Chapter 9: Chapter 9

"Red, are you sleeping?" A little girl with beautiful golden locks and light red eyes asked while looking at the white fox that was laying comfortably on a wide warm bed next to her.

Seraphina did not open her eyes and simply continued listening to Aine's small whispers, giving the girl silent but reassuring accompaniment and encouragement.

"You see, my brother always used to tell me bedtime stories... but, now... do you also miss your family, Red? I, I really miss my mom and brother," she whimpered almost inaudibly.

Princess Aine was a bright girl who always beamed in the face of hardships and courageously stood up against her enemies. However, that does not mean she was not hurt or lonely. In fact, the pain and grief she hid in the deepest part of her heart were far more significant than most men could handle with a sane mind. At the moment, she was unveiling her vulnerabilities in front of the white fox, who accompanied her during the last few days, giving her unimaginable reassurance and comfort. To her, these few days spent in her grandfather's palace were like calming balm put on a fresh burning wound. To her delight, she felt safe and welcomed.

Seraphina did not respond to her soft voice and stayed motionless for a while before startling the life out of the little girl by speaking in her fox form for the first time.

"Do you want to hear a story?" Seraphina asked Aine, which caused the little girl to yelp in surprise, holding her tiny hands on her plump lips.

Her small scream alarmed the knights stationed outside their bedroom, as a knight on guard asked,

"Your highness, is everything alright?"

"Yes! Everything is okay." Aine answered in fluster.

After taking seconds to catch her breath, Aine bombarded the little fox with questions haphazardly, barely containing her excitement and expectations.

"Red! You, you... you can talk! Are you a beastman?! A fox beast? But, the fox clan... they, they..." Aine could not finish her sentence because she knew that the fox clan was exterminated by her grandfather, Ezekiel.

Seraphina's childish but soothing chuckle erupted next to the little girl's ears, making her blush in embarrassment.

"Indeed, your grandfather did dirty to the fox clan. But I don't hate him for what he did because the fox clan was not entirely innocent. In fact, they might have deserved Ezekiel's wrath."

"Then, are you really a fox beast? But you look different. I never heard of fox beasts having fur like yours. You look very beautiful. So, so beautiful," Aine exclaimed.

"You're also exceptionally lovely, Aine. As for my appearance, it's because I'm a very special fox beast," Seraphina explained calmly.

The little girl's rosy cheeks were bulging with excitement as she crawled to the white fox's side before whispering secretively,

"Red, I'll keep everything a secret. So, can you tell me more about yourself? You're my only friend. I want to know you more."

"It's okay. Your grandfather knows who I am, so no need to be alarmed. As for me... I'm one year older than you, and my mother was named Rosaline. She was a lovely fox beast with red hair, beautiful amber eyes, and very soft ears and tail. Unfortunately, she passed away last winter. Currently, I'm looking for my father, but as you can see, I'm having a little problem shifting into my human form."

"Red, are you sick because you healed my grandfather?"

Heavens! How is this child so sharp? Is it intuition or perceptiveness?

"Yes. However, you have to keep that a secret. Promise me, okay?"

"Mmm. I promise. Thank you, Red. If not for you... I, I..."

"It's okay. I did it because I wanted to. If you really want to thank me, just grow up healthily and be my friend."

"Okay. Friends," Aine grabbed the little fox's front paw and gave a gentle shake.

"So, do you want to hear a story?" Seraphina asked.

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"Yes. I do," Aine's energetic reply sounded.

"... Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who lived with her mother and elder brother. Her father was a king who lacked the power to protect his loved ones, so the princess was not very close to him. However, she was dearly cherished by her mother and elder brother, which made her life happy and worry-free. Unfortunately, one day, her mother was taken away by a demon, who was extremely cruel and powerful. The demon was all too powerful that no one could save the queen. The little princess was devastated. But, because she was a daughter to a strong and kind-hearted mother, she continued her life with a smile on her lovely face. However, her life was destined to be filled with sorrow and grief, as her one and only elder brother was sent away to a foreign land with no way of returning. The princess-"

"Red. I, I don't want to hear it. The princess in the story... she is so similar to me, and I'm scared of the ending," Aine interrupted the little fox's words.

"Aine, this is just a story. No matter how similar it is, your life will never be it. Remember, unlike the princess, you have your grandfather and me. So, will you let me finish it?"

"...okay."

Seraphina looked at the little girl, who was tightly clutching the plushy that Ezekiel gave her, and continued her story.

"... many years passed, and the princess grew up from a little girl into an intelligent young woman. Thanks to her endless prayers, her brother also grew up into a powerful warrior, powerful enough to defeat the demon who killed their mother. The princess was overjoyed when receiving the news that her brother was returning home after many years with a great army and loyal subordinates. She only needed to wait a few months before meeting her dear elder brother. However, fate was not kind to her as a witch, who always bullied and hurt the princess, decided to send her away to the demon. The demon was overjoyed because, by having the princess, he could hurt the prince who was becoming powerful enough to defeat him. The princess did not know that the witch was planning to do such a horrible thing to the brother and sister pair. And, even if she knew, she had no way of escaping, because the witch was too powerful for the princess to fight alone. On the day the witch was going to send the princess away to the demon, an unexpected person came to meet the princess. That person was the woman who loved the son of the witch, and the princess hated her a lot. However, unlike the usual hurtful mockery, the woman continued to stare at the princess before giving her poison. The woman told the princess the witch's plan and gave her a delicate paper and pen before saying, "Write to your brother. This will be the first and the last time I am giving your family kindness. I can't stand in her way, but you can. So, it's your choice now." The princess thought over the woman's words carefully before taking the paper and pen, writing her last letter to her dear brother, and drinking the poison decisively. As a result, the witch and the demon did not succeed in hurting the prince."

"Is that the end?" Aine asked with a saddened tone.

"No, it's not. However, I don't know the ending either," Seraphina answered truthfully.

"Why did you tell me this story, Red?"

"Because I wanted to know what the princess wrote in her last letter."

"But, I don't know it either," the little girl responded puzzlingly.

"Yeah. I know you don't. But, if you were the princess, what would you have written, Aine?"

The princess did not answer Seraphina's question but instead stared at the little fox, which looked lonely and tired. That nostalgic but grieving look reflected inside the golden orbs of the white fox prickled Aine's heart terribly. As if wishing to wash away the pain from her dear friend, the little girl petted the fox in a soothing motion and answered Seraphina's question sincerely.

"If it were me, I would ask my brother to look after the woman who gave the poison."

Seraphina's heart clenched painfully when Aine's soft voice reached her ears. She could not believe the words she heard and looked at the little girl, who was petting her in a soothing and gentle manner.

"Why?" She asked in a quivering voice, barely concealing her tremble.

"Because she helped the princess. The poison killed the princess, but the woman never forced her to drink it. On the contrary, she revealed the truth, which the princess needed to know. I think the princess would be thankful to the woman but, at the same time, would have pitied her. The woman loved the wrong person. I don't know why she loved him or what love truly is, but I can tell that she was hurting. And that she lost her freedom. So, I would definitely ask my brother to help the woman and tell him not to blame himself or the person who gave the poison."

Aine's childish but organized words were coming straight from her heart with no deception or hypocrisy. Looking at the little girl's pinkish-red orbs, Seraphina knew that her every word was as authentic as it could ever be.

Seraphina pounced into the little girl's embrace and sniffled uncontrollably. She nestled in Aine's small embrace that barely covered her full body and put her soft furry muzzle in the crook of the girl's neck, while desperately trying to hold back her tears.

How in the world, did these two angels fall into the imperial family filled with madmen? She thought both amusedly and gratefully.

It seems there was no debt between the two of us, Aine. Only remorse and gratitude.

The night passed peacefully with no dreams to haunt the little girl and the fox who were snuggling together sweetly while sleeping. They did not know that the witch from the story was coming with her two children, nor the incoming arrival of the infamous grand duke along with his unruly three sons.

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