Prince Nayoko of Hoshido

I slept uneasily, my dreams filled with two families. Kass was standing next to Xander, shouting at me again. She told me that I was treating the Hoshidans like a new beginning.

A new beginning was never what I'd wanted. Shutting my Nohrian siblings out had always been a conscious choice -- one I could have changed at any time. Camilla would have welcomed my old attitude in an instant. Xander, Kass, and Elise would have followed soon after. Even Leo would have eventually forgiven me.

I'd always known that I was hurting my Nohrian siblings, but the reintroduction of Kass in my life had suddenly turned that blunt knife sharp. I couldn't bring myself to hurt another family, too.

Dawn was breaking when I awoke, and I could hear the castle quietly stirring to life. I rose, unsure of what to do with myself. When not on missions, I'd always followed the same daily routine: get up at the crack of dawn and train for hours before breakfast. But I didn't know where I could train here.

Even dressing seemed to be a problem. Wearing my Nohrian clothing felt wrong. I tried to do it the Hoshidan way -- getting changed behind the screen -- but that felt wrong, too.

Frowning, I crossed to the trunks opposite my bed and opened one. Baggy trousers and loose shirts were nestled inside. I opened the next one, and the next. They were all full.

My heart panged. Mikoto had been so hopeful for us to return that she had been fully prepared. How could I not dress in these clothes now?

Going behind the screen felt more comfortable when I was changing into Hoshidan clothing, and I learned why I had it just as I was finishing. Kaze knocked on the door and came straight in without waiting. Ninjas were not known to be carefree, so I assumed that it was normal Hoshidan practice.

"Prince Nayoko," he said as I stepped out from behind the screen. "Good morning."

"Good morning." I picked up my sword and attached it to my belt awkwardly. I suddenly felt like an impostor.

But Kaze said, "I'm glad you found your new clothes, my lord. I've sent Semyaza to request that Princess Kaiya also dresses in them. It would make Queen Mikoto very happy."

"Semyaza?" I'd heard that name twice now.

"Your other retainer. Queen Mikoto has been training us both for years. So please, if you or Princess Kaiya ever wish for anything, ask. We will help you in whatever way is necessary."

"Thank you. Actually, I was wondering..."

Where the training grounds are.

But I realised that I didn't want to go to a storage area I didn't know, find a practice blade I didn't know, and then train in grounds that I didn't know. That wouldn't help my confused feelings at all.

"Never mind," I said. "I think I'd just like to walk around the castle grounds alone for a while and think."

"As you wish." Kaze bowed and opened the door.

Someone else was standing in the hallway. Long, slim legs were the first things I saw, completely by accident. They were tanned and smooth, encased in nothing at all apart from white armour guarding the shins and a very small pair of shorts.

I realised that I was staring, and my gaze shot up.

The legs belonged to a woman with a heart-shaped face and brown eyes, which were so soft and friendly that I knew she couldn't have noticed my admiration. She dropped to one knee, dark hair brushing over her breastplate. "Prince Nayoko."

"Semyaza?" I hedged.

She rose. "That's correct. I'm honoured to finally meet you."

"Is something the matter, Semyaza?" Kaze looked at Kass' open door. Semyaza actually had one foot in and one foot out of the room.

"Ah, yes." Faint colour rose to her cheeks. "I can't wake Princess Kaiya up."

"You'll have to really shout," I said. "She could sleep through the end of the world. Give her a good shake as well. She won't mind."

"Thank you. My apologies."

"Be kinder to yourself," Kaze said. "You haven't even known your lieges for a day."

"If you want extra advice," I added, "dump ice cold water over her. When we were teenagers, Felicia and Flora always had to use their ice powers so that..."

The words stuck in my throat. Flora had always resented me for my treatment of the others, and as a result, I had been terse with her. She deserved an apology, too.

There were so many people I'd wronged in Nohr.

"I'm going on that walk," I said quickly. "Excuse me."

***

It was a novelty to leave the castle and stroll through long grass and stone paths, the sky bright and blue above me. No one went for a walk along the bridges of Castle Krakenburg unless they were feeling morbid, but this seemed like the sort of place where people would walk all the time.

Yet the grounds were pleasantly quiet. I only passed a few other people, and they all looked as if they were hurrying elsewhere. Each one greeted me with a smile. Some even bowed, having obviously been informed of my lineage. They asked how I was doing and whether I needed anything, their voices bright and cheerful as if to even point me in the right direction would be exciting. It was a world away from life in Nohr.

I followed every path I found, eager to submerge myself. Green bushes bearing pink flowers lined the stone, and I slowed so that I could look at them. This, too, was a novelty. I wished that I knew what exactly they were. Due to the overcast skies in Nohr, our plants were either dark or dead.

I kept my eyes on the flowers as I walked, watching pinks turn to reds, purples, and blues, all the petals reaching joyously towards the sun. I was completely enraptured by them.

Until I heard the singing.

I'd reached a small cluster of trees framing a sparkling lake. A woman was standing on a narrow pier that stretched out into the water, her back to me. Long, blue hair swished over her white dress as she sang sweetly.

Gods, how long had it been since I'd last heard a song? Nohrian warriors were too busy for music, although Kass had always enjoyed singing. Her voice was different to this woman's -- fiery and passionate. I found that I liked both voices equally.

I stepped forwards, disturbing a patch of grass. It was only a quiet noise, but the woman cut off and swung around, her features contorting in surprise.

Interrupting the song felt like a crime. "My apologies. I didn't mean to bother you."

"You must be Prince Nayoko." Her speaking voice was just as soft as her singing one.

"Yes. And you are...?"

"Azura." She came down the pier and stepped off, her bare feet hitting the dirt. "A former princess of Nohr."

"Ryoma mentioned you." I frowned. "But I thought you were one of our siblings. If you're a former princess of Nohr, surely I would have heard of you long ago."

She lowered her gaze. "I'm afraid I've been here for many years. After you and Kaiya were taken by the Nohrians, the Hoshidan forces retaliated. They tried desperately to get you back, but they failed again and again. They did not know where to find you, as King Garon had not made your introduction to the royal family public. So they took me, hoping to arrange for a trade. But he wouldn't do it."

"Gods." My stomach tightened. I hadn't known my blood family had acted in kind, and her situation suddenly felt like my fault. "I'm so sorry."

She raised her head, her expression smooth. "It's all right. I've lived a happy life, and Queen Mikoto treats me as if I am her daughter."

I thought back to Mikoto's sudden onslaught of affection the previous night. "How does it feel? Do you love her?"

"I do." Azura raised her eyebrows. "May I know why you ask?"

"She loves me, but I've only just met her. I don't feel any connection to her at all."

"I understand. If I were to return to Nohr, I suspect I'd feel the same way."

"Do you think you could start over there? Live a new life among strangers?"

Azura frowned. "No. Given the choice, I would prefer to stay here in Hoshido. Queen Mikoto is a peace-loving ruler. King Garon is not."

I couldn't argue with that.

The shrubbery rustled behind me, and a voice rang through the trees. "Nayoko!"

I spun around, my hand falling to my sword. When Ryoma burst into the clearing, I flinched.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"We need both of you in the throne room immediately." He turned on his heel and vanished back into the trees.

I exchanged a concerned look with Azura, and we sprinted after him.

Mikoto -- no, Mother -- Kass, Kaze, Semyaza, and Rinkah were waiting when we reached the throne room. Ryoma stepped up beside the Queen. "We're all here now, Mother. What's happened?"

She was sitting on her throne, her kind face strangely grave. "We are under attack from the north."

"No!" Ryoma's face darkened. "Hinoka and Sakura are in that area!"

"I've been told that they're helping to evacuate the villagers," Mother said. "Hopefully, that means they are all right. But they will need support."

"I'll leave immediately." Ryoma turned to us, his jaw tight. "Nayoko, Kaiya, will you come with me? I could use your help. And I want you to see the truth of Nohr with your own eyes."

Kass bristled, but I could see the cogs turning in her mind. If Nohr was attacking, it was possible that our siblings were on the front lines.

"All right," she said.

Ryoma looked at me.

I nodded. "Of course."

If nothing else, I'd never backed down from a mission.

***

We walked all day. On our own two feet.

I'd never much fancied being in the infantry.

Nohr's army was mainly cavalry and a lot of wyvern riders -- infantry took up an extremely small portion of our troops. But here in Hoshido, there didn't seem to be a cavalry at all. Perhaps the horses were good enough to pull carriages, but not actually fearsome enough to go to war.

My feet weren't used to so much walking, and by the end of the day, every molecule of my skin and every fibre of my muscles ached. I longed for Ambara.

I knew that Kass must be feeling the same pain as me, but she never complained. Instead, she talked with Azura. They got along like a house on fire, and it was easy to understand why. Azura was Nohrian: a taste of home.

As the sun began to set, Ryoma called a halt in a big field. Grass rolled on as far as the eye could see, and I briefly wondered if I was dreaming. I turned around in a slow circle, taking it all in.

A portion of the Hoshidan troops had come with us, and so when we'd put our tents up, we royals didn't really have much to do. I was used to working with my Nohrian platoon as an almost-equal, but the Hoshidan soldiers made a campfire by themselves. Another group of soldiers went hunting for our supper.

Kass, Ryoma, Azura, Semyaza, Kaze, Rinkah, and I sat by the fire to wait. Ryoma's ninja retainers, Kagero and Saizo, joined us.

"How does everything feel today, Kaiya?" Ryoma asked. We'd all been quiet during the march, thinking about the attack, but Kass hadn't even looked at him since the previous night.

She stared deep into the flames. "Confusing."

"It will take a long time for this to sink in," Azura said. "I found it hard to believe my life in Hoshido for months when I was brought here. I thought I would wake up and go back to my old one. Everything's very different to Nohr, isn't it?"

She looked around at the grass, the trees, and the flowers. Then she smiled at me. I felt as if I'd been caught doing something childish, and I looked away.

"Perhaps I should tell you more about your other sisters," Ryoma said. "Sakura is the youngest. She's sixteen, but she's a talented healer. She assists in the medical ward regularly, usually dealing with patients on her own."

I raised my eyebrows, impressed.

Ryoma smiled. "Hinoka is your elder sister. She's a sky knight. Ever since the day you were taken, she's trained hard so that she would be able to rescue you. But we didn't know where you were, and going on a blind mission was always too risky. Mother and I had to stop her from leaving alone several times."

My mouth dried. It was touching that Hinoka had cared so deeply about us, but I hoped that she would understand why the feeling wasn't currently reciprocated.

"Kaiya, you were closest to Takumi and Sakura," Ryoma continued. "You liked to play the role of the nurturing elder sibling and boss them around. Sakura was only a baby, and Takumi looked up to you. He would do anything you said. But, Nayoko, you were Hinoka's best friend and my shadow. You wanted to be just like me. We called you Little Shadow Prince."

Azura burst out laughing, then covered her mouth.

Kass' shoulders began to shake, and she finally looked away from the fire. She caught Azura's eye, and they were both instantly lost to laughter.

"I can't believe --" Kass gasped, "fearsome -- Captain -- Norton..."

Ryoma laughed with them, his eyes teasing as he looked at me. My face flamed, and I ducked my head. But I was smiling.

Even when we'd laughed in Nohr, the atmosphere had never felt like this. With King Garon at its helm, our country was oppressive. Every movement had to be tightly controlled, lest it was frowned upon.

My smile faded. Yes, to step out of line was to give up your life. I'd seen it too many times before. And I'd almost watched it happen to Kass when she'd defended Rinkah and Kaze.

I glanced at my green-haired retainer. Gods, what must he think of me? Kass had saved their lives while I'd just stood there. I would have let them die.

I wondered if Ryoma already knew what had happened. But if that was the case, surely he would have congratulated Kass. He seemed like that sort of man -- the sort who wouldn't hesitate to risk his life over two prisoners.

Or was he? These were Hoshidan prisoners I was thinking of. If they had been Nohrian, would he have reacted the same way? Or would he have shown a darker side I hadn't yet seen?

Only one day had passed. I hardly knew my blood family. I didn't know what they would have done.

And, no matter the answer, I didn't know if I really belonged.