บท 24: To Test A Theory

Descending from the carriage, Isaac looked around to examine the terrain briefly. After a whole day of travel they'd got a bit of a distance from the estate, but it would still be awhile before arriving. He wouldn't be able to rest for a long time, but he was beyond use to it.

The participants were marked, that's all he needed from others. The one week before the hunt, that's all he needed to win the whole event, forcing the Duke to see him as not only a contender for successor, but the right choice for succession. Once that happens, he will be one step closer.

Unlike most families who tend to give their title to their oldest son, everyone here has free game, but not everyone had motivation. He had no power yet, though things will change soon enough, for the better or worse he couldn't predict just yet.

Waltzing up to Nyx, he took Theia straight out of his arms, saying nothing as he held her with one hand to his side, the other brushing his hair slightly out of his eye. "Fetch a bow for me, Nyx."

Eyes widening for a second, Nyx quickly recovered and grinned, hands behind his head as he closed his eyes and walked off, she supposed to fetch a bow her brother asked for as she looked up at him, wondering what took so long.

"Hmm? Can Einsy even hunt with a broken eye?" Her third brother asked, getting better at telling the twins apart. They were completely identical, but the third brother was definitely crazier. Or so she presumed.

Ignoring him, Isaac turned to his mother of the group, along with Rosalyn. "The both of you should wait here with the other wives, I'll prepare the meat," he said, turning to acknowledge the other two boys at long last. "You two as well." She couldn't see it all, but he mouthed something.

'The weak should not get in the way of the strong.' Walking past the passive-aggressive third son, Isaac walked to meet Nyx halfway, running and yelling his name with a bow and arrows in hand. "I'm gonna get more than you!"

It seems he would keep his polite attitude up until they were alone again. Readjusting her a bit, she stared up at Isaac who took the bow with his free hand, Nyx putting the quiver around Isaac's waist, securing it.

"The rules." Isaac said as she was still confused, was he really going to take her hunting when her mother was right there with a warm lap? It seemed so as Nyx grinned wider, flashing his pointy teeth.

"No magic, allowed, nothing smaller than a rabbit, and the one who brings back the most within half an hour wins." Nyx said the rules, automatically annoying Isaac as the smaller boy sighed.

Looking at Nyx, he quirked a brow. "Does that mean you intend to steal my prey?" He questioned, Nyx nodded and grinned again, confirming his theory as he excused himself to get his weapon in the carriage still.

Looking around, it was then she noticed how quiet it was other than the wives and very few children talking to one another. "Bubu." She called out, reaching for his hair, anything to break the atmosphere she so hated with this family.

Glancing at her, Isaac's bow floated for a moment with the help of wind as he brushed her hair out of her face, observing her. "He's an idiot." Isaac said out of the blue, a peaceful look on his face as Nyx returned running over with a spear in hand.

"Cheating already?" Nyx teased as Isaac immediately walked past him, into the depths of the forest as some of the other children already had. As always, Nyx caught up instantly with his longer legs and followed after Isaac, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Within ten minutes, they were in quite deep, so much so that no other sounds of children could be heard. Unlike the uneasy feeling of quietness she had earlier with the rest of the family, the one now felt comforting rather than eerie.

"Ya ready? This ain't the hunting grounds but 's the perfect chance for ya." Nyx broke the silence, now staring at her. Nodding, Isaac squeezed her slightly before putting her down, clearly a bit anxious despite his face not showing it.

Waving off at her Nyx grabbed Isaac and walked off, confusing her thoroughly as they went their separate ways, unable to walk or yell for them to come back. As she looked around, the uneasy and eerie feeling never arose within her despite feeling watched.

A bit away, Nyx stabbed the bear through the stomach as Isaac scowled at him. "I shot him through the heart killing it, first." He hissed, Nyx denying and shrugging his shoulders. "My spears also through the thing's heart."

Pulling out the arrow, Isaac allowed Nyx the kill, "I'm not debating this kill with a child." He huffed, making Nyx laugh as the older and taller one of the two of them, knowing exactly why Isaac was peeved.

Theia was still in earshot if there were any dangers, and they were keeping a close eye on approaching animals. Anything this deep would be a dangerous creature, but they had to put the Duke's theory to test before the actual hunt grounds to see if she really could tame them. Doing this elsewhere would be risky.

"Relax, won't ya? Focus on using yer bow, she's fine. Ain't it better to see her affinity?" He questioned, shoving his spear up into the tree passing by Isaac's head at the sight of movement, apologizing for killing a small snake, a possible newborn.

"It would just be better to bring a half dead dog over by the neck to test this dumb theory than let the beasts go to her." Isaac muttered, pulling his bow back and shooting through the heart of a leaping wolf, stepping on its back as soon as it fell over.

Pulling his spear out, Nyx slashed away the other snakes in the tree, jumping down and squatting back over to Isaac observing his kill. "Not bad at all, yer improving for someone with only one eye." He laughed, getting back up and looking over back to where Theia was.

"What'd I tell ya? Seems like little eleventh's perfectly fine. The one thing the Duke ain't is an idiot. If he says she's a real beast tamer, she probably is one." As a large snake slithered towards her, the likely mother of the batch Nyx just killed, he smiled holding Isaac back, staring at it begun to coil around her.