I have started to give more kids to the Fates parents, namely Siegbert's little sister. I am a little mad at myself for not thinking of how some possibly only children would react. And I've wanted to have some Siegbert and Shiro bonding moments anyway.
Prince Siegbert had once been told he had to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom in Hoshido. Thanks to a trip to the neighboring country with his family, he was able to see them for himself. They had been in the country for nearly a week, but the sight of the pink blooms from his window was still breathtaking. He would spend a few minutes each morning just admiring the view before he got ready to start his day.
Though he had hoped to learn of Hoshido, and of being a future king, he found his time spent instead outside, under the blooming trees or near springs and pools. Sometimes with his little sister, sometimes with High Prince Shiro, and sometimes with a combination of the other children born during the war. While speaking and spending time with them gave him many opportunities to understand Hoshido through their eyes, it was not what he expected when they arrived.
As it was in Nohr, Siegbert was one of the first people up each morning. After dressing, he slipped carefully from his room and made his way to the kitchens for breakfast. He passed the ninja, Saizo, as he always did. Saizo gave the young prince a nod of acknowledgement as they passed each other. Siegbert had once overheard King Ryoma and Saizo speaking of Shiro, both of them wondering if Siegbert's early-to-rise nature could rub off on Shiro.
Siegbert was pleased to see that hardly anyone else was awake. He asked a cook for a plate of steamed buns, promised to return it, and took the plate and a scroll he had borrowed from the castle library outside. He settled down under one of the many cherry trees. His father had often taken to encouraging Siegbert to have fun, to enjoy himself and not become someone who studied and trained exclusively. If his father caught him, King Xander would not believe that it was the only scroll Siegbert had taken. His curiosity had gotten the best of him, and he wanted to read it, and return it, before anyone else had found out.
As he sat under the tree, the young prince realized perhaps it was not the best place to read or eat. Though the tree was in full bloom, the occasional stray petal would drift down and land in his hair, on his scroll, or on his meal. As he blew one off the scroll, he heard a laugh.
"I don't think you'll get much reading done if they bother you so."
Siegbert jumped and blushed a light pink. He had not expected to be spotted by anyone, but it was somewhat worse to be sighted by Caeldori with flower petals on and around himself.
She blushed as well and quickly apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you, Prince Siegbert," she said quickly. "I just saw the sakura blooms were annoying you..."
"They aren't annoying," Siegbert admitted. He looked up at the tree, only to have another fall and land on his face. "Well, not fully," he added as he shook his head. Caeldori's giggle, which she was quick to stifle, caused him to blush again. "They are beautiful, as you said," he continued. "I'm glad we were able to see them, even if I did have to learn it's not wise to eat under them." He looked mournfully at his breakfast. All but three buns had been eaten, but each looked as though they had been decorated with pink blooms.
"There's plenty left in the kitchens," Caeldori offered helpfully. Siegbert shook his head.
"I'm full," he told her. He stood, brushed off his clothes, and grabbed the plate. "I should probably take this back to the kitchen."
"When you do, will you come back? I want to show you something."
Curious, Siegbert returned to the palace. He left the plate in the kitchen and returned the scroll to the library on his way out. What could Caeldori want to show him? It could be nearly anything. He had seen only a small fraction of Hoshido during their infrequent trips to the country.
She waited as she said she would. She smiled and led him to the stables. "I thought you would like this. I know Katerina will love her, and I wanted to know if you thought it would be safe to show her."
They joined her father, Subaki, at the far end of the building. "Ah, good morning, Prince Siegbert," Subaki greeted him as they joined him. Siegbert returned the greeting. With a smile, he gestured to the stall. "I think Caeldori is more proud of her than her actual mother."
Inside the stall, a female Pegasus watched the idly. She had laid down in the hay, her wings folded low. It took Siegbert a second to realize there was a much, much small Pegasus with her, half hidden by the lowered wings. The baby let out a small snort as the mother Pegasus nudged her with her nose. The prince smiled as the baby Pegasus tried to stand and walk, even though the mother continued to shield her.
"You're right," he told Caeldori. "Katerina would be in love the second she saw her."
"Well, she is the perfect size," Subaki said with a laugh. The mother whinnied in response. "I'm afraid your sister would be disappointed she cannot fly yet."
"She won't be able to fly for a few months," Caeldori added. "Though she can walk, if you could get her away from her mother long enough to see it."
"Her mother will calm down," Subaki said softly. "They're protective at first, even when it comes to their handlers. But I suppose all mothers are."
Siegbert nodded in agreement. Many mothers would fight to the death for their child. He would not dare to approach the baby unless the mother Pegasus was comfortable with it.
"I can't wait to pet her," Caeldori sighed. Siegbert found himself smiling. Her excitement over the new Pegasus was rather cute.
"For now, we should leave them alone," Subaki told her. The three of them left the stables; Caeldori took one last glance at the baby Pegasus. Outside, Siegbert blinked at the bright sunlight. As his eyes adjusted, he heard someone call his name. Prince Shiro approached the three of them, and he was not alone. Siegbert's little sister hurried to keep up with Shiro. She clutched his sleeve, but released the Hoshidan prince once she saw Siegbert. Siegbert saw Shiro's expression falter for just a second as Katerina ran from him to her brother.
She hurried past Shiro and threw her arms around Siegbert's legs. He laughed and mussed her hair.
"She was looking for you," Shiro said. He began to rub the back of his neck with his hand. "I thought I'd help her find you."
"Thank you, Shiro," Siegbert said softly. He looked down to Katerina, but she had realized where she was. Though she held onto Siegbert tightly, her gaze was in the stables. Siegbert looked desperately at Caeldori and shook his head. It would not do to show her the baby Pegasus at that time. She would want to touch it and would not understand that the mother would not allow it.
"Can we see a Pegasus?" Katerina asked. She grabbed his hand and gave it a gentle tug.
Siegbert was not sure what to say, but Subaki stepped in. "Have you met my Pegasus, my lady? He's quite friendly, and he's right here near the front." He reached for her hand but Katerina hesitated. She looked up to Siegbert, who nodded. Caeldori stepped forward and said she would go as well. Katerina nodded and took Subaki's hand. The Nohrian princess liked and trusted Caeldori.
That left Siegbert and Shiro in front of the stables. The two of them watched as Subaki held Katerina up to pet his Pegasus. Caeldori cooed as Katerina pressed her face against the flying horse's neck. Shiro shook his head and sighed. "She's awfully cute," he said under his breath.
Siegbert felt his stomach twist. "Caeldori?" he asked. He hoped his tone sounded normal. The idea of anyone else liking Caeldori had not crossed his mind, and he felt if it came to her choosing between himself and Shiro, he could not win.
Shiro shook his head. "Your sister. What's it like?" He realized what he had asked and muttered something that sounded like "Forget I asked." He started the walk back to the palace.
Siegbert felt himself relax. He would not have competition after all. Then he noticed that Shiro had begun to walk away. "Shiro, wait!" he called softly. He hurried after Shiro, who had stopped at his cry. "What did you mean 'what's it like?'"
Shiro sighed. He was furious with himself for asking such a question. He ran a hand through his blonde hair and exhaled slowly. It was a question he would have to answer whether he wanted to or not.
"I just think you're lucky," he mumbled. He looked over Siegbert's shoulder to make sure the other three were still in the stable. "I'm not going to get that. I want to know what it's like to have a little sister. Someone who's always looking for you and is always thrilled to see you. Your parents were the first to have another child after the war, but they weren't the last." He kicked at the ground and scowled. "I shouldn't have asked."
Siegbert was at a loss for words. Shiro's mother had not survived the war. "I'm sorry," Siegbert managed to say. It was all he could think of at the moment, even though he was not sure what he was apologizing for. He had not rubbed his bond with his little sister in Shiro's face. Had he?
"You didn't do anything, so why are you apologizing?"
Siegbert shrugged. He apologized. A lot. It was something everyone expected of him, and something his cousin, Forrest, teased him about. "Perhaps your father will remarry?" he offered hopefully.
Shiro laughed. Siegbert was pleased to hear it was sincere and not mocking laughter. Shiro sounded more like himself with that laugh. "No, I'm afraid it'll just be me. My dad won't get over my mom, that I'm sure of." Siegbert wanted to argue that Shiro could not be certain of that, but Shiro knew King Ryoma better than Siegbert did.
"But - "
"Ssh."
Shiro nodded to the stables and Caeldori, who was attempting to coax a reluctant Katerina away from the stalls. When she saw Siegbert, she wiggled away from Caeldori's grip and hurried over to him.
"I want to ride a Pegasus," she whimpered.
Siegbert smiled and dropped to her level. "I know you do, but Mother and Father need to give you permission before you can." An idea struck him. "But I think Shiro might want to show you something."
"I do?"
Siegbert nodded and silently hoped that Shiro would clue into what he was doing. "Don't you think Katerina would like the springs?'
"I don't know, Siegbert," Shiro said slowly, "shiny ore isn't as interesting as a flying horse."
"Huh?" Katerina turned to him. Siegbert knew Shiro had a point. Katerina would not be as interested in ore, but Shiro's comment did get her attention. She had rarely left the palace since they had arrived. Anything outside of it would be a welcome sight.
"Do you really want to see?" Katerina nodded. Siegbert stood and held her hand as Shiro led them away from the stables. He was pleased to note his sister did not even look back to the animals she adored.
Shiro led the Nohrian siblings around the castle and through crowds of people. Hoshido had finally fully awakened, and its people had become very busy. There was the occasional greeting tossed their way, mainly aimed at Prince Shiro. When he realized he was walking too quickly, he waited for Siegbert and Katerina to catch up to him. "It's not far," he assured Katerina before he started walking again.
The idea of picking her up had crossed Siegbert's mind, but Katerina had reached the age where she would fuss if she did not want to be picked up. They continued to follow Shiro, a little slower than if Siegbert carried his sister, until he lead him to the springs and pools.
They were crystal clear and most were not very deep. Some of the pools were wide, and others were just large enough for Siegbert to stand in. A stream trickled through as small, speedy fish darted past. Sunlight sparkled across the water, but it was not the only thing that glittered. At the bottom of each, colored gems shimmered with the water's movement.
"Oh!" Katerina gasped. She timidly stepped towards the nearest pool and leaned over to look inside. Green and blue stones appeared to wink in the morning sun. "They're pretty!" she told Shiro, who grinned in response.
"That they are," he told her. "And they aren't hard to get, either." He reached into the cool water and grabbed a large, smooth blue stone. He swirled i through the water to rinse off the sediment, then handed it to Katerina. It took both of her small hands to hold it. She smiled at Shiro and asked if she could keep it. "It's yours," he promised.
She turned to Siegbert, who knew exactly what she would ask before she did. "Can we get more?" She turned her gem over in her hands and watched as the sun hit it. "Peri would like them," she added.
"Yes, she would," Siegbert agreed. He convinced her to not go near the waters herself. Shiro and he would collect the stones for her.
"You didn't have to do that," Shiro whispered to Siegbert as the two of them sorted through jewels at the bottom of the water.
"I know spending time with my sister isn't the same as having your own," Siegbert whispered back, "but I thought it would be better than nothing. I'm so - "
"Don't apologize," Shiro hissed. He looked back at Katerina, content with turning her stone over and over in her hands. "It is nice," he whispered. "Thanks."
"You're welcome."
The princes lapsed into silence as they gathered the blue, green, and even some red stones. Katerina's favorites were the blue ones. By the time the princes were done, she had a large pile of sparkly stones, most of them some shade of blue. She wanted more, but Siegbert gently suggested they return to the castle. They were probably missed, he added. Katerina sighed, but agreed to return.
She soon realized she had a problem. Shiro and Siegbert watched, both trying, and failing, to not grin, as she tried to carry all of her rock collection. Her hands were just too small. As she struggled to pick up one rock, she would drop two or three. "Do you need help?" Siegbert asked. His hand covered his mouth to stifle his laughter.
"Please."
As Siegbert started to gather rocks, Katerina began to shove them in his pockets. Shiro's attempts to cover his own laughter failed. "It's part of having a little sister," Siegbert admitted. "Your pockets are her pockets. If she were a boy, I'm sure it would be frogs instead of gems."
"You don't like frogs?" Shiro asked Katerina as he also picked up some of her treasure. She shook her head furiously. Shiro chuckled again. He tried to convince her that frogs were not bad, but she would not hear of it. She insisted they were icky and scary looking. When he asked if she had held out, she let out a frightened cry. "OK, no frogs," Shiro agreed.
With every last gem away, and a quick check to make sure none were left behind, they returned to the castle. Katerina's room was right by their parents'. It was not until after Katerina's rocks were on her bed that Siegbert wondered just how their mother and father would react. She did intend to share them. For the time being, the little princess was more than pleased to sort through her gems. Before Shiro and Siegbert left her, after making certain she would be fine, she thanked Shiro. The look of surprise on his face was fleeting, but Siegbert caught it before he smiled warmly and told her she was more than welcome.
Outside her door, Shiro inquired as to what Siegbert would do next. "I think I'll find someone to keep an eye on Kat," he said softly.
"No one in Hoshido is going to hurt her," Shiro argued. Of that, he was not so sure. The commoners still were not fully accepting of the peace between the countries, but Katerina was well protected inside the palace walls. He then suggested Orochi or Kagero, both of whom could not help cooing over the young princess when they saw her. "Or Caeldori, she likes her."
Siegbert turned away and acted like he was looking over a painting on the wall. "Caeldori would just take her to the stables."
Shiro laughed. "Anyway, I was going to catch up with Asugi, maybe go through the market. You're welcome to join us."
Siegbert considered declining the offer. He had wanted to spend the rest of the day as he had started the morning, under the cherry trees with a scroll. After all, they were both beautiful and like nothing they had in Nohr. But he smiled and agreed to catch up as soon as he found someone to watch Katerina. Shiro swore he and Asugi would wait outside for him so the three of them could walk to the market together. "But hurry up!" Shiro called after him. "We won't wait all day!"
True to their word, they waited for Siegbert to join them. Shiro had been right; Orochi was more than willing to keep his sister entertained. Soon, Siegbert even found him enjoying their company as they sampled food and admired the handcrafted work for sale. Siegbert even found himself trying not to laugh as Shiro and Asugi attempted to charm several young women. It worked more for Asugi than Shiro.
"You beat me at arm wrestling, and he beats me with girls," Shiro grumbled. "I can't win, Siegbert."
"But you're the future king of Hoshido," Siegbert pointed out. "That will mean more than a woman's sweet tooth." He then sighed wistfully. "I wish the markets in Nohr were like this."
"Nohr has markets?"
"Oh yes, but most are underground. The people are so accustomed to crime and violence above ground that the markets were moved below." Siegbert then grinned as he remembered something his Aunt Camilla once told him. "There is a market very close to Castle Krakenburg, with a few ways out of the castle that lead there. For the longest time, my Aunt Elise thought she was the only one who knew about them!"
Shiro laughed in disbelief. "She's the youngest, right? And had no idea her brothers and sister knew how to get out of the castle?"
"I don't understand it, either."
By then, the two princes had wandered over to a bench. They began to share stories of their families and of their countries, each one funnier than the last. The citizens of Hoshido who saw them silently hoped it was a sign their bond would remain strong for the good of both countries.