Walking down the dining room made me feel another chance to ever eat on a long table with a platter of delicious foods and delicacies
but I paused my expectations cos I knew I was just a servant... when I went down as Klaus's tail I stopped next to the maid and lined at the bottom making me the smallest among all the servants... I learned these kinds of etiquettes as a slave when I was at the orphanage, If you are disobedient, you'll be beaten, worse to death... it humbled me how much the people of my country torture children... it makes my blood boil
I was surprised seeing Klaus pull a chair next to Anya and looked for me
"come here Forest!!" he said waving his hand; I slowly walked towards him and looked at the other members
Her mother looked at me with quite a bitter eye and turned back to her husband who is asking a question... not just her but Lydia who is behind her looked terribly awful
"mom, dad, grandpa, if you don't mind I want to introduce Forest!" he said pointing his eyes at me
"well- it's good to see a new eyes in the family-" Klaus's grandpa said smiling at me while raising his glass
"Klaus bought him when they went to the market- I thought you wanted a horse for your training!!" her mum threw a look on Klaus
"I was surprised too as I have bought materials for a horse- when I came back to the carriage my son bought a slave!!" his dad explained cutting down meat
I hate the fact that they don't like me.... the horse is more important, maybe I should give a better topic for them to stop making Klaus look bad.... he kept frowning, actually he made a good choice cos he needs a master, and that is me, a prince who knows what will happen in the future
"you look rather busy on your table Mr. grandpa Magnus, have you been picking herbs for a new test!!" their eyes darted on me on my question, they all actually have an amber eyes except for Devin who's got an icy blue, Ambers are rare in this continent but Klaus's is just exaggerated since it looks like an eagle's, it's extremely yellow making him different among the other Magnuses
"how do you know that?" asked the grandpa, his amber eyes glowed in quite an exitement.... he's quite handsome even in his age from that silver hair and beard
"your finger says so, and the paper beside you is a herb picture, it's called clove.... are you having a toothache?" I said, Klaus giggled in amazement and pulled a plate Infront of me
"how do you know about herbal plants young boy!!" he asked pushing his head on my direction
"we use to collect that, and I saw some leaves at the entrance of Magnus Villa, I assume it will lead you to a clove hive-" I said which is seriously true cos I saw some leaves from the entrance down this hill
"nonsense- you could've seen a grass or a weed!!" Mrs Evangeline Magnus said looking at me... maids started putting foods on our plate while I try my best to fit in
"I did too- but I'm not sure since!!" Klaus looked at me, I think he's trying to help me, he is lying since he's asleep throughout the trip
"can we go pick them up then please- I've had enough soup for dinner since my tooth aches so bad even in my sleep!!" Devin's eyes is full of hope
"we'll go tomorrow- shall we!!" Klaus winked at me, I nod and pulled a fork and knife to eat
as I eat they were all surprise and is indignant of how I slice the meats slowly and elegantly
"boy- aren't you an expert!!" Anya said looking at me
"is something wrong?" I asked them
"are you really a slave, who taught you!!" Mrs Eva asked pushing her head at me scanning every inch of my movement.
"oh- the orphanage does!!" I said putting a slice of meat on my mouth...
"I assumed the worse, dear me-" Klaus touched his forehead and smiled again
"it's ok-"
they all ate while I admire the cook, it's been a long long time eating such a tender food... life being a prince that was my life before which I can still clearly feel within my bones
God and I is in mission and I will not fail to slander the imperial family and church spies... I wonder where they put our real church staff... I'm afraid the real priest of our church is in the dungeon praying
during the night, I was tasked to sleep at a small couch that is twice my size near Klaus's bed... I liked it better since the foam gives my back an ease
"Klaus?" I called
"what's it like in the castle?" I asked him...
"I never went there?" he said beckoning at me, he is changing his clothes into pajamas, I thought he ever visited that place since he's always been the terror of the imperial family who was killed room by room including servants who are innocent
"it's nice there with big walls and cascades!!" I explained
"how do you know?"
"I heard in fairytale stories!!" I answered
"that's nice... I hope there will be a royal ball?" he said sitting down at the edge... I jumped out of my own bed and went to him
"can you also go so I can go- I'll be good!!" I was exited looking at him
"I'm not sure about that, servants aren't suppose to enter the palace!!" I frowned on him
"but it's ok? I can take you- look! we can pretend you are my sibling!!" My first thought to him was thoughtful, he's not harmless and I have no Idea why he took me in, is he even the assassin who killed me, or just a duplicate...
"thank you Klaus-" I said and walked back to my bed
"have a goodnight Forest!!" he said and turned off the lamp
most children who has servants are wicked, just like me, I was wicked, but now I didn't expect to fall on a hands of a saint, a saint that will soon be turned into a Satan... ironic how good people are made evil cos of evil...
during the night while he is asleep, I opened the map and read it through the moonlight, the years of travelling as an orphan slave had a good progress since I was all over the land collecting herb with my tiny feet and hands, I am lucky not to die during the journey, I was only 4 and five...
**†**
"good morning Forest?" I heard a tap on my shoulder... I blinked on my blurry sight and saw 3 faces staring down at me
"ahhh!!!" I screamed backing away
the three children giggled at me as soon as I realize it's them
"why were you sleeping on the carpet?" asked Klaus, there is a large platter of biscuits and milk on a pot behind them
I showed them the map which I put dot stickers on
"I marked the herb of cloves I saw!!"
Devin came to me and leaned on the map
"that's great, we'll all go together!!" He said clapping his hands
Klaus and Anya put down the platter of breakfast on the carpet and opened the balcony glass door to let in some warm air
"alright then fill your tummies for some energy!!" Klaus said
they were all serious... cloves are rare herbs for toothache, it's helps with the pain... I heard the master has been feeling it for months now, that's maybe why he is eager....
"going to get cloves feels like going on an adventure!!" I heard Anya who is slightly clapping the tip of her fingers
I put on a sling bag while the three put theirs and extra hats and umbrella for Anya
"ok- I'll lead the way to the dot on the map while Forest show the herb!!"
"wait, I thought grandpa is coming?" Anya said looking back to the door
"he's not-" Klaus led the way and we all went sailing with our children's feet
walking with them was quite fun, Anya started singing while all of us followed suite, I remember that song... she sings, the rainbow song about colours
and while going all the way down the hill, Anya picked up flowers, Devin picked up pine cone and Klaus was just quite and serious... he's cautious looking left and right... he's a keeper and It's nice guarding us who are little
as soon as I spot a clove leaves, I started looking for the trail, we walked towards a small hill where we saw a small sight of river falls about Devin's height, it was really cute that we put small flag so we could spot this and come back.... but behind that is a plain of clove leaves and there we spot the herbs we need, what's surprising is we saw more herbs including mint and berry
"Berry!!" Anya pulled one and attempted to eat it but Klaus pulled his stick and hit her hands
"that berry is toxic!!" I said before she could cry
"oh- you could've just told me!!" Anya yelled at her brother while stomping her feet
"well- I panicked a lot!!" Klaus said
"alright, let's pick our treasure, take some of the mint and cloves then we'll head straight back, I'll just explore a little!!" Klaus commanded, we did our duty and picked up as much herb as we need on Anya's basket and filled out bags
I observed Klaus who is walking around us, he is looking for more herbs and warning us about what not to pick, he then explored the plain from east to south marking the map with small dots and writing on the paper, he's good...
"what are you doing?" I asked him
"I never thought our land would have such a rich plain, the soil here is healthy, except for the growing toxic berry" he said feeling the soil in his hand, he didn't mind it dirty but smiled over it's richness...
"let's go?" Devin yelled waving his hands showing his teeth from his pretty smile
we walked back and watch as the two play tag and running collecting at the sides of the roads with whatever we pass on
"is Devin not your brother?" I looked up to him, he gave a surprised look through my question
"he is my brother- but is also my cousin... his parents died in a carriage crash!!" I looked at Devin, no wonder he's got blonde hair and ice blue eyes while the two has a darker shade of hair colour...
"I think he's lucky to have you!!" I said which gradually painted a smile on his face.
Actually, it's unlucky on my point of view, a few years from now, all the family will be executed including Devin... I remember them and Anya, they tried to fled to another country but was drowned after they were caught by palace guards, they were only 15 and 16
when we reached the residence, the mother quickly came and scolded them
"who told you to go out, you could've asked for guards!!" her eyes beckoned at me
"who said you'd convince them-" she was ready to attack but Klaus hid me behind him
"Mom it's us who asked him- we have the herbs!!"
"yes ma- see!!" Devin and Anya quickly showed the basket containing a lot of cloves and the other a mint herbs
"you got some mint!!" her expression dropped like she saw a new women's product
"the one he showed us contains more herbs at the plain sight-" Klaus explained
"is it the plain leading to the edge!!" her face went back to a roaring tiger
"yes-" Devin answered
"that's dangerous!!"
"mom, what matters is we got clove and Mint, except there are toxic berries there too!!" Anya continued
we eventually went back and showed the herb to grandpa Magnus who is named Riley... his eyes lit up and praised me and the children's
"alright- that's good!!" Devin and Anya went to the store house where Grandpa and Mrs Magnus make medicine while Klaus and me went somewhere else
Klaus is having a horse lesson making me sit at the bleachers to watch him while holding a towel and water... Klaus does it well handling that horse, he's got a good strength for his age and his control is precisely good, after all, he is destined to kill all the imperial Family which is a destiny that I need to change... he looked at me as his yellow eyes spat a glimpse of terror on my memory... the young man who killed me and that will never fade in the face of my soul I was 31 he was 24, but that was in my past
"Forest!!" he said, I pulled the bag and lend him a towel as he climbed down the horse
"uhhmm... water!!" I pushed the water up to him
"haha- thank you Forest!!" he said taking off the helmet
I'll be seven soon and he'll be sixteen, he's growing well and tragic is coming near... the plague is coming too and it's human made, how can I forget about that!!
"what's wrong?" he asked me
"can I drink too?" I reasoned, he pushed it down so I could drink
suddenly, my mind flashed a memory, the river where people drink will cause all this
"Vi-con!" I mumbled
"pardon?" I heard him
"uhh- Vi-con!!" I stated
"vi-con, a plain forest land for animals!" he said, my face was serious looking up and down towards the sky
Vi-con is the place where animals were killed cos of the river water... that forest and plain area has a various wild animals including horses, deers and foxes
"do you like to tame horses!!" I said looking up to him
"I would like to- but why?"
"Vi-con, there are wild horses there that we can tame!!" I said, he looked up for a second
"Vi-con land, nah- there are merchant guards there that don't allow people to tame them!!" he explained
"that's because they want to tame horses of their own and sell it in the market and take all the benefit, it's not them who even took care of the animals rather but nature!! that land is supposed to be a hunting trail for free!!" I said which is true... back then when I was a child in my past life, that place is free when my grandpa is still ruling the country, it's a land free for hunters to go and feast.... there is even a hunting competition, but after my father took the throne he closed it down afraid that people will get wild over killing the animals, and those merchant took advantage of it
"I know- we could go ahead and take some!!- we can use a short route, I'll show you on the map!!" I pulled the map and showed him a route on the forest
"that's a Forest, we could get lost!!" he said
my head looked up, he is thinking quite deep touching his lip, he might reject this offer-
"we'll try!!" he formed a smile, I looked at him with a question, he's serious... he's fearless I see... my master seem to listen to me....