Fire Emblem Cannons

Takumi in Revelations. Also, Spoilers for Revelations.

             Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous! Him? Side with her!? He looked at the woman before him who had refused to fight for their homeland. He might have understood that has Nohr not been the ones to cause her loss of her birth family and then the brutal slaying of their mother and people. He might have been able to sympathize. But no, she had refused to lift her blade to go into battle with the family who had not only rescued her and opened her eyes to the horrors of Nohr. Instead she left everyone, becoming an enemy of all. And yet here was his youngest sister, pleading with him to join, and even Izana prophesying his need to join her.

           Corrin…His first impression were angry glares. Little Lost Princess coming home with that stupid confused look on her face. Looking at it now, however, he could see something else. Fear, anxiety, pain…but those eyes…those eyes that glowed with the flickering flames of their ancestor’s maw…They spoke of an entirely different range. There was ferocity that he’d seen on the many depictions of the dragons in the palace as a child. Tapestries and statues had that same strength to them, the wisdom of things mere mortals could not comprehend.

           Could she actually posses that? Takumi wondered. Would he really be able to follow this woman into battle for a cause she couldn’t fully explain?

           His answer came shortly as she sobbed over Izana’s lifeless form. “Why didn’t he tell us it was going to cost him his life?” She whispered, the tears dripping against the pallid skin of the deceased Izana. “Why?” She trembled. “If I had only realized the cost of taking this path…I had chosen differently…Izana would still be with us…”

           “You…chose this path,” Takumi spoke slowly. “You have to believe in it. Otherwise you’re just wasting his sacrifice.”

           She looked up at him, those wide ruby eyes glittering from the tears. “Takumi…” Gods, but Corrin was beyond him. Why would a woman with the chance to choose her home kingdom refuse to choose at all? Why would a woman who was scorned by all continue to try and save all? And why, after everything, did he want to help her?

           “I’m going to fight with you,” He stated, closing his eyes. “After all, it was the Archduke’s dying wish.” That sounded honorable enough, real reason or not. “So let’s do this together…Sister.”

           “Takumi…” He cracked an eye open to see her wiping away her tears. “Thank you!” Despite the pain weighing on her, there was a brightness to her face now. Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t ever called her that—save for moments of sarcasm. That smile made him wished he had before now. Maybe it wouldn’t have taken as long for him to understand that look in her eyes, or to see what Sakura did. That smile...

So a major headcannon I have for Fates is that Corrin’s dragon form (Both full and the partial with Crits) are often triggered by strong emotions, and though usually kept in check with the dragonstone, can be overpowered. This leads to some...awkward nights. IDK, sue me.

              Gods, how much more could she take?  Corrin sighed, pacing back and forth as she ran a hand through her hair. This was by far, the most embarrassing thing to happen to her in all her life. Worse, who did she look to for advice? Her first answer would have been Camilla—she was older and knew more about the world than Corrin did. Except Camilla couldn’t help her with this. So then Azura? Gods, how could she even broach this topic? And there was still a large chance that outside of Valla, there were no answers for this condition. As far as she knew, there was no one like her.

           Tears began to sting her eyes as she understood how very little control she had anymore. No matter how much of her consciousness was there, the emotions could trigger her transformations. In battle that wasn’t such a bad thing—it actually had the most satisfying way of unnerving her enemies. In her love life however, it left her feeling miserable and humiliated. What was she? Human? Dragon? Fool?

           “Corrin?” She started, looking up. Xander knelt next to her, his narrow eyes gentle and understanding. “What’s wrong, little princess?”

           “I’m so sorry!” She blurted, burying her head into her hands. “I-I don’t know why this is happening, or how to fix it—”

           “Corrin…” The Norhian Prince pressed a gentle hand against her back. “It’s okay…”

           “But it’s not!” She looked up, her ruby eyes dripping. “I’ve totally ruined our big night! How many nights are we going to have together with this war? How many times is this going to get in the way?”

           Xander sighed softly. “Corrin. This hasn’t ruined anything. Here,” He took her hands in his own, giving them a firm squeeze. “You remember the words I spoke to you today? The promise I made to you?”

           Her face reddened. “Yes…”

           “Really? I think you need a reminder.” His smile returned. “I promise you, from this day forward, wherever our journey leads us…Whatever adversity comes our way, I will walk with you, hand in hand, living, loving, and learning. As you have given me your heart to love, honor, and cherish, I give you mine.” He studied her tear stained face. “Do you truly believe something so insignificant could change how much I adore you, little princess?”

           She felt a laugh slip from her mouth. “You know…not many people would see a tail and horns as insignificant.”

           “It is when I look at you.” He murmured, running a hand across her cheek. “You’re my precious wife, Corrin—tail and all.”

           She closed her eyes, leaning into his calloused palm. “Thank you…”

           Xander chuckled. “For what, little princess?”

           “Everything, of course,” she opened her eyes, studying his brown irises. “I somehow doubt many men would be so understanding of their wives running out during their wedding night…”

           “Not many men have the honor of having a woman such as you for a wife,” He countered. “And we have a lifetime to spend together, Corrin. It really doesn’t matter how we spend our first one together.”

           Corrin blushed. “But…I want to…” She trailed off, ducking her head. “A-as long as you do…”

Pfft. Bad puns are like my bread and butter. I’m sorry. So here’s a new proposal for Niles, as I feel like he didn’t get as much context with Corrin. I dunno, just felt there was more there. 

It had started with his flirtation. At first, Corrin found it inappropriate, if a bit off putting. There was something about him though, a subtle charm that piqued her curiosity. And Niles, as a former thief and all around rogue of Nohr’s darker corners turned esteemed retainer to Nohr’s second Prince, was full of surprises. It was on ongoing warning to every woman in the army to steer clear as he had very little reign over his tongue—a fact Corrin herself could attest to. And yet she just kept talking with him. And to her surprise, he had opened himself to her. How much, she didn’t know, but even a little was headway.

           Then came that horrible moment where she’d seen him passing a flirtatious banter to another woman outside the arena. A whole new understanding hit her hard. She liked Niles. She cared about him deeper than any man she’d known before—and despite how easily she attached to people, this was a completely new cycle of emotions.

           When the time for the fight was called, Corrin found herself facing off with the other woman. Her jealousy took a dark turn as she morphed into a raging dragon, knocking the Maid hard off her heels. The woman, despite facing down a dragon, gave a gallant display of nerves and fought back, but the battle was over nearly as quickly as it had started. Once back in her human form, Corrin felt nothing but bitter disgust for her actions and hurried back up to her room, hoping to center herself. Niles wouldn’t let it go so easily however.

           “Whew!” He chortled. “You put on quite the show back there, My Lady! I didn’t know a human could fly that far!”

           Corrin didn’t respond. Her eyes turned to the book in front of her, though they didn’t dissect a single sentence. Still, best to pretend to not care, she figured.

           “Guess my love of torture and torment finally rubbed off on you, huh?” He teased. “Though you could’ve gone harder. She wouldn’t be able to walk of you’d taken out her legs on the throw.”

           Corrin looked up, completely mystified. “What?”

           “Well,” The archer grinned. “All you’d have had to do, is used one those dexterous talons of yours to jerk her up by the leg over your shoulder, then snap back and ‘crack’!” He illustrated the throw. “Then she’d have broken something for sure!”

           “Niles…” Corrin scowled at him. “I thought you liked that girl.”

           He chuckled, leaning against the bookcase. “Lady Corrin, you should know that there are only a few people in the world I actually like. And there’s even less that I wouldn’t mind seeing going through a little pain and loss.”

           The Princess shook her head, frustrated. She had gotten jealous for no good reason. Gods, how stupid was she?  That poor maid hadn’t done anything wrong. She hadn’t deserved that. And Niles was Niles. To him, the maid was just another person and Corrin was just a crazy and sheltered princess.

           “Ah, there’s the remorse…” The archer sighed closing his eye. “Too good to be true. I guess a sweet princess like yourself would be the only one to have such a power and then regret using it.”

           “She didn’t deserve it.” Corrin muttered.

           “My Lady, most people deserve such things.” He cracked his good eye open. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head over it.”

           Corrin snapped up, slamming the book shut. “Did you need something?” She asked tersely. “Or are you just here to tease?”

           Niles considered that briefly. “Honestly? I came to see you. It’s not like you to be keyed up in an arena match—bet or no bet. Last I saw you get that worked up was when we ended up fighting in Cheve.”

           She turned, forcing herself to tend to the supply shelves. “Well I’m fine, thank you.”

           “Right…” Odd. That sounded much closer than before. Corrin looked up to see Niles had crossed the room and was now crowding her personal space. His face had lost its usual amusement entirely. “I don’t believe you.”

           Corrin leapt back, startled. “W-well so what if I’m not!?” She yelped. “It’s not that strange. We’re at war, you know!”

           “That’s not it either.” He grunted. “Come on, Princess. I’m making an effort here.”

           She blinked. “An effort to what?”

           “You know…” He frowned. “Connect.”

           “This isn’t something pleasant to connect on, Niles.” She argued.

           “Yeah, but who said it had to be?” His grin curved back onto his face. “Com’on. Who else knows about the pain and suffering of a weird past as well as I do?”

           “True…” Corrin frowned. “But it’s a present issue.”

           “Go on,” He encouraged.

           She could feel her cheeks heat up. “I have…feelings for someone.”

           “Ah,” Niles nodded. “I get it.”

           “You…do?” She blinked. Well that was unexpected.

           “Sure. I told you; There’s few people in the world I like—but let me assure you, they exist.”

           “Yeah, I just didn’t know…” She shrugged. “Anyway, I don’t know how he feels or how any of this would work or if I should tell him or if I should just let it go.”

           Niles chuckled. “You are something, Lady Corrin. Unless this guy is taken, I have zero doubts that he would jump at the chance to be yours. Anyone else is an idiot.”

           “Maybe…” Corrin sighed. “But I just don’t know what to say… I’m not the kind of girl I’d picture him being with, you know?”

           “Well,” Niles gave her a gentle smile. “Worst case scenario he breaks your heart and you come running into my arms…”  A small twinkle lit up his good eye. “And trust me, I will not hesitate to show you what a real man does to take care of a woman.”

           “R-right…” She shook her head. “You know…you’re actually really sensitive sometimes... in your own way…”

           “I have my moments.” He crowed. “Real shame about you and this other guy, though. I kinda had my eye on you.”

           Corrin could feel herself blushing despite herself. “Is that so?”

           “Yeah…” He sobered. “You and I have a lot in common. You’re the first person to show me any genuine empathy. I think that’s special.”

           Corrin’s ears were now as red as her cheeks. What was with this seriousness? Where was the flirtatious spin? The teasing undertones? The punchline? The meow?!

           He leaned against the bed frame, crossing his arms. “Before all this, I didn’t really have many qualms with the way things were. Lord Leo sent me on missions and I completed them—maybe knocked people down a peg as I was free to and life wasn’t so bad as back then.”His eye flicked back up to her. “And then I started working with you—someone with just as complicated a past as myself, and it made me reconsider things. What do people like us do? I chose to be a loyal retainer and sadist willing to inflict pain wherever I was able. But you…” His eye fell to the bookshelf. “You took an entirely different approach. You went for rebuilding and changing the world around you. It made me think...”

           “And?” She prompted.

           Niles returned her gaze. “I’ve come to the conclusion that a happier future is something even people like us can build. You’ve been working tirelessly towards it, and I’m seeing results. Not as obvious as you’d like, but they’re still there.”

           “So…You’re going to work on a brighter future then?” Corrin surmised.

           “Well…” The archer sighed. “The thing about that is, I was hoping to build it with someone.”

           “And what’s stopping that?” Corrin wondered.

           “She says she has these feelings for some guy,” Niles shrugged. “And I never made it really clear. I mean, I knew my chances were slim, but…” He returned her gaze, his face a mask of calm. “Well…you know.”

           Corrin stared dumbly at him. “W-wait…Niles—”

           Her chuckled, but it wasn’t his typical teasing laugh. “Yes, My, lady, you. I understand, of course. As I said, I knew it was a slim—”

           He was cut off by her sudden bout of laughter. He looked up, a bit startled. “Gods, Niles! You really don’t know!?”

           Niles squinted. “Know what?”

           “Niles,” She forced her laughter to an abrupt halt, composting herself. “From the very beginning, I thought you were perhaps the most fascinating person I’d ever met. I found myself drawn to you.” Corrin looked down to her hands, twisting her cape childishly. “You taught me that our pasts are out of our control and irrelevant. I…I honestly had a hard time reconciling that after everything that happened between Hoshido and Nohr. But then I saw how you overcame so much, and I was inspired.” She forced herself to look up again into his good eye. “You showed me that disallowing the past to hold you back frees you to push forward. And then…” She blushed, biting her lip. “Well it went beyond admiration to something more.”            The archer’s calm facade turned into a bright expression of mischievous glee. “Did it now?” His hand slipped into his pocket. “I don’t suppose that ‘something more’ would convince you to marry a man like me?” He pulled out a small golden ring.

           Corrin could feel the heat from her face radiating like a furnace. “Niles…”

           “Is that a ‘no’?” He teased.

           “Yes!” Corrin bobbed her head. “I’ll gladly marry you!”

           Niles laughed, slipping the band onto her finger. “Well then…now that we’ve gotten the sappy love confession out of the way,” His eyes glinted. “I guess we can stop being so reserved…”

           There was something in the way he purred his last statement that gave her pause. “Reserved?” She squinted at him. “Niles…surely this isn’t your idea of reserved…right?”

Okay, can we talk about how none of the Nohrian siblings ever react to Corrin being a dragon? Like ever? Why?! It bugs me. So here’s my answer to that.

             Nohr. It was her chosen kingdom, and now her home. There was no turning back, no fleeing the situation. Whatever the circumstances of her birth were, Corrin couldn’t abandon her Nohrian siblings. Surely with them they could convince King Garon of the folly of engaging Hoshido—of resolving the conflict peacefully. Corrin tried to reassure herself of this, her fingers turning her dragon stone over in her hand. She could do this. King Garon had raised her as his own after all. Surely there were some feelings of love there.

           “Hey Corrin, what’s that?” Elise’s question startled Corrin out of her spinning thoughts.

           “Huh?” She blinked.

           “That stone.” Elise leaned over to get a better look. “It’s really pretty. Did you get in Hoshido?”

           “Oh?” Camilla dropped back to look at it. “It is certainly unusual.” She agreed. “Were you thinking of making a necklace?”

           “If it’s from Hoshido you should toss it,” Leo warned. “Father won’t take kindly to you bringing back mementos from our enemies.”

           “Oh, no,” Corrin shook her head. “It’s not like that. It’s a stone one of my friends gave me—it’s to help with—” She stopped short, realizing that her Nohrian siblings had yet to see her in her scales and horns.

           “Hmm?” Xander glanced back. “What is it, little princess?”

           She grimaced. “It’s um…weird.” She warned.

           “Honestly, Corrin. We’ve learned of your origins and past, and fought off your blood relatives today.” Leo scoffed. “I think we can handle a little weird.”

           “As tactlessly as Leo put it,” Xander shot the younger prince a warning look. “I agree. There’s very little that can shock us.”

           “And nothing that will make us stop loving you,” Camilla added, patting her sister on the head.

           “So tell us!” Elise pleaded.

           Corrin chuckled in spite of herself. “Okay…But…stand back. I’m not sure how well this is going to work,” She warned.

           Her siblings gave her a wide berth, watching as Corrin took a deep breath. She clenched the dragon stone tightly, muttering a short prayer that this would work. Azura had assured her repeatedly on the way to the boarder that it would. Still, she felt the familiar tug of fear. Gods help her.

           She shut her eyes, summoning up the roar inside her mind. It was a strange sensation, as if the most primal parts of her being were bubbling up to the surface. It was an ancient power, one as old as time itself, and as core to her being as her heart. It was like activating a dragon vein, only deeper and far more personal.

           She could feel her limbs extending outward, morphing as she let out an earsplitting roar. Her back tingled and ached as her wings extended, and horns jutted from her temple. She fell to all fours, raising her head to survey the area.

           Her siblings had jumped back now and were all slacked jawed at the sight of their adopted sister’s transformation. Camilla squealed in delight, while Leo shook his head, as if trying to contemplate the change. Elise laughed aloud, looking up at her. She’d have run straight to her, had Xander’s hand not whipped out to stop her.

           “Corrin?” He called cautiously.

           “I’m here,” She promised, dipping her head. “I’m still me…” Her words brought a rush of relief as she realized how true they were. Azura was right. The stone gave her the ability to retain control. It felt amazing!

           Elise, clearly satisfied, hurried to hug her foreleg. “You’re so big now!” She giggled.

           “No wonder you love animals so much,” Leo snorted. “Looks like you’ve got a lot in common with them.”

           “Aww, you’re so cute!” Camilla sauntered up. “Looks like I won’t have to worry about any nasty Princes looking to court you!” She beamed. “But I might still intervene.” She added.

           “I doubt Father will be looking to marry Corrin off now,” Leo scoffed. “With her past now revealed, he wouldn’t dare take that kind of risk.”

           “Particularly not if he knew about this…” Xander agreed, peering thoughtfully at the dragon. “Corrin…I need you to promise me something.”

           “Name it.”

           “Do not tell father about this ability.” He warned.

           “What?” Corrin tipped her head.

           “Yeah, why not?” Elise chirped. “Surely Father would be excited!”

           “Your word, Corrin,” The Crown prince pressed.

           “Yes,” She bobbed her horned head. “You have my word.”

           “Good.” A slim smile tugged at his lips. “I must say…even after all this time, you never fail to surprise me, little princess.”

Good grief! Fates has like eaten up ninety percent of the free time I used to have. That’s okay. I thought I’d do something for Takumi, as he just seems to end up with the short end of the stick in both routes unless your romance him. It makes sense of course, but it makes me sad for him. I need to stop connecting to all these characters before I end up shattering my heart further.

             “Wait for me!” Takumi cried, puffing for breath as he tried to catch up with his older sisters. Stupid girls, always leaving him behind! He slowed to catch his breath, muttering angrily as he looked for them. They were gone far out of sight now, leaving him here to figure out where they’d decided to hide from him. Doubtless Hinoka was going to leap out at him and chide him for not keeping up.

           “Girls are stupid!” Takumi declared, kicking a nearby table. Unfortunately, the table had an expensive vase with a carefully arranged grouping of flowers in it—or it did until the force of Takumi’s kick sent the tasteful piece shattering against the floor with an earsplitting crack. The ping of broken pottery echoed down the hall.

           Takumi stared at the mess, his eyes wide with panic. He was in for it now. His mother might not fuss much, but his father and brother were sure to give him all kinds of punishments for it. Maybe if he left now, nobody would think it was him. If he left and told no one…but what if Ryoma found out he had not only broken it, but left it? Tears tugged at his eyes as they followed the growing trail of water, trickling down the hall. It diverted at a pair of bare feet, not much larger than his own. He followed the feet up past the two legs and white dress until they met the two ruby orbs staring at him. Too late to run now.

           “I-It’s your fault!” He cried. “If you hadn’t left me behind—” His words fell short as Hinoka came back with Ryoma and their mother. They all looked at the vase on the floor, the jagged edges mixed with scattered petals and flowing water.

           “Takumi…” Royma’s scowl of disapproval weighed heavily on his small shoulders.

           “B-brother, I—”

           “It’s okay…” Corrin spoke up, giving him a small smile. “You don’t have to worry, Takumi. It’s my fault, remember?”

           He stared at her, dumbly. What?

           Ryoma looked down sharply. “You did this?” He asked.

           “Yeah…” She looked down at her feet. “I wasn’t looking where I was going and I ran into the table…” She lied.

           Their older brother looked back to Takumi. “Is that true?”

           “Uh-huh!” Corrin nodded, now looking up at him. “Takumi was upset because I left him behind, so I was coming back to see him and ‘wham’!” She hit her small fist against her palm.

           Ryoma traded glances with their mother. The queen tipped her head thoughtfully, before giving a small nod to him. The first Prince sighed.

           “Corrin, it’s admirable that you would want to protect your brother but—”

           “I said it’s my fault!” The little girl growled. “I should’ve stayed with Takumi and then this wouldn’t have happened!”

           Ryoma stared at her blankly. “You’re willing to take responsibility for this?”

           “Yes.” She nodded. “If I’d played with Takumi too, it wouldn’t be broken.”

           “You realize that if you do so, Takumi may get off free.” He warned.

           The little girl nodded.

           He heaved a long sigh. “Takumi, aren’t you going to defend your sister at all?”

           Takumi shuffled guiltily. He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to get in trouble. But…he didn’t want Corrin to get into trouble either. That wasn’t the right thing to do.

           “I shouldn’t have gotten mad…” He mumbled.

           Ryoma nodded, satisfied. “Good. Admitting your mistakes is important…” He looked to Corrin. “And taking responsibility is admirable.” He looked to their mother. “What do you think, Mother?”

           The queen smiled gently at her children. “Let’s just get this cleaned up. I think then we may call this settled. Agreed?”

           “Okay!” Corrin grinned. She smiled at her younger brother, her ruby eyes bright with the joy at getting off so easily.

           Takumi found himself smiling back. She might have been a bit stupid…but she was his sister—and she’d stick up for him. That was enough for him.

One more before work! Got a little outside the family here, but I thought it would be fun. So you know that little wind up Lion thing that looks like a kids toy in Corrin’s room? It’s visible in both the Chapter where Mikoto shows them their room and in the personal room in My Castle. Well, that’s this thing. Enjoy.

             Yukimura sighed as he looked down at the tall order. He was a tactician, not a mechanic! Mind you, he enjoyed the odd tinkering and had a few side projects. It was his hobby, however, not his occupation! That said, it was hard to ignore the pleading faces of the two little princesses when they’d brought him their request.

           Corrin had drawn it, and Hinoka had written in notes about things she wanted their contraption to do. Yukimura instantly laid aside most of those, focusing instead on the child’s doodle.

           It was a riding toy the girls had told him—something to let them practicing riding without the danger of riding a real horse, as their older brother was still unwilling to teach them. Queen Mikoto was also rather insistent that the girls keep their feet on the ground. This was their compromise. And as such, Queen Mikoto had agreed to it, under the condition that Yukimura was the creator and had control over its construction and the girls were to be polite about any changes he might make.

           “This…” He murmured, thoughtfully. “Is doable…” He sat down and began to draft out the working design, glancing every now and again to the original the girls had created. The idea had merit, he realized, as he studied some of the requests. With some modification such a toy could be turned into an actual mechanical mount used for battle. Perhaps during some actual spare time, he might even create one and test it’s ability to live up to it’s live counterpart. If that were possible, then it could certainly cut down on many costs to Hoshido’s army.

           “Hmm…” He mused, jotting down some notes for later. “It has some merit.”

           However, the toy was to come first, he reminded himself and he soon had a rough draft ready. Now, to just get those materials…

           Three days of little sleep were exhausting and perhaps, Yukimura admitted, a bit counterproductive. However, it was complete! The little toy was a simple thing with a comfortable saddle he’d procured from a stable hand and a large key to wind it up on the back. The inner workings had been an absolute nightmare to complete, but they worked seamlessly to propel the rider forward. And with its lion head face snarling out, it was perfectly fierce enough for the little princesses who dreamed of battling brigands alongside their older brother. He smiled at his handiwork before covering it with a blanket.

           A knock on the door caught his attention. “Come in,” He called wearily.

           Two little girls came in, looking up hopefully at him. He might have known.

           “It’s finished,” He sighed.

           “Can we see it?!” Hinoka cried. “Please?”

           “Well, I have to warn you, it doesn’t shoot arrows or fireworks like you asked—your parents wouldn’t approve.” Yukimura prefaced his unveiling. “However, I did try to make it as durable and ferocious as a real battle mount,” With that he pulled back the blanket. The princess cooed with delight as they looked at the marvel.

           “How does it work?” Corrin asked, running an appreciative hand over the carved lion’s face.

           “It’s really quite simple,” The tactician explained, kneeling to point to the different mechanics. “You wind up this key to give and it will run for a half hour. You use this,” He pointed to a small stick just in front of the saddle seat, mimicking the horn of the saddle. “to steer,” He pushed it up and then to the side, illustrating its use. “And that’s that.”

           “What about the lever?” The younger girl asked, her ruby eyes blued to the small wooden appendage.

           Yukimura smiled. “Well, like I said, having it fire arrows or shoot fireworks would be problematic. However, I found myself intrigued with the prospect and decided to test a more suitable weapon.” He reached over, pulling the lever. A Kemari ball shot out of the lion’s roaring jaws, hitting the door frame squarely.

           The girls cheered enthusiastically, chattering eagerly about their new “Cannon”. Yukimura felt a small surge of pride upon seeing their excitement. This, he admitted, was more rewarding than any of his previous works. They hurriedly reloaded the ball into the lion’s mouth, reset the lever and tried it again, getting a similar result.

           Corrin turned brightly to the tactician, ruby eyes glittering like the gemstones they resembled. “Thank you Yukimura! He’s the best!”

           “Yeah!” Hinoka agreed. “Thank you so very much!”

           The tactician chuckled at their politeness. “You’re most welcome. I hope he brings you both a great deal of enjoyment.”

           “Oh he will!” Corrin reassured him.

           “Uh-huh!” Hinoka agreed. “Oh—Corrin! We need to name him!”

           “Name him?” Yukimura inquired, pressing his spectacles back up the bridge of his nose.

           “Yes!” Corrin nodded sagely. “You have to give things names! Horses have names, Pegusi have names, even weapons have names!”

           “A valid point,” The tactician nodded. “Though if I am not mistaken, it’s only legendary weapons that earn names.”

           “He’s legendary,” Corrin shrugged. “So he needs a name.”

           “What do you want to call him?” Hinoka asked her younger sister, clearly trying to be the mature party.

           “Hmmm…Let’s call him Yuki, after his father!” The little princess suggested brightly.

           Yukimura chocked back his laughter. “Actually, I’m just its inventor.”

           “That’s kinda like being his father,” Corrin argued.

           “I like it!” Hinoka added, looking to the family friend, as if for permission.

           He bowed helplessly. “If it suits you, then I would be honored.”

           “Alright!” Corrin proclaimed. “Let’s go show Takumi!”

           “Okay!” Hinoka agreed, winding up the giant key. A moment later both girls were in the saddle, racing through the castle at breakneck speeds, crashing into anyone or anything that got in their path.

Slight Spoilers for Hoshido about blood relations.

That said, I really admire Ryoma’s willingness to accept Mikoto and Corrin so well. He was old enough to remember his own mother, but still accepted his new steps with no major qualms, and coming from a blended family, let me just say that is not always as simple as you might think. Go human lobster! Be awesome!

             “This was a good idea, Mother,” Ryoma smiled looking out over the fields where his three younger siblings where tumbling through, kicking up grass as the wind billowed over the long blades. The three had decided on a game of tag, with Takumi being it. “They’re all accepting one another quite well now.”

           “I thought they might,” The young queen smiled at her stepson fondly. “It’s a good age for them to grow together as a family.” She looked down to the pram at her side, where the youngest child slept peacefully. Her smile only widened at the peaceful face.

           “Yes.” He agreed, “And it’s good for Takumi to have another sister to remind him he’s not as big as he thinks he is.”

           Mikoto laughed lightly. “Being the younger brother is hard,” She chided lightly. “Especially with such examples to live up to like your father and yourself.” Her brown eyes softened as she looked up to see the brother in question stopping to catch his breath while the older girls squealed in delight at tiring him.

           “A little humility is good,” Ryoma mused. “But I’ll take some time with him as well. Perhaps a tour of the armory. He’s been begging me to take him.”

           “You really are a sweet older brother,” Mikoto sighed. “And a very kind son.” She added, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I never got to thank you for your support of your father and I. I know that cannot be easy…”

           Ryoma turned to face his stepmother, his dark eyes clouding. “It can be difficult, yes.” He admitted. “But it is my own pain at losing my mother, and nothing to do with you. You are good woman, and you love Father and our people, and treat us all as your children,” His eyes cleared as he looked back to the field.

Takumi had finally caught up to Corrin and had tagged her triumphantly. In his moment of celebration however, Corrin tagged him back and darted of, giggling loudly as she left her younger brother to process what had just happened.

Ryoma chuckled. “I know my mother would be proud to know you were here to look after the family and the people she loved.” He looked back. “And that is more than sufficient for me.”

           Mikoto’s doe eyes watered. “I hope I can live up to that praise.”

           A wail of frustration from little Takumi diverted the Queen’s attention. She picked up her skirts and hurried to where the little boy was crying, his older sisters coming out of the tall grass to see what he was crying about.

           Ryoma watched quietly as Queen Mikoto admonished Corrin and Hinoka for not playing well with their younger brother and calming the tearful little Takumi. Soon the three were walking into the tall grass to play a less competitive game. The peace lasted but a brief moment as Takumi caught up a stick on the ground and began shouting how he was a brave warrior there to defend his helpless sisters. The girls caught up sticks of their own and shouted about brigands attacking their mother and the three children went charging into the tall grass.

YES! I finally got a copy of Fates! In celebration, here’s my headcannon for Leo and others... Fair Warning, it’s long. Also, Corrin’s older here, and has more or less settled those previous memories of Hoshido--they don’t really exist now.

             Leo had visited the fortress every month for as long as he could remember. At first it had been exciting, due to it being far from the Queens and the eyes of the nobles and courtesans who watched him with nothing short of a hungry amusement. It was as if he were merely an actor on a stage and the whole of the castle was waiting to see if he would rise to his role, or fumble in disgrace. The fortress, unlike there, was devoid of nearly all these eyes. However, it housed one rather irritating individual: Corrin.

           Something about the ruby eyed girl was off. Although Leo knew that he and his other siblings had different mothers, he knew for a fact that Corrin’s mother was not like either his own, or their older siblings. No, the court raged with rumors about her being a child born of a common woman—a sort of dalliance that produced a royal. And doubtless, Corrin was an entirely different kind of person. She walked about without so much as a care to what others thought, smiled unreservedly, and wore her gentle heart where any could reach out to touch it.

           She terrified him. Her existence without malice or fear seemed all too otherworldly to him. It was as if she had stepped out of his fairytales, a captive little princess awaiting her prince. Or perhaps it was that he knew that there would be no fairytale prince coming for her. Her mistaken existence was at the whim of King Garon, and at a whim it could be handed to another to suit the kingdom’s needs. Why it bothered him, he didn’t know. Pure things, beings like Corrin, did not last long in the real world.

           “Leo…” She leaned over, reading the book he had been studying. “I don’t know how you get that…” She sighed dramatically. “I can never get the hang of spells.”

           He shot her an annoyed look. “That’s because your head is as empty as the bottomless canyon.”

           “No,” She smiled, ignoring his jab. “You’re just special. Everyone knows you’re a rare talent!”

           From anyone else this would be easy to swallow. Cheap flattery typically was. The trouble was Corrin couldn’t flatter anyone. She spoke only what she thought, no matter how silly or naive it sounded. It left a twisting knot in Leo’s stomach.

           “And everyone knows you don’t know the first thing about magic.” He retorted.

           “I’ve been studying about it!” She replied brightly. “I can repel a basic hex now!” She frowned. “Well…in theory anyway…”

           “Only an idiot could bungle up a ward,” Leo snorted, pulling his book up. “Now get going! I’m trying to read.”

           Corrin however, didn’t like to give up on engaging him in conversation. “What if you showed me how to make a ward then!” She declared, clapping her hands. “I’ll bet I get it if you teach me!”

           “Not today.”

           “Maybe next time,” She agreed easily. “Ah! I know what’s missing! I forgot the tea!”

           “Corrin…” Leo growled, catching his sister mid stride. “I’m not in the mood for tea and a visit right now. I have several magic examinations from my tutors soon, and I need to be ready. You should go play or something.”

           “O-oh…” Her voice lowered, losing its usual bounce. “Okay…Sorry…Later, Leo.” She turned and was gone.

           Leo scowled at his book, now doubly annoyed. Only Corrin could distract him like this. That stupid smile, those stupid bright eyes, and her stupid naivete! Stupid, stupid, stupid!

           He buried himself into the pages of his book, twice as determined to forget about the fortress’s resident and about her tragedy in motion. One of these days her fate would visit her—she’d get out into the real world and either learn of it’s cold nature, losing her warmth, or freeze to death in it. The less he saw the better. The less he cared, the better. The less of her there was in his life, the less if her he would miss.

           The hours ticked on as he stared into his books. Soon he had finished one and began the next. Then another, and then a fourth. By the time he’d reached his fifth book, the hour was getting late. He sighed, realizing he should probably prepare to return to the Castle. He might as well bid Corrin farewell. Perhaps he could promise to bring her something to make up for his inattentiveness. She might enjoy a small bribe and not think so poorly of him for retreating to her little fortress and ignoring everyone.

           “Lord Leo!” A maid cried, rushing into the room, surprising him. “Oh please! Have you seen Lady Corrin!?” She looked flushed and desperate, clasping her hands together hopefully.

           “Corrin?” Leo blinked. “Not since some time ago…” He looked to the window. “Perhaps noon?”            The maid looked panicked. “She’s nowhere in the Fortress, My Lord!” She cried. “We can’t find a trace of her anywhere!”

           Something sharp and cold hit Leo deep in his gut. “What?!” He growled, tossing aside his books. “What hour was she last seen? When!?”

           “The last any of us saw of her was near the stables mid afternoon!” Another maid cried, rushing to join them. “You know how she loves the horses…but she’s not there now, and there isn’t a single beast missing!”

           Leo cursed under his breath. “Search everywhere!” He ordered angrily. “You!” He shouted to one of the maids. “Fetch me my retainers, immediately!”

           “Right away, Lord Leo!”

             “Problems?” Niles grunted brandishing his bow.

           “My sister, Corrin, is missing,” Leo explained quickly. “She’s never seen the world outside these walls, per the King’s orders.” He leveled his men a sharp look. “She’s a bit of an airhead, but she’s got royal blood. If something happens to her—”

           “So we find the girl and make whoever took her return to his maker,” Niles summed up. “Consider it done.”

           “Took her?” The other man, a shorter butler blinked. “Surely you don’t believe Lady Corrin was kidnapped?!”

           “Why else would she be missing?” Niles snorted. “This is the obedient little shut in the courtesans like to gossip about in their spare time. She never leaves this place, and hasn’t been known to try. Not to mention, if you used those beady little spheres you call eyes, you would’ve seen the tracks just outside the gate.” He turned to Leo. “I’m assuming no one else has bothered to look outside the Fortress.”

           “Correct.” Leo nodded. “Can you track them?”

           The retainer grinned. “Do you like Tomatoes?”

           Soon the three were mounted and riding hard. The trail was a single horse—easy to follow with Niles in the lead. Even easier considering that the horse hadn’t gone far. A few miles from the Fortress they found a brown mare tethered to a tree.

           “Interesting…” Niles looked down at the saddle. “Fine make. Good craftsmanship. This would go for a pretty penny,” He looked to Leo. “Something a knight uses.”

           “But no rider,” The second retainer pointed out. “Where are they?”

           “Good question.” Leo agreed. “And why stop here? They could’ve kept going and have been long gone by now.”

           “Unless something held them up,” Niles mused. “The horse is fine, so perhaps the kidnapper was injured along the way? If he injured the Princess why stop here?”

           “To treat her wound of course!” The second retainer balked. “She’s a lady!”

           “Doesn’t matter. As long as it didn’t interfere with his escape, he should’ve kept riding. And there’s no blood or anything to indicate a wound of that magnitude.”

           Leo ignored their bickering, dismounting from his horse. “There’s a stream nearby,” He grunted. “Maybe they crossed there?”

           “Hmm…” Niles squinted. “If you were running from hounds then crossing a stream would weaken the scent. But why on foot?”

           “We’ll never know by standing around here,” Leo grunted. “Come on!”

           The other two dismounted, each readying their weapons. Leo clutched his tome, ready to release a barrage of powerful spells on the fool who’d thought to kidnap his sister. The three moved towards the wooded area, each with eyes up and searching.

           Niles was the first to notice something. He gave a sharp whistle, catching the other’s attention. He nodded towards a direction and the two followed. For a moment Leo didn’t notice any changes. Then he heard a voice. It was faint and distant, but distinctly male. His lip curled and his blood boiled. Whoever it was would pay for this!

           Niles caught sight of his master’s shaking fists, and notched an arrow, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. The butler too freed his sword, ready to aid in the takedown.

           A scream ripped through the forest, shattering the world around Leo. He knew that voice, though never had he heard it cry out in such a horrible manner. He sprang forward, ignoring a hiss from Niles as the branches whipped past his face.

           “Corrin!” He cried. He broke through the trees into a clearing, his hand up, tome upon, spell ready. “Co—” His eyes widened as the strange sight in front of him unfolded. A boy, no older than himself was on holding a large insect between his fingers, hovering over a clearly disgusted, but unharmed Corrin. The girl looked up surprised.

           “Leo?” Her face lit up. “Leo! You’ve gotta see what Cyrus and I caught!” A moment later she was bounding up to him, all warm smiles. She thrust a jar up for him to inspect. Inside were dozens of little glowing dots. Upon several blinks of his eyes, Leo recognized the fireflies for what they were, although his understanding of the situation had yet to clear.

           “C-Cyrus?” His eyes flicked from the jar to the ruby eyed girl holding it, to the now petrified young man standing almost at attention. He’d almost have that knightly look if he were wearing armor, and didn’t have bedhead. Though, the beetle still squirming in his hand didn’t really help much either.

           “L-Lord Leo!” He cried, looking extremely guilty. “I-ah-that is…Lady Corrin and I—”

           “My lord,” Niles moved out from the brush, bow up, and ready to fire. “Shall I execute this kidnapper?”

           “Huh?” Corrin blinked. “No! No, Cyrus is a friend! He brought me out on a picnic so I could see some of the world!”She glanced guiltily at her brother. “I was the one who convinced him! I-I just…” Her shoulders slumped helplessly. “I just felt alone…”

           “It’s not her fault!” Cyrus cried, rushing forward. “I-I knew I wasn’t supposed to, but she deserved the chance to see something outside those walls!”

           “My Lord?” Niles called.

           “Do it,” The butler growled. “King Garon would be furious to know his youngest child was out gallivanting with some common boy!”

           “Leo, please!” Corrin begged. “Please let him go! I-I’ll never leave the Fortress without permission again! J-just please!” She put herself in front of the boy, her arms wide, eyes pleading.

           “Tch,” Niles clicked his tongue. “If you don’t move, my lady, I may end up striking you down instead!”

           Her eyes widened briefly. Then she shut them, stiffening. “I won’t!”

           “Corrin,” Cyrus murmured. “I-it’s okay…”

           “No!” She cried. “I won’t move! I won’t let them kill you because I broke the rules!”

           Leo heaved a long sigh. “What a pain…” He shook his head at Niles.

           “Lucky kid,” The retainer grumbled.

           “Lord Leo!” The butler protested. “You can’t simply let this go unpunished!”

           Leo frowned. “It can wait. It’s late, and my sister needs to go home before it gets any darker.” He looked down at her with an irritated scowl. “I’m sure Xander will have something to say about this little excursion.”

           She grimaced, but nodded. “Thank you, brother.”

           Leo didn’t reply. Instead he turned to his butler. “Take her home and get her safe. We’ll deal with the intruder.”

           “Understood,” He bowed, then caught the reluctant princess’s arm. “This way, My Lady.”

           Once they were safely gone, Leo cast a glance to his remaining retainer. “I’m getting rid of that idiot when we get back.”

           Niles grinned. “Thank Gods. I was starting to wonder if I was going to have to off him myself!”

           Leo turned back to the boy, shooting him a cold glare. “You’re a lucky one… Normally I’d kill you myself…” he trailed off, hoping to see the boy squirm. To his credit he only shuffled a little, apparently ready for whatever possible torture was about to befall him. “My sister likes you. That’s enough to keep you alive. Truth is she doesn’t really meet many people, so you might serve useful to her one day.”

           “Sir?” The boy blinked.

           “Cyrus, was it?” Leo turned, shutting his tome. “You are of course, hence forth banished from the fortress. After a stunt like that, you can’t be trusted around her until she’s ready to leave. But, if you have any delusions left of seeing her again…” He considered him briefly. “Well you’d have to become a knight to do that.”

           Cyrus looked up in surprise. “A knight?”

           Niles chuckled. “You think just anyone speaks with royalty?”

           “Only those with considerable skill are allowed to serve,” Leo warned. “Even fewer will be able to serve directly to one of us. Still, if you really feel like you wish to support my sister—”

           “I do!” Cyrus cried. “I’d gladly give my life!”

           “Then become a knight.” With that Leo turned, stalking towards the horses. “Until then, you’re not fit to be near her.”

           The fortress was quiet now with all the maids looking relieved and completely worn out. They curtsied quickly, and offered to prepare the lord and his retainers rooms, and Leo decided to take them up on that. As it was, he wanted to give his sister at least a short lecture and the promise to sick their elder brother on him. However this notion was quickly destroyed by the arrival of his older siblings.

           “How is she?” Camilla demanded. “My poor Corrin…”

           “Resting in her room, My lady,” A maid reported. “Shall I prepare the adjoining room for you?”

           “Please!” She nodded. “I’m going to see her right away!”

           “And a room for My Lord Xander as well?” The maid asked.

           “Yes,” Xander nodded, glancing down to Leo. “Excuse us,”

           “Of course, My Lord,” The maid gave another curtsey and then hurried from the room, leaving the brothers alone.

           Leo had seen his brother’s sharp edges before, though he had rarely been on the receiving end of the barbed looks. Had he been of a lower station, he might have squirmed under such an intense gaze.

           “And what, pray tell, where you doing while she was out on her adventure?”

           Leo scowled. “Reading. I have examinations coming up and I wished to be prepared.”

           Xander’s expression darkened, his eyes squinting furiously. “You’re monthly visits aren’t for you to study, they’re for you to visit your sister!”

           “What if I don’t want to?” He snapped. “What if I don’t want to know her!?”

           Xander’s eyes widened, the fury dissipating to shock. “What?”

           “She’s such a naïve little girl!” He yelled. “There’s no way someone like that is ever going to win father’s approval! She’s never leaving this place, and even if she does, she’s as likely to die out there as she is to breath!”

           Xander reached out a hand, jerking his brother to his feet by his shoulder. “That girl puts up with weeks of loneliness just to see you! She spends hours making sure everything is perfect for your visit! She makes the tea herself, insists on tomatoes in at least one dish at every meal for you, and sees to it that you want for nothing while you’re here!” Xander growled. “She looks forward to seeing each of us visit, and spends days planning for them!”

           “H-how was I supposed to know?!” Leo yelped, but he could feel the guilt creeping over him.

           “You could’ve paid attention!” Xander spat. “She’s so desperate to see you, and you won’t give her the time of day!” He ripped out a letter from his pocket. “She writes to me every day, and she’s beginning to think you hate her!”

           Leo blinked. “I-I….don’t hate her…”

           “Then explain why it is that I have to hear of the crushing disappointment she has after failing to meet your lofty standards each month!”

           The young prince dropped his head, golden hair shading his face. “She’s too much…” He chocked. “Everyone sees it…how fragile she actually is. She doesn’t have a clue about the world outside, about the way things actually work. She’s going to get burned by it when she leaves!” He looked up, glaring at his brother fighting tears. “You know she won’t make it out there! People love hurting and destroying people like her! And so what’s the point!? Why should I love something that’s going to die!?”

           Xander reached out and poked his brother harshly in the forehead. “Fool. The more innocent and rare the more important it is to protect.” His face softened. “Our kingdom needs people like her. It needs those who care deeply and think positively to support the hopes and dreams of its people. Without that hope and optimism, there is no chance for peace for us, and no chance for our kingdom to thrive outside of battle and bloodshed.” He bowed his head. “It isn’t an easy task to safeguard those with these gifts, I grant you. But,” He smiled softly at his younger brother. “When the time comes, I trust Corrin to help guide Nohr to peace and prosperity. With all of us working together, our kingdom has a future to look forward to. Do you understand?”

           Leo nodded slowly. “Yes…”

           “Then?”

           “I’ll stop avoiding her,” He murmured.

           “And?” Xander pressed.

           “I’ll apologize first thing in the morning.”

           “Good.” The crown prince nodded, satisfied. “What happened to the boy she left with?”

           “Banished from the fortress,” Leo shrugged. “I might have suggested he become a knight…”

           Xander shook his head. “That was unusually cruel.”

           “Maybe,” He admitted, smiling. “But if he makes it out alive then Corrin will have an extremely loyal knight, won’t she?”

           Xander nodded thoughtfully. “Yes…I suppose so…I’ll monitor this Cyrus. Perhaps something can be done with him…”

           “Corrin needs better protection here,” Leo added. “Niles’s looking into the defenses and suggesting updates to places thieves look for, but she needs someone who can do battle for her safety. Someone here more than we are…A vassal of her own perhaps?”

           “No, she’s not far along enough in her training…” The elder brother considered. “Perhaps a personal maid or butler would do…”

           “You’re kidding.” Leo scowled.

           “No,” Xander shook his head, his blond hair swishing lightly. “Actually, this is perfect. We’ve just secured a peace treaty with the Ice tribe. Their leader has two daughters, close to Corrin’s age who would make excellent maids.”

           “The Ice tribe?”

           “Yes,” Xander’s thoughtful expression relaxed into a smile. “They’re known for their gifted sorcerers, and ice based magic—apparently these girls have both shown a great propensity for their land’s gift.”

           “Ah,” Leo nodded. “That would be perfect.”

           “I’ll send in the request.”

           “Brother….” Leo muttered slowly. “Would you also…allow me to stay a day longer?”

           Xander’s golden eyebrows rose. “Oh? Whatever for?”

           “You know exactly what for,” the younger prince hissed.

           “You’re actually willing to shirk your mentors for an entire day?” His older brother smiled.

           “I’m not shirking anything!” Leo snapped. “I-I just want to be sure that boy doesn’t return!”

           Xander let out a hearty laugh. “You’ll have to work on your lying, Leo. I’ll see to it your tutors are informed.” He turned, heading towards his room, doubtless prepared to retire for the night.

           “Xander,” Leo called.

           “Yes?” The crown prince turned.

           “Do you think it’s possible for Corrin to have that kind of future?”

           Xander’s lips turned upwards thoughtfully. “I do. But then…I wasn’t the one who suggested a boy set out to become a knight for Corrin’s sake. It seems I am not alone in thinking she has a chance.”

           Leo turned his head, clicking his tongue. His brother chuckled lightly, waving his hand in dismissal. Soon he was gone, leaving Leo alone to consider his actions. Did he believe that Corrin could live?

           His eyes strayed to the endtable where a tea tray sat, forgotten by all in the excitement. A small note was tucked between the pot and the cup. He picked it up, carefully unfolding the paper.

           ‘Leo,

I read if you drink tea while studying, you’ll be able to remember more of what you read. Hope it helps with your examinations! Keep up the hard work and serving Father and our people until I can help!

~Corrin’

So here’s my theory on why Corrin remembers so little of her life before. It’s true that trauma can have that affect on children, but I also imagine King Garon not wanting to leave any of that to chance. Also, this is probably why it took so much for Corrin to remember after returning to Hoshido.

           Corrin hid under the bed, clutching one of the pillows she’d brought with her. She was afraid. She didn’t want to come out of hiding until he was gone. But he wasn’t going to leave until she did come out. She knew this all too well. Corrin had once spent almost a full day hiding from him, praying to the Dragons and Pegasus Knights and anyone else listening to make him go away. It didn’t work then, and it didn’t work now. He stayed until at last she crawled out to see if she was safe. Then he was at her side, leering down at her with his one free eye. The other was covered by an expresionless bronze mask, which seemed less terrifying than the real one that watched her like her cat watched a mouse.

           “Hello, Princess Corrin,” He greeted. “How are you today?”

           “I’m fine…” She mumbled.

           “Oh?” The Sorcerer’s smile widened. “You don’t seem fine. Aren’t you lonely here?”

           She shook her head. “No…Big Brother’s going to come see me again—soon he said.”

           “Oh?” The masked man mused. “And your father?”

           Corrin bit her lip tightly. “Father…Father’s gone…He left me…”

           “Ah, but he didn’t!”

           She looked up sharply, looking directly into that amber eye. “Father…did. He left. He let that man take me.”

           Her visitor sighed heavily. “No, child,” He corrected. “The man who took you is your father. The man who left you was a bad man your father trusted to look after you.”

           “Nuh-uh!” Corrin argued. “That was my father! He loved me!”

           “Corrin,” The man bent down, forcing her to stare into his one eye. “He lied. He wanted to hurt you. Your father, King Garon came to your rescue. Do you understand?”

           Corrin started to argue, but suddenly she didn’t know why. Why would she argue with her father’s most trusted advisor? He never lied to her. He might have been a little scary, but he was right. Her father loved her. He couldn’t leave her with that liar…

           “Corrin…” He called.

           “Yes?” She mumbled, feeling oddly drowsy.

           “Perhaps you’d like to sleep on it? You can tell me what you remember when I come back.”

           “N’kay…” She mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

           “Very well!” The man nodded, straightening. “I’ll let your father know you’re still feeling ill. You rest and—”

           “What is going on here?!” A voice demanded.

           Corrin snapped to, recognizing the booming voice. “Big Brother!” She darted to him, throwing her arms around him, all feelings of lethargy gone. “I missed you!”

           “Aww,” Her visitor gave a mocking coo. “How sweet.”

           “Iago…What is the meaning of this?!” Xander demanded, reaching down to pluck Corrin from the ground. He held her tightly, one hand reaching for his blade.

           “Orders from your father, Good Prince,” The man put his hand up. “I’m merely here to check on his beloved daughter’s progress…It seems we have a ways yet to go until she fully grasps the truth about what happened.”

           Corrin looked back at the man, who was grinning, his one good eye trained on her. She looked to Xander, feeling suddenly uneasy. Her brother’s eyes were slits of fury, his brow furrowed as he glared down the other man, clutching Corrin to his chest.

           “Get out.” He growled.

           “Of course,” The man bowed low, his smile still wide and mocking. “As you command, your Majesty,” He rose to his full height, and moved to leave, pausing as he met the Prince near the door. “Princess Corrin.”

           “Y-yes?” She responded timidly.

           “Tell me, who is your father?”

           She frowned, confused by the question. “Father’s the king of Nohr, King Garon.”

           Iago turned a triumphant sneer to Xander, his one amber eye proud as if he had won a battle. He turned, sweeping from the room to leave the siblings alone.

           Xander’s frame relaxed, allowing Corrin to slide slowly back to the ground as he slumped against the wall. His grieved hand fell back to his side as he let out a long groan. Corrin straightened.

           “Xander, are you hurt!?” She cried, looking for any sign of physical damage. “Did somebody poison you!?”

           “I’m fine, Corrin,” He gave her a thin smile. “But are you alright? Did that man do anything to you?”

           “Umm…” Corrin frowned, trying to remember. It seemed like mere moments ago, and yet it was fuzzy and indistinct. “Not really…He said father took me from a bad man…” She looked up to her big brother. “Is that true?”

           Xander’s eyes softened. “Yes, Corrin…That’s true.”

           She relaxed, smiling up at him. “Well, it’s okay. I don’t remember much about it. But I’m glad you’re back! I was starting to get lonely!”

           Her big brother sighed. “I imagine you were…”

           “Do you want to play a game?” She suggested.

           “Hmm…” He frowned. “A quiet one…”

           “Okay!” Corrin jumped up enthusiastically. “I know just the game!” She darted off, leaving her big brother to rest while she went downstairs. A maid caught her on her way there, and the little girl gave the woman her request. Minutes later she was given what she’d asked for and was trotting slowly back to her room.

           Xander had found his way from the wall to the table, and looked up to see her return. She set down the tray in her hands, bearing the teapot, cups, cookies, and other necessities.

           “Tea Time!” She chirped proudly.

           Xander smiled gratefully to her. “That,” he declared, picking up a cup. “Is a wonderful game.”

Man, I just need a little neutrality to break up the painfulness of sibling feels. That said, I’m not sure how much better this is, all things considered...Gah!!! This kid’s childhood is a mess!

           Kaze stood watching the forces gather outside the town. His stomach churned as he watched them. Surely that many Nohrian soldiers weren’t needed. Then again, looking back to his own party, the king had brought along several ninja from his clan. Even though many were young, it wasn’t as if they were incapable. Perhaps this was just a simple display of power that all rulers required. After all, Ninja were superior to the average solider.

           “Hi!” Kaze nearly shot a shuriken towards the voice. He caught himself, seeing the bright ruby eyes twinkling up at him. “You’re a ninja, right?” the little girl asked.

           Kaze frowned, studying her. She was well dressed in the usual Hoshidian fashion, her wild hair having been pushed away from her face by a thick headband. Her smile was wide and a bit toothy for her age, but no doubt endearing. If Kaze could be endeared, that was.

           “Yes.” He answered simply.

           “I knew it!” She beamed up at him. “Do you like being a ninja?”

           The question caught him off guard. He looked back down at her. Her expression was still bright, completely devoid of all malice.

           “I do…” He managed softly.

           “That’s great!” She chirped. “Father says that people should be happy with their lives or be able to change it if they want! But you don’t have to work as hard if you like what you do!”

           Kaze felt a slim smile pull at his face. “And what do you want to do?”

           She considered that, chewing on her lip. “I dunno…I want to be a Pegasus rider,” She grinned. “But Ryo says I’m too little…” She scowled. “Maybe I could be a ninja too?”

           Kaze chuckled, in spite of himself. “You’re fine as you are.”

           Her pout only increased. “That’s what Ryo says…”

           “He’s right,” Kaze reached over to tousle her hair. “You’ll grow into a fine Pegasus rider soon enough—but,” He added, catching her ruby eyes. “Until you do, you must be happy with your life.”

           She nodded solemnly. “Okay. I can do that…” She grinned back at him. “I mean, I’ve got so many friends! There’s Ryo, Hino, Father, Mother, Tak, Yukimura,” She paused, peering up at him. “And you too, I hope…”

           Kaze smiled. “Of course.”

           Her eyes danced with his statement. “I’m Corrin!” She declared gleefully. “What’s your name?”

           “Kaze.”

           “Okay!” Corrin nodded. “And now that we’re friends. I promise I’ll be happy! And when I’m a Pegasus rider, I’ll fight with you!”

           Kaze chuckled in wonder. “You know we’re here to make peace, right?”

           “So we’ll fight other bad guys—there’s always more.”

           Kaze started to argue, but found himself realizing that she was right. Even with peace with Nohr there would be other conflicts. Brigands and pirates and others would seek to take out their kingdom’s people. For this little girl to have such a clear grasp of that…

           “Yeah…” He nodded. “I’d be honored to fight with you.”

           Her face outshone stars. Her eyes practically danced as she flashed that toothy smile at him. She reached out her pinky finger, and Kaze, despite himself, reached down to link his with hers. It was so much smaller than his, and yet there was a strength behind it’s light tug. Corrin was unlike any other person he knew.

           “Corrin!” Both looked up to see King Sumeragi striding up, his vassals trailing close behind. “I told you not to wander.”

           “Sorry, Father,” She looked back at Kaze, embarrassed. “I guess I have to go…”

           Kaze stared, his eyes wide. “Y-you’re a Princess!?” He’d not even thought to question her being there at the sight of a Parley. Something about her smile and bright eyes just engulfed his common sense.

           “Why else would a young child be here so freely?” The King’s vassal snorted.

           Kaze felt his stomach knot. Of course she was a Princess! The way she spoke freely with him, the aura she seemed to cast out, drawing him in so easily. “Forgive me for speaking so boldly, Lady Corrin!”

           Corrin smiled. “You’re my friend, Kaze,” She reminded him. “I don’t care how you talk.”

           King Sumeragi chuckled. “Ah Corrin…You really do take after your mother.” He nodded kindly to Kaze. “Kaze, is it? If Corrin says you’re her friend, then you must dedicate yourself to tonight’s meeting. Understood?”

           “Yes, Your Majesty!”  The young ninja managed.

           “Very good,” He nodded his approval. “Now, we must be off. It’s time for peace for our kingdoms at last.”

           Corrin nodded sagely, as if she too understood the gravity of their meeting. Judging from the twinkle in her ruby eyes though, Kaze had to wonder if the little girl actually did.

Because I’d feel bad if I focused only on Nohr. So Hoshido we go! Also, I think Corrin’s somewhere between five and seven here...young enough to be able to repress certain memories, but old enough to have an activeness...I dunno. 

           Ryoma chortled as he caught his baby sister straddling one of the Pegasus statues in the garden. The gardener had rushed to him, a blubbering mess, sobbing frantically over his destroyed garden, and indeed, it was a sight. Small branches and limbs of the fragile cherry trees lay scattered over the lawn, shrubs had been plowed over, and grass worn and trampled. Even the fish pond had sustained damage, with a half obstructed waterfall, and more than a few fish flopping helplessly across the lawn.

           And there in the midst of the chaos, was Corrin, holding a long thin limb of a cherry blossom as she waved it like a spear over her head. Her legs gripped tightly to her stone mount as she whooped.

           “Come taste my spear you Dastards!” She called.

           Royma doubled over with laughter. If her mother heard her, the trouble they would all end up in. Thankfully, Corrin caught sight of him and was at his side in mere moments.

           “Big Brother!” She cried, abandoning her makeshift spear. “Are you okay!? Are you injured?! Did an assassin poison you?!”

           Royma forced himself to straighten, shaking his head. “I could ask you the same, Corrin. It looks like a battlefield instead of a garden…What on earth were you doing out here?”

           She blinked those large red eyes of hers, before looking back to the destroyed garden. Her face fell as she realized what he was talking about.

           “Oh…I…I just wanted to be a Pegasus Knight,” She held up her cherry blossom spear. “But I couldn’t get a stick long enough unless I climbed…” She pointed to the waterfall.

           That at least explained part of the damage, he reasoned. “And the fish?”

           Her cheeks turned red. “They were brigands.” She muttered, biting her lip. “They were going to steal Father’s sacred sword!”

           Ryoma had to fight to contain the smile at the thought of koi fish wielding Raijinto against their soldiers. Instead he forced himself to be stern, giving his little sister a sharp look. “Corrin, you’re going to hurt yourself biting you’re lip,” He corrected her. “Now, you’ll have to put those fish back and clean up those branches. The Gardener is quite upset with you as it is.”

Corrin, released her bottom lip. Clearly realizing the trouble she had caused trudged over to the fish, and began picking them up.

           “No more stealing, okay?” She muttered to the fish. “Father is a good king, and he’s making it so people can make their own lives happy. So work hard and don’t steal…” She lectured them. Once that task was complete she picked up the large branches and put them in a pile, glancing occasionally to see if her big brother was still there. He was, arms crossed, and eyes trained on her like a hawk. After she completed that she turned back to him, looking plainly defeated. A slim smile wormed onto his face as he knelt next to her.

           “You want to be a Pegasus knight?” He asked.

           Her eyes lit up, like a blazing fire over her red eyes. “Uh-huh!”

           “You won’t be able to until you’re older,” Ryoma chuckled. “Besides, you’re fine as you are.”

           She scowled. “But I want to fight too!” She cried. “You and father fight bad guys all the time!”

           “Only to protect our people,” He corrected gently. “And right now, Father is readying to parley with King Garon of Nohr to come to a peace agreement.”

           “Really?” Corrin blinked. “But then…who will you fight?”

           “Brigands and bandits mostly.”

           “And pirates?!” She added excitedly.

           “And pirates,” Ryoma conceded, chuckling. “Only to defend our people.”

           “And then I can fight too!?” She begged.

           Ryoma smiled, giving up. “Yes, then you can fight too…”

           “Yes!” Corrin turned scooping up her cherry tree spear again. “We’ll take down those dastards together!”

           He winced. “Ah, Corrin,” He gave a firm scowl. “That’s not a word a princess uses.”

           “I’m not a princess!” She cried. “I’m a Pegasus knight!”

           “Not until you learn how to properly handle your weapon, you’re not,” He corrected.

           “Huh?” She looked down at the branch. “How am I holding it wrong?”

           He knelt down next to her, repositioning her hands to properly grip the make believe spear. “Now,” He instructed. “Whenever the enemy tries to strike at you, you can move like this,” He guided her through the motion. “And this is a parry. If you pull back quickly enough,” He pulled her along. “Then you can move back in lower while his sword is still up, and go for the open area,” He moved her hands forward again, lower. “And that’s a very important technique.”

           Her eyes danced like two flickering candles. “Wow…”

           Ryoma chuckled, ruffling her hair. “Just practice that for now, and when father and mother think you’re ready, you can begin training for real.”

           “I’ll definitely practice, big brother!” She promised.

           “And no more attacking the fish,” He added sternly.

           “Okay,” She agreed.

           “And let’s stop calling enemies dastards.” He added.

           “Okay…” Her reply was less heartfelt.

           “Good,” Ryoma smiled fondly at the little girl. “It looks like you’re well on your way to becoming a fine Pegasus knight.”

           She looked up, surprised, then beamed at him. “Yep! Then I’ll help protect people too!”