8 The Promise

A grievously wounded man lay in his bed, his once dignified face now pale and void of life. As the man's wheezed breathing filled the air with a sombre, sad mood, two small, delicate hands were clasping firmly onto his right hand.

"F-Father... I promise... whoever did this to you... I will make them pay... no matter how strong nor how many I will Father... I will ki-"

"N-no..."

In response to the emotion filled proclamation by the young girl, the wounded man can barely muster a single word to interrupt her. As he stared at his daughter's radiant golden-blonde hair and eyes filled with staunch determination, the man felt a sense of comfort in his heart.

"You can't... be like me..."

"Yes I can! I can Father! I promise that I will be a great warrior just like you! I will serve the kingdom proudly just like you did!"

"That... is not... what I meant..."

As he stared at the confused swirling mix of emotions in his daughter's tear filled eyes, the wounded man knew how hard it must be for her. The wounded man has returned home from the aftermath of a battle against a rival kingdom. While he fought valiantly he was struck with a magic that did allow the wound it caused to heal. With no means of salvation he was simply brought home to die peacefully on his own bed. All that was left for him was to wait for death to claim him. But he can't let things end like this, there was still one more thing that he had to ensure before he can peacefully pass on.

"I don't... don't want you to be like me..."

"Father... what do you mean by that?"

"I want... you to be... better... better than me."

"Fath-"

"Not a better warrior... the world already has plenty to spare... no... I want you... to be a better... better person than me."

"Father I... I don't understand what you're trying to tell me!"

"I just want you... to stay the same loving angel I've always known you to have been... caring... forgiving... the world needs more people like that... not people like those who do nothing more than take lives... not people like me... that's why I'll have to leave soon..."

"Father please don't say something like that!" His daughter impulsively cried out in a hoarse voice. Streaks of tears staining her cheeks and her lips were twitching. Her firm grasp on his hand grew tighter than before.

"We all need you!.. I... I need you... so please... please don't go... please..."

"But I have to... everybody will have to eventually..."

"I don't care! Please! Don't leave me like this!"

"Please don't make this harder on yourself... I want you to make a promise for me... before I go... can you do that for me?.."

"Ye-yes! What is it!"

"Please don't try to be like your father... you're already worth more than him the way you are... I want you to continue on the path you already tread... please... can you at least do that for me?.."

"Father I-"

"Please... do it... do it for me... for yourself..." As the man spoke these words he painfully reached to his side drawer and grabbed the gold locket that was laying there. Inside the locket there was a painting of himself and his deceased wife. He passed the locket into his daughter's hands, with his entire body aching in pain the man coughed violently.

"You're just like your mother... did I ever tell you that?"

"Ye-yes you did Father... almost every single day..."

"That is something I am proud of... I want you to keep that locket... the painting of your mother should remind you of the person you promised to become... and the painting of me should remind you of the person you made that promise to..."

"I will Father. I won't let you down..."

"I know you won't my little angel... for now... I'm just going to... take a little rest..."

As the man closed his eyes and his body when limp, the little girl grasped his hand harder than before. With an aching heart she cried.

"No please! Please don't go! Please! Don't go! Don't go! Please!.. Please..."

The man didn't respond to the girl vainly begging him to wake up, instead continuing to lay on the bed in tranquility... with a near-invisible faint smile attached to his face. The girl wasn't aware of this and continued to beg aloud. Only after a short while did the cries of the night turn into a deathly silence. Only one sentence was heard during the night's silence.

"Please... don't leave me alone..."

...

Kathina stared intently at the opened golden locket. One the right side there was her courageous father who was a knight who died protecting the Kingdom and the left was her merciful mother who sacrificed herself to buy people she didn't even know time. She remembered very clearly the promise she made to her father. [How long has it been since then? Since you... no that's not important anymore... what's important is that I keep the promise I made you... that's all that matters.] Banishing the painful memories of her past, Kathina closed the locket and hid it inside her pocket. She masked the pain that was mustering within her heart and she smiled warmly at classmates before supporting them in their troubles no matter how big nor small. Little did she know, the one who needed the support and a warm smile the most was herself.