Chapter 32 - oh to be a child…

When he finally stopped hugging Ruby to near death his eyes finally stopped on me. He looked so intrigued and in awe that the first thing he said was.

"I didn't think you'd still be so small..." his voice was soft as if he hadn't meant for it to be taken personally, but, unfortunately for him, I took that very personally.

So not only was he suspicious but he was also rude.

"I don't think we've met before", I frowned, not bothering to introduce myself when he clearly knew me well.

The man looked almost hurt at my words and pointed to himself with a single finger, he looked like a dejected puppy.

"You... You don't remember me?- well now that I think about it you were a baby... but... to forget me when I still remember..." He looked even more miserable, "That's so... unfortunate..."

His beautiful appearance was deadly at that moment. Those red eyes and those fluttering lashes that hooded them were so innocent I felt an arrow hit me.

No! I'm not weak!

"I've only met two Brennus before today. There must be a mistake".

At my words he brightened up, Ruby who had been tense during this exchange relaxed and chuckled lightly as he spoke up.

"It seems you simply just don't recognise him then", he said in a strangely relieved way.

That made me even more confused. I turned the man. He was old. Not old old, but older than either of the boys I met. And with Ruby right in-front of me... then did that mean he was- No. there's no way. This is a grown man!

However, the grown man looked delighted at the fact that I might recall him. He was just about to reach for me when I was pulled harshly away from him.

Lance who had pulled me away glared at the man with such ferocity that I found it odd on his angelic-like features. He had pulled me away so suddenly that I felt a warm heavy metal rest on my dress and realised that the necklace had come out.

The jewel seemed to shine so brightly beneath its cloth that it distracted everyone in the room. I yelped at the sight and tried to stuff it away, but before I could grab it the man held it in lightening speed, which caused it to shine brighter.

His eyes seemed to glitter at the sight of the necklace. He glanced at me and then the jewel with a joyful and yet nervous smile.

"This is... my jewel" he murmured fondly as he held it.

At that moment it was painfully obvious. It made no sense at all, but this man. This man was Luka.

His deep red eyes met mine with a touched face. His eyes curled as he smiled at me. It felt like the reunion of the century. A strange spark flew between us and suddenly, despite his height and strange appearance, I was convinced. This man was Luka. He was the same kid from years ago.

At some point we were both laughing while staring at each others eyes, his hand still clasped around the necklace. And it still glowed.

"But why is it glowing?" I asked after a while of giggling, a smile prominent on my face.

Why was I so happy to see him?

"Because it's owner is nearby", Lance said in irritation. He scowled at me in betrayal, "why would you wear his necklace? That's like being married!"

I guess it was the difference in cultures. In the Blackburn Empire, giving jewellery was just a gift. It could be from anyone, not excluding a lover, but in the Brennus it was restricted to soul mates. People who vowed to spend the rest of their lives together. At least, that's what I recalled from the book.

"In the Empire it's rude to refuse a gift from royalty", Someone else answered this. A new face in the room.

Everyone turned in surprise towards the source and there stood Jirael. His golden eyes narrowed as he eyed Luka.

"Brother", I was surprised he caught up to us.

"Brother..." Luka murmured and then he brightened up, "Forgive me for not realising, the crown Prince of the Brennus greets the crown Prince of Blackburn".

"Prince of Brennus? And what business do you have with my sister?" He sharply replied, looking far older than the seven year old he was.

"Eh- well... she's someone I owe my life to", he spoke as he slowly glanced at me bashfully and then looked away.

No matter how one looked at this he looked like a pedo.

"I don't understand how any of that relates to you being so close to her, so step aside from the sole princess of Blackburn", he narrowed his eyes, voice emanating threat.

Luka stepped away with a care free smile, holding his hands up as if he was being held at gun point. And then suddenly his smile dropped and his eyes curled in a calculating way.

"Well, we might marry someday soon so I don't think us being close is a problem, Hm?" Luka sounded as if he wanted to get a rise out of Jirael. Yeah... not happening. And I meant that about either of those things...

"Marry?" Jirael spat, "my sister has no plans to marry and she's still young! She has plenty of time before she has to do anything like that".

Thank you! Thank you Jirael! For being the only sound minded person here!

"If not me then it'll be someone else", Luka's words made a shiver run down my spine. I could feel Jirael who had reached out for me tense up, "A princess isn't treated as anything more than an object for political gains. And from what I've heard about you, I'm sure you know very well about that. That's why I want to take the princess before some power hungry filthy swine takes her".

I felt my teeth clench at his words. I'm not some damsel in distress.

That's why I wouldn't stay here any longer...

Jirael pulled me towards himself so fast I stumbled and hugged me so tightly I could feel his chest vibrating with the anger of his next words.

"If anyone. That I don't approve of. Tries to take my sister away from me then I won't hesitate to aim for their head!" He shouted at Luka, eyes going from the tall dark haired man to the irritated Angel like boy at his side and even Ruby, who had moved to the more shadowy areas of the room. I had almost forgotten he was even here.

At Jirael's anger I could only blink a few times, before I glanced towards him. He looked mad. Really mad.

Jirael if anything not only shocked me by his smart attitude, but also his calmness. He rarely ever got anger. So despite what everyone else might've thought, I was in shock of the boy who I thought I knew quite well getting mad.

I patted the hand around me slowly. I couldn't exactly hug him back at my position, but I just wanted him to know that I appreciated his words. At my actions, his grip loosened and I managed to turn towards him.

"Jirael", I said as I faced him with a warm smile, "I told you. I have no plans on marrying" I'm going escape!

He looked startled at my words. And then after collecting himself he gave an uncertain smile, as if he truly wondered the meaning of my words.

"You- You don't?!" The shout that broke at that moment was Luka's, except he sounded younger? I turned towards him with furrowed brows and a boy with the exact same looks, and no more than eleven years old stood where the beautiful man had previously been.

What the helll is going on?!

"But I even transformed! Dad said girls like bigger men... I knew he was lying!" The boy looked to be having a mental breakdown.

"My Prince, the princess is very peculiar with her taste in men. I'm not sure if it's due to her age or maybe that she prefers women", Ruby started to run his snarky mouth which made me glare at his figure. He blatantly ignored me!

There's nothing wrong with my taste in men! I'm just surrounded by kids and that illegal!!

Before I could even say anything, Luka's figure blurred and began to look so distorted that when he finally became normal or in other words, not a distorted image, I stared at a beautiful girl who looked at me with hopeful eyes. The same red eyes and the same black hair.

I sighed.

"Say princess? Would you marry me now?" The girl was just as beautiful as the man, but the motive behind the transformation made me deadpan.

I hadn't known the Brennus could transform like this. It seemed like a handy tool. And it was pretty cool to the say the least, but then again, the Brennus held many secrets so I doubt this was even a shocking one.

I looked at Lance who looked to be transfixed at the girl, his cheeks were even kinda red. His eyes wide as if he stared at the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen.

I felt a laugh bubble up in my throat and when everyone turned to see what made me lose my composure they started to have chuckles of their own, except for Luka who looked to be near throwing up.

"I-It's not what you think! Stop laughing!" Lance shouted, but that made me laugh even harder. Even Jirael was smirking.

"It better not be!" Luka had turned back into a boy again and stepped away from Lance in disgust and fear it seemed.

"He's just a kid…" I heard Jirael mutter and nodded in agreement as I watched the two boys quarrel among themselves.

And thank goodness for that.