Finding Stardust

Beside her, stood a handsome man wearing a military uniform. He had short silver hair with blue-green eyes. Unlike the woman beside him who seemed emotional, he looked really calm and collected.

He immediately went to check the four men who curled up on the floor with vines wrapping their bodies. They were all groaning in pain. He also saw another man who was lying passed out on the floor. 

"Princess Arreya, these are all the criminals ... they are beaten up already," said Kaoshin in an astonished voice. He turned to face Emma, ​​who was looking in another direction, intentionally trying to avoid them. Kaoshin walked slowly over to Emma and stopped right in front of her. "Miss ... we met earlier, right?"

Emma had let go of little Therius when Arreya checked the boy. Now, she stood frozen in place, desperately trying to hold back her tears from streaming down hard.

She missed her father so much. All she wanted was to rush into Kaoshin's arms and cry in his chest, venting all her longing for him after being separated for years, but she tried to hold back.

Emma remembered she must not talk to anyone. She had to get out of there as soon as possible.

Kaoshin understood that this girl didn't want to talk to him, but he didn't know the reason. Somehow his chest was pounding hard when he remembered how this stranger's face was very similar to Arreya's. His mind was busy trying to think about her identity.

The man then turned to Arreya who was crouching down and checked on little Therius. The woman was shocked to see how badly this little boy was abused by his captors.

"Oh… poor boy... we must immediately take you to Leon so he could treat you." Arreya raised her face and looked at Kaoshin. "Prince Licht's condition is really bad, General Stardust. Your friend Leon is here, right? He's the only sanomancer in the capital."

Kaoshin nodded. "He's in the ballroom. I'll get him to come here in a moment."

He took a small chip from his pocket and spoke in a low voice. After asking his best friend to come to treat little Therius immediately, Kaoshin looked at Arreya with a complicated expression. The corners of his eyes glanced at Emma, ​​who was standing near them, trembling.

Arreya immediately turned to her right and realized that the stranger girl was completely unwilling to look their way.

"Miss ... were you the one who helped my nephew, Prince Licht?" asked Arreya in a soft voice. "We would like to show you our gratitude."

She really could no longer hold back her feelings. With tears streaming down from her eyes, Emma turned and looked at Arreya, her face was filled with grief.

"Mother ..." she cried softly. "Oh, Mother..."

'I'm sorry, Xion ... I miss my mother so much. I'm sorry for doing this ....'

Emma's defenses collapsed, as she rushed to hug her mother, Princess Arreya, whom she had been longing for deeply for her whole life.

Arreya's face looked very surprised when she saw the girl crying so bitterly and rushed over to her. Her eyes went round when she saw how the girl looked so much like her. Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she saw a man dash in.

And then everything froze.

Emma's steps came to a halt when she felt her surroundings turn into a still painting. Nothing moved and there was no sound at all.

Subconsciously, she held her breath.

Arreya seemed to be frozen in front of her with a shocked expression and a pair of rounded eyes, to her right was Kaoshin who was standing tall and watching her attentively. Then, little Therius was also frozen in his place.

What happened exactly? Emma was amazed. She felt like she was in a painting ... or a still film.

"I understand, Emma, that you can't hold back anymore... It must be really hard to do." A very familiar voice speaking gently to her from the side. "Don't feel guilty."

Only then did Emma turn around and see Xion's presence. Apparently, at the last second, the young man arrived just in time to stop Emma.

Time stopped and everything became still. Only the two of them could move. Emma bit her lip and buried her face in her hands. Then she burst into a bitter sob.

"I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry, Xion ... I really miss my mother ..." Her cry sounded very painful and tugged Xion's heartstrings.

Emma just wanted to see her parents. She should have been grateful to Xion for bringing her back to the past so she could see them one last time ...

But Emma became greedy and she wanted to hug her father and mother. She almost messed up the flow of time, and for this, she felt very guilty.

Xion walked over to Emma with a sad expression. For some reason, when he saw Emma grieving, it pained his heart too, as if her sadness was his own sadness.

"Emma ..." The young man's voice was soft and caring. "You can hug your father and mother as much as you like. I stopped time for you, so you can do that."

Emma was stunned at Xion's words. She lowered her hands that covered her face and looked at the young man with an expression of disbelief. Her face and upper clothes were wet with tears.

"R-really?" she asked hoarsely. Xion nodded. He smiled and tilted his chin towards Arreya who was frozen in place.

"After you're satisfied with hugging your parents, we'll go home. They won't have time to question us," Xion said calmly.

"But they've seen me ..." whispered Emma anxiously. "What if they get suspicious? It's all my fault. I should have held back a little more."

"It's okay, Emma," Xion coaxed her. "This is your last chance to see them. You can say goodbye."

After Xion convinced her, Emma finally nodded. She wiped her wet eyes and approached Arreya. Longingly, she then hugged her mother for a long time.

Arreya's warm body made Emma's heart felt warmth. Her heart had been frozen for a long time due to sadness after sadness and neverending tragedy in her life.

Now, she finally could hug her mother again... She felt so soft and warm. As a child, Emma never experienced her parents' care and attention after they left her on earth when she was four years old. And this longing that she had for them was unbearable.

"Mother ... I love you very much. I also miss you so much .." whispered Emma over and over. After a few minutes, she finally forced herself to release her embrace. She knew they shouldn't stay long. She kissed Arreya's cheek affectionately and stroked her cheek, trying not to cry all the time. "Goodbye, Mother. I will miss you so much... but I promise to live well... And I will not be so sad anymore."

Emma then walked over to her father and stood in front of the handsome general. She bit her lip and looked at the face of her father whom she missed so much. Her tears streaming down her face harder than before.

"Father.. I really miss you.. I really want to see you grow plants on earth again .. I really want to live with you again. I love you so much, Father. You are the kindest person I have ever known. I feel so proud and lucky to be born as your daughter ..." Emma then hugged Kaoshin emotionally. "Please take care of my mother. I hope you both are happy. Finally, you two can be together."

It was so hard for Emma to release her hug from Kaoshin. If she didn't remember how much energy Xion must have exerted to do all this for her, Emma would have been hugging her parents for a long time.

"Goodbye, Father ..." Emma then kissed Kaoshin's cheek and rubbed her father's face, before then stepping back and gave Kaoshin dan Arreya one last look. "Goodbye, Mother."

Xion clasped Emma's hand with his to calm her down. He then pulled the girl to leave the warehouse.

"Let's get out of here," the young man whispered softly. "You are injured and must be treated immediately."