Calendula Requiem

"I promise you. I'll become strong. Stronger than anyone else! I'll protect you and everyone from any more injustice!"

Mea glanced towards the window, into the vast scenery that seemed to her now to be a place far from her reach. She sighed. How have she long for the kind of freedom she was seeing those birds flying through the horizon enjoyed. Yet, she knew. That wish was something that she would not be able to achieve. Because in order for her to grant the wishes of the ones she held important, sacrifices have to be made. Despite that, she held no regrets in her heart.

A knock on the door. She turned to greet her servant who timidly entered the room.

"My lady, it's time."

Mea nodded slowly as she straightened the crinkles on her dress. She brushed a stray hair to the side before applying a bit more highlights on her face. The petite servant caught her arm as she turned her head towards her.

"My lady, you needn't do this. You should run away. Anywhere, as long as you be free! You should be able to—"

"No, Rie. You don't need to convince me otherwise. I don't mind. If I could save my people by doing this, I would bear with it with my life."

The young maid started to cry. "It's too cruel. You should have the right to choose your own future—"

A finger softly brushed her lips as the princess silenced her maid. There was no convincing her mind over her choice in this predicament. Compared to the prospect of continuous wars and calamities, sacrificing her own life to a tyrant was nothing. If she lost the people that she had grown to care at the expense of the freedom they could have barely wrestle out of the enemy's clutch, she would have had despised that kind of freedom.

Mea sighed. What happened to that young boy she met, many years ago? Would she be able to meet him again? But that was a futile hope. Even if that wish could be granted, she wouldn't want him to see her like this.

She was already tired of the endless wars. Her parents, the king and queen have already perished. If she was lost as well, her kingdom would have suffered greatly. She had no choice!

Mea's heart felt as if it had been ripped from her chest, the moment she stepped out of her castle. Without warning, tears started to fall as she hasten to hide it before the general could come near enough to see it. She cannot be weak. No enemy of hers would see her shattered...!

General Tierr slowly moved towards her as Mea eyed the battalions lined up behind him in distaste. If not because of those frightening strength of those force, she wouldn't have agreed to marry this horrid man who had taken away the tranquillity of her country.

"My dear, Princess Mea Clarissa of Erynoire... please accept my greatest honour—"

Mea felt her blood ran cold as the man's hand slowly reached out towards hers. Immediately she felt like killing herself then and there to save herself from this, Rie was right—there's no justification to this kind of sacrifice to be made! Her country would not be saved, not like this...

But before she could think, everywhere around her started to explode—more like the enemy battalions rather than her own—as she felt something or someone, took her away from the general's grasp.

Mea blinked as she saw a knight in front of her, riding on a strange mechanical horse while holding her safe in his arm. The knight pulled her back to the ground as he dismounted. He turned towards the general as he spoke.

"You will not have the princess, or this kingdom. As long as I'm here, you shall not extend your tyranny to this land!"

The general snorted, despite realising the casualties his own man had received. Mea looked around as she wondered what could have caused such destruction before seeing four mechanical giants, revealing their presence around her—as if they were guarding her own castle from Tierr's men.

"I told you that I'll come to save you. I've promised, haven't I?"

The knight who had saved her suddenly spoke as Mea turned towards him, just in time to see the man mounted his mechanical horse again. Without warning, he suddenly reared his horse around before jumping off again. At first, Mea would have thought that the silly man was just showing off before noticing that the horse had started to change form into a kind of humanoid armour. Just as the knight almost landed back onto the ground, the armour clung onto the knight and transformed him into a giant form, similar to the four giants that had arrived earlier.

The giant turned towards her. "It's been a long time, Mea."

Mea felt as if her dreams and reality had just switched roles. Never in her life she would have imagined this to happen but he's here! He's here!

"Rio!" she cried out as her tears now freely fell. Not of sadness, but of happiness.

Her knight had finally returned. Her hope, as well as her people... was again restored. Peace was no longer just a vain dream any more...