I decided to challenge myself and write for the Fates fandom for a trade fic for a writing companion on this site, TheFreelancerSeal, who suggested the pairing. I have not played any of the games, mainly because I don't see the reason in buying hardware I will use for only a few games amongst other reasons, but Seal has been quite helpful in explaining some elements/aspects for me. Enjoy.
There was always a joke Anzama told Hinoka about how one could tell it was summer in Nohr. The rain is a little warmer.
Unfortunately, that joke was not far off from the truth. Not that Hinoka would ever admit the carefree monk was right in anything.
The overcast weather and near-constant precipitation made it quite dreary compared to Hoshido. Cold and damp were the two best adjectives she could use to describe her new nation that she ruled in turn with Xander as his new consort. It lacked the warming sun that hung lazily over Hoshido's green hills, spotted with the blooming flowers of a variety of colors that were pleasing to gaze at to lose one's self in their own thoughts. If she wanted to make a flower arraignment in this country she could do so in any color that was dark violet or blood red if she was lucky.
And the barren aspect crossed over to other examples of life in this land she was told her whole life to hate.
The vast majority of the food was simple and plain, although not without it's own charm and appeal, compared to the complex layers of flavors found in Hoshido cuisine. One of the most flavorful native thing she had in two years, outside of a lavish feast, was a bowl of hunter soup with beans, onion, leak, venison and ham with a side of hot bread slathered in goat butter. It was far cry from chili and pork ramen she was accustomed to back home.
The colors that the local tailors used were rather muted and uniform in their hue. She could wear anything she wanted so long as it was the darkest shade. White and bright reds were an anathema to the tailors here, so she often relied on her little brother's retainer for bright colors to be imported from Hoshido.
Dragons claim her, even the horses were only found to be as black as coal tar or as tan as freshly oiled leather.
But as her lord husband would remind her that even with the simplicity, they were luxuries underneath them. As Nohrian commoners would say, 'you are seeing the dirt for the onion'. It took her some time to understand the saying until Laslow (doubtlessly with Azura's insistence) used the Hoshidan expression of 'rained ground hardens'.
Without the snow, a man could not appreciate the fire in his hearth.
Without the sleet, a woman would not value the roof over her head.
Without the dark, a child would not grow to appreciate the light.
Without the cold, a couple could not enjoy their shared warmth in bed.
She thought about this as she felt Xander shift his weight under her resting head as she lazily gazed out onto the window looking for a sunrise that was taking its time to come.
Let Hoshido keep the sun, flowers and trivial affectations; these Nohrians had home.
She wanted to spend her days like this when the weather was foul, to ignore the duties of state and to relax in bed well until after noon, take a light snack and then begin her training for the rest of the day. Peri was a surprisingly good sparring partner off her mount, though her childish antics were something that would still take some getting used to. After that, she could go for relaxing in the sauna with Xander after a particularly trying training session, followed by a quick dip in the chilly pond in the garden. If she wasn't feeling too exhausted she would spend time with Sakura as she worked on mending royal clothes once her infant son, Forrest, had been fed and ogling his mother's work. A perfect end to this perfect day would be spending some quality time with her husband, devoid of all the pomp and circumstance that they were showered with as nobles.
But it was the first day of the Nohrian workweek, and that meant she would have to deal with the many issues of ruling a country
Xander's body moved in reaction to her body pinning down his and he let out a long sigh, a sign he was waking up as well. He cracked open his eyes, and they locked to her own as a simple but genuine smile formed on both of their lips. "I will never get sick of waking up like this." His voice, even in a state where he was not fully aware still held the edge he used to have the final say in many arguments and cow unruly vassals.
"I could say the same, but you keep hogging the sheets in the night." She replied and Xander chuckled. He did indeed have a tendency to lock his arm around the lip of the sheets, roll over in the middle of the might and take most of them. To resolve this, she would tug him back over and move in closer, sometimes laying on top of him if needed.
He chuckled deeply. "So you tell me." He wrapped his arms around her and rolled over to her side of the bed, causing a gasp of surprise to come from Hinoka's mouth as the positions were reversed and she was trapped under the embrace of her husband. "Yet I still find you the first one up most days, so you still must sleep well most nights."
She smiled and gave Xander a kiss on his cheek. "That is only because I find training another way to keep warm and take my mind off of my troubles." She freed one of her hands and twirled a lock of his naturally curly blond hair. "Reminds me of simpler times, when we were just sparring in the down time and the country wasn't a concern. It was quite relaxing and enjoyable."
"It was indeed, though I seem to recall besting you even when you had the choice of weapons. You were always too flustered to fight around me. Especially without my armor on." Xander responded and Hinoka huffed. She looked away into the rising sun through their east-most window, a small pink orb hidden behind the gathering clouds that promised nothing but more rain.
"I was being easy on you those…ten times."
"Of course, the cursing from your defeat was just a rouse as I knocked the katana from your grip." Xander said in tone of voice that was somewhere between deadpan and jesting.
He released her and tossed the sheets off of the both of them; the bitter temperature from the morning air was now more noticeable. "Come now, we must prepare for the council." Xander said as he rose from the bed to the wardrobe. Hinoka audibly groaned at the mention of councilors, if anything they were the prefect representation of the weather. Cold, miserable, and always there to ruin your day.
He clapped his hand twice as he adjusted his undershirt. A steward opened the door and poked his head in with a bow. "Teynor, we will take our breakfast in here today. Bacon, fish, duck eggs, bread, and one…" he looked over to Hinoka who held up two of her fingers, "make that two pots of mint and juniper tea."
The wizened servant nodded once and closed the door with a grace that belied his age. Xander continued to adjust his clothing as Hinoka lounged in her night gown on the bed, trying to muster the willpower to get out of bed. "Just by staying in bed doesn't mean you will avoid the meeting even if you burry yourself in the blankets I find very little pleasure in talking to them as well, but they have a greater understanding of subjects I do not know that much of. I must never stop learning, especially now that I am king."
Hinoka finally got out of the goose feathered bed and moved to her own dresser, pulling out her usual dark attire that had been cleaned in the underground springs yesterday. "If they were not so arrogant, I might agree with you on that. It seems half the time they forget who wears the crowns, and whatever they say is gospel. The other half of the time they are bugging us to give them an heir."
"Yes, they do ask about that quite often but I think you are over exaggerating how often they say it. I don't think it is that out of place to wonder if they are to expect a princess or a prince. I get asked it once or twice a day, not truly unusual." Though Xander could not see it, Hinoka shot him a dirty look as he verbally waved her concern away.
It may not seem weird to you because your part is over in a few moments. She thought the words but refused to give voice to it.
Ever since they were married two years ago, once the war was a bad memory and that the marriage of Camilla to Takumi and Sakura to Leo were palatable to both the nobility and the common folk, becoming parents were something they tried hard to become. However the concerns of their most important children, the prosperity and continuing peace of the realms, always took greater concern. Rarely did she have to use her spear to solve such issues.
"Even if they think it is a great matter, there are more important things to discuss. I am told that Eric von Staffenberg is agreeing to gift forty acres of land to the regency to build an agriculture conservatory, perhaps within the next three years crops will be more plentiful with resilient breeds. He insists that it be named after his family of course. I would object, but if it is his coin for a crown's goal I suppose his ego can be flaunted for a generation or two."
"Finally." Hinoka commented as she adjusted the lace on her dress. "It is about time Nohr took a look away from finding out how to better kill someone and look inwards. Any update on the institute of art would be appreciated as well, I loathe simply handing out coins to artists for patronage. I get tired of seeing my face or yours on every portrait from artists we sponser. Dragons, what is wrong with doing a landscap-ack!" She tightened the corset almost too tightly as frustration took over her, and she let a gasp escape her lips.
Xander was quick to pause buttoning his own tunic and used his skilled fingers to help his wife adjust the corset that was customary. "Even after all these years, you still have difficulty putting on lace and buttons."
"Well, in Hoshido, we value the ability to move and breathe in our clothes. I can tie my own kimono at least." Hinoka cursed under her breath as her chest became incredibly tight before Xander loosened the knot he was tying. "Besides, you know that the councilors have their own personal matters to deal with, I feel like my presence gets in the way of seeing the meeting getting done in a timely manner."
Xander shook his head as he worked on the last few strings, tying them with the utilitarian knot he learned years ago. "I am sure they will remember what happened when Countess Inara's steward made a snide remark about your heritage." He wasn't wrong, seeing Laslow remove the rude servant by his collar was a memorable sight. However, that was not what concerned Hinoka.
"Fools do not concern me, nor do I provide a distraction for them from the duties at hand. I mean... oh, never mind. I doubt that such a thing will occur at this meeting. This is for the northern providences, correct?" She changed the subject quickly before her husband could press further.
Xander continued the conversation naturally. "In either case, it should not be a long meeting. Northerners like to get straight to the quick of it and not dawdle with useless conversation. I will be spending a good part of the afternoon in the study, there are some laws I need to revise regarding inheritance and division of property."
Hinoka nodded and applied her white scarf, a familiar reminder of home and something she adopted into every one of her dresses when she played the role of the queen. It was as inseparable with her as the silver tiara, eschewing the usual heavy grown of dark iron and studded gemstones for something more conservatives and comfortable to wear for much of the day. "If that is the case, I will not see you until dinner then. Please be sure to come when the food is still hot." She smiled as Xander flashed with embarrassment for the briefest of instances. As much as Leo was the family bibliophile, Xander had more than once lost himself in a tome for hours on end which usually ended when Hinoka or one of their retainers searched for them to get them to where they were supposed to be.
A moment passed and the door opened with Teynor and another steward bringing separate trays for the two monarchs, each with the same healthy portions of food. They set the side dining table near the northern windows, pulled seats out and prepared the linin for their meals in silence. Hinoka slipped on her boots just as Xander finished attaching his short purple cloak before the butlers left after giving a deep bow to each, their tasks complete.
Xander helped Hinoka into her chair, something she had given up on insisting that she had the capabilities to do herself, before he sat down himself. She ran her knife over the soft cover of the poached egg, spilling warm yolk over her smoked salmon and freshly beaked bread. "At least we won't be dealing with the nobles on an empty stomach. Can you imagine if we had to wait until afterwards?" She asked with the same simple smile that won him over years ago when they had met for after arraigning a special feast for each other.
Xander returned the smile, "I think that would fall under a violation of our royal edict against torture." The two continued to break their fast, talking all the while on a myriad of topics. Since the war, food and meals were a lifeline no matter how hectic the days was. If Xander lost arguments with his advisors in a way that made him feel insecure and not worthy of being the kind, a simple dinner with candles and his queen reassured him that he was still establishing himself. When Hinoka didn't feel as if she was pushing herself hard enough or the grating comments of parenthood were whispered behind her back got the better of her wits, Xander would always cheer her up with a drink served with a slice of fruit tart.
It was their shared bond and a way to enjoy the companionship of the other alone, away from others.
In the day and night to follow, it would take more than food to reassure her and her lord husband.