“Csille, are you okay? You seem bothered.” Rufus snaps his fingers in front of me. Rufus and I are practicing archery today. He volunteered to teach me, and my father agreed since Rufus is known to have excellent skills in archery.

I put down the bow and arrow and lean on the table. “I am bothered. I’m worried about the crown prince.” I did not tell Rufus about the command of the King to my father. Rufus is a friend of mine, yes, but the fewer people know about it, the better. Also, I really did not lie because I am actually worried about the crown prince’s safety.

   Rufus puts down his bow and arrow and stands beside me. “We are all worried about him. However, you should not worry too much. The King would not let anything happen to the future heir of the throne.”

    I just sigh and look at the sky. Please be okay, Father and Crown Prince Fraser.

   “Anyways, how is the Count? I heard his illness got worst.”

   My father intentionally spread the news about his fake contagious illness. It’s for the traitor, so they wouldn’t suspect that father will go to the western region. Coincidentally, there’s an illness starting to spread around the Vrawyth Kingdom. However, most of the infected came from different and the outermost part of the Kingdom.

   “It’s true. His condition is getting worst.” I take the bow and arrow and aim to shoot the target. “Mother decided to take my father to the outskirts town of the Kingdom so he wouldn’t infect anyone in the city.” I let go of the string and the arrow to hit the red target. Bullseye!

   Rufus messed my hair and smiled at me. “You’re getting better at it. I didn’t know you are a fast learner.” He takes the bow from my hand and makes me look at him. “You should not worry. The Count is a very healthy person. A simple illness would not take away his life. So, don’t worry, okay? Everything will be alright.” He encourages me.

   I just look at him and smile sadly. “I know. My father will be okay for sure. However, that’s not the only thing I am worried about. Now that my father is gone, who will be the head of the Lauretré family? If the nobles saw how vulnerable we become, I’m pretty sure the ranks between the noble families will change. I just hope my mother would not be affected by that. She is already having trouble keeping everything okay in our house. I’m afraid my mother could not take this.” I bow my head. I really hope everything will be alright.

   “Don’t worry. I would not let anything happened to you. If I need to use my title or the Duke’s title, I would not be hesitant to do so. If that’s the only way to protect you and your family. So, don’t worry, okay? I promised the Count that I will take care of you if anything happens.” Rufus hugs me and combs my hair gently.

    I really hope that everything will be alright. I know my father’s illness is fake, but I am more worried about the fact that my father will travel to the western region to protect the crown prince.

     Please, protect my father. Please, protect the crown prince. I silently prayed.

__________

    I am so engrossed in reading strategic books when a maid suddenly enters my room. My eyes instantly glare at her. Of course, I still have no full of control of that. “Didn’t I told you not to bother me when I am reading?” I angrily said to her.

   The maid bows her head and kneels in front of me. “Miss, I have bad news for you. The Countess got into an accident-”

   I instantly stands up from my seat and cuts her off. “What do you mean? Mother?” I walk towards her and hold both of her shoulders. Since she was still kneeling, it’s easy for me to do it. “What happened with my mother?”

The maid cried. It’s probably because of how tight I am holding her. I may be nine years old only, but ever since I started training archery, my grasp becomes stronger. Also, right now, it’s the real Csille who’s taking over my body. I could feel how she is hurting right now.

“The guard said that the Countess got involved in a carriage accident. The horse they used suddenly goes berserk. It runs towards a forest, and the carriage hits a tree. The Countess got few broken bones and is now being treated at the Holycross Hospital.”

After her explanation, I instantly stood up and ordered the butler to prepare a carriage. We will be visiting my mother.

After half an hour, we arrived at the Holycross hospital. I head first inside the hospital since they still need to look for a spot in the parking lot. I walked towards the front desk and tried to ask the nurse stationed in it, but they just ignored me. It’s like they do not see me at all. I smack the front desk with my hand and shouts at them. “I AM CSILLE LAURETRÉ! THE HEIRESS OF THE LAURETRÉ FAMILY AND YOU ALL DARE TO IGNORE ME? I WILL ASK YOU AGAIN, WHERE IS MY MOTHER? WHERE IS THE COUNTESS?”

The hospital hall suddenly got silent. The nurses also stop at what they are doing and look at me. I am now enraged and glaring at anyone my eyes laid on. My breathing is fast, a sign that I am suppressing my anger right now.

I am about to shout again when someone comes out the other side of the hallway. The nurses bow their heads and greet the person who is walking towards me now. I raised my eyebrows at him. “Who are you?”

   The guy just smiled at me and patted my head. “Csille, it’s been a long time since I saw you. You grow up so fast. I almost did not recognize you.” He kneels one of his knees and stares at me.

   The guy looks like in his mid twenties. He’s wearing a white coat, and a stethoscope could be seen hanging on his neck.

“You don’t remember me?” He gives me an amused look. Like, what I am saying is something not believable.

The guy was about to answer when the butler who came with me suddenly comes towards us. “Miss, we already find a spot. I immediately look for you when I heard you shout. Is everything okay here?” The butler asks at me worriedly, and his gaze moves to the guy kneeling in front of me. “Master Pascal!” He was startled when he realized who’s the person in front of me.

“Master Pascal?” I look at the butler signaling him to explain who he is.

“Miss, you probably don’t remember Master Pascal since you’re still young when that happened. But this doctor in front of you is your only cousin. He’s the son of the late Count Lenard Lauretré. His mother died at birth, and the late Count Lenard Lauretré died in a war against the Aeslaerean Kingdom. You did not see him because he left all his inheritance to Count Waltier and decided to live a life as a doctor.” The butler explained to me.

I looked at brother Pascal and smiled. I instantly hug him and cry to him. Brother Pascal lifts me and taps my back. I don’t know why I am crying, but right now, I just want to cry.

“Hush now. Don’t cry.” He orders the butler to follow us. “Oh, Nurse Tanya. Please reprimand those nurses that dare to ignore the daughter of the Countess. It’s a disgrace in our hospital to ignore Lady Lauretré.” After the nurse agrees, Brother Pascal walks towards a direction. He is still carrying me while I cry myself out.

He enters a room and puts me down on a chair. He looks at me gently and pats my head. Why do people love to pat my head?

“Do you feel better now?” He took a bottle of water on his table and offered it to me. “Water?”

I nodded my head and took the water bottle from him. He let me finished drinking before he talks to me. “I heard what happened to the Countess. Don’t worry, I personally treated her, and she is currently resting. Don’t worry, okay? She’s okay, and her condition is already stable.”

I feel relieved when I heard what he said. “Thank you, brother.”

“Anyways, how are you doing? I heard things that happened to the Lauretré family. How are you handling it?”

My tears immediately start rolling, and I hug him again. “Brother.” I sobbed. It’s probably the child in me that is crying. Although I could also feel her pain right now. It’s been two weeks now since the Count traveled to the western region, and as a result, there’s a lot of things happening to the Lauretré family. The nobles started to harass people from the Lauretré family, the maids, and the guards. Every time I would go out, some noble children also try to harass me.

    After a minute of crying, I dried my tears and breaks from the hug. “Do you feel better now?”

I nod at him. He sits on the floor and looks at me. “I’m sorry if I wasn’t there when things got messed up in the Lauretré family. But now I am here. Don’t worry. I’ll protect you from now.” He looks at the butler standing beside him. “Any updates to the Count’s health?”

The butler shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Master Pascal, but the Count orders the maids and the guards that came with him to get back in the residence. He said he wanted to be alone and wouldn’t want to infect anyone.”

“Where is he staying? I could visit him.”

I instantly hold brother Pascal’s arms. That’s not a good thing. Father’s fake illness will be revealed if I let brother Pascal go. “Brother, can I see my mother now? I am worried for her.”

Brother Pascal looks at me and carries me. “Okay, I will bring you to your mother then.”

I look at the butler, and both of us silently sigh in relief. Brother Pascal enters a room, and I saw my mother lying on the bed. My mother instantly smiled when she saw us entering the room.

   “You two met already. I’m glad you two get along.” She gestured brother Pascal to let me down. I immediately run towards my mother.

   “Mother, are you okay? I was so worried about you when I heard from the maids you got into an accident. What happened?” I climb up to my mother’s bed and hugs her.

My mother hugs me back and gently pats my head. “I’m okay. I’m sure your brother Pascal already fills you in about my condition, so don’t worry, okay?”

I nodded and leaned my head on her arms. Right now, I don’t feel like I am Ysavel, the twenty three years old novel writer. I feel like I am the real Csille Lauretré, the pampered nine years old daughter of a Count and a Countess.

“Countess-” my mothers cuts off brother Pascal.

“It’s Aunt, Pascal. You’re a Lauretré too. You don’t need to follow the titles.” My mother raised her hand and gestured brother Pascal to sit on the visiting chair.

“Aunt, I don’t think it’s a simple accident.”

My mother stops combing my hair. “What do you mean by that?”

   I look up to my mother and to brother Pascal. Brother Pascal looks at our butler. The butler took a piece of paper inside his suit and gave it to my mother. “Countess, these are the evidence that someone might plot something against you.”

   Mother takes the paper and looks at it. There are photographs of the horse leg. There are bite marks on it. It’s a snake’s. She then flips to the other page. It’s a photograph of the scene where the horse is just starting to go berserk. The following paper contains photographs before the scene. There are two guys. One guy was openly holding a snake in his arms. They were both seen standing in the scene of the event for two hours. There is time snap in each pictures. The next photographs are ample evidence that these guys intentionally let the snake go when they saw our family’s carriage.

   “Who would do this?” With a trembling voice, my mom asked Brother Pascal. My mother is really an innately good person. She always has a good impression with almost everyone she met. She probably won’t believe that anyone would dare to hurt her.

   “As of now, we are still unclear. But we already submitted this evidence to the court. His majesty even talked to the court official about this matter and promised to give you justice.” Brother Pascal inches closer to My mother’s bed. “Aunty, you should have told me. If not for this event, I would not even know what’s happening to you and my cousin.”

   My mother takes brother Pascal’s hand and holds it. “Pascal, you already choose to live as a doctor. As your Aunt, how could I dare to interrupt your peaceful life?”

   Many people probably thought that being noble is a good thing. However, they often disregarded the fact that it also has a negative side. The Lauretré family has been the highest-ranking noble family for more than a century. So, it’s inevitable for some nobles to take this chance to weaken and crippled the Lauretré family.

   Brother Pascal shakes his head. “Aunt, you, the Count, and Csille are my only family. Of course, I could temporarily give up my life for your safety. I could even totally give up on this if something happens. Although I know the Count will come back safe and healthy.”

  My mother gently pats brother Pascal’s head. “Thank you, Pascal. Your presence makes everything better.”

   Brother Pascal just smiled at us. He talks with my mother about the current situation of the Lauretré in the nobles family. He then bid his goodbye and said he’ll stay with us when my mother got discharged from the hospital.

    Pascal Lauretré? Who are you? I tried recalling the first version of the novel, but I did not remember creating a Pascal character. In the revised version, I didn’t even think about creating a cousin for Csille. So, how come he is existing here? Is it because of the time gaps? Or because I didn’t go in-depth about Csille’s life? But I don’t think brother Pascal is a bad character. Hopefully not, because I feel a special connection with him.