"Bana~" It was a soft alluring voice. That was the voice of my mother.
Outside of the royal fortress as was more fitting to call it we would often sit in the snow and chat. We would play, we would bond.
There were many things she could have been, and there were similarly many things she should have been. But I never despised her for any of these.
"Don't call me that!" It was too cutesy. I hated the name. My life was already hell thanks to my brothers so how could I possibly tolerate being treated like a child?
"Sigh… There are many things you can be, Bana" My mom would often talk about my endless possibilities.
"I can!" I said confidently at the time. Naive, could the word be used on such a small child? Wasn't that within expectations?
She only smiled sweetly, her look suggested to me she believed it. So I believed it.
"You can be… an adventurer!" She said with a wide smile. Her blinding blonde hair swayed with genuine emotion.
"Or… A knight! You can fight for justice!" She declared once more with the same cheery atmosphere. Were it not for the fact that this was a common reminder of hers I would have suspected something was wrong.
"Maybe even a healer, a doctor, an alchemist, you can be anything Bana~" She flashed a somber smile. I could be anything. But…. what about her?
"Casimira Volcan, no, Casimira, you are henceforth expelled from the royal family and will be sentenced to execution for treason" She couldn't be anything. They didn't let her!
"Mom…?" I was there. Confused. Anyone would. Why were they looking at me!? Why were they looking at us!?!
But she only had a somber smile.
"You can be anything Bana, you can leave this place." She said without turning to look at me. Her destiny had been predetermined.
"Can we leave this place?!" I asked excitedly, not noticing that now wasn't the time. Perhaps my mom's wonderful stories of her distant homeland and her perilous voyage made me yearn to see that place along side her.
The hall froze. My father who was sitting on the highest chair, no, the king. That wasn't my father.
He narrowed his eyes and only let out a soft chuckle. Was he looking down on me? I never had the opportunity to know. Not that I regretted it.
"Imprison her, the execution will be held in a week" The king's words were full of indifference as he uttered each and every syllable. He sure threw her aside quickly!
"Ah!" I was spooked by the large cold hands that suddenly grabbed me by my thin arms.
"Bana!" My mom yelled before being pinned down by men in suits of armor, her face pressed down on the ground. Her face showing… was it pain? No, it showed concern. Her eyes never left my own.
"Mom!" I screamed, I screamed in worry! Thinking about it alone is enough for me to gnash my teeth in anger.
"MOM!!!" But she only flashed me a somber smile.
The large doors shut. Never again did I get to see her shining blonde hair.
"That damnable bastard!" Yet he dared call her a rat? Treason!? Who would believe it!?
The young Volcan prince, no King, Mite Volcan, spent many restless nights.