Chapter 17: Longing Of The Heart
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(Roxana's POV)
What the heck was that?!
Why were my thoughts different than before?
Why did I have those thoughts of believing that he was a normal person?
What is wrong with my mind?
How can I think like that?
I remember that I felt in my mind that he wasn't a bad person.
'T-There must have been some reason for him murdering those innocent people...'
That was my thought process and I can't believe how foolish I was.
Of course, this must be an attempt to trick me into this.
How was he able to beguile me like that?
I seemed to have contrasting thoughts which were unnatural.
I have more surety in my belief now. The crown prince is not to be trusted at all as well anyone who seems to be related to him.
If he managed to hoodwink a person's mind who is well-trained in the assassination, then he can do several things to other people that I can't even think of.
With just that ability, he can uproot this house from its foundations and we won't know when it happened.
My father was right when he said that the crown prince had no weaknesses.
I should hurry up my plan of making carnivorous poison butterflies hatched. They will be an instrumental factor in my eventual fight against the crown prince, though I don't believe he will be defeated after seeing his abilities.
His acting had even fooled me. He truly felt like a real person instead of the monster that night.
I also have to take the other family members of the Agriche into consideration. Fontaine has been gathering forces behind father's back but he is truly foolish to believe no one else knows of it.
Dion has been sent on a mission by father and I have sent a butterfly after him to know of his location.
Though, according to my guesses, it must be related to the Pedelians.
Griselda Agriche is warned to not act according to our earlier plan.
Maria Agriche is one of the unpredictable factors. There is no knowing what that psycho will do but her affection for my mother is a weakness that I can use to my advantage.
Jeremy Agriche is not someone I would have to worry about. He is someone who is in the palms of my hands so there is no need to worry about him.
.
.
.
Still, this game of cards was fun to play.
This was the first time in this world that I have truly managed to not worry. It may have been due to his intervention which muddled my mind but it felt... peaceful.
Not thinking about how to survive my fate...
Not planning at every moment...
Not putting a mask on my expressions...
Not using my skills taught as an Agriche...
Not... thinking about the future.
Just staying in this moment.
Playing Cards, Thinking about how to win the rounds, Analysing Panem's face, Guessing Aston's cards...
It was truly a unique card game.
I d-don't k-know...
I don't k-know why m-my h-heart...
I don't know why my heart longs for that moment of peace...
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(3rd Person POV)
At the head of the Pedelians office in the Pedelian Estate,
A silver-haired delicate girl with a beautiful face slammed her hands on the table.
Her father, Roussel Pedelian didn't react to her violent outburst except a slight sigh passed his lips.
His daughter Sylvia Pedelian asked in a demanding voice, "Father, why are we staying still when we know the location where my brother is captive?! Can't we just go straight to that place?"
Roussel said in a reassuring but firm voice, "Sylvia, we have talked about this. We can't just storm into the Agriche Estate along with our forces without any proper reason. The Pedelians' reputation of being fair and righteous will be affected."
"But, what if we find brother from their estate? Then we can show him to the public and let them know how low the Agriches are."
"Sylvia... Things don't work like that. We can't take all of our forces into the Agriche territory. And if we take the maximum number of people that we can mobilise immediately, it is guaranteed that we will lose... miserably. Also, there is another factor that I am worried about..."
"What else, father?"
"The crown prince of the empire, Aston Phoenix. He is staying in the Agriche Estate and it can be seen as treason if we attack the place where a member of the royal bloodline is staying."
"That's also a problem?"
Sylvia falls into pondering about a solution to save her beloved brother.
But soon her rosy face lots up as she said, "But father, what if we inform the crown prince? He can bring brother out of that place! We can use our spies in the Agriche Estate!"
Listening to that proposition, Roussel Pedelian grimaced and said in a clear voice, "Sylvia, you should know. In no way, you can trust the crown prince of the Empire. He is a devil disguised as a human."
"What?"
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In the Huipelions Estate,
A child with white hair was running into a garden. A maid serving the Huipelions Estate was also running behind him while she said, "Young Master! Please stop. If you keep running like this, you may fall. Then your father will be angry with you."
The child didn't stop running but he turned his head and said cheekily, "Sorry, Emma. But I want to meet my father."
Then he kept rushing over to the garden which was named the Symposium Of The Beasts. This garden spanned several acres and contained dozens of rare beasts.
The major power of the Huipelions was the beasts that the bloodline of the Huipelions tamed. The current head of the Huipelions was the most talented that the family had ever seen.
The white-haired child was interrupted by an extremely large creature that jumped at him.
This creature spanning over three metres was a White Royal Wolf, the rarest of all wolves, this species was said to have the potential to even rival the dragons. Though, no one managed to evolve the White Royal Wolf to that level.
The current head was the closest to achieving that level.
The boy giggled and said, "Oh Faber, stop licking me so much."
After some more minutes of the affection shown by the wolf for the child while licking his face, the wolf stood in front of the child patiently.
The white-haired child asked, "Faber, can you take me to my father?"
Faber took the child with his claws and put him on his back.
Then he dashed towards the place where his master was present.
The speed with which Faber was travelling was astonishing. His humongous size allowed him to travel several meters without much effort. Even now, he wasn't moving at his full capability because if he did so, then the child would not be able to endure the pressure of the wind.
In just a minute, Faber and the white-haired child reached the centre of the Symposium Of The Beasts, the sight that greeted them was near-perfection.
A fair man with long hair and a smile that made several noble women fall in love is sitting amongst several animals.
Those animals fawned over their master and just a look at the scene will tell anyone that the beasts loved their master a lot.
Hearing the sound of Faber stopping, the head of the Huipelions, Orka Huipelion stood up and hugged his child.
"How are you feeling today, Noah? Did you leave Emma alone again?"
Noah cheekily replied with a grin on his face, "But Dad, she was not allowing me to meet you."
"Noah, you should follow your schedule. You have to attend classes as well, right?"
"Dad, but I wanted to spend time with you! You always stay in the garden and we meet only at dinner and breakfast."
Orka pondered for a moment and then replied, "Ok, why don't we both go outside together tomorrow?"
Noah's face brightened up as he excitedly said, "Promise?!"
"Promise."
"Yay! Dad and I will be spending tomorrow together!"
Orka had a smile on his face when he saw the happy face of his child.
Though, his eyes contained a tint of worry for the future...
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(End of the Chapter)
[Sylvia Pedelian Illustration]
[Roussel Pedelian Illustration]
[Cassis Pedelian Illustration]
[Faber Illustration]
[Noah Huepelion Illustration]
[Orka Huepelion Illustration]
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