Everyday, I Fight!

Chapter 13: Denied Offer

"Yahoo!" I screamed in excitement, "George's coming!"

It has been a month since the three of us came to the dark prince's castle. The summer heat was on my last nerves for quite a while now. Every night was a heated nightmare and the shadows would often creep up on me, reminding me of the smiley face of that fortune teller, which never escaped the back of my mind...

If she ever did come next to me again, by heart I knew, who would intimidate who.

However, everything collapsed to dust when I learned about Elder Brother George coming back home. Sometimes we would write to each other, but there were a lot of things I couldn't write... or even mention personal details. All mails, incoming and outgoing, were checked in the palace everyday. In codes, George hinted some problems back at the palace, but nothing regarding his arrival.

It was Fred who had somehow managed to send a secret warning to him. Yet, whenever I asked, Fred would always beat around the bush and never tell me his secrets.

I mean, back when he was J, he would never lie to me about anything, nor keeping secrets. So I often wonder these days, "Why...?"

"Listen Windy," Dad gestured to me, "I'll be going to the palace to pick up George. So no more letters, understand?"

"Okay..." I pouted and rolled my eyes.

"And Fred," Dad said with a serious tone, "take care of your little sister. I'm counting on you."

"Of course," Fred answered.

Somehow things were tensed at this point. I couldn't understand what was going on. Things here were as weird as it could get. Most of the time, Fred and Charles would either disagree, or fight. They never told me anything. At some point they would fight in the midst of friendly duels, but if I interfered or were near them, they stopped.

Charles looked away and hardly spoke to me the past few days. Even when we bumped into each other he would just formally greet me and then exit as fast as a cheetah. Every single time, he would look at me with pity in his eyes.

"Goodbye Dad, be safe." I hugged him as I said these words.

"Prince Charles," Dad hugged me back and turned to Charles, "please take care of my children here..." Dad paused, then he continued, "...including yourself, of course."

Charles noded.

I saw the door close and dad leave. I quickly flew towards the window and waved him a goodbye. He waved me back and entered the carriage. I watched the horse drawn carriage until it escaped my vision and mixed with the background.

"He'll be back, I promise." Fred said, his voice filled with concern.

"I can't help but worry." I honestly replied to him, "I never had these feelings before... am I turning soft?"

"Technically," Fred paused intentionally and with a mischevious smirk, replied, "girls are soft. Especially babies."

"Hey," I was annoyed, "I'm five!"

"But you are still a girl." he continued to tease me.

"Why? Can't boys have feelings?" I asked with more annoyance.

"Well... but admit it, you're a softie." Fred shrugged with that stupid smirk of his.

"Hah! Says the weak one." I gave him a piece of his own medicine.

"You don't know that." Fred began to deny it.

"C'mon, everyone knows that you're afraid of me," I purposefully added fuel to the fire, "and that your weaker than me... A baby girl!"