Cute White Rabbit

"Big surprises come in small boxes," Midel muttered as he placed a hand on his chin and bent down to look at a white fur ball hopping about inside the garden of the Saber Estate. Shiiba also looked with inquisitive eyes at the little white rabbit. They all sensed that this little rabbit that Lucien gave to Yllana was not ordinary at all.

Two little blood-red eyes in the shape of teardrops stared back at them. It's two long ears drooped down sensing no danger from the people around it.

"What name will you give this little one?" Theoden asked Yllana as he rubbed the rabbit's ears. Yllana fetched a black collar from her space ring and tied it around the rabbit's neck. She stared at the gold nameplate hanging in the middle of the collar.

"Laia..." After saying the name, visible strokes appeared in the nameplate and the name Laia was engraved on it. Yllana smiled and hugged the white rabbit. "Because she reminds me of mother."

"What were you thinking gifting her a cute white rabbit?" Shiiba glanced at the cold man who was sitting under a tree observing them all. He was silent but his eyes never left the red-haired girl in front of him.

"Not a rabbit." There was a playful look in his eyes though his lips never curved into a smile.

Midel was silently observing that silent man with the dark robe. Well, everything about him is dark. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Dark robes. Even the staff he summons is black. He was like born in the darkness that he embodied it and it was already a natural part of him.

"That...is no cute white rabbit." Midel shot a glance at Shiiba who innocently looked up at him. "It is a beast. It seems someone is afraid of her getting harmed in any way." Lucien just gave him a fleeting glance before closing his eyes dismissing the two who were asking too much.

Theoden and Yrah were walking to gates before calling over for Yllana.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"I don't know what happened and why the Empress was so interested in the blood drop stone. But if you don't want to tell us, it's ok. Whatever color your eyes have-" Theoden was interrupted by a sudden thin voice from his side. His golden eyes met white ones.

"What? What happened to Yana's eyes?" Yrah turned her head harshly to the side as if she can see her father.

"Oh, right. You can't see it. Yllana's irises are red now not like our golden ones from our bloodline." Theoden was shaking his head when he realized that his eldest daughter turned blind and his youngest had a completely changed iris. Why was fate targeting his daughters' eyes? Was there something wrong with having golden eyes in his family? He quickly shrugged off the idea and turned to look at Yllana and Yrah who continued their conversation about their eyes.

"And yours have turned white sister," Yllana wrinkled her forehead, worried about her sister's sight. "Father, will it be alright if we travel with this state?"

Yrah cast her face downward. She clenched her fist and bit her lip. "I won't be a burden, I promise."

"It's not what I meant sister! I am just worried that we won't be enough to protect you. I don't want..." - 'to lose another loved one,' she just thought of the last phrase as it hurt her. She just grabbed her sister's hands and looked at her father with pleading eyes.

"You are the number 1 Holy Knight in the North Kingdom. Why are you so afraid now?" Yrah's spirits went up hearing her sister's worried voice.

But before anyone can answer them, a sound of rushing footsteps caught their attention. Then a series of hurried knocks almost opened up the door followed by a trembling voice of a girl.

"Master! Young Miss! The prince is here! He is-ahhh!"

Bang!

The door was forced open with the hinges cracked. Inside the room, three shocked faces stood vigilant against the intruder who took down Mira.

"You!-" Yllana and Yrah shouted at the same time.

Yllana grabbed Yrah and her father behind her. If it was days ago when the prince caught her in their estate, she might not have been able to put up a fight. But since she had swallowed the blood drop stone, she stands a chance of fighting him right now. Yllana unsheathed her sword and pointed it at the prince.

"Why-you...you were the thief! That petty little thief who ransacked this..." Realizing that something felt odd, Prince Devon slowly stopped talking. His adrenaline rush that had been overwhelming earlier on died down.

Red hair.

Fair skin.

Theoden and Yrah behind her. He would be a fool not to notice the resemblance and the closeness these three have. "You are the youngest? Yllana Saber? And you're also the number one Holy Knight? Why...didn't you tell me?" As he thought to himself, Prince Devon felt remorseful as memories of pushing Yllana down came back to him. "Look...this prince-"

"What is going on here?"

Blag!

The prince fell on his knees. His lips twitched and drips of cold sweat rolled down his forehead. That booming cold voice and powerful pressure gave him a sense of panic. "Mage...you were that mercenary mage. But I am a rank higher than you...how come you-"

"Tsk, noisy." Lucien glared at the prince with a look of disgust.

"Lucien! He is the prince of North Kingdom!" Yrah shouted. Even though this prince is annoying, there is still some power behind him and they must not do something unnecessary. Yrah could feel the powerful aura emanating from Lucien. "Yana...do something about him. We can't openly kill another royalty here in this Estate.

Yrah was worried about rumors. There was enough gossip about the royal family rampaging in their estate and about the rebellion of the Holy Knights led by Yllana. Though the rumors get quiet when the knights are around, they cannot stop the gossips within private places.

Yllana walked up to Lucien and patted his shoulder. Lucien stopped pressuring Prince Devon and glanced at him with his sharp eyes. When he turned around to walk away, he felt the prince standing up.

Feeling the pressure being lifted, Prince Devon immediately rose to his feet and shouted at Lucien. "This prince was only looking for his lovely maiden! You shouldn't have done that!"

Swish!

The room went quiet. A red line materialized on the prince's left cheek. Blood dripped.

Yllana went to Prince Devon's side. She whispered to him, "Remember that Holy Knights are not tied to the Kingdom's royal family but to the people of the kingdom."

The prince looked sorry for raising his voice. He looked down on the ground. "If I stay quiet, will you let me stay by Yrah's side?" She was his target here anyway. "Staying by her side will give her more protection, right? This handsome prince can only ensure my pretty lady's future as my wife if I stay by her side."

Shocked. Imagine the world stopped for a moment and only the sound of the gentle wind blowing was heard. Theoden and Yllana measured the prince up and down. Fourteen years old and he is already talking about marriage? He would even go as far as guarding his 'future' wife! Who wouldn't be shocked?

"Prince Devon, are you aware of the things you are saying?" Theoden's lips twitched.

Lucien noticed a white fur ball hopping beside him. He took it in his arms and went outside. The cute white rabbit peeked at the scene of the father and daughters. Its eyes sweeping them before landing on the young man with yellow hair and sea-green eyes. "Laia, keep an eye on him."

Nobody heard that cold voice nor the cold answer from a white ball of fur which twitched its ears up and stared its cold bloody eyes on the only young man in that room.