We've breached the cursed thirteen! Let's do this!

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"Do not speak to anyone of our departure. Do you understand, Flora?"

"Y-yes, Milord Xander..." The blue-haired maid spoke with a meek tone, simply handing the reins of Xander's Horse and Camilla's Wyvern to their respective owners with a respective nod.

"And please ensure that no one even discovers our departure, alright?" Camilla finished afterward, not even breaking her sentence as she climbed onto the back of her Wyvern, the beast letting out a short sigh before stretching out its wings and letting out a gruff growl.

"U-uh, o-of course, Lady Camilla!" Felicia practically shouted before covering her mouth with one hand, seemingly surprised at her own outburst.

"Why can't I come?!" Elise harshly whispered, her fists tightly clenched and her arms stiff at her sides as she mustered as much of a glare as she could at her elder siblings. "He's my brother, too! I wanna help find him and make sure he's okay!" Xander sighed, having already gotten into the saddle of his horse, his reins already gripped tightly in his hands before he turned to look at his baby sister.

"Elise, listen to me. It's far too dangerous for you to traverse these areas. Not only are there all sorts of beasts and wild animals out there, but there could be Hoshidan's in hiding, knowing what has happened with Leo's disappearance and waiting for us so they could ambush us. You have to stay here for your own safety."

Tears began to well up in the young girl's eyes as she stared directly at Xander, the worst thoughts possible filling her mind as she imagined her brother's body littered with arrows or perhaps even torn open and his ribcage exposed as he was left to be scavenger scraps for the bears and lions. Of course, Elise knew that Leo was far too strong and clever to let such a fate befall him, but the poor girl couldn't contain or suppress these thoughts.

She couldn't help herself. Falling to her knees, she covered her face and began to sob uncontrollably.

She didn't even register Camilla's sympathetic sigh. "Elise, darling... we will be back, and Leo will be with us, safe and sound. I swear it. But please, just for now, stay here so we know you're safe, alright?"

Elise could feel Flora's hand fall onto her shoulder in a comforting manner. She sniffled for a moment before nodding her head. "Y-yes, big sister..."

Xander said no more to her, turning towards Camilla and sending her a nod before gripping Siegfried in his right hand tightly. "Survey from the skies, Camilla. We need to find him before dawn."

Turning towards her brother, she took an axe in hand and nodded. "Understood, Xander."

And just like that, in the blink of an eye, the pair rode off, Camilla disappearing into the clouds while Xander vanished over the horizon.

Closing her eyes, Elise took a deep breath. "Flora. Felicia. Please, get my horse ready."

"B-but Lady Elise, Lord Xander said--" Felicia began, not getting much wording in before she was cut off by Elise turning to her with the most hurtful look the girl had ever seen.

"Please! My brother is out there all alone! I have to help find him! I promise I'll be back before Xander and Camilla are! No one has to know! Please!" Tears began to well up in her eyes again, eventually spilling onto her cheeks as she stared at the twins with big, round amethyst eyes.

Flora sighed. "Very well, Milady. However, if you aren't back before they are... I will tell them the truth."

"That's fine!" Elise almost sang, springing to her feet. "Please, get my horse ready, I'll be back down in five minutes!" Both of the girls nodded at her as she twisted on her heel and bolted inside, heading for her room. Right there, on her desk, was both her healing staff and a novice spell tome. Although Leo had been teaching her how to cast spells whenever he could, she wasn't entirely sure just how to do it confidently just yet. But, in her mind, it was a weapon, the only type she had any knowledge of using, and any form of self-defense was better than none. Grabbing both of them, she bolted back downstairs and outside, both Felicia and Flora sitting there with worried, yet calm expressions on their faces as Flora held the reins to a horse that was way too big for the young girl, but it was her faithful companion, never letting her down in battle or simple leisure enjoyment once. The two maids helped the young girl to mount the beast, Elise letting out a shaky sigh once she was seated comfortably. Turning towards the maids, she nodded.

"I'll be back soon. I promise. Make sure no one knows I'm gone!"

Felicia barely got out an "understood, Milady," before the young girl took off, riding faster and harder than she ever had in her life into the woods beyond the castle and town, the wind blowing past her and making her hair whip wildly around her as she narrowed her eyes to shield her eyes from the harsh breeze as best as she could, only one objective in her mind as she ducked under tree branches and hopped over fallen logs.

Find Leo. Bring him home safe, sound, warm, and in one piece.

She quickly came to an intersection, the road splitting into three different directions in front of her. Pulling her horse to a stop and hearing its breathing come out heavy, she let out a sigh more to herself than anything as she contemplated her options.

The Western Road lead to the plains that eventually split and lead to Cheve. Unless Leo was planning on taking on the incoming Hoshidan Army all by himself, which Elise was positive he wasn't stupid enough to do, he most certainly wouldn't go that way.

The Northern Road lead to the Forbidden Woods. She had heard Xander and Camilla discussing amongst themselves that they would search there first, since not only was that the most dangerous place, but they thought it was one of the more likely options for Leo to head to. That area was known for its dangerous creatures and strong beasts, so perhaps he snuck away to train by himself. Elise personally didn't think it was likely that Leo would do that, but it was a possibility, she supposed. Even if Leo was there, Elise couldn't go that way, since Xander and Camilla had both left just minutes before she did, and unless she wanted to get caught, going North just wasn't an option.

Turning her head towards the Eastern Road and spotting the Peaks of the Mountains beyond the trees, she shuddered. The Eastern Road lead towards the high mountains, and it seemed the most likely in her head that Leo would head this way. Corrin and Xander had taken her there once to see a gorgeous river, and she could distinctly remember just how calm and peaceful that place was.

Her breath hitched at the thought, and she narrowed her eyes as she clutched the spell tome tightly to her chest.

This war was effecting everyone differently, but harshly nonetheless. Elise may be young, but she wasn't blind. The Nohrian's had lost a princess, she couldn't even imagine how the Hoshidan's were coping, having lost their Queen, with no suitor having taken the throne to lead their country to new hopes and prosperity. And though she knew just how strong Nohr was with its military... the generals were nothing without their sister. She really was the binding that held everything together, the kingdom, the royalty, and it was heart-crushing without her around anymore.

Maybe it was a good thing that her Father wasn't sending her on these life-threatening missions like he was with her brothers and sister... if Elise ever ran into her sister on the battlefield... she didn't know if she'd be able to mentally handle that. Seeing her new brothers... her new sisters...

Elise broke into a loud sob, covering her mouth and biting her tongue roughly before it could escalate. Taking a deep breath, she quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her gloved hand. Now wasn't the time to be getting caught up in memories or thinking about such awful things. She had a brother to find and bring home. She had to focus!

Looking back towards the Eastern Mountains, she shuddered. The menacing peaks always creeped her out, making her think that some sort of ethereal beasts were lying in wait at the top to snatch and gobble up any person who dared stray too close.

... At least, those were the stories Xander told her every night when she was younger. True or not, the tales always stuck with her, leaving her fearful of the mountaintops. Now, however... now she had to face those fears, brave them if she was going to find her brother.

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the reins and turned her horse to the east, gently pushing her heels into his sides and making him bolt forward towards the mountains. He let out a small exhale every time his hooves touched the ground, the sound heavy and strong as it echoed all around her. Though the sound was loud, it wasn't completely deafening, she could still hear the sounds of the forest life all around her, from the squirrels and raccoons trilling as they scurried away from the path and her rapid ascent, to the sounds of light hooves thumping against the ground, the sound being that of deer and elk that scurried away from the sudden, thundering sound that was her horse.

A sharp turn caught Elise off guard, causing her to pull the reins of her horse quickly to the left and drift around the turn, the sound of skidding hooves across dirt and crunching leaves making Elise's heart skip a beat in adrenaline and excitement. Her horse quickly regained his balance and bolted down the path once more, jumping over another log as she quickly advanced.

Although Elise wasn't a good fighter, she had gained some skills via horseback riding. She had Xander to thank for that, and she hoped that maybe one day, she could surpass him at that one skill. Even if that would be all she was ever good at, it would bring a smile to her face. A true one.

Half an hour had passed in her rush. Coming across a heavily wooded area, she pulled her horse to a stop, both her and the beast breathing heavily in both slight exhaustion and adrenaline as she stared up at the towering oaks. She was getting close to that river, she could vaguely remember these trees, they were more distinct and strong than any other trees in Nohr, although Elise never knew why. She couldn't see very far into the woods, hearing deep, creaking sounds coming from inside and the low cooing of nocturnal birds.

She swallowed away the lump in her throat, her right hand gripping the reins tightly in fear as she stared ahead of her. She could feel and hear her horse breathing heavily underneath her, his ears perked up and pointing ahead of them, oddly still and calm as he waited for Elise's orders.

Letting out a shaky sigh, the young girl opened up the spell tome, her hands trembling as she read the words. Once she found the spell she was looking for, she screwed her eyes shut, muttering the words under her breath as she gripped the tome with a white-knuckle grip.

Once she opened her eyes, a tiny orb of light manifested next to her, illuminating the path ahead of her perfectly, showing the loose stones and stray branches that littered it.

Noting the branches and twigs on the ground, Elise's eyes narrowed, directing her horse forward a few steps as the ball of light lowered closer to the ground. A lot of the branches and twigs were snapped with force, and she could see several horse hoof prints that were spread out, leading to in front of her, down the darkened path and into the thick trees.

There was only one set of horse hooves... meaning whoever came this way, they were alone, and with how spread out they were, they were in a hurry.

A great feeling of hope spread all the way from her gut to her heart. She had a good feeling about this, a feeling so strong that she was absolutely positive that Leo came this way. Though these prints weren't recent at all, she just knew she was on the right track.

That hope was enough to quell her fears, even if it was only a little bit. Leo was close, she could find him and they could go home together, and what family she had left could maybe sit together and simply laugh together like they once did when Xander and Camilla got home.

A small, hopeful smile graced her features as she gently dug her heels into her horse's side, the beast letting out a small snort as he began to advance, a slow, steady and cautious walk this time instead of a thundering advance. Elise leaned down to stroke her horse's neck, praising the beast for the work he put forth to get her this far, and the work he was continuing to put forth without any hesitation, fight, or denial. He shook his head and sighed at her action, enjoying the gesture immensely as he continued onward.

Elise took this time to take in her surroundings. Looking up towards the sky, she noted just how much taller the trees were than her. They must've stretched miles into the sky, so far that Elise briefly wondered if they were lucky enough to touch the clouds that never left the Nohrian Skies, their tops swaying to their own dance as the wind acted as their music, the trunks groaning as they moved, almost like the trees were singing in whatever way they could as they danced. Looking down at the ground, she shuddered at the breeze finally breached through the oaks and flew past her, taking note of the leaves underneath her that got picked up in the breeze and twirled along, showing Elise a type of grace that she had never seen outside of the dances that Laslow did when he thought nobody was watching. Though this place was terrifying, it had its own haunting beauty, something that sent a bone-wracking shiver up and down her spine as she had trouble taking in and comprehending all of it.

She'd have to come back here during the day when there was more light when she had the time. If it had this type of energy during the hours of Nohr that were the coldest and darkest, she couldn't help but wonder what this place was like when Nohr was at its warmest and brightest. The thought made her eyes brighten with wonder and excitement. Maybe Leo could bring her back!

Looking back ahead of her, she noted that her horse did well and stayed on the path, bringing her safely through this place to her destination while her head was in the clouds. Quietly giggling to herself once she saw the dim moonlight breaking through the trees, signifying the end of this little grove, she leaned down and pet the large beast once again, the horse letting out a sigh of contentment at her action. Grabbing the reins once more when she was done lavishing her companion with attention, she ducked her head to avoid a branch that was a bit too low, emerging out of the grove and onto a hillside that went straight up the mountain.

The sound of a large river was heard nearby. She was finally here. Her excitement got the best of her and she commanded her beast into a trot, the horse not hesitating as it obeyed, Elise bouncing slightly with the new motion.

However, a low, deep growl caused her heart to stop completely, her horse nickering in surprise as it came to a stop without being told. Elise's eyes were wider than saucers as she stared at the top of the hill, seeing the river nearby coming from the top. Maybe... maybe she misheard something? Could she have mistaken the flowing waters from the river for a growl?

Gods, she certainly hoped so.

Clicking with her tongue as a command, her horse began walking forward, much slower this time as she made for the top of the hill. Before she even reached the top, she saw a familiar form. A horse, walking over the top of the hill, calmly grazing the grass that was underneath it and occasionally letting out a snort of contentment. The horse wore familiar armor, and it didn't take long at all for Elise to recognize it as Leo's horse.

She couldn't believe it! She had found him, he had to be here!

A wide smile appeared as she continued forward, keeping her spell tome clutched tightly to her chest, but remembering the healing staff that was strapped to her saddle, just in case Leo had gotten hurt somehow. She doubted that'd be the case though, since his horse was so calm and collected as it wandered.

Once she reached the top of the hill, a giant mound greeted her. She didn't quite register what it was at first, her eyebrows furrowing together before her eyes widened in realization.

She didn't know what it was, but whatever it was, it was gigantic and breathing, and it took her a moment to notice Leo, fast asleep against it.

Once she saw two hypnotic, piercing (e/c) orbs open wide and stare directly at her, she almost screamed. A low growl came from it as it raised its head, which Elise immediately recognized as the growl she heard before. It towered above her as it stared down at her, yet she was far too terrified to notice that it gave her a gentle, yet curious gaze, and the growl was more like a growl of wonder instead of malicious intent.

It was a dragon. A large, extremely powerful looking one at that, and the conclusion that Elise reached in her head was that it had captured Leo after he ran away and was now holding him hostage.

If she had been thinking rationally, she would've thought through why a dragon would even want a hostage, much less need one. But all that was going through her mind was 'big, evil monster has my brother', and not much else.

"Y-y-y-you..." Elise barely managed to stammer out, a visible shiver overtaking her as she stared into the towering beasts' eyes. "Y-y-you... luh-let go of muh-my b-brother! I won't let you hah-have him!" She was barely able to squeak out such a small threat, a threat she certainly couldn't act upon, and it didn't even seem to phase the dragon above her, the creature simply tilting its head in curiosity as it stared at her.

"Are you Princess Elise?" The beast had a feminine tone, leading to the conclusion that this was a female dragon.

The voice echoed everywhere in her mind, causing her to whimper as she cowered away. "H-how do you nuh... n-nuh-know who I ah-am?"

Perhaps her mind was playing tricks on her, but she could've sworn that the beast smiled gently at her.

"Prince Leo has told me a great deal about you." She bowed her head as politely as she could muster in her current position. "It is a great pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Milady."

Prince... Leo? Wait, Leo talked to this thing?!

A chuckle echoed all around her. "Your confusion, although quite amusing to see, is not needed, Milady. I swear to you, your Leo is just fine. He simply came here for some solidarity and space to think and be free." The dragon looked down at Leo, her eyes narrowing slightly in seeming fondness over him. "If you do not believe me, come and see for yourself. I swear I mean neither you nor him any harm."

This dragon wasn't honestly thinking that she would just waltz up to it all carefree-like, did it? But... when Elise spared a look down at Leo and saw... true peace, a pure and serene expression as he dreamed, a feeling told her deep within her heart that this dragon wasn't lying, this dragon was truly kind and meant neither of them any harm whatsoever.

"But... why did Leo... why did he come here?" Elise asked innocently, looking up at the dragon with curious orbs as she wandered closer, her horse showing no panic nor unease whatsoever as it carried its master closer to the beast. She heard a heavy sigh come from the being, a look of sadness very much evident in its eyes as it stared down at her brother. "I wish I could tell you. But that is not my story, nor my place, to tell. I apologize, Milady."

"Oh, no, that's okay!" She exclaimed, quickly regretting her decision when she saw her brother stir from the sudden noise.

"Ah!" The dragon quickly exclaimed, its eyes widening in shock as its eyes quickly met with Elise's. "Gods, where are my manners? I didn't even tell you my name! I... gods, I hope you can forgive me, Milady."

She could feel the smile coming from her as it bowed its head, managing to be both graceful with its motion and polite at the same time. "My name is (Y/n), and I am but a humble Servant of Naga. Once again, it is the greatest pleasure to finally meet you, Youngest Princess Elise of Nohr."

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AWWW YEEE, GET READY FOR DAT LAPTOP DROP MOFOS, CURSED THIRTEEN IS ALMOST 4000 WORDS LONG, HELLA BOOOOOIIIIII