Aberdeen City, 16 years ago
The young Ansel rushed past the shrubs and trees, ignoring the cuts he was suffering along the way.
However, he accidentally stepped on overgrown roots and tripped.
"...ouch…" He mumbled, little tears forming in his eyes.
His feet hurt, his arm hurt, and his leg was bleeding. He tried to drag himself but he couldn't go even a few centimeters.
Little Ansel couldn't help but sob. He was so useless, he couldn't even walk…
And what about that girl? She was only an inch bigger than he was, and she was a girl…
Shame enveloped his young body, and yet he couldn't do anything about it.
He could only cry like he always had, sniffing, rubbing his snot with his dirty hands, making his face even dirtier and more pitiful.
Then, he heard rustles from the bushes, and his fear was exacerbated.
He stopped breathing and covered his mouth with his small hands to be sure, closing his eyes in fear.
As if he couldn't see, he couldn't be seen either.
But after the rustles there was a pause, and Ansel mustered his courage to squint his eyes open just a little bit to see.
He saw those brilliant emerald eyes again, staring straight at him, bright as always. Even if there were drops of blood dripping in her eyelashes, it was still so beautiful.
Seeing him all in one piece, a happy smile graced her pretty face. "Found you!"
_____
[28 Days of Protection Period]
After a few hours, the mob had finally lightened up, eventually running away.
Seeing the scene, many people cheered, but most of them just lost their footing from tiredness, still couldn't get back up from exhaustion.
In the midst of this, Ansel was approached by a certain lord, that same smile plastered on his face. "You did a good job." He told her, "It's a pity you're unwilling to be my right hand man…"
Micheal who, despite the blood on his shirt, stood straight and unaffected, unlike everyone else who were all gasping for breath.
The tone creeped Ansel out and unconsciously gave him a bad stare, eyes looking around for the pompous sidekick he had. "Where's the other one?"
The man's face darkened a little. "If you're talking about Pho, I never said he was my right-hand man."
Then, he smiled again. "You can certainly be."
"Err…, no, thank you."
The people around saw the lord's favor on him and looked at him heatedly. Some in annoyance while some in greed.
Ansel reckoned that someone would definitely try attaching to him after seeing the importance the lord placed on him.
Tsk. Annoying.
To his surprise, someone actually approached him almost as soon as things calmed down.
It was the two girls, looking very dirty with their ripped attires, but still as well-kept as they could be, all things considered.
The first girl approached him with a confident attitude that reminded him of an annoying peacock, except that peacocks were male and were actually endearing.
This one just irked him. Like the cringey sound metal made when rubbed against another metal.
There was also another girl a step behind her, meek and graceful, a bit better kept, making a contrast with the other girl.
But he didn't like either of them.
He belatedly remembered them as the two women who had recognized him earlier, and Ansel decided to patiently wait for what they had to say.
"Ansel." Peacock girl said with a nod. It was also with such certainty as if she was sure Ansel would recognize her.
Instead, Ansel crossed his arms and gave her a look-over. "Who are you?"
"..."
Her 'poised' stature cracked as she looked offended and aghast at his 'ignorance'. "We've been neighbors for years!"
He looked blank, but he disliked noisy self-absorbed shrews the most. "I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with aunties."
There was a burst of laughter in the crowd and the girl's face looked as red as a baboon's butt. In humiliation, tears lined up her eyes as she glared at him.
"You are just like your sister–"
Ansel's pompous look changed immediately.
"You've seen her." He said a statement, walking over and grabbing her shoulder.
He shook it, sexy eyes filled with anticipation. "Where?"
Ramona looked very reluctant to speak, while blushing at his warm touch.
Next to her, Sandra looked at Ansel obsessively, remembering his gallant fight and the succeeding appreciation of the lord here.
She had seen him before in Terran, albeit from afar, along with that husband of Althea's.
That orphan was surrounded by excellent men since she was a child. What about her? She had to betray her body for scumbags.
She took a step forward at this time. "We don't know where she is now, we were separated days ago…"
A part of her wanted to throw some shade, but she had heard about this guy's 'my sister is always right' attitude, and didn't want to take any risks.
Ansel's eyebrows furrowed as he tried placing the new girl, letting go of his hold of Ramona (to the latter's annoyance).
Fortunately for Sandra, she had several physical features that were quite similar to Nanny that he eventually recognized her.
"Ah! You're Nanny's daughter." He said and the girl brightened at being recognized.
Then she recalled Althea's reaction and she paled, immediately letting tears run, breaking her surviving suitors' hearts.
"My mother… she said she had passed away." She paused, "Althea told me she killed her, herself..."
Ansel's heart dropped and his throat felt like it was blocked by something.
Nanny…
And Althea. She had to kill Nanny with her own hands. How sad was she?
He closed his eyes to push down the depression.
It was not the time to mourn, not yet.
When he opened his eyes, he had regained some clarity. After a beat, he looked at Sandra.
As someone who had been with at least a few dozen women and even more suitors, how could he not know of Sandra's crocodile tears?
But Ansel's poison didn't spread to her simply because she had news of his sister. "What direction did she come from?"
Sandra genuinely wondered whether to tell him. She didn't want Althea's life to be even easier than it already was. But Ansel saw her reluctance and added:
"I'll owe you a favor."
Deal.
But Sandra maintained her meekness and did not show the brightness in her eyes.
"They were heading to the mountains in the east." She said softly. "She was with another woman, an old man, a little girl, and a dog."
"Thanks." He said, nodding politely. He even took out a can of dried fruit he saved up. "Here."
And after politely bidding farewell to his acquaintances, he ran out the gate, quickly disappearing from view.
Although he had been a bit tired from the fight, this news energized him so much that he felt he could run for a few more hours.
Althea…
I finally found you.