Soul Bonded [Claude De Alger Obelia x reader ]

17. A Longing For The Sky

You sighed as you finished reading the letters from Diana. You brushed back Ether's soft fluffy fur and he purred.

You sat on the roof, gazing idly at the clouds and the beautiful birds soaring in the sky.

You looked down at the letters, reminiscing.

You missed Diana. She was traveling around the empire with her tribe. Since you couldn't write her -- courtesy of your new family -- you had to wait for her to write you. But at least she found time to write as she was busy becoming a functional citizen, contradictory to you.

You were jealous, you admit to yourself. Of her freedom. Of her free soul. Of her free will.

Like the birds soaring in the sky, she was free to go anywhere while you were put in a cage, only gazing longingly at the sky.

You then remembered the blue-eyed boy. Claude, right? He must have all grown up now.

You sneaked out a few times. But you never crossed paths with him again. You were quite disappointed. You had taken a liking to the cold boy who was oddly endearing.

Oh, well.

With the Judith Lord placing a strict restriction on you, you couldn't go looking for him either.

It was getting annoying to not be able to do anything freely without someone breathing down your neck. You knew you were being exploited and you don't plan to let the charade go for long.

Being forced to live under someone else's rule was suffocating. You were determined to set yourself free.

"Just have to endure it for a little longer. Then I'll be free to travel the whole world. Explore the unseen! Find the treasury of the fantasy world! Befriend the magical beasts. I won't be chained here forever!!" You shouted at the sky, startling the birds and immediately feeling bad.

Ether eyed you with a look that seem to say, 'You might have some loose screws and stupidity must be your middle name' while shaking his head.

"Shut up, Ether." You said to the cat who was judging your sanity. 

You huffed. You stood up carefully as you took a last glimpse at the dazzling azure sky and the free birds before requesting Ether to get you down.

In a blink, your feet connected to the ground with Ether resting on your head.

"Hmm, let's go check on my dear plants." You said to yourself and made your way to the garden. You have been using your mother's journal to grow your skills in medicine and pharmacy. It was the least you could do since that's what she wanted.

You crouched down to inspect and were relieved.

The plants were growing nicely and the leaves looked healthy too.

Your proud moment was cut short when you saw holes in the flower bed. You squinted and let out a gasp when a worm squirmed out.

No way! My hard-worked plants are infested?!

You stared down at the worm who seemed to be staring back at you. Your right eye twitched when it causally went back to its burrow.

Oh, you got to be kidding me.

You hadn't spent all the hard work for a measly worm to eat it away.

Almost as if hearing your thoughts pair of gloves and a bucket materialised beside you. You nodded your thanks before getting to work.

"I won't forgive you for such an atrocious crime. Daring to prey on my herbs? You messed with the wrong person now you all have hell to pay, you icky slimy bastards!!" 

You completely ignored your exasperated cat and started plucking out the worms and throwing them to collect in the bucket.

Almost done, you capture the last worm. "Hah! You are the last of the enemy, you weakling." The worm squirmed. "Accept your defeat, you slimy foe. I ain't the one to show mercy!"

The instant the worm went still you panicked.

"Wah?! Did I just kill it?! No, I had other use for you guys!!" You shook the worm. "Don't die before I feed you the birds, damnit. I'm sorry, Mr worm!!"

You almost pleaded when a cough scared the daylights out of you.

"Fuck!!" You whirred around only to find a very grumpy and upset Rosalia glaring down at you.

And at that moment you knew you...screwed up.

The next ten minutes went in reprimanding while you quietly took in every word.

You showed her the worm in your hand and unexpectedly, Rosalia shrank back, letting out a very unladylike shriek.

What you didn't expect was for your prankster cat to mess with her and for her to...faint.

"Rosalia?!"

~~~

You walked behind the pale etiquette enforcer woman, peeking at her curiously. She just straight up ignored the fact that she fainted and calmly asked you to follow her.

Can fear cause amnesia?

You sure hoped so. Because the Rosalia you knew would've throttled you for making a fool of her.

However, you realized that was all but your wish because every time you came an inch near her, she'd jump and increase her pace.

Great, you just traumatized her for life.

Now she's not only afraid of Evil Ether -- as they called him -- but of you too.

Fantastic. Just freaking fantastic.

You hope she wouldn't start calling you a witch and order her father to burn you at the stake.

The awkward silence continued as you made your way into the Study room.

You wondered why Lord Lionel asked for you along with the family members.

They weren't planning on kicking you out, right? Or maybe they finally decided to listen to you and set you free?!

You curbed in your expectations. That was impossible. You were far too valuable for them to let you go easily.

You quietly entered the room. Instantly, the hair on your neck stood up sensing the tension in the atmosphere.

Something was off...

Seriously something was off.

Penelope glared at you. And here you thought you both were past the 'I hate you' glare.

While her mother refused to look at you. Opting to drink tea instead and glared at the cookies as if they were the culprits of her anger.

At least, you weren't the only one who was confused and clueless, Rosalia looked confused as well as she had come to the room same time as you.

Lionel paused, turning around to look at you both. No, only you. He stared at you quietly before declaring.

"The Emperor has commanded our presence."

That alone statement sent a chill down your spine.

And next thing you know you were whisked away and carried off into the heavily guarded gates of the majestic palace while your mind was processing the words and coming off blank.

You were currently sitting outside the throne room as Lionel went inside to converse with the Emperor.

You blinked, mind blank. Just what the living hell happened? You hadn't even processed the information when you found yourself staring at the pristine white pillar of the hallway just as exquisite as the painting decorating the walls.

Why the hell does the Emperor want from you....?