I Don't Want Your Majesty

X

The Duke went in the West direction, so Asil decided that he'll go in the East direction. It would've been better if they hunted somewhere where they could really get a pleasing prey. But the Duke proposed they hold the hunting in the forest that the Duke owns.

Now, Asil is in great turmoil. He's not well versed on the creature of this forest, so of course, he's at a great disadvantage. Asil was assuming that the Duke knows where his prey's lair is, he might've known it for a long time, after all, this forest is his property, to begin with. And because of that, Asil felt like a lost child, he doesn't know where to begin.

"It would've been better if I have some sort of charm that attracts animals."

But that was not the case, the animals were purely acting to their instinct, and because of that, every creature that encounters Asil would leave right away within a second. The dark aura that was around him was by no means visible to the creatures of the forest as well.

He sighed in frustration.

'How dare I make such a promise to my beloved? Look where I am now, leaning against a tree and I feel like sleeping...'

He was tired to try and chase after the rabbits, of course, it was not the prey that he could think of to offer, he was thinking of making it the bait. The only thing was their reflexes were quick enough to flee from his sight. So he doesn't stand a chance to catch them.

'Fuck' he thought and cursed.

But of course, there is no way that he'll give up on this competition, his future with Livia relies on this very competition, and he's not going to let the Duke win this. When he gathered the courage to continue, he immediately stood up and start to walk, getting deeper inside the forest. He doesn't care if it's dangerous.

'I am more dangerous...'

As he get deeper, he heard an unfamiliar screeching sound. He frowned and looked where it came from.

"That's..."

.·*·.

"Haha, I wonder what's that brat doing? How dare he make my daughter give him a handkerchief when my wife didn't? Well, it's not his fault but anyways..." The Duke continued to rant as he search the place.

"I am sure that it's here, where the hell is that beast."

His eyes suddenly turned serious when he heard a low growl and the snapping branches from his back. The Duke unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the beast in front of him. When he confirmed that the beast was the one he was looking for, a smile made its way to his face.

"It has been a long time since I saw you..." 

The nine-tailed fox growled at the sight of him, it spread its tails, and white orbs formed at the tips of its tails. The fox howled and one by one, the orbs suddenly advanced toward him.

"Ahh, it's been so long since I went to a battlefield, I might be rusty right now..."

He evaded the attacks from the fox effortlessly.

The Duke eyed the fox, it was small compared to what he had seen years ago, back when he was still a teen. It seems like the fox he's fighting right now is not the fox that he encountered back then.

"Hey stay still, I have no reason to hurt you, I just want you to be my daughter's friend. Also, I know your mother!" It's as if the fox understood what he just said, the Duke notice the fox's dilated eyes and the loss of focus. He guessed right, the fox was a pup.

The tails of the fox lowered, and it suddenly lay on the ground as if sad and sulking. With that, he sheathed his sword and carefully walked toward the pup.

"Don't tell me your mother scolded you." he teased.

"Ngyarwrm"

"Hey really, how can you talk back to an elder?"

"Ngawrwrwararnmn"

"Well, now you know why she scolded you."

"pfpfpfpfurwr"

The Duke clicked his tongue and shook his head to the young fox.

"Is your mother okay?"

The pup looked up at him, it stood and shook its body and then walked away before turning behind to look at the Duke, it seems like it wants him to follow him, and he did. It was a long way, they passed a lot of nests until they reached the falls. Behind it, there was a hidden cave and the young fox went in there.

He gulped before going inside, unaware of what was waiting for him inside. When he entered, he saw the fox sitting beside a large fox, larger than him.

'It was her... The one that saved me that day...' The Duke thought as he stared at the messy white fur of his savior.

.·*·.

Back when he was a teen, his relatives had continuously sent assassins to kill him, he flee to the forest where the assassins chased after him. The 15 years old Kharri ran for his life until he was cornered to a dead end. A tall wall of a cliff was reflected in his eyes.

That was supposed to be his end until a large mystical nine-tailed fox jumped in front of him to shield him from the assassins. In an instant, the group of assassins was wiped out.

He stared at the pure white beast that stood proudly in front of him.

"Thank you..." He muttered, the beast just made a snorting sound before it left.

.·*·.

Gone was the proud and elegant beast back then. All that he could see right now is a vulnerable beast that lies on the ground.

Kharri walked closer. The beast was still breathing, but it was so faint and weak.

"Is she sick?"

The pup made a whining sound and buried its face into the fur of its mother.

He gently stroked the fur, it was full of dust and stained with mud. It also doesn't seem like it's been attacked.

This only means that it reached the end of its lifespan...

The Duke felt eyes staring at him, when he looked down, he was a little shocked to see the beast, weakly staring at him.

The beast released a long sigh, slowly, closing its eyes. And that was when it drew its last breath.

The pup suddenly made an ear-piercing cry, it sounds like a wailing child.

The Duke gathered the young pup in his arms and comforted him.

"Shh, you will be alright, child... I'll help you..."

"The way your mother helped me..."

Unedited
December 25, 2022
LizzannaWrites