Requiem

future|12- just a bit longer

When they were married,Tristan Arseni was barely home. If he ever went home that is.

And now he was out in the training grounds, teaching Nao how to swing his sword properly. Nao had always looked up to Tristan. She made sure that his constant dismissal would not affect Nao negatively. Because she knew full well how it felt like to not be loved and neglected by a parent.

For someone who grew up in the frigid and suffocating Seoris castle, with an insane mother and a father plotting conspiracies to keep the nobles beneath the soles of his feet— Dhalia never had a bright childhood.

And she promised herself that her son would never have to go through that.

Whenever he'd ask "why does dad always leave?" She'd always reply that he's saving people out there. Which isn't exactly a lie.

Whenever he'd ask "when will dad get home?" She'd say later, or tomorrow. She'd always remind Nao not to be selfish.

For every birthday that Tristan had missed, she'd always buy a gift for Nao, claiming that it was from Tristan.

Nao grew up under the delusion that he was loved by his father.

He had been so happy when Tristan actually showed his face on his graduation ceremony. But before that they actually had a nasty verbal spat.

Dhalia once thought that she could have gotten along with Tristan. Really. Only, it seemed that destiny itself was against it— with her wicked father and the death of Tristan Arseni's previous fiancee— the events that lead up to their marriage had been a premonition that it was doomed to fail in the first place.

Only her death, could make everything right.

.....

"Shouldn't you guys be taking a break?" She placed a tray of snacks and refreshments on the table. Nao had immediately ran up to her with a bright grin firmly pasted on his face. His cheeks would hurt if he grins that wide. Her son reminds her of a puppy she once secretly took care of. Bright and jumpy, always wagging its tail. That puppy was the only thing that helped Dhalia cope under the crippling pressure as a princess, and Nao was the only one that kept her going when she was Duchess Arseni.

Yes, just like those times she was Princess Dhalia and later Duchess Arseni— just for Nao's smile she could endure just a bit longer.

"Yummy!" Nao remarked happily, while shoving a full fork of strawberry cake in his mouth. Her son always had a penchant for sweets, and strawberry had been his favorite. Good thing there's an abundance of strawberries in the Arseni's territory, and she could easily order the finest cake from the best patisserie. And if there's one thing Dhalia spoils her son on, it would be food.

Now, this is troubling. She wonders for how long Nao would have that sense of taste...

"Nao, slow down, and make sure to chew properly." Tristan remarked, with a hint of a smile on his face." Dhalia, I've been thinking, maybe we could go to Tarin, it's the nearest city from here," Tristan suggested, while he went through Nao's list of things he wanted to do. "Since Nao wanted to go to a marketplace and eat the cottoncake there."

Tarin. She felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach, remembering that city. Where King Auguste had almost sent Tristan Arseni to his death— and she was the one who accidentally led him there.

"Dhalia?"

"Sure," She agreed hastily, to shut out the terrible memory bubbling in her mind.