Stag Heart

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

The sun's rays squeezed through and between the gaps of the thick trees, creating an array of sun spots on the dry forest ground, chasing away the shade offered by the trees. However, every time the wind blew, the leaves and branches would dance and sway, and for swift brief moments, the darkness would return to the ground. 

It was almost like a never ending battle between the sun and the trees, the dark and the light. They'd fight for dominance, for territory, for power; however, they do not seem to mind or consider the control the wind has over them both. In the end, it holds the ultimate power, letting things around it dance to its desired rhythm, an orchestra of its design, while it watches by the sidelines.

It was God. And its letting its creatures run atop the threads of its work.

It was both funny and enraging. 

"What is?"

The boy lying on the ground remained motionless despite hearing the velvety voice, not even bothering to open his eyes and seek the speaker. He already knows what it was anyway. He only let his mouth move to respond.

"Dancing when told to, disregarding consent."

It was silent for a while. Even if Will wanted to hear what it has to say, it would not bend to anyone's will, only its. He couldn't hear any movement, but he could sense it inching closer to his lying form.

"Is it so bad to dance, permission or no? One is only bitter about losing control, but what it doesn't know, losing it would feel so good."

He heard its voice purring just above him. His lashes fluttered like butterfly wings as he opened his eyes. There it was, above him, directing its inky eyes to his own blues. Anyone else and they  would have screamed already, but his heart was calm, no signs of racing. 

Will stared back at the bundle of shadows forming a stag head. It's tendrils of shadows created the image of little black flames which licked at his skin. The pressure it carried weighed down the once peaceful atmosphere, pressing him down more into the grounds of Nesservan forest. He didn't fight back; he couldn't. He had long lost control over every limb in his body. This was what it wanted.

The stag head crept closer that the stench of death coming out of it's nose hit Will directly in the face, causing his unblinking eyes to tear up. 

"Lose control to me,"  It said.

"Will..."

"Lose yourself to me,"

"Will..."

"Will...

"Will."

Will snapped open his eyes, and the blurry picture of the tall trees and the azure sky greeted him. He could feel a burning sensation just behind his eyes and in his chest.

"Young Master, breathe," a cool hand pressed down on his chest and finally, he could breathe.

Will gulped in mouthfuls of air into his deprived lungs, breathless and panting. Once he could finally regain his regular breathing, he turned his sight towards the person with him. 

It was Hannibal, leaning over him with one gloved hand lying on his chest while the other supported Hannibal's weight, lying a few inches above his head. His red eyes bore holes onto his blue ones. Just recently disoriented, Will could only blink back, his mind blank.

"Young Master?" Hannibal was still looking at him.

Will forced himself to snap out of his absent-minded state and cleared his throat.

"...What happened?" His voice was still a bit groggy.

"You weren't breathing."

When Will heard this, he sighed. 

"I'm fine now." He sat up, resulting Hannibal to remove himself from their previous position.

Will stood up and Hannibal immediately bent down to remove the leaves and dirt from his clothes and skin. Once he was done, he retracted his hands back to their designated place. Will started walking towards the exit of the forest, leaves and twigs crunching beneath his black shoes.

"The chief of Mericia wishes to speak with you," Hannibal informed.

Will abruptly stopped in his tracks. For a while, only the sound of nature could be heard. Finally, Will tilted his head slightly to his left, showcasing his side face, a sign of acknowledging the person behind him.

Will asked, "Is it another girl?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so," Hannibal answered.

Will was again silent, lost in his own sea of thoughts that were akin to troubled waves in the vast, blue ocean, clashing against each other.

"Do you wish to go?"

"Prepare the carriage. We're going." 

"Yes, Young Master," Hannibal bowed.

Will then faced in front again and walked away. When Will was gone from sight, Hannibal stood upright, staring at the direction Will went. His gaze darkened when he remembered the word the boy sweetly muttered before Hannibal went and woke him up.

He could still hear the word 'yes' ringing in his ears.

The road towards Mericia was smooth and the people inside the carriage found it comfortable.

Up until the moment one did not. 

Hannibal stared at Will's face to which Will ignored, looking out the window. When he couldn't take it anymore, he snapped his annoyed eyes towards the person sitting across him.

"Do you have something you want to say?"

Hannibal opened his mouth, "You look tired. It's best you rest on the journey, Young Master. I'll wake you up once we arrive."

Will considered what he said and complied in the end. He leaned back and closed his eyes.

Silence fell upon the carriage, the rest of the world seemed far away. In the midst of the peace, Hannibal asked Will.

"Do you really wish to go?"

Will, with eyes still closed, responded, "I have to."

"We could turn back and return home. Right now. Reject the invitation, send a letter to the chief－"

Will finally opened his eyes and stared at Hannibal's dark ones.

"Why?"

"You are my friend. I don't care about their lives, I care about yours," Hannibal declared.

Faced with Hannibal's intense stare, Will turned his head away, closing his eyes.

"Hannibal?" Will called.

"Yes, Young Master?" Hannibal's voice suggested a hint of hope only to be disappointed.

"Don't call me by my name again," then Will ignored Hannibal again.

It was silent for a bit before Hannibal said, "...Yes, Young Master."

The road to Mericia was then silent until their arrival.