"You're leaving!?" Ferrsa asked.

"I have to," Her husband told her, grabbing her hands. She whisked them away.

"How could you?" She yelled. "With your daughter, so young. She needs you."

"She'll be fine. I'll be home soon." Ferrsa was not convinced.

"Why you?" She asked, near to tears.

"My King needs me," he said. "King Jupiter needs me." That was it. Ferrsa couldn't hold it back. She fell to her knees crying. Her husband rushed over to her.

"Don't leave me," Ferrsa cried, draping herself over her husband.

"You are Ferrsa the White Soldier," he said. "You'll be just fine." Just then a little rabbit ran in. Her fur a silver-gray.

"Father! Father!" She cried. "Look! I finally can do it." The young doe showed off her newly learned moves with her small blunt sword, a dagger really.

"That's great, Flynn," her father said. "Just as I taught you." The doe suddenly realized her mother's tears.

"Mother, what happened?"

"Your father is leaving, Flynn."

"Where?"

"To battle," the father said, grabbing the young one.

"One day," Flynn said. "I'll fight, like you and mom, for King Jupiter." She again showed off her sword strokes.

"Yes, you will. You will be the mightiest warrior of all."

"I'll be the Grey Warrior. White from you, Mother," Flynn explained. "And black from you, Father!"

"Flynn the Grey Warrior," Ferrsa said. "It has a nice ring to it."

"To glory!" Flynn chanted, raising her little sword.

"To victory!" Her father said, drawing and raising his sword.

"To Jupiter!" Ferrsa said, grabbing her sword from the mantle.

The three embraced.

|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

"Master," Picket asked. "Is there something wrong?" Helmer was standing, staring at the sunset.

"No, ladybug. I'm just remembering."

"Will you tell me?"

"Maybe I will. Did you need me?"

"Oh, yeah. It's dinnertime." A long silence followed. "Is it sad?" Picket asked, concerned.

"No, it's not. Come on, ladybug," Helmer said, with a small smile. He laid a hand on Picket's shoulder. "Let's go eat."