If all goes according to plan then this chapter will be uploaded the first week of April. With that, this fic will be turning three years old. So in memory of you guys joining me on this journey, I will be uploading every Monday until the end of April. With any hope, this will be the last month of uploading. Gods I can't believe I've been working on this for three years, it feels like I started this a year ago. Weird, how time flies. Anyway, on with the chapter.

The Princess's Dragon Bride

Chapter 42: Preparations

The return home was a relief. Shulk and Marth walked out of the gardens as if nothing had transpired. As if they had never left, and while Shulk got a few odd glances, Marth seemed fine. As Bowser Jr had taken the Prince's form, that's expected, so nothing was a miss about him suddenly in the garden.

Thankfully, when asked where he had been Marth waved away concerns by saying he had sent Shulk on an errand and was greeting him on his return. No further questions were asked after that.

"I'll tell Pyra we're back and see the state of things," Shulk sighed as he and Marth walked through the castle.

"I'll return the Fire Emblem to the treasury, then a bath and some rest might be in order," Marth yawned, "those hammocks aren't as comfortable as I expected."

Shulk chuckled fondly, "I'll wake you if something comes up," before the two split ways, he called over his shoulder, "I'll take it you'll be sleeping through dinner?"

He grinned, "If not, I'll be extremely late."

Shulk found Pyra in her chambers, but before he could get a word in, he noticed Kamek floating behind her. "What's going on?"

Pyra sighed, "Oh good, you made it just in time," she ushered him in and locked the door behind him. "We're going to need your help too."

Before he could ask Kamek moved aside to reveal an unconscious Corrin suspended in magic glyphs. "You found her?" Something coiled in his stomach, "And Lucina?"

"Probably still with the thieves," Kamek motioned towards the princess. "Her seal was completely broken and she was rampaging, I didn't really have time to look for the other princess."

Pyra placed a hand on Shulk's shoulder, "They'll find her," she took a step towards the magic circle, and in a flash, she looked completely different. "But right now we need to fix this."

He was stunned, he had never seen this form before. This wasn't the Pyra he knew and this wasn't Mythra, and yet somehow she looked familiar. Your nostalgia is affecting me, again. He clutched the red cross around his neck.

He shook it off, "About that, we have a dragonstone. Supposedly it's a magical item that can help dragons control their power. With it, we can-"

Kamek interjected "Do what exactly? I've never heard of this dragonstone. How do you suggest we use it to help the princess?" Shulk paused, not actually sure how to answer. Kamek crossed his arms, "Time is short. These seals are what we know works, so the seals are what we'll use. You can fiddle with your 'dragonstone' thingy later."

Shulk winced and sighed. "Fine, we'll do it your way, and then we'll give her the dragonstone," He trusted Marth's research, he knew nothing of dragonstones, but he didn't just climb a mountain for nothing. it was safer that way.

"Thank you Shulk." Pyra smiled at him.

Shulk tightened his grip on the ruby cross, "I'll help out however I can"

Eleven watched as Robin, Lucina, and Akira were huddled over a map while Byleth slapped bandages on Cloud's injuries. Apparently, they weren't that bad. He peeked over their shoulder and saw the map. Robin pointed to a far-off corner. "We should be around here."

"You wouldn't by any chance know a good warp spell would you?" Lucina frowned when Robin shook his head.

He pointed outside of the cave, "The farthest I can take us would be out of the tree line."

Lucina grimaced, "It'll take us weeks to get back to Ylisse."

"And by then it'll be too late," Robin straightened. "I suspect Corrin would be married as soon as Chrom and Bowser get back," he ran a finger in a straight line from their current position to Ylisstol. "Then with the alliance secured Bowser would be given free reign to hunt us down like animals with the full might of his forces until your return."

Lucina's frown deepened. "We can't let it get to that."

Akira smirked, "So we're crashing a Royal Wedding."

Robin shook his head. "There is no way we will be able to get there in time."

Akira huffed, "Not with that attitude," he then turned his attention to Eleven. "Leven knows warp magic, and with how crazy powerful his magic is, I say we would be at the castle front doors before sundown."

Eleven faintly regrets telling Akira about his success back at the Don's manner. He had never used Zoom for such a huge distance before. He stared down at the map, but before he could overthink anymore he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Akira was giving him a genuine smile. "You got this, Leven."

Robin interjected. "Right, I forgot to mention this but apparently his name is actually Eleven."

Akira glanced between Robin and himself before asking, "he's joking right?"

Eleven shook his head, thankful that someone finally mentioned it. Robin continued, "Yeah, Chrom called him Eleven and I can't see why he would lie about one of his ex-captives."

Akira looked thoughtful. "Eleven? Huh, I blame your accent." That was fair. Eleven knew he had a heavy accent, everyone from his homeland did but he never thought anyone would mishear him. He figured it was a nickname, like Levin, after his lightning magic. Although Robin seemed far more fitting of that nickname as he actually had a lightning-shaped sword on top of that.

Akira shrugged, "Levin sounds cooler but it's up to you," before placing both hands on his shoulder and looking him dead in the eyes. "Eleven, you'll pull this off, I know you will."

Eleven closed his eyes and nodded. Everyone rushed and grabbed as much gear as they could. And once everyone was ready, Akira and Lucina took each of his hands. He closed his eyes again as everyone gathered in a circle.

He envisioned the Velvet Rest. his room. The cozy inn that had been his home until this mission. His quaint little shop with his furnace waiting for him.

He let the magic gather and pool at his feet. And in a flash, he felt like he was falling.

Chrom couldn't fight the growing dread in the pit of his stomach when Kamek returned through the use of magic. Or how it got worse when Bowser said, "Put them on call."

Pyra's face was the first he saw followed by Shulk lurking in the background. "Your Majesty, I take it Kamek told you we managed to fix Corrin's seal?"

Bowser seemed pleased for a moment. "He did, but I'm going to need something else from you Pyra."

Her wince didn't escape Chrom's notice, "And that would be?"

"When my daughter wakes up-" he began but Shulk made a motion.

"She's awake now if you need to speak with her."

Bowser grinned at that, "I would."

Within moments Corrin's sleepy and exhausted face came into view. "Papa?"

Bowser's expression softened just a little but that didn't take away from his intensity. "Sweetie, we'll be heading back soon, for your wedding."

"My Wedding?" She looked around aimlessly "Where is Lucina?"

"We haven't found her yet but don't worry about that," Bowser noted, "We'll get her back, but first, I need to secure this alliance," he outstretched a claw as if explaining, "That's why you're going to be marrying Prince Marth."

Chrom cleared his throat then. "Shulk, please inform Marth of the same. We'll be arriving within a day or two."

Shulk almost seemed to hesitate, "…Yes, Your Majesty."

With that said the call ended and Chrom found himself conflicted. I'm sorry Marth, I didn't want to push you into the same thing I was, but I suppose I'm no better than my father after all.

Pyra felt uneasy after the conversation with the Kings but as she walked into Corrin's room to help ready her for the upcoming wedding, she understood why she felt so uneasy.

Corrin was a wreck, sobbing openly atop her bed, clutching a pillow to her chest. She knew the wedding was unfair but Bowser called the shots. And clearly, he had called the wrong one as his daughter was marrying the brother of the woman she actually loved.

She closed and locked the door behind her. "Corrin?"

When the princess peeked up she all but launched herself into Pyra's arms, she was an absolute disaster. "It's okay Corrin, they'll find her."

Corrin trembled, overwhelmed, and heartbroken. "You don't understand Pyra," when she peered up the look that met her gaze was broken. "She was dying, and I couldn't help her, I lost control and couldn't heal her."

Pyra tightened her embrace, she understood now. "Corrin," she tried to soothe the princess all she could but all the other girl could do was cry.

"When I was a dragon I sensed her for a moment, but then nothing," the tears began to flow again. "What if- what if I…" She didn't continue her thought instead she clung to her retainer, and cried without end.

They did not in fact land in Ylisstol, but after asking a very confused and startled innkeeper where on the map they were, they realized how painfully close they were. And after inquiring about where they could buy some horses they figured if they rode on without a wagon, it would take them around two days to get to Ylisstol with few breaks.

Three horses were purchased. One for Cloud, One for Robin, and One for Byleth. Lucina would ride with Robin and Akira would ride with Eleven, whenever they found his horse again, Akira and Eleven would have to share with Byleth and Cloud until then.

The hunt for Eleven's horse didn't take that long, as a few minutes into the ride it found them. Eleven insisted that his horse would handle the long ride without strain, so Akira climbed on and they led the path to Ylisstol.

They had only stopped for a few minutes when a loud screech alerted them to the presence of a nearby beast. Robin pulled out and opened a tome on instinct, "There shouldn't be monsters in this part of the woods."

Then a huge beast dropped down in front of them blocking their path. A huge wyvern with a saddle already prepped and ready to ride. But the thing that caught Lucina's attention was the flower-shaped spot on her head by her ridges.

She recognized that bridal, those flower-adorned rains, "Wait, don't shoot!" She lept off Robin's horse and straight towards the rampaging wyvern. It has to be her, but how did she get out here? Shouldn't she be at the castle?

AN/ Wooo! Almost here guys, fun fact I am writing this while sick with the flu. I am in hell but once I started writing this chapter I was unable to stop, it's funny what not writing for a few days can do to you. Anyway, I should probably address something I forgot to mention earlier, Shulk used speed in the fight with the Dire Wolf parsley because Speed is a move that only targets one teammate. But the story's reason for it is because it increases the likelihood of that ally dodging attacks. But In FE the speed stat is attributed to getting to attack the enemy more times usually before they can retaliate. Oh, also another fun fact, an actual one this time. Is that in the original draft Chrom and Bowser just arrived home after they caught Corrin but after looking over the script a little more I realized I didn't need them in the castle so they are on their way now, just like our heroes.

~ (1/29/2024)