A/N: Y'all are teases, you know. Making a girl stare at the 99 on her review count, waiting for it to tick up to 100 :P But in all seriousness, thank you so much for your support, and your patience in waiting for this chapter.

Socail: No, they definitely mean Azura. Corrin they at least feel grateful to for killing Anankos, Lilith they hate. As for the "she's marrying him" thing…they assume she doesn't know and is some poor victim bamboozled into it.

Cirex-Review: Ding-ding-ding! That's right, she's one of Anankos's spies. I don't even mind revealing it since it's not a big twist, like some things I have planned...

Galator: She chose to speak with him then because she actually is a "commoner", and as such has limited opportunities to interact with a noble. Why else would it take her a few months to even start gathering allies?

"How much longer will you be able to stay?" Azura asks her sisters, three days after Corrin's coronation. They're gathered in the parlor, the open window allowing sunshine and a light breeze to freshen the room. Felicia had brought in some cushions for them all to sit on, a compromise between Nohrian chairs and Hoshidan floors, and a low table with a tea pot and a plate of rapidly-disappearing cookies sits between them.

Sakura shrugs, eyelashes fluttering shyly as she carefully sips her tea. "A few more days, I should think. It's been a bit of a long trip. K-King Xander and Ryoma left their castles in able hands, so Leo said it shouldn't be a problem to sp-spare a little time to recover."

"Leo, hmm?" she teases, smiling. "When did you start referring to him by his first name?"

As Sakura blushes and flusters, Hinoka rolls her eyes, used to the sibling antics. "Lay off her, Azura. She's got a crush, haven't we all had them?"

"I-It's not a cr-crush!"

"Clearly not; my brother must return the sentiment to allow you to drop the title," Camilla remarks, her own mouth twisting upwards mischievously.

"And if he ever does anything uncouth, let me know and I'll give him a piece of my mind, prince or not," Hinoka adds, unable to pretend to have a serious face any more.

"You're awful! C-Can't you go tease Elise about herrelationship with Ryoma instead?"

"Hey, what'd I do?" the blonde protests, pouting.

Azura chuckles; it's nice to see her sisters again. She had a bit of a rocky start with Elise, and she and Camilla never got the chance to really talk during the war, so it makes her value the time together even more. Privately she hopes things work out between Sakura and Leo, and Elise and Ryoma, although she's skeptical; the populaces could either see a relationship between Hoshidan and Nohrian royalty as a beacon of unity and hope, or a deep betrayal. And that would affect how much unrest Xander and Ryoma had to deal with—the worst case being suppressing revolts. Doubtless her sisters have reached the same conclusion, and the teasing is simply a way to laugh the deeper political implications off.

She's fending Elise off from stealing one of her cookies when Mozu enters with barely a knock. "Lady Azura, I—oh!" She stops short, face growing red as the other princesses turn to her, realizing the social faux pas she just made. "I—I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were entertaining guests."

"It's fine, Mozu. What did you want?" Elise takes advantage of her distraction by snatching the snack off her plate; Azura rolls her eyes at her.

"Oh, I just wanted to return the book you loaned me." The farm girl holds it up as if a testament to her intentions, shivering. "Gods, it was terrifying! But pretty good at the same time. I almost screamed at the part with the dungeon full of corpses and brainwashed shapeshifters. Poor things."

She remembers that part. It had left her unable to sleep that night, delightfully frightening as shivers crawled up and down her spine. "Haha, yes, I reacted the same my first time reading it. I'm not done with yours, sorry."

"Oh, no, that's fine. Felicia's not finished either. You just take your time and bring it back…whenever, really."

With that, Mozu places the book next to Azura, apologizes again for the interruption, and scurries off.

"You know, I can't believe I never asked this before," Camilla comments, watching the brunette go, "but what does she do around here? And I mean that in the nicest way possible."

"Odd jobs, I believe." Azura frowns, trying to recollect any memories she has of seeing Mozu work. "She particularly likes helping out in the gardens and kitchens—there's no farmland within easy reaching distance. Recently, since Lady Chalon came up, she's been taking some lessons on how to be a noble—etiquette and managing expenses and things."

"But she doesn't have an actual job?" Camilla clarifies, sipping her tea.

"…No."

"M-Maybe you could hire her on as a retainer?" Sakura suggests. "You two s-seem to get along, and you are royalty. You should h-have at least one."

It's a strange thought to Azura, but not a bad idea. She's not surprised it hadn't occurred to her—she hadn't been old enough to have retainers in Nohr, and in Hoshido she'd been a glorified political prisoner. Prisoners didn't get retainers. Even if they had, there would have been very few she would have trusted to guard over her.

"It would probably make her feel better," Azura muses, almost to herself, "She mentioned a few days ago that she hates feeling useless."

"So run it by her!" Elise says brightly.

"Yes, I think I will. Thank you."

And so she does, the next day.

Mozu gapes at her, mouth reminiscent of a fish's, hands halting in their nervous wringing. "Y-Your retainer? Me?"

"Yes." Azura folds her hands on her lap. "You're a fine soldier, and I…enjoy your company, which is more than I can say for most."

She'd caught Mozu on her way back from her daily appointments with Lady Chalon, and pulled her into the same parlor as yesterday. Rather than just jumping to the purpose of her meeting, as she once would have, Azura had tried to get Mozu to relax by engaging in small-talk—she was getting better at it, she felt a bit proud to say.

Though not good enough to naturally lead into it, judging by how it had completely blindsided Mozu.

"L-Lady Azura, I'm very honored, but…w-would I even have time for that? I'm already frazzled trying to learn all the ins and outs of nobility…"

"You won't have to guard me every hour of every day; Kaze and Silas don't trail Corrin everywhere, after all. Just during battle, ceremonies, and when I'm out in public." She paused. "Which probably won't be too often, so really, you're getting off easy."

Her attempt at humor works; Mozu chuckles softly. Azura continues, "Other than that, you'll probably be given missions I can't trust to anyone else—anything from running errands to holding an investigation. You'll also share some duties with the servants, such as fetching my meals or folding clothes. That's it, really."

Having all her potential duties listed out before her seems to calm Mozu down, oddly, and her expression turns thoughtful, one finger tapping her mouth absently.

"Well, I was kind of looking for…a sign, or something, about what I should do. Praying to the gods and all that. And now you come along and drop this in my lap…" She shakes her head, brown eyes filled with wonder. "Me, an official royal retainer. Wow. I never thought someone like me would even be offered such an honor. How could I refuse? I—thank you, Lady Azura. I'll do my best to serve you well."

The songstress smiles at her encouragingly. "If you work half as diligently as you did in the war, I have no doubt you will."

Mozu nods. Shifts her weight. Then blurts out, "So, um, is there some ceremony of something?"

"In Hoshido, I believe you simply have to swear your service to the liege, who could accept or refuse as they saw fit. If it was in private, it would be made public knowledge later, and that was it. I don't know if that's the same in Nohr and Valla, but as you have Hoshidan origins, and I was raised Hoshidan, it should suffice."

"Okay…" Mozu nods, seemingly taking a few moments to gather her thoughts. Then, taking a deep breath, she takes a knee and recites, "I, Mozu of the former Komura village, vow to protect you with my life. I'll, um, guard you as though you were my own kin, and I shall never betray my oath to you." She peeks up. "Was that okay? I don't know the formal oath..."

"It was fine," Azura reassures her. She'd brought her lance with her in anticipation of this, so she touches the brunette's shoulder with it. "I accept your vow of service. You may rise."

Mozu does, smoothing out her skirts, and the princess adds, "Congratulations."

"Thanks!" The freckled girl giggles. "Would it be big-headed of me to whip up a celebratory meal?"

Azura cracks a smile. "I think you could be forgiven."

In the past year and a half, Corrin has faced many trials—being forced to choose between two families he loves, being pronounced a traitor when he refused, trying to figure out how to stop Anankos when he couldn't tell anyone about him. He has battled armies, monsters, undead, his own parents, and slain a god. Learned the painful truth of his heritage and done more paperwork than he can count.

Sometimes, he thinks dealing with all that was easier than holding court.

The man before him, a Nohrian lord in a rich green doublet, is stabbing a finger furiously at the Hoshidan woman next to him, finishing up his summation of whatever quarrel they have. His furious features match the sneering expression on her face perfectly. "And then this—this Hoshidan scum refused to pay me proper respect!"

"Me? My king, please don't listen to this fool—it was he who disrespected me! Not only that, he threatened me as well!"

"Threatened? I was trying to meet your gaze and you averted it! That's far more suspicious!"

The pair are, he recalls, a baron and the widowed wife of a daimyo, whose proximity to Elysium, heritage, and similar fields of business quickly birthed a rivalry. Their status is the only reason they're even able to bring a small matter like this all the way up to him, instead of to a local constable. That and their inflated sense of self-importance.

It's probably not a good sign that he's getting mentally snarky, and he forces himself to exhale. Snapping at them won't do any good.

Corrin rubs his forehead, trying not to slouch in his throne—he's already been here for five hours, and he still has several more to go. "Lord Varius, she wasn't trying to insult you by not looking into your eyes," he says, working to keep the exasperation out of his voice. "Hoshidans consider extended eye contact rude. And he wasn't trying to offend you by trying to hold your gaze, Lady Shizuka; Nohrians consider it disrespectful not to meet ones' eyes."

He understands the cross-cultural confusion—he'd gone through it himself, his first time in Hoshido—but this is a simple problem that could have been solved if they'd just talked to each other, instead of bringing it to him. This isn't even the first case today, and probably not the last either.

Perhaps he should have someone write up a memo about Hoshidan and Nohrian cultural differences and nail it to every door in every city in Valla, just so his citizens stop having communication breakdowns. Would that be too direct? Probably.

Chastised, the pair move on, and the next attendant steps forward. "Your Majesty!" This time it's a portly woman in the priestly robes of a shrine maiden. "As you know, for some time people have been congregating by the statues of the Dusk and Dawn Dragons to worship. But which would you have Valla officially follow, and how long until we can expect proper places to pray at?"

Now there's a good, real question. "We won't have an official religion; people can worship whichever one they want," he answers firmly. Nohr had worked like that, kind of—Garon had made Anankos the "official" god, but it was an open secret that many still worshipped the Dusk Dragon. He himself had grown up doing so, having little idea of Anankos's existence at all in his sequestered fortress. "I am putting aside money for churches and shrines to be built, rest assured; I estimate we can have one of each constructed in a year."

The shrine maiden purses her lips, apparently unhappy at having to tolerate Nohrian religion, but bows out gracefully. After that, he turns down the burgeoning petition to have Lilith punished, approves a request to restore noble status to a Vallite family, handles several more cases of cultural misalignment, and answers dozens of questions and concerns about almost any subject he can imagine, from agriculture to commerce to education to infrastructure. Several hours later, the court is finally closed, dispersing with quiet murmurs, and he rises from the throne, popping his back with a grimace.

As far as he can tell, the nobles tolerate him. They aren't fond of him, but he hasn't yet done anything to anger them, either. Not everyone has been so difficult—he'd had a pleasant meeting with that ambassador from Nestra a few days after his coronation, before seeing him off, and the Vallites are always happy to see him. But it's still taxing, even for someone with his usual charisma.

With an exhale, Corrin turns and jumps as Kaze appears almost literally out of thin air. "Gah! Gods, Kaze, someone needs to put a bell on you."

"My apologies, Lord Corrin," his retainer responds, bowing. "I will endeavor to make my appearances less sudden in the future. How was court?"

He sighs. "Trying—I'm still not used to the bull-headed nobles or the bombardment of inquiries. How badly do you think the nobles would react if I raised their taxes?"

"In my experience, people always react terribly to paying more."

"Well, the entire area from Yamamoto to Hikawa Bridge was damaged in the war, I have Hoshidan citizens demanding Nohrian ones pay for it, and I can't think of a faster way to raise money for repairs. I've spoken with Azura, Camilla and Hinoka about it, and they can't think of anything, either."

"Then I suggest you brace yourself for backlash, and try to find ways to win back the favor you'll lose. In any case, I have for you the weekly summary of reports from my spies."

Corrin takes the papers with relief. Unfortunately, he'd gotten very few ninja from Hoshido, and so Kaze had been made his spymaster. It wasn't a designated position, but a vital one, and he could think of no one better for the job. He doesn't have many spies, but the information they bring in is useful. Word of his nobles' alliances, marriages, incomes, armies, it's all important in reading them in court. There's also the flipside, the spies looking into the darker side of Valla, the underbelly, keeping their ears open for unrest or unusual activity. Though it's too early for conspiracies, he hopes.

"Good job, Kaze," he smiles. "Though I wish you wouldn't encode these. Ninja cant is hard to decipher…"

Kaze's lips twitch, his usual formal mask slipping a bit to let his playful side through. "Consider it an incentive to learn it yourself. Actually, I think it would be useful for you and Lady Azura to know at least the basics, in case either of you ever needed to send an encoded message yourselves."

"I suppose that makes sense." Gunter would have recommended he learn it as well.

The thought of his old mentor—the closest he had to a real father—causes his chest to tighten painfully. He'd honestly thought he would be able to convince Gunter to stay, and that everything would be alright. But Gunter had had a point: just because he's accepted things, doesn't mean others will, nor can he force them to. Isn't he living that daily, now, with the Hoshidans and Nohrians of his country barely able to stand each other? It had been the knight's final lesson.

Corrin turns to his friend. "In fact, how about we do that right now? I don't think I have anything scheduled for the rest of today, and I could use a distraction."

Jiro wrinkles his nose as he steps gingerly through the streets of Fujisaka, one of the largest towns in his jurisdiction, careful not to catch the hem of his hakama against the mud puddles from last night's rain. Large towns usually mean messy, smelly towns, and despite Fujisaka's pretty location near flower fields, it has its share of ugliness. Especially the red light district he's currently traversing through, where the roads are grimy and thugs lurk. Only the presence of his escort keeps them from attacking him, he's certain.

He counts buildings quietly until he finds the one he's looking for, situated on the corner of the street with its tiled roof and yellow walls. Jiro peers up at the sign—The Merrymakers—and smiles. "I do love places like these," he says to himself, and indicating for his guards to wait outside slides open the door. Partially for the business, of course, but also partially because it's a good place to meet—all sorts of people visit brothels, so no one thinks twice of a noble and commoner passing by inside.

The interior is warm and cozy, with soft lighting and Hoshidan furnishing. Double, twining staircases lead to a second floor. Were it not for the perfumed, brightly-clothed men and women lounging about, it could have been mistaken for nothing but a nice inn. As is, while the courtesans are a treat for the eyes, they're not what he's here for…today, at least.

He takes the stairs, finds the room number designated on the card, and enters.

"Hello, Lord Jiro," Laurel greets from her foreign, cross-legged position on the tatami mat. It's their third meeting in person since the coronation four months ago, and thus far all he's gotten out of her is her name. The bespectacled woman is a friend of the owner, or so she claims, and that's how she was able to get usage of this room.

She wastes no time in getting straight to business. "Is your servant in place?"

"Yes," he says. "Do you have…?"

She takes out a small leather pouch and hands it to him before he can finish speaking. He weighs it carefully; it's so deceptively light. So harmless at a glance. Even what's tucked inside doesn't look like it could bring down a king.

"I'm impressed," he admits, "When you suggested this, I didn't think you could get your hands on it."

Laurel smiles her bird-of-prey smile and adjusts her glasses. "Nestra's queen may be willing to forgive Valla, but there are always a select few with a grudge, and I have my share of connections. It took a bit of time, but it's only a matter of finding the right person."

He nods; he himself has been carefully perusing his contacts, fellow nobles and trade partners, assessing which of them he can trust to back him when the time comes for his own personal bid for the throne.

Normally that would be it, but there's been a question weighing on him lately. "Before we leave, I want you to answer something for me," he says bluntly.

Laurel raises an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Who are you, really? You have this secret knowledge that our king is fathered by Anankos—" part of him still can't believe they aren't using that against him, but she'd pointed out that assassination was faster than a smear campaign, "contacts in Nestra, and unlike most of the Vallites here, you aren't lapping at his feet. I'm no fool; you have a secret. And unless you tell me what it is—"

"You'll leave?" She sounds amused. "Give up on your ambitions of overthrowing the king? Lord Jiro, don't bluff with an empty hand. You don't need to know my past to work with me."

"Yes, but I need to know—" He stops, glaring. I need to know if you'll pose a problem when it's my turn to rule. After all, she'd hinted that she wanted Princess Azura on the throne; would she try to assassinate him, too, if she found out he thought differently?

Laurel cocks her head owlishly. "Here is what I will tell you," she finally says. "Dragons are not humans. They can look it, but they are not. And when dragons rule humans, it doesn't end well. I've seen that first hand. I want to save Valla from once again being ruled by a dragon. That's all I'm after. My past has no bearing on this, and it won't endanger you, for the duration of our alliance or after."

Jiro exhales slowly. "Very well. Have your secrets; just don't expect me to give you any of mine." Quietly, he decides to have his own men investigate her, if they can. She's a commoner, but surely there's a record somewhere of her history. At the very least the other former slaves may know of her.

Nestor leans back and examines his work with a critical eye. Wood carving used to be a hobby of his, before Anankos usurped the throne. After—well, spending your daylight hours repairing or forging weapons for his army and your evening hours shivering in the open wilderness didn't leave a lot of free time. But he's slowly been trying to resume the practice. It helps keep the memories away, he finds.

He sets the little wooden bird aside, smiling, when footsteps echo behind him, in a gait he knows all too well. The old man turns, one hand automatically going to the carving knife, an ingrained response. It's her, Anankos's daughter, standing in the open doorway to his room with her gaze low and hands clasped. Her body posture and expression scream meekness, contriteness, but he knows better than to be fooled.

Nestor scowls. "What do you want?"

Her eyes stay down. "Only to say I'm sorry for what I did….and to ask a question."

The audacity—his grip tightens on his knife, and he forces himself to put it down. Lord Corrin had explicitly forbade anyone from harming her, and he doesn't trust himself to hold it and not attack her. "Do you expect that to make me forgive you? For that to erase the years of pain and slavery under your father's rule? To erase how you partook in our torment?"

His back can still feel the sting of the whip against it, cracking sharp as her spiteful voice snapped at them to work faster. She hadn't always overseen them—most of the time it had been some undead abomination—but when she did, she was very thorough. And cruel. Sometimes they didn't even have to do anything wrong to earn her ire—sometimes she just wanted to see them afraid.

He's only grateful his family had already been dead before Anankos invaded, so that they'd been spared that. And given how none of them had been combatants, it was unlikely Anankos would have raised them. He lets that comfort him when he wakes up from the nightmares.

"No, I don't." She lifts her gaze to meet his evenly. "What I did was terrible; I abused the power I held over the slaves. I took my anger and hurt out on you all, because it was convenient. It was wrong of me, and I just wanted you to know that I am sorry."

So it sounds like the rumors are true. He's heard some of the other Vallite servants whisper of how she had been going around, personally apologizing to every single person she's wronged and trying to make it up to them. No wonder it's taking her months. It's admirable, but... "Even so, I cannot forgive you. I don't know if I can ever forgive you. So please, do us both a favor and stay away from me."

She quietly nods. "I will, after this. Will you answer my question for me, though?"

He sighs. "What is it?"

"Do you blame Lord Corrin for my crimes?" Her gold eyes bore into his, their unnerving cat-eye pupils highlighting just how inhuman she is. "Some would say that by taking me under his wing, he's claiming responsibility for them himself."

Nestor shakes his head vehemently. "No. He has done nothing but good for Valla, and he's proven himself to be an able leader. More than that…" His fist clenches, remembering the suspicion he'd felt when the white-haired man had first pushed through the bushes; the fear that this was some cruel jape; then the relief when he realized they were free. "He saved us. Even if I weren't sworn to his service, I would be loyal to him for the rest of my life for that."

"And my father's crimes? As king of Valla, he inherited the fallout for them."

What's the purpose of such a question? "The answer is still no."

She smiles, softly. "So you don't blame him for my crimes or Anankos's. That's good..." Bowing, she says, "Thank you for assuaging my worries. And again, I'm sorry for everything."

"Just go," he mumbles, suddenly tired, and she does.

"Are you feeling alright?" Azura asks as Corrin leads her down the castle's halls, his larger hand warm in her own. It's been only a week since his decision to raise the noble's taxes, and the recent uproar over it has caused him to look stressed and wane of late. Between that and his encounter with Gunter before that, she's been concerned about him.

Corrin gives her a tight, sad smile. "No. But I will be."

Azura nods, and follows him the rest of the way in silence. She's not sure what would warrant Corrin taking an early leave of his duties, as he has today, just to spend time with her. But if there's anything she can do to comfort him, she will.

They start climbing the stairs, and she recognizes the turns they're taking as leading to his private quarters. In a few minutes, they arrive; he holds open the door for her. She steps inside and her eyes immediately go to the newest addition. "Corrin, what is that?"

There, along the east wall of the solar, is a grand piano. Corrin runs a hand along the top of it lovingly and gives her a hopeful smile. "This is the piano I had back in the Northern Fortress. I had to learn to play an instrument as part of my education, and this is what I chose. I asked Xander if he could have it delivered here—it actually came in a while ago, but I spent a bit of time brushing up on my skills. S-so I was wondering…maybe we could do a duet?"

Azura takes the sheet music and flips through it with a critical eye. It's a sappy Nohrian love song, one she's heard of but never sang, and that makes her a bit leery. She hasn't had time to warm up or practice at all, either. But Corrin knows her range well—the notes are pretty much perfect for her—and the thought of performing with him is a nice one. It's unusually spontaneous of her, but she gives her agreement.

The way his face lights up makes her glad she did. Corrin takes a seat at the piano, removing his gloves and setting them aside to rest his fingers against the keys. Azura silently moves to stand by it, leaning over his shoulder to read.

The albino starts playing, the notes light and cheerful. He plays the piano beautifully, Azura idly notes, although his shoulders are tense. She waits for her entrance, then breaks into melodic verse: "Once when the land was green and new/There was a knight of home and hearth and prayer/though none he loved more than his maiden fair…"

Minutes melt away as she loses herself in the music, in the chimes of the piano and the crests and descents of the notes. The act of singing has always been her greatest joy, this, and it is made all the more enjoyable by the fact she can share it with Corrin.

She flips the last page for Corrin and finishes the song, "And he said to his love, 'But oh!/The happiest man on the continent I would be/if you would simply marry me…"

The final note is a long one, a fermata that she chooses to hold for eight breaths, extending past the piano's last soft sigh. Her eyes involuntarily slide shut, feeling the note resonate throughout her heart and soul. When it dies, she feels briefly revitalized, in a way that has nothing to do with the usual magic of her songs and everything to do with her passion for this art.

Azura opens her eyes, smiling. "That was lovel—Corrin?"

Corrin is down on one knee before her, a ring in his hand, and oh. Oh. The word 'breathless' must have been created specifically for moments like this, as all the air leaves Azura's lungs in a quiet little gasp. Her hands move to cover her mouth without her permission.

He swallows, visibly nervous, then in a rush begins, "Azura, I love you. I, um, I really wanted to write a song for you, but I don't know how to sing or songwrite and I didn't want to mess up, so I decided to go with my strengths. I decided to dedicate the most romantic song in Nohr to the most beautiful, wonderful woman in the world. And even then, the feelings in that song are only a fraction of my feelings for you. Will you honor me by marrying me? Will you give me with the chance to learn to sing with you, so we can write the next verse of life's song together?"

She giggles, wondering if it's possible to just float away in happiness. "Oh my gods, yes! Yes, yes, a thousand times yes, Corrin! I love you!"

He exhales hugely and takes her hand, somewhat shakily sliding the engagement ring onto her finger. "Oh thank the gods. I was afraid that it was too sappy or—"

"It was perfect," she interrupts, smiling wider than she possibly has in her entire life. "Get up here."

And as he obligingly rises, moving in to kiss her deeply, Azura catches the light winking on her new ring, and smiles.

A/N: Thank you Saizo/Setsuna support for giving me information on what retainers actually do when they aren't protecting their lord in battle.

Also, yeah, Ryoma/Elise is a thing here, for a few reasons: notably that he needs a Nohrian bride for a later plot point, and I genuinely liked his supports with Elise. Definitely more than with Camilla. I don't really mind the age difference since the game makes it clear that, by their standards, she's an adult, though I'm aware some people might be uncomfortable with it. So nothing will come of it until she's at least sixteen, which is the modern-day age of consent in most places and hopefully an age most of us will be comfortable with. I would push it back to eighteen, but for story reasons that can't happen.

Song lyrics are the end were written by me, I didn't steal them from anyone, and please don't ask me for the rest because somehow writing songs is harder than writing a novella fanfic.

Name meanings:

Mountain laurel is a flower, as you probably know. What you probably don't know is that laurel is a poisonous flower. And in ancient Greek society, the leaves of a laurel tree were also used to crown a victor. It's the exact sort of dual symbolism I adore.

Yamamoto translates to "base of the mountain". It, and the below, are not places in Fates, but places I created for the purposes of the fic—in this case a village. Geographically, you can probably tell that it's near the Bottomless Canyon.

Hikawa translates to "red river". Useless bit of worldbuilding trivia: it earned the name because of a huge battle that took place long ago, with casualties so high the river ran red with blood for days.

Fujisaka translates to "wisteria slope".

Komura is literally "little village".

I'm far from an expert in Japanese, so if I messed up any of these names, please tell me!