"Would you like to participate in the festival, Miss?"
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I turned to look at Estelle and stared.
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She continued. "I-It's been months since you've been freed, Miss. I was just thinking if you want to go outside to see the streets,"
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"I've been thinking about it too, would you like to accompany me?"
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Estelle smiled. "Of course, Miss"
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☁︎☁︎☁︎
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𝖲𝗎𝗇𝖽𝖺𝗒 𝖬𝗈𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁,
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It's the first day of the festival. Magnus was happy to see me outside the house. And the knights outside also greeted me. Mother was glancing at me, and decided to gave me a knight to keep an eye on me. She persist that I wear a cloak, and it wouldn't be unusual to wear it since many commoners wore it.
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I couldn't even grunt a sigh, I just did what she command. 'Cause I'm helpless, and that's all I can do.
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After arriving where the festival takes place, I felt overwhelmed by how so many people gather around and how lively the place was.
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It's been three years.
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I almost tear myself.
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"It's beautiful, Miss, right?" Estelle smiled, comforting me. It's like she's saying that everything will be okay. That I shall have a courage to have an amusement every once in a while.
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And it's true, maybe, I shall.
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I slowly nod before turning to Julian, the knight my mother appointed to me. I guess he thought that mother was worried about me, but it was the other way around. "Would it be alright if I participate in any of the contest that's going to be held? If not, then, it's alright."
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I'm sure mother tell him things, which in my perspective, is about me not keeping attention in this place. Maybe for the reason that the queen might saw me, which I doubt. The queen was highly sensitive in a crowded place. Or it might be him, which I also doubt. The Duke hated the bustling noise and people. And in the past when there's still 'us', we only watched the festival from afar. And also the reason was we couldn't be seen.
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We just stared from a high place, watching and laughing about the people we see. And when the night has come, all that we see was the lights and lamps that surrounds the place. It's like fireflies. It's so alluring that I couldn't take my eyes off of it, the urge to go down to that place was a repressed desire of mine because I don't want to step where am I without him. I always take him as my consideration, and I guess I couldn't trade that with anything else, 'cause I would be miserable.
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"Miss? Are you alright?"
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"Ah?" My eyes narrowed. "Did you say something?"
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Julian gave me a smile. "You can join, Miss, we couldn't possibly stop you, can't we?"
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I stared at him. "Right," I nod.
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Estelle turned to me. I saw how his eyes glistened with pity on it, I can tell. "Miss, are you alright?"
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"I do,"
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"What contest would you like to participate in, Miss?" Julian asked.
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"Archery, I heard Magnus talking about it a while ago. He will be watching, I guess," My eyes look from afar. "But I don't know where would the competition will take place, I have to find it first."
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Julian and Estelle looked at each other and nod.
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"We'll find it, Miss,"
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It took us an hour to roam around the place. It gives me an overwhelming feeling and at the same time, the excitement of being able to step in and not watching from afar anymore. It's my first time being this close to people. Some merchants were smiling at me, and I would wonder if they somehow know my name or were they even seeing me from afar from the past.
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We found where would the archery competition would take place after one and half hour. My eyes glistened around the wide lawn. I think it's about a hundred meters long. There's many targets at the end of the lawn, for the participants, I guess.
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"Where's the registration?" Estelle asked. My eyes roam around and stopped at the place not faraway.
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"Let's go there," I said, pointing the tall man who's being crowded. He's holding a vintage paper and pen. I guess he's the one.
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Julian listed my name on the paper that the tall man was holding.
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"You'll be at twentieth place, Miss." Julian said.
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I nod. "Thank you, many wants to join in, eh?"
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Estelle smiled. "You can do it, Miss,"
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An hour later of waiting, there was a hundred of people gathered around the wide lawn. That's the people who will be watching. I look around, wondering if I would spot a familiar face. But there was none. Not even a single shadow I'm familiar for.
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I turned my head to find Magnus. Soon enough, I spotted him not from afar with the other knights I've come to know months ago.
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"Should we call them, miss?" I heard Estelle beside him.
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I shook my head. "It's alright,"
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"Form a line of the participants beside the bushes of the lawn, on the left!" We heard a loud voice shouted.
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I tapped Estelle that I'll be going and I took on my hood.
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"We'll wait here, Miss!"
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I only nod at them before walking at the percepted line the tall man with a beard shouted. I pace down the participant's line and took a deep breath.
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I stared at the boy in front of me. I took a glimpse of his face, he seems familiar. Where did I saw him? When did I saw him?
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My eyes narrowed and look down. I don't want to creep him out by staring at him.
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A loud musical instruments and a strong melody stood around the lawn, signaling the introduction of the competition. I shake my head and throw away my thoughts. I look up the sky, clear blue sky, I think the weather's going to be spectacular today.
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After a long parade of musical instruments around, five participants were called in the front of the lawn away from five targets. They stood in each. There was a long table behind the players, and I couldn't quite fathom who are them. There was three people. The one little boy on the right seemed bored watching, the one woman on the middle seemed excited and interested in this competition, and the other one---its a toddler, a kid. I think they're family.
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I turned my head away and tried to focus on watching the other participants.
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After the long played horn has been put down, the first participant took one arrow and how from the long table. He stood straight, bending the bow, he strike! The crowds' eyes were pleasing, excited, and eager.
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The whole crowd, including me, gasped after we saw the target. He hit the target, but not the very dot in the middle. Good one, I guess.
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Then the next one step forward, she hit the target, but just like the same as the first one. And third, fourth, fifth, and then the next two batch of participants.
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The crowds gave it a long sighed. They were getting bored and mad. There was no exciting happening.
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"Oh please!"
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"What's wrong with this participants? Did 'ye all train? Huh?!"
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"Why they can't hit the main target?! Why did they join in the first place eh?!"
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And then my row step forward to the line. I didn't took off my hood yet, I was waiting for my turn. I glimpse at Julian and Estelle in the distance. They were waving at me.
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My eyes narrowed and I raised my hand a little for them.
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I turned my head to watched the first three hold their bow and strike. My mouth fell a little when a little girl hit the strike, near the very dot middle. All the crowds cheer.
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That was spectacular for her age. I beam a little, thinking how cute she is. Then it's the turn of the boy before me.
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He glimpse at me before taking his bow and arrow. My eyes narrowed. I turned my head away.
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When he strikes, the crowds applause. He almost hit the very middle of it! When I look at him, he seemed please, and smiling very bright.
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"That was excellent," I commented. I didn't know that he heard it and my voice was a little raised.
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I just heard him said, "Uhm, thank you, miss..."
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I took off my hood and took a bow and arrow from the table. "Misty," I answered him. I beam a little, not really a smile, but not sarcastic either.
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His mouth fell open when I took off my hood. For a moment after I touch the bow and arrow, I was unaware of what was the crowds reaction. I bend the bow, close my left eye, and forgot to breathe before I strike the arrow. My eyes widened with joy and smiled. I heard the crowd's scream and joy in their voice too.
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I hit the target, the very middle of it.
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I turned to look at Magnus from distance, and he was on the verge of shock. And the other knights he was with. I laughed.
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For the very first time after a long time, I laughed. A genuine one, and I could feel my heart's delight. A touch on my hand cause me to turned my head and saw Estelle and Julian behind me. I smiled. I saw their eyes flickered.
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"Miss, you're smiling," Estelle's voice was low, and weak, and happy.
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"I hit it!" I laughed like a kid.
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When the next batch of the participants came, I step out of the lawn and saw Magnus and the knights coming towards. They were all smiling at me. Just like always.
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"Miss! That was very remarkable! Can you hear the crowd! Boogsh!"
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"MISS, CAN YOU TEACH ME ONE?"
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"Miss! how did you do that???!!!"
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I only shake my head with a smile before turning to look at Magnus. He was still shocked.
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"You play archery, sister? Why didn't I know that???" Magnus was confused, and happy. He hugged me a little before laughing. "Teach us all!"
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I laughed because I couldn't answer them. They all talked in chorus, I couldn't follow their line.
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"I didn't know you're going to be here, I thought you want to stay in house, you should've told me, sis,"
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Estelle stated, "I think Miss wants to surprise you, sir Magnus,"
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Magnus pouted even more. He wants everything be told to him, so I guess he wasn't please.
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At the end of the competition, there was three participants that won.
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The girl named Apola in third place. The boy named Renylle in second place, and me being in the first place.
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We were called in the middle of the lawn. There were three medals. A bronze, silver, and gold one, and was held by one woman whom I saw sitting behind a while ago, and one old man wearing a white robe I didn't see a while ago.
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The woman wore the bronze medal in the girl of the third place. The second one was the silver, worn by the old man.
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I was perplexed when I wasn't being worn one yet, but the old man said, "The Duke will be the one to worn you the medal!" His smile was very big. I have no time to think or to react before he said again, "The duke is here!"
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Duke?
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I forgot to breathe, as I turned my head and saw the one who's walking toward us.
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I felt this mixed emotions swelling around my body, a strong reaction I couldn't explain.
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"Duke Percival!" The people cheered.
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I was lost for words. I don't know where am I going to look at. I want to cry. I want to run. I want to hide. But where to?
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He took the gold medal from the old man, and he's looking straight at me, eye to eye. I couldn't explained what's that in his eyes, it felt frightening and somehow, nothing.
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I bowed a little, trembling from how close we are. He wore the gold medal to me, and when I lifted my head, I saw him smirking. A scary smirk.
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"Long time no see, Misty,"
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