FIREFALL, OR IN EXO WONDERLAND ▷ COMPLETE

Valkyries

CHAPTER 19: VALKYRIES

Maeva Gunnarsdóttir rested herself on the soft sands of the seashore, watching her six-year-old son returning to her with red-rimmed eyes. His face, hands and clothes were all dirty and his pallid skin was littered with bright red cuts. She bent a little to wipe his tears and ruffled his dirty blond hair. "Kristoff," she called her son's name. "What happened to you?"

"My friends teased me. They said that I have no father." he said, his voice strained from sobbing. "Waldemar laughed the loudest and pushed me. Then, I hit him in the nose. He hit back."

Maeva smiled and patted his head gently. "It isn't true, Kristoff. Your father may not be here, but he'll always be by your side and protect you, like a good father should." She presented her son a sword and kissed him on the cheek. "He would like you to have this."

Sea breeze dried the tears from his excited face. The sword was too large for his small hands. Still, it was a gift that came with honour.

A family saga lay therein.

Kris caressed his sword's trilobe pommel down to its braided leather handle with his memories falling into place in his mind. The sword was his father's last gift. It had been his constant companion ever since.

"Mamma, I'm sorry for not being a son good enough for you." he said to his sword in the sincere voice of a son speaking his heart out to his mother. His eyes brightened and his breathing slowed as her face resurfaced in his mind. Maeva—a tall, kind woman with outstretched arms and a loving smile. The woman who had sketched pictures of him while he was practising his sword skills by the shore. Kris found himself seeing through a shimmering fata morgana rising from his eyelids. "Times are hard now. If there is a second chance..."

"Whoa! It looks nice! Kamsahamnida!" Eun-soo stepped into the hallway, bowing in a deep blue dress with D.O's white apron billowing across the skirt and her long blonde hair plaited neatly at each side.

D.O bowed back to her, ever a gentleman. "Sometimes I fancy myself as a clothes designer and hairdresser."

"Excuse me, but you're not ruining my hair." Chen sneered.

"Say that again and there'll be no dinner for you tonight." D.O stalked into Luhan's forbidden room.

"Kyung-soo ah! Wait! I'm just joking!" Chen rushed after D.O (not risking his dinner), leaving only two people in the jar-lined hallway.

"Here, Kris!" Eun-soo skipped around. "Isn't D.O so talented? How do I look?"

Kris watched her closely. He set his sword aside. Her oval face, delicate features, and long golden braids reminded him of cool water parting from the golden grains of sand, swishing in peace.

The cries of seagulls as he ran after them with dampness sticking under his bare feet.

A sacred wind, a fresh feeling that awaits when he was tired of running.

For every warrior there's a loyal companion.

"How do you look, you ask?" Kris brought himself back to reality. And reality was harsh. "You look like an Alpine milkmaid."

"A milkmaid? Michyeosseo?" A crossed Eun-soo crossed her arms and walked away. "There's no use talking to a lad like you. Sheesh."

"Yah!" Kris hollered at her—ending up more like a German soldier's 'jawohl'—as she left the hallway. "Who do you think you are?"

She marched forward in heavy steps. Xiumin immediately blocked the exit and approached Eun-soo with a sweet, cute smile. "Eun-soo ah~ Look at you, you look amazing!"