Knight and Princess
Sawada Setsuna woke to a beautiful early spring morning. It was the day after her father's boss settled in her family's household and would stay for about a week.
At first, Tsuna didn't know how to interact with Timoteo, but the kind older man was patient and made her feel at ease with herself. She felt like thanking her father for introducing him.
Tsuna cleaned herself up before deciding to go downstairs. There were voices of her father and his boss talking in the living room area.
"Boss, is there really no possible way for you to reconsider?"
"There are always consequences to consider Iemitsu, she has the potential to inherit the title."
"But why does it have to be her? She is just a little girl with no idea of the underworld. I should take her place instead, there can be other non-Vongola to be head of CEDEF, please."
"There is still time to introduce her to our world. You are needed to be an outside advisor Iemitsu, the famiglia needs a respected safeguard in case of questionable decisions."
'Von...gola? Fa…mil…ia?' Tsuna thought to herself. She didn't understand a word of what they were talking about, and assumes they were speaking a Western language since her father worked in Italy, and from the tone of both men, it sounded troubling. "Umm…otou-san?"
The two men turned her attention to her uncertain demeanour, there was an uneasy air of silence until Iemitsu decided to break it. "Oi Tsuna, Ohayou! Come sit with us!"
"Oh, hai," Tsuna followed and walked a side of the table the sat on the cushion. "Ohayou otou-san, Timo…teo joshi." Tsuna manages to greet and pronounce.
Tsuna heard her father laugh in endeared amusement, "It's very good of you to be formal Tsuna, but think of my boss as your Oji-san."
"O-Oji-san?" Tsuna asks incredulously, looking to the elder of the two men, "Is it really okay?"
Timoteo smiled and nodded his approval, "It is okay Setsuna. I actually prefer to be called so."
Tsuna relaxed and nodded happily, "Okay, oji-san!"
Feeling that the air has settled, Iemitsu decided to prepare drinks "I'll brew some tea, do you want some hot chocolate, Tsuna?" Iemitsu offered.
"Hai," Tsuna answers. Iemitsu left shortly after, leaving his daughter in the company of his boss.
"Oji-san?"
"Yes Setsuna?"
Tsuna looks at him directly, "I'm happy to have met you. I feel like I met a noble king." she admits, blushing in self-consciousness.
Timoteo chuckles at this, "I'm honoured you think so highly of me, Setsuna."
Tsuna continues to blush, "Hai, otou-san told me about you and thinks highly of you too. He says you're a great, kind man who loves his family very much. I think anyone would be lucky to know you."
Timoteo had heard of many praises over his lifetime, but hearing these words from the young girl warms his heart "Your otou-san told me much about you too. He told me how thoughtful you are about his and your oka-san's wellbeing over your own and do what you can to help them. And when you grow up, you wanted to be both a princess and a knight." Timoteo recalls.
Tsuna felt a different kind of embarrassment and swore her cheeks were as red as a tomato. "H-hai. It's a really silly wish..."
"Is there a reason why?" Timoteo asked her.
"I…don't know. Princesses are taught to be graceful and kind; and knights are trained to be strong and brave. I imagine a person like that would be admired by so many people, but… if I become that person, I think it would be so hard to stay that way."
"I can tell you thought much about this, Setsuna." Timoteo nodded thoughtful to her words "I agree it's hard to be the person you described, but...one day, you might meet people who will help you become that person. I believe you already know two very important ones."
"I can? I do?" Tsuna asked incredulously.
"Yes. When you look at your otou-san and oka-san, do you see those qualities of being a princess and a knight in them?"
Tsuna's face brightened at the idea, she nodded surely, "They are! Otou-san is oka-san's knight in shining armour!"
"Haha, am I now?" Iemitsu asked his daughter before placing the tray of beverages down.
"Hai! Oji-san made me realize that I can become a princess knight because you and oka-san are like them. And maybe when I'm grown up, I will meet my own knight prince to love and protect with all my heart!"
"Hmm, well, I have to meet your future Oji first if he can match up with your dedication as a knight." Iemitsu said half-joking, "It will take the most powerful knight to be my little girl's."
"Otou-san!" Tsuna whined and pouted in embarrassment.
"There's no shame on wanting the best for my little girl! Be proud!" Iemitsu laughed wholeheartedly.
Timoteo only chuckled, "Then it's settled. I pronounce a toast to Setsuna."
"Oji-san?" Tsuna openly wondered to him.
Timoteo nodded to her, "I would toast to your wish to be a knight and princess to come true."
Tsuna laughs and raises her mug, "Then I want to toast to you too Oji-san. For being a good king to the knightly Otou-san who follows you well!"
'If only I knew how to defy your possible fate, my young mafia princess' Iemitsu thought sadly, only to quickly push it aside "Aww! I'm honoured by you hime-sama!"
"Kanpai" The three parties clinked their drinks to commemorate a mock pact.
Unbeknowt Tsuna, the end of the week is when a rebel prince would turn the wheel of destiny closer to her dream.
