This story is not going to be completed, sorry. I forgot about it for too long and then the document containing my plans and drafts of the next chapters was deleted, so, no more updates, I'm sad to say.
After the war had ended, Hinoka was one of the army who had never married. During the endless battles, travels and danger, everyone seemed to have their partner by the time they had all settled down to live in the Hoshidan palace. Even the commander herself had wedded Hinoka's brother, and Takumi was the one she least expected to wed and have children- much less youngsters as upbeat as Kana and Kigari. Needless to say, life in peace wasn't as fulfilling as the sky knight had been expecting.
Yet what she also didn't expect was a series of events that changed her life. For Hinoka, it all started a few months after the day Garon had been vanquished. Since Mary now had Takumi to be with, her former closest friend- the disillusioned and lonely Camilla- turned to the red-haired sky knight to take under her wing.
And a lovely wing it was.
Even though no Faceless had been seen since Garon's defeat, Hinoka hadn't ceased her training regime. Should she stop, her skills might fade away in time. At least, that was what she told herself ever since the grief of losing Mary to the Nohrians, so many years ago.
Hinoka sighed once her thoughts strayed to the commander. She stroked her beloved pegasus's mane as he folded his great wings, leading him to the nearby stables. As usual, the sky knight was alone, a short walk from camp, and her arms were getting sore from lifting lances for the better part of the day. The sun was low enough in the sky to signal it was time to head back.
Once she saw the orange sky, Hinoka remembered that it would also be time for everyone to assemble for the evening meal. If she was lucky, she could avoid attending tonight and take her meal later. It wasn't likely her presence would be missed, now that the Nohrian and Hoshidan forces had merged and their numbers swelled-
"Oh! S-Sister, I didn't see you! I'm so sorry!"
An abrupt turn of her head revealed the source of the shout. Hinoka had walked into none other than her wide-eyed brother, behind the stable's door. Takumi wasn't alone either. Pressed underneath him was Mary, holding onto both of his hands, her hair disheveled. From their posture, the couple had been about to share a kiss.
Forcing herself to look amused, Hinoka waved her hand in dismissal.
"It's nothing to worry about, Brother. I'll let you two be. Forgive me for the interruption."
It would have been impossible for Hinoka's smile to sustain more than a moment. She could faintly hear Takumi's hasty apology before she was out of earshot, but didn't catch a single word. Her horse was ruffling his wings and pawing the ground.
When the area was silent again, Hinoka led her pegasus to the nearest stall that wasn't facing the way she'd come from. Her hands were gripping the reins so tightly the animal let out an irritated snort before she loosened them.
"Why the stable, of all places? They have the private quarters! The indecency..."
It was merely a moment of passion while they were on an errand, Hinoka knew, although that didn't comfort her. Mary and her husband needed to start behaving in a way befitting nobles if they wanted to maintain order.
Everyone had already gathered by the mess hall once Hinoka arrived. She could see Orochi nearby, sitting at an outdoor table and talking merrily with Leo on a topic that seemed related to scrolls. Disinterested, Hinoka hurried away before either of them saw her.
At long last reaching her room, the sky knight was never more grateful for the isolation. With a long sigh, she sat heavily on her bed, rested her forehead in her palm and thought about allowing herself to cry. The sight of her brother about to kiss Mary was somehow awkward, embarrassing, frustrating and tragic all at once, and it brought all her repressed feelings of resentment to light. For months, the princess had been bearing the burden of watching someone she loved break away from her. Just when Hinoka thought life might finally be peaceful, she had a whole new problem to deal with, and this one couldn't be tackled with a lance in hand.
"Hinoka? Dear, are you in there?"
It was Camilla's voice, with the gentle tone of one speaking to an injured animal. Wiping her wet eyes with a finger, Hinoka cleared her throat and spoke as clearly as she could.
"Yes, what do you need?"
"May I come in?"
"I... I suppose so."
Camilla entered the small room, making sure to properly close the door. Sitting a safe space away from the distraught Hinoka, her guest asked her in a soft voice if she was crying.
"N-no, I haven't. Not at all." Hinoka insisted, although she knew it was too late to hide her distress.
"Oh, come now." Camilla shook her head, now using the loving voice she usually reserved for Mary. "I can tell you're upset, unless someone else was crying on this bed a minute ago. Will you tell me what's troubling you, dear?"
Hinoka knew that she had to relent, or Camilla wouldn't leave her alone. Still, maybe it would be helpful to confess her problem to someone who wasn't the commander. After all, Hinoka couldn't imagine having a calm discussion with Takumi if he had the slightest suspicion of blame.
"It's… it's a bit hard to explain. But I think you might know a little about it, how it feels to watch someone grow up, and break away from you..."
"Are you talking about Mary?"
Hinoka nodded, despite detecting a spark of agitation. Camilla seemed to have an uncanny knack for knowing what people wanted, without the need for asking them.
"Then I'm not surprised at all, dear. Mary has been leaving the rest of us all alone an awful lot, hasn't she?"
"She has. She's always with Takumi now. All hours of the day. But isn't it kind of selfish to want to have her back? I... I should be happy for them, shouldn't I?"
Uncertainty flickered in Camilla's eyes, as deep purple as her hair.
"Perhaps. But I miss the little girl I would tuck into bed every night. She won't even allow me to hug her for longer than a moment, you know. I almost long for the time when their young love is going to slow down, however far away that may be."
Hinoka was moved enough to sit closer to Camilla. The sorrow was real in her voice, and Hinoka could understand why. Mary had spent a lot of time away from Nohr, and Camilla had to live with someone she loved fighting against her own flesh and blood.
"I'll just try to accept it. That's all I can do."
Hinoka broke the silence, feeling a twinge of relief despite her melancholic surrender. Why hadn't she sought out Camilla to confide in before? She'd know better than anyone what she was going through.
"As will I, Princess Hinoka."
"Heh, you can just call me the last bit. No need for fancy titles here."
Hinoka made a sniffling noise in response, smiling at last. Camilla had opened her arms and, although she wasn't one for affection most times, the sky knight let herself enter them. Camilla's hair was heavy and soft around her shoulders, like a blanket.
"Then, my dear Hinoka, remember that you're never alone. If you are ever in need of a loving hand, or a listening ear, I will be more than happy to oblige."
As she spoke, Hinoka could feel something moving down her spine. It was the same feeling that hearing Camilla speak had always brought in her; a feeling of unease, but not related to fear. She wiggled out of Camilla's tight hug and concluded their talk with a hasty sentence.
"I-I'll be at the mess hall. I'd better hurry if I'm going to eat tonight."
"Very good! May I join you?"
"Of course. Maybe we can talk about something happier, if you'd like. Sorry for putting all this gloomy stuff on you, Camilla."
"It's no trouble at all, sweetie."
