Chapter 519

Jake P.O.V.

“Do you think they’ll get used to it?” I asked Nashara. 

It was easy to see the distinction in how everybody treated me. There were only a few dozen children our age but I was the only noble and even the teachers treated me differently, almost afraid of how I would react if they were correcting me in front of the rest of the class. 

“They’ll get better about it but it won’t be by the time you graduate.” Nashara answered. It was easy to see that she has started treating me with a lot less deference since we spent so much time together, not even Jari was as comfortable around me yet since he was in a different class. “They most likely learnt those habits through trial and error, it’s not so easy to unlearn them.” 

Dad mentioned that before school started, not only that he also told me that if I ever had a complaint about how I was treated that I should bring it to him and just keep quiet in the class. Even if it seemed unfair he would be the one to handle it for me, but it’s only now that I realize why.

“Are you excited to watch the duels?” Jari asked, I could feel excitement filling me once more. The blood pumping through my veins faster as I thought that I would get to watch the duels today. 

“I heard they use Domains.” I was practically skipping down the road as I shared. “I barely saw aunty Lexi’s Domain and that is so dangerous and destructive she always goes a long way away from the manor to practice it.” 

The conversation got cut off at that point as all of our attention was drawn to the commotion we could hear around the corner. The three of us all sped up to see what it was that was drawing in the rest of the children. It must have been very interesting for everyone else to stay out in the cold weather since I knew very few of them had the warm clothes we did.

“What’s with all these runts flooding the streets? Aren’t they cold?” I could make out a gravelly voice over the murmur of kids along with the heavy breaths of horses. It was times like this that I was thankful I kept my mother’s ears even if they did make me stand out from most people in my class.

Turning the corner onto the main street I could see a line of carriages making their way through the town. All of them had different House Sigils on different colored cloth adorning the windows but they all sported a small flag with the mark of the Empire next to the driver. 

“It’s probably the Duke’s way of being passive aggressive towards our visit.” I could now see where the gravelly voice came from as two men rode horses alongside the second carriage in the procession. My eyes were quickly drawn towards them, or more specifically the large white feline with blue jagged stripes. It was slightly larger than Fluffy. “He sent all the children to watch like we are a side attraction.”

“Shows how prepared he was to become a Duke.” the first rider chuckled, drawing my eyes away from the feline as my eyebrows lowered in a frown.

They weren’t the only riders around the carriages and while most didn’t seem pleased by the children watching them they were the only ones visibly annoyed. They entered the city right as school finished and they complained about uncle Ajax. I could feel my previous excitement turn to anger, I closed my eyes for a moment to grab a hold of my emotions and calm down. Mother taught me how to do this, apparently it was part of our feline heritage that anger led to aggression.

“What’s with that look you little animal?” I snapped my eyes open as the gravelly voice sounded much closer to us.

It took me a second to realize I wasn’t the only one to catch the conversation between the two riders. Nashara had also overheard it and was giving the pair one of her venomous looks. Both Nashara and Jari looked up to uncle Ajax so hearing someone talk like that about him probably angered her even more than it did me. 

“That’s better.” the man sneered as both Nashara and Jari instinctively loosened their knees and looked towards the ground. A response that mom explained had been beaten into them for years when they were in the Empire. “At least you know who your betters are.” 

“Look at them brother.” the other rider said. “What is this kingdom doing, animals like them are better dressed than humans.” 

“What’s with that look? You disagree?” I didn’t know what look he was talking about but it was clear that this time he was addressing me. Just like dad said I wouldn’t say anything back but I didn’t lower my gaze. “Maybe I ought to teach you a lesson.” 

I didn’t expect the rider to urge his horse to move right through me. During the entire interaction the rest of the kids had moved away from us not wanting to draw attention to themselves while also staying close enough to observe.

All of my training was useless, the best I could do was shut my eyes, raise my hands and brace for the impact but the impact never came. All I could feel instead was a splash of something warm against my cheek. 

“HISS!”

“HESS!” 

I opened my eyes as I felt a soft warmth envelop me. I could barely see anything past Fluffy’s large body but it was enough for me to make out the pool of blood forming on the ground from where dad’s bond ripped open the horse's neck before chaos erupted all around us.

Fluffy and the other cat were hissing threateningly at each other but I could feel Fluffy nudging me to run with her tail as she slowly backed up. The rest of the kids ran screaming all around us as Nashara and Jari both sat stunned next to me.

“My leg!” The cry of the downed rider was like the start signal as the white feline jumped towards Fluffy. 

I felt the Mana surge as Fluffy vanished only to jump from the large feline’s shadow and swipe her claws against its exposed shoulder. The strike connected but the wound was shallow, barely three thin lines of red could be seen against the white coat as I felt a weaker surge of mana from the feline. I could even see what happened next but Fluffy was launched into the wall of the alley we had come down.

It was then that Nashara and Jari unfroze and started dragging me away. I could feel my legs moving but it wasn’t intentional. It was more like I was just a spectator watching everything play out like a play all while it took everything I had not break down and cry. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” the other rider shouted as he grabbed my arm.

“WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE!?” The voice was so loud that it broke me out of shock yet there was nothing I could do against the iron grip that was now holding my hand.

“Your Highness, they attacked my brother.” The man holding my arm said. “Look his horse is dead and he hurt his leg.” 

“He tried to run me over with his horse.” I objected back as I tried to rip my arm out of the man’s grip but all that did was hurt myself as his arm didn’t even budge.

“These animals need to pay!” the downed rider yelled as he finally got out from under his horse and took a shaky step towards Fluffy.

The young man they called Your Highness seemed to fixate his gaze onto Fluffy as his jaw dropped for a brief moment. “Enough of this!” His voice wasn’t as loud right now. “Cal, call off  your bond. Helmeth let go of the boy, now!”

“What?” Hemeth shouted as he turned to face the young man I was now more sure was part of the Empire’s royal family. His movement was so sudden that I felt my body fly through the air before coming to a sudden stop anchored by the grip he still had on my arm as my knees hit the ground. “You can’t mean to ju-AHHHH!” 

I could feel everything change from one moment to the next despite not getting my bearing after being dragged off my feet. A comfortable warm pressure surrounded me, one I had felt before and the iron grip around my arm released. I focused on the sounds to reorient myself, the whimpering of the large feline and the screaming of the man next to me.

“What possible reason could you have for laying a hand on my nephew?” Despite the chaos all around, uncle Ajax’s voice was calm and collected but it came with a frigid undertone that made the weather this past week feel like a warm summer’s day.