A five year old boy spent most of his days playing at the garden. Today, he chose to be outside the palace. He has no attendants and no playmate. But one day, he bumped into a soul while running around. Standing before him is a lady in her 20s. He looked up and the lady is smiling at him with no bad intentions. She helped him up.
"Are you hurt?" She asked with her sweet and tender voice. It's the first time someone talked to the boy besides his father. "Do you live here?" . The boy didn't answer. His gaze went to the direction of the gate but the angels are nowhere to be found. The boy realized that the Lady shouldn't be there so without a word, he tugged her dress, signing her to follow him. She hesitates but still followed him.
The boy led him to the palace halls and into a room that he owns. The bed is big even for adults and there are no toys to play with. It doesn't look like it's a space for a child. The boy opened a cabinet and pulled out bread, biscuit and an onyx cup with two handles filled with milk. Then the boy looked at her with exciting eyes.
"Are you offering me food?" The boy nodded and waited for the lady to reach for the food. She smiled then playfully frowned. "Don't you know, you should never eat food given by strangers?"
The boy tilted his head. He pointed at himself, then at the food, and then to the door leading outside his room. He wants to say that the food is not from strangers. It's for him to be eaten given by the palace attendants.
The lady smiled softly and with warmth.
"Ah, I see.... The food are from your housemates given to you. But.... you and I are strangers."
The boy's brows furrowed in thought. Then he slowly understood what the Lady meant. But his face showrd he doesn't know what to do.
"Can you tell me your name so we can be friends?" She asked nicely. The boy's face brightened. He grabbed the onyx cup and turned it around. Facing the lady is the engraved name on the cup.
"Damon? Is that your name?" Damon nodded while pointing at himself. He then pointed at the lady. "Nice to meet you Damon, my name is Euna, yu-na". Damon gave a satisfied grin. To which Euna find cute and adorable.
It's the first time someone introduced themself to Damon. The first time he made a friend. He then again pointed at the food and sat on the floor. Euna followed. Damon handed her biscuits and started munching on the food.
Euna kept on observing Damon with a smile. Her eyes softening everytime Damon looks her way. She felt a connection and unintentionally put her hand on her stomach. Her warm gaze turned into sadness. She kept on thinking about the lost chance of a mother to cradle her own child.
Damon saw Euna's action so he stood up and went outside his room. Euna just watched him leave, not knowing what to do. Minutes later, she can hear the tiny steps getting closer. Damon came back with more snacks. He misinterpreted it as Euna being hungry.
Euna let out a chuckle because of Damon's cute and innocent actions. But soon wondered how can a child be living in this place. She once more looked around his room and saw no sign of things a child can play with. No toys. No storybooks.
Damon held her hand and sat beside her. They continued eating until they're full and drowsy. They both fell asleep on the floor. Its the first time Damon experienced sleeping beside another soul and found themselves at the embrace of each other.
...
*heavy footsteps
Damon got woken up by the sound of the familiar footsteps. He looked at Euna, who is already awake and tried to push her body. He pointed at his closet and Euna immediately understood. She hid there right on time as Damon's room door swung open.
Damon panickly looked up to the figure infront of him. It's his father, the Supreme Ruler of the Purgatory.
"If you are to do something you're not supposed to, atleast do better hiding them." Damon looked more panicked than before. His little shoulders twitched hearing the Supreme Ruler's sigh. Seeing this, the Supreme Ruler bent down so he can be closer to Damon. "The angels told me, you sneaked outside the palace to play. I'm not stopping you to go outside but you're still little and needs supervision."
The Supreme Ruler patted his head. "If you don't want the angels, atleast tell me when I'm around. I'll accompany you." Damon realized his father haven't found about Euna yet so he looks more relaxed now. The Supreme Ruler noticed and so he smiled. "Dinner will be ready in 5 minutes, son" He stood up and left.
Damon then hurriedly went infront of his closet and signaled Euna to stay there. He cleaned the mess on his floor and brought it outside with him to join his father.
...
At the dining table, the Supreme Ruler noticed something different with Damon. He looks excited looking at the food infront of him. He just smiled it off and enjoyed the view thinking it's part of Damon's growing phase. He helped Damon piled food on his plate. But to his suprise, instead of eating the food on the plate, Damon tried to carry it off the table.
"Where are you going?"
Damon hesitated to answer and kept looking at his plate. He wanted to share his food with his new friend but he knows her existence at the palace should be a secret. He still slowly tried to carry his plate.
"Are you eating at your room tonight?"
Damon nodded. The Supreme Ruler carried the plate for him and they walked side by side to his room. Once the door opened, Damon quickly looked around and relieved not seeing Euna. The plate was set down on his bed. He sat in front of it. The Supreme Ruler and Damon are waiting for each other's next move.
"Are you going to finish it all by yourself?"
Damon just nodded. The Supreme Ruler decided to leave Damon alone.
"I will be gone for a few days so I was hoping to have a dinner with you but it can't be help if you want to eat here alone." To the Supreme Ruler's disappointment, Damon didn't budge. "Good night son." Andso he decided to leave and closed the door of Damon's room.
Damon hurriedly locked his door and opened his closet. He showed Euna the mountain of food he got for dinner. They both sat at the bed and enjoyed it.
"Is that your father Damon?" Damon nodded. "It sounds like he wants to spend time with his son. He sounded very sad. You should've eaten with him."
Damon shook his head and pointed at Euna then held his stomach.
"Ah were you worried that I'll be hungry here?" Damon nodded.
"I'm not really a heavy eater and we can enjoy maybe lunch and snack time together. Next time, do spend dinner with your father. I know parents would love to spend time with their child especially when they came home from work."
Usually, the servants would go inside Damon's room to clean up after he had snack or eaten in his room but this time Damon decided to put everything outside his door so no one could enter his room. Afterresting and cleaning, Euna and Damon decided to rest on the bed.
" Would you like some stories to help you sleep? I've looked at your books and none of it is appropriate for your age. So how about I'll tell you some from my world."
Damon curls under his blanket, blinking, waiting for the story to start.
"Once, long ago… a soul was born from the hollow light. She didn't cry. She didn't remember where she came from. But the moment she appeared, the fire pits became quiet."
"A lonely caretaker, a man who had lived alone in a tower for centuries, found her. She fit in the hollow of his arms, like she'd been waiting for him. He took her in.
He fed her warm milk. Braided her silver hair with thin ribbons he'd hidden away. At night, he'd read her the stories.
They weren't supposed to be family. But they became one."
Damon tugged lightly at the edge of her sleeve. As if he can connect with the story as the caretaker.
"But the Soul doesn't belong to this world. One day, the rulers came and they said: 'She must return to where she came from.'
Euna's voice grew softer. Warmer. She then placed her hand lightly over Damon's heart.
"You see, Damon... not all people who loves you can stay. But if they love you enough, they would never leave."
And with Euna's warm story, Damon fell asleep.