Chapter 14: Chapter 13: Denied Offer
"Yahoo!" I screamed in excitement, "George's coming!"
It has been a month since the three of us came to the dark prince's castle. The summer heat was on my last nerves for quite a while now. Every night was a heated nightmare and the shadows would often creep up on me, reminding me of that smiley face of that fortune teller, which never escaped the back of my mind...
If she ever did come next to me again, by heart I knew, who would intimidate who.
However, everything collapsed to dust when I learned about Elder Brother George coming back home. Sometimes we would write to each other, but there were a lot of things I couldn't write... or even mention personal details. All mails, incoming and outgoing, were checked in the palace everyday. In codes, George hinted some problems back at the palace, but nothing regarding his arrival.
It was Fred who had somehow managed to send a secret warning to him. Yet, whenever I asked, Fred would always beat around the bush and never tell me his secrets.
I mean, back when he was J, he would never lie to me about anything, nor keeping secrets. So I often wonder these days, "Why...?"
"Listen Windy," Dad gestured to me, "I'll be going to the palace to pick up George. So no more letters, understand?"
"Okay..." I pouted and rolled my eyes.
"And Fred," Dad said with a serious tone, "take care of your little sister. I'm counting on you."
"Of course," Fred answered.
Somehow things were tensed at this point. I couldn't understand what was going on. Things here were as weird as it could get. Most of the time, Fred and Charles would either disagree, or fight. They never told me anything. At some point they would fight in the midst of friendly duels, but if I interfered or were near them, they stopped.
Charles looked away and hardly spoke to me the past few days. Even when we bumped into each other he would just formally greet me and then exit as fast as a cheetah. Every single time, he would look at me with pity in his eyes.
"Goodbye Dad, be safe." I hugged him as I said these words.
"Prince Charles," Dad hugged me back and turned to Charles, "please take care of my children here..." Dad paused, then he continued, "...including yourself, of course."
Charles noded.
I saw the door close and dad leave. I quickly flew towards the window and waved him a goodbye. He waved me back and entered the carriage. I watched the horse drawn carriage until it escaped my vision and mixed with the background.
"He'll be back, I promise." Fred said, his voice filled with concern.
"I can't help but worry." I honestly replied to him, "I never had these feelings before... am I turning soft?"
"Technically," Fred paused intentionally and with a mischevious smirk, replied, "girls are soft. Especially babies."
"Hey," I was annoyed, "I'm five!"
"But you are still a girl." he continued to tease me.
"Why? Can't boys have feelings?" I asked with more annoyance.
"Well... but admit it, you're a softie." Fred shrugged with that stupid smirk of his.
"Hah! Says the weak one." I gave him a piece of his own medicine.
"You don't know that." Fred began to deny it.
"C'mon, everyone knows that you're afraid of me," I purposefully added fuel to the fire, "and that your weaker than me... A baby girl!"
"Pff..." he laughed as if I was telling a joke, "okay, see, that's not true."
"Who knows?" I just shrugged and left him by the window, enjoying the sulking face he expressed.
__________
___
It was early at dawn when I woke up. I yawned and closed the curtains which were flashing in bright lights. I tried to jump, in order to reach the curtains, but it was soooo iritating that I flew myself up in the air.
For a second or two, I had a weird illusion... A horse drawn carriage was leaving the castle grounds.
"Weird," I mumbled to myself.
Dad and George weren't supposed to be here until a few more days. Besides, the carriage was heading the wrong way. It's heading the away from the castle. So was this a dream? Am I really THAT worried about them...?
I tried to close my eyes and convince myself that there was nothing outside. After I rubbed my eyes and opened the window, the illusion was gone.
"See?" I laughed, speaking to myself.
Once again, I yawned and stretched my arms and fingers. Tired without reason and with no to-do-list, I merrily bounced back into bed.
Since I had no time for relaxing back on Earth and I understood how danger was lurking in the corners in this world as well... one thing I'll miss the most, would indeed, be sleeping comfortably for as long as possible.
I was drowsy, sweaty and in no mood for work.
"If sleeping was a full time job..." I mumbled to myself again before finally falling asleep, "I'd take it any day!"
...
I rubbed my eyes and yawned some more. I looked around and felt a strange sensation. "Is this another dream?" I thought.
My stomach growled in hunger. I smacked my lips and blinked my eyes for me to wake up.
The more I tried, the farther I got from my bed...
That's when it hit me!
"What the-" down I went, on the hardwood floor.
"That'll leave a mark," I told myself in pain, sprawled on the floor.
This was no dream. I was floating while sleeping and when I woke up, conscious, I landed on the floor. Not so gently though.
I got up, rubbing my back like an old woman. The door crashed open right in front of me. I could feel my eyebrows rise as I saw Charles with a rifle in his hands and right behind him, a maid stood terrified.
"How dare you come into a lady's room without knocking?" I shouted, giving him a disappointed look.
Obviously I was pretending, but since he was ignoring me for a while now and I wanted revenge... I told myself, "Why not now?"
I couldn't get what was happening at all. But if he was thinking that this would even scare me half as much as a ghost, he was in for torture.
"Nobody comes thrashing into my room with a gun and gets away with it..." I stared ferociously at him.
He seriously did not realize that I was still pretending. He just stood there, suspicious and dumbfounded.
"I-I, I..." was all he could manage.
"What!" I shouted with a deep loud voice.
He was startled by my outburst and swayed on his feet. He tried to redirect himself while handling the rifle, went out of the room somehow and collapsed on the hallway floor. Charles fell on the hardwood floor, his back still against the wall behind him, directly opposite to my room.
"I'm sorry?" Charles tried to apologize, still in pain and confusion.
"You better be." I replied and eyed him like a hawk.
I went to the wardrobe to take a change of clothes and rushed into the bathroom, before giggling. Surely he must be terrified by now, I kept thinking, what will he do next...?
In all this commotion, I forgot all about my big brother Fred, assuming that he'd obviously be asleep. After all, Fred was not an early bird. Never has been and never will be.
...
I sat down on the long table for breakfast, specifically choosing the second sit on Charlie's left side. He got the gist that I was still displeased by his behaviour.
This was extremely enjoyable!
"How shameful!" I heard a quiet whisper from the back.
"...humiliating the crown Prince..." another whisper.
"...obnoxious... pity for the Prince..."
"Losing our minds..."
Back and forth these quiet gossips flowed around the servants who were apparently serving our breakfast. They were obviously insulting me behind my back for about a month already, but now, they were casually dropping hints too...!
Some were even addressing me as a whore. To a five year old girl!
The maids were the ones who never stopped their damned mouths, while the butlers occasionally nodded, or just replied with an "Mhm," sound.
"So I'm a freak show." I gazed down at my soup and murmured quietly.
The tableware clattered as Prince Charles stood up. Everyone went silent. He didn't say a word at first and then opened his mouth and paused. He looked angry.
"..."
Frankly, even I was surprised. I just sat on my chair, straight and still, pop-eyed at the boy in front of me. A chill made me shudder almost by instinct.
"Did he hear me?" the thought came over me.
When I looked around carefully, all the servants were holding their necks or chests, suffocating.
I swallowed the food within my mouth hurriedly, wanting to speak, but unable to stand up against this immense pressure.
"You people..." finally Charles let his voice out, deep and frightening. A voice I've never heard him speak with.
"..." I couldn't move at this point, "How strong is he?" I thought to myself.
"How dare you!" Charles stated in anger. His voice hurting the eardrums of whomever was present at the dining hall.
"But- but, My Prince!" a maid squeaked aloud, still choking.
I flinched to turn around and take a good look at her. Then suddenly, I saw her being lifted into the air, as if she would be executed in mere seconds.
"Charles," I quickly turned to the dark prince and shouted with all my might, "LET GO!"
Immediately, he turned his attention to me. His eyes were as black and cold as a black hole. His face showing no remorse and his powers not bulging.
"Oh my gosh," I freaked out with a stone face, blunt as ever, "You really are a dark prince."
"Hmmph," he smirked with a cool and calm face that answered my question even without him replying, "Obviously."
"Co-could you, you plea-please, let go?" I requested, daring not to joke around.
"..."
He didn't reply. He didn't even let go. Just standing there, his left hand still pointing up, without a shred of concern.
I sighed.
Daring not to look up at him, but looking at the plate below me, I simply told him, "If you don't, then I'll fight, if I have to."
The air around me began to sizzle like boiling water.
"Am I next?" I thought, petrified, as I closed my eyes.
"No choice." I heard him say with his normal voice again.
The aura around me began to sway and slowly dismissed itself.
I flinched to look towards the maid who was up in the air, realizing that she was on the ground by now, with the others being able to breath normally again.
They were gasping for oxygen. Huffing and puffing. Their eyes were bloodshot red, agony and terror. A moment too late and all of them would be dead.
I sighed with relief. My heartbeat was still running like a wild horse, but my brain seemed to cool down from all this tension.
But suddenly, that same wretched voice spoke, "Miss Gloria Gale Windstorm here," Charles stated, "is the youngest born of the Windstorm Head Family... So if you people have anything to say, then you are messing with the wrong person."
There was a brief silence that followed his remarks.
Then, Charles went on as the crowd looked at him, horrified.
"But she is not just that! She is my guest and also my future sister, which indirectly makes her a member of the royal family..."
"So what?" I thought to myself, foolishly.
"And anyone, from this day forth, whomever bad mouths MY FAMILY, will be sentenced to the Mines, for the following 10 years to come! Their job, money and status will be ripped off of them forever!"
With his mighty voice, Charles announced. Nobody moved nor spoke.
"Is that clear?" His terrifying order boomed throughout the entire room.
All faces noded. No one cared to test out their fearsome master.
My jaw dropped. I was astonished for a while, but regained my mind. I regretted ever thinking of him only as a joke.
"Old habits die hard." I thought sarcastically. This was not the first time, but surely the last, I hoped.
"Gloria," Charles spoke my name.
"Huh?" I came back from my thoughts, startled, "Wh-What?"
Charles backed away. He noticed how scared I had gotten. With a sheepish smile, as opposed to his earlier behaviour, he asked me, "Are you okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" I replied with a question.
"Really?" Charles questioned back, seemingly puzzled, "I actually thought you were rude to me earlier because of the letter."
Charles chucked a little and then continued with his breakfast.
"Is he trying to change the subject?" I thought in my mind, not daring to speak my thoughts out loud, or even in a whisper.
"Wait, a what?" I questioned him, out loud.
"I mean," Charles smiled as he looked towards me, "You mean-" he stopped short, not finishing his sentence as his smile dropped.
Charles covered his mouth with his left hand for a while and then coughed. "You haven't read it?"
"Please just tell me what it is that I'm supposed to read..." I was getting tired of this conversation now.
"It's by your drawer," Dark Prince's eyebrows widened when he spoke to me, his voice getting weaker by the second.
"Oh no," I said to myself, aloud, "What happened to Dad and George?!"
Terror was all over me. It was excruciating! If my fears turned real, what would happen!?
I excused myself and rushed out of the dining hall as soon as I imagined the worst possible outcome. Sweaty and nervous as hell, I didn't even listen to Charles who probably had something else, to explain to me.
As I rushed upstairs and into my room, searching for that letter, everything was a mess. If something came in between my fingers and it wasn't the letter, I shoved it away.
For what seemed to be more than an eternity, I finally got what I desired! The letter!!!
The more I read it, the worse my mood got. Lingering with each stretch of the ink was Fred's handwriting...
"What is this?" I heard myself say.
"You see..." Charles tried to explain as he came into my room.
I smacked my lips, irritated and not knowing what to do next. I turned my head to Charles, behind me, then back onto the letter in front of me.
It read:
"Dear G,
As you know, I've overstayed my vacation from my training, spending most of my time with you. Honestly, when I heard that I had a baby sister, I rushed back home... never expected anything like a reunion though!
It's been fun while it lasted, but there is frankly no excuse from the borderline, not even with Charles's authority. With the King still being sick, they need my help here.
But I know that you'll be fine. It doesn't feel right to not see Dad and George back, but emergencies have no excuses! So I'll stick by that rule. I'll be stationed somewhere out of the dust and heat, so no worries!
Hopefully, you'll forgive me for keeping this secret from you for so long, won't you? Remember, I'm me and no one else. Keep that in mind... it's what you said back then.
Your Handsome Big Brother,
(Signed) Fred. W."
"It makes me sick!" I crumpled up the letter and threw it somewhere in my room.
"Its not all bad." Charles hesitantly replied.
"This isn't about your stupid fight with Fred, right?"
"Not exactly. I don't have that much..." Charles paused, "power."
"Its just not fair!" I shrieked out loud, like a normal five year old girl crying to get her a Barbie doll or something, as I stumped my left foot fiercely onto the ground.
"He is super full of himself. Always acting like a reliable person and then... He just... well..." I tried to say, but the word wouldn't come out.
"Things are complicated here. Much more, than back on Earth." Charles lectured me.
"Why can't he spend more time with me?" I asked, sulking.
"You're just afraid that he might die again before you..." Charles bluntly let out his thoughts, "...Oops?"
"Really? Is it that easy to read me?" I asked, concerned, "Does Fred know?"
"I think he does," Charles didn't stop with his honesty, "haven't you realized how protective he's been with you? Or why he lets you cling to him like glue, even after he stormed away that night...?"
"..." I stared down at the floor, rethinking all the things, which previously, seemed completely ordinary.
"You both are the same, you know? Even in this life, as before." Charles trampled on my last nerve now.
"Thank you," I sarcastically replied, "but would you care to shut up a little, once in a while...?"
The conversation ended as the Dark Prince backed away and left my room. The door was still crashed on the floor, fragments of wood scattered about, in my room.
I slumped on top of my bed with my pillow stuck tight to my face and telling myself over and over again that boys don't need to cry.
Even in this world, Vel's teachings hadn't faded. He wasn't here, but that couldn't stop him, anyway.
__________
___
"George!" I cried, "You came!"
"I think so, yeah." George replied with a mischevious chuckle, as he raised an eyebrow.
"With notice. Unlike somebody." I grumbled a bit.
"Its about Fred." I heard Charles whisper to George.
"Aaah..." Both Dad and George agreed in sync.
"I can hear you." I remarked, pretending that I didn't care.
I ran back to George now, hoping this Angel-like person would compliment me like he used to, "He's gonna go and weave me here, ya know? That's sooooooo unfai-war!"
I had to act cute, but to my surprise, George replied, "Well, sometimes big brothers have to protect their little sisters. So he went away... besides, you have to learn about some hard things in life too, Glow. It's not easy outside."
This was humiliating and also the first time George hadn't taken my side. He would always do so before...
"Are you an imposter?" I casually asked George.
"What? No way!" George replied, "Maybe it's the Palace air. It's very very stinky there."
"What about here?" I asked, giggling by his snarky statement and gave him a bright big smile.
"When you're here?" George told me, "No chance!"
I loved how I was doted on in this life. It was really charming! Something I never wanted to vanish even if I would grow old someday.
"I'm blushing, I'm blushing! Look!!" I cheerfully exclaimed, acting baby-ish, in front of George.
He chucked and leaned closely to my left ear and whispered, "I'll let you in on a secret,"
"Awesome!" I replied.
"I loved it a lot when I read your letters back at the palace. Then, when the King found out about my letters, by accident, he let me come back here. To meet with my baby sister!" George winked at me slyly and went on, "The King said that Gloria had talent and bright future, too. Especially when he learned that you are only 5 years old."
"Really?" I acted surprised as if I was dumber than dumb.
"Yeah!" George played along, "so why don't you send Fred a letter or two. See how happy he will be and come running back here...!Besides, you can easily send him a letter with the messenger hawk he has left here. You can tell him anything you want!"
"It'll help with your writing skills, " Dad agreed.
"No problem for me. You just do your thing!" Charles accepted with a dirty smirk plastered on his face that read, "Nice going."
...
That night after dinner, I clasped my hands energetically, thinking various ways to write my letter. Writing to Fred seemed different somehow. It wasn't like this with George at all!
So I tried to write and by midnight, I had four letters by the trash can and nothing to pin down on the hawk's legs.
I swore to myself that the fifth one was going to be the last. Now or nothing, I told myself.
As I finished with a murderous look on my face, tired and dizzy, I read the letter to myself:
"Dear Big Brother Fred,
How dare you! Do you know how worried I am?! You idiot, idiot, Fred! If you don't come back within the next few days, I'm gonna go there to look for your sorry butt.
Don't think I'm as merciful as I was before. You aren't a kid, so pull yourself together! Be a big brother when you start acting like one!! I'll be waiting... always...
Your Best Friend & Sister,
(Signed) G. W."
"This is it!" I told myself for the final time.
That was it. Just as I strapped the letter onto the hawk's leg, it flew off. No sound apart from the flutter of the wings. I closed my eyes and imagined that guy smirking and feeling guilty while reading my letter.
"Mission accomplished!" I told myself, yawning heavily now.
As soon as I slapped my head on the pillow, everything just zapped close. The only things I knew now were... peace and relaxation.
By next morning, I made a wish at the crack of dawn, begging to God to let Fred receive my letter. After a while, I noticed something flying, up in the sky...
"Could it be...?!" I whispered to myself, sure, my prayers had been answered immediately.
I traced my eyes, squinting them to see how close the bird had gotten. Well, it was a bird, flying towards me.
However, there was only malicious intent. I had swayed myself, by complete accident and fallen on the ground. Luckily.
It was an Arpines Beast. A bird like creature that was twice the size of a human and could fly freely in the air. It had a long pelican beak and sharp slit eyes that were diagonal like a demon's. Huge feathers covered it's body and it loved to eat human skin. Not anything else, but only, human skin.
The monster had flown as fast as a baseball would, 165 km/h. I crawled to the other side of the room, panicking. I wanted to scream, but this thing was... disgusting!
It's beak, as I noticed, was so strong that the hardwood floor had already been scratched and a tiny hole formed at the particular area the creature had been poking. Finally, I understood the reason, the beak of the Arpine was so expensive in the market!
The squawking noise it made was literally annoying. Only by a few inches was I keeping a hold of my skin. I was so thankful that the head was stuck in the small window of my room... but the window was creaking. How long would the wood hold anyway?
Sweat dropped heavily down my forehead, my back and even until the tip of my fingers. The thrashed door hadn't been fixed yet and very soon, everybody gathered at the spectacle before them.
Gawking or horrified they just assembled there. Finally, George had arrived.
"Is he going to save me?" I thought, a bit anxious.
He had an envelope in his hands. He quietly placed the envelop on top of an empty wooden chair as if it was important right now... Then, he put up his hands, closing towards the beast.
"Shh..." he said, "stop this... no need to be afraid..."
"Is he really talking to the beast?" I thought to myself, awestruck, "Wh-wha-why are his eyes glowing? What's going on?!"
In the spur of a moment, the beast had voluntarily poked it's head outside and calmly left the castle. Finally, as George got back to his senses, he sheepishly smiled at me and gave me a warm hug.
He patted my hair gently, "Its all over." He said.
...
On the breakfast table, I had a zillion questions in mind, but only asked one question, "Who's that letter for?"
It was the worst excuse I could find. Everyone stopped their actions. Spoons were dropped and all of a sudden, Charles asked me, "Why not open it to find out?"
Dad's eyes glistened with curiosity and excitement. George smiled happily and the Dark Prince was as emotionless as ever. He had a devious sparkle in his eyes though.
"Is it from back home?" I questioned, unable to take a hint, "Or, is it from... Fred?"
I gobbled down the food that was in front of me and took away the letter. On the cover, "M.T.S" was written in capital letters. Sure, the language of this world was not the same as Earth, but it was the pronunciation that specified the difference to me.
"What's MTS?" I curiously questioned.
"Open it." Charles just said this, gritting his teeth now.
"Okay?"
I opened the envelope slowly, not to make a dent, or tear it. Somehow it looked as valuable as a diamond.
As I opened the folded letter, it stated, "Thank you for applying to the greatest school in the entire continent, Mage Training School. However, your admission has been thoroughly REJECTED by our community of directors. Please try again during next year's trial exams. We hope for only the best of every individual here at M.T.S, where all your powers come alive! - Signed, Mage of Spells, Mr. Frosters."
When I lifted my head, I was in awe, with all eyes on me. All hope faded in the room.
"What the heck?!" I thought.
"Dad, what is this?" I asked my father, who sat opposite to me with a face of utter shock.
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