Chapter 3 – The King of Nohr

(A/N:

And here is chapter 3 of my fanfiction! Thank you for your support. I'm trying to build the plot of the story now, I am already having a lot of ideas.

As for chapter 2, the smut scene (which was Kamui's dream) was supposed to uncover Kamui's feelings for Xander.

And now, have fun reading. Feel free to leave a comment!)

"Xander!", Kamui exclaimed in happiness.

"And now we're all together." Camilla smiled at the sight of the royal families being happy to see each other.

"Indeed, we are...", Xander said, his smile suddenly turning to a serious look. "Everyone, why don't you go to your chambers and rest for a while? The travel must have been hard on you. And King Ryoma" - he turned to Hoshido's leader - "there is an urgent matter I have to discuss with you. As soon as you feel rested well enough, we should immediately address it."

Ryoma raised one of his eyebrows in confusion and then nodded. "Of course. You sound very serious, so I doubt it is okay to neglect this."

"Oh brother, didn't you want to take it easy while our Hoshidan guests are here?" Camilla yawned. "And now you are talking about 'urgent matters' that have to be discussed."

"I wish I could 'take it easy', Camilla." Xander started to sound angry. "But as King of Nohr, I cannot neglect things of high importance. Believe it or not, the situation is quite dire. At least I was able to welcome our guests." He cleared his throat. "I have to be off for now. There is still some things that have to be taken care of before I can dedicate my time to our guests."

Xander turned around in order to walk back to the castle. Kamui displayed a look of disappointment. So Xander did not have time for her and the Hoshidan siblings after all.

While the king was going back to his fort, Xander and Kamui's gazes met, and the dragon girl believed to hear Xander whisper "I'm sorry" to her.

"What a blockhead", Hinoka complained. "He didn't even take a look at his nephew."

Elise sighed. "It's okay. I understand what he's going through." She paused for a second to take a deep breath. "Oh well, then let us go to our chambers to rest for a while."

The chambers in Castle Krakenburg were dark yet spacious. Purple and black wallpapers adorned with golden ornaments gave the rooms a gloomy atmosphere and at the same time a cozy feeling. In the middle of Kamui's room was a huge canopy bed; the canopy had the same colors as the walls; golden embroidery that only the finest sewers could have sown decorated the already luxurious-looking cover.

Kamui dropped on her soft bed, pushing her face into one of the giant black pillows. She was very happy to be in Nohr again, to be with Camilla, Leo and Xander, but felt huge disappointment considering the latter.

'Always busy with kingly duties.' She turned around to lay on her back and stared at the canopy. 'I wonder what the problem is that he has been talking about. He seemed so serious.'

Then, she dozed off.

–

"You have become quite the beautiful young woman. Everytime you come visit, you seem to have matured more." Camilla poured some water from a jar into Elise's glass. Hoshido's young queen was sitting on Camilla's bed, smiling about the kind words her big sister said about her. "But wouldn't it be wiser to sleep? You have been travelling for long while taking care of your son."

"No, I'm fine. Shiro is with Ryoma now and both are sleeping so I wanted to use the chance to talk to you for a bit." Elise grinned and took a sip of the glass filled with water that Camilla had just handed to her. "I wish I could visit more often."

"Oh, don't worry about that, dear. I know you are busy with being a queen and mother." Camilla sat down next to Elise, patting her young sister's head. "Was there anything in particular you wanted to talk about? You have that serious look in your eyes."

"Camilla, perceptive as always." Elise sighed. "I am worried about Xander. He seemed even colder and stiffer than usual. But I know if I asked him myself he'd tell me not to worry about him...and now I was wondering if you know what's wrong."

"I don't know the details." Camilla's eyes narrowed. "He only told me that there is some kind of resistance going on. Against the Hoshido-Nohrian unity."

"What? But I've been told those resistances have died down?"

"Everyone thought that. Things did calm down after your son has been born, but apparently, some of the rebels have resurfaced." Camilla cleared her throat. "It was unexpected because everyone seemed so happy that the peace between Nohr and Hoshido wasn't just fallacy but actually bore fruit."

Elise looked very sad. "After all these years, we have finally achieved peace and now there are people who oppose it! How can this be? Did I do something wrong?" Tears were falling from her cheeks. "Sometimes...sometimes I wonder if it was a mistake? Leaving Nohr for love? For peace?"

As an immediate reaction, Camilla hugged her little sister tightly. "Oh darling, don't say these things! You did the right thing and deep down you know it! It's not your fault and you are an excellent queen. And just because you are Hoshido's queen doesn't mean that you aren't of Nohrian blood anymore."

"I-I know..." Elise sobbed. "I know..."

Camilla let go of the hug and held Elise's shoulders, looking into her sister's purple eyes. "Xander and Ryoma will find a way to solve this problem. All you do is try your best to be a good queen. For both Hoshido and Nohr. And I will support you, my darling sister, no matter what happens."

Elise nodded.

The two continued talking to each other about less serious topics for a while until Elise fell asleep on Camilla's lap.

Doing royal paperwork, Xander let out an exhausted sigh. Oh how he would rather spend time with his guests. Being king is not an easy task, he kept reminding himself, and he needed to do his best for his people.

Listening to requests, visiting towns, trying to keep peace in the kingdom. To some outsider, it might sound like a bunch of luxurious problems. However, only a king would know how bothersome those tasks are in reality.

Xander barely had the time to see his siblings Leo and Camilla who both lived in the same castle with him.

'Only two more hours until I am done with this task – probably.'

The pressure of being a king weighed him down more than he could ever have imagined. He wanted his people to think highly of him, he wanted to do the best he could so that violence had to be the last resort to solve troubles in his kingdom. So of course, finding out about the resurfacing resistance put him into a dire position. Until now, protests have mostly been peaceful but what if it ended with innocent civilians being victims of violent riots? It would be proof for his failure as a king – is a king that could not even convince his nation of the benefits of a Hoshidan-Nohrian unity even worthy of the throne?

After several hours of work, someone knocking on the room's door finally let him snap out of his self-depreciating thoughts.

The king of Hoshido entered chambered.

"Ah, Ryoma. I have been awaiting you. Have you had a good rest?"

"Yes, I did. Thank you." Ryoma sat down on one of the cushioned chairs. "There is apparently something serious you wanted to talk about? I actually wanted to enjoy some days off with my family, and Elise was eager to see you but -"

"A king's duty never sleeps, I'm afraid." Xander narrowed his eyes.

"Right. My apologies." Ryoma coughed slightly. "Then, do tell."

"Harmonia has attacked Hoshidans that were resting at one of the my kingdom's villages' inn."

Hoshido's king raised his eyebrow. "Harmonia? The resistance group? I thought they had disbanded."

"They did, but some of them appear to have regrouped. It would not be much of a problem if there were not reports of gifted mages and fighters among their ranks."

"Mages and fighters?" Ryoma started to sound worried. "Just what are they trying to accomplish with skilled warriors?"

"I do not know. But as king, it is my duty to find that out and to dismantle Harmonia once and for all." Xander crossed his arms. "This is why I must ask you to leave Nohr immediately. I want to know Elise and her son – my nephew – in safety."

"I refuse. They are safe as long as I am with them. Elise was looking forward to coming to Nohr and now you just want to send her back? No, Xander."

Xander chuckled lightly. "Being quite irrational, aren't we?"

"The only one being irrational is you. Blinded by your duty, you forget your loved ones, don't you?" Ryoma got up and clenched his fists. "Elise told me that the letters you sent became less frequent."

Xander let out a sigh in disappointment in himself. "I know, and I am terribly sorry."

Ryoma shook his head. "I hate to say this but… a good king must be able to keep his family life and his duties in balance. And you don't seem to be able to do exactly that. We are going to stay, as I promised to my wife. We are not going to leave but that does not mean that you have to hesitate to ask us for help if there is trouble with Harmonia during our stay."

Without adding anything else, Ryoma turned his back to Xander and left the room.

Xander covered his face with his palms and moaned angrily. 'I am such a gods damned fool!'

Xander then decided to look after his guests. What Ryoma said hurt his pride – now it was up to himself to restore it.

But before he could even leave, Peri and Laslow breathlessly rushed into the chamber.

"M-milord...", Laslow stuttered. "Sorry for the intrusion. We haven't seen you for 15 hours."
"I-I know you ordered us not to look after you because you were going to be very busy but...but!" Peri sounded very insecure. "We got worried...what if you fainted from all that horrible work?!"

Xander looked very puzzled for a moment and then began to laugh. "You two never cease to amuse me. I am alright."

"Whew, what a relief!" Peri giggled. "Well, actually it's the maids' task buuut we wanted to remind you that dinner is in about five minutes! And I doubt little sis Elise is gonna be happy if you miss it!"

"Right..." Xander smiled lightly and was accompanied by his retainers to the dining room.

"Xander! I thought you'd never join us!" Elise sounded very happy at the sight of her eldest brother.

Kamui felt glad, too. Like Elise, she belived that Xander would not show up for dinner.

The dining room was a huge hall. Just like everything in this castle, the walls were black with golden and white adornments. The table was long enough for at least twenty people even though there rarely were this many guests in the castle.

"I apologize for not being in time", said Nohr's king.

The maids and butlers brought various dishes to the table already set for the meal. Kamui missed the Nohrian cuisine.

Everyone began to eat and Elise looked even happier than before. "I missed this sooo much!"

Hinoka giggled. "Nohrian food is so much different from Hoshidan food, but it tastes incredibly fine."

"I picked the dishes because a certain someone was too busy with kingly duties to prepar everything for his guests." Camilla's passively aggressive annotation made everyone chuckle – except for said king.

"Xander, at this rate, you'll never find a queen!" Elise laughed.

"Don't say this or else he'll lock himself up once again", added Leo.

Xander didn't react to anything his siblings said about his relationship status and continued eating.

Elise noticed the slightly angry look on her big brother's face. "I...I am sorry, Xander. I didn't mean to make you sad."

"It is quite alright."

Takumi laughed out loud. "Oh man, you Nohrians are such sourpusses sometimes!"

Camilla shifted towards Takumi and pinched his cheeks. "Careful what you say or else the Nohrian Princess Camilla will make you regret it in the dirtiest way possible..." She grinned and Takumi gulped.

After everyone had finished eating, Elise asked Xander whether he had time for a walk outside.

To the young queen's surprise, her brother immediately agreed and the both left the castle.

The streets of Nohr's capital Windmire were crowded as usual. Various people, from hagglers to middle-class people were doing business even in the evening hours.

Elise grabbed her brother's hand and pulled him to the market; usually a place where people of nobility rarely were seen, Elise loved this place for its food, for its easy-going people.

At the sight of the two royals walking along the streets, many citizens kneeled before them and gave them wishes of health.

After wandering around for a while, Elise spotted a florist's booth and ran towards it.

"M-milady!" The florist nearly seemed to faint at Elise's sight. "Q-queen Elise of Hoshido! It is...it is such a pleasure to see you!" The sight of Xander didn't help the nervous florist either. "And Your Majesty himself! What brings you here? I hope I didn't do anything wrong, I always try my best and-"

"You did nothing wrong." Elise smiled. "I was mesmerized by the beautiful flowers of yours."

Xander crossed his arms. He did not quite get what Elise liked so much about flowers.

Elise continued chatting with the florist, eventually buying a bouquet for Camilla. The royal siblings then continued their walk through the capital.

"Aww, brother, why are you looking so angry? Is it something I said?" Elise sounded very concerned about her brother.

"This is my face, Elise."

"Oh."

After a while, they found a rather silent spot near a small stream apart from the Windimiran hustle and bustle. They sat down on a bench close to the stream's bank.

"I am glad you are spending time with me", Elise said. "I missed you so much, big brother."

Xander chuckled. "I am very sorry for being so busy all the time. I'll try to make it better, I promise." He patted his sister's head who giggled.

"Say, Xander..."

"Yes?"

"Does it get lonely at times?"

Xander paused for a second. "What do you mean?"

"Sitting locked up in your room, doing only things that are good for your kingdom without regard for your own feelings...I was wondering if you were feeling lonely." Elise sighed.

"Well, I am the ruler of this kingdom after all. I don't have the time for myself like others do."

"But..." Elise looked at her brother. "Ryoma is able to take care of both the kingdom and himself. And he always finds time for us. So that's why I was thinking...maybe you should try to take it a little easier? We all miss you dearly and I can see how much this isolation eats away at you. I mean, you did not even say hello to your nephew."

Xander did not respond, trying to hold back his emotions as usual.

"You know, I think Kamui missed you a lot, too. She smiled brightly when she saw you after all that time, and I am sure it must have hurt her to see you dash off to your duties again."

"Kamui, huh." Xander covered his eyes with his palm. "Maybe you are right, Elise."

"Hm?"

"I haven't realized it until now, but seeing how everyone gets to spend time with each other – without me – kind of makes me sad. Lonely."

Elise hugged her brother. "See? Told you."

"You have your own family and get to spend time with them a lot. And so does your husband even though he is a king." Xander took a deep breath. "I am lonely because I locked myself away for my duties. Maybe I should try to find some middle ground?"

"Yes!" Elise laughed. "That's the spirit. Of course, you shouldn't neglect your duties but please make room for your own life. I love you so much and I don't want to see you sad and lonely like that."

Xander smiled at her. "Thank you, Elise."

"No problem! Also, we don't want you to end up without a suitable queen and a proper successor!"

"Elise, please..."

Elise snickered and poked her brother's forehead. "Just kidding!" The young woman got up. "Oh well, let's go back to the castle, shall we?"

Xander nodded and stood up as well. The both of them commenced their walk back to Castle Krakenburg.

While they were strolling through the streets, Xander kept thinking about what his sister said.

'A queen and a successor, huh…?'