The Beloved One!

Chapter 06

Once Ray saw Ashnah's eyes change to glowing red with diamond-slit pupils, his eyes widened in shock. 'His Majesty.... His Majesty...he.'

••••

Ray kept on glancing at Ashnah as they walked.

Ashnah had already picked the herbs her mother had asked for and they had already visited the craftsman of the village. The craftsman who was magically gifted in the earth element had quickly made a small gravestone for Ashnah as she had requested. The wrapped up gravestone was now in her arms. The girl had sensed the peculiar on and off again glances from the magical beast cub. "What's the matter Ray?" She finally decided to ask.

"Uh... Princess." He stated. The magical beast wondered if he should tell her. At the beginning he had lied about the Queen of Fairies gifting the ability to communicate and make contracts with magical beasts to Ashnah, like the First Great Magical Beast King had ordered him. But if Ashnah were to ever question such abilities, he would have to tell her the truth. Not only this but the Magical Beast King had done something Ray had not expected.

"Oh my!" Her eyes were drawn to something else -to be more exact someone else. 'Damn The Beloved One!. Why?!'

The person who had caught Ashnah's attention to be exact was the Archduke of Morley, Anzor Morley, her father. 

Ashnah really wondered why some of the most handsome people within 'The Beloved One!' was somehow related to her. Anzor Morley looked even more attractive than he did in the game. The child could literally see her father sparkling.

Since Anzor was here, that meant the day of him taking her mother and her back was right on their doorstep.

Anzor caught his daughter staring back at him. He had been trying to hide himself as he had watched her. This was not the first time he had seen his one and only child, but he wanted to cry. 'Ellie.... she looks so much like you.'

Then he was a little surprised as he witness Ashanh walked towards him. The dimples of her cheeks became apparent as she smiled. She held a herb towards him. "Mister, you should use this for the scrape your hand. Mommy taught me that even the smallest wounds can become infected and lead to something much bigger."

Anzor looked at his right hand. There was indeed a scrape on the back of his hand. He didn't notice it. He had probably gotten injured by the branch of a tree. Seeing his daughter smile caused a pleasantly warm feeling to spread from his heart to his entire body. The Archduke accepted the herb. This being the first time he had ever spoken his child, it took him a few seconds to say. "uh.. um... thank you. How much will this cost?"

Ashnah cutely shook her head. "Since it's Magical Beast Day, it's free, Mister. Remember to apply it to your hand. Bye-Bye!" As quickly as she came over to him, she vanished from out of his sight along with the wolf cub down the dirt path. The free hand that he had subconsciously held out to stop her dropped to his side. 'I need to quicken procedures to take them home.' He thought.

••••

Ashnah found her mother within the kitchen. "Mommy, I brought the herbs you asked for."

Ellen placed the whisk on the side of the bowl that was filled with batter. She wiped her hands onto her pink apron. She pulled Ashnah in for a hug even with the basket of herbs in the little girl's hands. "Did you run into any strange people, Ash?"

By strange people, her mother could have only meant her father. "Yes mommy! There are lots of strange and weird looking people coming to watch the flocks of magical beasts as they fly back to their homeland when the clock strikes midnight!" She answered.

Ellen smiled on hearing this and the clear excitement in her daughter's voice. She would make sure that Ashnah had the best night during this festival, considering that this would be the last one she would be present for.

The mother had already made plans to move to the neighboring kingdom. They were going to move within a week's time. She knew that Ashnah was a mature child and would not throw a crying fit for their relocation. "Ashnah, you don't have to help mommy prepare the snacks she's going to sell. How about playing outside a little bit more until the festivities begins?"

"That's alright. I will help you mommy, just after I am finish doing something in the background." Ashnah placed the basket of herbs on an empty spot on the wooden counter of the kitchen.

"Al-alright. If you're so sure." Ellen replied, noticing that not only that there had been a basket in Ashnah's hands when she had hugged her daughter, but something wrapped in clothe. She guessed that was the reason why Ashnah had something to do in the backyard. 'Whatever makes her happy.' She thought.

She reached for the whisk for the again. As she did so, Ellen recalled the letter with the waxed stamp seal of the Morley Family. Her gaze settled on her ring finger. She had so many questions that only he could have the answer to. But she won't dare to see or speak to him, not the man who married another woman and had a child with.

••••

"How is that whore living so comfortably within this kingdom?!!! Why was she not sold into a brothel like my prior arrangements?!! Not only that, she didn't have a miscarriage and was able to give birth to that dirty illegitimate child!!!" Emma bellowed, slamming the report she had read onto the table. "She's a roach and just like herself, she gave birth to one!!!"

The retired duchess had thought that Ellen Smith was slowly but surely dying within a brothel because she had schemed for that girl to be like so. She was all wrong. When her lovely Tazanna had came to her and had told her that Ellen was still alive and was living in Misty Village, she decided to send her people to see if it so was true. Emma Morley had not only sent her men to see if it was true, but to also kill Ellen Smith if it was like Tazanna had said. The men had only been able to send the report she had read now. She had heard not heard an update from them like she was suppose too.

It was likely that all of them had met their demise.

"Do not anger yourself, dear. Just allow Tazanna herself to go there. Since that girl Ellen knows Tazanna's personality, she would never expect that we will use Tazanna's hand to indirectly kill her and that child of ill-bred blood." Vincent walked into the room with an incense burner holder in his hands. He had read the report before his wife had and he had came prepared with a plan.