In the early morning, people seem busy walking toward somewhere. Along the road, all shop owner has a small blue flag waving on top of the roof. That flag is to show their honor for the newborn prince. The servants in the castle also busy making preparation for the prince’s 100-day celebration. The kingdom just gets a break after 15 years no heir on the line. So this time the celebration was a huge one yet.
In a small cabin, in a black forest, behind the castle, there also a baby girl that just reach 10 days old. The cabin so small that the kitchen, bedroom, and living room are actually the same place. But the mother and father still smiling holding their beautiful child. The father then packs up and walks out of the cabin leaving his young wife and daughter. He works as a spy from the rival kingdom. So he had to hide the existence of his family and work at late night. The night becomes chill and the mother holds her daughter close in front of the fireplace. She then whispers to her child’s ears.
“The future for us seems hard to end in a happy note, my light of sunshine. But no matter what happens, what people said of your father, just remember this, my love. That we love you so much, your mum loves you so much… and your father loves you so much too…” her tears drop on the babyface and fall down.
The celebration will be held for 3 days and 3 nights, but far from the event, the king was spotted talking to an unknown man. That same man from the cabin. The king exchange a piece of paper with that man. Their conversation in a whisper and short.
“you know if this were to be known, your life will be taken in a mere sec!” the king warns, more like a thread.
“yes Norman, I knew. And if that the cases I hope our friendship will make sure you also will help me.”
“If this goes to the plan, I can save only one of them. I can’t take both. People will notice.”
“it’s okay, save the child… we already discuss this.” suddenly a sound of steps approaching them.
“the guard already here… I had to go! Remember to save the baby and I will serve you with my life!!” the king nod and the man escape into thin air. In a mere sec, 2 guards appear.
“oh, your highness! What are you doing here? Can we help?” the king seems to ignore the guard gesture, he looks into the night sky.
“I hope the night does not look so dark when the time comes.” then the king leaves, both of the guard looks at each other and wonder what he means with that.
The king arrives at his camber and his faithful servant walks in. Habitually he walks and stands next to the kingside. The king then gives him the paper he gets earlier.
“Here, follow the plan, it’s started!” the man takes the paper and nods understand the order.
“I had arranged the necessary protection around the prince.”
“I will leave it on your hand then…” the king then takes out a piece of the picture that he keeps in his notebook. His prince is the only son and heir to his throne, so normally he lives have been threaded from the moment he breathing in this world. To minimize the thread, he needs to keep his distance from the prince so that his rivals do not use his son as a weak point.
3 years later.
The castle in great danger, last night the prince was reported missing and probably kidnapped. All the guards were busy looking around the castle and a few towns that close to the castle. But servant and villager were talking about the rumor that the king does not do anything to found out the prince’s whereabouts.
“the prince had been missing for 24 hours, but the king does not seem to care!”
“I mean the only prince and heir is missing, why do not the king do something about it?”
“I even heard that the king does not even entertain the kidnapper demands at all. He really does not care about the prince’s life or what?”
“for the first time, I do not envy the royal family at all…”
The cry of children becomes louder in this little cabin, 2 kids crying over a toy in the middle of the room. A woman that looks in her early 20, comes to ease the tension.
“oh no, what happen my love? Do you two fought over a toy?” the woman hug the little girl, that her daughter.
“he takes my toy!! huhuhu.” the little girl complain while sobbing her heart out. The little boy looks unapologetic.
“your mum said I can take whatever I like!!” defense the little boy, both his hands wrap around his body, actually scare to be scolded.
“But..hu..but.. that one you can’t!! that dada gift..huhuhu.” the little girl look so sad and unwilling to lose the one thing she got from her father who always not home due to work. The woman hugs tight the little girl and nicely explains the situation to that little girl.
“yes, you’re right, I allow you to take whatever you like while you live here with us. But this toys is special for Jacinth because it the only ones her father give her. Can you give this one to her so she can be your friend back?” the little boy look at the girl, she looks so sad, crying with all sort of stuff coming from her nose and mouth. The little boy takes the toy and hands it out to the little girl. Still, in tears and snob, she takes the toy.
“here I give this one for you just because it special for you… and I would like us to befriend!” like a real man he is.
“tank u…” the little girl so happy that she rush and give him a hug. He a bit shook, but he doesn’t really mind be getting a hug from a cute girl like her. The woman smiles while silently watch both of them. She doesn’t really get but her husband back last night with a boy asleep in his arm. She no idea who this boy is, but she might have a good guest about it.
After all, day playing, both of the children had fallen asleep. The woman tidies up the mess both of them had done throughout the house. Then a horse footstep could be heard outside. She guest that his husband just gets back. But when she opens the door, someone grabs her and disappears into the forest.
The little girl woke up due to the sound door slam by the wind blow. She looks around looking for her mother or father. But no one there. She peak on the table, nothing warm to eat. Mean that her mother does not prepare anything to eat yet, which not like her at all. She steps outside and found a letter laying on the ground. She takes the letter and hides it in her pocket. Even if she opens it, she will never know the contents as she does not learn to read yet.
“erm? What happens? Where the old lady go?” the little boy, half-awake step out of the cabin as well.
“mum gone…” unfazed she walk inside the cabin, head to her wardrobe, take out a little backpack, and pack her cloth and stuff. The little boy can’t seem to understand the word nor her action.
“so where she go?” the girl busy packing up, when finish she go to the kitchen cabinet. Take out food that she can eat and pack some.
“don’t know…” she steps closer to the boy and hands out a piece of bread to him. The boy takes and eats right away, he must be hungry.
“I need to go, you need to go too…” she said then step out of the cabin. The little boy follows while munching the bread. They walk quite a distance.
“how you know where you going?”
“mum said… follow this road if she gone.” she walks without hesitation, so the boy just follows her. After a while of walking, his leg starts to hurt from walking too much. They arrive at a three-way junction. Left or right? The little girl stops, she starts to remember her mum’s words little by little.
“We need to say goodbye…”
“Uhm? We not going together anymore?” she nods her head.
“mum said… I go left… you go right! We need to say bye..” but both of them silently standing staring at each other. To tell the truth, both of them scared to walk alone.
“then we need to go…” the little girl recalls that her mum specifically told them to go different ways, so she needs to follow her mum’s word. Before the girl walks away, the boy searches his pants pocket for something.
“wait! Take this.” he gives her a token shape like a coin, with a special stamp on it. It’s a royalty sign.
“what this?” she looks at the token and wonder what so special about this funny-looking coin.
“This special coin I make… it means you are my special people!!” he looks extra proud for no reason. The girl takes the coin and puts it in her blouse pocket, along with the letter.
“thank you, then I want you to have this.” she takes off her bracelet and gives it to him. He takes it. After that, both of them walk in a different direction.
