"How is your training going, everyone?" A young girl's voice said through heavy puffs of breath after having run a long distance. Her smile widened as she saw her three favorite boys, Dario, Karsh, and Dario's younger brother, Glenn, practicing in the backyard of Karsh's parents' house. Her pale yellow dress swayed slowly in the light summer wind.
Dario turned from his concentration and welcomed her, bowing. "Miss Riddel!"
"I brought something special for everyone today," Riddel said, hiding something behind her back.
Glenn turned, his young face lit up with excitement. "Oh really?" He said. "What is it, what is it? Viper Churros?" He dropped his sword, ran to the fence and wrapped his arms around a post.
Riddel let out a small laugh. "Wrong answer, Glenn," She said, still giggling. "Are they really that good?"
Glenn looked up and confidently said, "Uh-huh! I can chomp down ten of those, easily!"
His brother laughed at Glenn's amusing affection for the churros. "You're always like that. Those churros were originally iron rations for knights. Overeating is not good discipline!" Dario smiled at Glenn, as Glenn laughed at his joke. Glenn had hoped to be a strong knight just as his older brother, and had often listened to whatever Dario would have to say. Dario turned to Riddel again. "So, Miss Riddel, what have you brought us? Please don't make us hold our breath too long."
Riddel brought her hands from behind her back and presented her gift to the boys. In her hand she held beautiful blue flowers, deeper than the color of the sea, shining under the bright sun. "I found them in Fossil Valley. Aren't they pretty?"
Glenn let go of the post and kicked the ground. "Ah shoot, it's just a flower!" Glenn turned around, picked up his sword again and began to swing it at the air.
"Miss Riddel," Dario said in a more serious tone. "Did you go to the valley by yourself...?"
"What, I'm not allowed to?" She replied, indignantly. "It's just the valley, I'm sure it's safe enough." Dario did not respond, but appeared concerned over her behavior. "I have enough for everyone; I'll give some to you boys! Glenn doesn't want any, right?"
Glenn walked over, excitedly, as if he had changed his mind entirely. "Since you've gone through the trouble of getting it, I'll take one, too! If I plant its seeds, I might get some good fruit from it!"
The four of them gave a laugh, and it had been the first Karsh opened his mouth since Riddel had appeared. Riddel, still laughing said, "Oh how silly of you, Glenn! I don't think it will grow any fruit, though." She took a flower from her hand and gave it to the young boy.
Gratefully, Glenn bowed and took the flower, saying, "You don't know until you try!" He then placed his sword on the ground and sat down, examining his new flower.
Riddel walked over to Karsh who had kept his eyes focused on Glenn. As she came closer, he looked down at the flower, avoiding any contact with her. She bent down and looked up at his face, as he turned away. She spoke softly to him, as if to keep her words secret from the brothers. "You might not like things like flowers, but..."
Karsh shyly took the flower from her outstretched hand, saying, "N-no, it's not that..." She smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder. He watched her walk towards Dario, and assumed she was wearing her flirtatious smile, the one she often showed to Dario.
Karsh despised how Dario continued to seem so hard and proud when around the girl with whom they were both infatuated. Dario stood tall in her presence, and almost seemed numb to her charm, even though Karsh knew he was attracted to her. He looked at the flower she had brought to him. "You brought me one, too," he said, smiling. "This is beautiful... What kind of flower could this be?"
"It's called a bellflower."
"Miss Riddel, if you ever wish for this flower, I will go for you instead. If anything should happen to you..."
"Then let us go together. Does that sound like a good idea?"
At this point, Karsh felt almost uneasy. He himself was not very impressive to women, but hearing Dario say such things made him almost laugh that she still liked him. At least she had been considerate enough to bring him a flower. Dario had not spoken for several moments, until he finally said, "Yes, very well."
Karsh turned away, to keep his best friend and his passion out of view. He started at the marble sidewalk for several moments until Riddel passed him on her way out of the town. As she passed him, she turned around and walked backwards, waving to the three of them, standing outside of Karsh's house. Dario and Glenn returned the wave, but Karsh remained silent. "Karsh!" She yelled. He glanced upwards and saw her waving vigorously to him, smiling that flirtatious smile. Karsh returned the smile, and then the wave, as she disappeared out of sight.
Karsh closed his eyes, and feeling the wind of the city pick up, refreshing him from the warm summer weather, thought to himself that maybe there was still a chance for him. He looked down at the bellflower in his hand, and thought of Riddel's face.
Dario came up behind Karsh, saying somewhat loudly, "What, do you not hear me? Let us end our practice for the day, and meet again tomorrow." Dario placed his right hand on Karsh's shoulder, to make sure he had his attention. Karsh nodded, and helped Dario and Glenn pack up their things to get back home.
