A/N: Got a bit more focus on the past this time around… and not just Corrin's. Well, technically some of it is about her past, but it isn't her life, rather her family's life. Also… there will be dialogue that has [brackets] around them, this indicates that the text is in a non-Common language.
Consort: Ah, but that Valla scene is also in a dream, so we can't just take things at face value, either! Or maybe… it was a prophecy? *nods* Either way, I think it's a more reasonable spot to keep that giant ball. How can Anankos even properly talk with that ball in his mouth? Y'know… like how can Corrin eat in dragon form with that helmet on? Questions must be answered!
German is also quite… uh, rough and tough sounding, which would fit the Nohrians well. Japanese would fit Hoshido, having Samurais and the like, though I already placed that in Valla. Hm… I think I'll let Valla keep Japanese, and give Hoshido something else.
Oh, poor Ryoma. He had good intentions, but he didn't restrain himself enough and ended up seriously hurting Corrin with that hug. A nice long talk would be for the best, alongside making some memories. Speaking of that moment… I noticed I made a very small error last chapter, and it was fixed. The Wyrmslayer Wound is, in fact, on her left side.
Antex: Sweet, and… it wasn't stressful or anything. I'm more glad to see you've returned ;)
Ohhh yes, and there are plenty more changes to come! As for the Dragon form, I wanted to go for something that would be more 'real'. Until Corrin gets enough magical prowess to temporarily cut out the pain, shapeshifting will be painful… it also doesn't help that she's half-dragon. You won't see that same level of pain with the Wolfskin, Kitsune, or pure-blooded dragons, as there will be something in their bodies that allow for a smoother change… there might be some discomfort and groaning, but not outright yelling.
And I'll be glad to deliver on expanding Corrin's ability list!
Guest (Ch. 1, 1/5/2020 7:21 PM EST): *nods* Understood, though while I am going for more 'realistic beastfolk' I'm also not going a complete 1-for-1. The beastfolk in this fic won't be as, uh… 'primal' as in 'Corrin, of the Wolfskin'. That is to say, they'll be a bit closer to how they are in canon.
When I pursue 'realistic beastfolk' I refer more to their physical appearance. Fur covering their bodies, and all of those glorious genitalia... The only real changes in mentality being that I'm acknowledging females going into heat and males rutting.
I stretch from my position in the cot, satisfied when all I feel from that movement is relief of waking up… and only a small amount of irritation from the wound. I open my eyes and stare at the ceiling for a bit, pulling the covers a bit closer. It's actually quite warm right now, but not hot enough to justify removing the covers, oh… just right. I hum in satisfaction, these kinds of mornings were always nice back in Nohr, especially… especially when it was also a day off. In fact…
"Hello, darling." Big sister Camilla once walked in on me, nestled within my heavy covers, while also reading a book. "I see you're still in bed." There's some tutting accompanying it, but I can easily tell she doesn't mind.
"Good evening, big sister!" I exclaim with a huge smile. "Yeah, you got me…" I giggle, gently placing the book down, "But if feels so good under the covers… perfect for a book!" The title is 'A Knightly Encounter'... a standard 'knight saving princess' story.
It only took a half-second before Camilla drops any attempt on being stern, she joins in with a laugh of her own, then proceeds to move towards my bed and sit down on it. "Oh, how could I deny you this luxury?" She slowly reaches for the book, but makes no effort to grab it. "Would you mind if I read it to you?"
I nod, pick the book back up, then pass it over to her. "It's just a normal tale of knights and princesses." I supply.
She accepts it, "There's nothing wrong with that, dear." Once the book is in the correct reading position, I snuggle even further into my comforter, this time raising it above to my neck… sweet, sweet warmth. "I'll start from the top of the first page, here…" She clears her throat and, [The knight rode upon his steed], Big sister's voice takes a tougher and heavier Nohrian. I know she'll do this for the 'manly' parts involving the knight, and she'll switch back to speaking Common for the more 'feminine' sections, which involve the rest of the sections.
I'm brought out of my daydreaming by a knock on the door. I huff, but gather myself enough to give a polite, "You may come in." Despite having a dress on underneath the blanket, I refuse to lower the cover. Now, I was expecting the Shrine Maiden to come in, but instead…
This light-pink hair woman also has a Shrine Maiden outfit on, but… "B-Big S-sister!" are the first two words to come out of her mouth. Her eyes are shining with tears and she dashes over, but unlike Ryoma, she places her arms over my midsection, far away from my wound. "Th-thank the g-gods…" She whimpers.
Little sister… little sister. She has a Shrine Maiden outfit and… "You were in the ambush." I can barely recall healing magic and a high-pitched voice. She simply nods in response, though I can hear her breathing a bit hard, and there's some sniffling too. "How are you?"
"I…" She step back, then turns around. "The attackers w-were… hard to see… Kaze st-st-stopped the worst of it, b-but…" I can see that the back of her outfit has been recently mended, it's in the shape of a long slash… a sword, probably. So, an attacker snuck by the others and attacked my little sister?!
Wait, what is her name again? "Uh, little sister?" I start, which causes her to turn back around towards me, alongside this adorable head tilt, "I'm still recovering and… I can't, uh… remember your name?" I sheepishly ask.
"My n-name is Sakura!" She seems cheerful to exclaim. "We also have a big s-sister named Hinoka, and a brother th-that's older than me, but younger than you… his name is Takumi. The eldest brother's name is Ryoma."
I smile, "Thank you, sister… must be weird to remind family."
"Oh no, it's alright… you, we… we went through, a-a-alot." She stutters a bit. "When stress can go t-too high… it c-can hurt as much as a weapon."
"That is correct, Lady Sakura." Within the time that my little sister was speaking, the door opened and closed for the Shrine Maiden. "I'm glad to see you're keeping up with your studies." She respectfully bows, even while carrying a tray of food. "Memories, anger, anxiety… many things can come from being overwhelmed." She presents the tray to me, "As well as malnourishment and an improper diet. Just for safety, your next three days' worth of meals will be specially prepared." She procures a table from the side of the room, then sets the tray on this table.
"Thank you, ma'am." I respond.
"You're very welcome… do you need any assistance in eating?"
"No, thank you." I shake my head with a smile. At least it smells good, I look over to the tray. It's holding a bowl, a plate, and a cup. The bowl has a stew in it, a combination of meat and veggies. The plate holds colorful fruit and a portion of rice. Lastly, the glass contains a… ugh, some sort of thick and green liquid. How come everything else looks good, but the drink looks like shredded grass? I was going to voice a complaint, but I also understand that this healer knows what she's doing, and decide to suck it up and just drink the thing. "That'll be all, ma'am." I state after removing my eyes from the green liquid.
"I-it's a mix of…" Sakura feels the need to explain.
I raise a hand, "No, I'd rather not know. It's healthy and it's for the best, so… I'll drink it." Who knows, it might just taste better than it looks. So, I decide to sniff it… bland. Wait, no… there's a hint of grass. I pull off a flat look and Sakura giggles.
"Sister, it's n-not that bad." She assures me.
"It smells like grass." I point out.
To which she gives me a confused expression. "It sh-shouldn't smell l-like anything?" My little sister moves over to sniff it, "Yeah… n-nothing."
Huh. I shrug, grasp the cup, and in one of the bravest moments of my life… down the liquid that still smells very much like grass. Except that… it doesn't rush down like water, oh no. The thick liquid takes its sweet time rolling down the cup and into my mouth, so I'm left seen with an open mouth for several seconds before the green mass starts dropping in, and when it does? Oh… oh.
That's almost rancid. It takes nearly all of my willpower to not eject back out. I push through the glob and swallow with an intense grimace. "Th-that's… horrible!" I finally conclude after a half-minute of agonizing bitterness. I place the cup back.
"I-I'll get some w-water!" She backs up, "It really shouldn't have tasted that bad!" She calls out as she hurries out of the room.
"Even Vulneraries taste better than that…" I gripe as I take a few minutes to let the 'flavor' pass. Once most of it is gone, I got for the stew, which smells delightful, it looks like something a normal person would eat. I get a spoonful and, "Oh… that's nice." I lean back into my cot, with a satisfied look on my face. That is some good stew, and any of the remaining 'grass shake' taste is now completely gone… replaced with this delightful spiced meat and veggie taste.
After a few spoonfuls of this, Sakura had returned with a glass of water, along with a, "Here you go, big sister!" She performs a half bow as she places the glass on the tray. "I-I'll tell the Priestess about y-your a-aversion to the…" She starts.
"Alright, uh… what is in it?" I ask during her pause.
"Broccoli, spinach, oranges, apples, p-peaches, um… asparagus, some ginger…"
"Yuck, asparagus." I state. "Never liked it, even when Camilla tried spicing it." Which is weird, because Camilla usually could find a way for me to eat or drink things I don't like.
"C-Camilla?"
I almost… almost said 'big sister', but then I remembered that I'm in Hoshido with my actual family, and Sakura probably wouldn't like to hear that. "Princess Camilla of Nohr." I instead reply with a more neutral expression. It's… not fair! I'm basically sitting over here and disregarding all of the good stuff they did for me! ...I miss them, and Jakob and Felicia and Flora and Lilith and… I huff and put the stew bowl back onto the tray, then proceed to take a single gulp of water, followed up by, "I'm done for now."
"Big sister?" Concern rises. Her eyes seem to shine on me, then she fidgets around a bit, looks away, looks back to me, "D-Did you like them?"
I blink my eyes… did she really ask that? "They're 'Nohrians'... why would it matter?" I sink into the cot.
"B-Because your h-happiness means so much to us?" She counters with a gentle voice and a soft smile.
"...It was rough there, but I enjoyed my time. I do miss them." I admit.
She fiddles with her dress, "But, th-they…" Tears, her voice cracks.
No, 'they' didn't… "That was King Garon's doing, not the ones that I called family while I was there." I cross my arms. "Elise, Camilla, Leo, and Xander… they had nothing to do with that sword." ...Right? This was obviously a plan by Garon, maybe with Iago… but not the siblings!
While her expression is still sorrowful, she does nod, "I-If… you th-think so…" She doesn't trust me. A very weak attempt at getting me to think she believes me. I keep my own expression neutral. Of course, why would she? All they know is that 'Nohrians caused mother and father to die'. 'Which means I doubt I can convince anyone to like them.' I move to grab the stew and resume eating… at least this tastes really good. Sakura awkwardly stands to the side, "U-Um… I'll g-give you some time… a-alone… okay? Do g-get some rest in!" She slowly backs away with a smile.
"I'll see you later, little sister!" I offer a wave and a smile, which seems to calm her nerves some. Gods, she is so cute! I look over the remaining stew and the accompanying plate… I don't think I can finish all of this in one sitting. Shrugging, I continue eating… I'll worry about that later. It takes several minutes, but I do finish off the stew. I drink a bit of water, then I lean back and relax with my now-full stomach.
Now then… 'Would you mind talking, again? Please?' I think as I cuddle up into the blankets. 'Tanken no Mizu… Yasei. What language is this?' I frown, but I don't give up. 'I know what they translate to, but I don't know where it comes from. Please, talk to me!' The frown fades, my brows furrow, 'Listen here, I…'
Growling. I can hear, no… 'feel' a pained grunt? A tinge of magic and I can get that connection… finally! Now, if he could just speak up and actually hold a conversation. "Yasei, Yasei…" He repeats, I can get the feeling of care.
'Anything… another 'Mizu' spell?' I suggest, feeling unusually giddy for 'thinking' a conversation with a voice in my head.
The growling returns, a roar. Words are being spoken, but they are in a tongue that I don't understand. Cut off… connection's gone. I huff. If it's going to be that short, then why even bother at all?! Ugh! I pull the covers up a bit higher… wish I had a book.
Some training also doesn't sound that bad right now. It's going to suck, getting back into the normal… wait. I frown, I'm not going to be able to train with big brother Xander or little brother Leo. Do I just… go to the training grounds on my own? A few moments pass, before… "Kaze!" I exclaim, hopefully he's actually…
"Yes, milady?" I didn't even hear or see the door open and close. Yet, there he is… unless, he was already in the room? "Did you need something?"
I honestly wasn't expecting him to appear so quickly, "Uh, could you get me a book?" I ask.
"Any preferences?"
Oh, good question. I take a moment to think about that, a story? Maybe something Hoshidan-related? I actually know quite a few Nohrian tales. "Is there like, an anthology of Hoshidan legends?" I end up deciding.
He nods, "I will return soon, milady." Okay, that time I saw the door open and close. Maybe he was in here the whole time? I shudder, I appreciate the dedication, but I really hope that he wasn't… I do like my privacy, something even Jakob respected, and he is almost literally all over me. I glance up at the door, then pull a hand out from under the covers, just… one more time. Since it feels so right.
"Mizu." I command, causing that familiar tingle of skin-level water to rush across my arm. Out of curiosity, I move my other hand to touch that visible water. My arm feels smooth and slick, and while I can feel the wetness… when I move my hand off, no water comes with it. "Tanken." Once more, the water on my arm rushes towards my hand, and a dagger forms. Despite this being the third time, I can't help but feel giddy about it. It's so fascinating, it's so much easier than whatever magic Leo tried to teach me, and it just feels right, almost as normal as when I found out that I'm best with a sword.
Stumble, followed by a controlled gasp. "Milady?" Kaze's back, and since I was so interested in this water magic, I didn't even notice the door.
I startle, the water fades and now my covers are wet. "Uh, hello, Kaze…" I sheepishly smile. "Did you already find a book?"
"I… did." He pulls out a thick book and brings it to my cot, his eyes glance over to the wet spot.
"Thank you, Kaze." I smile as I look over on the cover, 'Legends of Hoshido: Through Dawn and Wind'. "You aren't going to ask about…?"
I can see him restraining himself, but he does nod, "I will not ask for information, unless I believe it's necessary for your safety, milady."
I'd like to share it with him, but… I think it is still too soon. It's only been a day since I have known him. "Uh, good point." I end up agreeing, "I'll tell you some other time…" I place a hand on the book.
"Is there anything else you need, Lady Corrin?"
Do I? "...Um, when I called for you earlier… were you in the room, or outside of it?"
"Outside, milady." Oh, whew. "Your safety is my top priority, but I also won't intrude on your personal space."
Good, good. The last thing I need is to be doing something… personal, and he's actually right there. "That'll be all then, Kaze. Uh… I won't mind if you stay inside right now. I don't have anything… 'planned'." My face flushes a bit, I'll just… start reading the book. I grasp the large book, open it, and… wow, there's quite a few. The Table of Contents include several sections, though the first thing that catches my eye is the Divine Weapons. There are three: Rajinto, Fujin Yumi, and Yato. Wait, Rajinto?
"For the glory of Hoshido!" I can… I can recall a lightning-imbued katana, wielded by… ugh. Who was it? A man?
I flip through the pages, heading straight for the Divine Weapons. I glance past the Rajinto's design, my memory still might be a bit hazy, but that looks about right. Past the Fujin Yumi, which is a… Yumi, glowing string, conjures arrows. I don't have much interest in ranged weapons, though I might come back to that section later. Yato, then… which is another katana. That's actually kind of dull. Two katanas and one yumi. Nohr has a sword and a tome. Wait, why does Hoshido have three? Does Nohr have a third?
Yato, a katana said to be forged with the assistance of the Dawn Dragon. Looks to be primarily made of some sort of golden-tinted metal. Honestly… it looks gaudy. I mean, I don't think I have the right to complain about a Divine Weapon's appearance and it's definitely something I'm not going to voice out loud, but Yato does seem bland… ironic, considering all of the shiny gold. At least Siegfried has a distinct dark-purple and red aura around it, Rajinto has lightning, Fujin Yumi has a glowing bowstring… I suppose Brynhildr is a little bland, but I like purple and black more than gold.
And with that, I made my list of preferred Divine Weapons based on appearance: Siegfried, Rajinto, Brynhildr, Fujin Yumi, and Yato.
Gods, I must be bored if I'm doing something like that.
… "Kaze? I got a random question."
"Yes, Lady Corrin?"
"If you had to rank Divine Weapons based on appearance, what would list them as?"
It must have been a majorly random and weird question, because I actually manage to get an expression out of Kaze from that… a flat look, tinged with confusion. "I'm… sorry?"
"Ranking the Divine Weapons based on how they look." I repeat. "It's a silly question, I know…"
He actually sighs, "The Divine Weapons shouldn't be categorized in such a manner, with all due respect."
"Fair enough… I guess I'm just a bit bored." I turn my attention back to the book, and flip to the table of contents again, maybe a tale? Let's see… feats in battle, notable warriors with most of the titles having either Samurai or Ninja, then there is some tales on certain locations, and an obvious section dedicated to Hoshidan Royalty, which lists my father's parents, but I don't see anything on mother. Literally nothing. Interested, I flip over to the previous generation of rulers…
Sumeragi was the eldest child of five siblings, making the total children a large… wait, seven? The King's name was Altuin, whilst his one, and only wife is named Delilah, who was… part of the Fire Tribe?! I somewhat feel sorry for her… getting pregnant seven times, at the most? No mention on twins or triplets… Anyway. Altuin was also a Swordmaster, like father, like son, like grandson it seems. The hair, however, is depicted slick and pulled back, and as black as midnight. Sun-kissed skin tone and unusually tall, he towered over pretty much everyone under his rule, a bit on the lean side though. His arms were also longer than average, if only by an inch or so. Wow, he's really got the reach advantage, then. His katana strikes were described as 'slower, but more precise' and 'King Altuin could find the weak point in any armor'.
Delilah wielded mace and magic… fire magic, specifically. Wait, that's Nohrian-style magic, she didn't use Scrolls, she used Tomes. While Altuin was calm and collected, Delilah tended to be hot-headed… then again, she is of the Fire Tribe, so… I guess that has something to do with it? Her skin is dark-toned, her eyes are colored a distinct burgundy, and her hair was cropped short and is colored a deep brown. Somehow, even when getting pregnant multiple times, she managed to keep a very defined muscular appearance, and was usually the one dominating sparring. She would even continue her running streaks even when her belly would bulge a bit with a child. Delilah wasn't really favored… but she also wasn't feared or hated… more wary than anything. So, Hoshidan Royalty wasn't exactly 'clean'. What about the rest of the children?
...Oh dear. My blood runs a bit cold. The second eldest son had a jealousy streak going for miles… absolutely envious of Sumeragi, his attitude and snappiness was worse than Delilah's. After horribly losing a spar to Sumeragi one day, he just upped and left. Unknown after that.
The eldest daughter formally renounced her royalty and left, no comments. Well, I can at least be sure that they are sparing the worst of the details… maybe there were unspoken issues between Altuin and Delilah?
The following son and daughter, twins, traveled the lands of Hoshido together, looking to protect their home. Samuel and Becca, so while they weren't disowned, they don't have much information on them. It seems the both of them basically vanished, marked with a grim 'missing'. However, even after sending out several Pegasi scout squads, no more details were uncovered and the twins were deemed 'lost'. Samuel fought as a Spear Fighter whilst Becca was a Diviner. Due to being twins, they were incredibly close to each other, rarely being seen apart. Samuel inherited his father's black hair, Becca had ginger-red hair.
...I almost choke on a sob. The youngest daughter was struck by a previously unrecorded illness during her youth: uncontrollable coughing, unable to keep food down… and I stop myself from reading anymore into the symptoms. Not even a year old. Juniper was her name. That was a more somber description than I was expecting. I feel so bad for them, why was there so much misfortune?
Once I finished with my father's side, which has been updated recently enough to include Father becoming King and taking… two wives. Huh? Ikona is the mother to Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura… but I'm Mikoto's only recorded daughter. Then, that makes the other Hoshidan Royalty my… half-siblings? Wait, I'm not…? I blink my eyes and read that section again. Do they know? Or maybe they do and they don't care?
I'm still going to consider them my brothers and sisters. Why bring it up? Besides, surely they know, right? "Kaze?" I suddenly ask.
"Yes, milady?" Dutifully appearing from literally nowhere, he stops being invisible and shows himself.
"This book came from the public library, right?"
"That is correct, Lady Corrin." Yeah… they have to know, who would remain ignorant of their own family? "Is there anything else you need?"
"No, not right now. Thank you!" He nods, and vanishes once more.
Now, while Ikona has a lengthy history which I'll read later, though I suppose her vivid red hair is really pretty... Mikoto doesn't. There's literally just her suddenly catching Sumeragi's eyes, going on a few dates, and getting wedded. Maybe mother just had that kind of charm about her? Was mother just a… commoner? I don't get it. Or, maybe it's just as simple as 'love at first sight'? But, if that's true, then was Ikona fine sharing father and…
Ugh! This is actually hurting to think about. Nope, I'm done. I'll read more on this later…
I close the book and place it on an open spot on the tray, where the rest of the food still sits. I rub my temples, trying to not think about that… but also unable to not think about it. "Milady?" Kaze asks.
Would he know? "I just read through father's family and I'm just a bit… taken aback." I try to divert. "I didn't realize so much had happened."
"...I'm afraid I don't know much of late King Sumeragi's life before he claimed the throne." Kaze admits.
After reading it myself? I think it would be for the best if it was left unread. "Going by the book alone, I think it would be best to leave it unsaid… it didn't look like he had the best family… with all due respect." He nods, but doesn't add anything.
At least I know he's there to converse with… unlike a certain other person-voice-thing. I tuck myself back into the covers. I think I'll take myself a quick nap, and then I'll go do something else, most likely involving getting up and walking around, because I'm already so tired of just lying here. I let out a yawn, snuggle up, then fall asleep.
A/N: Ah, Sakura and a decent amount of Kaze… gotta make sure that Ninja gets some proper screen time. Also, a bit of a glimpse for that past… in both Corrin's and, what's this? Backstory for… Sumeragi?! Oh my. *clears throat*
'A Knightly Encounter' is actually just a nod to the original 'Thirst for Blood' book that Yasei owns, 'A Knight to Remember'. The former is family friendly, the latter is sexually explicit. I don't have much to say for Sakura's encounter. Nor for Kaze, since that's more banter and wanting to better establish how much he wanted to become Corrin's retainer.
Kaze is also the first to see Corrin's water magic first-hand! So, that's something. Though, I feel the need to mention Corrin ranking the Divine Weapons… a nice touch, methinks. It isn't always the power of the weapon, but also how it looks!
But the big point for me is the small bit of backstory on Sumeragi's younger years. Alright, so why did I choose such an imperfect family? It sounds like there were plenty of issues with his family. Well, I just think that not every relationship is perfect and that it should be acknowledged. Altuin tried his best, but he didn't act as fast as he probably should have. Delilah was too brash and hotheaded. Only three of Sumeragi's siblings were really good, there was an early death, and a few that just left.
Wait, what's this? Corrin is 'the only recorded daughter of Mikoto'? "But Hadronix… you said you were including Lilith!" *nods* I am.
Anyways, next chapter will feature Corrin finally getting out of her more bed-rest state and doing things! Light things, of course, maybe some practice? Walking around the gardens? Hopefully (not) getting a (bear) hug from Hinoka?
Consort: I gotta call ya out one more time here, my good friend. I'm doing this to say: Yes. The Delilah that cooked (burnt the) ham with some accidental spellcasting is based off of this Delilah. The only real difference is that this Delilah is a human and also has training in maces.