Memories in the Past: Hiro and Vinna

"That was fun."

"Yeah!"

"Hey, you won't eat dinner?", Ernesta asked.

"I'll just rest I little bit."

"I see, I'll just call you if the dinner is ready."

"Thank you."

After a mission, I went straight to my room.

I jump down on the bed.

The bed shakes a little

"Ha....", I sighed.

One of my pictures in my room fell on the bed.

I pick it up and look at it.

It's the picture of me and Hiro when we were kids.

How long has it been?

I put the picture in my chest and close my eyes.

"Hiro..."

________________________________________________

"You're beautiful as ever princess."

Looking at the mirror, one of our maids combed my hair.

After that, the maid walks in front of me.

"Come on, your father is waiting."

"Yes."

From my room, we walk towards the place where my father is.

As we walk, we pass by many people who greets me.

"Woah! The princess."

"Good morning princess."

I didn't open my mouth, but instead, I just nodded.

When we reach the door of the place where the father is.

Two huge people guarding the door open it.

As it opened, the first thing I saw inside is my father talking to five people.

"Oh my.", The maid said.

The maid looks at me and holds my left shoulder.

"Your father is busy so... let's not bother them. Okay?"

I look down and said

"I see..."

"Let's go play outside."

"Yeah."

"Oh, Vinna. You're here."

"Brother."

"It's okay, I'll take care Vinna.", my brother said to the maid.

He kneels in front of me.

"You feel lonely?", he asked.

"Yeah.", I nodded.

"I see, let's go."

My brother take my hand and we start walking toward the garden.

"So, what do you want to do?", he asked.

We're here garden on the left side of the palace, it's not beautiful as the garden at the back of the palace but it doesn't matter to me.

"I want to see your swordsmanship again."

"Eh? That again? I can use other weapons aside from sword you know."

"But I want to see it!"

"Okay, okay. Wait."

My brother asked the maid.

After a minute, the maid arrived.

I was expecting only one wooden sword but the maid holding two.

"Brother?"

"Yeah."

"You can use two swords at the same time?"

"No, this one is for you."

"Eh? You sure?"

"Why not, I'm doing this so you do too."

"But."

"It's okay, you're strong and brave, a sword is suited for you."

"I see..."

He gives me one of the wooden swords.

It's unexpectedly light.

"That one is light and not that great but if you practice, you might wield the real one someday."

"Yeah!"

"Now follow me."

I focus on looking at my brother's hands.

As he raises the wooden sword my body chill for a second. After that, he swings down then swings to the left, and a quick swing to the right.

"Woah!"

"Hey, I told you to follow me."

"Eh?"

I was so amazed that I forgot to do that.

"Okay, one more time."

"Your highness.", one of the maids approach us.

"What is it?"

"Your father is calling you."

"Eh? Can he wait?"

"But!"

"I see... Vinna, big brother will just go to father. I'll catch up when I finished. Okay?"

"O-Okay..."

He patted my head before he walk away.

"Haaa...", I sighed.

"Let's go, princess."

"Yeah."

After that day, my brother and father are still busy.

"Haaaa..."

Because of the boredom, I sneak and went outside.

I can't go outside or to any place without someone on me.

I don't know why, maybe because I'm only a child and a princess?

As I walk outside, I saw a small house near the palace.

"Hm?"

That's the first time I saw this.

Maybe because the place where I can go is very limited.

As I walk towards the house, I saw a boy who was sitting at the front door while holding a book.

He's reading something.

I focus on looking at the book.

It's not familiar to me. It doesn't look like one of the books I read.

I focus so much on the book that I didn't notice that the boy saw me already.

*Shoot!*

"I need to run... wait!"

*I'm a princess, why would I run from a kid?*

"Ehem."

I straighten my back and walk slowly towards the boy.

"Hm?"

The boy tilted his neck.

"Hello."

"Hello?"

He tilted his head to the opposite side.

"Who are you?", he asked.

"Heh! I'm the princess."

"What's your name?"

"I'm the princess, I said."

"Yeah, I know now but I need a name."

*Strange.*

This is the first time someone asked my name.

The people I met just call me princess.

"I-I'm Vinna..."

*Why I'm getting nervous?!*

"Ehem. What are you reading?", I asked.

"Oh, this?"

He extended his arm showing the book he was reading.

I open the book and start reading it.

After a few seconds...

"Urgh..."

"Vinna?"

*I can't understand a thing!*

"Hm?"

*Did he just call me by my name?*

"Hey, your face is red. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. By the way, where are your parents?"

"Parents? I don't have."

"Eh?"

*Did someone mess up on my biology book when I was not looking?*

"I mean, they're dead."

"Oh."

*So that what he meant... wait!*

"So that means you're living alone?"

"Not early, there are some people who went here to give me food and stuff."

"I see... but still, leaving alone is..."

"Is what?"

"Sad. Right?"

His eyes widen.

He looks like he realizes something.

He look down and didn't say anything.

"Hey, do you want to play?", I asked.

"Play?"

"Yeah."

I grab his hands and start running.

"Hey, wait!"

"Just follow me."

"But you're pulling me already."

We sneak inside the palace.

If someone saw me bringing an unknown person here, I'm screwed.

We pass to the place where father was.

There were no guards at that time and the door is slightly open.

We silently walk in front of the door and we hear father talking to someone.

"Good day, Mister and Miss Hunter."

"Hello, your highness."

"How's Relaine?"

"She's doing fine, as always."

"I see, that's great. I wish you could bring her here so that my beloved Vinna has a friend here."

"Hehe, too bad. She's always with her friend."

"Well her friend can come too."

We ignore their conversation and proceed.

We arrived at the place I wanted.

"Where are we?", he asked.

"This is my brother's training room."

"Training room? He trains what?"

"Swords!", I said while raising a wooden sword in front of him.

I grab two wooden swords and give one to him.

"Here."

"Hm? What I'm gonna do this?"

"Swing it."

"Swing it?"

"Yeah, like this!"

I swing down the wooden swords as hard as I could to impress him.

"Like this?"

He swings down the wooden sword but...

"Pfft! Hahahaha!"

"What's funny?"

"B-Because the way you swing is lame, but I give you points with that since you look cute."

"Ehhh..."

"Someday, I will become like him!"

"Like...what?"

"A strong person!"

"Does being a princess requires strength?", he asked.

"Being a princess is lame. Why order the soldiers to protect the people when you can be the one who will protect them!"

"So you don't want to be a princess?"

"Not that I don't like it but my brother will be the next king so why would I stay of being a princess?"

"That makes sense."

"Right?"

"Then it would be better if Chief Gavril teach you swordsmanship."

"Who?"

"The guy who's being called the strongest swordsman."

"Wait...Oh yeah! That old man who's sometimes in the palace with many guys with him."

"Yeah. I heard of him from the people who come from my home."

"That's right! I will ask father to assign that guy to teach me how to be strong!"

"Yeah. By the way, it will be okay if you are not in your room for a long time?"

"Oh yeah, let's get out here first and bring you back home."

"Okay."

When we reach his house without any problem, I say goodbye to him and promise to go back tomorrow.

That day, I went to my father who was in his room resting.

"Vinna, do you need something?"

"Yeah, really important!"

"Hmmm..."

"I need that Gavril guy."

"Hm? What do you need to Gavril?"

"I want him to teach me swordsmanship!"

"S-Swordsmanship huh... I guess Albert really influences you to that kind of thing."

"So, can I?"

"Hmmm... well if Gavril has free time, maybe I can ask him... but!"

"But?"

"Don't push yourself too hard. You still a kid."

"Thanks, father!"

After that day, I'm excitedly going to the boy's house.

He was still reading the book he's holding yesterday.

"You're back."

"Yeah. I have good news! My father agrees to make Gavril train me."

"That's good, now you have the first step to becoming the strong person you wanted to be."

"Yeah, come on. Let's go."

"Eh? Where?"

"We're practicing!"

We went again to the training room and practice again.

We didn't stay for a long time since our maid might notice that I'm not in my room.

After we finished, we say goodbye to each other again.

As the boy walks away from me something comes to my mind.

*It just me or do I just have something to ask him?*

I feel like I forgot something about him.

After that day, early in the morning, my father calls me out.

"Goodmorning father.", I said while rubbing my eyes.

"Goodmorning. I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"You will have a personal servant."

"Personal servant? Aren't we already have maids to take care of me?"

"Yeah, but maids also have other jobs while this one focuses on serving you."

"But I'm not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself."

"Now, now. Don't be like that."

"Then who will be my servant?"

"Hiro, come here."

That's the first time I heard that name but when that person shows up, my eyes open wide and my body froze for a few seconds as he walk towards my father.

"Y-You..."

It's the boy who I'm playing for the past two days.

"Hiro?"

*No way... were been playing for days yet I don't know his name?!*

"I'm a failure..."

"Vinna?"

"Hi... Hiro.", I greet him.

"Hello, princess Vinna."

"Ugh..."

*He might be laughing in his mind because I don't know his name.*

"V-Vinna is fine."

"Eh?"

I walk toward him and hold his shoulders.

"Let's talk."

"Eh?"

"Vinna?"

"He's starting now right?", I asked my father.

"Y-Yeah."

"Then he could come with me right now?"

"Yeah? I guess so..."

"Then bye!"

I grab his hands and run towards my room.

"Vinna?"

"Why?"

"Hm?"

I grab both of his shoulders again.

"Why didn't you tell me your name in these past two days?"

"Eh? You didn't ask for it."

"But still! We're playing for two days."

*No, it's actually my fault since I didn't ask his name in the first place.*

"Ugh... forgot about that, from now on, we can play without limitation."

"But aren't you going to practice?"

"I know, but we don't have to hide when we have to play."

"I see..."

"Okay!"

That day, my training started.

"You look strong like your brother, sword might really suit you."

"Really?!"

I train every day to become strong.

A month passed and I feel like my strength improve, but I notice something.

"Hiro, why you're not practicing as well?"

"Eh? Why would I?"

"I mean, aren't we..."

"But you been teaching me what you learn to Chief Gavril right? I'm also not good at people, that's why being taught by you is more comfortable."

"Ha..."

Hey, princess, let's go."

"Okay!"

Hiro is reading the book again as usual, but this time, he's reading something that the maid gives him. He might need it as my personal servant so I didn't bother him again.

___________________________________________

"Hey, are we running?", he asked.

"Just follow me."

We ran towards my favorite place.

It is at the back of the palace.

We stop as we reach the place.

"What are we doing here?", he asked.

"Nothing special, but look."

When he looks at the place, his eyes widen.

This place and full of roses.

Different kinds and colors.

"Amazing right?"

"Yeah.", he nodded.

"This place is made because my mother really loves roses."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I kinda miss her."

"Then you can just go here whenever you miss her."

"Yeah... hey, Hiro."

"Hm?"

"I gonna be strong."

"Of course, I will be the witness to your success."

"Thank you and... let's play more, okay?"

"Yeah."

_____________________________________

"Vinna!!!"

"Hm?"

*When did I...*

"Hey, dinner is ready."

"Yeah, you can eat first."

I stand up and look at the picture I'm holding.

"Haaa..."

*I wonder when we will meet again?*