Happy new year everyone!
I hope that you have had a lovely New Year's Eve and I wish you only the best coming up in the next twelve months!

This fic I have actually written almost a year ago when Fire Emblem: Heroes had its New Years Event with Camilla in it... Her wearing a kimono for Hoshido traditions did inspire me after all! (Not too excited about the new banner to be honest...) But I figured that it would be appropriate to post the fic now instead!

Either way, please enjoy! :D

Life sure knew how to surprise Camilla at times.
Changes weren't something that she was used to. Nohr was unyielding in every aspect, whether that was in culture, battle or in weather. It was important to have tough skin in Nohr if one was to survive.

So, when it came to living in Hoshido, Camilla was met with new experiences often. Some more pleasant than others, but they were new experiences nonetheless.
Well, that was to be expected after becoming the fiancée of the King of Hoshido. Both positive and negative reactions came from left and right, it was a risky political move.
Not that anybody could convince her to marry out of political reasons alone anyway. But Camilla didn't dwell in the true reasoning for long as her emotions might get the better of her.
Everything had changed so quickly and it was like Camilla found herself in a surreal dream world.

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Yet, there wasn't much time to ponder on that.
Preparations have been made for New Years all during December. While the celebrations for New Years were grand in Nohr, it held quite some importance in Hoshido. In fact, 'Shogatsu', which is the name of the celebration, is one of the most important holidays of all. As traditions differed, there was a lot to learn and remember.
"It's different, but nothing I am not able to comprehend!" Something that the she would say when spending every other afternoon with Orochi.
And every time, she would receive the same inert smile and answer, though with other wordings:
"I didn't expect otherwise. It takes a lot to continue the legacy of Hoshido's most beloved queen."
Uncertainty was her companion during December with a few breaks here and there to ease her mind.

Despite all, each of her new siblings was of help in their own way.
Hinoka would engage in conversations with her about the traditions and which she liked the best, so she kept the mood up. As nervous as she had been at times, Hinoka was upbeat and full of energy. So much so that Camilla was always left with a bit more zest for action.
Then there was Sakura who accompanied her on walks around Castle Shirasagi. The youngest Princess was curious about the mochi being made in the kitchens, so they would try to peek in every once in a while. Despite her shy demeanor, she did resemble Elise in how she could get as excited about sweets and events. Sakura also made a promise to accompany her to the royal shrine on the first day of the new year. For her very first shrine visit, the 'Hatsumode', Sakura wanted to be present at all costs. Plus, all the other temples and shrines around the capital would be crowded anyway.
Takumi never offered his aid in person, he had trouble opening up to her. At least, he stopped being hostile towards her, but Camilla had a feeling that had something to do with Ryoma.
Though, the young Prince had asked his retainer Oboro to help her out with her kimono. As Oboro enjoyed putting together clothing, she took her measurements despite Camilla's background. The kimono bore strong Hoshidan elements, so it was mainly in white. But Oboro stitched on decorations that would relate more to her home. Some roses in violet, others in black and cherry blossoms in gold and red.
She couldn't believe her eyes when turning in the mirror; Camilla had never looked softer.
"I must thank you, Oboro! With this, I almost look like I could spend the New Years with the King, uh?"
Camilla stemmed her hands on her hips with that coy smile of hers. She glanced over her reflection before looking over her shoulder to the seamstress.
While Oboro might not have been fond of Nohr, she could push that away for a moment to feel pride for her work. The cloth fell nicely on her hips, the color fit her well. Her luscious form hidden from the eye and yet, one could see hints of it here and there.
"I am sure that Lord Ryoma will appreciate you in this outfit!"
And that was probably the nicest that Camilla was going to hear from her.

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Before she knew it, the New Year was right around the corner.
Just like every other celebration, the focus was on the food that was to be shared with the family. 'Osechi-Ryori', as she had learned. The dishes put together had their own meaning and everyone prepared it differently. Even if it had been about half a year now, Camilla still had to get used to the cuisine in some respects.

"Dressed for the occasion, I see."
Ryoma was the first one to be in the dining hall, offering her a calm smile and the seat next to him. He was in his own festive kimono, though he couldn't let go off the color scheme of his armor. The hair was somehow bound to a ponytail, though she would fear for the cloth to rip in any moment.
Camilla returned the smile with a chuckle and knelt beside him as she folded her hands in her lap.
"I was lucky to get help. Wouldn't want to cause more scandals than necessary, uh?"
The luring tone of her voice had the King flustered for a second. But before he could open his mouth, Takumi and Sakura entered to take their respective space. So, instead of focusing on his fiancée, Ryoma turned to face his siblings.
"Where is Hinoka?"
"She was out with her Pegasus and got back too late. She better be here in time, I haven't eaten since breakfast." Takumi crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. If he could tap his foot in this position, he would.
Sakura looked between them, a little helpless. "I-I'm sure that it's fine! She'll be right on time!"
"Ah yes, because she's sooo comfortable in traditional kimonos..."
"Takumi, we know that you crave 'zoni' and that you get grumpy when you are hungry." There was a bit of jest in his words, though he kept back his smirk. The Prince blushed from the remark and turned his gaze away.
"Tch, whatever. I'm not going to wait on her though." And that was all he had to say about that. Sakura tried not to laugh while Camilla had no shame in doing so.

A few moments later, Hinoka entered the chamber, a little out of breath. As much of a rebel the Princess could be, she did value her family a lot. In her hurry, her kimono wasn't properly fixed, her hair still messy, but this looked the most natural on her. Hinoka muttered an apology under her breath and sat between Takumi and Sakura. Her eyes focused on the empty table while her cheeks changed in color.
"You can't keep doing this, Hinoka. You should be aware of your responsibilities", mumbled Ryoma, trying to keep up his stern expression. His sister wouldn't raise her head to meet his gaze, fighting with her voice. She could only apologize once more, but nothing else would part her lips. Camilla dropped her shoulders with a sigh and she managed to smile a little.
"Now, now... We know that she didn't mean to insult any of us. Our dear sister is a free spirit, that much we know, too. Yet, I'm sure that she takes your words to heart", she said with a light tone and placed her hand on his shoulder. At that, Ryoma closed his eyes and sighed to himself, trying to get a hold on himself. Not that he was truly angered by Hinoka, but there was this image that he tried to uphold as the eldest. A little chuckle escaped her and she leaned in to his side as her hand traveled down his back. "And we would want to end the year with a pleasant memory, wouldn't we, my dear husband?"
The sultry tone left the King blushing in place, but nothing in his expression stirred for a moment. Instead, he gave a light nod and looked into round. Hinoka seemed surprised and soon a smile followed on her lips. When her gaze met with Camilla's, she mouthed a 'thank you' in her direction. The other only winked with her coy smile while the tension within Ryoma eased; she could feel his muscles shift underneath her palm.

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Whatever it was that got through his mind, none of it lingered for much longer when the food was brought in. The majority was in those square boxes and stacked up; they were to have soup first.
Ah yes, 'zoni', they did tell her about it. A soup containing grilled mochi...
Well, she has eaten stranger dishes before and that didn't look bad. And if one was to throw one glance at Takumi, you could say that it was the best dish there was to be consumed, ever. The young man would always be passionate about certain things and no one wanted to take that away from him.
Besides, there was more than enough to eat for everyone.
This 'osechi' was full of all sorts of different dishes and sauces. Many boxes were spread over the table, Camilla couldn't even begin to imagine to eat this much. Soon enough, they began to chatter, sharing foods as they handed them over the table.
Takumi shoved over a box to Camilla's side. With his chopsticks, he pointed to the herring roe. "You should try that one, the 'kazunoko'! Something that you might be more familiar with!"
Which she then did with a shrug. Hinoka couldn't keep from snickering while Sakura blushed a bit. In slight confusion, she looked in the round, about to ask what was wrong. Ryoma coughed to himself, trying to keep a straight face as he explained: "Kazu means 'number' and ko is 'child'."
... Oh. Right, most of these dishes held a certain meaning.
Yet, Camilla hummed to herself and showed them a gentle smile. "Well, it's not like I don't want a family of my own. But I will need some help from a certain someone."
Bingo. Her words had the desired effect and the King's face began to resemble his kimono as he lowered his gaze. His siblings would all giggle in amusement and Camilla tried not to join in.
Yet, to gain back some of his dignity, he pushed back his shoulders and took a deep breath. Another nod to a certain box and Sakura handed it over. Ryoma gestured for her to glance over the content which did look familiar...
Camilla checked one item after another. Surprise rose in her expression, she hadn't seen these dishes in a while.
"Deer and beef... Iced currant and spice cake... Sweet figs... Where did you get these?", she mumbled before glancing up at the other. They were all from her home and quite a specific collection.
There was a bit of pride on his lips and soon enough, he couldn't keep from smiling.
"Oh, well... I asked around to find out about your favorite dishes. Would be a shame if you wouldn't have those for New Years."
For a second, Camilla didn't know what to say. Then her eyes lightened up and her lips formed into a bright smile. She leaned against his side and kissed his cheek, giving a caress to his neck. "Oh, how thoughtful you are of me, darling", she cooed before picking one of the spiced cakes. Over the months, Camilla had managed to deal with eating with chopsticks. "Have you ever tried those yourself? You really should!"
"I… I think that I have had them before."
Not that it stopped Camilla from raising the cake to his lips, more than amused by his attempts to remain prideful. His dark eyes glanced between her and the treat, then finally leaned in to take a bite. Of course, he tried to ignore the snickering between his siblings as they watched the scene.
"Do you like it?" Camilla had troubles not chuckling herself at the way he shifted in place. He only gave a nod, glancing to her side for a moment before gathering his usual confidence. His answer was enough to have her smile go soft and they continued on their meal.
There was laughter here and there, some careless chatter as they shared the treats between them.
For the first time in a long while, Camilla felt like all the stress from the previous weeks was fading away. It was as if they had no responsibilities to follow and it almost felt like they were a regular family. The royal duties would return soon enough, that much she was sure of. But for now, they could lean back and relax before the next morning would come.

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"Lord Ryoma, if I may disturb you for a moment?"
Their chatter was silenced as they glanced to the source, distracted by the gentle tone. Yukimura had barely opened the door as if afraid to interrupt something important. Ryoma waved him in with a smile, the man was close to the Hoshidian family after all.
"I would have expected you to be home, Yukimura", he hummed as the other gave a bow in their presence.
Before he would answer, the strategist rummaged in his bag for something. "You see, there is always work to be done. Not that I mind, I like being busy. And as I was on my way through the corridors, I was told to hand you these."
Without further interruption, he pulled out five bundles of letters. Ryoma took the bundles, thanking him as his eyes already scanned the paper. With an ink rose on each of those, it wasn't difficult to tell where they were from.
"It seems that the Nohrian family has found some time to reply to your New Year's greetings. Just in time, if I might say."
"They are quite punctual, I have to give them that." Each bundle was labeled, making it easy to share them among the family. With that, he turned back to face the strategist and gave a light nod. "Thank you, Yukimura. But please, give yourself some rest. You wouldn't want to start the new year collapsing on your bed."
The other snorted at his words and waved him off. He returned his words with a smile and a mere "I'll give it a thought" before wishing them a good night and taking his leave.

Letters from home…
It almost didn't feel real to hold the letters in her hands. To have some sort of connection to her siblings, it had warmth well up within her. Camilla didn't even try to hide her joy and excitement. Yet, it seemed like the others were as eager to find out what the letters would say. It went quiet between them, though one could feel the buzz in the air.

How fascinating it was to see how one's personality could reflect in handwriting. Elise's was playful, somewhat spidery even. It was endearing to say the least. Then you had Leo who was quite refined with ease, elegant as ever. While Xander had tried to do the same, but one could feel the pressure of his pen, the letters stood out from the back. Needless to say, each of their letters spoke of affection in different degrees. Both of her brothers would assure her help if something was wrong, protective as ever. Elise was quite excited to hear if she was coming to visit or if she was going to be an aunt soon.
All that was enough to bring a blush to her face and leave her giggling. At least, everyone else seemed to have similar reactions. Well, minus her husband and Takumi, both keeping some sort of face up, though it looked relaxed on Ryoma.
"Is Lord Xander assuring my murder again for taking his little sister away?" The question sounded so nonchalant, too. It was as if he expected the King of Nohr to storm the castle and challenge him to a duel in minutes. Xander did seem to be ready to draw his sword when the news of their engagement came in.
"He's subtler about it this time. I think that he is getting used to this." Camilla hummed at that and gave a light shrug.
Hinoka snorted at her words and shook her head. She couldn't keep from peeking at Ryoma, then nudged Takumi with a smile.
"Is he though? I mean, brothers can be really protective... You should have seen Ryoma when there was a rumor that I had a crush on someone…"
"That's different", the eldest one immediately replied, leaving no room for debate. And yet, Camilla had some difficulties from teasing him as he looked so cute being flustered.
"Right", she said, "very different. Hinoka sure needs someone to protect her from the boys." But she didn't say more about it, the teasing tone enough to grant her a bit of a glare from his side. Without returning the gaze, she lifted her cup of sake to her lips with an innocent smile. Neither of them was going to add anything to it as Camilla decided to have mercy on him.
He got her some of her favorite food, there was some reward to be had for that gesture. In the next second, his little surge of anger had passed and they were back on chatting.

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Not that there were a lot of leftover snacks, neither did they have much extra space in their stomachs. Thus, they were planning to move to the garden. From Castle Shirasagi, they could glance down at the city and watch the fireworks of the main square. Yet, as they made their way through the corridors, Ryoma slowed down and took Camilla by her shoulder.
"We'll be joining you soon. There's a bit that I would like to discuss with her in private first."
"Yeah, right." Takumi rolled his eyes at that and turned on his heel already. Sakura only glanced between them before she followed her brother after giving a bow.
"Just so you know, we will come back for you though! So, don't think about doing any funny business!", added Hinoka with a wink before hasting after her siblings.
The King couldn't even answer and instead rubbed his temple with a bit of a sigh, ignoring the blush on his cheeks. Camilla took him by his arm with a chuckle and patted his shoulder. The siblings could all be cheeky in their own right after all, so nothing new.

Ryoma had led them to their chamber for their conversation. The balcony was the specific spot for it as it was both comfortable and private. Privacy was something that Ryoma would value quite a lot, as he would hardly ever allow himself to relax. There was an image that he would try to keep up and that much Camilla was willing to respect.

"Oh my… You have had this prepared, too?"
The balcony was decorated a bit, two paper lamps attached to the fence and cushions for them to kneel on. This was also a spot from which they could see the city below.
From up there, it was quite a view!
Ryoma cleared his voice at her question, pushed his shoulders back. "I might have. It's nothing special though, I realize."
"To think that the prideful Samurai King is such a soft romantic… What a pleasant surprise that is."
There was no reply to be had. Said Samurai King wouldn't be able to defend himself anyway when the truth was evident. Instead, he only offered her his hand which she took hold off with a smile. For a while, they sat together like this as they watched the sparkling lights of the city. The silence was a blanket on their shoulders, sharing some simple intimate togetherness.
Though, it gave them both time to ponder on all sorts of things. And it was important to speak their minds, especially on the last night of the year. Wouldn't want to start out with worries right away.
"I can hardly imagine how difficult it must be for you to be away from home."
Camilla flinched at the sound, then the words reached her mind. She let out a bit of a sigh and squeezed his hand.
"I would lie if I said that I don't miss my siblings… This is the first time that I'm not spending New Years with them after all."
She could see how the other's gaze dropped a bit. Yet, this sensation didn't reflect in his voice.
"I understand how different this place is to you and I can't expect you to get used to it right away. But I hope that, one day, you can call Hoshido your home, too."
Another sigh parted her lips, then Camilla leaned in on his side. Ryoma then let go off her hand and placed his arm around her shoulders to pull her closer. His eyes watched her in worry, though there was no displeasure to be found in her expression. Instead, a smile curled on her lips and she took the invitation to nuzzle close.
"I can see your efforts to keep my culture close and I am more than grateful, but..." She almost looked shy as she peeked up to him. He glanced down from the corners of his eyes and she couldn't keep from giving his cheek a caress. "There is no other place I would rather be right now." It seemed like he planned on answering, but his words got lost and he could only return a warm smile.

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Before either of them could even say anything, the couple was distracted by the sound of a firework. Red sparks illuminated the air, burning out as they floated their way downwards. Then another rocket climbed the sky, a mix of white and golden sparks erupted this time. The sound echoed all around and soon enough, more fireworks would join to create their spectacle. Their eyes were glued to the bright colors and the light as the sparks were dancing with the stars.
"Well…" A low chuckle came from Ryoma as he turned to place a kiss to her temple. "Just in time to greet the new day. Happy New Year! May we find ourselves in this spot again next time."
"Happy New Year, dearest! I will look forward to the same." With that, Camilla returned a kiss to his cheek, but wouldn't back off just yet. Now, that they were so close, their gazes would search for one another rather than the fireworks. For a second, she had trouble sorting out her thoughts, but she mumbled nonetheless:
"You know what is also tradition in Nohr?" Her question was lowered to a whisper and a little smirk curled on her lips. "We kiss the one that we want to spend the rest of the year with. Would be a shame if we were to miss that, no?"
"Quite so... Better to keep that bad luck away", Ryoma hummed back as a blush crept on his cheeks, but smiled as well.
That was enough of an answer for the other, but she couldn't deny that her heart didn't skip a beat anyway. Camilla cupped his cheeks and leaned in to close the distance, brushing her lips over his. The King reciprocated the kiss in an instant, warm and affectionate. It almost looked shy how they searched the other's closeness. Their kisses were soft, but eager as they were swept away by the tender sensation.
Neither of them could say what it was that was able to have them part from one another again. Though, it were mere inches between their lips as they fell into a fit of bashful laughter. Her hands toyed with a few loose stands of hair on his neck as he leaned his forehead against hers, both breathless.
"Was that enough to keep the bad luck away?", murmured Ryoma only for another chuckle to follow.
Camilla hummed at that and her hands wandered over his neck, down to his chest. "Oh? I'm not sure… We might have to continue a bit more to make sure…"
Now, that invitation sounded promising, to say the least. Even if their movements still spoke of coyness, there was a mischievousness in their eyes. There was a whole lot that they still needed to explore on many levels.

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"What are you doing in there, lovebirds?!"
The couple flinched at the sound and turned in place. Hinoka knocked on the balcony door with a wide smirk as Takumi stood by her side, his arms crossed. Sakura hid behind them, too shy to join them, but also too curious to not be with her siblings. In a matter of seconds, Ryoma's face flushed red and Camilla couldn't push down her own blush.
"You can't just leave us alone for the New Years! What were you planning to do anyway?", Takumi asked, playfully stubborn about it. Camilla snorted at that and shrugged as she let her hand slip out of Ryoma's grasp.
"They did say that they'd pick us up… I suppose, it was rather cruel of us, huh?" Then the Queen got up on her legs and entered the chamber with open arms, leaving her husband in his baffled state. She called out to the siblings, embracing each one with dozens of endearments. Squeezing Sakura in a hug, peppering her hair with kisses, pulling Hinoka close, too, to do the same. It looked like Takumi was about to flee, but there was no escape from the group hug for him.
For a while, Ryoma only watched them with a smile, then joined them, too. He was inspired by his wife, finding enough softness in himself to place kisses to their heads as well.
Didn't Camilla say that it was good luck? Kissing those you love so that they may remain close to you. This much would count as well, that much Ryoma was sure of.
"We kept you waiting long enough. How about we make it up to you by joining the city for the celebrations?"
That seemed to resonate with each of the siblings, happy to get themselves snacks and play games. They would hurry forward while Ryoma offered his arm to Camilla, evermore relaxed. She thanked him and was by his side promptly, following the others to make their way down to the city. To the people that had yet to accept her, though it seemed that this night ringed in changes and new beginnings.
Camilla was never one to back down from a challenge either. But now, knowing that a loving family would have her back…
There was no fear to be had.

And for the first time in a long while, she could feel her strength return to her full force. There was nothing that could stop them.
Oh, what a wonderful way to begin the new year.

I have researched a bit on Japanese New Years, so I hope that I am not too off with some of these things... If I am, I apologize in advance!
Thank you so much for sticking until the end though! See you around next time!