Corrin inhaled the cold Feroxi air as she did it felt as though she had been trapped beneath water for an extended time as she stood there her heart and mind continued to race, Chrom and Robin were in love with her… just the thought made her giddy and terrified, as her emotions danced around she felt the urge to take flight if only to forget everything for a moment, however as she stepped onto the balcony railing she heard the door open behind her "Lady Corrin!?" Stahl's voice was filled with panic.

"Stahl its fine… what are you doing out here?" Corrin stepped down if only to calm Stahl who seemed to have forgotten that she had wings.

"I came to find you, everybody is concerned. You just showed up and then disappeared. The captain and Robin are looking for you…" As he spoke Stahl stepped forward looking out over the balcony "Is that what's troubling you?"

Corrin Sighed "Yes… Stahl, it's difficult enough for me to be here… I'm lost and no matter how close I begin feeling to you all it drags up memories from my world… there are similarities that I can't ignore and as much as I would love to say that I belong here I can't… Maybe this was a mistake…" as she spoke Corrin could feel tears beginning to form and no matter how much she fought against the flood they began to fall as they did Stahl placed his hand upon her shoulder.

"Lady Corrin… I had no idea, I feel I must apologize none of this would have happened if I had kept to myself." Stahl was cursing the fact that he hadn't taken the time to try and read Corrin better he hadn't seen the emotional pain building up beneath the surface, between her physical and mental scars Corrin was seriously damaged in ways he couldn't even begin to comprehend he was pretty sure at this point her soul was scarred.

"Why are you apologizing?" Corrin wiped her eyes as she looked to the viridian knight.

"I could see that the Captain and Lady Robin held great affection for you and you for both of them and it was tearing the three of you apart in different ways, the Captain was usually pacing and training in the evening he would normally only do this after days spent with you, Lady Robin is lost without you… she always gains this strange aura of anger when you spend too much time with the Captain she has secrets that I don't want to learn. Then there's you with all you have going on I fear you're going to be consumed by whatever demons you still hide I just thought…" Stahl trailed off and focused on the floor as he did he heard an unexpected sound, Corrin was laughing.

"That's so sweet Stahl… I truly believe you are one of a kind, you have nothing to apologize for, you saw what none of us could see and to be honest I'm happy someone is watching over me, so thank you for the help but I think matters of the heart are something that you have to be ready to come to terms with and at this point I don't think I am" Corrin exhaled and shivered slightly even if she had faced harsher climates the Feroxi chill had begun to settle in.

"We should head back inside, if I can help you deal with this then please do not hesitate to ask me" Stahl smiled brightly as he opened the door for Corrin.

Corrin nodded in thanks before entering, she was thankful for the warmth as she moved from noble to noble making small talk as she did she learned of Ferox's training, imports and exports as well as their lifestyles the more she learned the more she respected them Xander and Ryoma would also respect them…. Corrin shook those thoughts free as she moved on; as she did she dived into a nearby crowd narrowly avoiding Chrom as he made yet another pass of the hall most likely looking for her, she watched as Lissa took Chrom's hand and began dragging him towards the dance floor I'm certain that Elise and Sakura would do the same if they were here… again she shook her head and began moving through the crowd although as she reached the edge she quickly changed direction as Robin passed by it wasn't that she was avoiding the problems walking around the party she just didn't want to face them.

She continued to work through the crowd as she did she could see Sully talking quite animatedly with Stahl as she watched she was reminded yet again of her families Leo and Takumi had such conversations when they actually got along…. She once again shook her head that one felt like a bit of a stretch but after her earlier conversation with Stahl she found herself wishing that she had settled down, her sisters seemed happy when they did she could still remember how much Camilla had teased Hinoka on her wedding day with that final thought Corrin bolted out of the hall as she did Chrom and Robin followed sharing a look as they did.

Chrom looked to Robin as they reached the front door of the East-Khans palace the door was open and Rami was pulling herself up, the tactician and prince helped her, once she was standing she looked to the two of them "Thanks for the help, your friend came pushing through here demanding to be let out while asking where the nearest lake was…"

"Which direction did she go!?" Robin surprised both of them with her outburst.

"Uh… she went south back towards the border" Rami seemed genuinely concerned by the small tactician.

"Thank you Rami, Robin we'll get the rest of the Shepherds and begin to sweep…" as Chrom spoke Robin cut him off by heading out being thankful she had kept her coat "Robin where are you going!?" The prince didn't hesitate to follow his clothes and cloak not offering much protection from the cold.

"Where do you think!? I'm going to find Corrin" Robin quickly got a horse saddled and ready as Chrom watched he noted that she had probably taken some lessons from Fredrick at some point.

"I'm not letting you go alone" Chrom likewise saddled up a horse as he did he looked over to Robin "You know how to ride right?"

"Uh… I've seen Sully, Stahl and Fredrick ride how hard can it be?" As she spoke Robin tried to mount the horse and failed, after several attempts Chrom helped her up.

"You'll be ok, right?" Chrom looked genuinely concerned as he watched Robin try and get settled in the saddle.

"Yes now let's go!" Robin swiftly got her horse moving much to Chrom's surprise in response he mounted up and followed her into the Feroxi wilderness in pursuit of Corrin.

While the Prince and Tactician followed raced towards the border, Corrin beat her wings before she caught an updraft grimacing as her still healing wings carried her even higher, she resisted the urge to use her dragon stone as it would make her easier to follow, she didn't want anyone to know where she had gone if anything she just hoped her new allies and friends would assume that she had been returned to her own time.

Robin took a sharp turn she could here Chrom following and why she was thankful for his company she wished that he had stayed behind if only so she could be alone with Corrin, with that thought in her head she urged her mount onwards as she did she could see a shape descending towards a luminous lake, she quickly urged her horse in that direction and was aware that Chrom had seen the same thing.

Corrin landed on the shoreline of the lake; rather she crashed into the soft snow Need to work on landing when I'm still human she pushed herself up and looked at the lake, it glowed gently and beautifully underneath the Feroxi night sky as she watched it she was reminded of when the war ended, she had spent a night with Azura in front of a lake like this one and on that night she had confessed how she had felt about the songstress after her confession she had kissed her before fleeing it was an action she had regretted and loved over the years, with this thought in mind she took her first steps into the icy water.

Both Robin and Chrom leaped forwards the two of them colliding with Corrin and tackling her beneath the surface… the darkness enveloped all three of them as they held each other tightly both Robin and Chrom were surprised when they felt warm air surrounding them their surprise quickly turned to fear as they realized they were plummeting towards a collection of flying islands, Corrin growled as she pushed herself free and changed her form before grabbing her companions and with several painful wing beats gently placed them on the ground once she had landed she reverted back to her human form and collapsed catching her breath.

"Where exactly are we Corrin?" Chrom looked around in awe as the land masses around him shifted.

"I'd also like to ask how we fell from a lake to flying Islands" Robin also watched the large islands in awe.

"We fell through a hidden entrance I honestly wasn't sure we'd find one, it requires one of Vallan blood to open, if that didn't explain where we then I'll just say it…" Corrin cleared her throat "Welcome to the hidden Kingdom of Valla"

Chrom and Robin looked in disbelief as they took the information as they did Corrin looked around "Well we're a few miles away from the closest town so let's take a break then make our way out there" She took a deep breath and for the first time since Robin and Chrom had met Corrin looked genuinely looked at ease.

As she relaxed Chrom sat down next to her "So this is where you were fighting for? It's beautiful…"

Corrin smiled "Yes… this is the land my parents are from… that my father destroyed and… and…" her smile faded "It's the land that took Azura from me and the cursed me… it's because of Valla that Nohr and Hoshido were driven to war this place is evil yet… it's my heritage and I was doing what I could to fix it…"
"I thought you were from a different time how did we get here?" Robin looked over at one of the large islands as it gently floated by.

"Valla is timeless and due to its inherently magical nature it can exist as long as the divine blood does…" Corrin looked at the sky as she spoke.

"So… If you don't have children then Valla is at risk?" Robin heard Corrin sputter as she asked the question.

"Well... thankfully Azura had two children so there's no immediate demand" Corrin's face turned Crimson as she spoke.

As they rested Robin headed further afield claiming she had seen some interesting ruins nearby, as she left Chrom looked to Corrin "Hey can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, just because we're in my kingdom doesn't mean that you have to treat me any differently" Corrin smiled as she leaned back and settled herself against the grass enjoying the warm sun.

"Was Azura the only love you've ever had… you don't have to answer I'm simply curious" Chrom lay beside her looking at the sky and wondering how this kingdom worked.

Corrin turned red "Well… I moved on to Azura as the war progressed and I came to the realization that I would never see my first love again…" She trailed off as she looked at Chrom as she did she felt her heart race they were only a few centimetres apart all it would take would be one little movement.

"Who was your first love?" Chrom was painfully aware that Corrin was lying on her side and was now mere millimetres away.

"It was… well someone I met when I was younger…" Corrin wanted nothing more than to tell Chrom but she knew doing so was wrong, he was clearly in love with someone else and she didn't want to complicate the situation.

"Well… I've been in love with someone for some time and I was simply hoping for some advice" Chrom turned his head to face her and could feel the heat creeping up as he could feel her warm breath upon his face.

"Okay…What does she like?" Corrin still couldn't deny her feelings or rein them in.

"I… don't know and asking her while I'm next to her feels wrong…" Chrom's face turned an even brighter shade of red as he looked into Corrin's eye.

"I…uh…um…that is to say…" Corrin struggled to get her thoughts together Chrom loved her and he had just confirmed those feelings.

"It's fine, you don't have to say anything I was simply hoping" Chrom smiled and sat up, as he moved to do so he felt a war hand on his arm.

"I'm new to this… so I'll ask we take it slow and if this is something then we sort out Yliesse's pressing issues before we think about anything else." Corrin spoke softly and kept her eyes on Chrom's.

"That sounds good… We definitely have things to figure out…" Chrom resisted the urge to kiss Corrin as that urge welled up Corrin spoke again.

"Yes… I have a lot to figure out just know that you mean a lot to me and have done for years so I ask you be patient." Chrom nodded her request was simple enough "Good now let's get back to Ferox we can come to Valla anytime now I'm aware of the passageways." Corrin looked up before changing into her draconic form.

Once she had completed her transformation Chrom got Robin and the three of them exited the Valla and returned to Ferox, after collecting the horses the three of them returned to Flavia's palace, the rest of the festivities passed quite quickly ending in a dance where Corrin had several partners including three shepherds, two Feroxi nobles and Flavia it ended with her dancing with Robin then Chrom.

As she returned to her room she noticed Robin "Are you okay Robin?" The tactician froze as she looked at Corrin.

"Yeah… uh… are you okay after earlier?" Robin's violet eyes met with Corrin's Crimson ones and her heart raced.

"Yes thank you, Valla's air really helped clear my mind." Corrin smiled gently.

"Good… um… Corrin I… Goodnight!" Robin bolted towards her room and once the door was shut she threw herself onto the bed and screamed at her own incompetence.

Chrom returned to his room as he entered he was aware that he hadn't stopped smiling since the field trip to Valla, after he changed into his sleeping attire he lay there thoughts of that moment with Corrin replaying in his mind.

Corrin changed into a night shirt and lay there giddy as she thought of the events of earlier she reminded herself that she should thank Stahl for pushing her in the right direction.

Flavia smiled as she saw the scruffy knight finishing the remnants of the banquet "Thank you for letting me in on your little plan it made the evening quite entertaining Stahl was it?" she laughed as the knight nodded.

"Uh yes… thank you for helping Khan Flavia I'm glad I was able to entertain you" Stahl smiled brightly as Flavia laughed.

"You don't need to thank me I'm a romantic at heart and having to watch them traipse around each other a moment more would have lead me to locking them in a room until they confessed" The Khan spent some time discussing things with the Scruffy Shepherd before they parted ways.

The next morning the Shepherds readied themselves to return to Ylisstol.