A Bond Woven by the Past Teachings
Oct. 30th, 2021 10:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
runarunesChapter 1
Snow in the Painting: Master, our gratitude to you for helping us to carry our painting.
White in the Painting: Indeed, and it would be quite tiring for us if we must get out of this painting for whenever we want to do something.
Akira: It's no problem at all! Besides, it's not often that we get a chance to attend a farewell party like this, so I just thought how nice it would be to spend it together with the two of you. If there's any place you'd like to go, please let me know. I'll bring your painting there.
Snow in the Painting: Hohoho, what a good kid you are, Master. For you see, Mithra just tried to roast us together with the meat.
White in the Painting: And even if he had roasted us, it’s quite doubtful that we would taste any good...
Arthur: Please rest assured, Lords Snow and White. For I, too, will protect both of you.
Snow in the Painting: What a good boy you are, Arthur! You have earned yourself a lot of praises from us.
Arthur: Ahaha, thank you very much.
Hegel: Master Sage, is there any dish that you would like to have? If you're alright with my assistance, I'd love to bring them to you.
Suddenly, Arthur's tutor, Mr. Hegel, called out to me. He’s probably concerned since I have my hands full carrying the painting frame.
Akira: Thank you very much, Mr. Hegel. But you're this party's star, after all. There’s no need for you to mind me too much.
Arthur: Indeed, it's just as what Master Sage has said. For many passing years, you have devoted yourself in this castle as a royal court's scholar.
Arthur: We are extremely grateful for your service. And now, we are here to celebrate your retirement. There's no need to restrain yourself— just enjoy yourself at this party.
Arthur: Ah, that's right. How about you, Hegel? Is there anything you'd like to eat?
Snow in the Painting: Indeed, it's just as what Arthur said. Anyhow, our recommendation is the grilled meat that our children have cooked up.
White in the Painting: Well, they might have gotten too fired up and overcooked some meat into charcoal, though. For they don't know what the word 'moderation' even meant.
Hegar: Haha...
Arthur: Hegar, if you'd like it, I can fetch the food for you.
Hegar: Oh no, I would not dare to ask you to do something like that, Your Highness...
Arthur: I don't mind, for the star of this day is you, Hegar. Just tell me the food that you'd like to eat.
Snow in the Painting: Hohoho. It would seem that Arthur’s thoughtfulness was the result of your influence on him.
White in the Painting: What a good boy you have grown into, Arthur. Here, we would give you some pats on the head.
As Snow and White came out of the painting and patted him on the head, Arthur laughed innocently, a laugh that's appropriate for a boy of his age.
White: And to think that when you were in the North, it was you that would beg us to pat you on your head...
Snow: Indeed, it's just as what you said, brother. And if we stopped patting his head before long, he would badger us to pet his head more. That was really adorable of him.
Arthur: ... Now that I think back about it, I was quite a spoiled child, huh...
Hegar: .....
As Mr. Hegar watched Arthur, who became quite bashful, he opened his mouth. A hint of emotion and curiosity were mixed within his expression.
Hegar: It would seem that you have experienced many different things when you were living away from us, Your Highness...
Hegar: Lord Snow, Lord White. Only if you don't mind, would you be so kind and share some story of how His Highness was faring when he lived in Lord Oz's Castle?
Hearing Hegar's request, Snow and White narrowed their eyes. It's as if they were tracing the threads of memory carefully to weave them together.
Chapter 2
Snow: How Arthur fared in Oz's Castle, huh...
Snow: Even back then, Arthur was a child that was brimming with curiosity. And he was blessed with a great vigor, too.
White: We did lend our hands to help Oz with the child-rearing. Although, us three did quite a lot of things that got us in trouble with Oz, too
Hegar: With Lord Oz...?
Snow: Arthur did keep us on our toes at times, but thanks to him, our days were never once filled with boredom.
White: And we did give him all sorts of prank ideas, too.
Snow: Indeed, it's what you would call as the so-called 'The Gifted Education'.
Hegar: ...Speaking of pranks, there was a time when His Highness played one on me. Back when I was teaching His Highness in his studies when he was young.
White: Oh my, and what kind of prank would that be?
Hegar: When I opened the desk's drawer, it was filled to the brim with nuts. I was really surprised then.
Snow: My, that was quite an elaborate trick. I'd say indeed that Arthur was gifted with the talent of mischief within him.
Arthur: Haha, yeah, that happened...
Arthur, with a soft smile framing his lips, watched as Mr. Hegar reminisced about the past memories.
Hagar: Aah, please forgive me. Because of nostalgia, I might have spoken out of turn. Thank you very much for letting me join in this precious exchange.
Hegar: Well then, I will go and get the food that you have kindly recommended to me.
Mr. Hegar bowed lightly, and then left this place.
Akira: Arthur, it seems that you were really naughty back then... Do you remember when that happened?
Arthur: What Hegar was talking about happened before I met Lord Oz. So it was back when I was much younger than I am now.
Arthur: It's been quite a long time before I've been able to talk face to face with him like this... We have been separated for quite a long time.
Arthur: If I were to be allowed to say my wish... I would like to have a chance and learn more things from Hegar.
Akira: Arthur...
Akira: (And I think, Mr. Hegar actually wants to make more memories with you, Arthur...)
Snow: ...It's not too late to do it now.
Arthur: Yes?
White: For indeed, you can't regain the days long gone. But, you can always learn from the past, and apply them to the present now.
Snow: Ready yourself, Arthur. For now is the time for you to apply our past teachings!
Chapter 3
Arthur: Lord Snow, might I ask you what would you mean by applying your teachings...?
Snow: Let’s surprise Hegar by using the magic that we have taught you. The one that would turn you into a grown man!
White: Hohoho. What a fine idea you have, dear brother! Ah, but won't he be much more surprised if he saw Arthur has suddenly turned back into a child?
Snow: You're right, for young Arthur was such an adorable child. Although, in terms of cuteness we won't lose, even if it's to Arthur.
Akira: (No, I don't think Arthur will pull such a prank... Right...?)
Arthur: I see! Indeed, I can imagine how surprised Hegar would be when he saw that.
Akira: (Ah, such enthusiasm...)
Arthur: Well then, I will immediately do the preparations for it!
Arthur runs off, looking very excited. From his back, you can sense the excitement of an innocent child that was scheming for some great prank.
Akira: It seems like Arthur really cares for Mr. Hegar... And of course, Mr. Hegar, too.
White: It really brings a smile to your face, doesn't it?
Snow: Indeed, for there's no way our relationship with Arthur will become like that.
Akira: Eh?
Hearing their calm, careless remark, I looked up to them, disturbed from the thoughts that I had until then.
Snow: Hegar wishes for Arthur's healthy growth. Even when they were apart, he must have been continuously praying for Arthur's well-being.
Snow: As for us, we had always thought of Oz's concern towards Arthur as a passing whim. Somewhere in our hearts, we believed that it wouldn’t last for too long.
Snow: Compared to Hegar's deep affection for Arthur, our affection is but a drop in the bucket. You could say that it's closer to being an affection of onlookers- more of a mere whimsical play-house than anything.
Snow was talking in a calm voice. It flowed like gentle music, filled with resignation and longing.
But, even if that tone of gentleness was only of a modest one, for the young Arthur, surely just by being close to it would bring him some relief.
Akira: ... I think, the reason why the two of them managed to reunite again like this is because Oz, Snow, and White were here, by his side.
Akira: And that, too, surely is one of an irreplaceable, wonderful bond in this world.
Snow: ...Master, you truly are skilled in comforting the elderly, are you not?
Hegar: Your Highness...!?
Snow • White: !?
Akira: I wonder what was that about...?
Snow: That was Hegar's voice!
White: Surely, Arthur's prank was a success!
In the buzz of commotion around them, Snow and White clapped their hands together in excitement.
Akira: Thanks to Snow and White's teachings, maybe we'll get to see them unreservedly laugh with each other again, just like what they did in the past.
Snow: Indeed. Truly, with a long life comes together a lot of surprises within it.
Snow: Come on, Master. Let us see what kind of expressions they have!
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