Third's POV
"Cathy! Hurry!" A young boy ran through the fields, laughing and shouting back to a girl his age. "You're slow!" He laughed. "Run! Run! Runn!"
The girl ran with her might but it was only so far her small legs could carry her. She paused, catching her breath then adjusted the two wooden swords crossed behind her.
She looked up at the boy running ahead, and clenched her fists. "The Duchess should return and hold her wild pup in place—"
"Cathy! Come on!" The boy called out, waving and jumping. "Don't tell me you're already tired?"
She forced a smile. "No, your Highness. I'm just giving you a chance to go farther."
The boy laughed heartily and sped off. "I'd take it then. Catch me if you can!"
Seeing the boy making more distance between them, she stood straight. She didn't want to be seen as weak or let him hurt himself. She brushed the sweat off her forehead and sprinted to him as fast as she could. She just had to catch him by all means.
The young boy paused at a tree, and just before he could turn his back, his vision blurred with streaks of red hands reaching, and a haunting presence creeped behind him.
"Got you."
Shivers ran down his spine as a cold hand touched his shoulders, but he neither ran nor screamed. Instead he smiled and fell on her. "Cathy is the fastest, afterall."
Looking down at the boy on her feet, the girl's eyes and floating red hair finally found peace. A prey succumbed.
She slid down to the ground, making the boy laugh, and crawl to where she was. "Cathy, do you want to play another game?"
She said nothing, though screaming in her head. She could barely keep up with this one, and had to lose herself for a simple tag race.
"Are you okay, Cathy? Am I too fast?" He asked, bending over her to check her head.
She forced a smile again. "No, your highness! You can play as much as you want, it's my duty to catch up."
He didn't appreciate that response. He folded his little arms across his chest as he'd seen adults do when disappointed.
"WE are playing together, Cathy. You're not on duty. Besides, the maids are watching us there. Look." He held her face and turned her to what he mentioned.
She blinked, then widened her smile in response. Shouldn't she also watch out for the maids? As far as she knew, they didn't have swords on them.
"I see." she said simply. "They are so far away though. What type of protection is that? Well, let go of my face now."
He didn't, then smiled, putting his forehead on hers. "Cathy is so cute when she's grumpy."
Where did that come from? She blew raspberries till he let her face go, and laid beside her. "Alright, we will rest till you feel—" a carriage rode towards them. "Mother!!" he sprang up again, and dashed to the carriage.
The maid yelled. "Prince Lumiere!"
He was nearly in front of the rushing carriage when Cathy pulled him back, causing them both to fall.
The rider jumped off the carriage, shoving Cathy aside without a thought. "My Prince!" he knelt beside the boy, ignoring Cathy stumbling and falling.
She blocked her head from a hit on a nearby log but stayed on the ground, absorbing the pain of the impact.
The rider groaned as he was also pushed away. "Cathy," the Prince called, crouching beside her. "Sorry for running off. Are you alright?"
When he reached for her hand, she shoved it aside. "Finally, your mother is here. Please, go to her."
His heart fell to his stomach, but he nodded. The rider held back from scolding her for those words, when the Duchess got down the carriage and cast a glare at him.
She walked down, not to her son looking down at nothing, but to the girl that quickly left the ground and plastered a smile on her face. The girl kept her hands behind her in submission, and to hide the bruise.
"I am sorry, angel. Your mother wouldn't have wanted you to have this life either."
Cathy shook her head, the smile still on her face. "I am alright, Duchess! It's fine!"
But the Duchess of Deception could not be deceived. A six year old wouldn't understand that and not believe six year olds didn't need to be a Warrior Wolf because their parent lived as one.
Not to add that, unlike her mother, Cathy didn't have a wolf, so the Blood-Hound didn't pass down to her. This was best as she could finally lead a normal life.
"You will be leaving with your Uncle Mark."
Her smile finally fell. "I'm not coming with you?"
"Yes."
"Why..." She swallowed her words and looked down. She didn't refute as she could guess why. Her hands shook by her side. It was only a matter of time anyway.
She was no longer needed because she didn't have a wolf. The Duchess wouldn't want another dead warrior in her hands.
Still she didn't move. Maybe if she stayed very still, the Duchess would change her mind.
That's what her son always did when he was scolded—stood straight, didn't blink. Maybe stillness made adults forgive you. Maybe it made them stay.
"I am very sorry, angel." The Duchess kissed her head and walked away, pulling her confused son with her. It had been only three months since her mother had passed, yet the girl hadn't been given enough time to mourn. She felt guilty.
Cathy's smile fell, realizing nothing could stop it. She whispered. "I will... go away."
The Duchess paused at hearing her words, but willed herself to keep going. She had repaid the debt to her friend. She didn't need to raise her child to be used by the royal family and face certain death.
The Duchess frowned when her son shoved her hand. "Why did you make Cathy cry, Mother?"
His eyes were already red, and she guessed he was likely crying before she pulled him away. "She's going on a vacation where you wouldn't be, that's why." She lied, or he could never let her go. They all loved her after-all.
He looked back at Cathy, but didn't get close because he had been shunned before. "Why can't I come? If she wants me to come, I will come."
"No, it's just for Cathy and her own family now. You'd meet her again someday." She said, entering the carriage, hoping that day would never come.
The maids and the rider returned to the carriages. Lumiere felt something was wrong, however having been shunned, he sat by a rock, watching her silently. He'd apologise properly when she feels better.
"Fall."
His consciousness left him and he fell asleep in an instant.
"Mark! You!" The rider pointed a sword at him. "How dare you use cheap magic on the Goddess royal family!"
A tall cladded man, with scars all over his exposed arms, stood above the fallen Prince, staring at him in indifference.
"Keep him away from my niece, as you promised, Duchess. I do not ever want to see my niece break a sweat for him, like her mother had done."
The Duchess lowered her head, and nodded. The rider, seeing his Mistress being obedient, lowered his sword and carried the Prince away.
Mark walked over to the girl, still standing quietly still. Behind him were a runic spell and an enchanted hairpin he placed in her hair. "Esmeralda, let's return home."
Her head snapped up, as she frowned, staring at nothing till her smile loosened. "Home?"
"Yes, home? To the village. There's nothing left to do at this playground anymore. All your friends have already gone home."
The girl looked around in confusion, she nodded slowly. "Yes… they've all gone… they left me…" she sulked.
Mark lifted her to his arms and walked in the opposite direction to the Duchess carriage. It marked the end of the Blood-Hound slaving for the royal family.
The Goddess must've wanted this when she stopped the wolf from being inherited by the last daughter.
"Don't worry, Esmeralda. Only good things await you." He paused and remembered. "Do those seven hooligans, who'd wait on her hand and foot, also count as good?"