The Rose That Regrows

Chapter 7: True Colors?

Hana teared up to Mrs. Ria while hugging each other.

“Now, these are real tears...”

Hana noticed something glowing in her basket. She looked inside, it was a yellow fruit.

“That must be a... Star of Hope!” Ria said, enthusiastically.
“What?..”
“It’s one of the rarest fruit to find, that’s why it exists. So that you could have an inspiration to not give up. But the thing is... you need to eat it before it even starts to lose its light.”
“How’d you know all this?..”

Ria just smiled. Hana ate the whole thing.

“No- wait! I didn’t mean to-. I didn’t even give you some.”
“Oh, it’s alright. You earned it.”

Meanwhile, the King was in his bedroom, still asleep. He woke up seconds later. The first thing he thought of was his love. He looked behind whilst on top of his bed.

“Huh, where’d she gone to? Why didn’t she wake me up?.“ Hal with a disappointed expression.

The King dressed himself up. He asked the servants where she was. They didn’t know. Hal was slowly starting to get irritated. He asked every member of the nobles, except the duchess, but they also didn’t know. He asked the knights guarding the drawbridge of the castle, and they said they saw her heading to the drawbridge of the kingdom. Hal was irritated. He went outside the kingdom, there he saw 2 women. He recognized them instantly.

“HANA! MRS. RIA!”

The women were shocked. One turned around waving at the King — it was Hana.

“Hey, Hal!”

Meanwhile, Mrs. Ria is stuck in the same position, not turning around, and she's panting and sweating very hard. Hana noticed her anxious expression.

“Huh? Mrs. Ria, you alright?.. It’s just Hal, y’know.”

The King slowly walked towards them with a furious look. He took Ria’s hand tightly heading back to the kingdom. Hana followed.

“Hey, Hal? You alright?”
“Yeah.” Hal replied stoically, just right in front of Hana.

Later then, after the knights close the drawbridge back up, Hal talked to Hana.

“Hey, darling. Would you mind getting back to the castle all on your own, just got some duty to finish.”
“Sure, but why is Mrs. Ria crying?..”

Hal looked at Ria with an expression of fury, tightening his grip.

“Am I?.. Oh-ho-ho, it’s just because I got affected by how you’re so kind to me earlier... There’s no need to worry.”
“A-Alright.”

Hana walks away. Still with his tight grip to her hand, King Hal brought Ria to a place that is very secluded to many people, it’s very small. It could compare itself to that of a prison cell. It was guarded by knights. Little did Hal know, Hana followed them. Hal and Ria get inside and sits down to the ledge, facing each other. Hal with his raging eyes kept staring at hopeless Ria, she was crying. Hal stood up and berated Ria while she kept sobbing, with her palms covering her face.

“What the hell, Ria?! Y’know, I really thought you were careful. Your power is literally Decision! You possess such strong power, but why the hell did you approve of this?! You already know it’s way more dangerous out there!”
“I di-!”
“ENOUGH!..”

Silence. The King sighed in disappointment.

“FINE! I’ll give you a chance... Just because, my father was the one who recruited you. But I’ll still give you a punishment. Promise me, we’ll never have to go this kind of conversation again...”
“Y-Yes...” Ria replied incoherently, as she nods.

Hal walks away.

“Don’t let her out until tomorrow morning, got it?” Hal said to the guards.

Little did the King know, their whole conversation was heard by Hana as she was hiding behind a tree. Hal walks away, not knowing he dropped something near the place. Hana approached the small building. While walking towards, her mind divulged something.

“A solitary confinement?.. Oh right! That was like a place for prisoners.”

Hana arrived. The knights stopped her.

“I want to get in.” Hana ordered.
“Do you have any permit?..”
“Do you know who I am?”
“Ohhhh~ right. This way, madam...”

The knights opened the metal door. There she saw Ria crying in despair.

“Mrs. Ria!”
“No, don’t! You’ll just get me in trouble!”
“Huh??? Won’t I be the one who’s gonna get in such situation?”
“He wouldn’t do that to his dearest. He would just keep on blaming me of indoctrinating you!”
“Whatever that is supposed to mean, I'm gonna get you outta here. Didn’t you tell me not to lose hope? Please, Mrs. Ria-!”

Unaware of what’s behind her, Hal saw Hana.

“Hana?!.”
Hana turns around, “H-Hal... Why are you here?!.”
Hal responds, “I just dropped something but...”

Hal starts to berate Ria again.

“... this is all your fault! You inculcated Hana!”
“No, Hal! It was all me!!! Trust me!”

Hal gazed at Hana’s eyes; he blushed.

“Alright, fine! Explain yourself...”
“The truth is... I was the one who wanted to go outside.”
“What?! Why?”
“It’s just so that I could discover more of this world, it seems new to me-...
Mind: DON’T GIVE HINTS OF YOUR IGNORANCE TO THIS WORLD!
... I just want to feel free, that’s all!” Hana said, with her mind divulging her amidst of her conversation.
“I guess... I’ve made you feel too captivated...”
“No, not at all!”
“Sorry, Mrs. Ria... I shouldn’t have released my wrath to you. Please forgive me! I shouldn’t have spoke so rudely to an elder. Please forgive me!” Hal repeatedly apologized to Ria.
“N-N-No, it’s alright. A King shouldn’t apologize to a mere servant..”

Hana smiled showing relief. Later then, Hana and Mrs. Ria hold hands to head back to the castle, with the King following them from behind.

“This unreal attitude of mine, I cannot control it... damn Dispo!..” Hal ponders looking at his hand.

-Chapter END-