EVEN THE RAIN CRIES
The young child, Feira, who was wearing tattered old clothes is now wearing some decent clothes. It was bought by the young man that he met from the abandoned house.
"I'm really grateful for all the things that you've bought and gave me." Feira said while bowing showing her gratitude to the young man.
The young man smiled as he shook his head, "It's nothing. You already know the way, right? Just state my name and I'm sure she'll be willing to take you as one of her apprentice"
Feira nodded. She recall how the young man offered her some help to look for someone who's willing to take her in and at the same time somehow protect her from the old man. She told the young man about her situation and the young man pitied her, thus making him to lend her some hand. The young man bought her some new clothes and even gave her some money.
"I will really remember all of the help that you lend me. I'll be sure to pay you back someday, adventurer Esperanza" Feira once again bowed.
After that she remembered something. She took the dagger that was on her waist and gave it back to Esperanza. "I am returning this to you now"
But Esperanza shook his head, "That dagger is not mine anymore. It's yours to keep"
Feira didn't insist anymore. Although she was curious about the origin of the dagger she didn't dare to ask anymore. All that she knows was it was originally from the 2nd princess of Hesperia, but she does not know how it ended up with this adventurer. Feira also knows that it's not her place to ask about it.
Just as how Esperanza was trying to settle things for Feira, Von and her party was about to go separate ways.
Eli knows that Von will only accompany them on the halfway of their journey.
"A little more miles, there should be a small town. Let's rest there for the night and tomorrow morning let's go in our own different ways" Von suggested.
Eli could only silently agree even though he is still unwilling to leave Von traveling alone.
When the next morning came, Eli repeatedly ask Von. "Are you sure? You really don't want to come with us? I'd just drop them there and we'll immediately leave."
Von wryly smiles as she shook her head, "I don't want to go back at the heart of the kingdom or what most people call 'capital'. If I go back, my brothers would really tie me up and drag me back to the palace"
Eli sighed in defeat. "Okay, just be careful. I'd run as fast as I can to go back to your side once I safely brought the two back at the heart of the kingdom"
"Un." Von nodded. "Even if you can't, I can handle my own safety"
For the last time, Von and Eli bids their goodbyes before they went on their temporarily own separate ways.
Von immediately went to the direction on the place that she and Esperanza agreed on. She is already quite near thus it only took 2 and a half day before she arrived at her destination.
When she arrived, she realized that Esperanza was still not there. The place were not really that special. It's just a place that is near on one of the town called "R'hua". The place seems also like a training ground because of its appearance. There were some signs that multiple of arrows were shot in a tree and it also has some marks on it. There were also some wooden dummy stand that looked like it was a self-made.
Von walks near a tree and sat on the ground. She lay her back on the tree as she stares on the wooden dummy stand. She intently looked at it as she didn't even realize when she had closed her eyes and dozed to sleep.
While she was sleeping, she dreamt about her when she was still young. She was wearing what a proper princess should wear. Her eyes were red as tears keep falling down to her cheeks.
No one was following her but she knows that some shadows knight was secretly protecting her. She got more annoyed when she thought about this.
She was fuming mad at her "master" because he doesn't want her to be his disciple. Although her "master" brought her out of the palace but it was only temporary and it's for an official mission. She was needed to give face to the citizens that is why she was able to go outside.
The young Von---or rather princess Lyian, ran out of the town. Her master just disappointedly shook his head as he followed the princess secretly.
Princess Lyian stopped when she saw a young boy who's training by himself. She got irritated more irritated when she saw this. She reached for the dagger that was on her thigh, then throw it to the tree that is near where the young boy were.
The young boy stopped in shock as he looked at the dagger. He knew that the dagger intentionally flew near at his face. He turned around to see who throw the dagger. He saw a young girl who is crying and he doesn't know if she is sad or she's just mad.
He wanted to scold the young girl for carelessly throwing the dagger that almost hit him. He doesn't even recognize this girl and yet she was glaring at him as if he owe her something.
But when he stared at the young girl's eyes, he knew that the young girl was just really sad.
Thus, he asked "Why are you crying?"
At the same time, princess Lyian coldly snorted as she said : "Do you want to die?! If you want to die just use that dagger! You were endlessly training for almost 2 days now!"
The young boy's eyes widened. "A-are you a stalker?!"
Princess Lyian rolled her eyes, "I just want to sleep here and yet I kept seeing you here for almost 2 days, thus I just left whenever you're here. But then you never left this place and just kept training as if you're punishing yourself! Tell me, what crime have you done? Come and tell me. I'll give you the honor of me picking you a proper punishment. Rather than me seeing you endlessly beating yourself when clearly you're already exhausted"
The young boy blinked. "How did you know that I did something?"
Before she could even answer, the young boy once again speak. "No, you're right... I killed someone"
"So, you want to go with that someone? Go ahead, just use that dagger" she said.
The young boy turned to look at the dagger. He thought to himself, does he really want to die? Does he really want to use that dagger to kill himself?
Princess Lyian once again rolled her eyes when she saw that the young boy seemed hesitant.
"Clearly you don't want to follow that someone" she commented.
She shook her head as she continued : "Hey, listen. No matter what hardships we humans face, at the end of the day we are still animals. It is natural that we do our best to struggle to live. It's an instinct that we, humans and animals, have. If you don't have this kind of instinct then you are worst from an animal. Do you understand? Keep that in mind than recklessly torturing yourself"
The young boy furrowed his brows in annoyance, "What do you even know?!"
Princess Lyian startled when the young boy suddenly shouted. But she regain her poise and just smirked. "Yeah, what do I even know?"
The young boy glared at her as he wanted to speak. But as he continue to observe her, he realized that the young girl seemed to have an aura from a noble family.
"Who are you?" he finally asked.
"I'm the second princess of Hesperia. Lyian Hesperia" she bluntly answered.
The young boy stared her at disbelief as he process what she just said. But then he suddenly remembered the first time he saw the young girl.
"So, why does the 2nd princess of Hesperia crying?" he asked.
She coldly snorted, "Why?! Can I not cry?! Even the rain cries! What? Don't you know how to cry? I know that not all of my problems will be solved by crying, but at least I still know that I'm a human if I cry. I could at least let go some of my frustration by crying. It's an emotion that all human beings have! Don't you know that this is a privilege that we, humans, have! Fuck, why am I even explaining myself to you?"
The young boy giggled that got himself some death glares from princess Lyian.
He spread his hands in defeat, "You're right. It's okay to cry, why didn't I thought of that?"
"Because you're weird!"
The young boy smiled, "Yes, yes. If that is what your highness says"
The dream stopped there as Von suddenly woke up when she heard some footsteps.
"You're here" she tiredly says as she yawn.
Esperanza greeted back as he said: "I thought, I'd be seeing Your Highness crying here again"