The Beloved One!

Chapter 05

Her hands tightly gripped the enveloped letter once she had seen it. The waxed crest seal on it - that of the Morley Ducal House, no Archducal House now thanks to the current Head of the house efforts. The brunette's hands trembled, recalling the scene of what she had been greeted with once she had returned home almost seven years ago.

Cold sweat trickled down her spine. They had found them. 'What if they want to kill Ash since they couldn't get the job properly done last time?' She didn't dare to imagine what her daughter's corpse would look like.

Ellen instantly stood, gazing at door. Ashnah was outside with Ray, her magical beast protector. As long as Ray was by her side then no harm would come to her.

The mother's first thought after this was, 'we have to move. But with his current power, I'm sure he'll be able to locate us even in another kingdom.' She walked over to the fire place, not bothering to read the letter and threw it into the crackling red and yellow flames of the fire place.

••••

"It seems like the Magical Beast Festival will be more jovial this year." Ashnah commented as she watched the villagers prepare the food and game stalls along the street.

"Indeed." Ray agreed, looking at the cotton filled magical beast toys that was aligned on a shelf as prizes for one game stall.

The Magical Beast Festival within the village was a celebration when people would play games, have fun, eat delicious seasonal food until it was midnight where they would be able to observe the flocks of magical beasts as they flew past the human lands to their home. And some used this day to honor magical beasts.

Holding her empty herb basket in her hand, Ashnah glanced down to Ray deep in her thoughts.

Seeing that something was on her mind, the beast protector inquired. "Is something the matter, Princess?"

"Ray, you do know how some humans honor magical beasts on this day, right?" Ashnah stopped in place.

"I do." He replied.

"Will it be okay if I built an empty grave for the First Magical Beast King, burn incense and pray for him to give him honor?" The tone of her voice was sincere. Ashnah was extremely happy to be alive due to her untimely death. Because of the First Magical Beast King, even though she had been reincarnated as the villainess, he had saved by giving her life when she had been in her mother's womb.

Ray's tailed quickly wagged side to side. "I am sure he would love that, especially coming from his daughter."

Ashnah clapped her hands once in agreement. "Okay! It's decided. Ray, what's the First Magical Beast King name?" She commenced her trek once again and Ray followed along.

"...His name." Ray whispered to himself. "Princess, none except maybe the Queen of the Fairies know of His Majesty's name."

"That's sort of depressing... that only one person knows his name." The brown haired child noted.

The wolf magical beast explained why. "It's because there is power in his name. But I am certain if Princess asks his blood that flows within your veins, the blood would tell you."

The child's right eyebrow quirked up. "How exactly am I suppose to do that?"

"It's like meditation. Where one clears one's their mind and control their breathing." He responded. "I'll show you once we have arrived to the herb field."

••••

"Princess, your body is too tense and you're breathing too slowly." Ray pointed out.