Sacred Guardians

VOL 1 Chapter 5 - A Relic of the Past

While those events happened outside, inside Setsuna's house sat himself, Kuro, and Hikari and Shana. They were guests and, naturally, Setsuna had assumed their hunger and prepared food. The day the villagers had learned of his cooking ability was a shocking one. He was good with a knife in the kitchen, as much as he was with a sword on the battlefield, thanks to his dearest wife.

Setsuna's beautiful wife was a master of her own league in the kitchen. She was ab;e to turn anything into a tasty meal with ease, surpassing even him. Both were the perfect pair, and both loved each other dearly.

Then sadness fell.

On the day she passed away, everyone's hearts sank. Though, none more so than Setsuna himself. It broke that man who began to shelter his heart from the world. Then, a miracle occurred. Seeing his children's faces drew bits of his former self to the surface once more. Cooking, the thing that she had taught him, he passed onto his two sons.

Setsuna offered baked bread and vegetable soup to the two ladies, yet Shana remained somewhat wary of the meal prepared before them. She knew it likely wasn't poisoned as she could not believe him capable of such a thing. He seemed, to her, a man who would rather fight head on than with trickery. Not to mention the fact that the royalty of Alas held him in high regard.

It was simply her duty as the personal knight of her princess to remain forever cautious. To protect Hikari with her own life if the need arose. To that extent, though doubtful of mischief, she took the first bite of the meal and her difficult expression loosened.

She gulped down.

". . .it's good," She praised.

Hikari took a spoon and sampled the soup with etiquette radiating off of her every action. She, too, was pleasantly surprised.

"Wait. . ." She murmured, "This tastes just like—"

The familiar taste triggered her taste buds, resurfacing memories from long ago. She wrung her brain dry, tracing thoughts and images until she stumbled on the name of the individual who had once presented her with a similar meal.

". . .Yuki."

The table was momentarily silent. Kuro eyed his father.

". . .my wife," Setsuna spoke, voice less cold than usual. Warmth lingering in his words.

Kuro nodded, mentally giving the princess a thumbs up. She had remembered his mother. That was noteworthy. After all, the worst thing that the dead could face was being forgotten.

Hikari produced a soft smile, the pleasant memories of her time inside the village ten years ago swimming in her mind thanks to the meal.

"Yes, she was always kind to me," She spoke as softly as she smiled. "Setsuna, would it be alright to visit her grave later? I wish to pay my respects."

Setsuna nodded. "I'm sure Yuki would very much like that."

There was nothing more fearful to the dead than being forgotten. Nothing else.

At that moment, Shana snapped back to reality. The memory of where she heard such a thing ignited in her mind. It was that day Hikari returned from Silva all those years ago.

" . . .I remember. It was the time you returned to the castle."

Hikari placed her hands together, smiling brightly at the realization that Shana had remembered her ramblings of stories she had spewed under the moon that day. She laughed.

"I told you for hours about how kind and caring she was!" She laughed. "About her tasty cooking and her gentle words! My time in Silva. I will treasure it always, my time here."