Hobbies

by Gallian Squad 7

There is more to the life of a Shepherd than war and conflict. Even politics or duties don't take up all of their time outside of sleep. So, what do they do? They have hobbies to keep them occupied, even if they seem a tad... out of character.

Another fluff piece for me today, this time focusing on the various hobbies of our favorite Shepherds. It'll be little snippets all rolled into one, just showing them doing what they like, so don't expect any one character to be here for very long.

Takes place in my Grunts Universe so everyone knows. Also, these aren't in any particular chronological order minus a tying thread in a few of them.

Anyway, off we go!

-Robin-

"Dag nabbit."

Robin sighed as he put down his quill. It was a quiet morning on the Volk estate, Robin the only one of his family up at the early hour. While he normally slept in until the smell of breakfast met his nose, today was a special day.

It was the one day of the month he could go hiking. No duties, no lovable little girls, or even his wife. Just him, nature, and an inquisitive gaze. Oh, and a journal to record his observations.

Unfortunately, a rare bird he'd sighted had heard him shuffle in the brush and flown off. How the hell was he supposed to figure out its eating habits if the darn thing flew off at every ruffled leaf?

"Oh well, let's go check out the lagoon." Robin groaned as he stood, his journal closing with a thud. "It should be calving season and I may see some cubs if I'm lucky."

He set off down the path with a spring in his step. It was always so very relaxing to be amongst nature and life, especially after he'd spent a stint amongst the dead. It made every day so very vibrant.

Robin paused in his trek as he climbed down a small cliff, two pairs of wary eyes watching him carefully. It was a large she-wolf and her mate, the pair standing menacingly over a small hollow of freshly dug dirt.

"Well, this is awkward." He muttered as the wolves raised their hackles and bared their fangs. "Didn't think we'd have any of the packs set up in this area. Calm down, I'm going to back away slowly and head back the way I came, alright?"

Robin lowered his posture, making his submission clear to the angered soon-to-be parents. It appeared to be working, as the wolves didn't charge him, but Robin never took his eyes off them until he was back up the cliff and out of danger.

"Not using that route anymore." He muttered one the coast was clear. "Shame too, that's the only way to the good hiding spot. Guess that's today's goal, find a new one."

Robin set off with a whistle, journal clenched tightly in his hands. Oh, what wonders would he see in the process of this little search?

He had all morning to find out.

-Cordelia-

"Mom, Dad's not back yet."

Cordelia looked up from her music stand to gaze at the doorway, Morgan standing there with a pout on her face. "I'm sure he's engrossed in his observations again, but he'll be home by lunch. Why, did you want us to work on a trio?"

Morgan sighed and walked into the sitting room, taking a seat in an arm-chair. "Not right now, I have a solo I'm still working on, but I got a message for him. Uncle Chrom wants to talk to him about shifting the patrol routes."

Cordelia shrugged and plucked at her harp, the strings humming. "That can wait, nothing urgent. You can head back to the foyer and practice, I'll tell your father if I see him first."

Morgan folded her arms and smiled. "What, you want me gone that bad? Maybe I should sic mini-me on you, that'd get you off that harp."

"Both of the little ones are at their lessons." Cordelia reminded. "They're the ones who insisted on going to school with Nah and Marc, so no mischievous little girls for you to involve. Go on, don't let me stop you, I know you're practicing for the concert at the end of the month."

Morgan shook her head and stood. "You are too, same with Dad when he'd not off in the woods. It'll be fun to see how things go, though I have to wonder why Sev's so damn nervous."

She wandered out of the room before Cordelia could say anything. Alone again, she turned back to her stand and turned to a new sheet of notes. "Well, it's her big debut. The entire Royal Orchestra will be playing her suites. Speaking of, let's get back to it."

She took her position and began to play, the humming chords and glittering notes filling the air. This was Cordelia's favorite place to be alone, here with the music and the warmth of the sun filtering through the windows. Sure, her absolute favorite place was the room she shared with Robin, at night and trying for kid number five, but this was a close second.

Cordelia chuckled, fingers dancing along the strings. The melody was lovely and flowed very well, but she felt like there was just something wrong with it, something to do with the notes themselves…

She paused with a discordant ring and checked the string's moorings. "Oh, silly me, I didn't tighten them correctly. That's what I get for rushing in here after breakfast."

Cordelia hummed a favorite song as she retuned the harp, looking forward to a day of music making.

-Morgan-

"Alright, let's give you some maintenance."

Morgan sat at the grand piano in the manor's foyer with a voicing needle and a pair of vices, the old girl in need of some work. It'd been a while since the last tune up and the hammers needed repair, but it was all for a good cause! She needed her old friend as close to concert quality as possible if practice was going to mean anything.

She opened the case and set to work, first refurbishing the hammers' felt before hitting a few keys to test the sound. Once satisfied, she started tightening the strings and screws before tapping the keys again to test the sound. It took some time, but the notes almost glowed when she was done.

"Good, practice time!" Morgan cheered. "Ok, where's that sheet Sev gave me…? Aha!"

She placed the sheet of music onto the little stand and took a seat, hands spread over the keys like a conductor. "Alright, having trouble with movement three. Parts of seven and four too…"

Morgan tapped at the keys and worked the pedals, running through her warm-up sets before flipping to the pages in question. "Ok… this is pretty fast for a solo, but nothing I haven't seen before…"

She started to play, the ring of the piano filling the manor. Mother was sequestered in the sitting room, so she wouldn't hear, while Sev was out taking care of the animals. Thus, Morgan could play as loud as she wanted, and even throw in some improv.

She did so with glee, losing herself in the dancing notes and the bright spotlight the windows shone on her. Morgan did so crave this kind of situation, especially with an audience, but it was just her, the piano, and the walls right now.

At least until her finger slipped.

"Dammit," Morgan groaned, almost glaring at the offending note. "How the heck does Sev expect someone to reach from the low C to the mid A with one hand? Ugh, let's try that again."

She started again, but slipped up in the same spot. Something was wrong here, it had to be a mistake or something…

Morgan peered closely at the sheet music before blinking and sheepishly fixing the error.

She rather die than admit she'd been practicing the music upside down this whole time.

-Severa-

"Man, those girls were real pissed this morning."

Severa groaned as she entered the manor. Why both versions of Theresa were in such a foul mood today, she didn't know, but at least the usual bribe of apples worked. Once inside, though, she heard the usual ring of music bouncing off the walls.

"Glad they're practicing." Severa muttered, a thrill of nervous energy running through her blood. "Man, it was hard enough to put those suites forward for personal use, but this?"

She shook her head and went to her room, using the second set of stairs to avoid disturbing her family's practice. She'd go down to join them and get feedback later, but for now, she needed to calm down. Which… happened to involve writing sheet music.

She had a problem, no two-ways about it.

Severa snorted and entered her room, sun-light falling through the windows. Her desk seemed to beckon to her, blank parchment and a fresh well of ink ready to go. Were she not in peacetime, those things would be used to draft battle plans.

But this wasn't war, it was peace, so she spent her spare time writing music and training. Hard habit to break that, but it kept her fit and her dresses flattering. The wife liked that last part very much.

Severa shook the thought of her doubtlessly eager love out of her head and sat down. The suites she'd put forth and gotten accepted by the Royal Orchestra were a very melancholic and slow set of suites with hopeful upswings, but the day just wouldn't let her focus on that.

Instead, she set about making marks and notes for an upbeat and cheery piece. Not to her usual taste for sure, but the day was just too nice to try anything else.

It wasn't long before Severa found herself in a groove, the notes humming past her lips as she wrote it down. Her source of inspiration lay out her window, eyes drawn to rays of light falling on the yellow flowers in the gardens.

"Bouquet of Light… I like the sound of that." Severa muttered as she added the title to the top of her work-page. "I've been thinking on that solo Morgan's working on… maybe this could fit better in the suite? Need to hear it but…"

Severa grinned and blew on the parchment to dry the ink before grabbing it all and leaving the room. She had a feeling Morgan would like this solo a lot better.

And she sure did.

-Chrom-

"Why are you so surprised?"

Chrom's question went to a young page, the boy staring at the exalt in confusion. "You didn't think the only thing I like to do is train, did you?"

The page blushed and excused himself, Chrom waving the boy away and turning back to his task. "Anyway… back to work."

He dipped his pen into the inkwell and slowly pressed it into the parchment, drawing it even slower across with all the deliberateness he could muster. In the end, the stroke came out to form a truly lovely finish to the letter. "Done."

Chrom sighed and put the pen and ink away before examining his project. At his wife's insistence, he'd taken to calligraphy in an effort to reign in his impulsiveness. It must've done something because he was still doing it to calm down even years after starting.

"The second letter in the first word's a little off." He muttered after several moments of inspection. "Ruin's the picture I added of the manticore. Let's just shave that off…"

He took out a small knife and gently removed the imperfection. With that done, he looked over the work of several months before smiling. "Alright, it's done. Just in time to get it stored and wrapped for Lucy and Sev's big day."

Chrom set about his task eagerly, hoping against hope they'd like it.

His first few attempts had been… less than well received, after all.

-Sumia-

Another day, another round of writer's block.

Sumia groaned and rubbed her eyes. She'd been staring at the blank pages for hours now, candles lit without her notice. It was just that she'd written herself into a corner, again, and there'd need to be either a deus ex machina solution or major revisions.

"Why did I decide to romanticize that period again?" She groused to herself while gnawing on her pen. "Heck, why'd I decide to try and write up an original plot when there's so much material laying around in the history books?"

Sumia had taken to writing down the various tales and legends she'd heard on her travels, with embellishments here and there to spice things up. She was a shameless romantic after all, though there was her bad habit of essentially writing smut whenever she got stuck.

A habit she was trying to break as she worked on her newest tale, this one a fanciful retelling of the Jugdral Crusades with a greater focus on character point of views. Or, that's what she was attempting to do, considering she'd accidently gotten two very important events mixed up.

"Mother?"

Sumia looked up and blinked. The moon was out, she'd been in here all day and it had taken Lucina coming to visit to make her realize it. "Oh, yes dear? I'm sorry, I've been engrossed."

"I can tell." Lucina said with an understanding smile. "Just making sure you ate. Heaven knows I've forgotten, so that should tell you how long you've been at this."

Sumia giggled and put her pen down. "Yes, writer's block strikes again. Should probably leave this alone for a few days, just use the time I have free to read or play with the girls. We could even go on a ride together, just the two of us if you like."

Lucina smiled and shook her head. "That sounds lovely, but there's still work left for me to do. Besides, we have a family outing planned for tomorrow anyway. If anything, the both of us should get to bed. Won't survive the tots if we don't."

Sumia returned the smile fondly. "Indeed, we're all looking forward to it, but especially your little sisters. Cynthy's been going on and on about it, and little Luci can't focus on her lessons."

Lucina chuckled at the idea of her tot-version daydreaming, same with Cynthia's pint-sized version. "I'm sure they have been. Well, are you going to get some rest? I need to check on Cynthia the Elder before I can call it a night."

Sumia waved and Lucina bid her goodnight. Once she was gone, Sumia took up her quill and looked to the page once more. "Thanks for the distraction, looks like I needed it."

"Now then, time to spice up Njorun's romance, there's far too little written of it."

-Cynthia-

"Ok… careful…"

Cynthia positioned the chisel at just the right angle before tapping it with a little hammer. A small sliver of wood peeled from the rest of the former log and floated to the ground, Cynthia breathing a sigh of relief. She'd been working on this thing for weeks now, it would be a catastrophe to ruin the details.

She put down her chisel and examined her project, the former log now carved into a falcon baring the Exalt's Brand in its talons. Currently she was going through the detail work, wings specifically, but it was taking a lot longer than she thought. Almost taking off the beak when your hand slips does that.

"Well it's coming along." She sighed, reaching over to a rag to wipe off the sawdust. "Wings probably need another day, then the body and feet. All that's left is to polish and glaze after that and my commission is done."

Yeah, she'd taken to doing commissions. Going out and saving the innocent with her squad was still her favorite thing to do, but this was… soothing. All those stories held in carvings like this, the kinds she'd grown up on… contributing just felt right.

A knock on her workshop's door turned her gaze from the wood, Lucina's smiling face greeting her. "Hey, Lucy! You came just in time, take a look!"

Cynthia waved her sister over and gestured to the falcon. "What do you think? Should look nice in the main hall when it's all done."

"It's looks lovely, a far cry from your first few attempts." Lucina agreed, Cynthia blushing at the reminder. "I'm still not sure how you came into carving considering your duties with the Pegasus Order."

Cynthia shrugged and gestured to the other things she'd been working on. Amongst the various materials waiting for her attention sat pegasi, wolves, bears, and a pair of murals. "You know me, I love the stories from when we were growing up. Most of them we got taught off of things like this, so I wanted to contribute."

"How mature of you." Lucina said with a grin. "But now that I know that, the next question is have you eaten? You came in here after the morning's duties and exercises and no one's seen you since."

Cynthia's stomach chose then to rumble, the poor princess suddenly light-headed. "Uh…"

Lucina reached into the pouch on her waist and pulled out a small wrapped package. "Here, dried fruit and some candies. These'll tide you over until you can make a run at the kitchens."

Cynthia took the package sheepishly and opened it. "Oh, was Uncle Gaius in town? These are those caramels he likes to make."

"Just for a report, but he snuck them to me." Lucina confirmed. "Anyway, go get something to eat and some rest. We have the outing tomorrow and we need our 'Big Hero Sis' full of pep."

Cynthia blushed and popped a candy into her mouth. "Fine… I need a break anyway, just about had a heart-attack getting the eyes carved."

Cynthia set about cleaning her workstation and followed Lucina out the door, the sisters parting ways with fond goodnights. Cynthia though, was already thinking about the next step of the project.

"Maybe I should ask Uncle Libra for a painting of a falcon's feathers?"

-Lucina-

"Ok, more to the left!"

Lucina called instructions to the workers constantly, the sun beating down on them. The construction site was practically in the middle of Ylisstol, but Lucina was determined to see the work done. After all, her wife's suites would be debuting in this place soon.

"Ma'am, may I ask where the arcade decals are going?" An assistant asked, several carefully wrapped packages behind him.

Lucina referred to her plans, though only she could make sense of them since she couldn't draw. "Those ones… go in the bays. Make sure to position them so the bay windows make them shine, but not so far that the candelabras can't illuminate them."

The assistant nodded and set off while calling instructions. Lucina herself turned back to the main façade, eyes taking in details with obsessive speed. The wave-like crenellations on the roof were coming along nicely but many of the braces and other supports were still open to the sky. They needed to be plastered or bricked before painting and detail work could continue.

"Ma'am!" a supervisor called, grabbing Lucina's attention. "We're in position to set the last stones on the main dome! We'll have the stage and foyer sealed at last!"

Lucina brightened and picked up her skirts to follow him. How Mother had convinced her to go to work dressed like this was beyond her, but who cared?

They climbed a series of stairs and lifts to arrive at the top of the site, the workers cheering at the sight of Lucina. She'd been paying them very well for all this work and been a very kind boss, so it was only right she be here to see this.

After all, it was her idea to remodel the entire Ylissean Opera House.

"Before I give the last stone to ya, ma'am." The supervisor mumbled as they started the trek up the dome. "Um… I never did ask why you wanted to do this. Plenty of architects and all."

Lucina grinned as they reached the summit, the white stone almost blinding while darker stone worked into it formed a huge Exalt's Brand. "My good man… I discovered a love of architecture when I had to design and build my own cabin with only my friends and sister at hand. I've wanted my own project for years now, but I simply couldn't pass this up when it was offered."

The supervisor nodded and handed her the last stone, the smooth marble ready to sink into the mortar. "Well, we've almost got this done and in much better shape than I thought considering that mess you call plans. Lay it in and let's get to the fun parts."

Lucina smiled and carefully placed the stone into its spot, the marble fitted perfectly. The workers gave a cheer as it set, Lucina making very sure the marble was set in its spot before straightening. "Alright everyone, Phase One is complete! Let's get the rest of the secondary structures finished up then it's the artisan's turn!"

The workers roared their approval and got back to it, Lucina pulling out a second roll of parchment with the words 'Phase Two' written across the top. "Alright, I'll leave the work up here to you. Call it a feeling, but I'll probably need to direct the mosaic placements."

She bid the supervisor farewell and clambered down the building with never-ending vigor. She may have this as her official job, but she loved it so very much. Creating something grand that would last through decades if not centuries… it was a wonderful thing to have as her job and hobby all in one.

Especially when she'd known only destruction for so long.

-Lissa-

It was a fine evening to read.

Lissa hummed quietly to herself as she read through a thick tome, a half-melted candle providing her light. It had been a long day of running the duchy, but not tiring enough that she couldn't get back to reading the newest collection of folktales Virion had sent from Valm.

"Man, can no one decide on things like this?" Lissa muttered as she finished one of the tales. "Everyone knows the unification of Valm was because of King Alm and Queen Celica. So why do these tales insist it was actually Queen Clair or even Queen Faye? What's the idea behind that?"

Lissa hummed and made some notes on a parchment, hoping to cross-reference the information with Cherche later. With that done she went to the next tale and almost groaned. "Dammit all, not another one about Mila. Where'd Virion get these from, the south?"

She read it anyway, though it was more a conspiracy that the ancient Divine Dragon had sired a child at some point and the child is what kept the southern jungles so verdant. Nothing to really note, but she made a few marks before reading the next one.

"Oh, this one's on Chon'sin." She wondered, not recalling too many stories of the country. "Let's see…"

The tale was a description and retelling of King Ryoma's reign, one of the great Hoshido Kings from which Chon'sin was believed to descend. It was a long tale, mostly spent on his courting of Queen Kagero and the awkward situation that caused considering she was his retainer and her former lover was also the king's retainer.

Lissa got a good laugh out of it.

"Think that's enough, at least for now." She sighed as she closed the tome with a thud. "At least there's a few good ones to help Owain get to sleep."

She glanced to the candle and felt her eyes widen. "Speaking of, I better get over there before he decides to act out that play we saw last week!"

She stored the book and hurried out of the library, already giggling as she heard Owain, both big and small, already amid their antics. What a lively bedtime this was sure to be.

-Donnel-

"A good day's weeding, these puppies are comin' along good."

Donnel grin as he surveyed his personal garden. Being married to a duchess didn't let him have all that much time to farm, but a garden was perfectly fine. The pumpkins he'd planted were coming along well too, they'd have pies and bread aplenty come fall.

He picked up his rake and gathered the pulled weeds into a big pile, knowing the horses loved these things to death. Not sure why, but it made the weeds easy to get rid of!

"Donny!" Lissa called as she entered the gardens, the usual handmaids following. "How're those pumpkins coming along? I heard you went out yesterday to get some real fresh fertilizer."

She held her nose at him with a grin, Donnel shrugging sheepishly. "Well, only the best for these things. Fresh stuff like that makes the best crops, know that as sure as breathin'. Want only the best for ya darlin'."

Lissa walked up to him and kissed his cheek. "You're a sweetheart like always, Donny. I'd hug you, but heaven knows what kind of racket that would cause with you covered in dirt. Need any help?"

Donnel leaned on his rake and thought. "Ya know… not really. Already spread the 'nure and did the weeding for this week, all that's left is waterin'."

"That, I can do." Lissa chuckled, shrugging off her scarf and outer robe, leaving her in a white gown. "Just let me get my boots and I'll help. Girls, can you hold onto these for me? It won't be enough work for me to have to bathe again."

Her handmaids took the offered cloth and bowed, Lissa jogging off to grab her boots. Donnel watched her go with a smile, loving how the sunlight made her glow.

That was the best part of this garden if you asked him.

-Owain-

"Another masterstroke!"

Owain's boisterous shout drew no attention, the young man huddled over a journal and scribbling furiously. It was a lazy day in Denaris, his parents off on a tour of a nearby town while he got to explore.

Well, if he hadn't spotted kids playing hero and gotten inspired.

"Yes, this works perfectly in the plot." Owain muttered as he finished writing. "Surely now I can convince my good friend Severa to produce a suite for my masterpiece!"

He stood with a triumphant grin, only to grab at his right hand. "Down sword-hand, down! Contain your burning power until the time is right!"

Owain took a moment to calm down only to see people giving him strange looks. Embarrassed, he swiftly made himself scarce. Once he was out of the area, he opened his book and scribbled a new addition.

"Owain Dark, forced to flee from brain-washed denizens of his own home. The tragedy of it all is enough to make the gods weep, but Owain Dark will persevere and expel them from his home before his noble parents return from their valorous quest!"

He closed the book and grinned. Who says he can't be a playwright? There was gold everywhere he looked!

Now if someone would read his plays he'd be in business!

-Frederick-

"You're late on the count."

Frederick pulled his wife out of the flourish they were practicing, the couple spending the early morning in the dance hall. Olivia had demonstrated a faster dance than what they were used to on her last visit and his wife was eager to learn it.

"Not my fault there's so much shuffling." Nowi muttered as she wiped her sweaty brow on her tunic. "And that timing's weird too. Like, why do it 1-2-123 and repeat? All it does is get my feet twisted."

Frederick was patient as he explained. "The dance is meant to be performed with speed, power, and flexibility. It's a great deal different than the ballroom dances we've done until now."

Nowi looked at him with a frown, milky eyes glaring at him. "It's been two weeks Frederick, and I'm still tripping up on the basic flourishes. Maybe we should just stick with the slow stuff, not seeing the movements won't let us progress."

Frederick held back a sigh. His wife, despite long deciding to remain in her adult form and do her best with the injuries she'd been dealt, could still wallow in self-loathing. It was not her fault that she was blind, but it didn't stop her from being bitter about it.

"Nowi, dear dragon-lily," Frederick started, using his most affectionate nickname. "If there's one thing I enjoy on this earth more than anything, it is dancing with you. No matter how long it takes, or how many mistakes we make, I will still love dancing with you."

Nowi's frown turned to a smile, pink dusting her cheeks. "Freddy, you know I can't stay sad when you do that. It's not fair."

Frederick smiled and held out his hands. "It's my sworn oath that you never be sad, and if you ever become sad, then restore your joy. Besides, this is wonderful exercise and I get to be alone with you."

Nowi smirked and pressed against him, the thin tunic leaving little to the imagination. "Oh, I like it when you're flirty… actually this dance is a big chance to flirt isn't it? Sneaky man."

Frederick kept his grin in place, even as Nowi placed a searing kiss on his cheek.

"Not while Natalie's home."

-Nowi-

Despite being amongst her favorite activities, dance was not Nowi's personal hobby.

That was Frederick's domain because he loved getting them together, even more so than his mile-wide pyromania streak. Instead, Nowi had a more sedate and calming hobby for when even her energy reserves were running low.

She had to admit her friend's influence as the bow sung across the cello. Having so many of them as musicians had inspired her to take up the cello, if only because she enjoyed the sounds it could make.

She was practicing in the family room, Frederick outside with Natalie and her older-self. They were going on a short ride today, or as Nowi called it, Daddy-Daughters time. Thus, with nothing else to do on the homestead, she was practicing. It was so very soothing and she wanted to surprise Sev when the Volk's visited again.

"Milady." Catherine said as she entered the room, helm off today. "I've brought the wood polish and brushes you asked for. Personally, I hear no difference in the quality of your play, though the transitions on this piece are much smoother than when you started."

Nowi chuckled and finished the movement before speaking. "Well I hope so. Morgan had to smuggle this to me and I can't disappoint."

She took the supplies from Catherine and started to clean off the built-up dust and rosin. "Something's weird with the sound though, at least to me. I've tried tightening and loosening the strings, made sure all the parts are where they should be, and cleaned it…"

Nowi sighed and slumped a bit. "I just don't know what's wrong. Hopefully the polish fixes the issue."

Catherine watched her sister-in-law work on the cello for several moments before an epiphany hit her. "Um… milady, is it perhaps because your hearing is too sharp? You may be picking up inconsistencies that we mere mortals can't hear."

"Thought of that already." Nowi answered as she made a slight adjustment to the neck of the cello. "Asked Maribelle about it last month, she heard the same thing. It's been driving me bonkers."

Catherine frowned and stared at the cello as Nowi worked, eventually spotting something. "Milady, I think I've found the problem. There's a small crack in the front, just under the string moorings. Have you been storing the instrument properly?"

"Always." Nowi shot back with a pout. "Then again… it was really humid when I first started practicing on this movement…"

She sighed and smacked her head. "Cat… not a word of this please, I'm already beating myself up for this as is."

Catherine merely grinned.

-Nah/Natalie-

"Oh, that's lovely!"

Nah, or Natalie as was her full name, happily leaned next to a bush covered in blooming yellow flowers. She'd never seen these before, even after exploring the homestead so many times.

"Good thing I remembered my pencils." She muttered as she took a seat next to the bush and cracked open her journal. It was full of botanical samples and sketches of various plants, a fresh page swiftly chosen to record this new discovery. "Wonder if its Calla Lilies?"

Nah hummed as she made careful observations and sketches, a smile on her face. Botany was the last thing most of her friends and family expected her to take up after the war, but Nah had her reasons. After all, one of the things she shared with Lucina was their fondness for flowers.

That, and she was very curious if wyrmsbane had a cure amongst the many plants of the world.

A butterfly landed on her nose and Nah giggled. "Why hello, did I disturb your meal?"

The butterfly fluttered its wings before taking flight, Nah watching it go with a curious gaze. "Odd, I don't remember hearing about a butterfly with blue and purple wings. Maybe it's an oddity like me."

She chuckled and went back to her sketches, the warm sun keeping her company this lovely day.

-Vaike-

"Hey, careful with that!"

Vaike's shout made a recruit apologize profusely and right their hold on an armful of gear. Vaike huffed and continued with his own load, the pair entering a forge where various smiths were working on new gear and repairing the old.

Vaike dropped his load next to an open workstation, coals alight and bellows pumped by an apprentice. "Alright, leave the gear here and report to the barracks. I'll have the captain come by with tonight's rotations after you lot get some grub."

The recruit saluted and left, Vaike shooing away the apprentice after taking a seat. "Take a break or find one of the others to help. I prefer working this myself."

The apprentice scampered off and Vaike put on an apron and gloves. His feet went to the bellows and he grabbed a bent sword. With a grin, he laid it into the coals and let the bellows roar.

It was actually fun to do this kind of work. Sure, his job was to train the new recruits, but forging spoke to him on a primal level. All the strength he had in his body, used to create something rather than rip it to shreds. Well, even if his creations were the ones doing the ripping and tearing.

"Need to anneal this poor bastard." Vaike muttered as he heated the metal. "How that blasted moron managed to dent this thing in the first place still doesn't make sense."

He snorted and pulled out the glowing metal before setting about it with a hammer. It was a bitch to straighten considering it ruined the edge, but at least flattening it back into shape wasn't too much work. Nor was quenching it.

Satisfied, Vaike put the dull sword aside and grabbed another piece, a lance-head this time. "Cripes, what'd they do to this thing? No saving it, better to melt it and recast."

He grabbed such a cast and set up the furnace, one foot on the forge's bellows while the other was on the furnace. Vaike just laughed though.

It was good getting some use out of all this strength he dragged around, and he was getting good at the business too. Soon enough, he'd be able to start making the good stuff.

Then he'd be able to make his wife's gifts rather than buy them.

-Cherche-

"Dear, can you hand me that bundle there?"

Cherche's request was granted and she was given a roll of velvet cloth. It was another lovely day at home, Gerome out tending to their Minervas while Vaike was there helping her out.

"So, what's the work this time?" Vaike asked as he looked over a tome titled 'Goldsmithing for Nimrods'. "Must be for Chrom or Sumia considering you pulled out all the good stuff."

Cherche shook her head and set to work with her hooks, the crochet slowly taking shape. "No, it's not for them. You know I just like having good fabric in my hands, it's what most of my excess income goes to."

"I know, just curious is all." Vaike said with a grin. "Looking forward to seeing whatever you make this time. Still keep that little heart you made for our anniversary on my belt."

Cherche glanced at his belt and giggled. Indeed, a cute little heart was hanging on his belt, the pink and red thread worn from many years of wear. Vaike had gotten so much crap for wearing it, but he still wore it proudly all these years later.

It warmed her heart almost as much as her little hobby did.

She turned her attention back to the project, working at the thread and cloth with skilled fingers. She'd started on this a couple days ago and was nearly done, but it wouldn't do to ruin the surprise.

A few hours passed in comfortable silence before Cherche finished her project, a glance up showing Vaike engrossed in his guidebook. Smirking, she stood silently and snuck around him, only to wrap her project around his neck.

"Gah!" Vaike yelped as something settled over his neck. "Geez, Cher, don't scare me like that!"

He was silenced by a deep kiss, Cherche taking her fill before holding up her completed project. "Happy Anniversary love. I do hope you enjoy this."

Vaike blinked several times before looking at her work, a little family of bears with the largest holding a hatchet which the string holding it on his neck was tie around. Vaike smiled and returned the kiss, Cherche giving it a little spice.

"Minerva's giving us time, both of them." She whispered after withdrawing her tongue, a hunger in her eyes. "Gerome's not going to be in for several more hours, at least."

She needn't have said anything.

-Gerome-

He had a feeling going home was not the best idea right now.

The young man sighed and got back to work. The estuary may be well-kept and clean, but it was breeding season and many of the wyverns were going about their usual rituals. This meant lots of scorched wood, but it was good to see both the present and future Minervas seeking mates.

Taking care of them and the others was his main job after all and one he enjoyed doing.

A newcomer to the estuary walked up to him, fidgeting nervously as she held a bundle of stones. "Um, Sir Orso? What do we do with these stones?"

Gerome glanced at her and stopped polishing the scales on a large bull (male wyvern). "You should place those in small piles in each stall, at least three but no more than five. The wyverns super-heat them and swallow, helps digestion. They get jealous if anyone gets three more than them but aren't satisfied with less than three."

He shrugged at her dumbfounded look. "They're high maintenance this time of year, normally they just need one. The bulls especially are constantly trying to polish their scales and horns for the ewes. Add on their contests of strength that tend to end in a bonfire and you can see why you need to be careful."

The young girl nodded slowly and went off to distribute the stones. Once she was gone, Gerome got back to polishing the bull.

"Hey, Gerome! Need any help with that polishing?"

He paused and looked back only to get pecked on the cheek by a grinning Cynthia. "Gotcha."

"It's not really the time to do that, the bull's getting upset with me." Gerome said, gesturing to the bull's smoking nostrils. "Though I won't say no with how many that still need to get polished."

Cynthia smirked and hummed. "I don't know… you being all sour isn't great incentive."

Gerome sighed, surrendering to the obvious. "What do you want?"

"Pucker up and plant one mister."

Gerome rolled his eyes and kissed her lightly, Cynthia's smirk growing as she sauntered off to grab some polish. Gerome just shook his head, a slight smile on his lips.

There were some perks to this job besides caring for the wyverns he held so dear.

-Sully-

"Did you really think I spent all my time training?"

Sully's question went to one of her subordinates, who'd wandered in on the Steel Rider captain tossing out the bubbling remains of what might have been soup. "Um… what was that?"

"Another bad attempt at coming up with my own recipe." Sully sighed as she set the experiment aflame. "Only things I can make are the ones my hubby writes down and they're so simple an idjet could make 'em. Just don't understand why I can't seem to get anywhere."

She scratched her head and went over to a small pantry. At least her subordinate knew why she'd gotten a small kitchen built into her office, though him being here probably meant it was time to stop her experiments. "So, what's up?"

"Oh, your husband dropped off a package." Her subordinate said, placing a wrapped parcel on the kitchen's table. "Barely saw him but he said something about fields and vanished."

Sully shook her head and smiled, of course that's where he'd be. Kellam always did go work his berry patches and wheat rows when he wanted to relax. "Thanks, anything else?"

The subordinate gave a negative and excused themselves, Sully closing the door and opening the parcel. She smiled at the small wheel of cheese with bread and wine inside, a little card in Kellam's handwriting encouraging her.

She nodded and rolled up her sleeves, another idea entering her mind.

If there was one hobby she had, it was improving herself, and by heaven she would show Kellam her appreciation by becoming a decent cook.

He'd been waiting long enough as was, so best get to it!

-Kellam-

It was good working in the fields.

Kellam stood and looked over the fields he'd been working on since he'd wed Sully. It was a good plot, just within the borders of Ylisstol, and perfect for him. He was a simple man that wanted a simple life and he had that.

Besides, commanding the Knight Order was always stressful, but honest work like this was always perfect to let the stress of his work melt away.

"Daddy! Look, I picked the berries!"

A little girl in dirty clothes ran up to him, crooked teeth smiling from her sticky face. She presented a basket of strawberries to him, Kellam taking it gratefully. "Thank you, Kjelle. Are you going to pick the blueberries and mulberries now?"

His daughter nodded and ran off for the many rows of berry bushes he'd planted shortly after she was born. The girl did love her berries and it always made his heart swell to see her come up with a basketful after snacking on them.

Kellam adjusted his hat and got back to clearing weeds. The wheat harvest was looking good so far and that meant plenty of cakes and pies come the holidays.

A better life he couldn't find, or a better way to spend his days.

-Kjelle-

"Are you going to make a commission or just stare at me?"

Kjelle's question snapped a smartly dressed woman out of staring. "Oh, excuse me… I just wasn't expecting to walk in and find you… underdressed."

Kjelle snorted and glanced down at the cloth binding her breasts. "I work with items that get dust everywhere, trying to wear normal clothes only ruins them. Besides, you just happened to catch me as I was going to get my smock."

She huffed and ducked into her workshop, the other woman following reluctantly. "Now, what do you want? I have two projects I'm working on now, so unless it can wait, you're probably better served at another sculptor."

The other woman took a breath, clearly trying to keep calm. "My master has requested you specifically. He spotted some of your work on display in the royal palace and wished to commission a suitable sculpture."

"Of what?" Kjelle asked as she pulled a dusty smock over her head and grabbed a set of chisels. "My first project is for the Opera House, an order from the Exalt himself. The second was commissioned at the behest of Duke Volk for his manor. What kind of statue could be more important?"

The woman gulped, clearly not expecting that. "Well… the master wished to commission a series of busts for him and his family. I was sent to ask your price."

"Three hundred gold a bust, no negotiating." Kjelle answered, ignoring the sputtering woman as she climbed a ladder to examine an in-progress statue. "All my work's in either marble, granite, or bronze. That's expensive to procure in the sizes I need, so that's the price."

The woman said something about speaking with her master before storming out of the workshop. Kjelle was silent for a time before sighing. "Sheesh, some quiet at last. Now I can focus."

Becoming a sculptor was still something of a surprise to Kjelle. She'd always thought she'd be a career soldier, maybe even lead the Knight Order someday, but seeing everyone start taking hobbies outside warfare had made her curious.

Then she discovered a local sculptor who ignited a desire to outdo the masters in her precision, to hone it far beyond what anyone could claim with the strength to make it devastating!

Certainly showed in her lance work. She was able to slip the blade through even tiny gaps in armor now, no matter where they were.

Kjelle shook her head and started to chisel out another set of details. This sculpture would be going smack dab in the main concourse of the Opera House, Uncle Chrom requesting it to resemble both King Gangrel and Exalt Emmeryn.

Despite the animosity those two were widely known for, Gangrel's popular plays and Emmeryn's patronage of the arts made the sculpture all too appropriate for a main display.

Kjelle smiled as she carefully chiseled out the first details of Emmeryn's face. It was still so weird to her that she'd gone from strength obsessed to such a precise profession, but…

It was nice.

-Gaius-

"What're you looking at?"

Gaius stared at the entrance to his shop, a gaggle of children standing in the doorway. Sure he was well known as the Duke of Themis, but it shouldn't mean people could stare at him. Then again, he was the one to open this place.

"You guys lookin' for the good stuff?" Gaius called again, the bravest of the children taking tentative steps inside. "I got just about all of it."

He gestured to the counters and shelves, each lined with containers and treys filled to bursting with all kinds of sweets. Chocolates, candied fruits, nuts, jams, and all kinds of other confections fit to make a sugar-addict weep.

And weep Gaius did for he was restricted to only one sample from each batch after making them.

He reached behind the counter and held up a small sack of thin paper. "Got some fresh cinnamon almonds right here, just came out of the oven. Three copper for the whole thing."

The brave boy inched forward again, clearly not sure if he should show Gaius the respect due his station or treat him like a normal shop-keep.

"I'm not trying to trick you or anything." Gaius eventually sighed. "I just like making sweets and thought I could make some money while sharing them. Ya don't have to come in if you don't want any."

The boy shook his head and nervously pointed at one of the shelves. Gaius glanced at it and smiled. "Ah, truffles, and the cream ones at that. You Ms. Marlon's kid?"

The boy nodded and his nerves made sense. Ms. Marlon was one of Gaius's few regular customers, but he hadn't seen her recently. If he had to guess, she was sick and unable to come, but her son had volunteered to fetch the truffles. Probably didn't know who he was coming to buy from until his friends recognized Gaius.

Gaius strode over and filled a large parcel with the chocolate delights, tying it off tightly and presenting it to the boy. "Well, say hi to your mom for me. I have a new recipe for a strudel I think she'll like, but I'll need more than one opinion. Make sure to come again and don't forget your friends."

The boy took the parcel carefully before giving Gaius a big grin. He shoved a handful of coins into Gaius's hands before running out of the store, his friends breaking into cheers. Gaius watched them go with a smirk of his own before heading into the back of the shop.

Time to make more truffles.

-Maribelle-

"There we go."

Maribelle leaned back from her work and grinned. While she'd originally thought the very idea of working in the dirt was beneath her, as it turned out, growing and harvesting her own tea leaves was quite relaxing.

Admittedly it had taken her husband helping her get used to it at first, but now she worked on her garden of tea-shrubs alone. It was her personal sanctuary now, and she'd gotten into the habit of only drinking tea sourced from her garden.

There was just something about tasting the fruits of your labor that put even the most exotic teas to shame.

"Milady?"

Maribelle looked up and frowned at her handmaid. "Yes, what is it? I recall quite specifically mentioning not to be disturbed."

The handmaid bowed demurely. "Milady, I apologize, but another petitioner has come forth to seek your judgement. They're being quite insistent despite repeated requests to leave."

Maribelle sighed in frustration. This had been happening ever since she'd become the Head Magistrate, but to interrupt her right as she was harvesting the new leaves? Unforgivable.

"Have the petitioner thrown out of the hall!" She ordered, turning back to her shears and basket. "If they cannot abide common decency or patience then I shall not hear their plea! What are they even barking about to cause such a ruckus?"

Her handmaid remained bowed. "I believe it is something to do with the recent ordinance."

Maribelle paused and had to hold back a groan. She'd recently passed an ordinance requiring those accused of a crime to a fair trial of peers, the jury including noble and common-folk alike. It was intended as a civic duty, but resistance continued to persist.

"Don't worry, Twinkles." Gaius soothed as he rose out of her shadow and embraced her. "I'll take care of that idiot. You keep up the good work, I know I'm looking forward to this tea, same with Brady."

Maribelle took his hand and pecked his knuckles, silently giving him permission to go. Once he was gone, she smiled and started to harvest once more, the handmaid silently taking her leave.

Indeed this tea would be good, because she'd be able to share her efforts with her family.

Nothing was worth more.

-Brady-

"Dag nabbit, that ain't right."

Brady bit his lip as he looked at his music. Why in the nine-hells he'd gotten chosen as lead violinist for the grand reopening of the Ylisstol Opera House escaped him, but it was driving him mad. Sure, he was beyond honored and cried like a baby for ten minutes at the news, but sheesh did Severa write tough movements.

This one in particular called for several drastic shifts in tone and timing within three measures, not to mention sliding from pianissimo to fortissimo in two notes. It was something a real masterful violinist could do after some practice, but Brady was no master.

He just liked playing is all, since most people stopped running from his scowl.

Brady grunted and tried again, the music flowing again. He was sequestered in his chambers today, not wanting to get interrupted in the midst of this. The debut was only a week away and this was the last part he hadn't gotten down.

He scowled as he screwed up, the violin squealing. Dammit, Sev just had to make her music as demanding on the player as she was on herself. What did she want him to do, grow another arm?

"More likely she wants you to just slide, dear." Maribelle answered, unceremoniously barging in as she was prone to do with him. "Our dear composer doesn't always remember to make the slide markings."

Brady blinked several times and looked at the music as closely as he could.

"You're kidding me…" He mumbled, trying exactly that a moment later. The violin practically sang in his hand, beautifully connecting the seemingly disparate measures between it. "Hot damn!"

Maribelle gave him a sharp look. "Watch your tongue, young man. At the very least, you figured it out, just after I had the wherewithal to get through your stubborn determination. I understand you wished to understand the piece on your own, but asking for help is no sin."

"I know," Brady muttered, turning his gaze away from the music. "It's just I've always done my practice my way, ever since I started playing for the joy of it after lessons. That never involved asking others for help, 'specially since Morgan was the only one who could play with me."

Maribelle sighed and pulled out some parchment. "And pianos weren't readily available, I know. Just read these, I've been told they're final instructions for the performance next week. Oh, and that shopkeep you've been circling got tickets."

She winked at Brady, his cheeks flushed, before excusing herself. Brady stewed in embarrassment for several moments before finally reading the instructions.

"…Huh? Didn't think I'd be helping with maintenance. Least I got more polish than I know what to do with."

-Panne-

"Tell me more."

Panne sat in a grove of great trees, a flock of birds around her. It was nesting season once again and the denizens of her warren had come to explain their grievances.

It was amazing how many of them wanted the same branch, but she enjoyed working on such trivial problems. Helping nature restore itself after the humans under her care had to take from it was always a joy.

Especially when, on calm days like this, the trees told tales.

What more could she ask for?

-Virion-

"Come now, there's no need for such an attitude!"

Virion shouted that at one of his assistants, the woman leaving with a huff. Virion shrugged and turned back to his work, a bushel of grapes in front of him. "And that, dear Yarne, is why you watch your words."

His young son gave him a confused look. "But… all you asked was for her to help with the larger casks. Why was she so upset?"

"A slip of the tongue that made it sound like something else." Virion replied, snipping the bountiful stem. "But it's no matter, are you getting hungry? We can head to the sweet vines for a good lunch and I'm sure your mother has retrieved many tales for us to hear."

Yarne grinned and bound away, turning into a large hare in his haste to make the vines. Virion chuckled after him and placed the last bushel into his basket, the bounty of red and green grapes ready for pressing.

While he certainly enjoyed a good hunt with his wife, he found the most pleasure in making his own wine. It was always purchased back in Roseanne, but here… it tasted so much better than anything he ever bought.

"My Fool, why has Yarne run off without you?"

Virion turned to find Panne grinning at him, a crown of leaves in her hair. "Well, he's eager to sample his hard work and hear your tales. I'm guessing you heard good ones?"

Panne stroked his face and kissed him, the crown in her hair rustling in the wind. "Indeed…"

"Very good ones."

-Yarne-

"What a sight!"

Yarne's exclamation made birds scatter, which in turn made him scramble for cover. Much as he'd slowly gotten over his former cowardice, it still rose to the surface when he was startled.

It didn't stop him from admiring the view. It was a huge waterfall roaring over the edge of a cliff into the sea, what looked like salmon falling into the great waters. It was the time of the season for them to return from spawning, but who'd thought he'd stumble on this?

Yarne eventually calmed down and made a mark on his map. "Ok, this'll be a great place to take Noire during her break. Same with that lake I found northeast of here, that'd be a good anniversary spot."

Yarne had turned into a traveler and explorer after the war, his desire to find a safe-place dragging him all over the place. He was credited with discovering several new bodies of water and other landmarks alongside numerous species.

Even after settling down with Noire in Ylisse, he still had the urge to explore this world no longer ravaged by war, eventually turning it into a passion.

One he was all to eager to share with his wife…

When she wasn't as scared as he was at the prospect of running into something strange, which tended to happen.

On cue, he watched some kind of sea-beast rise out of the water and swallow a dozen salmon whole.

"…Of course."

-Miriel-

"How interesting."

Miriel made several notes in her journal as she observed a strange apparatus, it's purpose clear to none save herself. Once again, she was alone in her laboratory, testing ideas and hypothesis with a single-minded devotion that was uniquely hers.

Today's experiment was elegant in its simplicity. There were many tales of fruit plants bearing fruits of many colors, some far away from any expected hues such as purple apples or orange grapes. Today, she was testing grape vines that Virion had grown for her, dyes mixed into the water used.

By the looks of things, there was indeed a mild color change, but only in the leaves. The fruits themselves were barely impacted if at all.

"Results concur with those found in fruit trees and similar plants." Miriel mumbled as she jotted down more notes. "Leaves show color change consistent with dyes used, and stems to a lesser extent. Lines indicate similar delivery system to human blood-stream."

She glanced to a large apparatus of glass circles, curiosity eating at her. "Perhaps… plants have a type of blood too?"

She couldn't wait to find out.

-Gregor-

"Heh, fancy man no understand!"

Gregor laughed as he chatted with Virion, the two men discussing their most recent ventures. Well, Virion was discussing his latest process for a new type of wine, but Gregor wouldn't listen to him.

"Mead and beer best options for hot day!" He argued, holding up a mug of the former to emphasize his point. "Fruit good at parties, but Gregor? Gregor only drink fine mead at end of day!"

Virion smirked and settled into his seat, a glass of wine in hand. "You mean the mead you brew? Tell me, has Miriel gotten on your case yet for not selling any of it? Last I checked every batch ended up down your gullet at some point."

"Haha, Gregor sell two casks yesterday!" Gregor shot back, though his laugh was tinged with nervousness. "Two… very fine…casks…"

Virion laughed at his friend, the former mercenary tearing up. "Well, I thank you for setting up your hives and plants next to our vineyard. The bees have been extremely helpful in ensuring our crop is healthy."

Gregor raised his mug and Virion completed the toast, the two men comparing brewing and fermenting processes well into the night.

-Laurent-

"Love, are you quite sure this is what you think it is?"

Laurent's question wasn't unfounded. Nah brought more than a few strange plants into his shop every so often, and more than a few of them had turned out to be poisonous.

"Yes, it's young lavender silly." Nah answered, holding out the bundle of green. "You mentioned you were getting low on it and it's getting close to winter. Burns are going to happen, and they'll be coming to you."

Laurent inspected the bundle before taking it. "Thank you for bringing it, that saves me some trouble. However, you've gotten into another bundle of thorns by the looks of it, come with me."

Nah sheepishly followed him into the back of the store, the space home to various flasks, pots, beakers, mortars, and other such things. All very appropriate for an apothecary.

"Hold still." Laurent instructed as he applied a salve to the numerous minor scrapes crawling up Nah's arms. It stung a bit at first, but swiftly took away the minor pain.

Laurent merely smiled as he watched the slight tension in his wife fade away, reminded once more why he'd taken up this practice. Having to help his uncle in the medical tents during the war had opened his eyes to the near endless world of medicinal botany and he was free to pursue it with his mother's blessing.

Such a wonderful thing to call his own.

-Lon'qu-

Breathe in… Breathe out…

A flash of light and three bottles of glass slid off their stands, sliced cleanly in two. Lon'qu took a breath as he sheathed his blade, taking in the sight carefully.

He was improving, slowly but surely. With the war over, there was only one obstacle left for him to face, Khan Basilio himself. It had taken longer than he'd thought to master his own mind, to defeat the notion that he would never defeat the great West Khan, but he was nearly there.

Now if he could do four in the same instant, he would be a match for the skill his benefactor held, and fast enough to avoid the crushing blows that had defeated him time and again.

Lon'qu folded his legs as he sat, starting his post-training meditation. For most, they cleared their minds and focused solely on breath.

For him, he focused on the beautiful visage of his wife and the sight of his son in their latest spar. It was in their presence he felt most at peace.

And most able to complete his ambition.

-Olivia-

"Again, from the top!"

The other dancers dropped their poses at Olivia's orders, everyone returning to their positions on the stage. It was the week before their grand performance in the Ylissean Opera House, the Swan Troupe one of several taking part.

They'd been assigned one of the two big parts of the performance, sharing the climax with one of the other prominent troupes, the King's Men. Olivia, the best dancer of them all, was in charge of the choreography.

Which she took to with surprising authority.

"Come now, everyone, it's only a week until we do this for real!" Olivia called from her place at the head of the dancers. "Remember, front row is to follow my movements while rows two and three follow their heads. I know you've all been practicing on your own, but this needs to come together!"

She nodded to the pianist, notes flowing through the air. Olivia took the starting pose and started them off. "One and two and three!"

Her dancers followed to the best of their abilities, movements smooth as silk. Olivia though was her own beast in the dance, stringing together moves and poses with unearthly grace befitting her title of Prima Donna.

Privately, Olivia was beyond mortified at having to direct the dances, but she actually enjoyed performing with others and teaching. She'd learned much about running a troupe in her time with the Swans and this was the last piece she needed to reach her dream.

Opening and performing in her own theater.

When that happened she could at last perform to her heart's content, just like she'd wanted to ever since hearing the tale of the great performer and singer, Azura.

It was only time now.

-Inigo-

"Come love, there's better things to do than work on a commission by one of those slimeballs."

Inigo's plea to his wife went unheeded, Kjelle continuing her work on the block of marble. He'd been in the shop today, on break from the Swan troupe, to deliver a gift to his wife only to run into a less than scrupulous customer. Dastard was flirting with her too.

"You can't hate someone for flirting, being a flirt yourself." Kjelle called to him, focus turning from her work. "How many times have I caught you using honeyed words in just the last week?"

Inigo grimaced and looked away. "In my defense it's only been three times. I've come a long way since we were younger."

"Admittedly, but you'll be a hypocrite until you stop." Kjelle replied, twisting the dagger. "Besides, you know I don't wear my band when at work, there's too much risk of damaging it."

Inigo went quiet and Kjelle returned to her work, silently regretting the snap. She knew Inigo meant well, but he could be blind to his own failings from time to time.

For a moment, she thought he'd left. Then a parcel was placed on her workbench and she smelled fresh bread.

"I'm sorry." Inigo apologized as he presented his homemade treat. "I should trust you to deal with that more than I did. I guess I'm just stressed with the show coming up."

Kjelle put down her chisel and took a slice of bread from Inigo, the taste reminding her of their home. "Well… I apologize too, I was too harsh. I know you've been working on breaking your habit and done far better than I ever thought. Just… annoyed by that guy I guess, reminded me of an even worse version of the old you."

She hopped down from her ladder and hugged him. "Then again, I quite like this Inigo. Who else can say they married such a handsome baker?"

Inigo smiled and quietly gave thanks to Kellam. His father in law knew how grow wheat and then some.

It made the best bread.

-Libra-

"A good day, my child."

Libra was sitting outside his orphanage, brushing the hair of a little girl they'd taken in recently. The poor thing had lost her parents ages ago to an outbreak of fever, wandering the streets since. It hadn't been until last week when he'd spotted her on a trip into town that she'd found a home.

His words came in response to her quiet question of what kind of day it was, to warrant getting her hair combed. It was so sad to hear her question if she was worth such a simple pleasure, but Libra knew she'd be one of the family before long.

It showed in how tightly she held her doll, the one he'd made for her when she was given her room and first real meal. It showed in how the other children had taken so well to her. It showed in how little Noire had quickly made this little one into her best friend.

And Libra would raise her with all the passion he could muster, for such was the calling he'd found.

As he pledged to all his children.

-Tharja-

Despite common belief, Tharja had a fairly mundane way to spend her spare time.

Sure, there was always a poultice or charm that needed making or a curse to research and so on. But, she found other things to do that kept her busy in the orphanage. Namely keeping the place from falling on their heads.

There was just something nice about doing handy-work around the house. It helped relax her from the far more complicated parts of her profession and frustrations that came with it. Even hearing the children thank her with hugs and little gifts for fixing their beds or curtains made her feel warm.

She'd never show it, not with a reputation to uphold, but she kept their gifts in her drawers and would take them out to reminisce every so often.

"Mama Tharja, Darion broke the front door again!"

Though she did have to wonder if these hellions broke things just to annoy her sometimes. That was the third door this month, to the point she kept a raven on hand to send messages to the local sawmill.

Oh well, all in a days work. She was getting sick of trying to figure out the right amount of newt blood for this sniffling banishment anyway.

-Noire-

"This… isn't the best."

Noire pursed her lips as she wrote down her thoughts on the meal she'd eaten. She was in a small town on the coast of Ylisse, scouting out places to include in her pamphlets back home. Much like her husband, she'd become something of a traveler in the time after the war.

However, she'd taken up the habit of recording the various towns and stops she found, specifically eating spots and other stores. It had started back in her time as a way to remember the places she'd once gone to with all her friends in the orphanage, especially when her parents were both able to come.

Now, she used it in service of the growing tourist economy in Ylisse, Noire channeling her desire to find and relive warm memories alongside making new ones.

Now if she could just find a half-decent batch of clams on this coast, all would be grand!

The last ones gave her a stomach ache… and made her dream of clams rising from the sea to claim their revenge.

Yeah, that place didn't score well.

-Stahl & Evelyn-

This pair had a shared hobby that was oh so very them.

They went out on rides and picnics.

There was rarely a need to speak on their trips, sometimes with their son, Mark, and sometimes without. They always enjoyed each other's presence along with the many sights they got to see alongside their loyal steeds.

It also let them have some private time away from their very energetic son. They even had a tally going on where they'd yet to try for giving Mark a sibling. More than a few jokes were shared between them in private at that.

It was a good time spent away from their stressful jobs and let them see the home they loved so dearly.

Who could ever need to describe that in words?

-Ricken-

"Oh my, are you sure?"

Ricken was again surrounded by many woodland creatures, their stories and tales distracting him from his studies. The boy just wanted to catch up on some advanced magic theorems, but here he was again.

This time though, the critters had brought news. It appeared a project of his was starting to bear fruit.

Ricken closed his book and bid the critters goodbye before sprinting for his office. He dodged and leapt through guards and palace servants before throwing his office door open. "Is it working?!"

Inside was his girlfriend, a Pegasus knight named Caren. She was standing next to a small wooden contraption with a brass plate fitted into it, various arcane symbols decorating its surface.

"It seems to be!" Caren exclaimed, happy to see him. "I was able to press the plate into the ink and then onto the parchment with a couple pulls on the levers. Then, the spell worked!"

Ricken dashed over and looked at the parchment, each word perfectly transcribed and thrumming with magic. With a hoot, he scooped Caren into a big hug, the couple laughing joyously.

It was a small step, but an important one. Now, Ricken could start spreading knowledge much further than ever thought possible.

At last he could bring those who'd known destitution a chance.

-Henry-

"Well then, what have we here?"

Henry was a simple man when it came to his downtime. He like to study things, anything really, that caught his attention. Whether that made him work with Miriel, Ricken, or Tharja he didn't care so long as it was interesting.

Like this strange rock he was staring at. A spark from his flint had landed on one just like it and made it blow up! It was a strange texture though, different than the ones Miriel used for the blast packs.

In fact, it crumbled into a powder the moment he applied some pressure.

Henry smiled widely, eyes already looking for more.

This was bound to be a fun project to work on.

Property damage and all.

-Emmeryn-

To this day, playing with the children was still her favorite thing to do.

Away from the towers and halls of her position, out amongst the innocent and carefree. It so reminded her of what she fought for, bled for, and lived for. They were the light that would guide the halidom into a future of peace, she just knew it.

It was why she was playing hide and seek with them right now, the Exalt giggling as she hid in a small alcove. Well in sight of her guard, but not quite easy enough for the children to find her quickly. It was such fun to do this…

Essentially live the childhood she'd never had.

Emmeryn shook her head and smiled, banishing such thoughts. They would not do here, not anymore. She had her siblings, her friends, and the children now. Games and teasing were all part of her world, just as much as any duty she bore.

"There she is! Lady Emmeryn, we found you!"

Emmeryn giggled as the children took her hands and pulled her along, already babbling about the next game. "Indeed, you have."

"I've been found."

End

I feel like that's a good place to stop. Obviously, I could do the hobbies/passions of the other recruitable units but these are the ones we know prior to arrival in Valm. Most of them anyway, I'm looking at you, time travelers.

Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy the bunch of shorts! Ciao!