MKTBP24: Back to Garreto
1328 Words
It's been a month since Princess Tiny was gone from Garreto. The trainees and warriors have already become lazy as General Huko is not as strict as she.
Captain Bryce is gone, and a group of warriors who were tasked with finding him still can't trace him. He didn't go to the Minime Kingdom's border and ask for help for his father
Now, General Brandon, together with his army, was trying to find his son too. He even threatened the King that if he didn't find his son within the 3 months since he was gone, he would start a revolution and declare war against the current rulers.
Instead, King July wasn't threatened; he stood on his words. For him, Bryce is the one who made mistakes; he must be punished. In the case of General Brandon's threats, he has no right and is not capable of going against him.
***
"Your Highness." The trainees bowed as the princess came.
"Your punishment has ended. You can go back to your training now." Princess Tiny stretches her arms, giving the sign to Greg to go and join the trainees.
"Thank you, your highness." He immediately walked towards the trainees and joined the first line.
"One month had passed. A lot of things had already happened. Now, you only have 2 months of training before the final test. If you want to pass and really become a warrior, you have to train seriously and harder. " Princess Tiny is seriously speaking in front of the trainees.
"Today, I'll give you a task. I'm sure you've already heard about the mountain of Evio." Princess Tiny looked at the direction on her left and stretched her arms, pointing to a mountain.
"At the top of that mountain, there were flags. All of you must race and get as many flags as you can. If someone can't bring a flag, you will be going home sooner than the test." The trainees started to murmur.
"Quiet! This task will show how strong you are to be able to get to the top of Mount Evio. It will also make your feet stronger. It will show your speed as well. Whoever comes back here first with a flag has a surprise reward. Also, this task will let you show a lot of the good qualities of a warrior." Princess Tiny smirked.
"Don't worry, aside from some steep parts of the mountain and full of shrubs in the pathways, or not visible pathways, there's no harm in there. You only have to be careful not to slide and get lost." The trainees looked quite scared now, except a few.
Princess Tiny is sitting at the table inside her reception room, talking to her Minnie.
"Meme? What do you think of strolling around today?" Minnie Tiny said.
"We don't have Bryce anymore. How can we go out without royal guards? "I hate going out and being noticed by people," Meme Tiny replied.
"Then, let's get out tonight, when there's not many people, and the guards can be easily tricked."
"Minnie, don't teach me bad things."
"Let's take Greg with us."
"Why?"
"I just love to be with him. He is very kind and he gives me anything I want."
"Minnie!" Meme Tiny's voice sounds curious.
"Of course not, I'm not in love with him."
"You must not fall in love with him. Father won't let it be, for sure."
"I know that. We are just friends. Not unless you feel something for Greg!"
"What!? Of course not."
"Then, what's with that reaction? You're so defensive."
"Enough Minnie, nonsense talk."
"Then why are you trying to avoid being with Greg often? Is it possible that you're falling in love?"
"He has been so kind to me. I'm not used to having anyone except Bryce. However, there's no way for me to fall in love with that trainee."
"Whatever, let's just stroll outside tonight."
"I'll try." Princess Tiny turned away from her Minnie and looked at Mora. "How's Tricio? What happened to him?"
"He is playing with other servants outside the mansion," Mora replied.
"Your highness, I guess we can tell the King about Tricio now," Asta suggested.
Princess Tiny was under the tree now, sitting beside Greg.
"The first day we meet, you're such a stubborn trainee. I've never expected that we would be friends."
"Your highness, it's a great honor to be treated as a friend by someone like you. Thank you so much." He looked at the princess, and she smiled at him.
"My Minnie and Tricio were right; you're such a good man. I just hadn't seen it earlier because I'm too strict in the camp."
"You are not strict, your highness. You are very responsible, and you just want everyone to be the best version of themselves."
"Not all can see the purpose of my life. Most are thinking, I'm doing this for the kingdom's purpose only, for the royal family's personal purpose, without thinking that being strong first would help themselves. They are the real kingdom, themselves, which I wanted to build."
"One day, they'll realize and thank you for being our molder. You're a princess and you're too young, but you think wider and more knowledgeable than most of the elderly."
"Haha!" She chuckles. "Thanks for the compliment," Princess Tiny said. She looked at the blue skies with a joy painted on her face.
Princess Tiny was about to lean on the trunk of the tree when Greg quickly moved and let the princess lean on his chest and shoulders.
"Thanks!" the princess said. "Please tell me about your life."
"My life? It's a very long story full of chaos."
"Come on, Greg. Just tell me." She continued to look up at the blue skies where a lot of birds were flying.
"It's too long. I don't know where to start."
"Start at your birth then."
He laughed. "Haha! Okay, I'll try." He chuckles and never speaks again.
"What now? Tell me, I'm waiting."
***
"I grew up in a simple but happy family. Not until I began to comprehend the world and what was going on around me. My parents were greedy; they wanted my beloved grandfather to die sooner and take his property," Greg narrated.
"If Father died, we could take all of his property and get rid of Lisa, who's been his favorite since we were young." I heard these words from my own father's mouth.
Lisa was the mother of Tricio. She is very kind and is not doing anything with us. My parents and other uncles and aunties, on the other hand, harbor animosity toward her because my grandfather was always in her favor. But of course, because she's doing what is right.
I dreamed of being a warrior and serving our kingdom. However, it all started because I only wanted to let my parents see that I could stand on my own. I want to show them that I am a strong man because they are treating me like a baby because I'm an only child.
Last year, I was qualified to train here in Garreto, but I didn't immediately go because my grandfather died. Then, my family started to become even more chaotic.
My parents used to bully Aunt Lisa and Tricio. Until one day, Aunt Lisa got sick.
***
"I've never thought I could reach this place," Greg said.
He is standing under the Buloko tree, a tree with violet leaves that has so many flowers all throughout the year.
"This is my favorite place. It's like raining flowers here all throughout the year," Princess Tiny replied.
"It's so beautiful here. If not for you, I wouldn't be able to come here because only royal family members are allowed to enter this mini-hill."
"Because this is the Legendary Buloko Tree, which symbolizes our Kingdom. It was planted through the sacrifice of one of our ancestors. My great, great, great grandparents were all buried here."
- Writer
