Here's the A-Support which takes place after the end of Revelation. Fair warning though, there will be mentions of some other pairings in this story to help move the relationship along.
I do not own anything.
When he heard Camilla would be among the envoys Ryoma felt a strange mix of dread and joy flow through him like two rivers, one clear and the other polluted, mixing together inside of him. On the surface he remained stoic but on the inside he was racking his brain around how this meeting would go. His brows knotted as his brain ran through a whole list of scenarios that could play out, none of them seemed favorable. Another part of his mind was asking him why he was on the verge of a complete meltdown all because of a single woman, Nohrian or otherwise. He hadn't felt this way since Scarlet had worked her way into his heart. By the gods don't tell me! The comparison was one he'd been dreading for a long time, almost since the war ended and peace had returned to the land. Every time the comparison had creeped its way into her mind he'd always found something else to focus his mind on: diplomatic matters, training, the promised foreign aid, or even calligraphy. Unfortunately none of that seemed to be doing the trick now.
As the king of Hoshido was busy trying to decide upon his next move his ever loyal one-eyed retainer appeared a few steps behind him. "Sire, Lady Sakura and the Nohrian envoy has arrived. They're awaiting you in the courtyard."
If Saizo knew of his distress he said nothing about it as one would expect of him. What Ryoma did know was he had to get his act together before he stepped out the door. "Thank you Saizo, I'll be right out." In a heartbeat he felt Saizo removed himself from the scene leaving him alone. "I've faced arrows, swords, clubs, monsters, and a dragon hell-bent on destroying the world, yet I cannot muster the courage to face one woman. Father, Mother, you must be laughing at me or shaking your heads in disappointment right now." Looking down in his hands he found a familiar piece of cloth he'd managed to keep hidden from not only his own retainers, but nearly his entire country. Had its owner forgotten she'd given to him? Did she still remember? Would she question him about it? What exactly were they to each other? They were no longer comrades fighting together in the same army for a just cause, now they were a king and a princess.
With a heavy sigh he stood up to his full height tucking the handkerchief into his kimono. All he could was pray it didn't slip out, especially in the middle of the meeting.
Since the war had ended life had been…busy to put it lightly, for everyone. On top of hostilities between Hoshido and Nohr coming to a sudden end there was the newly created kingdom of Valla headed by the younger brother of kings of both the White Kingdom and the Black Kingdom. To say when Ryoma and his siblings had returned home they the nation was hysterical would have been an understatement of mammoth proportions, and no one even knew Sakura and Prince Leo of Nohr had become engaged. It had come as a silent relief to Ryoma that his sister had not only found love but her mutual affection for the Nohrian prince was a much needed political gift from the heavens. He remembered sharing a drink with Xander and Corrin over how incredibly lucky they were at least one step towards peace and unity had been taken. Of course the thought of Sakura, Hoshido's ever benevolent royal maiden, marrying a son of King Garon had caused a national uproar they'd had to work to sooth. Even now, almost five months after they'd been wed not all of Hoshido had warmed up to the idea of the royal families now being linked by blood. Still, Leo had made great strides in proving himself to his new wife's people, people he now saw as his responsibility to look out for.
It wasn't just Leo that had made an effort, all of the Nohrian siblings had pitch in just as Ryoma had led his own siblings in attempting to bridge the gap between the formally warring countries. Even Corrin, despite now having a kingdom of his own to govern, had done what he could to sooth tensions. Needless to say those had been a hectic few months, almost to the point it wasn't uncommon to hear wishes to return to war.
At least in war Ryoma wasn't forced to sit in stuffy rooms and listen to the monotone compliments of noblemen and bigots unwilling to acknowledge the fact the world had changed.
And…he at least would have been able to talk to a certain Malig Knight again as equals.
The last time they had spoken to each other had been Corrin's coronation, a festive time where rank and affiliation completely disappeared. Ryoma was ashamed to admit he actually had to be pressured to ask Camilla for a dance, if he hadn't he never would have lived it down, his siblings simply wouldn't allow it; kingship be damned.
"I-I, Prince Ryoma, you're well, I wasn't quite sure you wanted someone as myself for a dance partner." She had sputtered out genuinely shocked he'd actually approached her offering his hand.
"Well I do believe I said I would work my hardest to broker peace between Hoshido and Nohr. What better way than with an act of good faith such as this?" Ryoma half-lied as she took her hand. "I'm not familiar with Nohrian…tradition so forgive me if I make any mistakes along the way."
"It's fine." She giggled gently clasping her left hand in his right his arm encircled her waist. "I've never been one much for tradition either so let's just go with the flow. Besides, this night isn't about us, it's about them."
Every detail of that dance had burned itself into the samurai's mind and remained there as time passed, sometimes passing through his dreams and his conscious thoughts. The afternoon where he'd found her drinking away her sorrows was the closest he'd ever been to Camilla outside of battle, and then the dance happened. It was such a major contrast, him comforting her then the two of them happily days away under the stars like nothing was wrong. Ryoma found it almost laughable how quickly things had changed between them. Of course, his siblings knew nothing of the evening they'd spent together following Anankos' defeat, for all they knew that dance was the only physical contact they had with each other. Unfortunately for him, that was all they needed to start fantasizing.
"I think you two would make an excellent couple. You're already my third father and my second mother so why not cross the stream and go the full mile?" Corrin had joked when the dance had ended and he had retreated. The newly crowned king didn't falter under his older brother's glare nor did he seem remotely concerned by the threatening aura he was emitting. "Seriously though, Camilla is a good woman, one I know you'd love just as much as you did Scarlet. She'd want you to find happiness."
Scarlet, when the war was over she'd been given a proper burial in her homeland and honored as a hero for her actions as a resistance fighter and a brave ally to Corrin's cause. As the months rolled out and he began picking up the pieces he found himself being able to revisit her memory without breaking down; there were times he felt tears threaten to fall from his eyes, but those were far and in between thankfully. Being around Camilla had done something to him though, the Nohrian princess had managed to recreate old feelings and sensations he thought would stay dead until he'd aged into an old man.
Ryoma was loathed to admit it that night, but the truth had clawed its way into his mind as the wedding celebrations died down and the dance came to an end forcing the samurai and princess apart. That was the last time they'd seen each other for months.
Until now that was.
He wanted to say Sakura was the first person his eyes fell upon, how couldn't they when she practically tackled him to the ground in a flying hug. For a brief moment he allowed himself to be lost in the familiar warmth his sister always provided with her joyful embraces. It was a wonderful feeling, to have his beloved sister back just as it was to look at her and see how much she'd grown.
"Leo and I decided it would be best if we bring someone along with us. She's really been working hard so we thought she deserved a break." Sakura said smiling as she withdrew herself from her brother's arms.
Ryoma already knew who the she in question was before Sakura had even finished talking. He could faintly hear her husband's snickering as well as several delegates chuckling to themselves. He was at least able to keep his mouth shut, perhaps the only defense he had against that seductive smile she wore as proud as lion's mane's.
"My, my Prince, strike that, King Ryoma, it's a pleasure to see you again." The first princess of Nohr laughed taking a slight bow as she stepped forth.
Camilla never thought she'd seen the insides of the Hoshidan royal palace, much less be escorted through its halls, especially without setting fire to them or painting them with blood. Besides that she honestly believed if her luck ever ran out her life would end rotting in a Hoshidan prison fighting every day just to stay alive; days like this were things she'd only dreamed about.
In armor Ryoma looked fierce and imposing as befitting of Hoshido's high prince as well as its military leader, in a regal kimono he looked every bit as dignified and noble as he did in armor, perhaps more so. Not to mention in her opinion rather handsomer without the chin armor and chest plates. He looked even better with an honest smile on his face, granted it faltered a little when his chestnut brown eyes caught sight of her. Knowing she couldn't afford to make a scene she merely shot him a coy smile and a simple wave. If fate permitted she'd find a way to get to him privately, she did after all have a few things she wanted to discuss with him.
If Camilla didn't have Beruka by her side she would have guessed an entire day had gone by before she had any sort of free time to herself. The minute her blue-haired retainer had informed her she had the rest of the day to herself she grinned and told her of her request.
"Um, Lady Camilla, I'm not sure I can…I…"
The defenses she was attempting to put up were admirable, but futile none the less. "Please Beruka, I know you know how to get a hold of Saizo, please inform him I wish to speak with Ryoma if there's a chance." It was brief but Camilla saw something flash across her retainer's eyes, something that made Camilla want to squeal in joy. "That is if you haven't already."
A few grumbled curses and a moments later Camilla found herself walking down a hallway where the sound of running water guided her closer and closer towards the outside. The heavy sack she was carrying her right arm seemed to grow a tad bit heavier by the second though she never let it slow her down. She had an idea of what was waiting for her; however, she still felt a sliver of doubt lace each step she took, a silent voice telling her she was wasting precious time.
At the end of the hallway she found something that cast most if not all of her doubts aside. Ryoma was sitting on his knees looking a tad bit embarrassed but happy to see her none the less, at his side was a tray containing tea cups and a plate of rice balls. The king's mouth opened and closed several times before he finally settled on an uneasy smile.
"Thank you for…accepting my invitation to speak in private. I…wasn't quite sure if you would agree to meeting with me."
"Oh? Here I was thinking I was the only one who enjoyed these little talks." Dropping the bag she marched over and took a seat beside him. Before her a beautiful decorated pond surrounded by blooming flowers and statues spread out. Above their heads a warm sun caste its glowing rays adding the moment of serenity and bliss. "Thank you for accepting my request, honestly I was worried you would have been too busy to make time for little 'ole me Ryoma."
"In truth I have grown to miss our…conversations, it may be the only thing about the war that I miss." He admitted taking one of the tea cups into his lips.
"I thought that was being able to actually exercise your body rather than see how much verbal torture you could take before considering suicide. Gods know I've contemplated it being forced to play diplomate."
A smirk played on his lips. "Well there was that too, I will admit a part of me does prefer the flames of battle to the-"
"Slow and inhuman torture that is politics?"
"A rather blunt but accurate description." The Hoshidan chuckled. "Regardless, I'd rather settle matters with words than with swords and bloodshed."
"Then like Nohr and Valla Hoshido has been blessed with a wise king, world peace is on the horizon." The Malig Knight giggled taking a bite of one of the rice balls. "How have you been? Believe me when I say life as a royal can be dreadfully boring, I can only imagine what ruling a country would be like."
"I will admit it is difficult," the brown-haired king stated with downcast eyes. Nights without sleep had not been anything new for him, he'd trained for this moment his entire life, but no training was enough to prepare one for the real thing. "But every time I walk through the cities and countryside, see the smiling faces of my fellow countrymen, I know it's worth it." Ryoma added with a smile.
Taking a moment to examine him Camilla found while there was mostly truth to his words he was holding something about. She didn't have to think hard about what that something was. "I can understand making sure a nation's people is able to smile, but I believe its ruler must also be capable of smiling as well."
Why was it he could never hide anything from this woman? He'd heard tells of her impressive foresight, but he believed surely he'd seen enough to be able to avoid it. Or perhaps I'm just that obvious. I'm not exactly a shrewd man when it comes to emotions. "I will admit I have had little in the way of personal enjoyment in the grand scheme of things."
"Which is exactly why I brought you these toys to play with. I know the crown may seem fun at first, but a warrior should never forget where his faithful can always be found." Dragging the bag into his line of sight the Nohrian's grin was like a child's during their birthday as presents were presented. With a simple pull of the string the top of the bag came undone and the top portion pulled off revealing a plethora of weapons. As Ryoma's eyes widened at the sight Camilla's grin did so as well. Reaching into the bag she withdrew an item, a katana, and held it before the Hoshidan king in plain view. "Fortunately for me peace hasn't been so boring I've been completely without some excitement."
It was a good thing there were alone because Ryoma didn't want word getting out the princess of Nohr had made him go positively bug-eyed, and over a bag of weapons! Upon closer examination Ryoma found what Camilla had brought wasn't just a run of the mill collection from an average armory. Most the weapons were Hoshidan with a handful of Nohrian ones mixed in, one thing that stood out about all of them was the quality of their craftsmanship. In a simple glance he saw the katana in Camilla's hand had no doubt been forged from the hands of one of Hoshido's finest blacksmiths. Briefly expecting the other weapons he found seals and emblems he knew by heart and memory. His face quickly fell into a heavy frown. "I wish war could end quietly, but if it could then it wouldn't be so easy to stop once started. Did all of these come from one crackdown or are they accumulative?"
"I'm sad to say it's the first one, the…collector seemed quite proud of the little armory he'd been building for himself. Rest assured though King Ryoma, I can personally assure you he's now where men like him belong."
The fact he didn't bother to ask if the collector was in prison or dead might have seemed strange to some, but Ryoma honestly didn't care which so long as justice had been done. Calmly accepting the katana as Camilla offered it to him he fully unsheathed the blade to perform a full inspection. "So this is how you've been spending your time since we defeated Anankos? Hunting down bandits and thieves hoping to strike it rich now that the fighting's stopped?"
Bowing her head in slight shame the axe-wielder replied, "I felt it was a task most suited for a person such as myself. As you know King Ryoma, politics is not my strong suit nor do I wish it to become so."
"As someone who has made it his own I implore you to keep that mindset. Besides," The smile was unexpected and sudden. "Nurturing and caring is where I believe your strengths lie, baring combat of course." Camilla's activities hadn't exactly been eye-widening news to Ryoma, he'd known about it for months now. He remembered a hearing of a warrior putting together a joint group of Hoshidans and Nohrians to crack down on the rampant numbers of post-war raiders and plunderers. Now he simply knew who the group's commander was, and that thought put a smile on his face. "Better these weapons are out of the hands of criminals and melted down for metal than slaying innocents."
"Spoken like a true samurai." Camilla laughed looking out at the garden. As a matter of pride she wasn't going to admit the royal gardens of Hoshido were more vibrant than those of Nohr, in fact, everything in Hoshido seemed a little more vibrant than her homeland. We have a long way to go so we can say Nohr holds equal beauty to our neighbor.
"What else?"
"Hm?"
Pipping one eye open with a coy smile Camilla found it hard to believe she was sitting in front of the same stone-faced man she'd fought a dragon beside. "I know your ways Princess Camilla, you wouldn't have brought such items with you unless there was meaning behind them. Furthermore I've expected the contents and I've found the makers of these weapons would part with them only on a handful of conditions."
Holding his gaze a moment longer Camilla found herself no longer able to contain her laugher. Apparently the so-called 'Lion of Hoshido' was more perspective than she'd ever realized. "I guess there's no use holding back now. I did attempt to return the stolen weapons back to their original owners, or at least their next of kin out of respect. Would you believe me if I told you some of them actually asked me to keep them as a reward or peace offering?" Me, a princess of Nohr given such lofty items from Hoshidans as thanks?"
"To be fair your public image in Hoshido is more positive than you think, you can thank Azura, Hinoka, and Sakura for that."
"I'll remember that the next time I see." The smile fell from Camilla's face as the final door lay before her. She'd passed through all the others but the one that lay before her was grander and the danger greater than she could imagine. For what was probably the first time in her life she found herself actually afraid to speak to another man, one she'd grown to respect as well. Not to mention one who'd seen her at her lowest, and even then comforted her as she once did him. Internally berating herself the Nohrian woman summoned all the air into her lungs and hefted out, "I was hoping if you ever had the time you could instruct me on how to wield a katana or even a naginata."
Her request definitely offset the samurai-turned king, though it was temporary. His boastful laughter was a rarely heard sound, but as many could attest it was a wonderful sound to hear. "Forgive me for finding this humorous from the same person who once said katana were 'terribly clunky and useless'. What prompted this change?"
"In all honesty you did King Ryoma." She answered with a smile. Now she felt control slip back into her hands and she wasn't keen on letting it be lost again. "I won't deny I have uttered those exact words, and at the time I believed them to be true. Until certain things happened that changed my mind."
"And those were?"
"To start with some of the wielders of these katana actually managed to give me of all people some trouble, one even coming close to removing my precious head from my shoulders. Of course I made him pay for the slivers of hair he'd cut loose." She half chuckled half snarled at the memory. "They reminded me of some of your men, how despite my conceptions regarding katana they proved to be as capable as my own men, even Xander's troops who are widely considered the finest soldiers in Nohr. And then Ryoma…there was you yourself. I'll admit the swords you Hoshidans never seemed impressive to me, curved little pieces of metal that seemed so weak they could be broken with one's bare hands. I of course never had to use my hands, whenever I came across a samurai with a katana I always found them to be just as frail as they looked, at least when I had an axe in my hand."
"Believe me, in Hoshido I've heard many a tale of King Garon's 'Demon Daughter', whose strength was strong enough to split a man in two with a single swipe of her axe. Apparently she didn't think twice about ordering her wyvern to completely devour any poor soul who earned her ire either." Ryoma stated avoiding eye contact. "Supposedly her skill with an axe was so barbaric all forms of style and technique fell before her brute strength."
"Oh? Did you ever meet this fearsome daughter? Did she live up to the boogeyman stories?"
Clearing his throat Ryoma made especially sure not to make eye contact, if he did Camilla would take it and run wild. "She certainly was a fearsome warrior, perhaps a tad bit unhinged, but…she was also extraordinarily compassionate and level headed. I had the honor of fighting beside her and learning there was more to the 'Demon Daughter' than a bloody axe and a hungry Wyvern willing to eat anything with flesh. While undoubtedly savage as all blunt weapons are she did wield her weapon with a sense of style and grace we Hoshidans train ourselves to wield our weapons with."
"I see," she nodded enjoying the silent praise as evident by the blush on her cheeks. "As I was saying, there was this one samurai who stood out above all the rest. It wasn't just the fact he wielded a divine weapon, it was how he wielded it, such swordsmanship I'd only seen in my older brother. As ashamed as I am to say this even I, a near reaper of the battlefield, paled in comparison to his accomplishments. I'd seen him slay Vallites by the dozens of all sizes and later cut apart the near impregnable scales of a dragon. Even after the battles were over he cared for the weapon as if it were a living creature, actually, he did so with every blade he wielded. In his hands a katana went from a simple toy to…an instrument or painter's brush if I must say." Placing a hand over her chest she breathed out giving the king of Hoshido a somewhat dreamy smile he tried his hardest to ignore. "It made my heart flutter in ways only a warrior could captivate another. Even better outside of battle I saw him maintain that supposed code of Bushido Hoshidans loved preaching of. For once I actually saw it acted out and followed to its end, it was a refreshing sight."
"And now you're requesting this samurai to teach you the way of the sword? You've already mastered the way of the axe and your skill with a tome is admirable."
"It sounds silly doesn't it? Here we are in a time of peace and I'm considering taking up weapons training."
"Actually no, for you that's perfectly normal. You once said this war had opened your eyes to new things did it not?"
"I did say that didn't I?" She giggled running her finger along the smooth shaft of a naginata. While the beauty of the swords had interested her what had truly captivated her were the native spears of Hoshido. In her hands they were the closest to the massive axes and halberds she preferred in battle. "If possible I would like it if you instructed me in not just the way of the sword but in the way of other Hoshidan weapons. Perhaps as part of the peace effort we could exchange tactics and weapons training."
Before Ryoma could even take in a breath to answer her question his trained ears caught the sound of footsteps and bodies hitting the wooden floor. Camilla heard it too as she turned her head to the hallways and listened closely. Ryoma heard a short round of bickering and calls for silence followed by what he assumed to be the dawn of realization. A moment later and he was sure he and Camilla were one hundred percent alone.
"I apologize if rumors start spreading because of this." Camilla stated.
"No, I just…hope I'm able to capture the horse before it runs rampant across town disturbing the peace. Luckily I've gained some experience in doing so." The male replied with an annoyed frown much to the Nohrian's amusement.
"I don't suppose you're willing to share any of those stories of experience gaining are you?"
"Perhaps, during our practice you'll have something to work for."
Oh something was definitely being worked towards, silently both royals could agree on that. What that something was neither of them had the strength to voice. Silently each felt a spark of joy ignite as the prospect sunk in: the other would be staying for a moment longer, and they'd be within arm's reach.
It was midday when Ryoma arrived at one of the palace dojos dressed in his traditional practice clothes. A part of him felt relieved being back in his old clothes instead of the regal kimonos he'd been wearing for the past ten weeks or so. The joy of being back in such familiar clothes almost made him forget nearly the entire latter half of his schedule had been almost magically cleared of almost all activities. Coincidentally Sakura and Prince Leo had also seemingly vanished from his entire line of sight, as had a few of the palace servants who'd already begun whispering amongst themselves.
Either way when this is over I'm going to have to sit down and talk with someone about this. I can't have this becoming a habit.
"Ryoma!" Came the cheery voice of his 'student' from behind the screen doors.
The minute the door slid open and Camilla stepped in Ryoma had to some every ounce of willpower in his body to keep from visibly reacting. Luckily there were more than enough training gis to accommodate the oldest Nohrian princess, enough for her to pick one for herself. That in itself was where the problem lay as she took step after step towards him. It was a well-known fact that Camilla was in all likelihood the most beautiful woman in all of Nohr, Ryoma couldn't deny that, even when in armor stained with blood she held a dark sort of beauty to herself. Now…the darkness had become naked light.
"I must say these are much better than the heavy armor and wool Nohrians wear when training. Much more flexible and comfortable." She noted stretching her arms upwards causing her assets to visibly bounce. The gi did little in compressing her womanly features, if anything, they actually enhanced them. Based on what little he saw Ryoma guessed she must have decided against wearing a sarashi, probably on purpose.
How on earth could I have fallen for such an obvious ploy?! The king of Hoshido mentally screamed doing his best to avert his eyes. She'd practically walked him into her trap and he'd hadn't had the slightest clue until he was within the dragon's jaws. Damn this woman and her wilily ways. Despite tightness of the gi the space between her boobs was still visibly, glaringly visibly mind just as it was with her regular armor. Ryoma doubted such a trivial thing would impede her fighting ability though. Tearing his eyes from her chest he found he'd attached himself to a new heart-stopping sight. Someone or maybe Camilla herself, had tied up her hair so it wouldn't interfere with her vision. Such a trivial adjustment had turned Camilla from a fair lady to what was possibly the one of most beautiful women Ryoma had ever seen.
Internally Camilla was grinning like a Cheshire cat at the ruler's dumbstruck expression. He couldn't fight off the hot blush on his cheeks even if he tried to avert his eyes. It had taken some time, but she'd finally dealt a possibly fatal blow to the incredibly straight-lanced Ryoma. She could only imagine how many other woman had tried and failed to do as she had done in that instant. Maybe she'd already won their first sparing match before they'd even drawn their weapons. On a lighter note I will have to ask if I can bring any of these gis back for Nohr. The material feels much better than what Xander has the men training in, not to mention I'm sure they'll enjoy it when the females are lined up beside them dressed just like them. "Well Ryoma? Would you rather we cancel this little match and find another way to spend our time?"
"N-No, forgive me for the delay." Despite the embarrassment Ryoma was able to recognize the stance Camilla had taken with the practice naginata. Hinoka must have taught her a thing or two while we were in Valla. That or she learned enough to mimic her stance when she's fighting on foot. Getting into his normal stance with the bokken raised at the level of his shoulder he shot Camilla a single glare that told her to hold nothing back. In return she smiled seductively telling him not to do the same.
Their feet kicked off at almost the exact same moment, seconds later the clashing of wood could be heart throughout the dojo.
"I'm surprised you haven't said anything about our guests, did I tire you out so much you have no strength with which to chastise them with?" The Nohrian offered with a smirk.
In response to her question the samurai grunted. "Even if I did the idea has already taken root in their minds; I know better than to attempt to pull it out when they've already spread. If Orochi is among them then I'm already doomed."
"Doubly so if she's with Odin as she has been lately. I'm afraid the poor mage can't keep a secret to save his life once he gets going."
With a heavy sigh Ryoma took another sip of water from one of the containers that had been brought in. Even if it had only been a mock battle Camilla had come at him as if it were a true life-or-death struggle, which he commended her for. Her form was incredibly rocky and novice at best, but he saw room for improvement. He could say without a doubt Camilla had the capability to wield a naginata and possibly a club as well, a sword, Ryoma was going to hold his breath on that one. Overall her fighting style involved making use of a weapon's size and weight to deal damage rather than putting her own strength into the blow herself, not that she couldn't if she wanted to. For that reason they'd mainly stuck to the heaviest of weapons they had on hand, truth be told Camilla had managed to give Ryoma more of a workout than he'd been expecting.
"After that do you still want me as a weapons instructor?" He asked in a monotone.
"I'd be a fool not to." Camilla said. "My question is are you willing to keep me on as a student?"
For possibly the first time when they made eye contact they both smiled simultaneously. Behind them weren't any malicious of seductive intents, just clear happiness, something the two cherished deeply. Around them evening sunlight had bathed the dojo elongating shadows including their own. Outside the soft whisper of the wind could be heard rustling tree leaves creating a somewhat tranquil melody. Without any indication Camilla closed her eyes and leaned onto Ryoma's shoulder; he offered no protest and merely enjoyed the moment of physical contact. It was a far cry from the time she had to cry on his shoulder some months ago. Senses still active he heard the gleeful snickering and voices of their 'spectators' though he didn't see any reason to move from his position. Instead of them what he focused on was the soft breathing of the woman beside him, a heart-warming sound that put his mind at ease. Just as Camilla had done he moved his hand over hers and gave it a light squeeze which he found she returned.
Almost an hour later when attendants poked the door open they were treated to the sight of the king of Hoshido and oldest princess of Nohr softly slumbering side by side against the wall, a smile on both of their faces. What followed was a silent yet furious debate about what to do, who to tell, and how much money they wanted to bait. One paring that stayed out of it were a one-eyed ninja and headband wearing assassin, when they found their masters quietly slumbering away they merely turned to each other and shooed out the others.
"Fate is strange wouldn't you say." Saizo offered turning back to the door with a smile.
"Yes, but that isn't always a bad thing." Beruka chuckled softly sliding the door shut as not to disturb the two. "Now about those supposed dumplings you told me about Saizo,"
I'd say the theme of this one was weapon, how foreign weapons can be accepted and assimilated just like how people can learn to understand each other. In a broader story context this scene would be used to set Camilla up for appearing as a samurai or Master of Arms somewhere down the line. It helps that one of her Cipher cards depicts her as the latter from which I based this chapter on.