An hour had passed. Flávia, Selena, and I had arrived at a beautiful, small forest, with a serene little stream running through its center.
"Did you like it? It's a lovely forest, isn't it?" said Flávia cheerfully, looking around with a palpable nostalgia in her eyes.
"It's absolutely beautiful. Who would've thought there was such a gem so close to the castle?" I replied, admiring the breathtaking scenery.
"Isn't it? When we were younger, Flávia and I used to come here all the time. There were even times we got lost," said Selena with a laugh, recalling her childhood.
Selena let out a soft chuckle, and Flávia joined her, shaking her head as if remembering something very specific.
"Once, I got stuck between those two trees," she said, pointing to a pair of trees whose canopies intertwined. "I was chasing a blue butterfly and ended up caught by the collar on that branch," she added, a bit embarrassed.
"Haha!" Flávia laughed at the memory, continuing the story.
"Selena had to climb up the side to help me get free. But since we were just kids, I stayed stuck for a good few hours before I could escape. I ended up full of scratches and cuts," she said, with a sheepish smile.
"And Flávia cried the whole time! I tried to help her, but she wouldn't stop sobbing. And she even lost the butterfly!" added Selena, fondly.
Flávia had a contagious smile on her face as she remembered it.
"It was such a special day. I also remember when Selena got stuck in some vines, and I had to go fetch her mom. When her mom arrived, Selena cried all day. We didn't come back here for like three weeks."
"Flávia, that wasn't necessary to mention..." said Selena, helping arrange a cozy spot for us to sit on the ground.
"You two have a deep bond, don't you? Childhood friends... That's something really beautiful."
"Yes," Flávia answered, her eyes beginning to glisten as her mind drifted back in time.
---
Flashback
Little Flávia followed behind Viena and Nerys through the hallways, on their way to meet her mother and Valessia. Apparently, Valessia had a new child.
She trailed Nerys like a kitten, circling her legs and constantly asking where they were going.
"Little Flávia, we're going to see Aunt Valessia's daughter. She's your age. Maybe she'll be your new little friend," said Nerys, with her usual cheerful tone.
"A little friend my age..." Flávia repeated, her eyes lighting up.
She had only lived with her older sisters and a very protective mother. She had never had a friend her own age. Just hearing the idea made her brown eyes sparkle. Not even her little bangs could hide the glow in her eyes.
"Let's go!" Flávia exclaimed, pulling on Nerys's hand and calling Viena to hurry up.
"Come on, sister! Faster! It's something important!"
"Calm down, Flávia. She's not going to run away from you," said Viena, picking her up and tickling her small tummy.
"Haha, stop it, Viena! We're going to be late!" said little Flávia between giggles, trying to break free.
"You're really excited, little Flávia," said Nerys and Viena, laughing as they walked at a leisurely pace. With each hallway they passed, Flávia grew more and more excited.
But as soon as they reached their destination, her excitement vanished. She suddenly grew shy, hiding once again behind Nerys's leg.
When they entered the room, there they were: Serapynhe, Valessia, and a small white-haired girl. Serapynhe sat in her usual laid-back manner. She wore her signature red outfit, along with armor covering her stomach and thighs, and wore her typical arrogant and fierce expression.
Valessia, on the other hand, was her opposite — elegant and sweet. She wore a luxurious red dress that matched her long, flowing red hair. Her figure was just as stunning as Serapynhe's, but she carried an aura of warmth and kindness, unlike Serapynhe's harsh, commanding presence.
Beside Valessia was little Selena. Her soft white hair flowed gently. Her expression was shy, but even then, she was already mimicking her mother's gestures and posture.
As they entered the room, Flávia and Selena locked eyes timidly. For a moment, they simply waved at each other, half-hidden behind the dresses of the women beside them.
"Mother, Aunt Valessia," greeted Viena and Nerys politely.
Valessia smiled warmly as she saw them approach. In truth, she had been the one who raised Viena, Nerys, and Flávia in many ways. Their personalities were far more aligned with hers than with Serapynhe's.
"Hello, girls! How are you?"
"Good, auntie. And you?" they responded in unison. Flávia, however, spoke in a much quieter voice.
"That's good to hear. Seeing you all well makes me feel even better," replied Valessia gently. She then turned her eyes toward little Flávia.
"Flávia, this is Selena, my daughter. I would really love it if you two became friends."
Upon hearing this, Flávia and Selena, who had been staring at each other shyly, looked a bit surprised.
"Hi, my name is Flávia," Flávia said, softly.
"Hi… I'm Selena," answered the timid girl. Then Flávia whispered:
"I like playing with dolls and smelling flowers. What about you?"
"I like dolls too… and white flowers," replied little Selena, slightly more at ease.
"Why don't you two go play outside? Nerys, would you mind taking them?" suggested Valessia kindly.
"Of course, auntie!" said Nerys in her cheerful way, gently taking the hands of both little girls.
As they walked away, a muffled voice echoed in the hall, spoken by one of the women — perhaps Valessia, maybe Viena… or even Serapynhe:
"A shame what happened to the Syviol family… They were extremely loyal. At least, thankfully, that sweet little girl survived."
Selena heard it.
Even without understanding everything, she understood enough. She lowered her head slightly, as if something inside her dimmed.
But then, she felt her hand being pulled.
Flávia was smiling, eyes full of light, as if the outside world simply didn't matter.
"Come on, Selena! Let's play house! Then we can make a pretend garden with fake flowers!"
Selena looked up. The sadness faded away. And she ran after Flávia.
In that moment, it wasn't just playtime. It was the birth of something greater.
A bond.
---
End of flashback
It was already nearing nightfall. I had spent the whole day listening to stories from Flávia and Selena. That one in particular — how they met — was truly contagious.
"Who would've thought little Flávia and Selena met in such a shy way, huh?" I commented with a soft laugh.
"Isn't that right?..."
Said a gentle and tender voice. It was...