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Every day as a commander was hard, but it was a labor of love. Nothing brought Corrin more joy than watching former enemies break bread together, and knowing she was the one who made it happen. She would give anything to see them through to victory, even her own life and wellbeing.
But there were days that were worse than others, when her resolve began to slip and she wondered if she was strong enough to lead them to the end. Days when they fought hard all morning and then held strategy meetings long into the night, tempers flaring and voices raised as old wounds stirred up conflict between the ranks. Days when Corrin became so exhausted that she had to bite back tears at the slightest provocation, and all she wanted to do was go back to her mountain fortress and hide in her old room until it was over.
There was a time she came so close to breaking that she took Xander aside and practically begged him to take over for her, to finish what she could not. He had spent his life training for this role, surely he could fulfill it better than a naive shut-in who had only recently begun to understand the world. But he had smiled gently and brushed the tears from her cheek, telling her “I will always be here for you, little princess, but this is something only you can do. You are the one that everyone has placed their trust in. I know you, you will not fail.”
Corrin clung to those words, but they did nothing to combat the ache in her limbs as she dragged herself to her room at the end of the night. She briefly considered simply lying down in the middle of the courtyard, but there were several people she knew for certain who would fuss over her for days if they found her passed out there. Alas, she would have to soldier on.
Not for the first time, Corrin wondered why she had thought it was a good idea to make herself a treehouse. She supposed at the time it had sounded fun, but now she stared at the ladder up to her door with the same disdain as if it were the Eternal Stairway. With a resigned sigh, she slowly began to claw her way to the top.
An eternity later she finally stepped into her room, mood sour. She tried to slam the door behind her, but she had so little strength left that it ended up swinging slowly shut before latching with a soft click.
“Stupid door,” she muttered to herself before turning her tired eyes to her bed.
Corrin's frustration melted away as her gaze fell on the figure already asleep in her bed. Their bed, she reminded herself. Shigure was facing her, but strands of soft blue hair obscured most of his features from view. If she was still, she could see the gentle rise and fall of his body in time with his breathing. Her heart swelled with affection, pushing out the last bits of negativity that tugged at her weary mind.
Mustering up her last bit of energy, Corrin stripped down to her smallclothes before crawling into bed, curling up against her sleeping husband. She pressed her face into his chest, breathing in a scent that increasingly made her think of home.
Shigure stirred at the contact, adjusting his arm so he could run his fingers down her spine. She responded with a pleased “mmm” as he caressed the bare skin, causing her to shiver.
“Are you all right, love?” His voice was heavy with sleep. “You’re so pale. Are you ill?”
“Just tired,” she mumbled, voice barely audible. “Long day.”
He kissed the top of her head, hand continuing to trace patterns along her back.
“It’s over now. Rest as long as you need.”
She did not need any more encouragement before falling into a peaceful slumber.
---
Corrin awoke to the soft humming of a familiar tune. She was still encased in Shigure’s warmth, and it was with some reluctance that she pulled away to look at him. He smiled, golden eyes shining with fondness.
“Good morning, love,” he crooned, “Are you feeling better?”
Her mind was still sluggish, but Corrin was already beginning to feel a bit silly about her near breakdown the night before. She was thankful so few had witnessed it.
“Much,” she replied with a smile. She noticed then that there was an awful lot of light streaming through the window; it looked to be almost midday. “How long was I asleep?”
“A long time.” Shigure brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “And you were so still. I was beginning to worry.”
“And no one came looking for me?” Most mornings she had barely left her room before she was surrounded by people who wanted something or another from her. She found it difficult to believe she had been allowed to sleep in.
“None. Perhaps they knew you needed the rest.”
“Hmm.” She rolled onto her back, arm tingling as it was finally released from under her weight. She opened and closed her hand to try and regain feeling in her fingers. “Wait, have you been... lying here the whole time?”
“Yes. I know how you hate waking up to an empty bed.” He furrowed his brow. “Besides, you seemed unwell. I wanted to be sure I was here if you needed me.”
Corrin was flooded with fondness over his consideration for her. If she loved him any more she was certain her heart would burst.
“You are too sweet.” She kissed him softly, trying to convey as much of her love as she could in that brief meeting of their lips. “But I'm fine, I promise.”
His smile returned, broader than before. “I trust you. But please, take care of yourself. No one would benefit from you falling ill.”
She pushed on his shoulder playfully. “Why would I need to take care of myself when I have you to do it for me?”
He caught her hand in his and kissed her palm. “I can't be with you all the time, as much as I would love to be.”
She kissed him again, longer this time, and a familiar heat rose inside her as he pulled her close, pressing his body against hers. He whimpered as she pushed her tongue into his mouth, the sound making her shudder. His hand was splayed against her back, his grip more urgent.
After a dizzying handful of seconds Shigure pulled away, panting slightly. His eyes were half-lidded and dark with longing.
“Did you want to…?” His cheeks were burning and she could feel his heart racing. He was struggling to say it, but she didn't need him to.
“Yes.”
Corrin giggled at the suddenness with which he moved, rolling her onto her back and propping himself above her, hands gripping the sheets on either side of her head.
She easily slipped free of her smallclothes, Shigure watching her with an intensity that set her blood on fire.
“You are so beautiful.” His voice was thick and his breath caught in his throat.
Corrin was sure she was blushing, but her whole body was so warm she doubted he could tell. She tugged on his nightshirt, breaking him from his trance long enough for him to remember to slip off his own garments. When he was done she ran her hands along his chest, marveling at the heat of his skin and the fast pace of his heartbeat.
Shigure titled her chin up slightly so he could look into her eyes, and she thought her heart might stop at the look of pure adoration he graced her with.
“Are you ready?” His voice was low, practically a whisper.
She nodded, words failing her.
Shigure was a very careful lover, frequently checking to ensure that she was comfortable and happy. Corrin whispered gentle assurances and he rewarded her with small gasps and whines that set her pulse racing.
When she knew he was close she pulled him down toward her, pressing her lips to his ear before whispering breathlessly, urgently, “I love you.”
He let out a strangled cry and shuddered against her, pressing his forehead to hers as he lost himself to the sensation.
As soon as Shigure recovered his senses he collapsed onto the bed beside her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. “I love you, too,” he said with a contented sigh, his voice slowly returned to normal. “I cannot imagine my life without you.”
Corrin laughed lightly and ran her fingers through his hair. “It’s a good thing you don’t need to.”