LEONARD'S HOUSE
Leonard laid in bed arms and legs stretched out. He donned a rough golden robe, jewels wrapping around his fingers and long shiny gold pendants coiled around his neck. He reeked of money. Sleeping next to him was his wife, Ava. She slept peacefully, eyes closed, chest heaving up and down. To Leonard she looked more beautiful than the goddess herself.
He sighed to himself. "The past few years have been relatively boring for me." He said quietly. While he knew of the war between Estrella and Rubo, he couldn't get involved. Ever since the demon king's defeat nothing except the bickering's of kingdoms across the world has happened.
Now all he can do is remember the fond memories of the war for the future. Among all the memories, his favorite was with the "hero". He remembered watching his face of despair as he took everyone from him one by one. But the best moment was watching the hero die in front of him. But that was 15 years ago now all he can do is laugh as he surrounds himself with only the most beautiful women from across the globe.
Getting up from the bed he began to make his way down the stairs of his luxurious home. His heavy jewelry jingled as he stepped down from his white marble floor.
He walked through the endless hallways approaching a large wooden door, with golden plated handles. Opening the door, he saw a beautiful older woman sitting down drinking a cup of tea. The sun glared down on her emphasizing her beauty.
She stirred the tea in a circular motion watching as the waves of blackness swirled around in an endless circle. She had a blank expression as she thought to herself but within the emptiness a tint of sadness was smeared across her face. The only thing she could think of was "I miss my son." Today was his birthday. Ever since the day she watched him die the only thing she could think of was him.
How she failed to protect her child, how she did not move a muscle as she watched his head roll down from his body and how she missed when he was a young boy who wished to protect this world from evil.
"Honey... You, okay?" Leonard asked.
"I'm fine. Just thinking about some stuff."
"Are you thinking of him again? It's been 15 years since he died you need to move on."
"I told you it's not that... I just thinking about... the upcoming royal ball."
"Oh, you are? Then does that mean you're coming with me finally?"
"Y-yeah. It's about time I finally get out of the house and interact with other people. I think it'll be good for me."
"That's great darling we should go pick out a dress now."
"... Can't right now. I-I have somewhere to be." Suddenly the older woman got out of her seat and slowly marched to the door. She didn't turn her back towards Leonard, instead stepping forward into the blazing sunlight.
Leonard didn't say anything, but anger began welling up inside him. No matter how hard he tried he could never make them forget him. HIM. He was dead. So why do they still care for him?
OUTSIDE
The older woman slowly made her way out from the large overbearing mansion and into the scorching hot wilderness of the city. She slowly made her way through the city, passing from store to store, peering through the glass, looking at bundles of sweetness that were standing tall in front of the stainless glass.
That's when she came across it. The perfect cake. It was Chestnut brown color with vanilla strips cascading down from the top. A row of small strawberries rested on the edge cake and to finish it off a large plump red strawberry stood on top of it all like a signal of hope.
This was it. She quickly entered the store and bought the cake. She held the large box containing the cake tightly in her hands and made her way through the city. She eventually came to a broken-down wooden hut located far from the luscious sparkling city.
Opening the decaying door, she saw it. A small grave. For him. Her son never received a proper burial because some nasty rumors spread around him. She never believed them, but nobody would listen to her pleading. So, she had to create a proper grave for him, somewhere nobody would find.
She gently sat down on the dirty soil, with the box resting on her lap. Her smile was wide and pure, eyes glinting with love.
"Good morning baby. Hope you weren't waiting for too long. Sorry I had to find the perfect cake for you. The store clerk sure was stingy with it. 1 gold coin for it can you believe it!? But I got it for you because I knew you would like it."
"Anyway." She slowly unveiled the large box as a present. "Ta-da your favorite! I know how much you like strawberries so I got the best one I could find."
The former hero's mother began speaking to the grave almost as if it was alive. She poured out memories of the past. Back when he was child, he would always swear to be by her side protecting her from the creatures of night, like a white knight. She felt safe around him even though it was her job to protect him.
"I almost forgot to tell you that your sister has started her own guild called Deep Darkness. She really loves working with the people around her. It's a bit sad how much time she invests in the guild compared to our family." She was happy about talking about his sister but then again, she was almost always happy when she was with him.
"And-" She suddenly stopped. Her silence was loud, but her heart was louder.
Tears began to pour from her eyes as she sat in silence. No matter how hard she tried to forget or how hard she tried to pretend to forget, she couldn't. She lost her child. The one person she loved the most in this world and the one she swore to give everything to. A piece of her died 15 years ago, a piece that she could never recover.
"I... I miss you so much." The dirty brown soil began to lighten up as her tears rained down. "Please. Can you ever forgive me? I promised to protect you, but I couldn't even do that. I'm a failure. I'm so sorry. Please... please forgive me."
Her body fell limp on the ground as she began to cry. She wrapped her arms around her, trying to comfort herself. She spent the past 15 years coming to this grave trying to be connected with her child in some way, even if it was not real and every day, she came she couldn't help but cry feeling responsible for her child's death.
"I wish we could go back to the way things once were. I wish we could be a family again." Her mind raced back to Leonard and his mansion as she thought about her new family. In the last 15 years she gave birth to a new child, Leonard's child. But she never felt truly connected to that child, like she did with her first-born son.
"I know I'm supposed to feel happy with my new kid but... whenever I look at him, I can't feel what I felt about you. I hoped that I could see your reflection in him, but I couldn't. All I see are mistakes that I never should have made."
In a crack in the hut the hero's mother saw the sun slowly begin to dwindle as night fell. She picked herself up and knelt in front of the grave. She held the cake in one hand and with the other conjured up a small fire on the tip of her finger. She slowly exhaled and in a large gasp finally began singing.
"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Ethan. Happy birthday to you. Make a wish!" After waiting for a couple of seconds she blew out the fire on the stick that pierced the strawberry at the top and with a hearty smile wished her son a happy birthday.
"Happy birthday dear."