Chapter 12
The next few hours passed as a blur to Corrin. Looking back all he really remembered was Kaze wrapping him up in a shredded tarp from one of the broken market stalls before the Prince passed out, then brief flashes of being carried and manhandled until he awoke again in his old room in Shirasagi's palace. Azura was at his side when he woke, the former Nohrian Princess giving a relieved sigh as he finally opened his eyes.
"Thank the Twelve Dragons you are alright," she breathed.
The blue haired girl crossed the room from where she was kneeling, doing what Corrin couldn't see, and knelt down by his bedside. She slid a hand beneath his shoulders, helping him into a sitting position. As he rose Corrin realized that Rinkah was there as well, a slightly softer expression on the dour woman's face as she rested on the wall next to the door.
"How do you feel?" Azura asked softly.
Corrin looked up at her, the dancer's face still filthy from what had transpired in the town. From the looks of her battered and torn clothing she hadn't left his side at all. Rinkah, either, Corrin realized with another glance.
"I'm fine. Ow. Alright, I feel like hell, but I'll live. Are you?"
Corrin blinked as the words left his mouth, his speech sounding oddly slurred. Not enough to be perceptible to anyone else, but he could tell. As if there was something in the way of his speech. He ran his tongue around the inside of his mouth, eyes widening as he found his canines.
Or rather… his fangs. There were sharp, pointed fangs in his mouth.
"Corrin…" Azura started soothingly.
"What the hell?" he asked, his hands rising unconsciously to his mouth.
Fangs. His fingers gently probed, finding elongated fangs where his canines used to be.
"I need a mirror," he said quickly, trying to rise.
Azura stalled him, placing her hand on his chest. "You need your rest. Rinkah… will bring a mirror for you."
The dancer shot the Flame Tribe warrior a pointed look and Rinkah snorted, but rose all the same and stepped out of the room. Corrin noticed she was moving with a slight limp, favoring her right side. Bandages flashed through a new hole in her baggy pants, Corrin's brow furrowing as he turned to Azura.
"And we're all fine, Corrin," Azura added reassuringly, preempting his question. "A few bumps and bruises, nothing that the priests could not handle. You were by far the worst off. News of your recovery will be welcome, indeed."
Corrin gave a sharp gasp through clenched teeth, closing his eyes and bringing a hand to his brow.
"Mother…"
When he opened his eyes again Azura's shoulders had sagged, as if she carried an incredibly heavy burden.
"Nothing could be done," she whispered, tears welling up in the corners of her own eyes. "There will be a funeral, and Ryoma will ascend the throne."
Corrin groaned in despair, lowering his face into his hands. "Gods…"
"This wasn't your fault," Azura practically whispered to him, her voice hoarse.
"I brought this calamity on Hoshido-" Corrin began.
"And if you hadn't it would have come sooner or later, anyway," Rinkah cut in, reappearing. "Make no mistake, Nohr has been poised to strike for months. I've seen it myself. You were just a convenient excuse. Now stop wallowing in pity. There's much that will need doing now. Here's the damn mirror."
Corrin blinked up at the Flame Tribe woman, her harsh words and tone actually making him feel a little better as she handed the little hand-mirror to Azura. Rinkah huffed, crossing her arms and taking a step back as Azura gave him a strange look.
"Corrin, I know this may be a lot to handle, but I'm going to need you to stay calm," she said evenly.
"Oh gods. Show me," he said.
Azura gave a single nod and held up the small mirror.
And a stranger stared back at him.
Not exactly a stranger, he realized. It was still his face, just… different. His mouth went slack, the tips of his new fangs revealed. With shaking hands he reached up, gently running the tips of his fingers over the elongated, pointed ears on the sides of his head. Experimentally he pinched the pointed tip of one. It hurt. They were his ears. This was no dream. Most distressing, though, were his eyes.
The irises of his eyes were a deep crimson, the colour of fresh blood.
"What fresh hell is this?" he asked no one in particular.
No answer was forthcoming.
In Shirasagi's throne room Ryoma resisted the urge to run a hand down his face, the clamoring of scared and angry nobility behind him driving the Prince to his wit's end. His gaze inevitably fell, as it had so often in the last few hours, to his mother's throne; the ivory throne of the ruler of Hoshido. His throne now. Across the armrests of the great chair sat the Yato blade, the long straight sword slumbering and awaiting the right wielder to come now that its previous owner was gone.
He had tried to pull the weapon from its sheathe, to no avail. Raijinto, his sacred sword of lighting and one of the treasures of Hoshido, still heeded his call, but the Yato would not budge for him. Nor Takumi or Hinoka, both of whom had also tried to draw the weapon. It was an almost frightening thought, that the ruler of Hoshido would not be able to wield the Yato. He felt it as a failing on his own part, not being able to draw the sword. Hinoka could wield Raijinto, as much as she didn't like to, and Ryoma knew for a fact that Takumi had tested whether or not Sakura could wield his Fujin Yumi. But his mother had made the Yato almost a symbol of her power and authority, and not being able to draw the blade weighed heavily on him.
"Alright, enough! Shut up!" Hinoka snarled at the base of the throne's pulpit. "We understand your concerns! But shouting and arguing accomplish nothing!"
Takumi stood to the other side of the pulpit in silence, watching the events occur with a neutral look on his face. Reina, her late mother's retainer who would usually have been present, too, was busy consoling a distraught Sakura, leaving the three royals with only Yukimura as their back up.
"Princess Hinoka you and Prince Ryoma must see reason!" one of the more verbose noblemen practically snarled. Hinoka recognized him as one of Takumi's toadies, her patience clearly wearing ever thinner as the spectacled man shouted above the others. "This is a direct act of aggression against Hoshido from Nohr! We must gather our allies and strike now!"
A number of noblemen voiced their agreement, far fewer voicing discontent.
"You will remember your place, Senno, and show the royal family the respect they deserve," Yukimura said calmly from Hinoka's side.
"Respect!?" Senno spat. "All I see are two children too afraid to defend their homeland! Even after-"
"Do not speak another word!" Hinoka snarled, stomping through the crowd at the man. "You claim we are cowards, very well! I will show you just how cowardly I am, scum-"
"Hinoka, that is enough!" Ryoma called from the top of the dais. "Senno, you forget yourself."
"I merely say what many of the others also think," the nobleman said, his tone slightly more deferential now. "To let this act of unbridled aggression against us go unpunished…"
This time no one present voiced their disagreement; all were in consensus that someone had to pay for what had happened that day.
"It will not," Ryoma declared, his regal voice carrying to the very corners of the throne room. "But you must remember that Hoshido is undefended by my… by Queen Mikoto's barrier spell now. We must act carefully and not overcommit, lest our countrymen be the ones to suffer for it. We will not act as the aggressors, but if Nohr will have war then Hoshido will not back down! There will be war!"
The unified roar of approval shook the very rafters, every man and woman present braying for blood after the tragedy of the day. Yukimura watched on, his silent frown going unnoticed as he regretted the need to answer violence with even more violence.
"And who will lead the armies of Hoshido?" another noble asked from the back of the room once the commotion died down. Hinoka glared at the man; Daichi was his name, another of Takumi's lot and the head of a prestigious blacksmithing family.
"I will, as I have these last five years," Ryoma declared.
"And leave the throne empty?" the blacksmith noble asked. "Prince Ryoma, I hate to have to admit this, but I feel there may be a slight conflict of interest if you were to retain both positions. You know the laws as well as any other, good prince."
A murmur rippled throughout the throne room at this statement, eyes turning towards the throne again to see how Ryoma would react. The Samurai General and the ruler of Hoshido were different roles for a reason; it had been decided long ago that no one man or woman could wield that much power, and that one be answerable only to the other. It was a system that had been in place for hundreds of years, and Ryoma did indeed know this. Not even in a time of great unrest such as this could the tradition be overturned. But his only options were his untested siblings, or some unworthy, simpering political tool of the nobility.
"Do any others share these feelings of discontent?" he asked, his voice soft. "Do you doubt my ability to lead our nation and our armies simultaneously?"
Silence reigned for a moment before a man in familiar dark armor stepped forward, Haitaka raising his gaze to look Ryoma directly in the face. "Perhaps, Lord Ryoma, honored Daichi speaks some truth."
Hinoka grimaced as a new wave of agreements swept through the crowd of noblemen, looking to her brother to see his reaction. Ryoma closed his eyes, drawing a deep breath before nodding.
"Very well," he declared. "From this day forth I step down as Samurai General so that, once the traditional period of mourning has passed, I may assume my mother's throne."
The throne room was utterly silent as those present waited to see who Ryoma, as both the Samurai General and reigning monarch of Hoshido, would name as his successor. Hinoka's heart almost stopped when his gaze fell on her, an apologetic grin alighting on his face.
"I hereby declare Princess Hinoka my successor and the new Samurai General of Hoshido."
Chaos erupted, a slew of warriors and noblemen all screaming that they had a better claim to the title, and in most cases Hinoka agreed with them. She was barely more than a child, only a few years out of her training. Despite being of royal blood she had also made little headway in the Sky Knights, not like people like Reina or Sakura's retainer Subaki. Yukimura did his best to try and calm the crowd, Ryoma glaring out at the mass of bodies silently, waiting for the chance to explain his decision. Takumi…
Takumi was grinning. Something about that grin sent chills down Hinoka's spine, why she wasn't sure.
Once the crowd had begun to quiet down Senno stepped forward again, clearing his throat. "With all due respect, I feel that once again there will be a conflict of interest were Princess Hinoka to inherit the position, Prince Ryoma. As a Sky Knight she is already a member of an arm of the Royal's military faction."
A slew of agreements came from within the faceless crowd, making Hinoka grind her teeth in annoyed frustration. The Sky Knights served the Hoshidan Royal Family. It was their right alone, along with the Royal Guard, to wear their armor in the Royal Family's colors. Hinoka wore her white armor with pride, and knew that every other member of the Sky Knights did, too. They were the best, on par with the Royal Guard, some of the best warriors in all of Hoshido, and the people loved them for it. Were it not for her duties as Princess, Hinoka would be with the rest of the Knights and squires in the decimated castle town tending to the people even now.
But the Samurai General commanded all of Hoshido's armies. Ryoma had only been made Samurai General due to his ties to his betrothed's family; it was why he wore red armor instead of white. None doubted that he was a worthy commander. The results spoke for themselves. Since he had assumed the position attacks by the Faceless had become far less frequent, and when they did happen the armies responded almost immediately. None of the country lords ever argued with him, always jumping at his command. Nohr hadn't made it past the border guards in years. But still, the fact that he was Crown Prince had loomed over him, tainting his position and forcing him to be the exemplar of everything a proper Samurai should be. Hinoka knew she couldn't match her brother's deeds or bearing. As she was she'd be a poor choice to replace him.
"I assume you would be a better candidate, then?" Ryoma asked, arching one brow.
"Of course not, Prince Ryoma, I would never presume to be so bold," Senno said quickly, bowing low. "But I do have a suggestion, if I may."
"Speak, Senno," Ryoma said.
"I suggest that Prince Takumi should become Samurai General of Hoshido."
Chaos erupted again, more nobles crying out discontent at the clear favoritism that was being shown to the royal family. However, unlike for Hinoka, a number of voices rose in Takumi's defense. Hinoka had known for quite some time now that she wasn't the political animal that both of her brothers were, and neither was Sakura. Hinoka was a warrior and a Sky Knight, and had dedicated herself to that path to rescue their brother Corrin, and Sakura was a priestess-in-training trying to follow their mother's footsteps. Clearly, though, if the amount of supporters for her brother were any indication, Takumi had been busy currying favor among the nobility of Hoshido for quite some time.
"Silence!" Ryoma finally thundered. "I brought you all here to deal with this crisis, not argue and bicker like children! Very well, if Princess Hinoka will not accept the position then I have no choice but to offer it to Prince Takumi in the interim period."
Takumi stepped forward, an insufferable grin rising to his face as he met the discontented mutterings and approving nods both, standing tall and proud. Hinoka hadn't missed his little twitch at the words 'interim period', but clearly he wasn't going to let that put a damper on his victory.
"I accept," Takumi declared, his voice strong. "And for my first order as Samurai General… Prince Corrin of Nohr is to be taken into custody for the murder of Queen Mikoto and the attack on Shirasagi's Castle Town."
Hinoka took a few threatening steps towards her brother before Ryoma held up his hand, the Princess snarling in the face of Takumi's composed mask. "Are you out of your damn mind!?"
"He brought this tragedy upon us," Takumi pointed out. "Hundreds dead, including our Queen. The magical barrier is gone. I can't help but find his arrival to be… convenient the way it coincides with these events."
"You little snake-"
"Hinoka, enough," Ryoma barked, turning toward Yukimura.
The bespectacled older man was in deep conversation with a messenger from the Canyon, his eyes wide and his flesh pale.
"Yukimura?" Ryoma asked.
The strategist looked up, mopping his brow. "All of this may need to wait. We have received word that Nohr has crossed the Canyon with an army of thousands. By all reports… it is an invasion force the likes of which we have never seen before. And they are headed directly for Shirasagi."
Corrin glanced up from the mirror in his hands at a tentative knock on the door to his room. He had hardly moved since he'd seen the stranger staring back at him. Azura and Rinkah both glanced up as well, the two women waiting with differing levels of patience for Corrin to snap out of his daze. Azura had continued to work on whatever it was she was crafting in the corner, and Rinkah had simply squatted against the wall beneath his window, waiting for him to do something. At some point it had gotten dark and someone had lit the lanterns in the room, but Corrin hadn't noticed. They had brought him clothes, too; another simple black training gi which he had donned without conscious thought before going back to glaring at his reflection.
"Prince Corrin?" Kaze called from outside the room.
"Enter," Corrin replied, his voice hoarse and tired as he looked back down.
Kaze slid the door open, the ninja bowing low as he did before moving aside to allow the visitors entry. A pathetic looking Sakura, followed by a stone-faced Reina, stepped into the room as Kaze slid around them and closed the door again, taking up position just inside the room where Rinkah had been when he'd woken up. Before the door had closed Corrin had spotted a flash of red hair and white armor as Sakura's retainer Subaki took up position guarding the outside of the room. He didn't see Hana, though, and that thought worried him.
Sakura herself was a mess. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she still sniffled, as if she couldn't quite control her tears. Her clothes, too, were still the tattered yukata she'd been wearing to the festival, dirty and torn and utterly ruined.
"Hello sister," Corrin said, looking up at her.
The younger girl let out a horrified gasp at his appearance, and even Reina hesitated a moment. Fresh tears rose to the young girl's eyes as she shuffled forward, moving to kneel at Corrin's side.
"Is… th-this…" she managed to mumble.
She reached up as she spoke, Corrin inclining his head so she could feel one of his ears. Soft fingers gingerly brushed the pointed tip of the ear he had squeezed earlier, and Corrin gave a small grin. His new fangs glinted slightly in the lantern light.
"I don't think it's that bad a look," he said quietly.
As he spoke Corrin leaned forward, closing his eyes and resting his forehead against hers. The way he would have with Elise. Sakura stiffened at the contact but let out a breath, relaxing against her brother.
"I'm glad… you're okay," Sakura whispered, her voice shaky. "You are… okay, right?"
"Near as I can tell," Corrin replied, leaning back again. "And I'm glad you're safe, too. Is Hana alright?"
"She will be," Sakura nodded. "She needed to rest. I… healed her myself. H-her and Oboro, both."
Corrin sighed with relief. "Good. That's good. I'm glad they're both okay. Was anyone else hurt?"
"No one, Prince Corrin," Reina supplied helpfully. "A few superficial wounds, nothing serious."
The Prince gave another relieved sigh, looking down again. Sakura tilted her head as his newly elongated ears came back into view, a frown marring her pretty face again.
"What… happened?" she asked.
Corrin couldn't help but smirk. "I, uh… am apparently a dragon."
"Yeah, we noticed," Rinkah scoffed.
"I guess it makes sense why Nohr guarded you so jealously when they captured you," Azura supplied. "Garon must have known somehow. Perhaps that is also why your memories were sealed?"
"Maybe," Corrin assented. "I don't… I don't know what to think anymore. It's… a lot to take in. I don't even know if they'll recognize me at all back in Nohr, now."
"If your Nohrian brothers and sisters love you as much as you say then I'm sure they will," Azura said, her tone taking on a playful air. "You don't look that different."
Corrin and Sakura glanced up as the lithe dancer finally removed herself from whatever task she had been occupied with, approaching where the others sat with a tired gait that seemed so out of place on the normally graceful woman. In her hands she cradled a small pendant hanging from a delicate chain. It appeared to be a smaller, simpler version of the pendant she wore, complete with a small shard of blue gemstone the same as…
"Oh, Azura, your pendant!" Sakura said suddenly.
Corrin refocused his gaze, realizing that there was now a large scar across one side of her pendant, and a sizeable chip was missing from the gem.
"It is okay," Azura said kindly, turning to Corrin. "Here. If you wear this it will suppress your draconic tendencies. It will stop you from transforming again, and it should help to regulate your mood some."
Corrin nodded, allowing her to slip the chain on over his head. The pendant fell down onto his chest, Azura placing her hand atop it flush with his body for a moment as she gazed into his eyes. Her own orbs were captivating, like the endless sky above Shirisagi. Such a deep, calming blue, the exact opposite of Corrin's deep, aggressive blood-red irises. Corrin felt his breath hitch.
"As long as you wear this, we are connected," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
With a nod, Corrin held his hand over hers for a moment before releasing her. Azura moved back, sinking into a sitting position on the floor herself now.
"I fear my fatigue is beginning to catch up with me now," she said, a ghost of a satisfied smile tugging at her lips.
"I think we're all starting to feel it," Reina added with a small smile at Sakura, who gave a meek little nod.
Rinkah, however, scoffed and crossed her arms. "Speak for yourselves. Flame Tribe warriors can fight on for days at a time without sleeping or eating."
"Good, then you can keep watch," Corrin grinned.
Rinkah grit her teeth as the others gave a few weak, tired laughs. Corrin grinned, leaning back and letting his fingers drift to the pendant hanging over his clothes. It felt warm, almost body temperature. But not as if someone had been wearing it, more like heat was radiating from within it, from within the shard of the gem. The Prince found it oddly comforting.
They all glanced up at the door as some sort of ruckus interrupted the easy mood they had finally established, and when shouting reached them from outside Corrin and Azura were instantly on their feet. Kaze and Reina both moved to the door, hands reaching for concealed weapons as Corrin interposed himself between the door and the two girls behind him. Rinkah just grinned, as if this was what she had been waiting for, stepping forward and hefting the axe that was never far from her side.
Finally the door shot open, Subaki's usually refined and cultured tone clipped and strained as he shouted. "Unhand me! I don't care whose orders you're under, unhand me!"
Corrin tensed, wishing he'd still had a weapon. But Ganglari was gone, and now he was as good as defenseless.
Men in black armor barged into the room, more outside restraining Subaki as he struggled to throw them off, clearly wary of harming them. The men wore no expressions, and some had even gone so far as to don snarling half-masks of the same material as their armor. Seven large men, made all the larger in their full armor, piled into the room, standing ramrod straight at attention and glaring at the room's occupants. The scent of steel and Hoshido's odd lacquer armor was almost overpowering in the small space.
With a start Corrin realized they were all dressed for war.
"What is the meaning of this!?" Reina snapped, barring their way with Kaze.
One of the soldiers stepped forward from the rest, a younger man with messy brown hair and a small scar on one cheek. He wore less armor than the rest, only a simple black breastplate over his clothes, and carried a long, ornate katana. Corrin recalled dimly that he'd seen the man at the banquet the previous day, what felt like a lifetime ago. One of Takumi's retainers, Hinata.
"Step aside, Lady Reina," Hinata said, his voice hollow. "We are under orders from Samurai General Takumi to arrest Prince Corrin."
"And what are the charges?" the older woman persisted.
"Treason," a familiar voice called above the noise.
Outside Subaki stilled, the soldiers around him separating and making a path into the room. Even those inside stepped aside, crowding the entrance and forcing Kaze and Reina to take a few steps back into the room as Takumi strode in, an insufferable grin on his face. Only Hinata remained standing in the doorway, taking up position at Takumi's shoulder as he bounced his sheathed sword against his own.
"Hello sister, Azura," he said pleasantly. "I'm glad to see you both well-"
"Takumi what are you doing!?" Sakura asked, her voice shrill.
The younger prince, now apparently the Samurai General as well, stopped as Sakura came out from behind Corrin. Angry tears were running down her face as she glared at her brother and her delicate little fists were clenched, but Takumi seemed unfazed.
"I am protecting our home," he said evenly, "and punishing the villains that stole our mother from us."
"Funny, I thought they were already dead," Rinkah said, her voice a soft purr at the tension in the room.
"You will respect your place you Flame Tribe savage!" Takumi suddenly thundered, rounding on her. "Speak out of turn again and I will have you executed on the spot!"
Before Rinkah could test whether or not Takumi was bluffing Azura stepped forward, not-so-subtly positioning herself between him and Corrin. "You're going too far, Takumi."
The youngest prince's eyes narrowed as he turned up his nose. "Our mother showed you kindness and compassion, Nohrian. Far more than was deserving of a prisoner. You were family to us. And this is how you repay her kindness? Her memory? By shielding her killer?"
"I didn't kill her!" Corrin said, finally snapping and taking a few steps forward around Azura. "You're just looking for someone to blame now-"
His head snapped aside at Takumi's vicious backhand, Corrin stumbling a few steps before he managed to catch himself.
Weapons came up in an instant, Rinkah, Kaze and Reina all interposing themselves between the soldiers and the royalty as Takumi stood tall. Corrin glared up at the man that was supposed to be his brother, feeling his heart break at the betrayal.
"I will never be caged again," Corrin declared slowly, his eyes narrowing. "Not by anyone, not for anything, and certainly not because you're lashing out in your grief."
"Very well," Takumi said, holding his hand and massaging the knuckles as he looked back and forth between the eyes of those facing him. "I see you've all made your decision. Arrest them all. I'll take care of my sister. Do as you please with the Nohrian filth. But I want them alive."
"Like I'd allow-" Subaki snarled from outside, his voice cut off as one of the soldiers punched him hard in the stomach.
"You always were a power hungry little bastard," Reina hissed, glaring daggers at Takumi as she loomed protectively over Sakura. Clearly there was some old enmity there that Corrin wasn't privy to.
"And you were always a vulgar old sow," Takumi snapped. "Why my mother put up with you-"
"Why don't you order your men to attack, and you'll see exactly why she kept me around," Reina cut him off, the promise of violence fairly radiating off of her as she raised her dagger and dropped into a ready stance.
"Prince Takumi, think this through," Kaze implored.
"Forget it, Kaze," Corrin sighed, his face hardening. "He won't listen. But I won't go quietly. I'll need a weapon."
Rinkah shoved a curved, ceremonial dagger into his hands, her eyes never leaving the soldiers arrayed before them. Her face was a savage grin, as if she were enjoying this.
"Bah! Try not to kill them!" Takumi snapped disinterestedly. "Take them n-"
Whatever he was going to say was lost in the strange yelp the prince let out, ducking aside and almost barreling over Hinata as he moved away from Ryoma, hand still raised from where he had chopped his brother in the top of the head. The scene would have almost been comical if not for the murderous rage in Ryoma's eyes.
"We are on the cusp of war," the oldest prince said, his voice eerily calm. "And this is how the new Samurai General deems to waste his time?"
"It is not a waste-" Takumi started, suddenly sounding like a petulant child.
"It is a waste," Ryoma cut him off, an edge of steel in his soft voice now. "You men, report to your captains and make ready. Hinata, I expect better from you. All of you, get out. Takumi, go do something that doesn't make me regret giving you this position."
The soldiers looked back and forth between Takumi and Ryoma for a few heartbeats, caught by indecision. However, clearly the orders of the future King won out, and the men all saluted and filed out, albeit reluctantly. Hinata hesitated before bowing to Ryoma and moving to wait outside with a visibly bristling Subaki. The red-haired man looked like he was about to pounce on the other retainer, but held himself in check with a deep, calming breath, instead looking to his lord Sakura to ensure she was unharmed. Takumi, for his part, openly goggled at Ryoma, the younger man red in the face. Tendons stood out like cables beneath Takumi's neck, and veins throbbed on his forehead. Corrin thought he'd explode at any moment, but with clear effort Takumi forced himself to calm down, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Ryoma watched all of this with a slight furrow to his brow, as if he were disappointed with his brother's actions.
"Congratulations, Ryoma," Takumi said after a time, his voice a strangled whisper and his eyes still closed. "You've undermined me in front of my soldiers. My first act as Samurai General. No one will ever take me seriously now."
"And I told you outright that we had bigger things to worry about," Ryoma said evenly.
"Justice for mother is that unimportant to you!?" Takumi seethed, his eyes snapping open now.
"Compared to the lives of all of our countrymen? Yes," Ryoma said honestly. "And you know she would agree with me."
Takumi made a disgusted sound and spun, stomping away from them. He cast one last withering glare over his shoulder at Corrin, his gaze promising a reckoning, before brushing past Subaki and Hinata. Ryoma shook his head, watching as the youngest prince stormed out of the room, the sounds of his heavy footfalls receding rapidly in the hall as Hinata jogged to keep up. Once he was gone Ryoma let out a tired sigh, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.
"Prepare yourselves," the older Prince said, fatigue dripping from his voice. "We march to war. Corrin, I want you by my side when we do."
The next few days of preparation passed as a blur for Corrin, everything running together into a string of preparation and training for the march to meet the invading army. He trained alone or with Yuzu and Kaze now, Hinoka and Emma busy with preparations among the Sky Knights and Sakura still too distraught to do much of anything. Takumi was taking no chances, calling in all the soldiers from all the territories of Hoshido and its allies, many of whom would join them on the march. Many units of Hoshidan soldiers had already gone ahead to set up forward bases, groups of ninja led by Ryoma's own retainers going even further and scouting the enemy forces.
They would be meeting Nohr at the Plains of Hoshido, the only vast, open space in the kingdom where they could meet the invading army and use the terrain to their advantage. The forests and mountains hindered either the infantry or the Pegasus Knights, but the plain was littered with crags and hills, rivers and fissures that would fill with runoff during the rainy season. Nohr's greatest strength, their cavalry, would be stymied and bottlenecked by the very terrain, which would hardly hamper the local troops at all.
Corrin thought all of this as he trained, swinging his wooden practice sword in the arcs that Gunter had drilled into him almost unconsciously as he fretted about the coming battle. The old Knight would have given Corrin the hiding of his life if he saw his sloppy form and half-hearted movements right now, but still the prince couldn't concentrate.
War. War was upon them. The very thing he'd promised his mother he would try to avert. How could he stop it now, as two armies marched?
Could there ever be peace between the two nations?
He grunted, lowering his practice sword in disgust at himself, at his own weakness. Now wasn't the time for him to be indecisive. He'd just have to go along and… figure something out. Corrin was sure that once he met with the Nohrian leaders, no doubt Xander or Leo, he could convince them to sit down with Ryoma and Takumi, to negotiate, to see reason. They were probably only attacking because they thought he needed rescuing in the first place. If they saw he was fine and well…
"Corrin!"
He glanced up at his name, spotting Ryoma crossing the training ground with two swords in his hands. One he recognized as Ryoma's own sword, Raijinto. The eldest prince had been very proud as he'd shown his sacred blade off to Corrin, the long, thin sword crackling with electricity like restrained lightning as he'd held it up for Corrin's inspection.
The other sword was their late mother's, the Yato.
Corrin waited for Ryoma to come closer, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his free hand. Ryoma wore an ornate white kimono tied with a red sash instead of his usual armor, his long hair tied back from his angular, patrician face. He looked tired to Corrin. Tired and emotionally wounded, as they wall were, but putting on a brave front for their scared countrymen.
"Good morning, brother," Corrin said, a small grin rising to his face. "You're the first one besides Sakura to come see me since…"
He trailed off before he could say Takumi tried to arrest me, but the meaning behind his silence was clear. Ryoma nodded, clearing his throat bashfully.
"Unfortunately we've been busy," the Prince said. "Hinoka's order has already deployed. She wanted to see you before they left, but there wasn't time."
"The Sky Knights are part of the advance scouting force, right?" Corrin said, looking away. "Scout the enemy positions, harry their advance, try and slow them down without over-committing."
"You've been talking to Yukimura," Ryoma said with a soft laugh.
Corrin shook his head. "No, actually. I've been trained in tactics. It's what I would have done."
Ryoma nodded. "She'll be fine. She's probably already bored with the scouting missions and waiting for us to get there. But that's not why I'm here. Catch."
Corrin glanced up in time to catch the sheathed Raijinto as Ryoma tossed it to him in a lazy underhand throw. He inspected the weapon's beautiful, intricate hilt, the feeling of power radiating through the sheathe and into his hand. It felt like distant thunder on the horizon, holding the sword. It felt incredible.
"I've been waiting to get a chance to do this all week. See if you can draw the sword," Ryoma said, crossing his arms over Yato.
Corrin gave him a curious look, glancing between his brother and the sword a few times before Ryoma laughed.
"I've tested it with Hinoka and Takumi," he explained. "Sakura's a little… small to wield it, but I'll have her try it once she grows a little more. According to Takumi, though, she's capable of wielding the Fujin Yumi, even if it is a little heavy for her. We've all tried the various treasures of Hoshido, and with a few exceptions we can all wield at least one. As is our birthright. I'd like to see if you can, too."
"So… Takumi and Hinoka can use the Raijinto, too?" Corrin asked, studying the hilt again.
"Hinoka can, although she complains about the balance being off when she's riding," Ryoma said. "Takumi can't draw it."
Corrin nodded, dropping his wooden sword to the side and giving the blade a tug. It didn't budge. He tried again, pulling harder, and was rewarded with a shock running up his arm as the sword clearly rejected him. Ryoma laughed as Corrin dropped the sword, the older man bending down to pick it up and tucking it safely into his belt.
"Don't feel bad," he laughed. "Takumi tried for nearly an hour before he gave up. His arm was numb for a week."
Corrin couldn't help but smirk at this information, but he soon found his gaze drifting down to the Yato blade still clenched in Ryoma's hand. The older Prince followed his gaze, a small, sad smile rising to his face as he held out the sword much more reverently than he had passed Raijinto.
"Now this one…" he said, offering Yato up. "This one none of us could draw."
Corrin nodded, hesitantly taking the sacred sword and feeling… nothing.
With a sinking feeling Corrin rested his hand on the hilt, giving it a hard yank like he had the Raijinto and expecting, at the very least, to be met with resistance. His jaw dropped, however, when the blade slid clean and almost slipped from his fingers. Ryoma, too, sucked in a surprised breath, but when Corrin had finished fumbling with the blade and looked up he saw only a smile on his brother's face.
"I should have known you'd be the one it chose," he said in a soft voice.
"Well it's nice to know I am actually family," Corrin said, giving the sword a few experimental swings.
Still he felt nothing from the weapon. It just felt like any other sword. But apparently none of the others had been able to draw it, so that had to mean something.
"At least it's where it belongs now," Ryoma said with finality.
"Wait, you want me to keep this?"
"Of course! The blade chose you."
"I can't keep… I mean, it's Hoshido's most sacred… you've got to be kidding!" Corrin spluttered.
Ryoma just chuckled, shaking his head and resting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "It belongs with you. Wherever you may walk. Hold that blade, and let it be a reminder of your family, and of your home. Here, in Hoshido."
Corrin nodded, swallowing hard and sheathing the blade.
"I also have one more present for you," Ryoma said, his serious expression melting into a grin.
Resplendent in his newly gifted lacquered white armor plates, Corrin rode one of Hoshido's few horses alongside Ryoma. He could tell, though, that the beast was not trained for war. It was nervous and twitchy around the crowd of Hoshidan soldiers, and Ryoma even allowed his own mount to be led by a young squire as they marched. The older Prince was once again wearing his deep red plate armor, polished to an almost mirror-like sheen, his red head-dress keeping the long, flowing hair from his face. Corrin had tied his own hair back in a small ponytail himself, surprised at how long it had grown in only a few weeks.
There had been a funeral for his mother, the late Queen Mikoto, before they had left. It had been a quiet affair, attended only by her children, retainers Yukimura and Reina, and a few select officials from important families with close ties to the Royal Family. There had also been an honor guard of white-armored warriors, who had stood silently and still as statues as the pyre had burned.
On the horse behind him Azura stirred, leaning around his shoulder to look ahead of them over Corrin's tattered cape, the one that Camilla had made for him. Kaze, Yuzu and Rinkah both followed on foot, the Flame Tribe warrior muttering about having to walk while he rode for the entire journey.
Out of all of them Azura had been the most calming presence on the royals, especially Corrin. Consumed by anxiety over how he would avert this pending disaster she would often sit up with him in the last few days, distracting him by telling stories of her time in Hoshido. She spoke of festivals spent with the other Hoshidan royals, of growing up with her nanny who was almost like a second mother to all of them, of learning to dance. She even spoke of her memories with Mikoto, and it gave Corrin a small modicum of peace to know that his mother had been so loved by her people and her family both. And, he suspected, it allowed Azura that same peace. In the last few days he had come to think of the ethereal blue haired dancer almost as fondly as his sisters in Nohr, certainly more-so than the Hoshidans, something that made him feel more than a little guilty.
They were all here. Sakura was somewhere in the back ranks with the other healers, Reina watching over them. Takumi was somewhere on the left flank to the north, leading personally. Hinoka was with the Sky Knights on the right flank in the south, her own captain leading that section. Apparently Emma had been promoted recently to a full Knight as part of Hinoka's squad, and was no doubt there, too. Kumagera and his Flame Tribe warriors had come, and were mixed in with Takumi's forces. Yukimura followed Ryoma on a strange, mechanical striding contraption, almost like a headless machine horse.
This was it. Everything that Hoshido had to offer. More than ten thousand men, marching to meet Nohr's Legions. From the reports Nohr had fielded all ten of its Legions. Ten thousand more men. An even match, but Hoshido had the home advantage. Corrin shuddered to think about what would happen here.
"Do not be afraid," Azura whispered to him. "I'm here with you. We all are."
"Who said I was afraid?" Corrin asked, his bravado ringing false even to his own ears.
Azura just smirked, resting her hand on his new pauldron before moving back to sit properly.
They emerged from the forest out into the Hoshidan Plains, Corrin giving an involuntary hiss at the brightness of the light after riding through the shade. Even after all this time, he still found the sun difficult to bear some times. When at last his vision cleared and he could see again the sight awaiting them took his breath away. Arrayed before them in all its military might was the Hoshidan frontline. They had rested at the forward camp the previous evening, and that had been impressive enough to Corrin, but this was on a whole different level. A quarter of the army had been left in reserve at the forward camp. In the distance was a fort, whose name Corrin hadn't been privy to, that Takumi was leading from. Further bolstering their forces, a number of local militia and volunteer groups had joined the armies, swelling their ranks back to well over ten thousand at this side of the Plains. Everywhere Corrin looked there were more soldiers, men eating and waiting around fires or snoozing in the sun. Many of whom would die this day, unless he could talk some sense into his siblings.
His time ran out halfway to the frontlines, though, as signal horns began to sound from Takumi's fort in the left flank to the north. Ryoma cursed under his breath, snatching the reins of his horse from the frightened squire.
"Dammit all, I thought we'd have more time! You, go to the Sky Knights and request support! Yukimura, you have command of the central section! Corrin, ride with me!" Ryoma commanded.
The young squire darted off instantly, making for the southern positions where the Sky Knights were based, and Corrin turned to his trio of followers.
"Kaze, Rinkah, Yuzu, follow on foot! Azura, hold on tight!"
"Of course," the dancer said, pressing herself flush to his back as he urged his mount forward.
They charged after Ryoma, soldiers and support followers leaping aside from the two racing horses. Once again Corrin was struck, as he struggled to keep his mount following after Ryoma's, just how poorly trained the creature was.
Takumi's northern section of the line was situated in a small plateau, where the river forked before running down into the plains and the forest had grown into the grasslands. They charged up the hill without a thought, men in red suits of armor following after them with Kaze, Rinkah and Yuzu as Yukimura whipped the remaining squads in the central area into formation. As they came up to the top of the plateau Corrin and Ryoma both wheeled their mounts to a halt, Azura almost being thrown from the back of Corrin's horse when it reared up.
An entire Legion, from the looks of the uniform black-armored Nohrian troops, was crossing the plain in perfect formation, heading for the southern-most bridge. Corrin craned his neck, looking behind them as more signal horns began to sound. More Nohrian forces were assaulting the line in the central and southern sections now, and Corrin felt a sinking sensation in his stomach.
"I'm too late…" he muttered brokenly.
"Not yet," Azura urged from behind him, her soft voice carrying an edge of steel. "We can still stop this madness before it's too late. But do not let misguided mercy be your downfall, Corrin."
"Right," Corrin nodded, before turning to Ryoma.
"There!" the High Prince called, pointing at the men assaulting Takumi's forces. "At the rear of their formation! I see Prince Xander's standard!"
Corrin didn't need it pointed out to him; he'd already spotted a familiar horse and rider in black armor, Nohr's own sacred sword Siegfried practically glowing in Xander's mailed fist as he urged his troops forward. A number of squads broke from the Nohrians, circling around and moving to flank Takumi's units which were only now beginning to move into position. But from their vantage point Ryoma and Corrin could clearly see that Takumi's men were unaware of the flanking squad.
"Corrin, move to stop the flanking unit, I'll bolster Takumi's troops," Ryoma called.
"He won't like that," Corrin warned.
"I don't care!" Ryoma snapped, kicking his mount forward.
Corrin shook his head, urging his own mount onwards to intercept the Nohrians. Once they were closer he leapt from its back, Azura following him to the ground. They both knew that the skittish creature would be more of a hindrance in a fight, and Corrin sent it on its way with a firm hand to the backside. Azura hefted an ornate naginata as Corrin drew the Yato, apprehension filling his heart.
"Do you think we can do this without killing them?" he asked Azura as they stood before the charging Nohrians.
"We can try," Azura said, stepping back into a ready stance.
As the Nohrians drew closer a shadow descended on them, two flying creatures falling from the sky amongst the soldiers and scattering them. Hinoka's own naginata flashed as Reina rose up again, delivering arrows with unnerving accuracy. The Hoshidan princess swooped around, coming to a stop next to Corrin just long enough to allow a visibly shaking Sakura time to jump off her pegasus before urging it back into the air where it appeared an entire squad of Pegasus Knights were waiting for her. Unlike Hinoka, though, Reina rode a strange multi-winged bird, a rare Kinshi mount that was reserved for only the finest of Sky Knights; it was said their steady movements made it possible to accurately aim a bow from their backs, and judging by the rain of arrows Reina was continually unleashing that rumor was very true.
"Hinoka! Take your squad after the enemy units closer to Takumi's position! We'll handle this!"
The red-haired Princess gave him a thumbs-up gesture from her mount, calling out instructions to the rest of the Sky Knights. Corrin stepped forward, glancing down at Sakura as he passed her.
"Stay here with Azura! Kaze and the others will be along soon!" he said, before charging into the scattered Nohrian soldiers.
To Corrin's surprise Azura charged right along with him, and they hit the Nohrian soldiers together. Corrin swept weapons aside, spinning into their midst as Azura hung back, using the reach of her naginata to its fullest as she pummeled the stunned soldiers with the haft or the flat of the blade. Watching her fight was like watching a dance; Azura's flowing white clothes rippled with her hair, creating the illusion of running water in all of her movements that seemed incredibly out of place on a battlefield. Kaze's description of her fighting style had done her grace little justice. So beautiful was her fighting that the prince had to remind himself he, too, was meant to be fighting, and was almost eviscerated by a young Nohrian swordsman for his distraction. Corrin, too, relied more on the flat of his blade, striking and bludgeoning with the sacred sword and lashing out with kicks and punches where he could. In short order the two of them had devastated the squad, and nearly twenty Nohrian soldiers lay groaning on the ground, wounded but alive. There were a few more seriously injured from Hinoka and Reina's passes, but it appeared as if they, too, would live.
Giving one last look around to ensure they were out of immediate danger, and feeling a wave of relief as he spotted Kaze and the others approaching, Corrin rounded on Azura.
"What are you doing?" he asked seriously.
Azura glanced up, her breathing slightly heavier due to her exertions. Corrin absently noted he'd barely broken a sweat in the fight, but pushed the thought aside as he strode towards his friend.
"I was fighting," she answered simply.
"I saw that," Corrin said, rolling his eyes. "What I mean is, why are you charging headlong into the enemy without any armor? As pretty as that dress is, it's not going to stop a sword."
Azura smirked, glancing Corrin up and down. "There's not as much as a scratch on me. Yet I see many on your new armor."
Corrin opened his mouth to protest, but closed it again and looked down at himself. True to her words, there were various nicks and scratches taken out of his brand new lacquered plates, close calls he didn't even remember. Shaking his head he couldn't help but smirk at the absurdity.
"Just… promise me you'll be careful."
"I could say the same," Azura said, a teasing note of laughter in her voice.
Shaking his head, Corrin went to speak but was forestalled when a loud shriek reached them. His first instinct was to look to Sakura, who had been left undefended, but Kaze, Yuzu and Rinkah had already joined the youngest Hoshidan Princess with their squad of red-armored soldiers. A second shriek, this time cut off half-way through, reached Corrin, and both he and Azura spun to see a pegasus falling out of the air, its rider already splayed on the ground at angles no living thing could make. In the air with the Sky Knights were two larger forms; Nohrian wyverns, and Corrin only knew of two wyvern riding warriors strong enough to take on an entire squad of Sky Knights alone.
"Come on, we have to hurry," Corrin urged them.
With that the Prince took off, angling so he and Azura would catch up with the new Hoshidan squad as they moved. Beneath the deadly clash between the two wyvern riders and the Sky Knights a second squad of Nohrian soldiers were cutting through the Hoshidan line, and Corrin winced at every death-scream he heard. Above it all he could hear the distinctive snap-hum of Takumi's Fujin Yumi firing a shot every few seconds.
"No killing!" he ordered as they ran.
"Are you out of your mind!?" Rinkah snapped. "This is a war! How are we supposed to fight without killing anyone!?"
"Just do the best you can," Corrin urged her before turning to the Hoshidan soldiers. "Your job is to reinforce Prince Takumi's position! Move back with his soldiers as we draw their attention, then we'll leapfrog with you! Sakura, go with them!"
Giving a burst of speed Corrin pulled away from the Hoshidan soldiers, leaping through the air and into the Nohrian squad assaulting them. The Nohrians reeled from the sudden attack at their flank, and before they could rally Rinkah, Azura and Yuzu all followed Corrin, crashing into their formation as Kaze hung back. The ninja wasn't idle, though, throwing daggers and other bladed weapons into the press of soldiers, distracting them for the other warriors as Sakura hovered at his shoulder. Corrin pressed further, his every movement felling more of his countrymen in a storm of blows from his fist and feet, occasionally parrying with the Yato blade or using it as a club. To their credit, the others were doing their best to follow his orders, too, the girls all striking non-lethally and Kaze using his considerable skill to incapacitate and annoy rather than kill. Rinkah seemed to be having the hardest time of it, forcibly reining in her bloodlust by snarling and cursing with every blow she landed. The Flame Tribe warrior's countenance alone was a more effective distraction than any of Kaze's knives.
In the thick of it Corrin didn't even notice the familiar face until he saw it behind the blade he was parrying, his eyes widening with recognition at the same time as his attacker's.
"Selena!?" he gasped.
The red-haired woman's face paled as her jaw dropped. She stumbled back a step, lowering her sword but still keeping it at a wary ready stance at waist height. She looked, to Corrin, like she had barely been sleeping. Her skin was pale and drawn, and she had dark rings around her eyes she hadn't even tried to mask with makeup. No doubt Camilla looked a hundred times worse, but Corrin but that thought aside with a grin. He'd finally made contact with someone from home.
"Lord… Corrin? Is that really you? What did they do to you?" she asked cautiously.
"Later! Call your men back before-" Corrin started.
"Forward! Forward now while they're weakened!"
Corrin's gaze snapped up as Takumi's familiar voice boomed above the battle, the Hoshidans letting out a mighty roar before the combined squads charged back at the reeling Nohrians.
"Dammit, Takumi!" Corrin growled. "Selena, you need to stage a fighting retreat!"
"You have to come with me," she urged him.
"I can stop this!" he said. "But it'll be easier with you on my side to help me convince my sister-"
"Die, Hoshidan!"
Corrin glanced up, his eyes widening as a blade flashed down from his face. Clearly one of the Nohrian soldiers was under the assumption their commanding officer was in danger and was trying to do the right thing by protecting her, but…
"Dammit, you idiot! This is who we've come to save!" Selena snarled, catching his blade on her own and forcing it down.
Corrin turned at the sound of rushing soldiers, a scowl breaking out on his face as the Hoshidans crashed into the Nohrian formation. A few made it through, one angling for Selena while she was distracted with her own soldiers. Without even a second thought Corrin stepped before the man, ducking below his spear and smashing him across the face with Yato's pommel. Both Selena and the Nohrian soldier she'd stopped looked up in disbelief as Corrin caught another Hoshidan blade on his own, the thin katana shattering against the Yato.
"Selena, fighting retreat! Now!" he shouted over his shoulder. "They won't follow if you fall back! Signal Camilla and Beruka, have them withdraw, too!"
Selena nodded, dragging the stunned soldier back with her. "Prince Xander is in the north, near the river fork! Reports said the Hoshidan Commander was headed that way!"
"Meet me there!" Corrin said with a grin.
And then she was gone, his sister's retainer swallowed up in the chaotic melee as the Hoshidans repelled the Nohrian flanking team. True to his prediction as soon as the Nohrians disengaged the Hoshidans reformed their ranks and let them go, the Sky Knights dropping down to safety as their two opponents followed the ground forces. Corrin watched all this with a renewed hope that he'd be able to stop this madness, and as the others joined him he gave a small grin.
"Good work, but we're not done yet," he said. "Any wounded?"
"Already taken care of," Azura reported, favoring Sakura with a smile.
The Hoshidan princess blushed at the attention, but nodded resolutely.
"Then let's go," he said, turning back towards the north. "Our target is the spot where the river forks. Apparently Ryoma and Xander are fighting there."
"And just what are you going to do when you get there?"
Corrin paused, glancing up at the acidic tone Takumi had addressed him with. The younger Hoshidan man glared at him from beside Hinoka's pegasus, their sister sitting astride it with her naginata in hand.
"I'm going to stop this war before it gets any worse," Corrin told them.
Takumi blinked in disbelief, but Hinoka gave a harsh laugh, grinning manically with the adrenaline of her airborne fight still coursing through her.
"Sounds fun! I'll fly cover for you!" she offered.
Takumi's head whipped around, his protests dying on his tongue as Hinoka clapped him on the shoulder.
"This section is secure now," she reasoned, her grin only widening. "And Ryoma needs our help. You're not going to let Corrin and Sakura take all the glory for themselves, right?"
Hesitating for only a moment, Takumi forced his face into a neutral expression before starting to jog in the direction of the fighting. "Let's go, then."
The northern part of Takumi's section was actually one of the quieter areas of the line, but still they had to stop numerous times for Takumi to reorganize the frightened Hoshidan soldiers in black armor. Many were young, probably conscripted from his political allies' territories, and few looked as if they had the mettle to be there at all. Corrin tried to look away from the knots of fighting, cursing himself as a hypocrite for not trying to stop every conflict. But he knew that the best way to stop the fighting permanently was to get the leaders to sit down and listen to what he had to say.
"Ryoma and Xander will listen to me, I know it…"
As they got closer to the fork in the river Corrin began to feel a curious prickling sensation along his exposed skin, as if a chill were running up his spine. One glance at Azura showed that she felt it too, and when their eyes locked they silently began to increase their pace. None of the others seemed to feel whatever was in the air, but as Corrin pushed through the Hoshidan soldiers to the bank of the shallow river the source of the discomfort revealed itself.
Xander and Ryoma were already locked in single combat.
The Nohrian Prince had dismounted, his charger waiting to one side patiently. Crowds of soldiers were pressing into a circle, watching patiently on both sides of the river. Corrin ignored them both, simply pushing through the Hoshidans and into the calf deep water, ignoring Azura's cries that he stop.
"Xander! Ryoma! Stop this-"
"Darliiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!"
Corrin's eyes widened as he noticed the shadow beneath him growing larger, a moment of recognition of his sister's voice before she barreled into him from behind. Marzia, her wyvern mount, settled on the shore a short way away as Camilla forcibly turned Corrin to face her. Apparently she had leapt from her mount before it had even landed.
"Corrin, darling! What did… what did those despicable Hoshidans do to you!?"
"Nothing, Camilla, nothing! Stop! You're suffocating me!" Corrin cried from his sister's breast, her arms around his chest like a vice.
From the shore Azura and the others had pushed through the press of soldiers now, too, Hinoka dismounting and taking a few furious steps into the icy river water.
"Take your filthy Nohrian hands off my brother!" she snarled, shaking her fist in agitation.
Camilla glanced at the Hoshidan princess over Corrin's head, giving a soft chuckle. "Your brother? The only thing I see here is my beloved baby brother. And you can't have him."
"You… you… slut!" Hinoka shouted, indignant.
"Name-calling is so immature, Hoshidan," Camilla laughed.
"Okay, enough!" Corrin shouted, finally managing to dislodge Camilla. "I have to stop Xander and Ryoma!"
"What? But why?" Camilla asked, seemingly genuinely confused. "We can just kill them all and go home, together, where you belong."
"Later, Camilla! No one else is dying on my account today," Corrin declared, already stomping towards his two older brothers.
Corrin ignored the various calls for him to stop or wait, totally focused on the duel before him. The two princes were both physically bigger than him, and both of their weapons had reach over his Yato. Xander had his shield still strapped to his arm, but Ryoma more than made up for the difference in speed. Blows rained faster than Corrin could see, chips of black steel and red lacquered armors flying away from the confrontation with almost every movement. Yet neither had managed to draw blood yet. Xander would strike high, from above, and Ryoma would dodge aside, using his momentum to spin Raijinto around in a scything arc, which the Nohrian would catch on his shield, stabbing with Siegfried around its edge, and the Hoshidan would dodge again, striking five times in quick succession, each blow accompanied by a crackle of electricity. For every near hit, another ten were blocked or dodged. For every chip or gouge in a piece of armor, a matching one on their opponent. The two princes were evenly matched, both pinnacles of their respective nation's fighting styles and ideologies.
And Corrin was about to throw himself right into the middle of them.
Swallowing and taking a deep breath, Corrin darted in between his brothers. He caught Siegfried on Yato's blade, resting it on his shoulder to lessen the impact, and reached up with his free hand, grasping Ryoma's fists and halting Raijinto's strike mid-blow. Both blows shook him, almost forcing him to the ground, but Corrin dug in his heels, lowered his head and pushed up on both of his brother's weapons until they lifted them and stepped back.
"Corrin? What are you doing!?" Ryoma hissed.
"While it does me well to see you unharmed, I'm afraid I share my foe's sentiments," Xander ground out. "What are you doing, Little Prince?"
"Enough already!" Corrin shouted, making sure all assembled could hear him. "This pissing contest has gone on long enough! Can't you all see that someone's playing you against each other!?"
"Nohr are the aggressors here!" Ryoma thundered. "We marched to defend our homeland-"
"Defend!?" Xander roared in response. "You kidnapped my brother, a member of the Nohrian Royal Family! That we waited so long to rescue him at all is-"
"He is my brother, Nohrian scum, not yours!" Ryoma cut in.
"I raised the boy! I cared for him, when no others would! What is that if not family!?" Xander snarled.
"Enough!" Corrin repeated, shouting over them.
He looked around for support, finding none. On the Hoshidan side the other three members of the royal family had pushed forward now. Hinoka looked like she was about to charge in and fight the entire Nohrian army single-handed; Sakura looked like she was on the verge of tears, looking back and forth between her two older brothers with clear confusion on her pretty features; Takumi just watched silently, waiting to see if his accusation about Corrin would be proven true. On the Nohrian side Camilla held a hand to her heart, her eyes never leaving Corrin for a moment; Leo had appeared atop his own mount, and was alternating between casting his brother inscrutable glances and analyzing the Hoshidan lines; Elise looked torn between being overjoyed to see Corrin again and confused, perhaps even frightened, by his new appearance.
Azura appeared in the press of Hoshidan bodies, and their gazes met. A newfound feeling of calm strength surged through Corrin, the pendant he wore radiating with warmth, and he took another step forward, situating himself directly between Xander and Ryoma again.
"Enough," he said. "Put down your weapons. All of you. This doesn't need to end in bloodshed."
"This will end when you are safely back home in Nohr, where you belong," Xander said hotly.
"You would take him away from his family again!?" Ryoma seethed.
"I would return him to his family!" Xander retaliated. "Who are you, if not strangers to him!?"
"We are his family! His blood!" Ryoma insisted, holding out his hand to Corrin. "Corrin! Come home with us! Where you belong! Please!"
"No, Corrin, you know where your family truly is," Xander said, holding out his own hand. "Come home with us, and together we can crush Hoshido-"
"I don't want to crush anything!" Corrin snapped. "I'm trying to stop this war! I'm trying to stop the killing! Don't the two of you see that!?"
"Don't be so naive," Xander said sadly. "This won't end until one nation falls."
"Corrin! Together we can drive Nohr from our lands!" Ryoma promised. "We can drive them back to the very pits of Windmire and rid the world of their stain once and for all!"
"No!" Corrin snarled, his fangs glinting in the dying afternoon sun. "No, I won't let you use me as an excuse for war! Either of you!"
"It's far too late for that, Little Prince," Xander said sadly.
"Corrin! Choose now!" Ryoma demanded.
"Corrin!" Xander called to him.
His head snapped around, both families on both sides calling out to him. He took a shuddering step back, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes as he shook his head. He'd come this far, so close, to stopping the fighting. If only… there had to be something he could do! Something to stop the madness!
"Corrin!"
With a deep breath, Corrin composed himself, looking both of his brothers in the eye.
"Very well. If that's how it is to be, then… then I choose…"
AN2017: I figured I'd finish this chapter and round out this story as an expanded prologue for Fates. So. Yeah. Hope you all enjoyed it. Little bit of closure for y'all, lotta closure for me. It actually felt kind of nice to come back to this story and beat it.
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