A/N
Hi there! This is my first time ever writing a fanfiction. When I was younger, I wrote stories of my own, however. Please note that I am not a native English speaker.
Depending on whether people like it or not, I am going to continue publishing this story. So please feel free to leave a comment, a favorite or even a follow! This story will contain romance, probably smut as well and I plan to add some drama to it. Have fun reading and thank you!
Chapter 1 – Hoshidan Family
Hoshido. 8 years after the war. Peace has returned to both Nohr and Hoshido, bringing a time of prosperity upon the lands. The kingdoms' respective leaders, King Xander of Nohr and King Ryoma of Hoshido, signed a peace treaty in which they agreed on never attacking each other's homes again and to support each other in times of need.
Hoshido has become more prosperous than it ever was – the harvest each year was so good that they could effortlessly feed the entire Nohrian population as well. In return, Nohr helped rebuild the countless destroyed cities and villages that have been wrecked during the long-lasting war.
Kamui decided to stay in Hoshido for the time being – to make up the time she has lost while being separated from the Hoshidan siblings.
She sat on her bed in her chamber in the Hoshidan castle and looked outside the window. The cherry trees were in full blossom and the grass was as green as it should be in the season of Spring. You could see the wind blowing; the leaves of the trees swayed lightly in the wind. Kamui smiled upon the beautiful view. Landscape-wise, she has always preferred Hoshido over Nohr. While Nohr was basically a pitch black hole where the sun rarely shone, Hoshido seemed to be so full of life.
'Even so, I still find myself missing Xander, Leo and Camilla', Kamui thought to herself as she suddenly heard someone knocking on her room's door.
"Yes?", Kamui murmured and Elise entered the chamber. Kamui immediately started grinning. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Queen Elise of Hoshido!"
Elise blushed and attacked Kamui with a hug. "Oh cut it, Kamui! It's been two years since I've married Ryoma."
Kamui laughed. Years ago, no one would have thought that marriages between Hoshidan and Nohrian royalty would be possible in the slightest. But that is now a thing of the past.
Three years ago, Elise declared her engagement to Hoshido's king when she visited Nohr with Kamui. She was twenty years old back then. Just like any other girl, Elise has matured into a beautiful young woman – however, still wearing her pigtails like she used to. Kamui often thought that, because of Elise's cheerful nature, she is the born queen for a place like Hoshido. And sometimes, Kamui thought that it is kind of ironic for a Nohrian royal to become a Hoshidan queen. She remembers how varied the reaction of Hoshido's people towards Elise used to be. Some were overly happy while others even started peaceful prostests – but those suddenly ended when the scion of the Hoshidan-Nohrian couple was born one year ago. Kamui sometimes found herself being jealous over Elise having a little happy family. It's weird that the youngest of the Nohrian siblings is the first to have a baby, Kamui would think.
"So why are you here?", Kamui asked the little queen.
"Oh, just wanted to see you! I'm so busy with being a royal and stuff – more than when I used to live in Nohr. But I really, really, really missed you!" Elise tightened her hug and Kamui reciprocated it. "Oh! Oh! I also have good news!" Elise let go off Kamui and started jumping around happily.
"What is it?" Kamui crossed her arms and tilted her head. "Don't tell me we're eating lobster tonight. You know I don't like it as much as you do."
"No, DUH. Even better!" Elise giggled. "Ryoma said that we aaaaaaaaaallll – and by all I mean Takumi, Hinoka, Sakura, Azura and my son Shiro as well – will be visiting our good ol' friends in Nohr tomorrow!"
"Do you guys even have time for this kind of vacation?", asked Kamui, feeling a bit overwhelmed by Elise's energetic happiness.
"Well, technically no, but Ryoma has noticed that I have been missing my siblings a lot lately so that he suggested that. And funnily enough, Sakura was totally eager to join and convinced Takumi, Azura and Hinoka to come with us as well!" She took a short break from talking to take a deep breath. "Just imagine it! A real family gathering! And Leo, Xander and Camilla will finally see how much Shiro has grown! Sooo… are you in?"
Without thinking, Kamui replied: "Of course!" It has been way too long since she has last seen the Nohrian siblings – well, except for Elise of course.
And she really missed them.
After chatting about various topics, Elise left the room in order to look after her son. Kamui went back to look outside the window. The winds have calmed a little and the sun has begun to set. Kamui hadn't noticed how long she has actually talked to Elise now that she saw twilight.
Soon, it was time for everyday's dinner. It was the time of the day where all the royals sat down together and ate a huge meal. Kamui has always cherished this time of the day because she got to talk to all of the Hoshidan siblings.
The way from her chamber to the dining room was a long one. She had to walk through countless halls in order to reach it. On her way to the dining room, she ran into her retainer Jakob.
"Milady." Jakob bowed to her. "I was on my way to you to inform you about dinner but apparently, you are already on your way to your dining room."
"Yes, I am." Kamui smiled. "Thank you, Jakob. Why don't you take the rest of the day off?"
"Why thank you, Milady. However" - he smiled insecurely - "I would not know what to do if I had spare time. So I have to decline your offer."
Kamui laughed while the two of them proceeded walking to the dining room. "Oh Jakob, you are quite the character."
When entering the dining room, the Hoshidan siblings as well as Elise and Shiro have already been waiting for Kamui. Everyone smiled when they saw Kamui.
She sat down on the usual chair – the one next to Hinoka. Takumi and Sakura sat on the opposite side of Hinoka and Kamui. Ryoma and Elise were sitting with their son by the head of the table.
"Big brother, can't you take off your chin armor off at least when we're eating?", Takumi grumbled.
"Oh." Ryoma touched his chin armor. "I forgot taking it off. I am so used to wearing it all day, you could say it has become a part of my body." He started to laugh very loudly.
The servants begun bringing the food into the dining room. Kamui knew from the smell what it was: lobster. Elise had lied to her. She decided to eat at least the salad that was always served with lobster so she would not have to be hungry at night.
"Oh, lobster! My favorite dish!" Ryoma laughed again.
"We KNOW, Ryoma", Takumi sighed, "You tell us at least once a day."
Sakura and Elise started giggling.
"Well now, let's dig in!", Elise said after the servants had put food on each of the royals' plates.
"C-can a little child even eat lobster?", Sakura asked after looking at Shiro waiting to be fed.
"Well, if I cut it into tiny pieces, he surely can", Elise explained – not how she actually intended to cut a lobster into tiny pieces, however.
"He's my son. Of course he can." After Ryoma's sentence, a wave of silence came into the room.
And then everyone burst out into laughter.
Kamui loved these gatherings more than anything else. They let her forget about all the horrible things of the past – and yet, she felt a certain pain inside her chest. She felt like something was missing.
After having eaten, Hinoka patted Kamui's shoulder. "Hey, do you want to hang out a little?"
"Sure." Kamui and Hinoka got up and waved the others good-bye.
The girls went outside towards the pegasus stables. They would often meet here to talk about all kinds of things – about Takumi's pineapple-shaped hair, about the past, about the weather. Sometimes, they just groomed the pegasi without saying a word but enjoying each other's presence instead.
Kamui always thought that Hinoka's pegasus was the most beautiful one. It's feathers shone beautifully in the orange light of the sunset. She went towards the winged horse and carefully touched its head. "There, there", she whispered.
Hinoka smiled at the sight and began petting her pegasus as well. "So, Kamui...are you excited about traveling to Nohr again?"
"Yes, I am. I am missing Camilla, Xander and Leo way too much. I wish they could be here as well." Kamui sighed and gave the pegasus some hay to eat.
Hinoka giggled. "Well, you'll see them again soon. After a one-day travel to Nohr you'll be able to cuddle them all you want."
"By the gods, Hinoka...I'm not twelve anymore."
"I'm sorry. I keep forgetting that you are not twelve anymore." She laughed.
"Ha ha." Kamui sighed again. "You know, seeing Elise with her son...makes me think that I am actually of age to get married. And she is so much younger!"
"Well, five years younger than you are." Hinoka patted Kamui's head. "I wouldn't worry about that marriage stuff too much. Nobody is forcing you to anything, okay?"
"Yeah, you are right...I am just a little jealous of Elise, I guess. I am horrible, I know!"
"Nah, you are not." Suddenly, the pegasus knight hugged Kamui. "I think you got someone on your mind, don't you?"
Kamui blushed and was glad that Hinoka couldn't see her like this because of the hug. "N-no! Definitely not!"
"This didn't sound too convincing. Don't you want to tell your sister?"
"No, Hinoka...I can't...I mean. That's because there's no one. Okay?"
"Yeah, yeah." Hinoka chuckled.
After a short moment of silence Kamui asked in order to change the topic: "So how's it going with the pegasus training?"
Hinoka let go of the hug and shrugged. "Good."
Afterwards, neither of them continued to speak. They kept grooming the pegasi in the stables until it was past midnight. Kamui then decided to go to sleep as a long travel by carriage was ahead of them and she could need a good night's rest. Tomorrow she would finally be able to see the familiar, creepy landscape of Nohr again.