Split Kingdoms | Fire Emblem Fates (Novelization)

Chapter 4: Do or Die

Princess Kassandra of Nohr

I went to my new room after we'd freed the prisoners, hoping to catch some extra sleep, but I had too much on my mind to close my eyes. How could I even begin to digest all that I'd seen?

Father had looked every bit the ferocious king I'd imagined him to be. And after all the blood, sweat, and tears I'd spilled for him, I should have known better than to be surprised when he'd acted like a tyrant. But I had been.

Then there was Norton. I hadn't known he would be in the castle -- Xander had warned me that my blood brother was entrusted more missions than the rest of the family put together. Yet it had not been the case this time, and of all the reactions he could have given, he'd looked furious to find me standing in the throne room. Did he think this world belonged to him alone?

Where had the brother I'd once known and loved gone?

I sighed and turned over, finally closing my eyes. But it seemed like I'd only been asleep for a few minutes before I heard someone knocking on the door.

"Kass!" Elise called. "Wakey, wakey! Can I come in?"

I sat up and groaned. "It's so early."

She took that as consent and opened the door, bright-eyed and immaculate. "Come on, sleepy head! This isn't early when you live in Castle Krakenburg!"

I groaned again and sank back onto my pillows.

"Kass, this is important." She trotted up to me. "Father's gone into the throne room, and that means he'll be free to talk. We should go and apologise now, before he gets busy!"

"Apologise?"

"Yeah! You know, for what you did yesterday. Father doesn't take well to disobedience. The sooner you apologise, the better!"

I frowned. "Elise, I could never apologise for saving those prisoners. To slaughter them when they were defeated was wrong."

Her face fell. "But you don't know what Father's like, Kass. Please -- will you apologise to him for me? You don't have to mean it."

She looked so upset that I knew I couldn't refuse. "Fine. Could you summon Felicia to help me dress?"

"Sure! Right away! I'll meet you outside the throne room!" She skipped out the door.

I flung my covers aside and forced myself to leave the comfort of my four-poster bed. My room was just as dark as the one in the Northern Fortress, but it was much bigger and much emptier. No clutter was strewn across the floor, and the big trunk in the corner was not even half full. Most of my clothes would arrive sometime in the week by baggage train.

Felicia had unpacked what luggage I had while I'd been in the throne room last night, so a handful of my personal effects were tucked away in the chest of drawers. I opened and closed each one, checking their new placement. I hadn't packed much: some books, my sheet music, and a few sentimental knickknacks.