Pendulum || TAENNIE FF

⚔Chapter 1: When the clock stops ticking

There the young boy was, sitting uncomfortably on the red couch. "Is your couch normally this firm? Is this even a couch?" He angrily complained. 

"That's not a prince, that's a villain." Heather told herself and ran to the royal library. All those stories and all those happily ever afters, can she really have those? That's what she kept thinking over and over again. "Father never meant for this to happen. I'm sure he wouldn't do this." Her eyes caught the golden pendulum clock shining in front of the window. The memory of her loving father suddenly flashed in her mind. "If only you were here.." 

"What is this place?" Heather immediately turned around and saw the boy from before entering the library. "Oh wait, this is obviously a library. What am I thinking?"

"Y-you can't be in here! You're a villain!" Heather shouted and tried to push him out. "I would never let a villain do what he wants!" 

"Did you just call me a villain? I'm the prince of Hayhill!" Young Heather wasn't convinced. She assumed he only took the real prince's identity for his evil schemes. 

"Get out of here!" She angrily pushed him out but the boy was also forcing himself to go in. "You don't belong here! No villain will succeed. You have to get through me first!" 

The boy didn't know if he should laugh or get mad at the other's words. She's saying funny nonsense but she's also hurting his young ego.

"Young Lady!" Berta immediately came and separated the two. "What is going on here? Why are you attacking the prince of Hayhill? He's a guest, Heather." 

"He's not a prince! He's a villain pretending to be the prince!" Heather angrily shouted. "I need to defeat him, Berta!" 

"Goodness gracious, dear. He's the prince. Your grandmother will be very furious if she finds out. He's a friend, be nice to him." Heather looked at him for a second and then to Berta again.

"He insulted the couch..!!" She whisper-shouted with her face looking disgusted. "He's not a good person, Berta. You have to believe me." 

Berta only sighed and faced the boy. "I'm so sorry for the trouble Heather caused you. I will take full responsibility, your highness." 

"No! You have nothing to be sorry for. He's the one at fault here. You're a good person and he's not!" The sweet looking girl suddenly looked as if she was gonna attack the boy again. "You ugly cursed beast!" 

"My... My father will hear about this! No one calls me that!" He threatened and left the room running. 

Berta started praying for her salvation after what happened. This is the first time Heather acted like this and she knows it's her fault for leaving the child alone. "Heather, why would you say that to him?" 

"I did nothing wrong. I told him the truth. He's a bad person." Heather's eyes started to water and that alarmed the woman. "And... And grandmother said I'll marry him... Tell her that I don't want to, please?" Heather's tears started falling. 

All Berta could do was hug the poor child and calm her down."I'm so sorry, young lady." She said and patted Heather's back. 

That night, Helena heard everything from the boy she brought and demanded to talk to Heather. Though she didn't want to face the so-called villain again, Heather had no choice but to obey. "Do you have anything to say, Heather?" Her grandmother asked with her one eyebrow raising. "I heard you had an argument with the prince." 

"She called me a beast-" 

"Don't speak unless you're spoken to." Helena scolded and the boy immediately shut his mouth. "Heather? Is there anything you want to say?" 

"Grandmother, is telling the truth something I should apologize for?" Helena was taken aback. "He's a mean person and I pointed it out." The old woman never imagined a six year old child speaking to her like that. Worst part, it's her granddaughter. 

"Is this what your parents taught you all these years? I always knew those two are terrible at parenting. Good thing your father gave you to me so I can work with your attitude. Apologize now before I lose my temper." 

Heather looked at the boy and forced her mouth to open. She was forced against her will and this is against the vows she made for herself. "I'm..." She looked up and looked at her grandmother's expression. Helena had that expression the Evil Queen always wore on her face and that forced her to say the words out of fear. She immediately faced the boy again. "I'm sorry!" With that, she ran to her mother's room and climbed on her bed. 

"Heather?" Mirana worriedly called the moment her daughter hugged her tight. "Dear, what happened?" 

"I wish father was here." Was all Heather said and started crying. Mirana heard her sobs and felt her tears forming too. She failed as a wife and now she failed as a mother. "He would protect us if he was here." 

"I know, dear one. I know. I'm sorry..." Mirana whispered and softly caressed Heather's hair. "I'm so sorry." 

When they thought the worst had already befallen upon them, three years later, Mirana's illness grew worse. She can no longer be treated and everyone was mentally preparing for her forever farewell. Until the wait was over and Mirana followed her husband to the afterlife, leaving Heather with no one else but herself. 

She stood in front of her mother's grave just beside her father's. "I was just here with you three years ago, mother. And now you left me here all alone." A tear escaped from the corner of her eye and fell on her mother's headstone. "I lost the both of you. How do you expect me to live after this?" 

Heather heard footsteps approaching from behind. As she was crying, she felt an arm wrap around her shoulder with a feeling of comfort coming along with it. She rested her head on his shoulder and cried her emotions out. "You're not alone. You'll always have me." 

She can no longer take a hold of herself and hugged him. It was just the both of them and the sun that's starting to hide. Heather felt better compared to when he wasn't there a minute ago."Now will you stop calling me a villain? I'm doing you a favor." 

Heather was caught off-guard and laughed. "Fine. You earned it, Levi."

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Levi already made his first appearance!!😍 I don't know who you guys are gonna imagine as him but I couldn't control that anymore😅 I hope you like the chapter!! I will really try my best to keep updating, okie? Even if I only want a maximum of 1000 words, I really couldn't make it fit. I hope a long chapter's okay?🥺