Chapter 251: SCARED
Lauren and Lilith left in the evening. Duke Anton sent a carriage to pick them up. They had to leave for their Fief the next day.
"When are we leaving for our fief, Linny?" Aristia asked.
Adeline had just helped her with her evening bath and was dressing her in her night clothes.
"It’s in two days." Adeline said, brushing her head.
"Oh. Okay."
[That’s in February.]
Adeline put down the comb. "There. All done, princess. Oh, you look so adorable." She said.
"Mm. Thank you." Aristia thanked, leaving the dressing table to sit on the bed.
Adeline smiled gently. "Sleep well, princess." She went over to tuck Aristia in.
"Goodnight, Linny."
***
The next day.
Aristia put on her training clothes and prepared to head to her training class.
Early birds chirped just outside the window even as snow lightly dropped down.
Today would be the last day of her training before they would have to leave for their fief in the East.
It had been decided that they would stay in the East.
[Hurray for papa.] She thought somewhat sarcastically.
She breezed through the training with Hugh and prepared for her other classes.
Since they would be all the way in the East, it wouldn’t be possible for Hugh to keep training her.
After the last class she had that day, Aristia decided to lounge in bed.
Adeline was in the room with nothing to do, sitting on the chaise and staring out the window at the snow covered ground.
Owen had just delivered a verbal report to her and was currently eating from her snack bowl on her bedside table.
Without her permission.
[The audacity!]
She rolled her eyes away from him.
"The journey to the East definitely won’t be short." She mumbled, rubbing Millie’s fur.
She raised her upper body, looking at Millie. "Are we becoming lazy, Millie?"
At her question, Owen snorted, causing him to choke on the snacks.
Aristia chose to ignore him.
[He’s gotten his payback.]
Millie opened her eyes, still lying down. ’No. We’re just getting the adequate recuperation our bodies require for proper functioning.’
Millie’s words made Aristia burst out laughing.
[Millie really has a way of making it sound right.]
Before Owen could ask what Millie’s answer was that was causing Aristia to laugh, Aristia’s face changed to surprise.
’You have a visitor.’ Millie said, looking towards the door.
[Huh?]
Just then, soft knocks sounded on the door.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Come in!" Aristia yelled through the door.
It took a few seconds before the person on the other side pushed the door open slowly.
"Kai?" Aristia raised her brows.
"Princess Tia." Kai raised his head. He closed the door behind him, walking further into the room and standing in front of the bed.
He noticed Owen and Adeline were also in the room.
"We’ll soon be leaving for the East." He said shyly.
Aristia nodded, then gazed at him inquisitively.
[I can tell that that’s not the reason he’s here.]
"I... Can I practice my magic in the East?" Kai asked.
"Of course. The East is the perfect place to practice your magic. Most of the mages in the kingdom come from the East." Aristia said.
She sat down at the edge of the bed and patted the space beside her. "Sit down."
Kai sat down obediently. "I know..." He nodded. He hesitated a bit before saying, "But that’s the problem."
This caught Aristia’s attention. Even Owen and Adeline paid attention.
"What do you mean?"
Kai took a deep breath in. "I’m from the East. I... I didn’t run away from home because I wanted to...or because my parents didn’t treat me well. I ran because... my father practiced dark magic."
Aristia watched him calmly, but the faces of Adeline and Owen revealed surprise.
Kai looked at her with a bit of surprise before telling her about what happened. It was exactly as Aristia had seen in the vision.
When he was done, tears dropped down his face.
"So, I’m scared that he’ll find me and catch me." Kai finished, wiping his tears.
"Look at me, Kai." Aristia said. She felt pity. [I can tell why he’s scared of his father. I’m even scared for his mother.]
Kai sniffled and looked at her.
"No one is going to hurt you or force you to do what you don’t want. You’re one of my people now so no one can take you away... even if it’s your father." She added the last part a bit awkwardly.
She cleared her throat. "Do you understand?"
Kai gazed at her for a few seconds before finally nodding.
"And we’ll be inside the Estate. There’s no way anyone would know. Don’t worry. You have no reason to be scared." She added to assure him.
Kai nodded. "Okay."
[Ah, enough of this. I’m supposed to be a seven year old. Though, Aristia should be considered nine mentally. But whatever. All this mature talk doesn’t suit a child like me, does it?]
The room fell into silence once more as some of them were still reeling from what Kai had just revealed.
"You can join Owen to eat snacks." Aristia suggested, pointing towards Owen.
"Oh. Um, okay." Kai nodded, slowly standing up.
Aristia glanced at Owen and rolled her eyes. "And he calls me a glutton."
After a while, another knock sounded on the door.
"Come in!" Aristia yelled.
Everyone turned towards the door.
Almost as soon as the invitation was give, the door was pushed open immediately and Alaric entered.
He seemed to have just finished studying. Just like Aristia was turning seven this year, he would turn five.
"Tia!" He called excitedly, then frowned. "You didn’t tell me you were having a party."
Aristia froze.
"What? A party? What are you talking about?"
She turned around, only to see Owen and Kai gobbling up the snacks. There was even a jug of juice.
Looking at it that way, it did look like they were having a mini party.
Aristia turned back to look at Alaric whose hands were now folded on his chest with his lips twisted.
Aristia, "Er..."
[This is all a big misunderstanding!]