『SLOW』What we once had

Chapter 9

Elisha took a turn. A few moments and she took a turn. Minutes after and she took a turn yet again. In every turn the pinkette took, she always get a glimpse of the flower shop at the front. There's only one conclusion to that problem, The princess was lost.

Elisha have already went out a few times, yet still confused at which way to go. The crowd can be quite bothersome at times, and thanks to Victor she wasn't pushed around by them. However, today's different, Victor had to go train with the knights once every week so that his skills won't rust, and it just so happened to be this day.

Though, he handed her a map of his own-that he made-, she still don't know the way. The lines that are drawn on the paper and the streets in town are two different things. A sigh came out of Elisha's mouth once the flower shop came into her view. "This is the fifth time." Elisha muttered to herself.

"If this continues on, who knows if I'll come back to the palace on time." Lowering her eyes to look at the map again, Elisha sighed tiredly. Only if Victor's here, surely they'll arrive at the shop in no time. She pouted in frustration, deciding to put her adventure to a close and went to sightsee instead.

Looking both left and right, the shops varies on its products. If the others were with her, they'd enjoy this for certain, specially Tenma and Shinsuke. While then Shindou would scold the two for running off when their eyes set on things that interest them, like he did so when he's still a captain of the team. 'old habits die hard' as people say.

Elisha felt a sudden pain around her chest at the thought of her dear friends back home, and it's a little more painful when she thought of the very person important to her.

She wondered how he's doing, does he misses her? What about the others, do they miss her? Did they finished the film without her?

Elisha turned to go back when her ears perked up, hearing a few cheerful giggles of children and something being kicked. Her feet halted so she could witness the children playing happily, and they're also playing something that's similar to soccer! It made a smile appear on her face at the sight.

They were just like the team as they play soccer, the players that run happily around the field like birds flying freely across the sky. The bliss they felt after every match they'd won, and the despair to the match they'd lost, their bodies that are about to give out due to hard training, the feeling of the sweats running down their faces as they pant heavily for air, and the feeling of being tired but still content at the end. She missed it, very much so.

Seeing the children only made the pain even more painful than before. Without knowing, Elisha's body started moving on its own towards them, then stopped just a few distance away.

Elisha was too busy staring at them that the princess didn't noticed the ball the children were playing with went towards below her, until it tapped her foot.

She crouched down, hands reaching for it, then stood while inspecting the object with a closer look. It's not made of rubber that she's used to, instead, it's made of some kind of wood similar to ratan, and the small pieces were knitted carefully.

Now with a closer look, it actually was similar to a ratan ball in the southeast.

"Um, lady?" A childish voice called out, he's one of the children playing earlier. A boy around the age of 6 or 7 looking everywhere but her, a blush evident on his cheeks as his mouth constantly open then close like a fish, trying to say something but can't.

"Uh.. lady, the ball... In your hands." His voice went from a squeak to just above the whisper at the end. His blush worsened as he lowered his head shyly.

Elisha blinked a few times before reacting and lowered her body to his eye level, offering the ball that was still in her hands.

"Forgive me for taking your ball, I was quite fascinated at the handiwork that I can't take my eyes away from it." Elisha gave a smile at the cute boy, however, his face became even more red, opposite of what Elisha intended to happen. Elisha decided to avert the boy from the current situation by asking. "Can I join playing with you and your other friends? It seems fun."

The boy could only smile brightly. "You can!! Follow me!"

The boy ran to his friends and she followed suit. Then they played happily, the nostalgia she felt only boosted her energy more. Her kicks were a bit forceful than intended due to the weight difference of what she's used to, her body was also a little stiff because of lack of exercise and easily get tired. Soccer doesn't exist here so it's understandable.

Elisha and the children had so much fun that they didn't realized it's already sunset. The children's parents were already calling out for them but the they were reluctant to go back to their homes. Elisha also have to go back, she knew better not to stay late since a search party will happen if she did.

The pinkette went to her room after arriving back at the palace as night enveloped the sky. She plopped herself on the bed, and heard a creak because of the sudden weight of her body.

The days she spent at the study without much sleep came at her like a punch in the gut, and her back was all sore, as well as her legs because of playing suddenly without stretching.

She gazed at the night sky on the terrace before slowly dozing off, but then jolted awake at the sudden feeling of pain around her right leg.

Elisha moaned painfully, clutching the sheets tightly with her hands. She positioned herself comfortably on the bed, slowly stretching the muscles of the pained leg and gently massaging it. The massaging took a few minutes before the pain disappeared, after then Elisha glared at her leg as she grumbled in annoyance.

Leg cramps are the worst!!

That only made some bad memories with her when she's still a kid, even still now. Hector came afterwards along with some dinner, saying that the king had an important business with the king of the Marche kingdom and that the princess would dine in her room for now.

With the mention of the neighboring kingdom, a thought crossed her mind, she haven't seen the face of the prince that she should marry yet. Until now did she wonder if he'd be handsome or just average. Only if Elisha could meet him now, it's already been almost a month ever since she came in this world, yet, never saw a glimpse of him. What's he up to? Was he planning a revenge towards her? If that is then, she have to know what the real Elisha did to him before she came here, sadly, she did not have any of her memories.

Sighing in defeat, Elisha ate her dinner and changed clothes to sleep. It was such a stressful day.