Strong One

Chapter 1: Corrin's Embrace of the Dark

The war was at it's biggest right now, Mikoto had been killed and Corrin had sided with Nohr. Which Sakura couldn't comprehend why? Why did her own sister side with Nohr? They had taken away her mother. Their mother. She couldn't comprehend why she would fight for the kingdom that made the attack. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, she and Corrin would be a happy family again. Nohr was cruel, King Garon was a tyrant with the thirst for blood, why would Corrin side with him? Why not her real family?

"Hoshido must fall back!" Ryoma yelled, "even if it pains me to do so, we must." Hoshido's forces ran backwards as Nohr didn't follow them again. The pain and silence that Ryoma and Hinoka had was crushing for her the whole way back, Takumi was complaning all the way that he had it all written but no one had paid attention to him. Upon their return to Castle Shirigasi, Ryoma had shut himself way in his quarters not coming out for dinner. Takumi was no where to be seen and Hinoka had spent most of her time in the training grounds more than she did, to the point that Azama began to worry for her. Sakura was left alone in a sense you could say she lost all her family this day.

She went into her room, she cried in silent pain. Her brothers and sisters weren't going to pay any attention to her. She was just a shrine maiden. She wasn't supposed to be in the front lines, it was a harsh truth, her siblings thought she was weak. She knew she could do more, but she was to afraid to do so. She had dreams of Mikoto's death, every night, her mother passing away on her sister's arms, or if she could call her that. She would cry and cry every morning but no one seemed to care, not even her own siblings. Ryoma would shut himself away in his quarters all day neglecting his breakfast and dinner, only coming out for lunch but then rushing to lock himself again. Takumi looked lost with everything either because he had a small chance of hope that Corrin would return to them or he just didn't now how to cope with all this. Hinoka trained all day and night to the point her peagasus would fling her off every morning. Azura seemed different but Sakura could never tell as Azura remained solemn and quiet.

One day, Ryoma had left early, as he raised an army and left, he would be traveling to The Wind Tribe Village to discuss negotiations with the leader of the village. Hinoka still kept training and Takumi wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, Sakura felt like she could have done a little more but her siblings felt like she was just but a timid shrine maiden who needed to be in the back of the line. She knew she was weak and she knew that she would be a easy target if any Nohrian attack happened at the castle. Hana and Subaki came in into her room one night, "Lady Sakura, what is it that is bothering you?" Subaki said, "you have been shutdown here for almost a week." Sakura sniffled, "why did Corrin do this to us?" Sakura said to her retainers. Hana and Subaki looked at each other they didn't know what to say, they personally didn't know Corrin, only through stories heard from the royal family so they didn't know the motives behind her actions. Though they knew she was Hoshidan royalty they still couldn't quite grasp why she sided with them as well.

Hana approached Sakura, "Please don't cry Sak- I mean Lady Sakura. Corrin betrayed us." Sakura looked at her retainer, "but why? All I wanted was to love her and now she is gone. Why did she have to side with the ones that took our mother?" Hana looked at Subaki for support, which Subaki looked at her liege, "Lady Sakura, you must not worry over what Lady Corrin did and must focus on the wounded." Sakura looked down, alas that was all that the people thought she coulld do, "but that is all I'm good at, I can save so little while millions out there are dying." Subaki and Hana looked at one another for third time. They didn't know what to say, to keep the shy princess filled with optimism. And it seemed that what ever they did wasn't going to cheer her up anytime soon. "You must go to dinner Lady Sakura." Subaki said, "I will have Orochi and Yukimura come to make your nights better." Subaki said, he hated seeing her liege cry, while it was easy to make her cry, it was as bad for her to neglect her own self. Hana and Subaki worried for her.