When Primrose, an average everyday girl, walks home in the rain, she spots a kitten sitting in the middle of the road and a truck approaching at high speed.
And as a closet animal-lover, how could she not save it from the ever so devious and doomsda...
Big Brother was really fun. He was rather different from Lucian, seemingly cold to anyone but me. Over the short time we had been around each other, he dragged me along with him to many different places and told many national secrets as well as his own personal ones.
And I had met his favourite General and best friend. Etti. Our first meeting was strange but we immediately clicked. Though the enormous height difference was a pain. Especially in this midget form.
The day we had met was like any other day, Big Brother had come over to pick me up from the Academy for a weekend with him and like many times previously, we went to the guarded forest.
It was a place full of magic and unusual creatures like the beast-people. Unexpectedly, we had gone deep, deep into the forest. And that was when it happened.
A giant wolf had jumped at us, pinning Big Brother to the ground. His strange eyes had looked at me, taunting me to even try to retaliate but if I knew if I did, Big Brother's throat would have been ripped out. This was a risk I knew I shouldn't take.
But for some reason unknown to me, Big Brother laughed. He then reached a hand up to scruffle to wolf's over-sized head before mumbling at him to get off. I frowned, did Big Brother know the wolf?
With a bark, the giant creature leapt off and Big Brother tidied his clothes. Pale fingers ran through long white hair and he stared at the wolf. All of a sudden, the wolf disappeared and in his place was a giant of a man. He was so big I had to move back a step just to see his face. I would dare say he stood above two metres. So tall.
Around his tan neck was a collar, black in colour. I was almost surprised but he was a dog after all. Big Brother then turned to me smiling.
He said: "This is Etti, my best friend and one of the Generals of my army." The giant nodded, staring straight at me.
"You are small, like a pup. I will protect you." Then he had picked me up and put me on his shoulders before fishing a cookie out of his clothing and handing it to me. Grateful but still confused, I quietly munched on it as we returned to the border of the forest.
I don't think I'll question his instincts, after all, mine is telling me to trust him too.
Big Brother chuckled at the faces of all the guards when they spotted Etti. And how they became even more frightened when they saw me sitting on his shoulders. The women within the group immediately stood up and greeted Big Brother—sometimes I really forgot he was an Emperor.
They respectfully bowed and I just sat there with a new cookie in my hand. I even saw the Empress glaring at me--how rude. It was rather obvious Big Brother did not enjoy the harem life or quite frankly, any of his wives. Always said they were too boring.
And since he ignored them, many of those wives seemed to turn that dislike to me. Except the few that seemed to adore children or just cute things in general.
I smirked down at the Empress, poking my tongue out at her. She gasped, immediately slithering to Big Brother's side and whispering some surely slimy and hateful words into his ear. His normally calm faced had turned slightly red in anger and I could see his shoulders slightly trembling in rage.
She could do anything, but insulting me was a taboo to him.
The Empress hadn't realised her mistake, instead continuing to say sweet and sugared words which held malice towards one person—me.
Big Brother looked as if he was about to slap her and the Empress' maid seeing this, rushed up and urged her to walk away. She took a peek at her husband's face before paling so much it was visible under all those layers of makeup.
The Empress and the rest of the harem members gracefully rushed away to a nice spot where a picnic had been set up. Big Brother then turned to me and Etti, gesturing us—well Etti—to follow him.
Soon we reached a nice area where a mat had been laid out. Grinning like a bobcat, Big Brother passed a small and poofy white dress along with some weird lacy umbrella to the maid before making eye contact with Etti. The giant then passed me onto the maid.
Big Brother grinned cheekily and Etti had a frown on his face. The guy was really like a dog, very loyal.
I came back frowning. That frivolous outfit had been for me.
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^^^Amaryllis' clothes
I sighed. Big Brother really was stupid.
Really really stupid.
Just wait, I will get you one day!
Then I saw it, a collection of collars much like the one Etti was wearing along the mat. His large hand gestured me over and my face scrunched up in confusion. Why has he set out so many collars?
His voice was gentle but firm. "Pick one. Sign of pack." Then I understood. Even under all that thick human-like skin was a wolf. And as a wolf, he highly valued his pack. Nodding, I walked over.
There weren't just different colours, they were different fabrics and patterns as well. I then saw it, a simple blood red collar. It looked identical to my eye. Reaching out a pale hand, I heard the crystals around my wrist tinkle.
Etti looked at it before nodding in approval and baring his neck. Gently smiling, I placed the collar around his neck.
After I was done, he grabbed me and I was placed in his cushion-like lap. I felt something wrap around my neck and reached up to feel the jewelled collar. I felt a crescent moon carved into the pure-white collar. A sign of the wolves and a pack.
Big Brother, Etti and I formed a pack.
And it surprisingly felt rather good.
~~*~~
A flashback chapter. It's one of my first attempts at flashbacks so apologies if it sucks...
Can I just say I'm already loving Etti and hating the Empress? She sucks, insulting Amar to the Emperor. Maybe I should get her killed in future chapters... Yes, that's a good idea.
And I will say that I almost kept writing 'the Emperor' instead of Big Brother the whole time. Bad Rain. It's a mini-struggle to write Big Brother, so many letters and even a space. Also, if some of you went back to chapter 2 (I believe) she called Lucian Onii-chan but she's calling the Emperor Big Brother. This is due to a difference in kingdoms, cultures are a bit different if you haven't noticed.
And no, Etti will not be a harem member. Never will he be romantically interested in Amaryllis so sorry to disappoint the shippers. Sure you can ship them but they are more BROTP than OTP for me.
Apologies for the late update, I was watching anime and playing solitaire. Specifically Hakkenden Touhou Hakken Ibun. The end of episode 4 is hilarious... My internet was also being sucky so I finished this chappie while it was down.
