Antex: Mhm… quite the bastard move, getting close to Corrin, feeding her answers and false hope… only to rip it away with an underhanded attack.
Vallite: Purotekutā no Kyōdai ai (Protector of Sibling Love) [Corrin's Naginata] | Hoshizora Seiza (Starry Constellation) [Lilith's Mother] | Jiyū (Freedom) [Lathna's F!Pegasus] | Kanpeki (Perfection) [Subaki's M!Pegasus] | Shi no Mirai (Tides of the Future) [Izana's Crystal Ball] | Kuronikurā (Chronicler) [Forgotten Dragon God of Records/Time-Keeping] | Fuka-sa No Kage (Depths of Shadow) [Afterlife for the Damned] | Todoku No Hikari (Reaches of Light) [Afterlife for the Blessed] | Mizumare (Waterborn)
Hoshidan: Baranotsubomi (Rosebud) [Elise's Mare]
Nohrian: Katáktisi (Conquest) [Xander's Stallion] | Ouranós Trómos (Skyterror) [Camilla's M!Wyvern] | Μαύρο άλογο/Alastor (Dark Horse) [Leo's Stallion]
Common: Firechaser [Hinoka's F!Pegasus] | Lavender [Silas's Mare]
Princess Camilla's shoulder is currently swollen to nearly half of its normal size, and the entire arm connected to it is spiking in pain in even the slightest of movements. "That damn Kitsune…" She swears under her breath, that Kitsune who kept her from her darling Corrin. Bloodlust fills her eyes, her teeth grits in anger and…
"Missive from Lord Leo." Beruka speaks, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Bring it here!" Camilla demands, reaching out with her good arm to snatch it like it's the sweetest piece of candy for a child.
"Milady, your…"
"Silence." She hisses, opening the letter to frantically read its contents…
"Big sister.
I'm afraid your request fell on deaf ears. Corrin not only revoked us, but also nearly killed me. She claims to show sympathy and consider us family, but also disregards any notion of returning home. As much as it pains me to write this, this was the only chance Xander would allow. You know what comes next. Corrin is now our definitive enemy."
"...no." Camilla utters, her earlier fire for ripping that Kitsune apart has died. "This… this isn't true." Her eyes blank out for a moment. Corrin is… no. No! NO! "They CAN'T TAKE HER FROM ME!" She screams.
"Milady…" A blur comes close, Camilla swings her arm and sends the blur reeling… with her bad arm.
Not that she noticed, her visible eye has gone red. Murder is showing, and she will… "They. Won't. Have. Her." She repeats. "If Corrin won't come back willingly into my arms… then I will force her." She rises from her sickbed, and defying all previous orders, picks up her axe, as if her arm never…
Then it hits her, the pain surges once more and Camilla crumples to the floor. Her voice quickly turning raw from the sheer amount of agony she expresses through yells and screams. Healing magic soon follows. "...sister, Big Sis!" high-pitched… family.
Elise. Her only sister. "My dear… Elise." Camilla croaks out. Beruka is to the side, several claw marks on her cheek and the same side of her face is swollen. Camilla looks down and sees blood on her fingernails. "Beruka…" She then utters.
"Big sister… then… other big sis is…?" Elise slowly asks. "You were… screaming, 'they can't have her'." She lowers her eyes, and frowns. The Ball of Joy has dimmed.
Camilla puts on her bravest face, a caring motherly smile gracing it, as she lies through her teeth, "We'll get her back. I promise." However, in her mind, dark thoughts are racing, "If Nohr can't have Corrin back, nobody can."
"R-Really?!" Elise smiles.
"Would I lie to you?" She boldly asks. "Even if we must bury her in Krakenburg's grounds."
"Hee, of course not! Camilla can do anything!" Elise cheers. "But not now! You need your rest. C'mon, back to bed with you!"
"Of course." Camilla rises and returns to her bed. "And if Corrin dares plead to consider Hoshido family… I will put the torch to the entire nation myself." While Elise tends to her, applies some salve, Camilla looks over and asks, "Beruka, dear? Get me a letter. I need to write to Xander and Leo."
"At once."
It wasn't until he reached the relative safety of the border that Leo eased up on Alastor's galloping. He paused and reached a hand to over where Corrin had sliced through his armor. While he was planning on being hit in that spot, he did not expect her to pull such an outrageous maneuver… using Brynhildr as a launch point. "She never thought like us in the first place." He shakes his head. "Nor was I expecting her to so swiftly remove my retainers." At least he still has Brynhildr and Icebreaker. "And she spoke nearly nothing on the farms, asking more about me switching?!" Did she not care of his motive?! Or… or perhaps…
She already figured out what the motive was.
"Little-big brother! I got something for you!" He can remember her rushing him during one of his visits, her then-purple eyes beaming with joy, her hair was undyed at the time, so it shone a brilliant deep-blue. She tackled him in a hug.
"Leooooo! One more game, please? Or a book?" Leo actively smacks his head as past memories start to resurface.
"I'm as much of a woman as Camilla is, I know you pined for me." And right she was, Corrin grew onto him like nothing else. While Xander overshadowing him only fueled Leo's inferiority complex, having Corrin outpace him… satisfied him? She wasn't just a brute force, nor did she just excel in magic, but also tactics. If anyone deserved the title of Queen, it was her.
"And what was that nonsense about 'Valla'? I… I know Corrin, she wouldn't utter such drivel unless it was true… right? Everyone knows Sumeragi is her father, not this… Anankos." He rubs his temples.
"Wait… I'm right!? I mean, of course I got it right, you taught me!" As if every fiber of his mind was rejecting even the mere notion of thinking about Valla, it instead goes straight back to Corrin.
Wait. A sudden realization hits Leo like a charging Stallion. "Oh no, I caught that, just barely." He scrambles into Alastor's pouch and pulls out a pen, barely able to knick a statement down…
'Memory… magic, on Valla'
And then he stops, wondering why he would write about 'Valla', it's clearly nonsense. He narrows his eyes at his own written message, then stores it away.
"I got a stupid-dumb question… Leo? What would your princess look like?"
Alastor snorts. "Huh?" Leo shakes his head again, nearly unable to get out of his own web of thoughts, with Corrin as the spider who weaved all of them… entrapping him, but not as prey, as a... "She's… the enemy." He unconvincingly tells himself. "She has made her stance clear on this war, as much as Camilla and Elise will hate to acknowledge it."
"I love you, Leo…" Nighttime, it was a long day of training and it was just Leo visiting. Corrin had fallen asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. He had taken a few extra moments to tuck her in and brush her hair aside… and she uttered those words. Back then, he thought she meant as a brother. But now? He's not so sure.
Xander throws the paper aside the moment he finishes reading it. "I told you, Leo. We knew. We know Corrin's determination. I knew the moment she said she was fighting for Hoshido that she would not change…" He then sighs. "But, I also knew we had to try, regardless. Even if Camilla didn't rag on about it… we had to try. It's only a shame it has came to this, Corrin. But, you know your stance, and so do I." He clenches his fists.
"If Camilla wasn't in bedrest, I'd lead a charge now… because I know I cannot face her army alone. Corrin has Hinoka, Sakura, and Azura. Nine retainers versus my two. So… I need to turn my direction to a force I can face…" He looks down at the map. "Ryoma has somehow vanished from any and all scouting reports. Completely off the radar. That leaves Takumi… who was last spotted heading to Mukashan in an attempt to convince them to join Hoshido." He presses his finger on Mukushan's approximate position. "If I can reach Mukashan first, I can speak on behalf of the King, then we can lay a trap for Takumi and in turn lure Corrin in. It will still be a tough battle, but the odds will be better balanced…" He nods, steps back from the map table.
"And we can kill-stab them?" Peri asks, gleefully as ever.
"...Azura will be spared." He orders her. "While Corrin has cast her lot, Azura was left without a say in the matter. She is not as outspoken as Corrin, and we could at least have a chance of bringing her home. However, if she proves to be as steadfast as Corrin..."
"..." Xander's other retainer looks over the map. He's a Sorcerer, shorter than Peri and with dark-brown hair. He had a previous robe, but Xander had it replaced. It was of a foreign design, and while it bore some semblance to Nohr due to its Deep Purple coloration...
"Speak." Xander tells him.
"Be wary." He replies. "We aren't alone."
"Have I mentioned I don't like you?" Peri huffs. "Whaddya mean?"
"Peri, silence. Jargon, explain."
"His magic is rising through the cracks, Prince Xander. This will be a three-way battle."
"Are we really going to listen to that?" Peri asks. "Stupid 'Him, Him, Him'."
"Peri, he may have his issues, but he does hold foresight. Jargon, thank you."
"I will be thanked by not having us turned into a crow's feast. Shall we move out?"
Xander seems unbothered. "No, but we will march out before the sun rises. Earlier than normal. Go, rest."
He then looks over the map again, "Perhaps it was fate that it came to this, Corrin." He says. "You were a tool to begin with." He sighs, "And perhaps I had grown too attached to you during our visits, but now? You are an enemy of Nohr, and I will not let our shared memories get in the way of striking you down."
The sound of a knocking door in the middle of the night, he stands in front of the door and waits… he then hears a small sliding sound, "Lightning strikes…" He says.
"And fires burn." The door opens and he is ushered inside. "What took ya?" She asks, a wild smile on her face. "Hopefully a few extra Nohrians, right?"
He looks around at the other soldiers… battered, not as armored as the Nohrians they are fighting, but what they are lacking in armaments, they make up for in determination. "It's good to see you again too, Scarlet." He then notes a new face, "Who's that one?"
"SK!" Scarlet calls over, "C'mere."
"Yes, ma'am!" The woman, SK exclaims. Unlike the others, she is well armored, a Knight it seems, but unlike the traditional Nohrian Knight, SK's armor seems a bit lighter. Her eyes are a dull red-color, and her hair has both shades of dark-brown and dark-red, in addition, her form is so much tighter than the rest, he'd be mistaken that she's a Royal Retainer.
"At ease, this is Ritcher. Ritcher, this is SK, a recent 'recruit'... though, as I'm sure you can see…" Scarlet trails off.
"You weren't picked up off the streets." 'Ritcher' nods.
"Sir, I'm a foreigner, sir. Sailed over the seas to come here."
He chuckles, "No need to be so formal, we'll be shedding Nohrian blood together soon enough." His eyes trail a bit down, "A foreigner, but those flowers…"
Two roses are pinned to her chest armor in Chevian fashion. "..." Her expression grows somber. "It's for my mother and father, sir. I was moved by Commander Scarlet's traditions and voiced my question if I could partake in them."
"Lost them in a damn war, too." Scarlet supplies. "That's all this shit ever brings."
Ritcher crosses his arms and grimly nods, "It does, but we do our best to minimize casualties."
SK's eyes slightly light up at his words, and she smiles, "You sound like the Tactician my parents fought under, sir. He did absolutely everything in his power to keep everyone alive…"
"My condolences for your loss, SK." He speaks.
"...Thank you, sir."
"If I may ask…?"
"As soldiers, sir. Overwhelmed ten-to-one, and they defended their position to their last breaths. However, if it weren't for their steadfastness and dedication, the mission would have failed, and I may not have been able to eventually make it here, sir."
"She slammed three of our soldiers down in sparring earlier, and then asked for more." Scarlet laughs. "She's also good with tending to horses, but for the life of her, can't actually ride one." She then nods to SK, "At ease, return to your break."
"Yes, Commander." She bows and departs.
"Is that so? Quite the strange attribute." Ritcher nods. "But… across the sea?"
Scarlet slaps Ritcher's back and belts out in laughter, "There's more to this world than Nohr and Hoshido. Perhaps if you spent some more time in Crykensia, you'd find that out."
He chuckles in kind, "So, Scarlet, I assume you have plans ready?"
Her smirk returns, fire burns in her eyes, "With you here? I'm ready to push for claiming Cheve. The question is, are you up for it?"
"Ah, uh… excuse me?" Silas approaches a Butler.
"Ah, Silas. It's grand to finally meet you, Lady Corrin had spoken highly of you… er, before she just stopped." Jakob bows, a rare scene for someone who isn't his liege. "My name is Jakob, Lady Corrin's esteemed Butler."
"Oh good… I was worried she would speak ill after I got her in trouble." He extends a hand, "And it's great to meet you."
He returns the shake, "Oh no, she very much praised that day, recalling it fondly. She was concerned for your well-being, after all." Jakob explains. "And I see you managed to obtain your desired Knighthood!"
"Yes!" He exclaims, smiling… then frowns, "Though, I must say, it bothers me that my first real mission ended up fighting her."
"Hrmph, thankfully you chose to remain on her good side." Jakob snorts. "Now, I know you are going to ask, she is recovering well. Lady Sakura cured the toxin and she only needs rest."
"...I also wanted to ask about what happened." He follows up. "Did…" He stops and looks around, "The Hoshidans do something to her?"
"...No, not precisely. The way I understand it is that Lady Corrin had reunited with her mother, and after only a few days with her, lost her in a Nohrian-planned murder involving that dastardly sword. The trauma from the experience brought out her 'Draconic' half, and ever since then, she looks as she is now. Thankfully, Lady Azura was able to conjure a Dragonstone for her, so she's at no risk of losing control." Jakob explains. "Or rather, she won't lost control to her Dragon… there have been other changes that she cannot seem to help."
"By the Gods…" Silas closes his eyes for a moment. "What other changes?"
"More aggressive, for one, she's proven more assertive on her desires. She enjoys the thrill of battle, too. And… perhaps the most bizarre…" Jakob pauses, "A far deeper attachment to Felicia."
"Felicia?" He echoes.
"The clumsy Maid, light-pink hair." Jakob supplies. "While Felicia has always been better able to care for Lady Corrin's emotional state, Lady Corrin has shown… an almost possessive nature over her now."
"And how does Felicia take this change?" He asks. "While it may be strange for us, as long as they're both approving of it…"
"She takes it in stride, though… do be sure not to make light of it. Felicia flushes quite easily and that causes her to make more mistakes than normal."
[Sister…] Lilith sits beside my cot. Her eyes dim and she's frowning.
[...] I look at her. [I was stupid.]
[Not the smartest move you made.]
[He had a Warding Rune, nobody could get close.] Yasei coughs, then whimpers. The stab had been healed, but it's far from 'better'. The toxin ended up being something that could absorb healing magic. Leo wasn't out to kill me, only set me and my army back by a few days. [He's right though… this is war. I should've known better.]
[...I'm sorry.] Lilith suddenly speaks, looking away.
[For?]
[Getting… angry at you. It's… it's not your fault. I shouldn't have directed anger at you for things you never actually did to me. I'm…]
I interrupt her by pulling her into a hug, as painful as it is for me. [It's alright, sis. I forgive you, and I still love you.]
Lilith trembles, [Sister…]
[It's alright.]
[If you're expecting me to cry, I can't.] She says, [Dragons are incapable of crying.]
[But you can still feel sorrow.] I softly reply, [Then go ahead, feel sad for the moment, so we can be happy later!] A short pause, then I bring up, [Why do you dislike Azura so much?]
[...She's a Royal, a Vallite Royal, but… Father has been the only King for the past… seventy years or so.] She brings up.
[Then maybe there was another child?] I shrug off.
[...no, you are Anankos's first-born.]
[No no, I meant the last King or Queen, they could…]
[They're dead.] She bluntly states.
[...What?]
[Father killed them.]
[Why?! That's…] I exclaim, he… he didn't.
[Why are you surprised? Father…]
No, no… she's right. Usurping a throne is possible, but that likely means that Father came from somewhere else, and he wanted Valla for himself. [And you are sure he killed all of the previous Royalty?]
[Yes, he scoured the entirety of Valla and used Divining magic.]
[But you also said…]
[That's why I don't trust her. If she somehow managed to escape not only Father's keen sight and smell, but also his magic, then she's far more powerful than she lets on.]
Alright, alright… fine. [...Sister? I have another question.]
She smiles, [Yes?]
[About being a Dragon… is it… normal to want to… keep someone?]
She sniffs, [You mean Felicia.] She then smirks.
I huff, [Sister!]
She crosses her arms, [That depends, how do you view her? Speak as your Dragon.]
[I view her as…] Oh, why is this so embarrassing to say now? I cover my face as I mutter, [Mine.]
[Then that is your Dragon telling you that Felicia is precious enough to be a part of your hoard.]
[My… hoard? But, Felicia is a person, not an object!] I retort.
[And you think that hoards don't include willing sentient beings?] Lilith counters. [Very well, then tell me, again as your Dragon, how would you react if Felicia was placed in a perilous situation… and you were aware that someone was causing her harm?]
I shudder, close my eyes, and imagine that… horrid situation. [I would…] I feel anger rising, my Dragonstone heeds my emotions, [Thrash that person alive for dare harming…] I growl. [Then… I'd need to make sure that Felicia is well, safe…] I open my eyes again, Lilith nods.
[And there is your answer. Felicia has grown so near and dear to you that your Dragon considered her a part of your Hoard, and your Dragon knows she has consented to such protection, even if she doesn't fully understand.]
[But… how? I never asked…]
[For one, she is your Maid and a Retainer. She is sworn to you, regardless, and two…] Lilith takes a hearty sniff of the air, [By the Gods, sister, you bring her to bed many times, don't you?]
My cheeks flush and I place my face in my palms again. [Must you be so blunt?]
[You asked. I gave you the answers.]
The flaps open, and Sakura walks in, "O-oh… um, L-Lilith?"
Lilith stiffens, but nods and rises. "Pardon me."
Sakura then walks over to me, "H-How are you feeling? S-Soreness? Um…"
"It's mostly just a lingering pain at the stab site by now, but at least it's no Wyrmslayer wound, I'll be recovered soon enough." I assure her. "Um… how's Hinoka handling it?"
"...Not well, you should… talk to her." Sakura fiddles with her fingers. "Er, a-actually, let me get her in here, just stay put." She corrects herself, swiftly bows and leaves.
I was going to take a moment for thought, but the flap opens again shortly after and Hinoka is in here, breathing a sigh of relief. "Sis." Her voice cracks as she moves to sit beside me, "Are you alright? Need anything, can…"
"Just some rest."
"Leo…" She grits her teeth, anger spilling in.
"That was my fault." I admit. "He was right, This is War. I… should've known better than thinking I could actually sway him over."
"He could have…"
"He wouldn't have."
"But you just said." Hinoka furrows her brows.
"Killing me would have probably been a larger morale loss, but…" I sigh, "By leaving me mortally wounded and having an anti-recovery toxin laced with that blade, he instead cost us a lot of coin and time. However… that obviously means that I will be a threat to Nohr later, which also means Nohr is planning something that requires my army to remain out of the way for a few extra days. And that something will clearly pay off to be a grave threat." My mind is working fast. "Mizumare!" I call out, because I know she's within earshot, at the least. "Get Azura. Tell her to start getting everyone ready."
"Sis?" Hinoka asks.
"We're moving out today."
"Your wound…"
"I'll just make way in the Convoy, but we can't remain idle." I pause, "A few days… sis? What major locations are near here?"
"Uh…" She scratches her head, thinking…
"Mokushu, milady." Kaze speaks up as he walks in, "Apologies for…"
"And that is?" I cut him off.
"Neutral Ninja territory, however there are several Clans there that are sworn to the Hoshidan Royalty, including the one my brother and I are from."
"You don't think…?" Hinoka starts.
"Yes, I do. Nohr took the Ice Tribe by force, and they'll no doubt do the same to Mokushu." I grimly state. "Kaze? Can we get into contact with your Clan?"
"...No, we cannot." Kaze replies, "After my brother and I had sworn our service to Hoshido, we learned that our father, Saizo the fourth, had been murdered in cold blood. My brother attempted to take revenge, but he failed and lost his eye. That same man currently controls our Clan… Kotaro."
Great... complications… hm. "The motive?"
"We are unsure."
"Why does it matter?!" Hinoka asks.
"...it's simple. If the motive for Kotaro murdering Saizo was for Power, Wealth, or even Status, then he could be easily swayed over to Nohr if they promise him any of those things. If Kotaro murdered Saizo over some long-held grudge or revenge, then he'd actually be harder to sway. And this is why we need to move, soon. I'm assuming the worst and that Kotaro desired personal riches or status, and seeing as Leo was only trying to set us back, then it's very likely they are going to appeal to Kotaro before using any force."
Ugh… "Then this is why you were burning the farms, Leo. The destruction of farmland just happened to be a side-effect, your real goal was to keep me from getting to Mokushu. Clever…" I sigh.
"Sis?" Hinoka looks concerned.
"Leo is going to be a pain to out-maneuver." I admit. "Camilla may claim to be the 'best one' for me… but the only one who knows me better than her is Leo."
"And that's why he stayed behind. Leo isn't here to pull off a grand stunt that will end the war, he's here to stall me as much as possible. But still, that is quite the gamble in itself. Killing me would've had a more immediate effect, no… there has to be another factor that I'm unaware of… ugh. Little-Big brother… why did you spare me? Why?"
She crosses her arms, "And you aren't the same as when you came back home." She states.
"No, but it won't take him long."
"Leo? I have a stupid-dumb question… what would you want your princess to be like?" I sat beside him, looking over his shoulder.
"...smart, resourceful." An automatic response as he flipped a page.
I scoffed at the time and playfully smacked his arm, "I meant look like... you goof!"
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, what attracts me is how this princess acts. How she applies herself…"
"Alright alright, fine, and that would be…?"
He closed the book and stood, "Take a look in the mirror, dear sister, and you will know."