A/N:
Posted: June 8th, 2017
Last Updated: June 14th, 2017
Views as of Posting: 13 179
IF YOU READ CHAPTER 12: REBELLIONFROM MAY 21ST - 29TH, 2017, PLEASE REREAD THE CHAPTER. A few days ago I completely rewrote chapter to fix several weaknesses. Sorry!
This chapter's going to be slower-paced than the last one. It's more wrapping up the Ice Tribe battle, and getting set up for the next adventure.
Responses:
Wolf's-kin: Thank you for your review! Unfortunately, it does not look like Mozu x Keaton would be a viable option at this point. My reasoning is that both Nohr AND Hoshido would be "recruiting" people. This means that characters such as Mozu, Keaton, Shura, Anna, etc. might join either side, or neither. Mozu and Keaton would not be on the same side for the war. I'll leave this up to your interpretation, what side you think they'll take ;-)
Chapter 12 Updates:
- Grammatical Corrections
- Changed ending scene and pacing
Now, onto the story…
Chapter 13: Thawing Relationships (Felicia, Azura, Iago)
"Where did that dragon go?"
"Shut up! Make sure Kilma doesn't escape!"
The maid swallowed as she watched the situation from behind her friends. In midst of the confusion, Leo's retainer seized the injured Kilma. The two men brought the chieftain to the Nohrian side, keeping him as some sort of hostage. It was five minutes after Corrin collapsed on the battlefield. A magical dragon stood where he was before, though it disappeared after a short period of time.
Some of the Ice Tribe returned to the dome in bewilderment. They came back to steam rising from a circle around Corrin. Their leader was captured by the invaders. Some elders began discussing among themselves in local dialect in hasty panic.
"Release me, hounds!" Kilma demanded, but his hands were bound by Niles's rope. Odin on the other hand was investigating the new tome he acquired.
"Easy there old man." Niles spat. "You're lucky you're even alive at this point."
"Ugh…" Someone groaned.
Everyone became fixated on the young prince, who laid face-down in the space before the administrative dome. He got up slowly and rubbed his head in discomfort. He then tugged at the long piece of cloth surrounding his body.
A dragon once stood where he fell unconscious. Felicia wanted to rush forward and help him, but the Nohrians would not let her. They had never seen
"Corrin!" Elise was the first to call.
She tried running towards the royal but Tarba restrained her. "Wait!" He demanded. "There's no telling what that thing… is."
"Oh please! Don't you think I can recognize who my big brother is?"
Felicia squinted her eyes. All of the steam cleared. His former master pulled on his sleeves and stood up. A shiny piece of crystal – possibly jewelry – glowed from his hand. The rebellion backed up in horror as the prince stared at them.
"What are these new clothes?" He asked.
Arthur was the first to answer. "Your armor broke apart as that dragon-like creature appeared! We had to cover you up with something!"
"D-dragon?"
Corrin looked at his body, dumbfounded. His memories slowly flowed back into his mind. He swung his head around urgently, letting out a small gasp upon seeing Kilma. The older, injured man glared at him in disgust.
"Oi, stay still!" Tarba exclaimed. "Don't move until we understand everything!"
The prince blinked. "Huh?"
"Playing dumb I see. Just who are you, 'prince'? Are you a monster, walking among us, disguised as a human?"
(He can't be, right? When he came back from Hoshido, he never changed!)
"I'm a member of the Nohrian royal family." Corrin retorted. His memories gradually returned "What you saw there was a magic trick. And it looks like everyone fell for it."
Kilma shook his head. "It sure didn't feel like a magic trick."
Elise and her retainers discussed among themselves. When the young prince told everybody of his plans, Felicia thought nobody actually took him seriously. What transpired in front of them was so surreal the Nohrians had no idea what to think anymore, much less the Ice Tribe. Tarba narrowed his eyes.
"And where did you learn this 'magic trick'?" A Nohrian lancer called out.
Corrin paused. "I acquired it from Hoshido!"
His claim was met with confused glances from even his sister and former servants. How Corrin was rescued from Hoshido on the first day, was already incredible enough. The young prince appeared to be digging a bigger hole for himself.
"Oh, now I know that you're lying!" Tarba shouted.
"Do you think that's true, Jakob?" Felicia asked.
The butler furled a brow. "Hard to say… He acts quite like Master Corrin, however."
The maid already had a difficult time believing their luck, when the two found the young prince so soon. However the concept of turning into a dragon was beyond anything she could imagine. It was like a child's fantasy became cold reality.
"Well, I'm convinced!" Elise smiled.
Tarba stared at the troubadour princess in bewilderment. "Milady?"
"He looks and sounds like my brother, so it has to be it!" She declared with a smile. "That guy in the long white tunic is my brother!"
The soldiers of the Second Ice Tribe Garrison were not quite convinced. Their captain ordered them to unsheathe their weapons. His actions was immediately met with Effie and Arthur standing defiantly in front of Princess Elise.
"Elise is a direct descendant of King Garon." Effie said. "As such, her word carries the most authority around here."
Felicia could see Jakob put his face into his hands in exasperation.
"Really?" Tarba argued. "I suggest she reevaluates her judgment."
"You will obey the princess." Arthur sneered. "Otherwise I have no problems putting you back into prison!"
The situation became ripe with unneeded tension. The Ice Tribe noticed the Nohrian infighting and began moving towards Corrin, hoping to take advantage of the division. They froze after the prince looked at them, and clutched the Dragonstone.
The prince frowned. "Looking to pull something?"
The rebellion backed off immediately. The prince's taunt impressed Tarba.
"Fine then." The Nohrian captain said. "My deepest apologies, Lady Elise."
Felicia gave a huge sigh of relief. She and Jakob were going to live after all.
"Apologies accepted!" Elise happily brushed it off.
Corrin smirked and stood up straight. Everyone was back on his side, grudgingly or not. The tribal warriors looked at each other in despair. If their chieftain were to fall, defeating King Garon was impossible. The battle was, by definition, over.
"Very well." He put his strange stone into his new tunic. "We will accept an unconditional surrender, so we may discuss the future under fair terms."
The young prince confidently returned to his role of negotiator.
"Do what you must to me." Kilma sputtered. "But please, spare the rest of my tribe. They were only following orders…"
"We're not going to execute you. Or anyone in fact."
Felicia could see some of the Nohrians crossing their arms in disappointment. Corrin turned and walked towards the restrained man. Niles kicked the chieftain's knees, forcing him to stand up. He was only slightly taller than the young prince.
"We wish for peace between Nohr and the Tribe." Corrin proposed.
"You don't need to lie anymore, filthy Nohrian." Kilma said darkly. "We know what your kind did to our people ten years ago. This time will be no different."
"I'm not like those people then. I do things differently."
"You've proven yourself otherwise."
"I'm serious."
"Serious. Then…"
The chieftain's expression darkened. He stared at Felicia, who looked back in concern. It had been years since she had seen Father. It was a decade ago when she thought he abandoned her and Flora. Her beliefs have not changed since.
"Father's lying again." Felicia whispered to herself.
Being betrayed at the inn had a lasting effect on the maid. She was disgusted with what he had become. He had not changed from the scheming politician who pawned his people's independence away. It was that very thought that pushed her to forget as much of her past as possible, and get accustomed to Nohrian life.
"Then why did you murder my daughter?" Kilma asked weakly.
(Oh right! Father still thinks she's-)
"Lady Flora?" Corrin scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "About that… That was a small lie. Sorry."
"A lie?!" The chieftain's eyes widened.
Effie curled her hand into a fist. "Don't get upset with us! You're the ones who deceived us in the first place!"
The man walked forward towards the prince, a new light in his eyes. Niles and Odin rushed forward, restraining Kilma before he got too close. The maid could feel the air get colder – like what happens when Flora gets overwhelmed with feelings.
"You're saying she's still alive?" The tribal leader asked hopefully.
"Um, yeah." Corrin coughed. "I just needed to provoke you into attacking me first. Good hit by the w-"
"Oh, thank gods!" Kilma interrupted. "My beautiful daughters are alive!"
It came to a surprise to the maid that his father cared after all.
"…Then I guess we can start peace talks." The prince uttered.
Kilma fell to his knees, on the verge of tears. Corrin walked in front of Felicia's father. His broad shadow casted over the chieftain. The Great Kilma, once so filled with spite against the Nohrians, acted as if he was suddenly indebted to them. A supposedly proud chieftain was dissolved into a sniveling man. A small part of Felicia felt sympathy for Father. Perhaps he possessed a bit of humanity after all.
Negotiations would begin on the Nohrians' terms.
Two Nohrian mercenaries were walking down the forest path, their stomachs full and spirits high. Nighttime did not bother them - it was a majority of the day for both men. They carried iron swords and wore yellow capes of the Garrison.
"I don't know, friend." One said "I don't think I'm cut out for it."
"You're too harsh on yourself." The older one with brown sideburns chuckled. "Taverns are always intimidating the first time. You'll get used to 'em."
Two men in black trailed behind the Nohrians, keeping as silent as the night. They had descended from the trees next to the path and closed in on the loud soldiers. The sound of crickets and crunching grass filled the air around them.
"You seemed to have a lot more fun than I do." The younger one muttered. "And a lot better luck with the locals."
"Don't worry lad. We'll find you a nice girl your age. Hell, we're going to Cheve in four days! I have some friends there who can put in a good-"
The two assailants moved in. Both of them picked a target and jumped from behind. They used gloves on their left hands to muffle the Nohrians' mouths.
"-Mmmf!'
"Sir? Wha-mmh!?"
The men in black drew daggers hidden on their ankles and stabbed it through the Nohrians' backs. The mercenaries struggled for a few seconds before falling silent. The assailants withdrew their gloves and sheathed their weapons.
"Good night." Haitaka grinned. "Nice move."
Azura did not know how to respond so she simply nodded. The two ninjas took the bodies and hid them somewhere off the road. Behind her was a team of Hoshido's elite infiltrators. Leading them was the esteemed Suzukaze.
The general's predictions were entirely correct. Nohrian authorities were shocked by the counterattack at the Hoshidan plains, so they diverted most of their defenses northward. Haitaka led a small team, alongside Azura, southwards to sneak by.
"Two more down, milord." One of the ninjas said.
"Good." The general said. "Hide the bodies. It shouldn't be far from here."
Suzukaze pointed towards the trees beside the path. After waiting a bit for the corpses Haitaka's force stuck to the greenery as they followed the path again.
[…]
At last they reached their destination. The long and massive structure was in the middle of the forest. Its entrance was unnaturally wide, resembling a mouth that devoured anything that entered. Dozens of lit torches could be seen inside. Its black walls, though tall, were in poor condition. The roof was also unusually thin.
Suzukaze narrowed his eyes. "Milord. We have reached Fort Dragonfall."
"How many guards are there?" Haitaka whispered.
"In front of the gate are about twelve Nohrians… lances and swords. Some have shields too. Probably more on the inside."
"And on the side entrances?"
Azura blinked. The black, uncomfortable costume made it difficult to see. She had missed a small gate on the right of the long fort. Unlike the main entrance, the ones to the side were unlit. She could make out a few bodies standing in front.
"Ah yes." Suzukaze said. He was much more accustomed to Kohgan attire. "Three- no, four more mercenaries to the right."
"Four hostiles?" The general raised an eyebrow.
Before the former Koghan could reply, a smoke bomb activated several feet from the side entrance. From the silent explosion came several shuriken blades that cut down the Nohrians like grass. Their bodies collapsed onto the soft ground.
"Dead hostiles." The ninja confirmed.
Haitaka nodded. From the smoke immerged his second team – Saizo the Fifth and his loyal patrol. It did take long for them to spot Azura. With a wave of a hand, the eldest twin brother ordered everyone to meet up with Suzukaze.
"Glad to see you make it." The ninja scowled. "We almost started without you."
"We ran into a bit more resistance than we expected." Haitaka said. "Did you bring along Kagero?"
"She's escorting Lord Ryoma, to the north." Saizo replied. "Yukimura said they were preparing for another battle there."
"So he's making the next move without me? How rude."
Like what happened along the path, the ninja began moving the bodies out of the way. Shuriken wounds could be found on the soldiers' chests and throats. Azura held back her dismay. At the very least none of the Nohrians at the main entrance heard anything.
"We should just leave the bodies here." Suzukaze told his brother. "There's no good hiding spots around, and our time is limited."
"Alright, we'll just move them into the tall grass." Saizo finally noticed Azura in her night camouflage. "Lady Azura. I'm surprised you made it this far."
The songstress simply nodded. The veil covering her face made it harder for her to talk anyways.
"She's been like that the whole journey." His younger brother said. "She's been very polite to us, but nothing would make her talk."
Saizo's eyes gleamed. "Nothing? Sounds like she'll be a great ninja one day."
(I'll never get used to his line of work…)
"Well, what Lady Azura lacks in talking, she'll make up for in listening." Haitaka shrugged. "One of Nohr's defectors have given me a rough map of Fort Dragonfall. We'll consult it once we're in, a light source and next to."
"Right." Suzukaze agreed. "Please, let me and my brothers' forces enter first. We'll make sure the area is secure for you and our guest."
"All yours." The general said.
[…]
Azura and Haitaka followed the group of infiltrators into the right entrance. Next to an open torch, the Hoshidan general unfurled his map. Thankfully Fort Dragonfall only had one floor, and its ceiling was high up. The internal walls were very thin, making echoes sound quiet.
"Ugh, something about this floor feels off." Haitaka commented. The entire floor felt like rough, old carpet. The odor from the brown tiling festered the Hoshidan force.
"Fort Dragonfall is an ancient structure. It was built on top of a dragon that died many decades ago." Suzukaze explained. "Its massive frame was reinforced into the walls. If it were a normal fortress, it would have fallen apart years ago."
Saizo lifted a hand "Enough with the history lesson. I hear movement."
While the others listened, the songstress scanned the map briefly. The internal walls looked odd; possibly modelled off of the dragon's decayed insides. The middle looked like a complete maze, with corridors leading all over the place. Two blue circles were drawn, one over a center room and the other near the fort's "rear".
"Excuse me." Azura finally spoke. "What are those areas marked?"
"Those are where our friend thinks the dragon veins are." Haitaka whispered. "Remember he can't actually 'see' the veins, so I leave that to you."
The two shut their mouths as the footsteps grew closer. The sound of soles came and went. Saizo shook his head and informed everyone the patrol was heading in a different direction. The two brothers stayed at attention.
"We'll go the central room first, then check the other at the back." Haitaka declared. "I want two people stationed to keep watch at the side entrance. You ready, Azura?"
"Yeah." The songstress said. "Show me the path, and I will obey."
Felicia and Father sat next to Flora, who was still sleeping. She was moved into the house she and Jakob fought in. The two were alone – the butler decided to grant the family privacy. Niles and the others were deliberating at the inn.
The maid tried not looking into the living room, where a small trail of blood led from a table to the kitchen.
The Nohrians were in an interesting position. Their opponents had surrendered, but they still possessed the stronger army. Even if Kilma and Corrin made a deal, the prince could not enforce it. Thus they had to keep Kilma as a pseudo-hostage.
Not exactly ideal terms for a fair negotiation. The rest of the Ice Tribe were outside, waiting for their leader to re-emerge.
"All she needs is rest." Felicia said softly.
Kilma huffed. "Who did this to her? Which one of the vile Nohrians?"
"You can ask her after she wakes up, I guess." Felicia looked away. She was not going to sell out Jakob.
The maid sighed in exhaustion. Of course, she felt terrible for her sister getting hurt. Flora and Kilma probably had a touching reunion when she first got home. The older one was always the smartest, and favorite, under her father's eyes.
(The fact my sister went home alone… is enough proof she's the important one.)
She wanted to start a conversation on something, such as how the weather was, or how the village was doing – anything to get rid of the stubborn silence. Before she could a large commotion happened outside. Corrin's panicked voice rung out.
"Milord!" Felicia gasped.
"What's going on?" Kilma stood up. Her hands were still tied.
The maid ran from Flora's side to the door, and her father followed. Outside was a large amount of Nohrian cavaliers – at least an entire regiment's worth. Corrin and a tribal warrior were arguing off from the side.
"What is the meaning of this, Nohrian?!" Kilma shouted. "Did you call in reinforcements to finish us off?"
"No I'm not!" Corrin said in frustration. "I've been trying to make that clear to this young lady as well!"
"Cease this tomfoolery." A cavalier said. His insignia bore the sign of a captain. "We are the First Paesalian Garrison. Castle Krakenburg requested our presence here. We were expecting to suppress a rebellion but I guess that intelligence was off…"
"It's fine." The young prince waved. "The battle's already won."
The members of the garrison gasped. The village was in too good of a condition to believe it was a battleground before. Indeed even the smoke from the destroyed armory was gone. Kilma looked away indignantly.
"You're Lord Corrin then?" The cavalier captain said. "You and your patrol brought down this entire village?"
"We had lots of help along the way." Felicia cut in.
"And there's Chieftain Kilma." Corrin pointed. "He agreed to surrender. We were going to start peace talks soon."
"Amazing…" The cavalier said. "Milord must be a true descendant of the Dusk Dragon. What compelling strength!"
"Aw man." The young prince said sheepishly. "Thank you good sir."
Felicia noticed her father shaking his head in annoyance. Corrin's "magic trick" was unintentionally brilliant. If the Great Kilma wanted to spill the truth - that the Nohrian Prince "transformed into a dragon" – everybody would think he was mad.
"Hey, perfect timing!" The maid piped. "Now that we have an actual army here, we can hold the negotiations on equal grounds!"
The prince smiled. "You're right Felicia! We can release your father now!"
"That would be a good start." Kilma admitted.
The cavaliers protested but Corrin took out Ganglari and carefully cut Niles's rope. The older man flinched as purple specks flaked off of the dark longsword. The chieftain rubbed his sore arms and dusted his dirty clothing.
"Prince Corrin." The new captain bowed on his mare. "Please consider the First Paesalian Garrison under your control, until matters are settled here."
"Thank you captain." Corrin said. "If you have the supplies, I recommend we set up camp. Sir Tarba's patrol is here and they need additional accommodations as well. We'll give everyone a day to recover before talking peace."
"We already have one set up, milord. Next to the abandoned hunting lodge. But, are you sure?" The cavalier stroked his chin. "What if they take the opportunity to rearm and restart the rebellion?"
"We destroyed their armory in the battle, and along it their strongest weapons."
Felicia giggled in amusement as the cavalier was mind-blown once again. Without any context of the battle, Corrin would have appeared as a War God. She wondered if the amazing result would give her a promotion in the army.
"So Felicia." He suddenly said. "Would you be spending the night with? Us, or with your father?"
"Eh? Me?" The maid was caught off-guard. "With you milord! Er- with you and the Nohrians!"
(Crap that totally came out wrong…)
"Um, alright then." Corrin said. "Lord Kilma, you're alright with this? She's your family after all."
"I have no concerns." The chieftain sighed. "From what I heard, you've been treating both of my daughters with enough courtesy."
"Sorry, Father..." Felicia sniffled. "I haven't seen you in ten years. I don't think I'm ready to spend time with you again…"
"That's completely understandable." Kilma said. "I did what I thought was best for the tribe. I'll work hard to regain your trust."
"Then let's go. It's getting late." The young prince declared. "Chieftain Kilma. Can we meet at your administrative dome in the morning?"
"Sounds reasonable." Kilma said. "I'll return to tend to Flora."
Corrin ordered the garrison to follow them to the inn. Felicia bowed towards her father and looked upon the village she grew up in. She struggled to recall memories of the place, other than the times she and her sister played at the old grammar school. The maid only just begun to appreciate how her hometown had grown. All she had left to do was to forgive her father, and that could wait for another day.
[…]
In the Nohrian camp, Felicia had trouble sleeping. In fact, she was woken up by two familiar voices from within the hunting lodge. She thought it was peculiar, given that they thought the building was locked from the inside.
She poked her head outside her tent. It was the one closest to the old building.
"Dammit! How those two escape, Odin?"
"Odin Dark knows not. Though, that shouldn't matter anymore. We already won the battle, so having our cover blown isn't a problem."
"Well, to be honest, I kind of forgotten we left them tied-up back here too."
"See Niles? It saves us an explanation we have to make to Prince Corrin and-"
"Wait, those dastards! They stole my mead flask!"
"A former thief of the night, being stolen from by two commoners! The apostles of the darkness sure have odd senses of humor."
"You owe me Odin. They wouldn't have bailed, if you hadn't returned their clothes!"
(What are they talking about?)
"Explain, Niles?"
"Our two friends would still be here, with my flask. They aren't going to walk back to the village without any clothes on! They'll freeze before reaching there!"
"You sure about that?"
"Yes! We shoulda withheld their clothes from them, Odin!"
"…I don't believe you. I think the humble citizens raised in the Ice Tribe their entire lives, can trek through savage ice and snow without the need for mortal cloth!"
"Why don't we just ask Felicia tomorrow? I'm sure she's the most qualified to answer our questions."
(Nope, nope, nope!)
The maid returned to her tent and put the makeshift pillow over her face. She knew Leo's retainers were weird but not to that extent. Fortunately she was blessed with a quick sleep, and a pleasant dream completely and utterly unrelated to whatever travesty she eavesdropped on.
[…]
It was a dark and cloudy morning, typical in Nohrian territory. Corrin's patrol of friend and Tarba's soldiers were sitting together at the back of the hunting lodge. Felicia had overslept, so she came to the secret meeting slightly late.
"You're leaving already, guys?" The young prince asked.
"Yeah, sorry milord." Tarba shrugged. "The Second Ice Tribe Garrison needs to return to our commander immediately. I bet they're worried sick. I hope the silver weapons we looted will make up for being imprisoned."
"I'm sure they will, Captain Tarba." Corrin smiled. "Thanks a lot back there. Without you and your people, I didn't think victory was possible."
"That's fine Prince Corrin. In fact, I think I owe you an apology for calling you a monster. I was panicking at the moment an-"
"Don't worry about! I only have one request with your soldiers."
The twenty men and women stared intently at Corrin. Knowing he had the power to turn into a dragon, Felicia thought they would listen to anything he demanded. Tarba folded his arms but was open to listening.
"Go on." He said.
"Actually, this goes out to all of you." Corrin looked at his friends. "Please do not let knowledge of my… ability, leave the Ice Tribe. I want to keep it a secret."
Arthur raised his hand. "Why milord?"
(Yeah. I would be boastful if I had such a power…)
"Ah, you're worried some royal in Nohr or some Hoshidan spy will paint a target on your back." Tarba grinned. "Got it boss. These lips will remain shut. Everyone else, yours too, right?"
"Yes sir!" His patrol replied. Elise's retainers also nodded vigorously.
"Good. Thank you everyone. We've all fought hard and deserve a long rest." Corrin's eyes lightened. "Lord Tarba. I hope we serve together again, someday."
"Lookin' forward to it." The captain sneered. "Come on guys and gals. We have a long journey ahead of us."
Tarba and the other Nohrians waved his goodbyes to everyone. The captain ordered them to pack the looted weapons onto a wagon and set off for Windmire. Lord Niles and Lord Odin stepped forward next to address the young prince.
"Well, milord, it's been fun detour, but Prince Leo requires our presence back home." Niles was the next to speak.
"You and Odin too?" Corrin said incredulously. "Don't you want to see the end results?"
"Frankly, I don't care about that." The slim man replied. "However, I also have two simple requests. Let's call them payment for our services."
The prince tilted his head to the side. "Do tell."
"The first is to leave us both off your report. Technically we were not supposed to be here."
"Well, we were glad you were regardless." Elise said warmly.
"Yes. In return, we'll keep your little dragon shapeshifting adventure a secret. How 'bout that?" Niles finished.
Felicia, Jakob, and their former master looked at each other. They thought the demand was reasonable, but odd. If Prince Leo's retainers were humble enough not to take any of the credit, the trio were more than happy to oblige.
"That can definitely be arranged." Corrin pondered out loud. "We do owe you one as well. What was your second request?"
"You must demand a leather flask and their finest mead from the negotiation! I shan't settle for anything less."
"What? Why?"
"…No particular reason. Just put it on the table." Niles picked up his bow and empty quiver. "Come and on Odin!"
The slim man bowed took his leave towards where Tarba went. Felicia gave out a sigh of relief. It looked like the two men were not going to ask her about the scenario in their argument last night, after all. Odin flexed out his chest.
"Of course!" The mage shouted. He turned back to the Nohrian royal. "Oh yes, Lord Corrin, if you perchance in a hypothetical situation do include us in the report, please refer me down as the great Odin Dark! Master of the d-"
"Odin!"
"Coming, friend! I bid everyone good farewell!"
Once the two retainers were far away, the remaining Nohrians burst out in laughter. Niles and Odin were two characters they never expected to meet in the Ice Tribe. Felicia wondered where Leo found such colorful servants in the first place.
The space behind the hunting lodge felt a lot emptier.
"Looks like it's the six of us again." Effie noted. "What now?"
"We meet up with the captain of the First Paesalian Garrison, then head off to the dome." Corrin said. "Time to put down the rebellion once and for all."
"Excellent! An injustice shall be corrected today!" Arthur puffed.
The prince looked around. "Any objections?"
Nobody raised their hands.
"Yay! Peace time!" Princess Elise jumped gleefully.
Felicia followed Corrin and his friends as they returned to the Nohrian camp. By the time they arrived, the captain was already waiting for them. With everybody prepared, the army marched into the Ice Tribe village.
The guards of Castle Krakenburg let the tall man through the halls. His brown anchor beard struck as odd to the Nohrians. Iago, however, was unfazed, as his guest in grey approached. The tactician raised an eyebrow at the man.
"You came alone?" He asked. "Where's your escort?"
The tall man stopped in front of him. "I don't see why I need anyone else."
"What if this were a diplomatic trap, and we decided to kill you right here?"
Normally he did not greet visitors to the castle with such direct questions, but the king's own advisor needed to know who he was dealing with. The man's ears perked up when he heard Iago's thinly-veiled threat.
"Kill me?" He repeated the tactician's words. "I guess you can try."
"You certainly have confidence in yourself." Iago bit his lower lip. "The moment you underestimate King Garon's security, is the moment you lose my respect."
"And the moment you underestimate a ninja is the moment you find a shuriken in your throat." The man replied.
Iago grinned. His guest was just the type of leader he was looking for. Through his half-mask the senior tactician told the guards to stand down. He wanted to invite the man into the war room for the secret negotiations.
"Very well, Daimyo Kotaro." The Nohrian said. "Please come with me."
[...]
The tactician thought that meeting up with foreign leaders was much more entertaining than babysitting Prince Leo. His hyped up "secret plan" was probably nothing of interest. Daimyo Kotaro of the Mokushu Nation was another story.
Mokushu was a famed country to the East. They were situated to the South of Hoshido and the kingdom of Izumo. In relation to Nohr, they were separated by a large part of the ocean. It would take many days by boat to reach their capital.
The nation was formed when several warlords united after decades of brutal warfare. Some of the world's most dangerous ninjas originated from the region, either working as independents or contracting their services to Hoshido. Territorial and commercial disputes led to a drawn-out war with the former nation of Kohga.
The warlords of Mokushu, known by the locals as Daimyos, kept on scoring decisive victories over victories. Thus their lands were greatly expanded, the Koghan towns were brutally razed, and the superiority of Mokushujin ninja was reasserted.
(Hard to believe their leader is right in front of me.)
"I came here to offer my nation's assistance in the war." Kotaro blinked. "From how boldly you've struck at the Hoshidans, they must be easy to walk over."
"Unfortunately that's not the case." Iago sighed. "We have two main branches in Nohr. The Expeditionary Force, and the Garrison. Because of recent uprisings to our south, the Garrison keeps on requesting more resources from the other…"
"You're stalled then?" The Mokushujin said. "The Expeditionary Force doesn't have enough resources to push forward."
The Nohrian huffed. "The farmland and surrounding forest we captured in Hoshido has allowed us to keep our armies fed. That won't last forever, of course."
"I see. Let me digest this for a second."
Kotaro kicked back on his seat and looked at the ceiling. Drop of sweats formed on Iago's neck. It was the king who wanted him to dispel this information. There was a huge risk the Mokushujin would simply tell Hoshido of their supply problems.
"Heh, to reveal such compromising information to me is not smart." The daimyo said. "Unless, you're allegedly feeding me false information for some reason."
"It was from the order of a higher authority, that I inform you of this." The senior tactician explained. "If it were me, I would not have told you anything."
"Bureaucracy is foul thing, isn't it?" Kotaro shook his head. "Kohgans fell victim to their own damn inflexibility. Good news is that once you know how to play the game, it's easy to climb the ranks."
Iago's eyes gleamed. "How many people did you step over, to become head warlord of Mokushu?"
"Less than you think." Kotaro replied in a matter-of-fact manner. "Just wait a few days and your rivals will take themselves out."
(Just like how Anankos will reign, after Hoshido and Nohr take each other out.)
"Well, I can tell you what I said was the truth. Ultimately that is for you to decide." Iago leaned back on his chair as well.
Kotaro stood up in exasperation. "I don't quite trust the info you have given me."
"Let me remind you, it was you who wanted to call this meeting." Iago said. "Not a good start to your proposal of friendship, I must say."
Kotaro raised his arms in exasperation. "Pshh. Friends. Do you know how many people died to unite the warlords of my country? Do you think they 'friended' themselves to their positions?"
Iago looked back in bewilderment. It was his first time meeting the leader of the Mokushujin. The way the letter was written, suggested the daimyo was a courteous one. The man in front of the tactician, on the other hand, was anything but.
"I came here expecting royals, confident in their victory. Not a mumbling half-witted tactician." He continued. "Actually, your slowed-down offensive is not my concern. I have a proposal for you – one that we can both prosper from."
"I'm listening." Iago tapped his foot.
"Mokushu enters the war on Nohr's side. In exchange for our inevitable victory, we demand the annexation of major plains from Hoshido's south." Kotaro stated.
The senior tactician stood up and consulted the war room's bookshelf. Before the war even began, he had requested Mokushu's help, just to be turned down. He found a journal and flipped through the pages. Indeed, there was a letter from Mokushu, detailing their refusal.
"What changed your country's mind? I thought your diplomats declined our first offer." Iago asked with deep suspicion.
"With some work, I secured a majority of the Daimyos' support." Kotaro answered nonchalantly. "Now, I ask again, are you telling me the truth?"
"I know exposing our weak point might seem odd, but it's right. I have reports from the army to back myself."
Iago gritted his teeth. Kotaro was right to suspect the tactician when he gave away Nohr's weaknesses, but this time he was giving correct information. He thought the daimyo himself lied his way to the top, making him skeptical of everything.
(However this time, you're just thinking way too hard.)
"Very well. I will take a look at them later today." Kotaro frowned. "In the meantime, let's discuss what services Mokushu is willing to offer."
"Hold on there. I don't like talking about cooperation with people who aren't willing to be 'friends.' This is war, not some tag-team playground game." Iago challenged.
"That's where you're wrong, Lord Iago." The Mokushujin said. "If I were your friend, I would place your values at the same priority as mine. I'm honest enough to tell you: that won't happen between us."
"Then why should we work with you?" Iago said. "Nohr can take down Hoshido with or without your help - I don't care whether you trust those words or not."
"Lord Iago. With all due respect I don't give a rat's ass about your people. I care about our mutual interests. You need help. I need land. I am not your friend. I am your business partner, and I'm telling you this is a good deal. Unless you place feeling over facts, I suggest you give a listen."
(Wow.)
"Oh don't worry." The senior tactician chuckled in his half-mask. "Even though we won't be friends, I have a feeling you and I will get along just fine…"
To avoid being spotted, Haitaka split up the ninjas around Fort Dragonfall in an intricate network; hide in the darkness when people approach, and run back to Haitaka if they hear the enemies planning a sweep.
Azura was escorted by the two ninjas as they entered the large, central room. Suzukaze had quickly picked the simple lock. Three soldiers were half-asleep on the desk, exhausted from guard duty. The Nohrians have not yet found the bodies.
"No dragon vein here." Azura looked around. Other than large boxes of supplies, the desk up front, and some bookshelves, nothing on the floors or walls glowed.
"Should we take them out?" Suzukaze whispered.
Saizo shook his head. "No need to leave more evidence behind."
The trio quietly left the central room. The first thing they realized was that the light was dimming. The two torches on the wall closest to the door were extinguished. The songstress could barely see four feet in front of her. The air became heavy.
"Looks like we were spotted." Saizo grunted. "Whenever a Koghan patrol feels compromised, we clear out as much light as possible, and prepare for a fight."
"We'll carry on as before." Suzukaze suggested. "I already memorized where the room is on the map."
Azura looked around in the dark. "I can't see where to go…"
"Take hold of my hand." The green-haired man said. "Please, don't be scared."
"Oh, okay."
She reluctantly reached out and took hold of Suzukaze's hand. The ninja brothers navigated the hallways with ease. Azura thought it felt embarrassing being guided like a little girl through Fort Dragonfall, but there was not much choice. She almost tripped when Suzukaze stopped abruptly in front of her.
"Movement." Saizo said. "Stay quiet."
The three stopped moving and stayed completely still. Sounds of five Nohrians walking down the halls grew louder.
"Who took out the light? This place is way creepier in the dark…"
"Damn troublemakers. Some recruit from Cheve probably wanted to make our lives hell. Why did the royal family want those rats serve in our army?"
"Beats me. When I find those squeaks I'll beat some reason into them."
The Nohrian voices faded away, bickering that they needed to relight all of the torches. Suzukaze seized Azura's hand again as his brother gave them permission to move. They finally reached the rear door, which was strangely open.
"I hope Haitaka's information is solid." Saizo huffed.
Suzukaze took out a shuriken from underneath his uniform. "Only one way to find out. Are you ready, Lady Azura?"
The songstress was mesmerized from the ground lit up with green at the back of the room. The dragon vein was absolutely massive, bigger than anything she had ever seen in Hoshido. It was a huge filled-in circle, covering the entire floor. It must have been twenty feet in diameter. Even stranger was that there was nothing else in the room – it was entirely empty, like a cell for solitary confinement.
"Lady Azura?"
"I'm here." She said, almost too loudly by accident. Saizo cringed at her voice. "I know where the vein is. You can let go of my hand now."
"As you wish." Suzukaze loosened his grasp.
Azura take a deep breath and entered the room. She knew that, to her two escorts, she was just walking senselessly into a dark room. The green light grew stronger, reacting to her presence. Her long blue hair was blown back by a small gale.
(As Takumi said… I hope I remember correctly.)
She got on her knees and pressed onto the shining ground with both hands except the palms. Azura then rotated her right hand ninety degrees counterclockwise.
The green light started getting more intense, and also started hurting. A lot. Suppressing a small yelp, the songstress almost fell over backwards. The two ninjas looked at each other in confusion.
"Hey Azura, you alright?" Saizo hissed.
"Y-yeah." She shook her head. Disabling Takumi's orb already took a lot out of her. Getting rid of such a big vein might actually kill her. "My body is taking a toll."
"You can stop if you want." Suzukaze whispered. "We can tell Haitaka to-"
"Unacceptable." His older brother jumped in. "We're here to finish a mission."
"Not at the cost of her life. Only she can disable dragon veins around here."
"We risked our lives every day, including coming here. She knew the risks as well."
Not wanting to hear the two brothers fight further, Azura tried again. She put her hands onto the vein and rotated her right hand, slower this time. The second time was much less excruciating, at the start. As the energy flowed into her arms, the pain gradually started increasing.
It came to a point where the green light was less than half as bright as before. Azura pulled upward, aiming to drain the entire vein in the third pass. Her hands refused to leave. They were firmly stuck onto the ground.
"H-huh?" She began to grow anxious.
Saizo shook his head. "What now, lady?"
"It's not coming off!"
Her exclamation devolved into a series of painful groans. Her arms started shaking and her eyes started glowing green as well. She could no longer hold back her mouth, and screeched. The pain from her arms spread throughout her body.
"Keep it down!" Suzukaze cautioned.
The light from the room was completely gone. Azura fell over in exhaustion. She checked her right hand. It was red, but otherwise completely unscathed. The agony from disabling the dragon vein left as quickly as it came.
"Too late." The red-haired ninja scowled. "More footsteps."
Upon hearing Saizo's words, the songstress got on her legs quickly and walked towards the door. The group of Nohrians they passed before was returning.
One of them was holding a torch they acquired, lighting up the hallway. Suzukaze dragged his brother into the room with Azura before they arrived.
"Who's here?" He heard a Nohrian exclaim. "Come out! There's no place to hide!"
"Do you think they're in the jail cell?"
"Are you daft? Why would trespassers willingly go into a confinement cell?"
"I mean, Princess Camilla said it was a very special spot…"
"Urgh. If you really want, we'll give it a look."
(Oh no! There's no other way out of here.)
Saizo and Suzukaze instinctively grabbed their shuriken weapons and waited at either side of the door. Azura herself was unarmed, but being captured by the Nohrians was not an unattractive fate for her.
"Open the door. What are you waiting for?"
"Hey, did you hear that? On the inside…"
"What the he-"
The Nohrians' conversation was cut short by grunts and the sounds of armor hitting the floor. The twin ninja brothers nodded at each other and withdrew their blades. Azura grabbed for Suzukaze's shoulder and timidly walked out of the room. As much as she disliked depending on others, having him around made her feel safer.
As they left the room, they saw the smoldering glow of a torch on the floor, about to go out. The five guards were dead. From the faint light she could see several silhouettes standing over them. One retrieved their javelin from the ground.
"Damn you." Saizo cussed. "That's five more bodies we need to throw into a river."
"I'll take that as gratitude." Haitaka hissed. "How is the vein doing?"
"It's completely gone." Azura panted. Her head felt light. If she continued disabling dragon veins, she would surely tire out.
Suzukaze stared at Haitaka in awe of his precision at the dark. The general might have been older, but he has been able to keep up with some of old Kohga's finest ninjas. The Hoshidan leader pointed to the dead bodies.
"Well done everyone. Patrols are going to come around this area again. Let's pull these bodies into a ditch, and get ourselves back home."
The actual negotiation meeting went comparably quickly. Outside the dome were the newly arrived cavaliers and what remained of the Ice Tribe rebellion. On the inside, Princess Elise and Prince Corrin were finalizing the agreement.
Felicia was given a seat at the table. As someone with close ties to both of the armies, she was given permission to sit in on the discussion. Flora was making a good recovery but not enough to attend. An Ice Tribe nurse tended to her side.
Corrin's instructions on fighting, alongside the tribal warriors' tendency to retreat at the first sign of fear, meant there were very few casualties. In fact, there were about seventy wounded in total, twenty seriously, and no deaths. It was truly a first for a battle with the Nohrians, and the young prince was visibly proud of it.
"So you're saying the First Paesal-whatever Garrison is staying here for a fortnight, to ensure the agreement is followed?" The chieftain repeated. "Sounds fair."
"We're glad to hear that." Corrin nodded.
(I've never seen milord play politics before. This is fun to watch!)
"This is mostly fair. There's only one problem with the third clause." Kilma said. "You require the Ice Tribe send two hundred able men and women to serve in the Nohrian Army? That is outrageous."
The maid was taken aback. Back in the castle, Flora expressed concern the Ice Tribe would be drawn into the conflict. She never expected Corrin to be the Nohrian commander to fulfill that omen.
Corrin looked to his sister, then back to her father. "Let me explain, Lord Kilma. We need to make some harsh demands, or else the Nohrians will get upset. Some might even say your homes deserved to be razed."
"As I said, outrageous."
"According to the treatise on negotiations, asking for volunteer forces is the least we can ask for." The prince reasoned. "Please?"
"And now he understands why we opposed Nohrian rule." Kilma exclaimed.
"Umm, if I may." The maid spoke. "Can I jump in for a bit?"
The two looked at Felicia in surprise.
"Go on!" Princess Elise said warmly.
"Well, the Ice Tribe has always been garrisoned by Nohr right? Wouldn't it be better for soldiers of the tribe to look over themselves? If those two hundred men and women join the First and Second Ice Tribe Garrison…"
"She's right!" Corrin agreed, impressed with her quick thinking. "Not only will Nohr be grateful for your assistance, the princes and I can sneak them into protecting your village! Not all of them, but most!"
"I don't know." The chieftain said. "It's still serving with an army of oppresion."
Felicia grew upset at his parent's rigidness. "Would you rather be protected by your own people, or Tarba the Tax Troll? This is the greatest shot at freedom you'll get!"
(Huh? Where did that anger come from?)
Corrin gave out an obstinate laugh, and Kilma looked at the ceiling in contemplation. Felicia's heart eased slightly. Father clearly wanted to protect his people, and not just for a political position. The man turned back to his guests.
"I don't usually say this, but I'll trust you, Lord Corrin." The chieftain said. "My people are hurt. However most are recovering quickly. You are a man of your word, and I hope you can keep your promise of letting them into the garrison."
"Phew. It's a relief to hear that from you." The young prince rubbed his right eye. "Thank you for putting your trust in me."
Before they could get the quill to finalize the agreement, a tribal lancer burst into the room. Kilma and Corrin stood up immediately, wondering if something foul happened outside. The exterior of the dome was quiet.
"Great Kilma!" She panted. "Your daughter is awake!"
"My Flora is well again?" He said. "I'm sorry Lord Corrin. The peace deal must wait. I must see her immediately!"
"Not without us!" Felicia said. "C'mon, Lord Corrin. Let's go!"
[…]
By the time they arrived, Flora was already sitting up, having a splendid chat with Jakob. They were pleasantly surprised by everyone's arrival. The butler stood from the bedside and went over to Felicia's side.
"Father! Felicia!" Flora exclaimed. "I'm so glad everyone is okay!"
"Oh Flora! Thank the Ice Dragon you're safe! After missing you for ten years, I would have broken down completely if you left me again!"
"I exist too, dad." Felicia whispered wittingly to Jakob.
The father hugged her daughter tight, careful not to re-agitate the wound. Corrin was awkwardly smiling, like a child at their cousin's wedding. The butler beckoned Felicia to sit by her sister, which she did. The two exchanged a quick hug as well.
"Which savage brute wronged you?" Kilma demanded. "I will find this person, and make them pay!"
"Uh." Flora was looking over her father's shoulder. "I did not get a good look at his face. My memory has been hazy since blacking out."
"Ah, alright then." The chieftain said. "Well if anything ever comes up…"
"Hey, dad." The blue-haired maid said. There's something I want to tell you about. In private, please?"
"Um, sure." He replied. "Corrin, Elise-"
"And Felicia." Flora added.
"What, even me?" Felicia asked incredulously. She remembered where her anger came from. "I swear, have you two forgotten I'm part of this family?"
Flora winked. "You'll find out eventually."
Despite getting upset, the maid could tell what type of look Flora gave her. In the end, she was happy her sister was alive at all. Along with the two Nohrian royals, Felicia left the house quickly. The blood on the first floor was still not cleaned.
[…]
After only an hour, Chieftain Kilma and Corrin were back in the dome, finalizing the agreement. Felicia saw that Father was particularly shook with what Flora had said. If he found out it was Jakob who wounded her, that spelt bad news for everyone.
"We're almost done here." He said. "Now, about my daughter Flora…"
"Ah yes." Corrin nodded. "We came here to rescue her, and that was part of the previous agreement. Her sister was almost locked up because of it."
"You want her back at Nohr, don't you?"
"Only temporarily. I'm sure with enough reasoning, even King Garon would see it's unusual cruel to keep her working at Castle Krakenburg."
"No need." Kilma interrupted. "My daughter has spoken to me about this in length. She wants to return with you, of her own volition."
Corrin and Felicia's jaws fell open from his words. They thought separating a father from his daughter was more difficult than beating back the entire Ice Tribe. The chieftain shattered their expectations in a simple answer.
"Why?" Prince Elise asked. "If she liked us, she wouldn't have run away."
"All birds have to leave the nest eventually." The chieftain uttered. "Not that I'm happy about it. My little Flora said she… found a man she loves in Nohr."
"Whaaaaat?" Felicia blurted out. "No."
"Yeah." Kilma shook his head in disbelief. "I swear if I find who it is…"
Corrin and Elise did not know Flora well enough to comment, but the news swept Felicia completely off her feet. She regretted not being closer to her sister before she ran away, otherwise the maid might have had an idea who it was.
"I'm glad that's over with. Though, that kind of creates more questions than it answers." Corrin said. "Nohr has taken care of both your daughters for many years, and I'll make sure they'll continue doing so."
(…Why does Corrin sound more like my father than my own father?)
"Cool! Flora's going to fall in love then get married then live happily ever after!" Elise burst in happiness.
"Are we done here?" The prince asked. "It's been a long two days."
"There's one last thing I want to resolve." Kilma sighed. "Can I spend an afternoon with my daughter, Felicia?"
"Eh?"
The older man looked into the maid's eyes with dire emotion. Despite her flip-flopping of animosity towards the chieftain, the words lifted her spirit. She was not a forgotten child after all. Princess Elise gave a small "aww" sound of appreciation.
"So much has gone through my head, that I haven't treated everyone fairly." He admitted. "Flora and I thought you were both indoctrinated by the Nohrians, but after the battle we both knew that wasn't true. Your old man has done countless stupid things in his lifetime, but I never regretted having such lovely daughters."
"Well, ahah, after everything you've done, I'm not feeling so sure about..." A funny feeling arose from Felicia. She had never thought she would feel mischievous towards her Father.
"I see." He exasperated.
"I'm kidding! Yes! Of course! I would love to spend an afternoon with you!"
"How can I say no to that?" Corrin replied. "Plus, I need to buy new clothes around this part of the country…"
Felicia was too distracted to hear anything he said. The maid jumped forward to give Kilma a hug on the other side of the table. Unfortunately, she slipped clumsily and more crashed into her father. Kilma struggled to keep balance, but somehow remained upright. The maid was laughing, not caring about the embarrassment.
"Oh yes we have so much to catch up on!" Felicia smiled. "Firstly, you should teach me how to cook. It's hard to, without parents teaching you! And what about the old grammar school? I always wanted to visit and-"
Arthur and Effie entered the dome, saying that tensions were developing again between the cavaliers and the tribesmen. The royals took any excuse to leave the two alone. Kilma sat in his chair, happily listening to his child's every word.
For the first time, in a long time, Felicia felt perfectly at-home.
A/N: Thanks for reading!
Even though we've finished a major episode of the Ice Tribe twins' history, you can expect to see a lot of them in the future. Our cast is getting big however. It might to time to thin the numbers...
Reviews on how to improve are always welcome. If you like what you read, follow / favorite for updates.