Crown's Aide

Prologue

The little girl dashed outside the moment she saw her father.

For once, he was home early! Of course, it was dawn already, but as he usually came home at midnight when she was asleep, it was early. "Father!" She exclaimed happily, running down the stairs, passing servants who looked on with a smile. She knew what they were happy for her. They've seen her mother died a few years back, they've seen her father leaving more times than could be counted. They've seen how she rarely ever met her father. Her happiness was contagious, in that sense.

It could be months, usually, before her father was home, but now he'd only left for a few weeks! Maybe this was a sign that something was changing. Her nanny did say that if she prayed enough, her wishes would come true. Well, she prayed really hard to the Goddess Eldemore, so surely her wish had been granted!

After all this time!

But when she marched down the stairs and saw red everywhere, her steps stuttered. What? Her father... No, it wasn't her father.

That was a monster.

The eyes was red, glowing, with blood coming out of his sockets. His face pale, paler than she could remember, with more wrinkles than she could remember, too. Corpses of servants piled under him, she noticed the steward, the footman, and the front gate guard. The little girl trembled in fear. "Father?" She said, her voice small and frail.

Her father didn't answer, looking towards her with that empty, bloodshot eyes. When he finally moved, it was towards her.

His fingers were elongated, almost distorted. Nails incomplete, some fingers were just rotten flesh. The fingers with nails were transformed almost into claws. Horrified, the little girl finally let out a scream.

Too late, though. The monster had reached her. His claws dug into her neck, making her whimpered in pain. She flailed when her breath failed her, and the monster threw her to the pile of corpses. She cried as her body hit the carriage and her legs bled from the sharp part of the wheel.

"Baron, no!" She recognized the Cook's voice. Her scream brought the attention of some of the servants and they came downstairs, pouring out to the front porch. No, no... Run! She wanted to shout, but her throat choked. She found no voice.

So she had to witness the shell of her father killed everyone; the servants, the cook, her nanny... Helpless, she could only lay there, tears ran down her face. No... No...

He hunted down anyone who ran. No one was left alive. And then, covered in blood, he turned to her, as if he remembered that he left her alive.

She trembled in fear. She couldn't run, her small legs were weak and injured. The body of her father stepped closer, and for a second, he hesitated.

She could see a flash of lucidness in it, a flash, and it gave her hope. "F-fa..." But her voice failed her as her throat turned purple from the monster's hands.

Then the eyes reverted back to the crimson red, like the blood she had seen from everyone. He stepped closer, and she cried even more—silently, for her voice was no more, as the same hands choked her again. Her vision darken, and she could almost see the stars calling her.

Her waning eyesight locked onto the ruby gem on her father's neck.

Same color as the eyes... Those horrid eyes...

With all her might that was left in her, she reached towards the red gem and pulled it, hard. The monster howled loudly, but she insisted on ripping the necklace apart.

It worked. But it was also too late.

As she felt her lungs failed her and her vision escaped her, there was little left she could do.

So she mouthed. "Father..."

And then the warmth of life slipped away from her, her small body laid limp between bloody corpses. ∎