Duke's Daughter Margarita Frost Reporting for Duty

Life Goes On

Miguelito wakes up at dawn.
He rubs his eyes that were still wet from new tears.

"Are you alright?" Margarita asks.

Miguelito slowly nods his head.
"I'm not the one who died."

Margarita rubs his head.
"Do you want to see him?"

Miguelito nods.
"Yes."

Margarita helps Miguelito up 
They went to the open garden where Ben's coffin is located.

Ben's family are all crying and reminiscing about him.
Miguelito slowly walked to his coffin and touched the coffin lid.

"He said….He will buy time." He said.

Margarita nods.

"He said he will always stay with me."

Margarita rubs his head and goes to Ben's family to offer her condolences.

Miguelito stands there rubbing the glass of his coffin.

"You are amazingly cool." Miguelito pokes the coffin glass.
"So cool."

There is no response.
He won't respond to him anymore.

Pats*

Miguelito looks back and sees an older woman smiling at him.
"Is it true? Did He died as a cool guy?"

Miguelito wipes his eyes and nods.
"Yeah."

"He is my younger brother. He often boasts that he will be more cooler than our father and died protecting his family."

Miguelito looks at the coffin.
"It's my fault."

"Shhh...Don't say that. I am sure.. He is happy that he protected you."

"I am just chatting at him this morning…. We have a lot of plans for the next month. He said it'll be hard but if we find  free time we can play on the beach. He is smiling. But...Now.."

The older woman wipes his tears.
"You can still continue them,right. You can still continue them." Slowly the woman's voice trembles. "For his sake…please.."

Miguelito hugs her.

They buried him the next morning.
Alan came again and he found Miguelito this time.

"How are you?"
Alan asks.

"I'm fine. Someone died in my stead, how can I not be fine?" 

Alan hugs his head.
"I know it's hard. I'm sorry I can't take away your pain. But let's live for his sake. Okay."

Miguelito nods.

Miguelito watches the stars and wonders if Ben is there now.

"He won't."
Margarita said sipping tea.

"He won't?" 

"He said he will always stay with you. He can't afford to go up in the sky leaving you behind." Margarita said.

".......Sis,"

"Hm?"

"I don't want to have another attendant. X is enough."

"He is not actually your attendant but your guard." Margarita pats the chair next to her and Miguelito sits down.
"Miguelito, you will watch a lot more deaths of people in your life. Some of them will die for you, for our family, betray you, hurt you, love you. But you have to tighten your heart so it won't collapse. Our life is not made out of candy and it won't always be happy."

Miguelito nods.
"I know. I know it better now."

"Ben is a good guy. I know that you don't want to replace him in your heart. And I agreed that it won't be possible. But you can't close your heart so you won't get hurt."

Miguelito chews his lips.
"I understand. But I am not yet ready. Someday, maybe someday."

"I change your knight guards so you won't feel depressed."

Miguelito flinched.
"......"

"It is not replacing anyone. But you can not have guards especially after what happened."

Miguelito nods.
"Hm."

Margarita sighs.

***

Margarita looks at the veranda. It's too dark and the air is cold.
Their father rushes to go to war but it will take a long time before they can finally defeat that country.

She closed her eyes.
"Dwayn …….I need you "

Though she is tough a lot of times.
There are still things when she wants to be supported.

Margarita turned around and closed the window.
There are so many things to do.

***

A carriage is rushing back to the capital.

Nanny Stacy and Emely are going back.