26- "Complete the sentence and her head snaps off." Forsyth threatened.

"Why didn't we take off at dawn? Are you sure this wouldn't cause a problem?" Mildred's nervous voice amused Simon. He wouldn't have taken her at night if he wasn't being cautious. Eve's damn visitors have been lurking around searching for the weak to pry on. And Mildred happened to be in the category.

"King Magnus will be leaving at dawn too. And he wants to meet the newly recruited servant." Simon had told her the king was searching for an assistant for an old man named Robert.

"I don't know how to thank you enough, Mr. Cian, you're a very good person."

"I wouldn't say that if I were you." A distant voice came, but only Simon could hear him. Simon had chosen the night journey not just because the King was leaving at dawn the next day but also because of Forsyth.

"Why don't we mount my horse, I think we'd get there faster with it," Mildred suggested.

"I think that's a good-"

"Complete the sentence and her neck snaps off." Forsythe threatened.

"-not idea. The mansion isn't far from here. Let's just walk it." Simon tilted his head a little and glared at a smiling Forsyth.

"I must say, Simon, you've turned weak. Is her pussy that nice? Huh?" Forsyth's cockily taunted. Hearing no response from him, Forsyth smirked.

"Taking her to the Magnus's Mansion isn't going to keep me off her, you know that right?" He took a step forward and he walked.

"And what did she say you were? A good person? Is she aware of the many types of blood in your hand, or the thousands of people you've beheaded over the years?" His smirk grew wider as he noticed Simon's stiffened body.

"She can't hear me, relax." He chuckled.

Sick bastard. Simon thought.

"I've been talking since and I've gotten no reply, I hate talking to myself." He ran his thumb on his lower lip. "I'm kinda tasty for food."

Simon curtailed, confusing Mildred.

"Is something wrong?" She inquired, worriedly.

Simon shook his head. "Can you…Ehm…keep walking, I need to pee." Mildred's eyes widened a little and her face went red.

"Oh…ok. That's…Ehm…right, y-you need to let it out." Mildred's voice was barely heard as her voice automatically went low.

Simon smiled teasingly at her. "Let what out?" His teasing inquiry made her face hot from reddening too hard.

"T-that…p…pee…" Simon laughed silently. He felt the need to pinch her red cheeks, he was sure blood would crawl out of them.

"5…4…time ticking…3…2…"

"You should go now, just wait for me up there." Mildred nodded and hid her red face as she strolled away.

Simon turned around slowly. "You son of a bitch-" he didn't finish his sentence as a strong punch made contact with his stomach. "Dammit Forsyth!" He said as he fell to the ground.

"What? I was just checking if you're pussy whipped or something. Thankfully, you aren't very much, just a little."

"What do you want, Forsyth?" Simon looked at Forsyth scowling.

Forsyth became serious all of a sudden. "Stop what you're doing, it won't work." His voice was cold, very hard.

Simon stood up from the ground and dusted himself. "If you noticed it then it's working." He said to Forsyth.

Forsyth moved closer to him. "Do you want to know the kind of effect it has? It makes me more hungry to snap her bitchy little neck off. I bet it wouldn't take seconds to do it."

Simon noticed he was getting angrier. This made him smile. This was the reaction he wanted from him. "You won't kill her, something in there won't let you." He said and pointed at his heart.

What Simon didn't expect was to be punched in the face very hard and then silence. He looked around but couldn't find Forsyth. He smiles to himself. His thoughts went back to Mildred…

…Wait…

Mildred!

He ran to the place he told her to wait, but she wasn't there. Just her horse and a few of her stuff.

"What have you done, Simon?" He said as he uttered a profanity at himself.

_______

(Past; 1742)

"Mr. Cian." Marleen bent her head at him as she walked through the corridor.

"Call me Simon, Marleen, Mister makes me look old." Mr. Cian said.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cian, but the crown prince instructed me not to." Marleen apologized. She took a step to continue walking but was stopped.

"But he's not here."

She opened her mouth to speak, "I-" but was cut off.

"I wasn't aware you were interested in my maid, Simon. I'd rather you tell me than eyeing-ly seduce her." Forsyth made his appearance as he grimaced at Simon.

"And you," he turned to Marleen, "I remember telling you not to communicate with outsiders."

"Yes, My Prince, but he isn't an outsider-"

"Are you safeguarding him already?" He raised a question, his voice wasn't anywhere friendly. "How long has- this," he twirled his hand between them. "been going on?" He cocked his brow.

"There's nothing, My Prince." Marleen leans her head.

"Don't be ridiculous, Forsyth, I'm just talking to her," Simon said.

"But she defied me."

"That's because I'm not an outsider."

"If I say you're an outsider then you are an outsider, do you hear me, Marleen? Everybody is an outsider unless I say otherwise." He gazed down heavily at her. "It's time for your punishment."

Marleen twitched, she took two slow steps back. She hasn't done anything wrong, she was just being friendly to his Friend.

"To my room, now."

Marleen nodded and stooped, she turned around and walked at a slow pace to the crown prince's room. She had a key to his room, he had given it to her, making her the second person in the entire palace to have access to his room.

She entered the room and turned to lock the door, but a strong force pushed her away and pinned her to the wall.

"How was flirting with Simon?" He asked as he bent his head, his face was a few inches away from hers, and she could feel his breath on her face.

"I…I wasn't flirting, My Prince, I…don't even know how to." Her tone speaks of how innocuous she was. But this made him eager to punish her. The need to taint her innocence was very strong as his gaze shifted to her lips.