Chapter 2

"Al..!" I spin on my heel, preparing to follow my brother when one of the guild receptionists stops me, grabbing my shoulders. I look up to her sullen face. She turns me around and hands me two letters.

My parents wills.

I stare down at the letters and back to where Al was standing. He's already long gone. I turn away from the receptionist and without another word, I'm gone. I run as fast as I possibly can with my little legs, the snow crunching beneath my feet.

You would think a kid would go to his secret hide out when he's trying to avoid you, huh? But I already know all of Al's little hang out spots, so of course the best way to avoid me would be to lock himself in his room.

I walk through the house, still covered in snow from outside. The sound of my boots beating against the floor that was echoing through the house stops. A heavy thought weighed me down, chaining me to my spot.

How I am supposed to comfort someone?

I didn't know how. I couldn't move another step. It was such a simple thought yet it evoked such chaos within me. I too found it difficult to understand, why was I the way I was?

I drop my hands the my side and sit myself down on the couch to read the letters first.

I trace my fingers over the delicate writing that splayed out across the envelopes.

Last Will and Testament of Cedric D'Argent

Last Will and Testament of Cordelia D'Argent

Opening up my father's will, I see that the will not quite what it's supposed to be. It's more like a set of instructions than anything than anything. It was quite a few pages long, filled with diagrams and arrows sprawled across the paper. No doubt, these pages contained blueprints of a large mansion, presumably the one that my family lived in before they were exiled. Secrets about the  Argent's that only legitimate heirs were allowed to know.

I scramble towards the envelope with my mother's name on it. Upon opening it I find two wills and a letter.

To my two dearest children,

It seems that your father and I have regrettably passed away. The blueprints in your father's letter must be kept away, only the two of you should know of their existence. I'm afraid that man will come to get you two without a doubt. You must be wary and choose whom you trust. If all goes wrong seek refuge in the House of Ventus, or even in the House of Frinton, they will surely aid you. All that we leave you two are in are wills, however there is more. When we were exiled, we had nothing left. The only things we were able to bring from the Mansion were the Argent insignia, and the Beast Taming Flute. Both are hidden in my jewelry box. Mireille, Alfred, we want you to know that no matter what happens to us, we want you two the live out your days happily.

Love,

Mother

Of course, I understand everything except for who "that man" is. Giving up, I walk up to Alfred's room and slide the letters beneath his door. I guess he was curious because although he tried not to make to much noise, I could hear a slight creak every few steps he took. I'm sitting on the couch contemplating what we should do next when I hear Al's door slam against the wall as he flings it open.

"Mireille...!" I watch my brother as he shuffles out his room in a panic, his eye red rooms tears. "We gotta leave! No... We have to, now!"

He grabs my arm and starts to drag me off somewhere, I can feel his hands shaking I've really never seen him this anxious before.

"Al..." My little four year legs can't seem to keep up with the pace he's walking at. "Al...! Al stop, what's wrong?!"

"I really..." His eye shift up, to my right, and then down again to look at me. "Mother and father. They're, they're dead..." he trails off. "No. No, they can't, they can't be."

Al's voice is brittle, as if it were to break at any moment. I look up at my brother, and choke on the words I spit out.

"Al." He turns to face me, as if he just snapped back to reality. "Mother and father... Are dead. They've died." I say, breaking the truth to him.

Al collapses onto the floor, holding his head in his hands. His tears streaming down his face once again. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry Mireille." Al takes a long deep breaths, just like how my mother once told him to.

"I'm the older one. I should be calm, and figure out what's best for us." He continues. "I can't. I can't. I'm such a useless older brother aren't I?" He chuckles.

"Only sometimes." I say as I pat him on the head. "But usually? You're the best brother I could ask for."

As Al calms down, we both settle in the living room. Taking in a deep breath I ask Al, "Who's 'that man'?" I watch as Al opens his mouth as if he wanted to say something, and then he closed  it again.

"-uncle..."

I could see Al shaking. It wasn't exactly of fear. Rather, it was of hate.

"This person... could you tell me about him?"

"He's the one who threw our family out of nobility. He framed father. And I bet that guy is living off all of father's money... indulging in luxuries."

Al stood up abruptly, walking off. "Sorry Mireille... I can't." My brother closed his door. Fucking hell, magical kingdoms aren't fun in the slightest. A goddamned eight year old has to worry about shit like this.

I too, go to bed that night my worries filling my head, tears streaming down my cheeks.

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