Maple High School Academy Hidden Year 1
The Vow in Ginkgo Forest - First Hurt

First Hurt

A WARM TEA WHISTLE accompanied the chatter of the two formidable Elves. The two talked while laughing. Not caring for their two children who are just listeners. The dark-haired young elf looked at his surroundings with an interested look. It was quite fun for him to ditch riding practice today. Although it must accompany the father to visit his friend's house.

He noticed the bow-bows hanging on the wall. Suddenly his ears caught a whisper. When he turned his head, his eyes saw a pair of green eyes that were looking at him interested.

“You like archery?”

 The young elf just kept silent not answering.

“My name is Chalia. Whose name?”

Chalia looked at the man before her with interest. He waited patiently for an answer.

“Thedon, he asked your name. Why don't you answer?” the sound of baritone broke the silence between the two young Elves. The dark-haired young elf screeched.

“Dad already answered,” he said full of emphasis.

The two adult Elves laughed together. Chalia laughed with them.

 “Look at your son, he is not much different from you.”

Thedon who heard it snorted did not like it.

 “Why did you come out?”

Thedon was surprised to hear a voice coming from behind him. He saw Chalia approaching. On his shoulder was a quiver containing five arrows. His hand was toting a bow that was not too big.

“You surprised me,” said Thedon.

Chalia pursed her lips and said, “You didn't answer my question.”

Thedon rolled his eyes and passed. He kept walking away from Chalia.

“Where are you going?”

Thedon's move stopped. He turned around and looked at Chalia. “Can you shut your mouth?”

Chalia shook her head while looking at the man before her with a ignorant snort.

 “You'd better go back to your house.”

Chalia shook her head. He was getting closer to Thedon who was reflexively retreating. “I'll come with you,” said Chalia straightforwardly.

Thedon grieves no like. “For what?”

“So you don't get lost.”

“Terussle.” Thedon resumed his intention of taking a walk. Every now and then his eyes caught the target of the archery target hanging on the trees.

“You like archery?” ask Chalia suddenly.

Thedon simply glanced in response.

“Looks, yes. You like archery.” Chalia answered her own question.

“I didn't say anything,” sergeant Thedon.

Chalia walked ahead of Thedon and stood a metre ahead of an archery target stuck in a tree trunk. He began to position his legs to be straight parallel to the target target. The girl put the tail of the arrow into the bowstring and pulled the bowstring. Chalia's eyes began to aim. He set his breath for a moment before then releasing the arrow.

Arrows stuck in target target. Not on target. However, the girl remained curling a smile before lowering the bow.

“Slightly missed. Maybe because the board is now short.”

Thedon who was watching everything looked dumbstruck. He hardly blinked. Especially when the arrow slips from the bow.

“You are too tall for a female Elf,” said Thedon whose height is only Chalia's.

“You tried?” tawar Chalia's. He pushed his bow.

Thedon looked doubtful. His eyes implied considerable attention, but his hands did not also pick up the bow that Chalia had placed.

“This,” said Chalia while putting a bow in Thedon's hand. The boy only looked at the bow in his hand.

“Come, I ajari.”

Thedon pulled the tip of his lips. The first smile Chalia saw from the man.

That afternoon the two spent time practicing archery. Chalia taught Thedon the basics of archery. It took more than two hours for the man to slide his first arrow and stick it on the target board.

 “Thedoooon!”

Thedon seemed to grimace hearing that. He then leaves his friends and approaches Chalia. “What's coming here?”

“Fetch you. We'll have archery practice this afternoon.”

It's been a few weeks since Thedon's first rehearsal. Seeing his son's interest in archery, Mr. Ulsador asks Chalia to teach Thedon, which the girl agrees to.

The latter was slightly regretted by Thedon. It's not because Chalia is a bad teacher. However, he often went to the equestrian training ground to pick him up.  His friends in the riding arena often ridiculed him for this. Later they always say that Chalia and Thedon will soon get married because they are close to each other.

“You don't have to pick me up. I can come by myself later to your house.”

“Why are you angry?” ask Chalia who doesn't understand.

“Because you always come here, everyone says you're my fiancee.”

“Indeed why if it's true?”

“You think I want to be your fiancee?”

“But I want,” said Chalia briefly which made Thedon speechless. He was silent then saw Chalia smiling and waving her hands behind his back.

The man turned around and found his friends approaching them. “You better leave soon. I'll catch up later, “ get rid of Thedon.

“No. I want to meet your friends.” Chalia left Thedon. He approached the friends of Thedon who were all still sitting on their training horses. Thedon snorted annoyedly at Chalia's displeased attitude.

“Hey, daughter of Aetoris!” call one of them.

Chalia waved her hand in response to the call.

“We've seen you drop by a few times,” said the blond boy. “You also even called someone among us on purpose,” added another boy whose hair was as dark as Thedon.

Chalia chuckles at hearing that. “For I could not see where the man I was looking for. So, I must have called her name. You all look the same from a distance. You know that, right.”

The roar of laughter rang out as Chalia finished her sentence. Thedon only sighed to see that his friends were now teasing Chalia, but unfortunately the girl was unaware of this.

“Actually what the hell did you guys do when together?”

“Do what you ask?” chalia answered, Thedon asked back.

“We're just curious,” replied the blond brat. The ignorant grin looked suspicious in Thedon's eyes.

“Mumpung you're here, can you ride?”

 Chalia remained silent and did not answer. It was one thing he did not master well.

“Try you ride one of these horses. You can ride with Thedon, you know.”

Seeing that Chalia did not answer, Thedon came forward. “You are not per—“

“Good.” Chalia suddenly cut Thedon's sentence. The girl just smiled.

“Waaah, this girl friend of yours turned out to be very brave,” praise one of Thedon's friends.

“You don't need to ride,” said Thedon trying to prevent Chalia who started picking one of the horses.

Chalia just smiled at Thedon who forbade her. The girl picked a brown horse. “I choose this horse.”

Two of Thedon's friends were grinning. Thedon who was busy watching Chalia was unaware of this.

“All right I help you ride,” said one of the two suspicious young Elves.

Just as Chalia was sitting on the horse, the young Elf standing behind the horse patted the horse's butt. Instantly the brown horse that Chalia was riding neighed loudly and started running.

Thedon who saw this was shocked. He immediately climbed on his horse and chased after Chalia. The horse runs towards the river. Thedon immediately spurred his horse to stop the brown horse. While Chalia hugged the neck of the horse and lowered her head. He did not dare to raise his head.

When the horse ridden by Thedon managed to match the brown horse's steps, the man quickly jumped up while pulling Chalia. The two young Elves fell in the river. The brown horse continued to run while the horse Ridden by Thedon instantly stopped as its rider splashed into the river.

“Thank you,” said Chalia while shivering. He still did not dare to raise his head. The girl wandered to the riverbank unaware that Thedon was helping her.

“Stop coming to the equestrian practice arena,” says Thedon. When she heard Thedon's voice and realized the person who was helping her, Chalia raised her head. He saw Thedon's face wry and without a smile. “No need to come again to the riding arena. We don't need to see each other again.”

“But your archery practice ..”

“Still many other trainers.”

“But, your father ...”

“ No need to bring my father.”

“Thedon,” call Chalia weak.

“We never see each other again.” Thedon immediately turned around and mounted his horse. Leaving Chalia by the river.