His tiny hostage [G/T]

X - Identity

It was breakfast time in the castle, and the dining hall buzzed with the usual morning activity. Despite the normalcy, Bluebelle found herself in discomfort; her wound, though not unbearably painful, was throbbing with a dull ache. She wore the same dress she had on her first day at the castle, its fabric now showing signs of wear. With a limited wardrobe and no option to return home for more clothes, she tugged at the fabric, inspecting the loose seams of the bell-shaped skirt. Unaware of Otis's watchful gaze, she continued her futile attempts at adjusting her dress.

Otis, having just returned from a morning meeting with the prince, was in unusually high spirits. He noticed Bluebelle's persistent tugging on her dress and his gaze sharpened with concern. His mind raced as he realized the dress she wore was the same one she had arrived in, and he inferred that she might be reusing it due to a lack of options.

Without alerting Bluebelle, Otis stood and walked over to her end of the table. The other boys at the table watched him curiously as he approached. He gently wrapped his fingers around her waist and lifted her off the chair. Bluebelle gasped and squirmed, but her resistance subsided when their eyes met. A look of curiosity replaced her initial alarm.

Otis examined the dress more closely, noting the loose threads. He wondered about the dress's origin and whether there was a tag hidden under the ruffles. With a swift motion, he spun her around and lifted the back of her dress. Bluebelle's startled scream and frantic kicking were unexpected, and Otis struggled to understand her reaction.

"MR. OTIS, PLEASE PUT ME DOWN!" Bluebelle cried out. Ignoring her pleas, Otis read the tag: "Child size." His eyes widened in disbelief. A child's size?

Sighing, he gently placed Bluebelle back on the table. He noticed her cheeks were flushed. Could she be ill? As he crouched to inspect her more closely, Bluebelle's face reddened further. He gently brushed the strands of silver and blue hair from her face and placed a finger on her forehead. Bluebelle's response was to flail her arms and shield her face. Otis found her behavior perplexing, drawing a parallel to his memories of Aurelia.

**Flashback (7 years old)**

"STUPID ELIAS WON'T SHOW ME HIS NEW FRIEND," Otis muttered angrily as he kicked the dirt beneath him, tears streaming down his cheeks. Elias had been boasting about a new friend, and Otis, feeling left out, was consumed by jealousy. He wanted a friend of his own but felt neglected.

A soft, trembling voice interrupted his self-pity. "Are you okay?" Otis opened his eyes to see a small girl, no older than five, standing beside him. She was visibly scared, with light greyish eyes and a hat perched atop her head. Otis sat up, and the girl's fear was palpable.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, though his own sadness made his voice weak. The girl, still in tears, remained rooted to the spot.

His mother's call to meet Aunt Kleine drew him away, but Otis couldn't leave the girl alone. He reached out, and when she screamed and ran, he chased after her, desperate to help. His mother had just mentioned that Aunt Kleine wanted him to be friends with her daughter, but Otis felt a strange connection to this girl.

The courtyard was serene, adorned with fresh flowers and unspoiled by mud. It was a calming place where Otis waited for his new friend. But then he heard a commotion—a girl being shoved out of the castle and a door slamming shut. It was the same girl he had seen earlier, now tearful and in a tiara. She saw him and cried even harder.

Determined to help, Otis opened the door, ignoring her panicked cries. As she fled, he retreated back to his spot by the tree. Despite the solitude, he felt a strange sense of peace. Tears fell from his eyes, mingling with his resolve to be there for the girl, even if it meant remaining unseen.

To his surprise, the girl returned, cautiously rubbing her nose against his. She apologized, stammering about not wanting to make him cry. Otis was touched by her genuine remorse and, despite his initial confusion, he found solace in her small gesture of kindness.

"Can we be friends?" she asked shyly. Otis, overwhelmed with emotion, agreed. She passed out from exhaustion, and he laid her gently on his chest, falling asleep with his newfound friend.

**Present**

"Mr. Otis?" Bluebelle's small hands gently rubbed his nose, pulling him out of his reverie. She seemed nervous, her trembling fingers betraying her fear.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice quivering.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Otis replied, though he was unsettled by the familiarity of the situation.

He abruptly decided to act. "Let's go," he said gruffly, placing her carefully into his chest pocket. He bade farewell to his brothers and took her to his carriage. As he held her in his palm, he was struck by how similar she looked to his old friend, though her eyes were different. The girl from his memories had been less timid after their initial meeting.

Flashback (7 years old, a few weeks later)

Excitement bubbled within Otis as he prepared for another visit to see his friend. "Yay, I get to see my friend again!" he exclaimed, jumping up and down with joy. His mother had suggested visiting her castle, a welcome diversion from the loneliness he felt.

Upon arriving at the castle's courtyard, he eagerly waited. But soon, he heard the sound of running and shouting. The same girl from before, now visibly distressed, ran towards him, clearly scared. Otis, now the largest presence around, reached out to her, gently catching her in his palm as she hid from a furious girl searching for her.

" you. Have you seen my sister" she demanded but Otis shrugged, feeling the tiny girl shake. "You're kinda cute, I'll get daddy to let me marry you" she winked and ran off with a spoiled grin.

The angry girl's comment about marrying Otis made him shudder, but he focused on comforting the scared girl, who expressed her distress about the girl's threats. As Otis reassured her, he found himself unexpectedly moved by her vulnerability and sincerity. Her heartfelt confession about not wanting him to marry the other girl made him promise not to, while also asking if he would consider marrying her in the future.

Though he was unsure of his own feelings, Otis agreed. The connection he felt was profound, and he hoped they could navigate their friendship into something more in the future. Yet, his memories remained fuzzy, and he struggled to recall her name.

Present

Bluebelle's voice interrupted Otis's reflections. "You're crying. What's the matter?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry," Otis replied, wiping away a tear.

Bluebelle requested to explore him, which took Otis by surprise. As she gently stroked his face, he was captivated by her attention to detail. Her movements were delicate, her curiosity apparent as she traced his eyelashes and hair.

"I want you to know the truth about who I am," Bluebelle whispered, looking up at him with newfound confidence. Otis, intrigued and eager to understand her better, carefully listened.

As they traveled toward the kingdom of Wisteria in search of appropriate clothing for her, Otis reflected on the profound connection he felt with Bluebelle. Her presence reminded him of the past and the hope he had for a meaningful friendship.