Chapter 181: Book 2 Chapter 38

Fritz

 

Without the children, his house felt terribly empty. He missed their laughter, their whining, and also the crying. Paula was unusually quiet as she watched servants pack their bags.

The decision had not been easy for her, but the children were safe with Hany. Safer than with Fritz and her.

But there was another problem. Emmie and Peyo. In the castle, they would not be treated like their children, but like slaves. He wanted to spare them from it, but he couldn't leave them in the estate. The castle was too far away and the binding spell would torment the two.

So, he was walking down the hallway, to the teenagers’ two rooms. He knocked on Emmie's door, but she wasn't in her room. But he heard her voice coming from Peyo's room.

He knocked on the door and looked inside. The two sat on the floor and folded paper planes. The window was open. Had they let the planes fly out of the window? Emmie snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Hey you two", he said, amused. "May I come in?"

Peyo blinked shyly and nodded. Emmie crossed her arms but said nothing. Peyo's room was perfectly tidy as always, apart from the paper on the floor. The wooden figures and books that Emmie had chosen for him were meticulously arranged on his small shelf.

"Am I interrupting?", asked Fritz with a smile.

Peyo shook his head. "No."

"Good." Fritz sat down with the two on the floor. "Are you aware, that we're going to the castle tonight?"

Peyo nodded and exchanged a restless look with Emmie. "We'll pack later", he murmured.

Emmie, on the other hand, growled softly. "And what should we pack? Our clothes from the market? So that everyone can clearly see that we are worthless slaves and they can do whatever they want with us?", she hissed bitterly. "Am I right? Are you here to tell us that?" Peyo reached for her hand, startled.

Fritz sighed. He couldn't fool Emmie. The girl was very smart. "No. But you will have to wear the uniforms of the bound servants there."

Emmie growled again.

"Normally, bonded servants in the castle have to help out everywhere, besides their service as personal servants. I'm trying to spare you both from that, but I can't promise it. If someone treats you badly, please tell either Paula or me. Otherwise, feel free to pack whatever you want."

"Okay", Peyo murmured. "We will."

"Thank you." Fritz ruffled the boy's hair, but he did not dare to do the same with Emmie. She was already showing him her teeth. Peyo moved closer to her, confused.

 

Emmie

 

"I don't want to go to the castle", Peyo said quietly. "I don't want to meet the queen. I want to go home." As soon as Fritz had left, the elf let his head hang.

"I know." Emmie hugged him and rested her head on his shoulders. "I don't want to have to serve the queen. I don't want to serve any of these monsters! If even one person looks at me funny, I'll bite them!"

"But Emmie! This could cost you your life. Don't be reckless!", the elf protested immediately. "No, you can't do that."

"I'm not allowed to?" Emmie laughed softly. "I think, I am. And if someone isn't good to you, I'll bite them too!"

Peyo shook his head. Some of his dark hair tickled Emmie's nose. She pulled him closer to her. Peyo looked at her shyly, but he didn't resist. She pressed a kiss to his cheek. He smiled shyly and his cheeks turned red.

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"Don't worry, Peyo. Nothing happens to me. And neither to you", she said.

"Do you think Fritz keeps his word?"

"Maybe? I think he will at least try. But I don't know if he can do it. But... Do you want to take some board games with us?"

"Definitely!" Now it was Peyo who leaned his head against Emmie's shoulder. "And books. And... I don’t know. Everything?"

"Everything? Also the house?"

"Does it fit in your pocket?" Peyo giggled.

"Peyo? How was it in your village? Did you have a lot of friends? You only ever talk about your family and very little about the village", Emmie asked suddenly. She had been wondering this for some time and a change of topic also seemed to be a good idea. She didn't want to think about the castle any further. "I told you about Mads. About his hideous sister and Levi, but I know next to nothing about your home."

Peyo sighed. "Friends, yes. Two best friends. But what good is it to talk about them? They are gone. I'm gone. Yorrit and Hajo. Our parents are also friends. I grew up with them. And then there was Keike, my first girlfriend, and then Reineke. But that with Keike, well, I was eleven... And Reineke? One day before the soldiers took me, we separated. I caught him with Keike. Nothing I like to tell you more about. And now it doesn't matter. I'll never see them again." He buried his face in her neck.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Thank you. But it doesn't matter anymore", he said quietly. "I left. I want to go home, but that's not important either... It's of no use."

"I don’t think so", Emmie contradicted him quietly, stroking his back reassuringly. Peyo sobbed and she felt his tears on her neck. He smelled good. She wished she could do more for him. "You miss them."

"But now I have you. You're a good friend", he murmured. "And Fritz and Paula are nice. It could have hit us worse."

Emmie thought about the months in the tiny cage and shuddered. Worse?  At night she dreamed about it and she always slept with a lit candle, because the darkness now frightened her. She did not like to be alone and at the same time, she could hardly stand it when she was surrounded by many people. Shopping with Fritz had been nerve-wracking and yet... She had been happy.

"Maybe I should start packing my bag", Peyo murmured and stood up. He collected the paper from the floor and closed the window. "And you too, Emmie."

"If you say so."

"I do! Off with you, Madame Wolf." He grinned and wiped the last tears from his face. "Thank you, Emmie. You’re a treasure."

You too, she wanted to say, but she didn't. "Thank you."

Emmie went back to her room and took a travel bag that Paula had given her out of the closet. She packed clothes, books, a deck of cards... And finally, she put the clothes she had been carrying in the terrible cage in her bag. Taking them with her felt right. Emmie closed the bag and sat down on her bed. She grabbed the stuffed bear and hugged it to her.

The castle.

She would have loved to run away, but at the same time, she was curious. What did the castle look like? What was life like there? What did the queen look like, whom she hated from the bottom of her soul?

And would Fritz protect her and Peyo? ... No. She was able to protect herself and Peyo. She didn't need anyone! But she believed the prince when he said he would try to spare them the work in the castle. He was part of the rebellion.

An insurgent.

That's what Emmie wanted too. She didn't want to feel weak and anxious any more. She was an alpha and not a whimpering little girl who is afraid in the dark! She should have led a pack! She was strong. Not this weak something that had become of her.

Emmie stood up, opened the bag, and put the bear inside. She wanted to be strong again.