//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 - Before Birthright 
// Story: Meddling with Fate: Birthright 
// by Spell Writer 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight appeared inside Hoshido’s territory. Well unconscious from the trip that she was forced to undergo. The teleport was primal, unrefined, and battering, as if the magic sending her was told to first compress her, punch all her body several times, and then deposit her in a new world. Compound this from the pain of her transformation, which made her bigger and stronger at the cost of her voice and her precious cutie mark, she would not be waking up anytime soon.

Hours passed since she fell into her world, and a small scouting party has entered Hoshidian lands from Nohr. As tensions are only on the rise and formal war has only been recently declared, the Nohrian siblings were well able to sneak their way into the Oriental Kingdom’s land’s as Leo had felt a large magic power appearing in the area.

Accompanying him is his sister Elise, and his two brothers, Xander and Corrin. The latter of whom they have snuck out of Nohr for an excursion outside of the subterranean city’s walls.

“This is a mistake. Father will punish all of us once we return. How  I ever allowed you two to convince me to let Corrin leave only five days before he was set to go to the Northern Fortress defies my own logic.” Xander exclaims, sighing from his mount. Lightly resting his hand over Siegfried’s scabbard. “And in Hoshido no less. Any closer to their field and we will be defenseless against any guards or parties that are nearby.”

“Relax brother, we will investigate the magic influence here as father commanded and when we bring back whatever it is he will certainly forgive us. I have a sealing tome here incase we need to make a quick exit and we can only snatch the magic.” Leo says in his “high and mighty” voice.

“... uh do you have enough to drain a falcon?” Corrin says, looking over a bush. “Like a real, pure bred, non hoshidian/dark flier falcon. None of that iron horn stuff.”

“A falcon?” Leo quickly hops off his mount. Passing Corrin his iron sword. “Catch, Falcons mean Hoshidians.”

“Huh?” Corrin narrowly catches the sword. And is barely able to lift it. “Leo I haven't practiced with a sword for almost 2 years now! It’s kinda why father is sending me off remember, although thinking about it sneaking out probably just made it way worse…”

“That is what I have been trying to say. This was a bit of a error coming out here. But might as well reap the rewards. True falcons are only supposed to show up during times of troubles, and if she ended up in Hoshidian land, that means they’re getting a serious advantage straight from the divines. Considering this one ended up in Hoshido we must quickly drain it before any Hoshidians appear to reap their rewards from the divines. I will prepare a small perimeter. Corrin, you are with me. I have a bronze sword left over from when we used to practice, even someone who is out of practice can wield one of those with little to no problems.” Tossing the bronze sword to Corrin, the two quickly head off Xander leaving his mount with Leo’s. Leo taking his sword and preparing to work his magic on the comatose Twilight.

Of course, Orochi and her close friend Kagero were hot on the heels of the magic signature too. Corrin and Xander running straight into them. Literally.

“Oof.” They all exclaimed after a moment. Dropping their various weapons on the floor. Aside Kagero who jumps back and Xander who… well is a walking mountain, even off his horse.

“Nohrians!” Exclaimed Kagero

“Hoshidians!” Exclaimed Xander

“Ow my head” Said Corrin and Orochi

Xander and Kagero quickly get into combat positions. The nimble ninja being very hard for the Nohrian prince to hit. (Note: for the purposes of the fight. Consider Xander a Vanguard off his horse) Spryly the ninja constantly jumps around. Throwing her throwing stars left and right with dangerous accuracy. Unfortunately, as it stood, the prince’s armor was more than capable of keeping up after catching his bearings. His dark blade firing out its beams constantly in an attempt to catch his nimble opponent.

Meanwhile, the two that fell backwards are scrambling for their weapons… Corrin found his first and did a decisive hit to the unarmed Orochi. Immediately knocking her back.

“Shit!” Orochi stumbles backwards. Bleeding from her shoulder. “Kagero I gotta get out of here. I won’t make it much longer.”

Of course that momentary distraction of her friend being injured was more than enough of a moment for her to be hit by the blunt force of the beam. Which quickly slams her backwards. Granted it wasn’t enough to force a retreat. But the situation was more than enough. “We must retreat then. But know this we will return with our forces!” Kagero says quickly as they return through the barrier in a rush.

“Good hit Corrin. We better head back to the others. We don’t have time on our side.” Xander quickly double steps back and rushes back to the party with Corrin. “We have to go! Now!”
“Right. I’ve drained the magic we have to go now. Quickly.” Leo says throwing on his cloak and rushing back to his mount.

The small band of royalty quickly run off with their spoils. The Hoshidian Army missing them at the forest, they escape with the book full of Twilight’s leftover magic. The Hoshidian army arrives at Twilight’s grove though. The unconscious alicorn, now Falcon, twitching lightly. The Hoshidian prince, in his red helmet, along with his retainers walk up to Twilight. The prince kneeling down and feeling for a pulse saying. “She’s still alive. Drained, but alive… Damn. We missed the princes and princess… But a natural falcon will turn the tide in our favor even without it’s magic for a couple of decades. Bring the prison transport cage. Line it with some of the furs that we use for camps. We’ll have to make it back to Castle Shirasagi before she wakes up. Although, it seems like that won’t be too much of a problem, we cannot take any chances over that.”

The army quickly gets to work. Being as quick as possible to prepare the transport. They then begin the slow movement of Twilight to the transport. Laying her in the soft padding and closing the cage’s door. But not locking it. She wasn’t a prisoner after all and the divines don’t look too nicely on those that abuse their gifts physically, at least when training isn't involved first. The day’s walk went by without any problems. The barrier around Hoshido keeping out almost everything that isn’t one of Nohr’s faceless abominations.

Twilight however was having a less than restful sleep. Her battered body refusing to wake up in any shapely time her mind an empty void with only itself for company. Nothing was working properly… and her personal terror showed outside. Her breathing sped up quite a bit and she was twitching much more. But the emptiness of her mind had no light in sight. Even as the soldiers moved her to a stable fit for a king’s warhorse she did not wake up. She was exhausted in more ways than one.The battering she took from the travel to this world, along with the exhaustion of being drained, it was clear that she not only needed a cleric, but also someone to be with her. Luckily the Prince had someone quite in mind for this mission.

“We have to bond her to a rider before she wakes. They should be able to calm her down significantly. Hm… someone get both of my sisters. Hinoka has been training to become a pegasus knight for some time now and her bonding ceremony was to be held soon, perhaps our new ally will make a good replacement for the pegasi we lost against the faceless.” Ryoma spoke.

The princesses in question were at the moment, not together. For Sakura was busy helping the sick as she has been doing for years now. Even when she was younger, the young priestess always had a knack for being skilled with a rod. As for the older sister, she was busy practicing with her lance. Her original pegasi of choice had been claimed by another, as she was just graduating from her lessons about pegasi riding and combat, she had no real chance at contesting the bonding of the pegasi with the other soldier who also had a relationship with the pegasi in question. Of course, Hinoka didn’t let the soldier leave without a black eye and a broken arm, but with how powerful rods are, he got it fixed up relatively quickly. Of course, neither princess was expecting to be called over to the stables. Ryoma, of course, could not stay at the stables. He had important work to do and life does not slow down for the weary. A soldier telling them what's going on.

Sakura, listening intently, says after a moment. “I-I’ll see what I can do I guess… I-I’ve never had a chance to heal a Falcon or Pegasi.” The young priestess enters the stable quickly. Carrying her Rod, she quickly begins working on tending and healing Twilight. Due to her not needing to be immediately healed, the priestess puts much more effort in letting some natural healing occur. In the meanwhile, the more hot-headed princess is standing by the doorway watching the falcon quietly.

‘Strong build, seems to be able to take some punishment… And is a wild falcon. This is almost too perfect… But at the same time, such a strong mount. I wouldn’t have any trouble fighting off faceless. I could find Corrin much much easier with her… Hopefully, she’ll trust me enough through training so we really can work together.’ Having made her decision. The princess sits next to the falcon, who is just sleeping now and opens up the beginning of their link. One that could break if they don’t get along well enough. But hopefully, will flourish into something greater and something much more powerful that any one person could ever hope to be a part of.

Nightfall comes shortly afterward. Sakura having to make her way out back to the healing rooms. To assist those that got hurt in the small skirmish between Corrin and Xander. Hinoka, on the other hand, decided to stay behind and watch over her new friend and hopefully long time ally. Tending to the alicorn with some grooming items. “I’ve read legends that Falcons can come in several random colors. But only Sakura ever actually believed in that. She’s quite a nice shade of purple. Very unique… and night time fighting will be a real breeze with her. Although she is a mess. Hopefully, I’ll have some time to wash her off before the ceremony. Then it’s finally training with the actual soldiers.”

Of course, a bond is not something such a magically inclined pony, such as Twilight is unable to sense. But at the moment, she just didn’t care. Having someone close by while she was floating through the abyss that was her mind was more than worth having a bond created between the two. She felt safe and secure, something she hasn’t been able to say that she’s felt in quite a hot minute. The small darkness in her mind filling up with information of her new, magically bonded partner. ‘That… thing. Said I would have to fight to live here. This might be a good mutual way of surviving here. While I hate the idea of helping someone kill another living being, I have to survive and make it home. Maybe, just maybe I can use this to my advantage. After I… well, wake up…’

The night traveled by. Hinoka staying with her new friend. Not going too far away from the sleeping alicorn/falcon and simply making sure that Twilight is comfortable. Taking time to brush her and lightly wash off any dirt that she can see. Of course, nighttime does not last forever, day pushing past the protective stars of the night, revealing a brand new day for the two. Twilight silently watching the sleeping princess next to her. Finally awake.