I am sorry for making you wait. Something came up and I couldn't leave right away.

Avy read the words written on the sketchpad her little companion held in front of him for her to see. He was panting when he arrived at the library where the two of them were supposed to spend their day reading books that they find, his face was flushed and beads of sweat trickled down his chin indicating clearly that he had quite the marathon to come to their meeting place.

He looked apologetic but Avy cracked a laugh, knowing exactly what happened. "Your twin was asking to play again, isn't she?" she asked although she was confident it was the real reason why he was late and had to run to not make Avy wait any longer.

Clion didn't nod nor did he shake his head but instead just lowered his gaze, feeling embarrassed. He then held his pen and started scribbling a reply before showing it to the lady in front of him.

She said she didn't want me to go so I asked her to come with me, but she refused and kept insisting that I stay even though we're always together. I don't know why she started acting like that, she's nice, I swear!

"It's alright. She must not be in the best condition to read books, hence the refusal."

Avy scoffed inwardly, amused. It seems like the little girl could no longer compete with her when they are both in Clion's presence. It has been four days since Clari started acting like a complete brat towards her, snatching her twin brother away whenever they are talking, and although Avy did not really do anything to steal the boy, a kid is still a kid, and against a grown lady like her who might act childish most of the time, she's still more than capable to stand her ground.

Wherever Clari would interrupt their conversation by talking to Clion about things that only the two of them could understand, the little boy would answer her and speak to her for a while before eventually coming back to their topic, turning to Avy once more. The cycle goes on and Avy made sure that she piqued the young master's curiosity enough for him to enjoy their conversation, unaware of how his sister glared at her because she couldn't join their talk since she doesn't have any knowledge of what they are talking about.

There are times that the young lady drags Clion away to play but the boy would insist that Avy should come as well and play with them, and although Avy wasn't the type to play dolls and knights and childish games, she didn't hesitate to come along. A little fun wouldn't hurt her once in a while, right?

Another thing was, Clari would always eat more than enough food that was prepared for them to eat every tea time to purposely leave Avy nothing, smiling smugly whenever the older girl couldn't munch on something because she has already swallowed them or dropped them on the floor and tells the maids not to bring anymore because they are full. But in return, Clion would share his food with Avy, giving Avy enough reason to have her chance of smiling smugly after.

Those occurrences happened over and over again until the young girl stopped showing up and instead just tried to keep her twin brother from meeting with Avy although it barely worked because Clion loved Avy's company. She knew she was being petty for being childish and stooping down so low just to please herself by depriving a child of the satisfaction of winning, even so, she also didn't care since it's not that she'll take Clion with her once she leaves the Harrington estate in a week or so.

She received a message from Ciel who went straight to the imperial palace with the second prince, Light, after dropping her off on the estate where she will be staying, saying that she will have to enter the palace soon because almost all the royalties that are needed for the summit has already arrived and the opening ceremony will be held in a couple of days.

Avy was somewhat thankful that duke Arkwright instructed her to stay behind as much as possible to avoid the royals that are already roaming around the palace waiting for the day of the gathering since she will most likely be involved with high-ranking people if she showed her face. It seemed like she wouldn't also be guarded by either Ashton or Ciel because they are also busy helping the duke and their grandfather in their duties. And of course, her uncle Alistair will not be around to keep his eyes on her per his responsibilities as the head commander of the imperial knights.

A couple of gentle taps on the table pulled her out of her thoughts. Knowing that it would be no other than the child sitting across her, she raised her head to meet his eyes, but instead, his open sketchpad greeted her with a written sentence.

"What are those?"

She quirked her brows and Clion pointed at her right where metal scraps and other materials unrelated to studying were lying. she hummed in acknowledgement and slightly lowered the book she was holding before answering.

"I was just checking the materials I asked for and thought of working on it if you couldn't come," she said and took her eyes back to glance at the child. "Why? Are you interested?" she asked.

Clion enthusiastically nodded his head and eagerly tried to scoot his chair closer to the table as if to gesture that he was more than willing to know about the details of the said materials. He had no luck on moving a piece of heavy furniture though, causing Avy to chortle in amusement.

"Come here." she slightly gestured her head at the unoccupied chair to her left to which the young master happily complied. Looking like a kid who was offered candy, the little boy came down from his seat with his pen and sketchpad in his arms and walked over to Avy's side with an expecting smile.

Avy waited for him to settle down and it wasn't long before the child was already staring at her in anticipation although the first thing she noticed was the distance the child put between them. It was close enough for him to hear if she talked but far enough for the both of them to not touch even if one extended their arm to the side. Avy didn't think of it negatively since she knows that Clion is a sweet child, though she wouldn't admit it. She also noticed every time that they are standing or sitting side by side, he would always give her space or create enough distance to not get in the way of her comfort.

"Would it be alright if I moved a little closer?"

Clion looked visibly surprised by her question and hastily wrote his response on his pad before showing it to her a while after. But it wasn't an answer but instead another question.

Would it not make you uncomfortable?

"I should be the one to choose who I am comfortable and uncomfortable with, isn't that right?"

But Clari said you detested children.

"Not just children, but I do make exceptions every once in a while."

With that, Clion looked happy as if he was just complimented for being special. He did not question her any longer and just listened to her explain the mechanism of the electrocuting device that she was developing that would be better than 'Pop's' own creation. He actually didn't know who that was and almost everything she said was things he couldn't understand but he was still invested, like listening to a storyteller read the climax of an interesting story.

Avy, too, was immersed in explaining every little detail she thought that a ten-year-old could understand that she only noticed the time when her stomach started protesting for her to get something to eat. It was a miracle that she even lasted until lunch without wilting like a plant that has not been watered for days since she started going back to her old ways after being refreshed for a while. Days have passed since the last time she saw the crown Prince and the effect of his mana started to wear off immediately before she could even count a week.

"It would be lunchtime soon. We should get going." she glanced at the clock on the wall not too far from where they were sitting, it was an hour and a half before noon.

Clion didn't protest and just nodded his head, following the older girl's gesture and cleaned up his things before coming down from his seat.

But before they could even vacant the library, the doors swung open and Clari stood at the entrance with an angered expression.

"You're still with her? You said you'd come back to play!" she shouted. Avy raised her brows, not amused by her behaviour. She turned her head to the young boy beside her and saw panic taking over seeing his sister angry.

"Fine! I'll just play in my room! Don't follow me!!"

Clion flinched at the loudness of the young girl's voice before she ran off somewhere. Sadness and worry were visible on his face as he gazed at the open doors of the library.

Avy didn't say anything and put her hand on his head reassuringly. Not knowing what to say, she stayed silent. Seeing how the little boy looked so troubled, maybe she felt a little regret for being petty.

~~~

"What are we going to do, boss? We promised the Lord that we'll definitely send him the girls by next week."

A group of rough-looking men gathered around a table inside the most frequented diner in the district. All of them looked at the man who seemed to be their leader with worried eyes, expressing their fears.

"Ah, fuck. Who knew that woman would be able to pay?" one of them cussed. "We could've taken quite a lot of child slaves."

"Be quiet, all of you. It won't end nicely if someone heard and snitched to the birds," the man with a big scar that started from his left ear to the corner of his mouth told them and they all instinctively looked at the child who was sitting in the corner, holding a book in his hands. His attention was not focused on the pages but instead, on the men, his face didn't show any kind of fear, or even any hint of emotion. He was just there, pair of gold eyes staring at them like the dead.

"What the fuck are you looking at, kid?"

The child ignored the hostile question and closed his book before standing up. He put the chair back properly and left after giving the strangers one last glance, the same hostility evident in his gaze.

"Why you...!!"

The man who called out to him was about to rush to his side, obviously having no good intentions, but he was held back by his colleagues.

"H-hey...! Stop it. I heard that kid is the owner's nephew," he hissed, causing the other to frown.

"Does that give him protection?"

The man forced him to sit down before speaking, "Dumbass, that means he's also the birds' Captain's nephew. Warde wouldn't let us run if that kid gets a scratch."

And just in a blink of an eye, the man who was formerly red in anger turned pale, the look of fright masked the scary expression he had earlier. All he could think of were the chilling eyes the color of his blade staring coldly back at his soul. Truly terrifying.

"By the way, boss. Why don't we ask Mercy to help us?"

The man he called boss looked up from his food. "What can that one do?"

"Mercy has connections underground all over the capital-"

"No way. Doesn't that bitch charge too much for a single request? Aren't we gonna get milked?" his colleague interrupted, but he smacked him in the head.

"Better than getting killed by the Lord. And besides, we'll get more money once the Marquis pays up, it's still a good deal."

Their boss nodded his head in understanding, seeing that they really are at a noble's mercy and they have no other choice but to resort to something drastic to avoid death.

"Let's do that. Carl, find a way to contact Mercy."

~~~

"Cherie, did you fight with Lucille?"

It was a regular day. Little Annie hid inside her Dad's office to take the university books he stored on his shelf. A regular day where her busy mother does everything in her power to come home.

"No. We did not."

Although she didn't look up to meet her Mom's gaze, she could feel the looks she was giving, adding to her reasons to just keep her attention glued on the book while only lending her ear to listen to what the older woman has to say to her.

"Then why didn't you go visit her all week? Your uncle told me you stayed at the center after school," her mother said worriedly, stroking her hair gently.

"She has a new friend. She doesn't need me."

It was true, Lucy's new friends were noisy and fun. And all she did was read all day because that's the only thing she didn't find uncomfortable. The other kids didn't like her, but they did like the only friend she knows.

The only friend she has.

"Ana, darling. Things can't be there forever, friends come and go."

"Is she going then?"

"She might. But as long as she's still there, you should also stay. You were with Lucy first, no matter how many friends she meets, you just have to make sure that you will be the last to go."

"Lady Avana?"

Avy opened her eyes after hearing a familiar voice calling her name, the clear skies greeted her. She had closed her eyes and leaned back on her chair while reading a book in the garden, she didn't realize that she actually drifted to sleep yet again.

"I am sorry to disturb your rest, your servants informed me that you were here."

She looked at the person who spoke and saw Craye, the duchy's head butler standing a couple of feet away from where she was.

"Your young master went back to his room, probably upset," she told him, noticing that he was looking for another person's presence.

"I see, it must be because of lady Clari. I apologize you have to witness such sight." Crate bowed his head before once again straightening up to speak. "I came to find you with a different goal in mind."

Avy didn't look surprised, but she did wonder why since they really don't have anything to do with each other. She did not, as far as she was aware, bother him or caused any inconvenience, she also did not do anything good for him to approach her.

"What is it?"

She felt safe enough to not send him away, she knew Clerivan was standing by with Mariel somewhere they could rush to her side once they send danger. She was actually astonished that her knight and maid have such really sharp hearing, if Ares didn't put a spell whenever they are alone, the two could've heard many of their conversations.

"I hope to have a conversation with you, Mi'lady."

~~~

Clari didn't understand why Clion liked to have the stranger lady around.

She would often see the two of them reading in the garden, having conversations that actually didn't look like her brother was being forced to respond. He looked happy. He was happy. And Clari couldn't understand why.

She heard the maid gossip about the lady who followed their older brother around, and she pieced it all together. That lady should be someone bad for their sweet brother to hate her presence too much, like how the maids say. But why is Clion so fond of someone like her?

Clari wanted to stomp her feet in frustration, but she held it in and quietly walked through the hallways, avoiding the eyes of the servants as much as possible. She didn't want to be seen. Her maids think that she was taking a nap inside her room, and she told them to go on a break because she didn't want to be disturbed. And they complied, knowing that she was upset.

She was.

But she didn't want to lose her role as her brother's friend, she planned to take all their toys out so the two of them could play. She snuck out of her room to fetch the old toys that were stored in the basement, she knew Clion loved them more, and she did too. She just has to surprise him with them and apologize, and they will be okay again.

She walked down the stairs of the basement with an excited smile after turning on the lights. Taking her time to look for the toys that were hidden away somewhere, she made sure to not make any noise to not alert the servants.

She was unaware of the consequences of her actions.

A maid passed by the open door of the basement, seeing a black cat sitting in front of the entrance as if looking at something inside.

"Isn't this lady Avana's cat?" she asked herself and noticed the door.

"Don't go inside, you might get locked up," she told the cat and shooed him away from the door before fishing something inside her pockets.

Keys.

She closed the door gently and locked the basement, she didn't see the small light coming from the end of the stairs. Now knowing that a person ventured her way down, she left.

Ares just stared at the door for a few seconds before walking away as if nothing happened.

It wasn't his business.