Ciel

"IT WAS EITHER her or you," Ciel places his hands back on Larissa's shoulders with a soft smile that he reserved only for her. "If I'd known that you would still bring that up years later, then maybe I should've listened to Blaine and just watched you die,"

Contrary to Ciel, Blaine loathed Larissa. Larissa didn't know if her mother was being dramatic about how the second prince almost burned her to death upon seeing her as a baby, but with the words that Ciel just uttered, she was tempted to believe that her mother wasn't simply exaggerating and was telling the truth.

Seemingly ignorant to the look present on his younger sister's face, Ciel continued on. "Blaine saw what was happening first,"

"He watched how the maid pushed you to the floor, straddled you, and wrapped her strong hands around your porcelain neck," Ciel's lips once again found Larissa's ear. "He didn't move a single muscle and just watched how you slowly lost air to breathe--"

"I don't need to neither know nor remember those things," Larissa cut her older brother off, once again moving away from him. Regardless of how often the two were in close proximity, Larissa still felt uncomfortable at how Ciel would act when they were alone and when they were with their siblings.

He treated her way differently which continues to confuse her.

"Will you follow Father's plea?" Ciel asks after a moment of silence between the two. He summoned a fireball on his right hand which he usually did when he was bored. "Or will you escape just like you originally planned to when you're finally eighteen?"

Larissa turned to her older brother with an unimpressed look. "You read my diary?"

"You weren't here yesterday," The older of the two had the gall to put the blame on her. "I was bored,"

"You should think twice before reading things that are supposed to be private,"

"Am I not the only person you completely trust in the entire castle?"

He was unfortunately right. Not only can Larissa not show her "true" face to her biological mother, but she also had to continuously pretend in front of their entire family, particularly her father who liked her more when she acted like a doll rather than a human being.

Ciel was the only person that understood her. The only one who couldn't care less if Larissa cursed like a sailor, had a fascination with weapons, especially daggers, and hated the idea of living in the castle forever.

He was the only person who looked past the mask that she wore more often than not.

Larissa decided to ask him a question that she always wanted to ask him. "Will you help me leave?"

Apparently, he already had a hunch that she would ask him the question and responded quickly. "Where would you go?"

"I don't know," Larissa said honestly.

She thought of Silicia, the kingdom located in the South. The books that she owned depicted Silicia as a beautiful kingdom by the sea. It was known to be home to a huge variety of marine animals and even mermaids, and the majority of its inhabitants have an affinity for the water element. The queen herself originally hailed from Silicia, thus her affinity for water.

Silicia is also where the great Silician Academy is located. It was the most prestigious academy in all four kingdoms and produced numerous mages and knights every year to serve their respective kingdoms.

"You're thinking of Silicia," Ciel notes. "Altair goes there,"

Unlike the rest of the royal children, Altair was the only one allowed to go to the academy and hone his entire set of skills. He had been there since a decade ago, going to the academy when he was still a child. Larissa even forgot how old her oldest brother is already, only finding out through the multiple gossips that she heard from the servants a week ago that Altair was already twenty-five, and he was already set to pick a bride next year.

"I don't think he knows what I look like,"

"He does," Ciel said. "He knows all our faces,"

"How? He hasn't been here for a decade,"

"He memorized us all," was what Ciel told her.

While uttering those sentences, Larissa was able to see how the previously bored expression on Ciel's face turned into one of pure jealousy. It wasn't exactly a secret that Altair was favored by their father as well, especially compared to the other princes.

It also doesn't help how he was the only Idradalean royal chosen to attend Silician Academy. Their father could've chosen more of his children, with how both Ciel and Blaine are merely two years younger than Altair, but he didn't.

The decision that disallowed the rest of the royal children to attend Silician Academy opened various paths for them. Blaine and Ciel both trained under master swordsmen and magicians, Darius studied under various tutors, and Larissa's older brothers Eclair and Francis went on to be royal knights exclusive to the royal family.

"Then where should I go?" Larissa asked. She was holding the dagger in her hand now, testing its sharpness with her fingers. "I don't exactly have a lot of options,"

Ciel was silent for a while. "Xethen?"

Xethen was the kingdom in the North. It was known for its cold temperatures and vast forests filled with beasts with cores that would sell for huge amounts of money. Mercenaries would flock there to earn and gain experience in monster hunting. Due to their huge numbers, they also established several guilds that gave out specific orders that come from either merchants, common people, or even royalty.

And as much as Larissa would like to imagine herself as an adventurer, she's not very sure that she would do well in the monster hunting business.

"I don't know.."

"I can buy off a guild to take you in," Ciel looks at her. "Wouldn't take much time and money,"

Larissa raised an eyebrow. "Where did you get that money?"

Ciel grins. "You don't have to know,"

Probably from mercenary work, she thinks. Larissa wasn't stupid to not be able to connect the dots of how the third prince knows a guild in Xenthon, much less be able to buy it entirely.

"Just don't get hurt," She tells him.

Ciel was about to boast about his prowess but stopped when he realized that his youngest sister was serious. "Yeah,"

Larissa sighs before standing up and making her way to her closet, opening it wide and groaning in disappointment at how new gowns have seemed to find themselves in her already-full closet.

"Did Nympha buy you gowns you don't like again?"

Ciel doesn't refer to Larissa's mother with the honorifics that should be used for concubines. He doesn't like her as well and tries his best to avoid her at all costs.

She was also one of the reasons why Ciel preferred not to show up at dinner, especially when the questions she would ask him always angered the latter or manage to annoy him.

"Yeah," Larissa answers. "She's been doing it more after Father increased the money that she receives,"

"Is that so," The lack of interest was evident in Ciel's voice. "Will you be bringing those dresses with you, then?"

The girl shivered at the idea of bringing such dresses with her. "Definitely not,"

"I'll get you some of my clothes," He was quick to offer. "You might have difficulty walking with them, though,"

Larissa turned towards Ciel's retreating figure. He had always been tall, even taller than most of their other siblings, and far taller than Larissa. It would make sense that his clothes would be bigger compared to Larissa's body frame.

Was she really doing this? Would she really leave the palace and journey to a new place all on her own?

Can she do it?

The idea of being the sacrifice for her father's idiotic deeds had once again eliminated her doubts regarding her decision.

The great king my ass, Larissa thinks.

Ciel soon returned with a huge brown bag that was presumed to hold the clothes that she would wear throughout her journey. "Here,"

Larissa holds the bag loosely, its weight catching up to her quickly. Can she even manage to carry it all the way to a nearby inn without being attacked or killed by bandits?

"I'll follow you for a while," Ciel suddenly says. His words made Larissa look up. "Besides I know you managed to bribe your guards to train you a bit with swords,"

"They work almost just like daggers, the only difference being daggers are smaller and suited better in terms of close combat,"

Larissa lets out a sigh. She can do this. She can fucking do this.

Before either of the two can speak up to continue the conversation that they were having, a knock interrupted the silence.

"Dinner is ready, my lady!"

Ciel glances at her briefly before standing up. He nods at her and disappears, leaving only a faint smell of burning wood behind.