Chapter Text
Hoshido was so unlike the Nohr she had known. Sitting atop a hill on the outskirts of Shirasagi-shiro, she took in the view: it was bright and colorful, the sky littered with vibrant blue and fluffy white as the pink cherry petals flew through the wind. The people were cheerful and bustling, the castle nearby looking as a great protector over them... It was like a dreamscape, with its pegasi and kinshi in the air…
Though to be perfectly honest, Corrin couldn’t claim that she knew even Nohr that well. With having spent most of her life in the Northern Fortress, the view hadn’t exactly changed at all for her. But a picture had been painted in her mind, of the constant gloom and rain, the gnarled and twisted trees with their black bark… Of the castles and fortresses that cut themselves off from everything, looming threateningly over those who dared to approach them. In all honestly, the whole of Nohr sounded like haunted forests and buildings that children lost themselves in in fairytales.
Either way, it was clear to her that both had a mystical element to them in their own ways. But right now, even the beauty of the cheerful Hoshido couldn’t take her out of the gloom she had felt. The loss of the mother she had known for only a few days, the mother she could barely remember but so desperately wanted to. Taking walks with her on cherry lined streets as she recalled memories of Corrin’s early childhood; of how she, Ryoma, Hinoka, and Takumi would play Samurai vs Oni in order to protect the fair Princess Sakura, and how sometimes Boss Oni Sumeragi came out of the corners wearing a Hannya mask. This lead to the hazy memories of her father’s death. The pain echoed in her heart, vaguely recalling how she had asked Sumeragi to take her around the city… Guilt clawed at her stomach, and she hugged her knees tightly. It was no wonder Takumi despised her so… Corrin was responsible for the death of both their parents.
Yet the guilt would not cease, remembering the faces of her other siblings – of her Nohrian family. The betrayal was wrought all over Xander’s expression, in the ferocity of his blows, the anger in his voice. The heartbreak was felt on both ends… Ryoma had to step in to save her due to her inability to raise her blade against that brother that had called her “little princess.” She could only imagine Elise’s tears, Camilla’s silent and pained fury, and Leo’s disgusted face. She had betrayed those that she loved...
But I wasn’t wrong… She told herself weakly. After all, how could she return to Nohr? It was clear that Garon wanted her dead as much as he had wanted Queen Mikoto dead. The “father” she had so hoped to please was nothing more than a war mongering monster, using his children as pawns to forward his cruelty. But the more Corrin chanted this in her mind, the more determined she felt. I’m not wrong.
The voice within her mind did not waver; especially knowing the Yato was on her side.
The blade by her side was still and heavy, a different mass than a normal sword or that accursed Ganglari. It was heavy with true purpose, with the weight of her resolve.
With a sigh, Corrin stood. She had moped for far too long, and it was certainly no time to continue to do so. After she brushed herself off, she balled up her fists and nodded to herself. She had never thanked Ryoma properly for defending her against Xander’s assault, and she certainly didn’t want to seem ungrateful. Far from it, she was glad that she had this chance now to truly get to know the siblings that Garon has stolen her from. They could, of course, never replace her Nohrian brothers and sisters… but they were proof that despite all the awfulness, she still had people that cared for her.
“Are you finished, My Lady?” Jakob’s voice called out from a few feet away.
She turned and smiled brightly at her retainer, “Yes, yes, sorry for keeping you waiting, Jakob. Thank you for allowing me that moment of solitude.”
The butler smirked proudly, “But of course, My Lady, I live to serve. Should you ask me to wait, I will do so without complaint.”
Corrin chuckled, realizing that she really wasn’t as alone as she had first thought in Hoshido. “I’m always glad to know I have your support.”
“Forever and always, My Lady.” The pride in his voice could not be hidden, and she could only chuckle again.
Butler in tow, she then made her way back down to civilization, making her way to Castle Shirasagi. As she passed through the town, hushed whispers fell over the recognizable former Nohrian Princess… She felt the knot in her stomach return, hearing whispers of “monster,” “Yato’s Chosen,” and “dragon.” Where there were positive remarks, there were negative remarks, and where there were both, there were a great deal many more unsure. She kept her chin up high, not letting the words get to her. No more moping.
The whispers died the closer she came to the Castle, and it didn’t take long for her to find out where Ryoma was once there. A simple asking around of the guards told her that Ryoma had just finished meeting with several Hoshidan generals, and that he would be going to training grounds to consult certain members of the army concerning a mission. Corrin made a beeline straight to the training grounds, already knowing that Ryoma was there from hearing the echo of her brother’s voice around the corner from the open doors. She had expected nothing to block her approach through the gate…
So it had been more than startling when someone suddenly appeared right before her. Corrin had jumped back ever so slightly, as she had almost walked into a wall she hadn’t seen. Jakob put a steadying hand upon her shoulder and glared at the would-be roadblock. “It is customary in Hoshido to block the path of a Lady?” He spat.
But Corrin just felt her face redden, as she quietly said, “No, it’s… it’s fine, Jakob…” Anxiously, she tilted her head upward to meet the one eyed glare of Saizo, Ryoma’s ninja retainer.
“I heard you had business with Lord Ryoma. What do you want?” The ninja’s voice was terse, obviously suspicious. If he had heard Jakob at all, he had chosen to ignore him in favor of what he had considered the greater threat. Who knows how he had heard she was looking for Ryoma, but he was a ninja. It wasn’t a stretch to think he had some way of quickly gathering information, especially concerning those he didn’t trust.
“I… I just wanted to speak to my brother.”
“Obviously.” There was no hidden irritation here; all of it had been condensed into that one word. “About?”
She had finally found her voice properly, and with a furrowed brow stated, “I never thanked him properly for saving me the other day.”
The ninja continued to glare at her, as if trying to detect deception. Corrin felt the heat rise in her cheeks, remembering the very first glare he had aimed at her.
“You’re the leader of these troops? Pah, you’re nothing more than a little girl.”
Corrin flushed angrily at the sudden appearance of a new foe and his comment on her height. This scary fellow with the scar over his right eye and the blades on his bracers… Intimidating, but she would not be rattled. After all, she looked more of an adult than Elise, at least, and Xander had acknowledged her as capable! Who was this Hoshidan stranger to determine her worth as a commander? Indignantly, she stomped a foot down as she demanded more than asked, “Who are you?”
“My name is Saizo,” his stance changed, his aim clearly hostile and perturbed by her outburst. “I’ve come to claim your life.”
In that moment, her heart skipped a beat. The surprised and cross flush she had before deepened – or at least she felt like it had. It was a strange thrill that surged through her body upon hearing the finality of the man’s words. He was going to kill her. The fear she felt was obvious in the way her own stance shifted from determined and angry to awkward and unsure. But the anxiety she felt, however, was not representative of a fear death. The shiver down her spine had nested someplace uncomfortable and unfamiliar. The determination in the man’s voice, the absolute certainty that he believed he spoke the truth made her heart thump twice as hard as it would have been if she had just been frightened.
“H-hey!” She had called out shakily, for some reason her gaze unable to tear away from the deadly glint within Saizo’s one eye. She didn’t understand what she was feeling, but the rational part of her brain put her voice to action, “Everyone, we’re still under attack!”
To throw her out of her visit to memory lane was a “Tch,” from Saizo, who proceeded to disappear as quickly as he first arrived. Corrin let out a breath she hadn’t realized she had held, and Jakob moved to her side, looking around to see if he could locate the ninja. “Dare I say, these Hoshidan ninja can be quite the boorish type. Should he ever insult you again, My Lady, I would be happy to-”
“Ah, no, it’s really all right, Jakob!” She quickly interjected. “It’s really not necessary, he’s simply doing his job just as you’re doing yours. Had Ryoma just appeared at our doorstep in the Northern Fortress claiming peace, I’m sure you would be just as cautious towards him.” Jakob didn’t seem too pleased at the comparison of himself to the brash ninja, but did not argue the point. At the very least, the conflicted look on the butler’s expression gave her the feeling that he acknowledged the truth of her words to some degree.
Yet she sighed, disturbed at herself for getting flustered so easily when Saizo had suddenly appeared before her. The recollection she had of their first meeting was even more humiliating to recall. “Jakob…”
“Yes, My Lady?”
“… Am I… am I weird?”
The butler looked down to his lady, confusion etched in his face. “Of course you aren’t, Lady Corrin. Whatever prompted such an outrageous question?”
Infatuation at first sight to a man who threatened to kill you and would have carried it out happily had he not been outnumbered seems a bit odd to me… But she couldn’t tell Jakob that, gods no. With a careless smile, Corrin continued on through the gate to find her brother, “Oh never mind, thank you, Jakob!”