Cause Of His Pain

'Mr. Toone is such a nice guy. He was kind enough to offer me much needed medical attention. My back still hurts because of that child.' A certain young lad walked out of the physician's room and made his way towards the stables.

'Let's just finish the mission and go back home! I miss big brother!' He sighed as he walked ahead.

Before he could step further, he noticed a moving figure at a certain distance away from him.

He vigilantly watched as the small figure stood up and carefully placed a pretty white flower in her hair.

Her back was towards the boy but he had recognized that rare violet hair that was tied in an elegant bun. After all, she was the cause of his pain.

'Isn't that Earl St. Claire's daughter?' He looked around to see if there was a maid or attendant to watch over the little girl.

'Why is she here without anyone escorting her?' He frowned and decided to call out to her.

He hastened his steps when he saw her reach out her hand towards the thorny rose bushes.

"Wai-" But he was already too late.

She withdrew her hand and sucked on her fingers.

'Was she not taught how to behave in a ladylike manner? Where are her etiquettes?' He scowled when he saw her actions.

"What the fuck, rose!?" 

His foot slipped when he heard her vulgar language and he fell on his butt.

*Swoosh!*

Luckily, a bush covered him, or else the child would have seen him in this humiliating state. 

At that exact moment, she turned around and stared at the spot that he was at, but it was just his imagination because she was looking back at the mansion.

He crouched down and decided to wait until she left before he could get up and take off discreetly.

But she just looked at the sky and then alternated between the garden and the mansion.

'Is she lost? I think that I should help her! How can a gentleman ignore a lady in trouble?' He remembered his elder brother's wise words and decided to follow them.

Before he could get up and offer his assistance, he saw her walk further into the garden while looking at her surroundings vigilantly.

He found that the sneaky glances she took to check if someone was around, was extremely comical.

'This child is unusual! I wonder what she is up to, so I better follow her.' He got up when she was a few steps away and looked at her.

She stared at the stream and then hid behind one of the big bushes.

'Is she not worried that she will soil her clothes? I heard promising things about the Earl's daughter but why is my information so different from what I see now?' He frowned and expertly climbed to the highest branch of a tree to observe her properly.

He was so confident in his stealthy actions that he chose the tree that was right next to her hiding spot.

This way, he could examine every single expression of hers which greatly amused him.

He watched as her eyes focused in one direction and he too turned that way.

'Oh! So, she likes Frit?' He silently chuckled when he saw the other boy kicking pebbles as he walked.

His eyes narrowed when he saw that the boy named Frit was standing too close to the edge.

*Splash!*

"Yes!" 

His head whiplashed from the boy who was frantically paddling his hands and feet to the girl who was chuckling.

'Is this a joke to her?' He glared when he saw that she was getting a kick out of his panic and fear.

"Help!"

The boy covered his ears when he heard the loud screams but he did not move from his position.

"Somebody! I can't swim!"

'If he would just try to stand up straight, he would know that the stream reached up to his chest at best!' The boy shook his head when he heard those wails.

But the girl finally started to panic, she looked around as if she was searching for something or for someone.

"Fuck!" She then hit her head violently.

The boy was horrified to hear the awful words that spilled out of her tiny and innocent-looking mouth.

"You are such an asshole!" 

He quickly hid behind a thick branch when he saw her look up at the sky.

"Help!"

The boy rolled his eyes when he heard the exaggerated cries.

"I'm coming! You don't have to cry about it!" 

He chuckled because he was thinking of the exact same thing that she had yelled out.

'Is she really going to pull him out? He's twice her size!' He watched with fascination as Fritz scowled at her and she gave him a piece of her mind.

'He must be in shock, no one has ever spoken to him in such a rude tone.' He cracked up.

She struggled hard and finally pulled him out of the shallow waters.

For a second there, he had felt that he should go and help her out but when he heard her call Frit a 'pig', he almost fell off the branch because he couldn't control his laughter.

He could see someone running in their direction because of his high vantage point. He recalled that it was the gardener and his wife.

'They must have heard his screams.' He reckoned.

When he looked back down, he noticed that Frit had fainted and the girl was running back to her hiding spot.

'I better follow them!' He was about to get off the tree when he saw that the old man and woman had carried Frit away in a panic.

When he took one last glance at her, he saw her take off her shoes and walk barefooted as she chased after them.

'Oh, Frit! Looks like you have a stalker on your tail.' He shook his head and followed the girl who was following the couple.

When he reached the small cottage that they had carried the unconscious little boy to, the girl was hiding just below a window and looking around.

She then pushed an empty metal can of some sort and stepped on it to watch what was happening inside the cottage.

He climbed another tree that gave him the perfect view of her and of Frit.

Frit's arms and legs were being rubbed furiously by the old man.

He yelled something out and a young girl with dark brown hair ran inside with firewood in her hands.

'That must be the gardener's daughter.' He speculated

Dark-colored hair was extremely rare and the majority of people just had a light brown shade, like how his hair looked right now.

He shrugged and looked back at the scene inside the cottage.

The gardener left Frit alone with the girl and went to prepare the soup.

But what made his brows rise was the trembling shoulders of the little peeping girl as she looked down.

'Is she sad that Frit is being nursed by another girl? She should just barge inside and take care of him then.' He advised the little girl in his mind but did not move an inch.

'Huh?' He was puzzled when she finally looked up.

'That is definitely not the face of someone who's crying!' He widened his eyes as he looked on.