Work Text:
i sit down on the ground in front of me, beginning to neatly arrange the blanket i’d brought with me atop of the grass. the picnic basket that’s accompanied me to this hidden patch of wilderness sits to my right. the contents inside sit neatly, waiting to be organized and eaten by many.
my name is kohane azusawa, and as of last week, the decades long conflict between my home nation of frostland and the neighboring kingdom firestone has come to a long overdue truce.
there’s a ancient legend that once circulated the entire world - one about an ancient ore called chrodonite. this ore had the ability to enhance any kind of magical energys, but our ancestors were greedy and mined every last bit of it. nowadays, there’s none left for the current generations. the wiser historians speculated that a world without chrodonite could be better for everyone involved - that all the chrodonite did was bring upon conflict and hatred between nations. their stance on the matter was met with heavy criticism.
those wiser few turned out to be correct in the end. between the nations of firestone and frostland lies an area called the green spot, named by the local farmers. long ago, farmers were the first to stumble upon the green spot, so they named it after what made it stick out - the surroundings. the greenery of the area was plentiful and beautiful - unnaturally so. this attracted both farmers and those who loved nature dearly. what they didn’t know was that they’d essentially struck gold by moving there - ever since farmers have resided in the area, there’s never been a harvest that hasn’t been plentiful to the fullest potential. eventually, this attracted more attention to to the area. though the actual population of the green spot was small, it became a wildly popular tourist attraction due to the aesthetically pleasing nature of the area.
the green spot had quite literally flourished, and continued to do so - up until fifty years ago, when a discovery was made that would flip everything the green spot residents had ever known on its head.
a geologist from a neighboring kingdom had his doubts that the rich harvests the green spot always managed to produce was from pure coincidence alone. he chose to dig underneath one of the gardens on the outskirts of the town to prove his point that something was enhancing these plants, and sure enough, underneath the garden was an untouched chrodonite mine. for centuries, nobody could place their finger on why the green spot was such a mystery of nature, but the sudden discovery of this chrodonite deposit answered any question that the local farmers could’ve come up with. it was the perfect solution.explained everything perfectly.
the green spot wasn’t lucky - it was enchanted.
being the closest nation to the green spot, frostland locked it down within a week of the discovery. nobody was allowed in or out - meaning some tourists ended up having to find permanent residence within the relatively small area, and some long-time residents were even forced to relocate. life as everyone knew it was completely thrown out the window - frostland guards remained diligently on patrol at all hours of the day and night. the lockdown was deemed indefinite - at least, until the nobles of the kingdom met and figured out some sort of solution. for the time being, the discovery of chrodonite in the green spot was meant to remain secretive.
good things don’t last, however - word of the green spot’s chrodonite was leaked to one of our closest neighbors, firestone, through one of their own spy networks. firestone was a nation known for being very aggressive; they took whatever they viewed as necessary for their kingdom, with little regards for who they’d end up trampling in the process. they were quick to attempt an ambush on the green spot for the chrodonite, but frostland was one step ahead of them - they’d had spies stationed near firestone for this exact reason. when firestone attempted their first ambush, frostland troops were prepared and ready to stop them. since then, they’ve been locked in a decades long war - until recently, when the truce was formed.
i was born as an only child into a family of gardeners in the green spot - right within the crux of the war. from a very young age, i was taught the ins and outs of the flora that grow here, as well as the magic that surrounds them. due to being surrounded by large amounts of chrodonite, the people here are especially connected to the plants around them, and because of that, the residents of the green spot themselves were able to help immensely with surveillance - if anyone was within range of the town’s greenery, those with a deeper connection to the local flora would be able to sense a new presence. it’s a newly discovered talent, only becoming something we learned to harness when the chrodonite was first discovered, but it was something that we could shape into a weapon - one we could use to defend our land.
the real reason we were able to use that ability to our full potential, though, was…
“kohane! kohaneee!”
i’m brought out of my thoughts by a voice from further down the hill, and i turn to face it, a smile appearing on my face unconsciously as i do so.
an shiraishi runs up the hill towards my picnic blanket, carrying a woven basket of her own that i assume is an addition to the food i’d already prepared. she’s waving her free hand at me. i wave back at her.
“an-chan! good to see you again.”
an stops just before the blanket, setting her basket down and resting her hands on her knees, catching her breath. she’d come to quite the halt, almost falling over and landing onto the blanket - she’d had to wave her arms around to stay balanced, and at that, i giggle. oh, an-chan. my eye falls towards the basket, its presence catching my attention.
“what did you bring along this time?”
i’m especially curious about anything an’s brought along - though the shiraishi family is known throughout frostland for having generation after generation be a member of the high elders, they’re also known for owning an extremely popular bakery in the middle of frostland. according to an, it gets heaps of business every day, and it’s one of the reasons an herself is so precious to frostland - not only is she a wonderful baker, she’s loved by everyone who enters her restaurant. i’ve only visited the restaurant in person once myself, but i agree wholeheartedly. an’s got a unique charm about her that not many others have. she’s like a star - burning bright and beautiful, catching the gaze of anyone in her path.
the star in question, who’s finally caught her breath, takes a seat next to me before replying.
“pastries! told dad that i was going out on a picnic with you, and he insisted i bring some along!” an grins at me as she sorts through the bag, eventually unwrapping a pastry and handing it to me. “go on, try one!”
i’m not one to say no to any of an’s demands, especially when it involves her cooking, so i nod in response to her, taking the pastry from her hand and taking a small bite. the taste of strawberry erupts within my mouth - sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. it's delicious - just as delicious as an’s other baking experiments, if not, better.
the sparkle in my eyes at the singular bite must give away my feelings on the pastry entirely, because i hear the sound of an’s loud laughter at my side.
“you’re too cute, ‘hane~ i’m glad you liked it!”
i can feel the heat rush to my face at the compliment. unsure of what to say, i end up just shyly nodding at her.
“i-it was a really good pastry… all your desserts are brilliant, an-chan.”
though it takes awhile for an’s laughter to die down entirely, she does eventually give me a reply, her eyes brimming with joy.
“i’m glad you think so, kohane! i’ll keep making more, just for you!”
without warning, she wraps her arms around me in a hug. i jump at first, somehow not expecting it (an’s surprise hugs always seem to catch me off guard, even though i know she’s notorious for doing so) but i relax into it after a moment or two. an happily nuzzles into my side, humming contently. when she speaks, her words are significantly softer.
“it’s nice to be able to relax after all this time, yeah?”
i smile at the thought of a peaceful future, - one that wasn’t corrupted with war like we’d had to endure not so long ago.
“i wouldn’t trade this for the world.”
i feel an nod against the crook of my neck. it’s an emotion i know the both of us share in earnest.
during the war, when i was assisting the people of my town in trying to fend off firestone, an shiraishi was the first frostland official i’d met.
i was delivering a portion of my family’s recent harvest into the town - despite the war raging around us, our yearly harvests remained just as bountiful as they had been before the chrodonite discovery. nowadays, however, instead of being sent around to our closest neighbors, the product of our harvest was split evenly between us and frostland. it was understandable that we’d been put on a trade shutdown, given the circumstances, but it still felt strange to some. my parents would tell me tales of many travellers from kingdoms far and beyond arriving to obtain a portion of our agricultural wealth. when these travellers arrived, there would be days of celebration - celebrating how our harvests were being distributed to help those in need across the continent. those celebrations completely ceased to exist once the green spot was put under lockdown.
as i made my way into town, i noticed a crowd of people gathered around someone. crowds weren’t a common sight in the town square - most people kept to their own shops, if they were still in business. a sense of curiosity was pulling me in, so i dared to step closer.
in the middle of the crowd stood a girl who didn’t look much older than me, accompanied by a basket of what looked to be… baked goods? she didn’t look like a local at all. i wasn’t going to question it, instead planningg to move on and continue with my errands - when the mystery girl caught my eye, and i froze in place.
“hey! d’ya want one?”
the girl extended her basket in my direction - she wanted me to take one of her treats, i assumed. not knowing how else to respond, i hesitantly reached into her basket, pulling out a brownie at random. the girl’s eyes lit up at this.
“these brownies are sooooo good! they’re my best batch yet!”
her best, huh…? if she was so proud of them, the least i could do was try it for her. i unwrapped the brownie and took a small bite.
the rich, chocolatey taste exploded in my mouth almost instantly. there were the brownies i was used to - and then there were brownies like these. it felt like they were in a league of their own.
“this… this is…”
the girl giggled at my struggle to form a statement.
“judging by your face, i’m gonna assume you like ‘em!”
i shut my mouth and nodded, not wanting to make a fool of myself in front of her. her smile only grew at the confirmation.
“now that you’ve tried my brownie, i’ll introduce myself! i’m an shiraishi! i’m a frostland noble recently stationed here to help with the chrodonite conflict. i figured i’d bring something to break the ice between me and everyone here, so i baked some fresh brownies for everyone to try! seems to be getting positive reception so far.”
a noble? at her age? it’s not like it wasn’t unheard of for younger adults to be nobles in frostland, but from what i remembered of their history, younger nobles were far and few between. she must have really been good at her job…
“and you are?”
my thoughts were brought to a halt at an’s voice. in the moment, i’d completely forgotten to curtsy, or do anything that could have been taken as a gesture of respect. it’s a little embarrassing to look back on, in hindsight.
“w-well… my name is kohane azusawa. i’m just a local farmer, so i’m not much of a fighter, but… my family and i are attuned with the chrodonite, so we do our best to provide assistance there.”
my parents, who had witnessed the start of the war, tried their best to hone their connection with the chrodonite in our garden - when i was born, they passed down those same skills to me. we were far from the most powerful family in the green spot, but we did our best to contribute our share.
“you don’t have to be a fighter! everyone here’s able to contribute in their own unique ways. this place is special - we don’t have to focus only on traditional fighting, y’know?”
all i could do was blink and stare back at an, bewildered at her statement. her words echoed in my mind long after she’d said them. we don’t have to focus on traditional fighting…? i didn’t think i’d be much use to the war, with my mediocre connection to the greenery surrounding me, but maybe…
“oi, an! we’ve got to get going now!”
an whipped around upon hearing the voice. what looked to be one of her comrades was yelling for her a couple feet away - he stood out to me, mostly due to his orange hair and uniform. beckoning for her to follow him. she frowned at the sight, before turning back towards me.
“sorry to cut this short - i’ve gotta run! but i’ll definitely see you around, kohane!”
an had already run off before i could even think to muster up a reply. once i came to my senses, i managed a small wave, though an was already much too far to notice. she and her coworker exited the town square, disappearing from my sight. i had no idea when i’d cross paths with her again, but i found myself hoping it was sometime soon.
though i didn’t know it at the time, her words had planted a seed within me.
an eventually went on to lead us in several stands against firestone. i later learned that there was key information an had withheld from me during our first meeting - not only was she a noble sent to help with the conflict, but she was also the orchestrator behind all of frostland’s spy missions - any and all information related to firestone’s tactics came back to her. the intel she’d managed to gather from those spy networks, along with the green spot citizen’s natural connections with the chrodonite, made for one of the first recent uphill turns in the war. before an’s arrival, the longest the green spot had gone without an invasion was a year, and that was if we were lucky. after an’s arrival, however, when the coordination between green spot residents and frostland troops was at an all time high, the firestone warriors never managed to step into the town itself again.
an and i came across each other on multiple occasions. she found me in the town square again, and from that day forward, we began taking frequent walks together. frequent walks turned into me accompanying her on scouting missions. together, we made leaps and bounds of progress in stopping our enemies in their tracks before they could set foot anywhere near the chrodonite. what surprised me the most, however, was that through an, i discovered that i had a stronger connection to the chrodonite than i originally believed. with her help, i was able to further hone my abilities, and eventually accompany her troops onto the battlefield. together, we’d successfully orchestrated ambush after ambush against firestone. it became more and more challenging with each successful attempt, but the more we pulled it off, the further we drove firestone away from the green spot and its resources - until they’d stopped showing up altogether.
after what had felt like months and months of endless conflict, we were finally able to send diplomats into their kingdom and negotiate a truce, largely thanks to one of our nation’s princes. it still feels unreal, that i was able to have such a big impact on the eventual closure of the war… but i couldn’t have done it without those who remained by my side.
“are you two gonna nap here forever, or are we gonna have an actual picnic like we planned?”
an jolts awake in my lap, raising her head so fast she nearly knocks against mine in the process. i snap my eyes open, barely dodging an as she scrambles off my lap and into a sitting position. an reaches over to smack our new guest, pouting at him in the process.
“damnit, akito, why’d you sneak up on us like that?! i nearly had a heart attack, y’know!”
akito shinonome only barks a laugh in response.
“i didn’t think you’d be that scared. what, did you sacrifice your beauty sleep to bake again? you realize that kohane’s not gonna be your impromptu pillow forever, right?”
an’s mouth opens to answer, but snaps shut again before she does.
“i did not! and i would never use kohane like that!”
akito’s smirk only widens - he knows he’s right, and i know he’s right too.“suuure, whatever you say.”
an looks at me with a very convincing, very pleading stare. “kohane! have my back here~ c’mon!”
i freeze in place. i was planning on remaining a neutral party, but now they’re both eyeing me down - do i really have to pick a side?
“ah… well…” i give an apologeetic look to an. “sorry, an-chan… you baked too many pastries to be innocent here.”
an’s faces twists in mocked pain. she clutches her chest dramatically, one second away from teetering over onto her side, as if i’ve physically wounded her with my words.
“kohane… how could you?”
akito interjects before i can.
“that’s what you get for staying up too late. serves you right.”
that’s what sends the two of them into actual bickering, and i’m left unable to get a word in through their banter. this isn’t any different than the usual, though - in fact, i’m used to this, and i use the newfound time to look back into the distance and admire our view, thinking back on our time together.
eventually, i’d gotten to meet the coworker who’d beckoned an away during our first meeting. as we headed towards our meeting point, an told me i’d have to pass his judgement before i could officially work alongside her on the battlefield, though she reassured me multiple times that i’d be fine, i couldn’t help but worry regardless.
he was… intimidating, that much i was certain about. was an really sure he’d let me work with her? he looked pretty strict…
“akito! long time, no see!”
an broke the tension like it was nothing, giving him a nod of acknowledgement.
akito nodded in return, before he locked eyes with me, giving me a couple looks up and down. i’d never been analyzed quite this intensely before, but i tried not to back down - the last thing i wanted was to be perceived as cowardly.
it felt like an eternity of being perceived until akito turned his attention away from me, giving an a rather hard stare.
“you’re not wanting her to actually fight with us, right?”
ouch. he wasn’t wrong, as much as the remark hurt to hear - i was the furthest thing from a soldier - but i hoped it didn’t affect his perception of me regardless.
“of course not.” an’s response is immediate; confident. “i’m not stupid enough to put her in that much danger, akito.”
all akito did was give her a curt nod back..
“chrodonite resonance, then? is that what you want her to do? you’re sure, an?”
he really didn’t have much faith in me, did he?
“absolutely positive. she’s good at it, trust me - she’s a natural. i wouldn’t recommend just anyone for this.”
an’s voice didn’t waver once as she spoke of me. i kept my back straight and stood tall, trying to live up to an’s words and akito’s expectations.
akito’s eyebrows furrowed, clearly deep in thought. seconds were beginning to stretch into years long before he spoke again.
“i’m not letting her work unsupervised unless she proves she’s capable of it.”
an’s expression twisted into a frown - it looked like she wanted to protest, but she clearly thought better of it in the moment, instead choosing to back down.
“fine. i promise i'll supervise her, then. deal?”
“deal.”
the conversation concluded immediately. it had been so simple, yet so tense. i felt myself let out a breath i hadn’t known i‘d been holding in once we were out of akito’s earshot.
anxious thoughts plagued my mind. i knew i lacked experience, that much was obvious, but did i lack so much that i needed to be watched? “supervised”? an didn’t seem to have any issues with having to take up that role, but i was sure that it’d end up digging into her already busy schedule…
an seemed to notice the look on my face. she spoke up before my expression could darken any further.
“you’re lucky to hear this from akito, i promise. it might seem like he’s being strict for no reason, but everything he does has thought put behind it, even if it doesn’t come off the nicest. he’s got really high expectations, and those expectations exist because he doesn’t want to lose more than he has to. it’s tough, being in his position.”
akito’s position? i don’t think i’d asked an what exactly he did - i only knew that he was a bit higher in the ranks than she was, or at least, held more authority on the battlefield itself.
“what’s his position, an-chan?”
an blinked with surprise.
“i thought everyone around here knew, or i would’ve said something earlier. akito’s the head general - he’s got the final say on everything related to this war.”
i was surprised by this - yet at the same time, i wasn’t surprised at all. akito definitely seemed to have extensive battle experience - despite his harsh exterior, he seemed to seriously consider every option possible before firing back remarks. that must’ve meant that he’d had to make several decisions like this before, right?
there was only one way to prove myself to him, then - i had to make sure he didn’t regret his decision. he may have only agreed to let me help under slight pressure from an, but he still agreed nontheless. i needed to prove him right. more importantly, i needed to prove an right.
i held my head up high, steeling my gaze.
“i’ll make sure he doesn’t regret his decision.”
an, who’s expression had been tense since leaving akito, finally relaxed and smiled at me.
“there’s the kohane i know. come on, there’s no time to waste!”
that’s how i’d started doing my part on the battlefield. with the help of an’s spy network, i was able to sense and stop an ambush that could’ve been devastating to frostland, as they weren’t exactly notorious for their manpower like firestone was. they’d tried to set multiple well hidden traps that would’ve blown frostland troops to pieces if we’d traversed blindly. firestone activity had been reported by troops keeping watch, and as any leader would do, akito had commanded them to march towards them and put a stop to any further advancement. with extra help from a couple spies, an and i managed to intercept them, diffuse the traps without being spotted, and send the troops forward as planned. the battle was ferocious, but in the end, frostland emerged victorious - though everyone was certain we would have fallen if the traps had been detonated.
it was a major turning point in the war - frostland was already at a numbers disadvantage, and suffering that many losses in a battle would’ve severely stunted their efforts to keep the green spot guarded at all hours of the day. but with the troops frostland had remaining, they were able to keep firestone back successfully for the rest of the war.
once we made it back to the village, and after we’d had our celebrations, akito pulled me aside - “i just need to talk to you for a sec,” he’d claimed. we’d stopped just outside of the town square, far enough from the celebratory music and cheering so that the noise wasn’t overwhelming.
i can feel the frown on my face at akito’s stare. “what’s wrong, shinonome-san? did i do something wrong?”
he shook his head.
“no, not at all. you did great out there, and anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong.”
a small smile crept onto my face. i’d known that an and i’s efforts hadn’t been for nothing, but hearing akito acknowledge them after the work we’d put in felt like it had all been worth it.
akito’s gaze flicked towards the ground, and then back at me. he took a breath before he began speaking again.
“listen, i just wanted to say… i shouldn’t have doubted you when we first met. you’ve more than proven yourself as capable enough to work alongside us, and i should’ve seen that potential from the start. thank you for everything you’ve done - we wouldn’t have won that battle today if you and an hadn’t defused their traps.”
akito… was apologizing? an had told me he wasn’t the apologizing type.
an had also mentioned that akito never sugarcoated anything, though - he only said something if he meant it, so i believed wholeheartedly that he did.
“i never took it personally. you only doubted me because you didn’t want another senseless casualty on your hands, right?”
momentarily, akito’s face fell. after a moment of silence, he nodded. his head hung the slightest bit lower at the remark.
i didn’t want him to possibly beat himself up over it. “it was harsh, sure, but you were trying to look out for everyone. i wanted to say thank you as well, shinonome-san. this win is just as much yours as it is ours.”
it’s only then that akito picks his head back up, shock evident across his face - until he notably relaxes, allowing for a smile to curl onto his lips. it was rare, seeing him show a genuine one - not that he was often down, but this smile was different than the one he would use to motivate his allies and troops. this one was far more softened up. he turned back towards the town square, which was still bustling with people, even at this late hour.
“alright, then. c’mon, azusawa. the night’s far from over, yeah?”
i nodded, following him back into the party. victory was soon - i knew it. this painful experience could finally come to an end - i had complete faith my generation would be the one to conclude it.
“...hane? kohane? hellooooo? earth to kohane?”
i blink, startling back into reality. an and akito look back at me - it hasn’t looked like their bickering has stopped, even for a moment.
“yes, an-chan?”
an looks relieved that i’ve finally started replying.
“you went really quiet there for a minute. is everything alright?”
i quickly nod, not wanting to worry the two of them any longer than necessary.
“i’m alright! just thinking back on all the time we’ve spent together.”
an’s eyes sparkle at my words, and she looks very close to snatching me up in her second hug of the day. though akito’s reaction is much less expressive than an’s, i can see his face soften up as well.
“awww, kohane! we’re gonna make plenty more now that this war is over, right?”
i smile along with an in agreement.
“right!”
my earlier thought proves itself right as an launches herself at me, hugging me again. this time, i’m expecting it, so i relax into her embrace, giggling as she nuzzles my cheek. beside us, akito makes a face akin to (playful) disgust.
“gross. get a room.”
it takes no time at all for an’s gaze to find him, and i assume a smug grin appears on her face, judging by the tone of her next words. “oh, but akito, she wants to make memories with you too, right? which means you need to join in on this hug, riiight?”
i can’t get the best view of an’s expression, but it’s effective enough that akito scoots backwards on the picnic blanket.
“absolutely not. i’m not joining i- don’t you dare come any closer, an! i’m serious!”
i watch akito’s struggle, amused as an lets me go and slowly begins to approach akito, ready to hug him at a moment’s notice. he’s about three seconds away from his impending doom when the sound of a new voice comes over the hill’s peak, piercing through akito’s complaints.
“what’s all this commotion about? is everyone alright?”
all at once, all three of us turn our heads. from that very hillside emerges the likes of prince toya aoyagi of frostland, who’s now taking in the scene before him. he looks mildly concerned - which makes sense; i would’ve been too, if i was shown this out of context. i shake my head, trying to dismiss his thoughts.
“everything’s alright, your highness. an-chan’s just trying to get shinonome-kun to join us in a group hug.”
an sheepishly rubs the back of her neck at this, but doesn’t deny the allegations. akito clears his throat, trying to get some of his dignity back in front of the prince.
“which i will not be doing, because it doesn’t have any constructive purpose, your highness.”
toya smiles, now understanding the interaction. he looks towards an.
“don’t worry, shiraishi. akito and i will be partaking in the group hug.”
instantly, an’s expression is filled with delight, while akito’s jaw drops to the floor, looking defeated over having his choice stolen away from him by the prince. an’s quick to jump up in victory, pointing down at akito as if to say ‘i told you so,’ and as much as akito looks like he wants to interject, he instead waits for toya to finish his thought.
“also, it is quite alright to drop the formalities. it’s just us here right now - it’s perfectly fine to address me by name.”
it shocks me to hear the proposal said so outright. “of course, a… aoyagi-san.” i can’t bring myself to openly address the prince by his given name, but there’s an attempt being made. toya’s expression lightens regardless, so he seems to be happy about it.
“right. sorry, toya - it’s been too much formality lately, if you’re asking me.” in complete contrast, akito seems to have no issues with calling toya by his given name - though this makes more sense, as the two have always been close. toya laughs at akito’s remark.
“i agree. now…”
toya joins us in sitting down, looking curiously at the picnic baskets laid out in front of us.
“what have you guys brought today? i could smell freshly baked goods on my way up the hill - i must admit, i’ve been curious for a while now.”
i only now realize that i have yet to unpack my picnic basket, and so i pull it closer to me, opening it and handing out the contents to everyone.
“i’ve prepared everyone some sandwiches - my parents always had a special recipe, and they told me green spot sandwiches were the best there ever was, so they encouraged me to bring some. i’ve tossed some salads, too, for a side.”
everyone looks equally impressed at the food i’ve brought, and they all give me varying thanks - though they’re each different, i can tell all three of them are genuine. it makes me happy to know i’ve been able to make their days just a little bit better.
“they look so good! thanks, kohane!”
“i have yet to try fresh green spot food like this… i look forward to it. thank you, azusawa.”
“not bad, azusawa. never thought i’d agree with an, but these look really good.”
i blush at the praise, but i’m happy to hear it regardless. the salads i’ve boxed up are handed out next. an claps her hands in delight, and reaches for her basket next.
“next, i’ve brought freshly baked strawberry pastries! straight from the shiraishi bakery, made by yours truly!”
both akito and toya look happy to see the pastries, and i don’t blame them - every shiraishi had a real knack for baking, and an was no exception. she happily hands out the treats to everyone.
“there’s extras in the bag if anyone wants another one! i kind of went on a baking craze, and there can never be too many pastries!”
though nobody speaks a word, i can sense the unanimous agreement throughout the group that we’re all definitely going to be eating more than one.
toya breaks the silence, expression dropping faintly.
“unfortunately, i don’t have anything to share. it’s been… busy, ever since the war ended. there’s lots to do around the castle since firestone’s surrender.”
firestone’s surrender… i’d heard a lot about that. toya had played a big role in getting firestone to agree to a truce when it came to the chrodonite in the green spot, so it made sense that his schedule’s been piled high ever since.
akito chimes in after him - i assume he’s also got his hands full, considering his large role in the battle and the strategies behind it, and sure enough, i turn out to be right.
“yeah, i’m with toya on this one. there’s been a lot going on, but i’m glad i got enough time to stop by. we’ll make it up to them next time, right?”
toya’s only contribution to the conversation at first is a nod. “yes, let’s.”
an interrupts their exchange before it can go any further.
“we can talk about who’s making what for the next picnic later - for now, how about we dig in? it’d be a waste to let the pastries get too cold, yeah? let’s eat!”
within the next few minutes, everyone’s happily eating their sandwiches. akito and toya are talking about their time in the castle, and an interjects every so often to tell them of her time in the town, and what she’s witnessed firsthand in her family’s cafe since the truce.
it’s peaceful. a peace we haven’t been able to feel properly in years.
i think back yet again - back to when we were finally able to obtain that peace.
i hadn’t been allowed to be a part of the process itself.
it had been six months since any firestone activity occurred near us, the longest they’d ever gone without trying to attack us in some form - the frostland spy network and the green spot resonators had not seen nor sensed anything out of the ordinary for those very six months. everyone in the green spot was starting to wonder what would happen now that firestone wasn’t coming back, me included - until the day an approached me with some news.
“akito’s going to firestone,” she’d said. “he’s taking a small group of guards with him, and he’s going to attempt to negotiate a truce with them.”
a truce? a truce with the same firestone that had historically stopped at nothing to get what they’d desired from their enemies? the firestone that we assumed was only dormant to catch us off guard? something about that didn’t sit well with me in the moment.
an must have sensed the confusion from my expression alone, because she quickly began to elaborate.
“according to akito, these are prince toya’s wishes. it’s what he believes is best for the kingdom.”
prince toya…
i didn’t know a lot about him - i wasn’t as educated on nearby royalty as i could’ve been. all i knew about frostland is that there were three princes, and of them, toya was the last one in line. anything beyond his name was an utter mystery to me.
“from what akito told me, he really does want the best for the kingdom. apparently, most of the royalty and nobles think we should pursue firestone into their home territory once we have the strength to, and we should shut them down - prevent them from ever invading a weaker kingdom or town ever again.”
this was the same thought process that many green spot residents had as well. if we shut down firestone now, there’s no chance they’d be able to come back - at least, not anytime soon. and at the time, i had agreed with them. but as an continued talking, i began to see the real vision prince toya had.
“but the prince stood his ground regardless. peace was the better option, he argued. the people of the green spot are tired. the troops that fight on the frontlines day after day are tired. after fifty years, is it not best for everyone to find happiness, instead of diving further and further into war? prince toya believes this war is a cycle - if there’s no active attempt to bring it to an end, will it ever stop?”
those words stunned me, and i realized i’d become victim to the same cycle everyone else around me had. as we became more and more wrapped up in getting revenge, we’d forgotten what having peace all around us had felt like to begin with. my perspective of prince toya had changed in an instant as i connected the dots in my head. once an and i got word that the negotiations had gone successfully, and a truce had finally been agreed upon, ending decades of war, my opinion on him only became more positive.
the day the truce had been officially declared, the aoyagi family summoned some of the green spot resonators into their palace to thank them in person. an had made sure i was one of them - “you deserve it”, she’d claimed. the ride there was relatively smooth - an and i rode there together via horse and carriage. it was nice to not have to consider the directions on a long journey like this for once.
the castle itself was rather intimidating, but the servants did what they could to make us feel welcome, and i appreciated them for it. we were ushered into what looked to be some sort of meeting room, and we were told that the royal family would speak to us momentarily.
after a few minutes, the door opened and closed, and only two people entered - a man with two-toned hair, one who didn’t look much older than an and i, and the newly familiar akito. the latter of the two found an and i in the corner and nodded in acknowledgement. the other man walked to the front of the room and took a seat at the head of the table, beckoning for the rest of us to seat ourselves around the table as well. once we were all seated, he pushed his chair back, stood up, and began to speak.
“greetings, everyone. i hope the trip here was enjoyable. i am prince toya aoyagi of frostland, and i’ve brought you all here to thank you on my behalf.
“everyone in the green spot, regardless of how large or little you feel your contribution was, is responsible for the peace we currently have. from the bottom of my heart, i want you to know that we in frostland value your contributions and always have, and i thank you for all your efforts over these past decades. should any other situation like this occur, know that frostland will heed your call for aid. you will always have a safe place nearby, so long as frostland’s still standing.”
i’d heard many tales of royalty, and how power was able to corrupt one’s mind - that power was able to make any member of a royal family believe that everyone was below them. it had led me to be wary of any royalty i’d heard of over the years. but this prince was different - when he spoke, there was a soft sort of kindness that reflected itself both in tone and expression. i’d learned to trust my gut over the course of the war, and my gut told me that this man truly wanted the best for me and my people. that alone was enough for me. to know that someone this kind, this dedicated to keeping the peace, was going to come to our assistance at the slightest hint of trouble.
the rest of the meeting passed without issue - the prince and the leaders of the green spot had a conversation about where they’d move forward from here, and how much more assistance was needed from frostland at this time. it was able to reach a timely conclusion. an and i stayed behind, as an had a couple words she wanted to exchange with akito, and i wanted to personally thank toya for his dedication to not only the people within the kingdom’s city, but those on the outskirts.
surprisingly, toya found me before i found him. he ended up getting the first words of our conversation in.
“you’re azusawa, aren’t you?”
a beat of silence passed - i had been so surprised he knew my name without us meeting before that i was stunned into momentary silence.
“y… yes, i am.”
toya’s face relaxed when he realized he had the right person.
“i’ve heard a lot about you from akito and shiraishi. you’re the resonator who helped shiraishi and her team prevent the large scale traps from being detonated, correct? thank you for your assistance - we couldn’t have won without you.”
i couldn’t stop my jaw from dropping. “a-ah… thank you…”
i’m a little bit caught off guard - i didn’t think that toya, as a prince, even had the time of day to remember specific people that had been sent into battle, let alone the feats they’d accomplished while on the field. he truly was a kindhearted individual, wasn’t he?
i had to thank him in return. i couldn’t just let the conversation end here.
“i also want to say… thank you as well, your highness. i had no idea how diligently you’ve been worrying behind the scenes about everyone’s safety and happiness… you really are kind to me and my people. i can’t thank you enough.”
toya looked just as surprised as i had a moment earlier, before he softens up and smiles back.
“i appreciate it, azusawa. let’s continue to fight for our futures together, shall we?”
i smiled back at him, happy to have gotten through to him that he’d provided a lot too.
“yes, let’s.”
an and i hadn’t stuck around much longer - an had finished her conversation with akito regarding the amount of troops that would need to remain in the green spot, and we’d officially left the aoyagi palace after inviting the prince and his general to a picnic later in the week.
and now, in the present, here we all are. look once again at the company surrounding me. the conversation topic’s switched in the time i’ve spent stuck in the past. an’s excitedly retelling a story - i assume something from one of the green spot battles, as there’s a lot of explosion sound effects - and toya’s following along, sparkly-eyed at her every word. akito’s doing his best to look exasperated, but it’s hard to miss the fondness in his eyes. they’ve all nearly finished their sandwiches, and an’s pastry basket is just about empty. i’ve almost finished my sandwich as well, and i reach for another pastry before they’re snatched away by anyone else.
i see the sun setting in the distance, painting the surrounding sky with a beautiful orange and gold hue. i feel the wind in my hair, and i feel the warmth of the pastry in my hand and the warmth from the love i feel for my companions surrounding me in my heart. the air’s filled with an’s loud, boisterous words and laughter, toya’s curious questions and affirmations, and akito’s occasional snippy remarks. though i’m not actively involved in the conversation, there’s a sense of stability i get just from listening to it.
this is what it’s like to truly experience peace, isn’t it? to be surrounded by those you love, without a care in the world, bonding over something all of you love. i can’t say i’m ready to give it up anytime soon - i wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.
“kohane, kohane!” an chirps from my side. “help me tell them about the time we defused all those traps from the firestone ambush! they’ve gotta hear your perspective, too!”
stopping the ambush… it had been incredibly stressful in the moment, but an and i look back on it with fondness now - we managed to stop firestone, and we did it together.
“i’m not the best storyteller, but i’ll tell you both what i remember.”
despite my worry, toya doesn’t seem affected at all. in fact, his curious expression gives away that he won’t mind how i tell the story, he’s just curious to hear the details. akito eyes toya with an exasperated expression, but he nods at me, urging me to continue regardless.
and so, i begin telling the story of the ambush from start to finish, just as i remember it. we exchange similar stories until late into night, our laughter filling the air for hours to come.
as the sun sets on one day of peace and relaxation, i find myself silently praying for many more in the future - peace not only for me, but for everyone who’s fought so hard to attain it. peace just like this, for years and years to come.