoka. We are now officially at war with Nohr. I had my suspicions after Queen Mikoto's assassination, but there really is no denying it now. We must rally our forces swiftly after today's defeat. Lady Sakura is still unconscious. On our way back, we will stop at Fort Jinya to let her rest. The remaining army elements need to return to Castle Shirasagi, and prepare our nation's defenses."
"So, we take Sakura and the wounded to the fort, and the rest back home." Ryoma repeated, "Got it. I'll address the court of… this gravest event."
"I'll help protect Fort Jinya," Hinoka replied, "until Sakura and the rest of the wounded get patched up."
"Excellent." Yukimura said with approval, "We pray for her speedy recovery. Her retainers will accompany you as well."
(Ah… those two knobs.)
In the middle of their discussion, one of the younger samurai approached the three from the side. He bowed respectfully at the three commanders, but his face was clearly scrunched in anger.
"Lord Yukimura?" He let out.
"Go on, samurai." The strategist spoke.
The soldier burst out angrily. "Lord Yukimura, I have no doubt commander Hana has gone completely insane. She clearly does not know how to lead an army. Under her so-called 'orders', our patrol got outmaneuvered by those Nohrian horses."
Hinoka nodded slowly. The southern bridge was supposed to be a defensive position, hence why only Hana was down there. With the natural chokepoint over the river, the area was supposed to be very defensible.
"A comprehensive review of the battle will be conducted shortly." Yukimura nodded, "We will address your concerns and ask for testimonies from her soldiers."
"Good. If you need your damn testimonies, I'll be the first one to come forth."
The samurai bowed again to excuse himself. Hinoka watched the young man as he ran off to his comrades in the camp.
"Plenty of matters remain unsettled, but we need to get to safety first." Yukimura sighed. "Lord Ryoma. Please get everyone together and tell them they have fifteen minutes to pack up. Takumi will be travelling to Shirasagi with you as well."
"Indeed. We'll also need to talk about Azura…" The High Prince nodded, "Goodbye Hinoka. Please write back once Sakura recovers."
Hinoka rubbed her left eye. "Of course."
As the two older men walked away, the Sky Princess looked at the clouds to the West one more time, plotting her revenge. The brilliantly red clouds were fleeing. Somewhere right now, Kamui was being taken back into Nohr with his counterfeit family.
Her mind shriveled at the thoughts of what King Garon and the she-ogre had in store for him. This time, it is a full-out war, she grimaced, and there was no excuse of holding back against those demons pretending to be human.
"Just wait a bit longer, Kamui. We'll be a complete family again…"
(In the white light, a hand reaches through;)
Azura looked out of the balcony onto the town. The citizens were quick to rebuild after the Dawn Festival. The street leading up to the plaza were still closed, but repairs were nearly finished. Fireworks were temporarily labeled as contraband throughout the entire district.
On the inside, Castle Shirasagi had never been as quiet before. Kamui and the entire royal family were out for days. The noblemen have been busy working in their absence, leaving no time for entertainment. Many were annoyed at being put to work so suddenly, but none were worried for their leaders' safety. If anything, it meant more time for her to practice singing in the castle.
During their outing, a delegation from the Kingdom of Izumo came over to offer their condolences. Their meeting was long delayed but appreciated nonetheless. Rumor had it their diplomats did not quite know how to deal with grief.
When told Nohr had apparently set foot on Hoshidan soil, the delegation expressed dismay at the turn of events. They left the castle with no more than a promise to let Archduke Izana know of the circumstances. One of the financiers of the court noted "Ryoma would be a fool to expect the help of those party-addicts".
(A double-edged blade cuts your heart in two…)
Bong… Bong…
The castle bells began vibrating loudly. The royal family had returned. Azura looked down at the army wagons in the distance. The force returning to the castle was noticeably smaller than the one that left. She went back to her room to get changed and hurried towards the throne room.
The entire castle was alive. Servants were running up and down the stucco halls, returning to their posts. The songstress finally reached the throne room doors and waited patiently. The guards gave her a quick nod before letting her enter.
Takumi was the first one to enter the large room, distraught. Azura raised her head. Something terrible had happened. The Hoshidan royal caught sight of the songstress and walked quickly towards her. She took a step back, unsure of what he was going to do. Takumi got in her face and grabbed both of her shoulders.
"You." He said, "What the hell did you do, Azura?"
"E-eh?" Azura gulped. The Prince had never addressed her in this manner before.
Takumi snarled "You know what I'm talking about. What happened between you and Kamui while he transformed back to a human?"
"I… I calmed him down with my song." She blinked, "That's all I did."
"Bullshit that's all you did!" Takumi exploded, shoving her back. "Then explain what happened today. One day we were fighting off a horde of Faceless, the next he stabs all of us in the back! What. Did. You. Do!"
He raised a palm in the air, looking poised to strike the songstress. Azura backed up against the wall.
(Why is he so agitated?)
"Takumi, stop!"
Ryoma shouted from the throne room entrance. He and Yukimura just entered the castle and were horrified at what they saw. Takumi hesitated before lowering his arm. The prince backed away from the songstress and turned around.
"What is going on?" The strategist demanded.
Takumi straightened himself.
"This woman is a traitor. She obviously knows more about Kamui then we do. Probably knew that scum would go rogue as well…"
"I know you're upset but we can't go around threatening people!" Ryoma replied angrily, "Don't lay your hands on members of this court."
"Wait… Kamui defected to the Nohrian army?" Azura ventured a question.
A short silence.
"Lord Kamui has returned to Nohr and the battle was lost." Yukimura rasped.
The songstress let out an audible gasp. She wanted to join the royal family in confronting the invasion force, but Yukimura quickly rejected her request. His departure was surprising even to her. She wondered if things would have been different if she was allowed to go. But, if this was what fate had in store…
"I see. That is unfortunate."
"You see?" Takumi pointed at her, "Is that the type of response a trustworthy Hoshidan would offer?"
"Enough, Takumi." Ryoma barked, "Get some rest for now. We'll discuss this later."
Unsatisfied, the Prince narrowed his eyes at the songstress and turned around. He briskly walked out of the throne. The strategist turned to face her after he left. Azura let out a sigh of relief and dusted off her shoulders.
"Azura." He said, "Did you know that Kamui was planning to leave us at any time?"
"Not at all." She replied, "…we're officially at war with King Garon now, right?"
"Yes." Ryoma folded his arms, "I'll need to call the nobles to the court soon. However, we're going to need to put some restrictions on you for now."
"Restrictions?"
Azura could not remember the last time she heard that word. Queen Mikoto was always lax with her at the castle. The rest of the royal family treated her as one of them too. Even Takumi at least acknowledged her existence.
"You are of Nohrian nobility, and given what happened with Kamui we need to take precautions." Ryoma reasoned.
"Not only that, but with the soldiers who saw Kamui turn into that dragon - they won't keep quiet forever." Yukimura added, "You're a suspicious individual in their eyes. It will appease them if we keep you under closer surveillance."
"Very well." She nodded.
A long pause.
"Really?" Ryoma dropped his arms, "You're taking this a bit too quickly."
The songstress looked at the High Prince in the eyes. "Lord Ryoma. When I was first brought to this castle, I knew very well I was a prisoner. Queen Mikoto treated me better than I could have ever imagined. If I'm going to have less freedoms than a real Hoshidan royal, I have no objections."
"Well, that makes things easy. Please know this is solely for your safety in this castle." Yukimura stroked his chin, "I admit, I didn't think you would go along with this without objections…"
(It's not like I have a choice, anyways.)
"What do you need me to do?" Azura tilted her head curiously.
"Uh, well-" Ryoma muttered, "We're still working on the specifics. We have a lot of work in front of us, so we'll speak to you later tonight…"
"Very well."
The meeting ended with Yukimura and Ryoma awkwardly looking at each other. The two said their goodbyes and left the room together. The songstress looked on and listened to their parting conversation with her sharp hearing:
"She's not telling us much, is she?"
"Trust me. She's been like that the day she was brought to this castle."
Hinoka tapped her quail feather on the wooden table. Bad for future writing, but she did not really care. They reached Fort Jinya a few days ago, and most of the wounded were treated. Many had died on the battlefield, but the ones who retreated had a good chance of survival. Sakura still had not woken up from the nasty hit she received.
In front of her was the soldier who complained about Hana. The Princess knew something was off with her sister's retainers, but she could not quite put her finger on it. Today was the day she found out.
"Hana ordered us to cross the bridge the same time some Pegasus knights flew over." He recalled, "We passed the chokepoint as quickly as possible, right into the cavaliers of the Nohrian Prince, Leo."
"Noted." Hinoka scribbled down the details vigorously.
She ordered some of her forces to attack the Nohrian caravan, but that was a minor operation. Hana had mistaken it for a combined offensive.
"We were beaten back pretty quickly after the cavaliers surrounded us. When we retreated past the bridge and towards Sakura, they rushed past us and-"
"Wait, go back a sec. When did they rush you?"
"They charged when we were about halfway between the bridge and the healers. It was too late for us to return to the bridgehead at that point."
"What happened? You guys still had time to reach Sakura's regiment."
"Hana told us to form small groups and pursue them. We did that, but the Nohrians just swerved around us. We were spread way too thinly."
"Alright, so then they reached the healers and, from what I heard, they ran away after you guys caught up?"
"Yes. Hana split us into two groups. One was the group that returned to the healers. The other was to cross the bridge. Since their entire regiment was on our side, she wanted to attack their caravan at the same time. I was part of that large patrol."
Hinoka paused in her writing.
"Okay, I assume the Nohrians avoided the samurai on their way back as well, but how did they get past the bridge? That's the part that baffles me."
"We were on the bridge, then the Nohrian raid group charged in, blocking the eastern side. Prince Leo's forces came from the other side as well."
(That explains it…)
"We became surrounded and… oh…" The soldier put a hand over his mouth.
"Do you need a moment?" The princess sat back.
"N-no. That's it. My brother and I were wounded, but Hana negotiated peace."
"I just have one last question for you, soldier." Hinoka tapped the top of the mahogany table. "Was Prince Kamui one of the people who attacked the healers?"
"I cannot recall."
"Thank you, samurai. You are dismissed."
Hinoka recording the final words and wrote her signature. What happened with Hana was one mistake after another- clearly she had never fought against actual Nohrian cavalry before. When she looked back up, the young soldier was still there.
"You are dismissed." Hinoka repeated.
The samurai moped. "You're… not going to do anything about it, are you?"
"Mmh?"
"It's going to be the same each time." He sighed, "We complain, but the military's never going to change. They're never going to punish a royal retainer."
"Now, who said that?" Hinoka put down her quail.
"This is not the first time Hana did something questionable. Remember when she dueled with that soldier who just came back from the border? The soldiers got real riled after that, and then Sakura doesn't punish her! This time's no different."
Hinoka beamed, "Ah, you were guarding Fort Jinya from the Faceless! No wonder your face was so familiar! You all did a great job, if I might add."
"Thanks." He smiled.
(For someone who was critical on how the royals dealt with their retainers, he seemed awfully happy on being congratulated by one.)
"Don't worry, we'll make sure that this report goes through." She reassured, "I can't guarantee anything will happen, but we'll keep it fair."
"I hope."
The soldier stood up and exited the room. Hinoka slumped down in her chair in tiredness. Unfortunately, what the soldier said was probably true. She could not see Sakura being hard enough on her retainers to reprimand them. To her annoyance, the Hoshidan soldier came running back again.
"I said you were dismissed!" She raised her voice.
"No, not that!" the man jumped in excitement. "Lady Sakura is awake!"
"What?"
With the speed of a kinshi, Hinoka jumped out of her chair. The samurai got out of her way as she rocketed into the main room with the dome sealing. Indeed, a small group of healers was celebrating next to Sakura's bed, next to Tsubaki and Hana.
"M-ouch…" Sakura moaned, "H-Hinoka? Guys? What h-happened?"
"Long story." She smiled, "Thank the Dawn Dragon you're alive!"
"Yeah! I was so worried!" Hana exclaimed out of pure joy.
Tsubaki let out a small chuckle. "I knew you would pull through."
A monk told the gathering crowd to back off and let the princess rest. Hana returned to guard the outside of the fort. The Pegasus knight made sure not to make eye contact with Hinoka, for whatever reason.
(I've got to repair my relationship with her retainers…)
Hinoka insisted on being allowed to talk to her sister. The monk frowned but let her through, leaving to care for another soldier. She leaned down next to her small bed. The poor thing was staring at the ceiling, not saying a word.
She had the exact same expression when their brother first disappeared.
"Hey Sakura, you alright?"
"Y-yeah." She sniffled, "Minor headache. I was struck in the chin-"
"-with a blunt object. Yeah, yeah… I'm so glad you're alive!"
"Me t-too?" The shrine maiden tried to smile.
"Now, who attacked you?" Hinoka asked gently.
Sakura immediately turned over and started sobbing uncontrollably. Hinoka stood up in a panic. "Hey… you're safe now. I'll protect you." She tried to soothe. Sakura's crying gradually stopped. She wiped her eyes and looked to the side.
"Kamui."
The sky princess's spirits dropped. Of all the people to hurt her sister, it just had to be Kamui. But, he was simply trying to knock her out, to protect her.
(Right?)
Believing it did not make it sound less stupid.
"But it's m-my fault." Sakura whimpered, "It's my fault this happened…"
"No, it's not your fault." Hinoka intervened, "The damn Nohrians brainwashed him. We'll get him back, right Sakura?"
The shrine maiden sniffed and nodded. Hinoka let out her hand for her sister to hold. The two stayed at the bed for a while, until Sakura told her it's okay to leave. Hinoka reluctantly returned to the commander's room.
The Nohrians were even worse than she originally believed. Forcing their brother to attack his own family was a new low, even for them.
Regardless, she sat at her desk a bit happier than before. Something small to celebrate has finally arrived. She prayed it was not the last.
"So, it has begun."
Darkness is a ninja's best ally. Dark. Mysterious. A shroud of uncertainty. That was why when a ninja joins the darkness forever, it is considered merely another rite of passage. Saizo and his brother walked slowly down the old dirt road. They met up a few minutes ago, when night was just about to come.
"It has indeed." Kaze breathed, "I wonder how it will end."
"I hope soon." Saizo replied, "Despite what I think of those miserable pigs, I can't say I'm very happy about this."
A lot has happened while he was still stationed in the north. The Faceless were beaten back easily with Ryoma's reinforcements. Lady Mikoto was gone. Her assassination was so bizarre even the most deranged ninja could come up with it.
"Hoshido knows what is right." Kaze shrugged. "Ours is but to obey."
Saizo scoffed. The two brothers reached the short stone walls. The sun disappeared hours ago. Not a problem for the both of them. As they passed the old entrance, young saplings greeted them on the other side.
The two made their way down another winding path to the westernmost yard. They found the large stone a few paces from an abandoned house. Kaze kneeled down in front of the stone and read the inscription.
(Omozu, Honorable Genin of Hoshido. Gave his life in service of Hoshido)
Saizo opened up a hidden satchel-like bag within his cloth and took out three small porcelain cups. He placed them on Omozu's gravestone and ask for his brother to bring out the ceremonial sake.
"He was a good man." The red-haired ninja said, "Unfortunate he had to leave so soon."
"We did make a good team didn't we?" Kaze grinned solemnly.
"And it was all because of that damned Nohrian Prince we can only visit him here."
His younger brother grimaced. "Now, that's not true. Blame the Faceless for his loss. Omozu bravely defended Lady Sakura to his last breath."
"Oh come on, you still buy that?" Saizo said, "Corrin injured him first. If they didn't attack our fort to the North, he'd be drinking this sake with us today."
(Corrin has blood on his hands that will be repaid.)
"I'm sure killing Omozu wasn't his intention."
Kaze opened the small brown bottle and began pouring into two of the small cups. Saizo coughed into his crimson scarf.
"Hey, brother." He spoke, "How much longer are you going to kiss that bastard's ass? Tell me so I know when I can start taking you seriously again."
"Corrin's different from those Nohrians." Kaze interjected, "He doesn't fight to kill. He's a-"
"Yeah, yeah." Saizo spat, "I know what you're going to say. 'He's an honorable warrior and if it weren't for him sparing you, you wouldn't be alive today'. Right? You always use the same damn story."
He took the bottle and poured Kaze's cup himself.
"Well, not exactly." Kaze tried to explain.
"One incident, and he's an idol to be worshipped? An infallible man, who can do no wrong?"
Kaze kept silent as he put away the bottle.
"He did one kind thing. Once. But people change. Evil men were all good men at one point in their life. One day, you're going to realize that you can't keep on making excuses for that miserable being."
"And how does a good man become an evil man?"
"He commits a petty crime. He says he had to do a bit of evil to do good in this world. He does it again, and again, and again, until he no longer knows what is good and what is evil. He is no longer man, but monster, and he continues down the slope until all is evil around him."
Saizo picked up a cup and prompted Kaze to grab his. The two ninjas looked upon their friend's grave and whispered an ancient Kohgan ritual. The two downed their drinks instantly. He couldn't believe that this "sake" was considered a drink for the Hoshidans. The older brother then took the third cup and poured the liquid behind the gravestone, where Omozu was buried. If only the Nohrians didn't attack…
"You're right, Saizo." Kaze said, "I'll keep that in mind if I ever face Corrin in battle again."
"About time." He licked his lips, "Do self-respecting people actually enjoy this stuff? Absolutely disgusting drink."
"I mean, it doesn't taste too bad…"
"Omozu would've hated it. Too bad we had to send him off this way."
"You're too pessimistic."
Saizo let out a small chuckle.
"Omozu would've said that, wouldn't he?"
"Yeah."
There was a very specific way to send off ninjas who originated from the former nation of Kohga. However, with their homeland was annexed by Mokushujin forces, the two would have to settle for mere Hoshido rituals. At least with company, the sake tasted slightly less repulsive.
"Alright, fine, here's some optimism for you." Saizo said, "At least you'll be able to fight with Rinkah again, right? Without being captured this time?"
"I guess there's that to look forward to." Kaze shrugged.
Saizo had the sneaking suspicion his brother was a bit more looking forward to seeing Rinkah again than he was letting out. He picked up all three of the small cups and put them back into his satchel.
Kaze looked down at the gravestone again. "Anything you're looking forward to?"
"You already know. To kill that duke of Mokushu…"
"Still? Even though we're at war with a different country?"
"I guess I'll have to do it in my free time then." Saizo said indifferently.
His younger brother did not understand how much it meant for him to avenge his father's death. He needed to work on his kill-list before it gets too long. Duke Kotaro has been on the list years too long.
(Do not worry Omozu. Corrin will pay too. I will make sure of it.)
"Come on." He said, pointing towards the exit. "Let's get back on track to Castle Shirasagi."
[A few days later]
It was to the relief of the entire court that Lady Sakura fully recovered from the attack in Western Hoshido. She and Hinoka returned to Castle Shirasagi swiftly after receiving their orders by dove. Tsubaki and Hana were told to continue guarding Fort Jinya. One of them was scheduled for a performance review by the army's disciplinary body.
The results of the battle were fully realized by the War Council. Of the 562 samurai, Pegasus knights, and archers who partook in the battle, an estimated 97 were killed. 25 were alive but no longer serviceable in the army. Almost a third of the Pegasus steeds didn't make it back. It was a crippling defeat, catalyzed by Nohr's tactics of targeting their medical supplies. It was a sizable political loss for Yukimura, who struggled to win the trust of the court as Queen Mikoto did.
The Hoshidans were stunned by the attack. Already, several had evacuated eastward from the borderlands. Lords from across the land began assembling their forces for the royal army. All trade ships were called back from the waters. Cities were told to begin rebuilding their walls and refill their armories. The entire nation was gearing up for war.
Continental reaction to the battle was mostly tame. The Kingdom of Izumo expressed dismay at the invasion, but expectedly maintained its neutrality. A Mokushujin diplomat did not comment on the situation, while the Kingdom of Nestra simply warned both sides to "keep the war out of their borders". None of them were willing to join a battle between the two largest countries.
As a positive, the Flame Tribe offered unconditional support to the Hoshidan forces, as well as unofficially the Wind Tribe. Auxiliary Oni-level savages were promised to augment their ranks. Hoshidan generals struggled to find ways in integrating their warriors into traditional armies.
That was all Azura knew. She was stuck inside her room and small parts of the castle at one time. Yukimura ordered her to avoid being seen by the citizenry as much as possible. She could not even visit the throne room anymore. Hinoka and Ryoma dropped by once in a while, often bring her daily meals. They said quite a few of the nobles missed her singing.
(Is this how Kamui lived in Nohr?)
Then one day, she heard a small knock on the door. She slowly opened the sliding wooden surface. Behind was Takumi in his formal wear. The two had not seen each other ever since he returned to the castle.
"H-hi." He stammered, "I apologize for what happened a few days ago."
"All has been forgiven Takumi." Azura said, "I understand how you felt then."
"So you had no idea he was going to betray us?" He pondered out loud.
"Not any more than you did. Surely you're not here just to apologize."
"You're right." Takumi said, "We're waiting in the throne room."
The Prince quickly closed the door as if the entire experience was somehow unsettling for him. The songstress could not predict what the royal family had in store. Azura left her room and walked down the same old hall to the throne room. There were a lot more servants in the castle than usual. Yukimura had been busy shifting around positions in an ever-growing bureaucracy. Inside the room was Yukimura and the entire royal family.
"Hey Azura!" Hinoka waved, "Nice to see you out of your room!"
"Nice to see you all too." The songstress smiled.
It was refreshing to see her in higher spirits after the defeat. Ryoma too was happy to see Azura outside of her room. Sakura had not changed much from the last battle, though she seemed even more timid than before.
"Hey." Takumi narrowed his eyes, "Where'd your necklace go?"
"I lost it unfortunately." She glanced sadly.
She sincerely hoped that Prince Kamui did not lose the Dragonstone. Takumi blinked and nodded respectfully and stepped back with his family.
"Princess Azura. I have salient news. You may be able to earn your freedom sooner than expected."
"I'm listening." She murmured.
"Today, we are launching two attacks. One is a raid on our territory. The other is a covert operation deep in Nohrian soil. You are going to participate in the latter."
Azura opened her mouth but closed it. She received some training with the naginata but that wasn't enough to charge into enemy territory.
(Am I not a suspicious individual?)
"The first attack is going to be two bridges we recently lost." Yukimura explained, "The Nohrians are building defenses there, and they threaten all surrounding countryside from their position. Lady Hinoka and chieftains from the Flame Tribe will be leading the raid. This is the first battle we will fight alongside their people, so this is more of a test than anything."
"Then what will I be doing?" The songstress asked.
"That's what he's here for."
The strategist pointed behind her. Azura turned around to see a tall, aged man with a black helmet covering his hair. He sported a green cloth for his torso and black battle armor. The sharp-chinned Hoshidan held a sly half-smile.
"Ah, good friend Yukimura." He chucked, "You must be really desperate to call me back from retirement. Pesky Nohrians giving you some problems?"
"This is General Haitaka." The strategist introduced, "Veteran of the Queen's Holy Lances. Recently left to become an esteemed merchant not half a year ago."
"Yes, until now." The general scoffed, "I go on vacation for two fortnights, and those invaders are running around in my home district! Can't say I was too flabbergasted."
"Indeed." Yukimura started getting red-faced, "Please brief Lady Azura on your operation."
"Well, honestly I'm pleasantly surprised." His eyes gleamed.
(Umm…)
"Anyways, we'll be sneaking off to Fort Dragonfall to perform a sabotage operation."
"Sabotage, sir?"
Haitaka scratched his left cheek. "Indeed, milady. Sabotage. We have reason to believe there are areas within the fortress you lucky royals can use 'dragon veins' on. As we will be launching a counter-invasion soon, we believe you have the power to disable them. That way, the Nohrian royalty cannot use them for defense."
Azura started becoming increasing nervous. She had never heard of such a tactic before, but if the royal family approved, it was somehow plausible. One of the four siblings must have found out how.
"Why me?" She asked bluntly.
"Well, let's be honest here milady." The general sighed, "The other Hoshidan Princes and Princesses have armies to lead. You're a prisoner with royal blood here so, well, you are the most disposable one!"
"Haitaka!" Ryoma growled.
He laughed nervously. "Now, now… She knows that already."
The songstress felt slightly less alarmed. The man had an odd way of talking, but at least he was honest. Yukimura on the other hand tried to hide a mountain of regret in bringing him back.
"Well, it's up to you to decide." The general stroked his chin, "I can't force you, odd enough. But, good deeds might make the soldiers trust you more. You don't want to live as a Princess in chains forever, do you?"
The royal family waited eagerly for her impromptu response. Azura closed her eyes and thought long and hard. She had to choose what fate destined for her.
[…]
Fate has chosen.
"Alright." She said at last.
"I'll do it."
A/N: Thanks for reading!
In regards to the pairing poll for Jakob, the results I received were a lot closer than I expected, especially with a certain character… As such, I'll be extending the deadline of the poll to December 11th. The poll can be found on my profile page, so please check it out.
Reviews on how to improve are always welcome. If you like what you read, follow / favorite for updates.