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In peacetime, Xander's favorite extracurricular activity was picnicking with his wife in Hoshido. Although tensions were still high despite Queen Hinoka's ascension and their tireless efforts for trade and bettering relationships, the blooms across the Hoshidan provinces and decorating its countryside were a constant.
Xander looked forward to it even more when Siegbert could join them.
"Hold still," Corrin crooned to the fussy toddler as he fought her hands. He disliked the feeling of the petals in his hair, getting caught up in the tresses. Between his father and mother and their curled, wavy, unruly tresses — no amount of brushing could straighten Xander's and nothing could untangle Corrin's — he somehow came out with a net positive for neat hair. That seemed to make his scalp oddly sensitive.
"But mother," the wee Siegbert whined, hands forming little fists above Corrin's gentle grip. "I don't like it."
Bringing an apple up to his lips, Xander's usually hard expression softened as Corrin leaned forward. She bumped her nose to Siegbert's, giggling softly. "Well, I do," she said, "so let mommy enjoy how cute you are, okay?"
What a far cry from the fierce warrior that wielded Yato and stood firm before, in, and after death at the hands of their "father." It was a blessing, Xander thought as she collected Siegbert onto her lap, that their son would never know the truth of his grandfather. He closed his eyes and turned his face to the sunlight, listening as Corrin plucked petals into her hair and how Siegbert laughed, calling his mother cute.
This was what all the fighting was worth.
"It's like this."
Oh so carefully, with the same amount of concentration that he applied to his studies, Siegbert created a flower crown of cherry blossoms. He had learned how to do this from his aunt Elise, who had learned from Princess Sakura. His little pink tongue poked out from the corner of his lips as he worked.
Corrin leaned against Xander. "He's so proud," she said softly, her voice and expression radiating love.
Xander, who already had been given the first flower crown of the picnic, found himself smiling. Although he had a plethora of paperwork waiting for him back at Castle Krakenburg courtesy of Leo, he refused to give the traditional outing up. Especially since it was the first in a few years — his second son's birth had taken a toll on Corrin in ways that had been utterly terrifying for the family and Kingdom both.
"Oh- I think I made it too big." Siegbert's concerned, cracking voice pulled his father from his reverie. Just in time, as Kana squealed, "Let me see!" and took hold of the crown meant for him. Siegbert had told his parents that he wanted to officially crown his little brother as Second Crown Prince of Nohr, deciding this was the best way to do it. While Xander did not want to entertain the idea — he would much rather his children grow up slowly easing into the weight of such responsibility rather than how war had foisted it upon him — he could not deny Corrin's delighted laughter.
Kana plunked the crown atop his wild-haired head. Where Siegbert's hair remained neat and easy to tame, Kana seemed to get the double effect of his parents' hair. It grew in natural flared spikes, curled only a little at the base of his neck. Despite that, it was not enough to keep the crown from falling lopsided across his face.
Ever the sweet optimist, Kana started laughing. It put Siegbert's panic stricken expression at ease, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. "Be careful," he clucked, reaching over to fuss on Kana's petal-ridden hair much like his mother had, years ago.
Unexpectedly, Xander's throat tightened. Had that really been years ago?
"Be careful," Corrin echoed, "the branches are sharp—"
Kana's laughter turned into a surprised "OWIE!" as a sharp branch poked him near the eye. Siegbert froze up again, hunching his shoulders as Corrin's warmth pulled from Xander's side. It was her turn to fuss.
"Do not worry, Siegbert," Xander said, reaching to lay his hand atop the crown of his boy's head. "I once did something very similar to my brother, as well."
"Father," Siegbert murmured, straightening under the hand that glided down to squeeze his shoulder. "I… find that hard to believe."
A chuckle rumbled from Xander's chest. "Hard to believe, perhaps, but not impossible. Leo forgave me, in the end." He squeezed Siegbert's shoulder again. "All you must do is apologize."
Fisting his hands on his knees, Siegbert nodded gravely.
"Humor your parents, won't you?" Siegbert was getting ready to take a tour of Nohr on his own as Crown Prince, with his own retainers by his side. Kana , ever the spirit of a child, was off in the corner somewhere pouting with one of his cousins about his brother leaving. "One last picnic."
An older teen, about to become eighteen in fact and having to find his own partner for the future, Siegbert was far less attached to his mother and father than he was in his youth. Though Kana loved him, the boy accused him of hating Corrin because he was a teenager, not wanting to be around her as much anymore.
Kana just didn't know the weight of responsibility that Siegbert was going to inherit. Frankly, Siegbert didn't want him to ever know it, either.
"Father," Siegbert sighed, standing from his trunk that he locked on his own. "Isn't it…" But he trailed off, looking at the tall figure of Xander in his doorway. Though the man was always fair skinned and honey blonde, tall and imposing in his violets and blacks, there was a softness to him that Siegbert saw that cut his words off. More aged lines to an already tired, stern face, but a slump to his shoulders and a tilt of the head as he stared imploringly at his son.
His son.
In that moment, Xander, with his hair subtly turning white and carefully hidden with expert brushing from Corrin, was not King. He was Siegbert's father. By now, Siegbert knew of King Garon's fate despite the obvious love his children had for him, and that was enough to pull the wind out of his sails.
"All right. One more picnic."
As Queen of Nohr, Corrin was just as busy as Xander, if not more so as she handled the more delicate matters of international relations. At the time as Siegbert was readying for his tour, Corrin was on a trip to Hoshido to visit extended family and welcome the birth of a friend's child. She was an exemplary neutral party despite having been a hand in the fall of Hoshido's two princes, and Siegbert decided that this picnic would be a good idea to talk about her actions, her decisions, and the other half of the family she loved so much.
Corrin had been in Hoshido for most of the pregnancy and birth of the child. It was not the child of Hinoka or Sakura's, but close enough to the sisters that it was important for her to be there and to give her blessings as Queen of Nohr and child of Mikoto. This picnic would be a very good learning experience. He smiled to himself as he thought about it — a perfect excuse to see his mother and prove to Kana that he didn't hate her because he was a teenager.
Or maybe he wouldn't tell Kana. That kid had a jealous streak as wide as the Bottomless Canyon.
Not only that, but Corrin's smile being fragile and shaky when she met her family at the cherry blossoms would likely only increase Kana's ire toward him.
"M-Mother?" Siegbert stammered, breaking decorum to walk forward with his arms out. Corrin, who looked hardly aged compared to her husband, fell into his sturdy embrace with a tight grip of her own. Siegbert choked for a moment, fingers twitching as he looked around for assistance.
Once a bastion of help on these picnics growing up, Xander merely sat back, being the one to unpack the food to serve his family.
"It's only been a year," Corrin murmured, rocking back on her feet. Bare, of course, which Siegbert never liked. He had been that stubborn baby that would fold his legs up when she tried to set him barefoot on the grass — something he was reminded of often. Corrin lifted herself on her tiptoes, uncaring of the dirt and the tickle of the grass, and placed her hands on each of Siegbert's cheeks. "And you're taller than me."
"Ah-" Under her hands, he flushed. "W-Well, Mother. It doesn't help I am wearing heels."
Xander chuckled from behind them, adopting an innocent expression when Siegbert sent him a panicked glance.
"I-I can take them off for you," he reasoned. "Would that help?"
Corrin's expression brightened. It was a look Siegbert knew all too well, having watched her throw it at her husband, her sisters, her brother, her retainers all his life. "Oh, would you please, sweetheart?" Still on tiptoe, the tips of her fingers brushed the edges of his impossibly neat hair. "Otherwise, how else am I supposed to give you a crown of petals?"
And suddenly, Siegbert understood why his mother and brother ran around barefoot, when the fallen petals tickled his skin. He understood why Kana remained attached to Corrin's hip as the years wore on. He understood why Xander wanted his adult son to humor them with one more trip, an echo of the first one that started it all.
Talks of Hoshido relations could wait. He had a more important role than Crown Prince to play today; today, he was simply their son.