5 Years Later
Walking down the hallway in the afternoon. Was a charming little boy at the age of five. He was dressed in a blue dress shirt and a bow tie. His black hair was slicked back. As his little shoes ran on the miraculously cleaned marble floor. He approached a pair of double doors at the end of a hallway. Putting his ear against one of the doors. He heard some voices from the other side.
A gruff older voice was speaking inside the room. "We're in agreement then. The next Native Hunting Competition will be in twelve years. At such a time, each family will be allowed to have one family member represent them. That concludes this meeting."
With a practiced motion, the boy ran out the door. Running across the hall, he hid behind a potted plant.
The large doors opened, and the group poured out into the halls. An uncountable number of footsteps left the room. The boy waited for the footsteps to all clear out before he jumped out. The meeting room was one of the few places he couldn't go inside. Even being a Celestial Dragon. He thought his dad being involved with the meetings would have made it easier. But he was the main one keeping him out! He'd get in this time, though.
Once none of the footsteps could be heard. He jumped out and rushed for the door. Sprinting with all the power his little legs could provide.
It all amounted to nothing when his hand grabbed him by the back of his shirt. "My, my. Little Lance has escaped from his room again. What have I told you about trying to sneak into the meeting hall?" He moved his hand to hold Lance by the back of his shirt.
Lance looked up to see the face of his father. They shared their short black hair. And the slicked-back hair. Lance couldn't see what his fate was in his father's face. He was always so difficult to read.
"But Dad! I want to see inside the meeting hall!" Lance said as he was carried away like a suitcase.
"No. You just want to get into the meeting room because you are prohibited from doing so. If you want to join us when you are older, you will need to join God's Knights. You lack the discipline for such training."
"Nuh-uh! I could be a knight if I wanted to!" Lance kicked his feet in response to being trapped in the vice grip of his father's hand. Eventually he gave up trying to escape well before he was brought back to his home.
A wing of the main castle that had all 6 floors dedicated to housing the entire Duval family. This included both his immediate family and the families of his aunts and uncles. His father opened the door to the top floor of the tower. Walking back into their home. A lofty studio apartment that was the size of a normal person's house.
Polished white tiles made up the entire floor. The room the door led to was filled with furniture made from gold and fine silks, all dyed black. On one of the couches, Lance's mother was sitting down reading a book.
Once the door opened, she looked up and smiled when she saw Lance. She was wearing a yellow dress that nearly covered her shoes. Her normally untamed black hair was put back into a bun. She scowled when her eyes looked up from Lance. Meeting her gaze with her husband. Standing up, she walked over to the two. She squeezed Lance firmly in her arms.
"Well, well. Looks like someone was having fun!" She held him by the waist so she could pat his head. "I was wondering where you went to! You just disappeared on me!"
"Funny. You looked pretty relaxed reading when we came in. You know that it's your job to watch Lance when I'm dealing with business. Are you unable to fulfill that task? If so, Lily, then we will have to talk about…replacing our current slave staff."
Lance felt his mom hold him tighter to her chest as the room fell deathly silent. "Abigail. Please come and take Lance to his room. My husband and I need to speak privately." Out from the kitchen, a woman the same height as Lily made her way out of the kitchen. She wore a maid outfit and had dark red hair. The same color as an apple.
"Yes, Mum." Walking gracefully over to Lily. The maid lifted the young Lance by his armpits and carried him off to his room. "Mary. Please come with me. The masters need some privacy."
From the kitchen a girl just a few years older than Lance scurried out. She had the same dark red, neck-length, straight hair. The girl wore a maid outfit similar to her mother's. And they both shared the same pale white skin.
As Lance was carried away, he looked back to see his mother crossing her arms as she stared back at his father. Something that happened somewhat regularly. He wondered what they could even argue about so often.
Abigail opened the door to his room. She then placed him on a platform in front of his closet. Abigail began stripping the young master of his clothes. As he was stripped. Lance asked. "Abigail. Why are Mother and Father fighting?"
"Oh. Master Lance I wouldn't worry about that. Adults can't help but argue every once in a while." Abigail hiked up his pajama pants. Mary turned around, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Once she was done, the maid carried Lance over to his silver-framed bed. "I wouldn't think too long about it, Master Lance." She set him down on the bed and tucked him into the lush silk blankets. "Tomorrow I'll cook you a nice delicious breakfast. And you won't have to worry about any fights tomorrow. I promise your life will go back to normal tomorrow."
Abigail attempted to soothe Lance to sleep. Mary stepped out of the room and into the hallway. When she stepped out, she overheard the argument taking place down the hall.
"Tyrus, you're being unreasonable! Lance is only five. He's not ready for that kind of training!"
"Then you should have done a better job of watching him. If he had been caught by God's Knights, he would not have gotten off as lightly as I intend to let him off. I've made up my mind. Tomorrow the boy begins his combat training. I should have never let you convince me to hold it off for this long." A few steps could be heard before the door opened. "And if you try to interfere with Lance's plans any further, I will make sure your old crew is sent for execution."
The door slammed hard. This was followed by the sound of Lily sobbing.