The Guarded Princess

LXXIV

The two stared down at the dirty, black-cloaked figure before them and upon seeing his figure, they were surprised to see the figure of that of a young child's. Lifting his face up, they could see that it was a young boy. Moreover, it wasn't just any young boy, it was a young Fanalis. His maroon eyes stared back at them with extreme caution and a hint of fear in them.

Lucy looked at him and seeing how malnourished he was which was an uncommon thing among Fanalis, heart tensed up with grief. She reached out to him but the boy gritted his teeth and swatted her hand away with force. Lucy held her hand and though it was stinging red, it was enough evidence of how weak he had become. After all, even a child Fanalis would be able to break her hand if they so wished to.

"Lucy!" Masrur looked at her in worry.

She shook her head and smiled softly at him, indicating that she was all right.

"Don't touch me," he gritted his teeth. "There's nothing good about people like you! After all, no one wants to touch something filthy," he murmured and looked away as he remembered all the passing nobles that only cared for themselves and would only kick people like him away. "Moreover, this ugly hair and eyes," he gritted his teeth. "It's filthy."

Lucy widened her eyes and reached out to hold his wrist as her eyes brimmed with anger. "They're not filthy or ugly at all!" she yelled.

The boy looked at her and went to take his hand back. "Let go o-!"

"I won't let go!" she yelled. "There's no way I'm letting go of you! Right now, you're in no condition to fight so rather than fighting with me, come with me!"

He widened his eyes and Lucy softened her grip - though, even with her current grip, it didn't hurt him much.

She gave a soft smile. "What you need right now are the basic necessities. So," she stood up and helped him stand. "Come with me."

He looked into her eyes and seeing the warm light in them, he decided to trust her. Looking down and forming his lips into a small, tight line, he meekly nodded his head and Lucy smiled. She picked him up but with the boy being a little grown and with Lucy having a short stature, it proved to be difficult.

"Let me," Masrur said and lifted the boy from her arms and gently carried him.

The boy widened his eyes and stared up at Masrur. He didn't want to leave Lucy yet for she was the only person he trusted but was aware that she was going to have trouble carrying him. Moreover, he was curious about the man who currently held him for he had the same hair and eyes at him.

Masrur smiled kindly down at him. "I'm also the same as you. A Fanalis."

"Fanalis..." he said as if hearing those words for the first time.

"That's right," Masrur said and noticed the same thing that Lucy did as well. The child wasn't aware of his race and it might as well be possible that he had been abandoned while he was still fairly young. Moreover, seeing a Fanalis in this area was rare which might show why he didn't know anything. Turning to Lucy, Masrur looked at her. "We have an estate nearby. Why not head there?"

"Yeah, let's do that," Lucy nodded her head and Masrur held her hand as the three of them disappeared into gold dust and flew through the clouds, the rukh accompanying them, towards their estate.

At the Estate~

"Now, let's get you washed and changed," Lucy smiled as they headed towards the bath within the large estate which was clouded from outsiders. "After all, it feels uncomfortable with all that dirt and soot on you, right?"

He looked at her and looking at how she was holding his hand without caring about her own hand being dirty, he nodded his head meekly with a blank face but his eyes shone with warmth. Leading him to the bath, she glanced at Masrur who nodded his head in understanding.