New Year's Resolve
"C'mon, c'mon! I want to ride a kinshi just like you all! Then I want to visit the shrine, and see all the vendors, and-"
"Ylgr, don't stray too far," Hrid called out to his sister, who stopped where she was and waited for her siblings with an impatient pout. "We will have plenty of time to enjoy all that the festival has to offer before the fireworks display tonight."
Gunnthra giggled as she trailed behind Hrid, Fjorm following close behind. "Hrid is right, sister." Gunnthra agreed with a smile. "Besides, you don't want to spend all your energy running around only to fall asleep before the fireworks begin, do you?" Ylgr groaned but nonetheless nodded as she returned to her sibling's side.
It was the evening of the New Year's Festival, the sky above shifting from a crisp blue to a warm orange as the sun began its gradual descent. The Nifl royal siblings – along with certain members of the Order of Heroes – had traveled to the Kingdom of Hoshido once more to celebrate the coming of the new year. Donning festive yukatas for the event, the four siblings were on their way now to the village where the festival was to be held. Ylgr had insisted upon riding a kinshi first, complaining that she never got the chance to unlike the rest of her siblings, so the group headed towards where the venerated avian mounts of Hoshido were taken care of.
As they entered the village proper and made their way to where the kinshi were currently held for the festivities, it came to Hrid's attention that Fjorm had grown strangely quiet. Not only that, but it also appeared as if she were searching for something amidst the crowd around them, her head swiveling back and forth periodically. "Is there something amiss, Fjorm?" Hrid asked, his curiosity finally getting the better of him.
"Hm? Ah, it's nothing, Hrid." Fjorm reassured her brother. "I was…just looking for someone…"
"Looking for someone?" Hrid repeated with an intrigued expression. Ahead of the two, Ylgr giggled mischievously.
"I wonder who that could be~?" The youngest princess of Nifl teased in a sing-song voice. However, before Fjorm could speak up to prevent Ylgr from saying anything else unnecessary, Gunnthra chimed in.
"Sister," the eldest princess of Nifl said as she turned to address Fjorm, an earnest smile on her face. "If you would like to go and enjoy the festival with Kiran, you do not need our permission."
"What?!" Fjorm squeaked in surprise, her cheeks beginning to rouge. "Sister, that's not-!"
"Come now, Fjorm." Gunnthra admonished as she slowed her pace to walk alongside Fjorm. "There's no need for excuses for our sake. Go on and enjoy yourself!" With a chuckle, Gunnthra added, "Better yet, why don't you invite him to watch the fireworks display with us? We would love for him to join us and I'm sure he would appreciate the invitation."
Fjorm's blush deepened as she heard Ylgr's snickers and even Hrid's amused chuckle. She briefly wondered what her mother would say about her sibling's teasing; would she gently scold them? Chuckle at their antics before shushing them? Or worse, would she join them in tormenting her?
"Even if…I did desire that," Fjorm said as evenly as she possibly could as the royal siblings neared their destination. "I don't know where he is. He left with Alfonse, Sharena, and Anna well before the rest of us." Knowing Kiran and his penchant for running around making sure all events were running smoothly, Fjorm also added, "He could be anywhere by now."
"Perhaps," Hrid conceded with a nod. "Or perhaps, he could be closer than you think."
Fjorm turned her head toward her elder brother, her confused expression only deepening at the knowing smile on his face. Without another word, the Nifl prince merely tilted his head forward, motioning for Fjorm to look ahead. When she did, the princess' eyes widened, and she had to stifle a gasp to save herself from further embarrassment at the hands of her siblings.
There ahead of them was the stable housing the noble kinshi of Hoshido, their immaculate plumage seeming to glow in the fading light of dusk. But the sight of the sacred birds wasn't what momentarily took Fjorm's breath away. What had was a certain lone figure lounging comfortably on a stone bench across from the kinshi stable.
Like everyone else at the festival, Kiran wore a specially designed yukata that bore a similar color scheme to his trademark hooded coat, a pristine white with golden trim all tied together with a sapphire obi. Amusingly, the summoner's outfit even seemed to include a small hood just like his favored coat, though it was slightly pushed back on his head allowing Fjorm to see Kiran's face. A relaxed smile adorned the young man's features, his gaze going back and forth between admiring the kinshi before him and the colorful sky above him, his legs swaying lazily as he sat.
It was Gunnthra's voice that snapped Fjorm out of her trance. "Hello there, Kiran. Fancy meeting you here." Fjorm whipped her head toward her sister, the playful tone in Gunnthra's voice catching her attention.
His own attention caught, Kiran turned toward the approaching royals, smiling as he gave a friendly wave. "Oh, hey everyone!" He greeted cheerfully, no trace of surprise in his expression or words, as if this meeting was expected. As the summoner stood to his feet and met the Nifl siblings halfway, Fjorm's suspicions were confirmed with Kiran's next words. "Well, I'm here just like you asked, Gunnthra. What's up?"
If Gunnthra was aware of the dagger-like stare Fjorm was directing at her, she certainly didn't acknowledge it as she smiled innocently at Kiran. "Thank you for agreeing to meet here. I just wanted to share a few words with you." Then, with a respectful, short bow, the eldest princess of Nifl declared, "On behalf of the people of Nifl, I would like to offer to you our most heartfelt gratitude as well as our warmest wishes for a happy new year!"
Stunned into silence by the display, Kiran remained silent as Hrid stepped forward and bowed in kind. "Indeed. As crown prince of Nifl, I offer to you my sincerest gratitude for all that you've done for our people and our family."
Eagerly standing beside her elder siblings, Ylgr grinned as she bowed as well. "Yeah! Thanks a bunch, Kiran! You're amazing!"
Fjorm was just as stunned as Kiran at this surprising turn. Nevertheless, like a proper princess, Fjorm stepped forward to stand beside her siblings. Her expression briefly melting into an adoring smile, Fjorm followed her sibling's lead. "I…cannot begin to express the gratitude I have for you, Kiran. For everything you've done for my siblings, for my nation…and for me…" Fjorm was the first to straighten upright, her eyes locked with Kiran's as she delivered her next words. "Thank you, Kiran. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
"A-ah…" Kiran mumbled as the Nifl siblings straightened from their previous positions, the summoner's face a noticeable shade of red. "I, um, w-wasn't expecting that." A nervous chuckle escaped his lips as his eyes darted to the ground. "I…don't know what to say."
Gunnthra giggled as she took a step toward Kiran, prompting the young man to look up to meet her gaze. "You needn't say anything, dear. Just know that you mean the world to us." Almost imperceptibly, the eldest Nifl princess gazed at Fjorm out of the corner of her eye for the briefest second before refocusing on Kiran as she added, "More than you could possibly know, in fact."
Without further explanation, Gunnthra turned and began making her way towards the kinshi stable. "Come along, Ylgr." She called casually. "You wanted to ride on a kinshi, did you not? You can ride with me if you'd like."
All sense of decorum cast aside, Ylgr jumped as she cheered. "Yay, finally! C'mon, Hrid, Fjorm! Let's go!" Giggling excitedly, Ylgr waved to Kiran as she ran to Gunnthra's side, the two entering the stable to speak with the stable keeper. Hrid nodded once more toward Kiran before following after his siblings, leaving only Fjorm and the summoner remaining.
"Wow," Kiran said, his expression still one of shellshock. "Just…wow. That…really happened."
Fjorm couldn't help but giggle at Kiran's dumbfounded expression. "Indeed, it did. And we meant every word of it, Kiran." Once again, Kiran was silent, though a comforted smile pulled at his lips as he nodded gratefully towards Fjorm.
Attempting to avoid the silence becoming awkward, Kiran turned his gaze toward the sky. "Amazing, isn't it? The sky, I mean." He commented, prompting Fjorm to follow his gaze. "I love watching the sky. It's like a huge canvas, and every portion of the day is a new painting."
"It is lovely," Fjorm agreed, noting how the few wispy clouds overhead looked like strokes from a painter's brush.
The pair gazed silently at the sky for a quiet moment before Fjorm realized her siblings were likely waiting for her. Turning her head toward the stable, Fjorm's eyes immediately widened when she noticed Gunnthra watching the two from a corner of the building, a pointed look on her face. Her cheeks beginning to warm, Fjorm instantly knew what her sister was trying to communicate to her through her gaze. She swallowed nervously as her heart hammered within her chest, though whether it was from embarrassment or anticipation, she couldn't say. Perhaps both.
"Y-you know, Kiran…" Fjorm began, gaining the summoner's attention. "When I first rode a kinshi during our last year's celebration, I found that…seeing the dawn of the new year from the sky is like nothing else." Mustering up her courage to meet Kiran's gaze, Fjorm took the plunge. "If you'd like, you can join me up there."
Kiran's eyes widened as they darted from Fjorm to where the kinshi were being held. It only then occurred to Fjorm that the summoner might be afraid of heights, her face beginning to flush at the thought of both being rejected and for instilling discomfort in Kiran. However, before she could mentally berate herself, Kiran spoke.
"S-sure! I'd like that."
Fjorm blinked as her mind processed what she just heard. "You…would?" She asked, as if she couldn't believe her own ears.
Kiran nodded in affirmation, though his smile still had a hint of nervousness to it. "Yeah, if you're offering. Although, I've never actually flown a kinshi before. Heck, I barely know how to ride a horse!"
A wave of relief washing over her, Fjorm giggled as she said, "Don't worry, Kiran. I'll be the one holding the reins." With that said, Fjorm beckoned for Kiran to follow her as she began making her way toward the stable.
Upon entering the stable, the two noticed that the rest of Fjorm's siblings were already saddled upon their kinshi mounts, with Ylgr riding with Gunnthra while Hrid rode solo. As the stable worker brought over a kinshi for Fjorm, the Nifl princess did her best to ignore the triumphant look upon Gunnthra's face as well as Ylgr's giggles.
After all preparations were taken care of, all riders were ushered out of the stable, the kinshi spaced out to allow for them to safely take off. As Hrid and Gunnthra ushered their mounts upward, Fjorm turned around to Kiran, who was sitting behind her. "Are you ready, Kiran?" She asked gently. The summoner nodded, though Fjorm could still see a twinkle of nervousness in his eyes. "Don't worry, just hang on tight." She reassured as she urged her kinshi onward, its shimmering wings fanning out as it began to take flight.
"Whoa!" Kiran yelped as the great bird suddenly lurched upward. Taking Fjorm's advice to heart, Kiran immediately latched onto the closest thing to him.
"Ah?!"
Which just so happened to be Fjorm, the summoner's arms encircling tightly around the princess' abdomen, his head impulsively pressing against her shoulder.
"Sorry!" Kiran exclaimed as he moved back slightly, though his arms remained encircled around Fjorm.
"N-No, it's fine," Fjorm murmured, grateful Kiran couldn't see the raging blush on her face. Desperate to shift the conversation away from what just happened, Fjorm diverted Kiran's attention to the reason the two were up in the air so close together in the first place. "Kiran, look."
Regaining his composure, Kiran peeked over Fjorm's shoulder and found his breath completely stolen away.
"Whoa…"
Beyond the two lay a scene that looked like something out of a dream. As the sun began its final descent of the current year behind Hoshido's mountains, the sky was bathed in a deep, warm orange with dashes of white clouds and a gradual fade of cool violet as dusk began to settle. Truly, it was a sight to behold.
Fjorm smiled as she turned around to take in Kiran's expression, her heart alight at seeing Kiran's awestruck expression. "See? Beautiful, isn't it?"
Kiran didn't answer immediately, or rather, he couldn't. For unbeknownst to her, when Fjorm turned around to face Kiran, the angle she was leaning in was positioned in such a manner that her head obscured the setting sun, causing an angelic halo of light to form around her, with the watercolor-like sky acting as the perfect backdrop. Topped off with Fjorm's earnest smile and eyes sparkling with joy, Kiran had to struggle to give voice to his thoughts, which amounted to only a single, but honest, word:
"Beautiful…"
Upon landing and returning the kinshi to their stable, Kiran had decided to spend the entirety of the festival with the Nifl royal family (at Gunnthra's insistence), much to Fjorm's delight. The group of five spent the waning hours of the year enjoying everything the festival had to offer: visiting the shrine, sampling the numerous food vendors, and even participating in the various games the festival offered with the other members of the Order of Heroes who were at the festival.
At last, night had fallen upon the land. An excited buzz filled the village as lanterns were lit and all attendees were looking up at the dark sky, awaiting the explosive bloom of fireworks that would signal the beginning of a new year. Among them, a certain summoner and princess lounged together on a bench, catching their breath from the excitement of the day.
"Phew, what a rush." Kiran commented with a grin as he kicked his sandal-clad feet lightly. "My feet are going to be SO sore tomorrow!"
Beside him, Fjorm giggled. "Perhaps you could ask Commander Anna to give you the day off?"
At that, Kiran barked out a short laugh. "Ha! Like that'd ever happen. She would probably tell me to just walk it off and get to work." He then shuddered as a look of mock horror filled his face. "Or worse, she might confine me to my room and force me to review and sign official documents all day as a way to keep me off my feet!" The two shared a laugh, which eventually faded into a comfortable silence before Kiran spoke again. "Hey, Fjorm? Thanks for allowing me to tag along with you and your family. I had a lot of fun."
Fjorm nodded as she said, "Of course, Kiran. You are always welcome with us. I…enjoyed myself very much today as well." Kiran nodded as the two returned to watching the sky, waiting for the first firework to fly.
As they did, Fjorm mulled over everything that transpired this day. Looking discreetly at Kiran, the Nifl princess truly couldn't have wished for a better day, even it came unexpectedly. Even knowing that much of today was orchestrated by her older sister, Fjorm found that she wasn't bothered one bit; in fact, she was grateful for Gunnthra's meddling, as it allowed her an opportunity to spend today with Kiran…something she couldn't muster the courage to initiate herself.
That thought brought a slight frown to Fjorm's face. This couldn't go on, she thought. This hesitancy, this fear of revealing her feelings…her true feelings. It was a blessing that she was alive right now – she, Kiran, her siblings, everyone in the Order – to celebrate the dawning of a new year. Such a thing wasn't a guarantee for anyone. In light of that, could she really stand to see another year pass by without expressing what she truly felt for Kiran, knowing that tomorrow wasn't a sure thing?
Fjorm took a deep, quiet breath. No, she decided. This was a new year. And right now, she resolved herself to take a step of faith. Preparing herself for what she was about to say, Fjorm turned to Kiran. "Kiran…I…I want to tell you that-"
*BOOM!*
Both individuals jumped in their seat as an explosion rocked the sky, a spray of fiery red sparks coloring the dark sky above them. Similar gasps and cries of surprise were heard before they soon turned into excited cheering.
"Whoa! That got me!" Kiran breathed out as he placed a hand on his chest. Turning to Fjorm, he grinned. "I guess it's a new year now, huh?" As more cracks and explosions filled the air, Kiran added, "Sorry, what were you saying before?"
The shock of the fireworks completely shaking her out of her previous boldness, Fjorm shook her head with a shaky smile as she replied, "Ah, it was nothing, Kiran."
"Perhaps another time…" Fjorm thought to herself as the two watched in awe as the sky was lit up with a multitude of colors. As they did, Fjorm heard a chuckle beside her, turning to find a nostalgic grin on Kiran's face. "Is something amusing, Kiran?"
"Oh, well…" Kiran trailed off slightly. "I was just thinking that all we're missing now is a giant, multi-colored ball to drop from a tall building with a bunch of confetti flying everywhere!" At Fjorm's curious gaze, Kiran chuckled with a wave of his hand. "It's just a new year's tradition from back home, is all."
"I see," Fjorm said with a fascinated smile, her interest piqued. "What other new year's traditions does your world have?"
"Well…" Kiran began, his lips curving into a mischievous grin. "There's also this tradition where people would kiss the closest person next to them!"
"K-Kiss?!" Fjorm exclaimed, her cheeks flushing as Kiran laughed. What a bold tradition, she thought to herself! So brazen, so audacious, so…so…
"Sorry, I couldn't resist!" Kiran managed to say as his laughter died down. "But yeah, it's a thing. Though usually its only something couples do or famous people looking for-"
Whatever words Kiran was going to say were caught in his throat as something soft and pleasantly cool lightly touched his lips before immediately withdrawing. Shocked, Kiran turned to look at Fjorm, who refused to make eye contact, a subtle blush visible on her cheeks.
"H-Happy New Year, Kiran…" She whispered, unable to meet the summoner's gaze, afraid of what he would say or do next. After a pause that seemed to drag on for an eternity, Fjorm felt a hand land on her shoulder. Steeling herself to face the consequences of her actions, Fjorm slowly turned her head to face Kiran…and was frozen in place as she felt a pair of soft, warm lips gently connect with her own. It was brief, chaste, likely only taking a single second to occur.
But to Fjorm, it would be a sensation she would replay in her mind throughout the new year, and the years to come, for as long as she drew breath.
"Happy New Year, Fjorm." Kiran mumbled quietly, as his own rosy cheeks were made visible in the fleeting light of the fireworks above.
Not knowing what to say, or if there was anything more that should be said, the two settled for returning their gazes skyward as the first night of the new year was splashed over and over with vibrant color. As they did, they couldn't help but wonder what this new year had in store for them.
However, as their hands unconsciously found each other, the pair were comforted to know they wouldn't face it alone.
Author's Note: Well, there you have it! What a way to usher in the new year, am I right?
Hey, everybody! Yes, I know this entry is also a little late to the party. But nonetheless, as always, I hope you all were able to enjoy it. I'd also like to say another big thank you to you all for sticking with me this past year. Whether you are only following and enjoying this story or whether you enjoy my other works on this site, I truly appreciate you all for taking the time out of your days to enjoy the content I put out. And rest assured, I have no plans of stopping anytime soon!
With that said, thanks again, and I hope you all look forward to more of this story - as well as many other works I have in mind! - as we enter 2023 together. I hope that, despite everything happening thus far, it's going well for you all. Have an amazing day!
GreatLight432: Thank you so much! I understand and respect that Kiran x Fjorm is not everyone's cup of tea (especially with how pushy IS seems to be with this specific pairing for whatever reason), but I personally find the ship endearing, as well as fun to write! I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. As for an ending, well, you'll just have to wait and see~!
FireEmblemMaster101: Agreed! I'm already absorbed into the story and the music and characters are definitely the stars of the show for me so far! Admittedly, so far the only complaint I have are some of the small optional fetch quests sprinkled throughout the chapters (already on Chapter 3!), but otherwise I look forward to what this game has to offer! I'm glad your enjoying the story!
Kaltmacher07: Happy New Year to you as well! Thank you so much for your kind words and for enjoying this story, and I hope you have an amazing 2023 as well! You're awesome!
Guest: Thank you! I believe Fjorm would be much too embarrassed to sing a song like that for Kiran...in public!