Yza had the nature of a cat. So long as it lapped its milk, had a spot under the sun where it could sleep, it didn't move at all. Though the animal had the habit of always making sure to sleep in a place where Annabeth wasn't far from. The restless one between her pets was definitely that little dog. It ran everywhere, jumped, bit into pieces of furniture. It was completely undisciplined.
It even ran up to the Duke's office one day and actually broke a vase. It was the first time that Annabeth had seen her grandfather been angry with her. But more than the anger, she could see the pain in his eyes as he glanced at the pieces of the vase lying on the carpet. His hands were actually shaking. She didn’t know whose present it was, but the one who gave it to me must have been someone dear.
That night, she sneaked into his office. For the Duke to have refused to throw away the remains showed how precious it was, thus she decided to do something. Using glue and a tiny brush, spend the whole night trying to assemble the vase together. As morning dawned, she didn't even finish one-quarter of the work and felt like crying at the sight. She really wanted to surprise the old man. When he entered and found her there though, he seemed less angry and maybe because of her bloodshot eyes from the lack of sleep, he even lied to let her heart at ease, saying to her that it wasn't so important. Annabeth bowed, not buying it but not knowing what to say besides sorry. She asked that he let her reassemble it for the next coming days and he acquiesced so long as she did so in the morning without depriving herself of sleep. After which, she was ushered to her bed, her lessons for the day canceled.
A week later, once every piece was back at its place or well, at the place where Annabeth judged it belonged to, the little girl presented the finished vase to her grandfather, renewing her sincere apologizes once more. For the past days, she had been serious in taking care of the puppies and started been stricter. She said she definitely won't let something like that repeat itself again. Though the vase didn't look as good as it used to, the Duke took it and placed it back on the shelf with a nostalgic look. Annabeth didn't dare ask who gave it to him and instead left him alone, for it looked like he needed to be.
A lone tear ran down the old man's face as his shaky finger touched the vase.
***
Before, when they were going up and down the mountain, they never stopped by the river but since having Yza, they would stop from time to time. That animal liked to stretch on the green lawn and drink the river's water. And since by using the river's road it was easier to go to the orphanage, it became the road they commonly used now.
Besides some peculiarities, Yza was definitely like a cat, those protruding two horns aside. It liked sleeping, drinking milk and sleeping again. Now, it could eat meat and apparently, its growth was also fast. It was already bigger than Ylis and though only two months, already had the allure of an adult Siamese cat. Her grandfather said it could actually become as big as a lion. She was quite eager to see it!
It started being mischievous too. It would scratch and jumped on everything, honing its claws everywhere. But it would snuggle to her at night, or jumped on her head or her shoulder and its paws were so cute! When it rolled on its back mewing, wanting Annabeth to caress its belly, Ylis would softly bite on her dress so that she would take care of it too, softly whining. Annabeth really liked her pets and apparently, they shared the sentiment.
Despite the fact that she could relax and play more, it didn't mean that her tutors stopped coming, quite the contrary. Sir Wild kept on drowning her under Homeworks and Countess Emery was killing her with those ways to address people. How to address who in what manner. When her dancing classes had been interrupted to actually introduce sewing classes, Annabeth didn't like it one bit. She was proven right by how much inefficient she was in sewing. She was really terrible at it and would constantly prick herself. It seemed so easy when done by the Countess. Why was it different when she was the one holding the needle?
***
In two years time, she got quite used to that life. Ylis didn't get that much taller though it grew a bit, the remarkable one was Yza. It was so tall now that she could actually hop on it. However, her grandfather didn't like that, so she refrained from doing so -in front of him at the very least.
In two years, she also tried to pry about her family too. Everyone was like walking on eggshell once the subject was brought. It wasn't easy to make them talk. Actually, she failed. Neither the staff nor her grandfather disclosed much besides the fact that an accident claimed her mother's and brother's lives and that her father would come and see her, just not now. However, she got to know a bit more by eavesdropping on the maids and servants' whispers -definitely not something Countess Emery would be praising her for. The general was the one leading the front against Rozengal's troops.
War. It wasn't really a subject Sir Wild approached or talked about at all. He refrained from explaining anything politics-related to her at all actually, so Annabeth really didn't know what conflict they share against which country.
But it wasn't like she never talked to that father at all. The man had written a couple of letters to her and she had herself sent a couple of her own. But letters were so... impersonal and his letters were always up to the point that she didn't really know if he was writing because he really cared or simply out of obligation. She was eight years old now. He had written four times in the span of two years. Two were for her birthdays, one when she first woke up to this world and another some days ago, stating that he would soon be coming.
For Lyanna, having a father was a foreign sentiment and she was eager actually to face him, to talk to him, her very own father.
In two years, she also tried to pry about her family too. Everyone was like walking on eggshell once the subject was brought. It wasn't easy to make them talk. Actually, she failed. Neither the staff nor her grandfather disclosed much besides the fact that an accident claimed her mother's and brother's lives and that her father would come and see her, just not now. However, she got to know a bit more by eavesdropping on the maids and servants' whispers -definitely not something Countess Emery would be praising her for. The general was the one leading the front against Rozengal's troops.
War. It wasn't really a subject Sir Wild approached or talked about at all. He refrained from explaining anything politics-related to her at all actually, so Annabeth really didn't know what conflict they share against which country.
But it wasn't like she never talked to that father at all. The man had written a couple of letters to her and she had herself sent a couple of her own. But letters were so... impersonal and his letters were always up to the point that she didn't really know if he was writing because he really cared or simply out of obligation. She was eight years old now. He had written four times in the span of two years. Two were for her birthdays, one when she first woke up to this world and another some days ago, stating that he would soon be coming.
For Lyanna, having a father was a foreign sentiment and she was eager actually to face him, to talk to him, her very own father.
***
On the estimated day he was supposed to come, she asked her grandfather to let her up some more. She really wanted to see the man the minute he would be entering. But a couple of days later after that estimate day, he still had yet to set foot in Rosacrea's Duke's manor.
However, in the middle of the night, when she was already deep in slumber, the horses' hooves could be heard and the butler awakened the Duke. The general was finally here. The man who entered the threshold had dark blond hair and golden eyes. There was, on his face, a beard he hadn't cut for weeks, maybe months now. Exhaustion etched his features like a glove to the skin, it could be discerned for his eyes were shot with blood and his features were drawn.
Upon seeing his father-in-law, the man smiled and bowed halfway before been greeted too. The two chattered a bit and the Duke didn't even rebuke his visitor about the time. He was aware, seeing that this person was still dressed in military clothes, that he wouldn't be staying for long.
After the general inquired about his daughter, he got up and following the old Duke. They two entered the little girl's bedchamber.
A low growl warned them to stand still. The Duke hastily held the general's hand; the latter was already holding the pommel of his sword, ready to fight. Before the old man had the chance to explain, the crouched feline got up, and still lowly growling, came closer. It growled for a time, meanwhile, the grandfather was whispering at his son-in-law to rest assured. Seeing that the newcomer didn't seem to mean any harm, Yza didn't jump at him but still, it hoped on the bed, lying by the little girl's feet. Its green eyes, turned into slits, shone dangerously in the penumbra of the room. It looked at them for a time before slowly laying its head on its legs. Though seemingly resting, the two men in the room knew it was on guard.
The general lifted his lamp higher to light the room some more, looking with perplexity at the animal protecting his daughter,
"Is that?-"
"Yes," cut the Duke, "A Karva. It was found in the forest. It meant no harm but don't go closer."
The general had a wry smile. It's been so long since he last saw his daughter and when he could finally have her at arm's length, he was still restrained by an animal? Couldn't even hug his daughter?
He took a step forward and halted when the animal's ear stood still. The general admired the beast. It was his first time seeing one at such a close range.
"It is said to be the best of guardians," he commented, "Its loyalty to those who raised it, knows no bounds... but,..." turning with a deep frown to his father-in-law, he couldn't help but asked, "that's the animal reserved for the safety of Rozengal's royalty, was it really safe to give it to her?"
The Duke snorted crossing his arms over his chest as he came closer to his grandchild. The animal rose its head to look at him but there was no enmity in sight, "So long as it's something on my property, it's obviously mine! Don't talk so much or it will chase us away."
A complicated look cross general Delacour. Was it really that animal calling the shots now? He too didn't want to wake her daughter in the dead of the night!
They approached some more and though the feline didn't utter a sound against the Duke, it growled lowly at the stranger who was shortening the distance between himself and the little girl. The general finally stopped at three feet away, understanding that should he go closer, he wouldn't leave unscathed. From here though, with the candles' light, he could see his daughter's face.
However, in the middle of the night, when she was already deep in slumber, the horses' hooves could be heard and the butler awakened the Duke. The general was finally here. The man who entered the threshold had dark blond hair and golden eyes. There was, on his face, a beard he hadn't cut for weeks, maybe months now. Exhaustion etched his features like a glove to the skin, it could be discerned for his eyes were shot with blood and his features were drawn.
Upon seeing his father-in-law, the man smiled and bowed halfway before been greeted too. The two chattered a bit and the Duke didn't even rebuke his visitor about the time. He was aware, seeing that this person was still dressed in military clothes, that he wouldn't be staying for long.
After the general inquired about his daughter, he got up and following the old Duke. They two entered the little girl's bedchamber.
A low growl warned them to stand still. The Duke hastily held the general's hand; the latter was already holding the pommel of his sword, ready to fight. Before the old man had the chance to explain, the crouched feline got up, and still lowly growling, came closer. It growled for a time, meanwhile, the grandfather was whispering at his son-in-law to rest assured. Seeing that the newcomer didn't seem to mean any harm, Yza didn't jump at him but still, it hoped on the bed, lying by the little girl's feet. Its green eyes, turned into slits, shone dangerously in the penumbra of the room. It looked at them for a time before slowly laying its head on its legs. Though seemingly resting, the two men in the room knew it was on guard.
The general lifted his lamp higher to light the room some more, looking with perplexity at the animal protecting his daughter,
"Is that?-"
"Yes," cut the Duke, "A Karva. It was found in the forest. It meant no harm but don't go closer."
The general had a wry smile. It's been so long since he last saw his daughter and when he could finally have her at arm's length, he was still restrained by an animal? Couldn't even hug his daughter?
He took a step forward and halted when the animal's ear stood still. The general admired the beast. It was his first time seeing one at such a close range.
"It is said to be the best of guardians," he commented, "Its loyalty to those who raised it, knows no bounds... but,..." turning with a deep frown to his father-in-law, he couldn't help but asked, "that's the animal reserved for the safety of Rozengal's royalty, was it really safe to give it to her?"
The Duke snorted crossing his arms over his chest as he came closer to his grandchild. The animal rose its head to look at him but there was no enmity in sight, "So long as it's something on my property, it's obviously mine! Don't talk so much or it will chase us away."
A complicated look cross general Delacour. Was it really that animal calling the shots now? He too didn't want to wake her daughter in the dead of the night!
They approached some more and though the feline didn't utter a sound against the Duke, it growled lowly at the stranger who was shortening the distance between himself and the little girl. The general finally stopped at three feet away, understanding that should he go closer, he wouldn't leave unscathed. From here though, with the candles' light, he could see his daughter's face.
“She looked like Elisa more and more.” He whispered.
His baby was sleeping, with her button-like nose and that vibrant red hair, he could see his wife's figure. Looking for some minutes, he really wanted to reach out and touch her forehead, but only sighed when thinking about the karva. Then he remarked, snuggling to his daughter's chest over the sheets, was a tuff of white fur. She was holding it loosely with one hand. A dog.
"She got herself busy."
"That she did. A restless animal this one!"
A smile tugged at the general's lips. He fleetingly remembered that before taking his service, his daughter had asked for a pet. A pity he wasn't the one to have given it to her. Still, so long as she was happy, it was more than enough for him. The general stood there for a time before exiting the room. Closing the door, he stayed there, leaning against it, eyes closed. Father-in-law and son-in-law stayed silent for a while before the younger man said, without opening his eyes,
"She got herself busy."
"That she did. A restless animal this one!"
A smile tugged at the general's lips. He fleetingly remembered that before taking his service, his daughter had asked for a pet. A pity he wasn't the one to have given it to her. Still, so long as she was happy, it was more than enough for him. The general stood there for a time before exiting the room. Closing the door, he stayed there, leaning against it, eyes closed. Father-in-law and son-in-law stayed silent for a while before the younger man said, without opening his eyes,
“The Richmond’s family's head proposed. I’ve accepted their marriage proposal on her behalf. Two days ago.”
The Duke looked at the ceiling and, sighing, he said,
“You’re her father, not I.”
It was his own way of saying he wasn’t okay with it but wouldn’t intervene. Early engagements weren't uncommon. Actually, it was more common for nobility to be engaged since young than not. However, general Delacour wasn't born noble. He had been a farmer's adopted child who worked hard and obtained, through his merits, the identity of a knight. He became a Grand Duke when he saved the king’s life decades ago now. And though still Grand Duke, was now more referred to as general, for it was the identity he felt more comfortable with and the one he really identified himself as.
His marriage with Elisa was one born from love. Though he wished for his daughter to have that, he couldn't really rest easy knowing that, should he die in the coming months his child would be at people's mercy. What if something happened to the Duke of Rosacrea, would his precious daughter that had been pampered since her birth really be able to recognize between her entourage who could be her allies and who were her enemies? It was still better if he gave her charge to his good friend. At the very least, like that, he could go to the front with one less worry in mind.
His marriage with Elisa was one born from love. Though he wished for his daughter to have that, he couldn't really rest easy knowing that, should he die in the coming months his child would be at people's mercy. What if something happened to the Duke of Rosacrea, would his precious daughter that had been pampered since her birth really be able to recognize between her entourage who could be her allies and who were her enemies? It was still better if he gave her charge to his good friend. At the very least, like that, he could go to the front with one less worry in mind.
Under the full moon, decided by a man she had yet to remember, the young girl’s fate was sealed.
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