Chapter 6 - Edmund

The incident with Jirael was fresh in my mind that next morning. Thankfully, I had my own room so unlike the last few days I didn't wake up to a toddler poking my face and whispering "It's morning". As someone who was used to waking up on their own this was terrifying.

However, this time I stared into bright yellow cat-like eyes, covered with wine red bangs. I blinked my tired eyes, trying to clear my cloudy vision to see if I really stared at what it looked like.

"Morning kid" said the voice that did, indeed, belong to my Uncle. Ew... it felt weird calling him 'my uncle', maybe I'll stick to the Duke.

"Why are you here?" I yawned back, sitting upright.

"To take you somewhere after your maids get you dressed up", he replied in a bored voice.

"Dressed up? Why?"

"You'll see".

That felt ominous...

Nevertheless, I was dressed up in an adorable dress that I would've loved to see a child wear. Except, having been the child right now, I could only feel embarrassed with all the praises I got from the maids.

"You actually look cute dressed up. Who would've thought?" The duke nonchalantly complimented? If it really was a compliment... it felt more like an insult, but this is Mallory's body. I shouldn't take this as a direct attack.

"Thank you, Duke Camellia".

"Just call me Unc"-.

"No".

He frowned at the immediate rejection, but let it go with a sigh, "well. Let's head off now".

A tall knight, knelt beside me, holding his arms out carefully. His face was marred with dozens of scars, only visible between large clumps of hair. I deduced that he wanted to carry me, but I wasn't going to comply just like that.

"I can walk". I stubbornly said.

"Whatever suits you. But do keep up". Was all the Duke said as he walked out with a speed that might as well be called running.

I did my best to keep up. I did. But, with these short legs even running wasn't getting me anywhere. In a moment of instant defeat, I looked to the knight from before, he diligently followed me, slowing down to match my pace like a true gentleman.

"I'm sorry, but can you pick me up?" I could feel the heat of embarrassment on my cheeks when he looked to me in surprise.

"I- I- Of course Princess".

He scooped me up without a single complaint and in a small amount of strides caught up to the Duke who looked at me with a smug smirk.

"You can walk, can you?" He chuckled condescendingly.

How dare this little piece of shit!-

"Please duke", the knight who held me spoke, catching both of our attention, "the princess is just a child, despite her intellect".

The duke stared at him for a thoughtful minute before he snorted, "yeah right". And then he continued on his way.

What the hell did that mean?!

"That child..." the man beside me started. He noticed my curious eyes and gave me a smile. "Pardon me, princess".

And just like that we caught up with the Duke. He came to a stop before two large doors, and without any warning, grabbed me out of the knights hold and opened the door.

There, at the far end of the room was the throne. Sat on it was my always absent father who seemed to brighten up at our appearance. My eyes drifted away from him, to a familiar man with a head of long lustrous silver hair, in his arms was a toddler that looked exactly like him.

He was the knight who stopped me from getting killed that time.

When our eyes met, he placed the toddler down and knelt.

"Please forgive me, Princess. I'm worthy of death", his pleading was deaf to my ears because I ended up staring at the small boy, who glared at me.

His hair a lustrous silver, eyes amethyst purple and porcelain skin. He looked like an Angel, but... he somehow resembled a male lead I wanted to avoid ever meeting.

My stomach squirmed at the jitters in my stomach.

"Do you forgive him?" I snapped out of my worries at my fathers voice.

Forgive him? Oh... I looked at the child who was most likely the boys son. That's why he's glaring at me.

"Yes. I forgive him".

The man gasped in relief, "thank you princess! The Arian family vows to always be at hand for royalty!"

I nodded, looking to the king for some help, except the man wasn't done.

"This is my son, Edmund Arian. He's still too young to protect you so please use him as your friend until then!"

Ahhh... why. Why was this happening now. This isn't supposed happen right now. Or at all.

I shivered at Edmunds glare. He was a male lead just like I thought, but Edmund wasn't like the other male leads. He actually fitted the villain category more.

He became Mallory's personal knight as a way to climb the ranks, but Mallory ended up falling for him and giving him ridiculous commands. When she realised he didn't reciprocate her feelings she locked him up in an outdoor abandoned prison.

The heroine came across him and they would talk for long hours, when he finally knew her full name he made a plan to trick Mallory into think he loved her and have her free him. The moment he was free he turned the tables on her and locked her in there.

She was locked in for three days before some stranger heard her cries and found her near death. That experience did no favours for her mental health and she broke even more because of it.

Let's just reject it.

"I don't want it".

Everyone turned to me in surprise, even little five year old Edmund.

"What was that Mallory?" Father asked.

"I don't need him as a friend. I have Jirael".

"Jirael's busy all the time, just take what you got" spoke the obnoxious uncle.

"No".

"Mallory..." I could finally hear fathers warning voice.

Look, I'm not acting spoiled. This dude is a psychopath. He's always been a psychopath. And he hated Mallory just because she looked plain. The only reason he fell for the female lead was because of her looks! He even had a nickname for Mallory. And it was Princess Weed!

"I don't like boys. Boys are gross".

I could see a tremor in the small kids face. Ouch... guess nobody called him gross before.

"But Jirael is a boy and so am I? You don't mind us" spoke the Uncle.

"You and Jirael are my family. You don't count", I answered without hesitating.

"Family?" He said in a low whisper.

"Mallory. The Duke of Arian is a man with high standing. He's one of my closest's aides. It would be defaming for me if you reject him".

At fathers words I pouted. Why is this happening to me?

"Fine". I reluctantly answered.

"Thank you Princess", answered the duke of Arian, "for saving the lives of my comrades. You might not understand now, but we will all give our lives to protect you".

Right...

But then what's the point of bringing your kid into this? I don't understand these people.

The Uncle put me down, "go play now" he waved his hand at me.

"P-Play?" How old do I look to?!- oh wait... forget it.

I looked at Edmund who was still openly glaring at me. I carefully approached him, not knowing if he really was a psychopath like the book said.

"I don't like girls either!" He loudly shouted, alerting everyone in the room, "and I definitely don't like ugly ones!"

A bang came from behind us and the room Temperature dropped dramatically. I could see the boys face pale as footsteps approached us in long strides. I turned, equally scared.

The handsome silver haired man approached with a deadly expression, mercilessly he swung his hand, slapping the child. The slap could probably be heard from outside the room.

It was just one, but it silenced the child.

"You listen to princess Mallory. Protect her. And play with her". The commands were like that of a captain to his soldier.

I winced at the display. It was this man's fault that Edmund ended up the way he did. He mercilessly beat Edmund after his wife passed. Blaming the poor kid for her passing as it was just after his birth.

She was beautiful. That was all Edmund knew about her; his father had burned every portrait they had with her in it. Everything.

"Yes Sir" came a robotic voice.

I frowned at the sight of that. I couldn't condone this. It was child abuse.

But I knew if I got his dad locked away because of it, the boy who was always beaten would despise me.

"Take them to the nursery", Adrian commanded the knight from before, who once again scooped me up.

Edmund flinched at the sight of knight, jumping away when he crouched down to pick me up. It surprised me, but I realised why when I stared for a long while at the knights face.

The multiple scars. The burn marks. A normal kid would cry at sight.

The walk to the nursery was fast, thankfully. The knight put me down and opened the door, letting us in before he shut the door behind us, leaving the two of us alone.