Chapter Twelve, let's do this~!

===================================================

"Leo... he's been gone all night..." Elise whimpered, her arms crossed over her chest in some sort of an attempt at a self hug, while Camilla sat next to her on Leo's bed, the older woman staring off to the side while one of her arms was wrapped tight around Elise's shoulders.

"Indeed..." Camilla whispered, sighing loudly as she suddenly stood up, bringing Elise's attention to her.

"The rope to the balcony..." Camilla muttered, crossing her arms as she made her way to the balcony, looking over the edge and down at the swaying rope. "It is true someone could've come and taken him... but I do not think that to be the case."

"You too?" Elise asked, hopping off of Leo's bed and walking over to stand next to her sister.

"If Leo had been taken, I am certain he would've put up a fight. Yet look at his room. Not a thing is disturbed, other than that keepchest in the corner... no, I do not believe that Leo was taken away against his will."

"So you think he left too... think he ran away... but what from, Camilla?"

Camilla was silent after that question, her arms crossed tightly as she stared off into the distance. After a while of leaving Elise in silence, she let out a small sigh, leaning forward to place her hands on the balcony railing, her fingernails digging into her palms.

"I have my suspicions. But I cannot even begin to fathom on if they're true or not. Perhaps he ran from the war... ran from the stress and pressure of it all. But I doubt that... no, Leo is far too headstrong for that."

"Then what could he have run from, Camilla? I'm..." Elise whined out, throwing her arms onto the balcony railing and sighing as she stared into the distance, an action that got Camilla to stare at her curiously. "... I'm not sure... I can't think of anything that Leo would run from... he's never been so desperate as to run from something before... right?"

Camilla smiled at her little sister, although a short one, before running her fingers through one of her sister's slightly unkempt pigtails. "Elise... my sweet baby sister. I know you've noticed as well."

Elise turned her head in confusion at her sister's words, her eyes widening slightly.

Camilla's eyes directed towards the distance once more, her smile falling. "You and I both know. I'm unaware if Xander knows, but... he ran from us. He ran from his family... we have been horribly broken since..." Camilla fell silent for a few moments. "... since Corrin left us. He ran from our broken state, though it has affected him in many ways as well. I've not been so blind to where I haven't noticed that. But..." Camilla sighed, leaning her elbows against the railing and resting her chin in her palm.

"Which of us he is running from, I am unsure."

What little sunlight there was in Nohr had breached the horizon, now high in the sky and signaling the middle of the day. The children had been waiting patiently for Leo's return after they had discovered his absence, with Xander having gone out after a couple of hours with Camilla to search for him, to no avail.

Something as dire as Leo disappearing couldn't be hidden from their Father. They had to tell him. They couldn't just keep this to themselves.

And that task, unfortunately, fell upon Xander's shoulders.

Xander closed his eyes as he stood in front of the giant doors that lead to the throne room, taking deep breaths as he clenched his fists tightly, trying not to shake with worry over his brother. It was one thing to tell your siblings you were off to go for a walk, but it was something else entirely for one to disappear entirely without so much as a word. Half of the day had passed away and there was still nothing.

Xander had the mind of wishing to simply go out and search for him, high and low, never stopping or even faltering until he found his little brother. But he couldn't... not yet, anyway. Both of Leo's retainers had gone to search for him, and Xander had even sent Peri and Laslow to go search for him. It was something that shouldn't be happening, not in the midst of a war, but he couldn't afford to lose another sibling... no, not another, not after Corrin. Xander absolutely refused.

Wearing a scowl as he opened his eyes, Xander let his fists relax for just a moment before clenching them once more and raising an arm to bang his fist on the door in the form of a knock, rhythmically.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A few moments of silence followed before a booming voice seemed to echo all around him.

"Enter."

Placing both open palms on the doors, he pushed the doors open, not waiting for them to open fully to step inside.

He was quick to make his way to his Father's throne, a clear purpose in his step as he practically stormed along the strip of rug that lead to the throne. His father looked irritated... annoyed at Xander's appearance. Iago was standing next to the throne, the sight of the creature making Xander sick.

When Xander came to a stop in front of the throne, Garon wasted no time in speaking. "What is it, Xander?"

"I'll be blunt with you, Father." Xander started, his voice sounding hoarse and gruff as he spoke. "Leo is gone. He has been missing since late last night. Camilla and I took it upon ourselves to look for him, yet we discovered nothing. Not even a trail that leads to where he could've gone. All we've discovered is a rope that is attached to his balcony railing and thrown over... none of his belongings are gone other than Brynhildr."

"Hmm..." Garon growled to himself, one of his hands clenching into a tight fist. "So yet another one of my children has betrayed me for Hoshido."

"Wha-- excuse me, Father?"

"Xander, listen to me," Garon stated coldly, standing up while Iago just watched with a smirk on his face. "I am of the certain mind that Leo has left our ranks to join Hoshido's as well."

"Father, Leo wouldn't do such a thing!" Xander practically shouted, taking a sudden step forward as a pure glare formed on his features, directed towards his father. "His allegiance and loyalty for Nohr are unbreaking, unfaltering, he wouldn't ever consider going to join Hoshido's ranks! Not to mention he would know it was a suicide mission! Any Hoshidan ally would kill a Nohrian Royal without any second--!"

"Yet the same could've been said for Corrin, and what happened? She is now a commanding officer in Hoshido's army, and under her leadership, their troops are advancing on us fast. I've received word that they are nearing Cheve with no signs of slowing down."

Xander silenced himself at that, his hands curled into fists and his lips drawn back into a snarl, his eyebrows furrowed together to form the most menacing glare he could muster.

Xander didn't believe that for one second. Leo wouldn't ever do that, not to his home country.

"Xander, I have an order for you. When you see Leo, I wish for you to bring him straight to me, so his punishment for betraying his country can commence."

Xander closed his eyes and took a deep breath before looking up at his father, his glare not lightening.

"I refuse." Xander hissed, immediately turning on his heel and heading towards the door, filled with only the intent of leaving.

"What did you just say, Xander?" Garon growled after him, and Xander could feel his piercing eyes on his back.

"You HEARD me, Father!" Xander shouted, quickly twisting around to glare at his father. "Of all the orders you give me, all the lives you had me end, my brother will not be one to add to the damned list!"

Xander turned around again, not waiting for his father's reply, yet not expecting Iago to jump into the conversation.

"So now we have three children who have betrayed their country... truly a shame, Milord Garon."

"Iago..." Xander hissed, halting his leave entirely. "Do not mistake my unwillingness to betray my brother as disloyalty to my country."

He then turned around, staring Iago directly in the eye, and he could've sworn he saw Iago shudder at the gaze.

"Though I may have ended many lives and dreams in my lifetime, know that I took no pleasure in any of them. You, however..."

"I would not mind, no, in fact, I would greatly enjoy adding you to the pile of bodies." Xander growled through gritted teeth, sending a glare towards Iago and his father before turning away and finally leaving the room.

He wasted no time, quickly heading back towards Leo's room, where he knew Camilla and Elise would still be. He passed several servants, maids and butlers alike, all of which gave him odd looks as he scurried down the all.

Practically slamming Leo's bedroom door open, he immediately regretted his sudden entrance due to Camilla and Elise's surprising jump at the sound, both staring at their older brother with wide eyes.

"Xander?" Elise asked quietly, taking one cautious step towards her big brother.

Xander just sighed as he walked towards the two girls, quickly putting both of his hands on the balcony railing as a way to steady himself, tapping his fingers against the stone angrily.

"What did Father say?" Camilla asked, placing a hand of comfort on Xander's shoulder as she stared at him.

Xander didn't reply for a while, his labored, heavy breathing being the only sound to come from him as he glared at the forests that dotted the horizon.

"We need to find Leo before Father does." Xander finally answered, his hands curling into fists at his own words. Both Elise and Camilla exchanged looks at his comment, looking back at their brother with wide eyes.

"What?! B-but why?!" Elise exclaimed, suddenly grabbing Xander's arm tightly, a motion that Xander didn't react to.

"Because Father has labeled Leo as a traitor. Accused him of betraying our country and leaving to join Hoshido's forces. All of us know that Leo would never do such a thing. So we have to find him and convince him to stay away from here before Father finds him and..."

Xander suddenly stopped talking, a look of severe worry overcoming his features.

"And... and does something horrible. Before Father kills him."

"Oh..." Camilla whispered, suddenly planting her hand on the balcony railing and turning away from her siblings, covering her mouth with her other hand as she went deathly pale.

"Oh Gods, please no..." Camilla uttered with a whimper as she finally fell to her knees.

=============================================================

Aaaand chapter twelve, shorter than I planned, but not bad, WOOOOO