“Sign it!” One man stated, kneeling down and putting a quill into Cid’s hand.

It was blurry, Cid couldn’t even read it!

“Sign it!” They impatiently repeated.

Cid slowly looked up and then…All he could think was to pretend to faint…

When he fell to the floor, Cid stayed there so easily that he was starting to worry if he really will faint.

“Dammit! Master will get upset if the papers aren’t signed!”

“What do we do?”

“…Wreck the shop!”

“Won’t he know it’ll be us?”

“So what? Where would be his evidence? There’s no one here watching us, and we could say that we went to get something to eat and get witnesses.”

“Alright! But…”

“Come on, seeing his shop look wrecked he has to sign it!”

“But won’t Master Steven get upset to see his shop wrecked?”

“…Oh, right…But what do we do?”

Cid heard other footsteps and tried to focus, if this is anyone else besides Steven, perhaps he could get help!

“…Two better…What are you doing here? I told you that I did not ask for you to work he…Cid!” Cid heard Ben and was glad that he had come back. He had already thought that his Uncle had left, not to return…

“Ah, he…He hit his head!” One of the other men stated. “We were just going to…Get help…”

Cid opened his eyes, putting a hand to his head and cleared his throat, “I didn’t. They punched me and then I hit my head, falling to the floor.”

Their master wasn’t here right now, so Cid didn’t hold back, wanting these two to get into trouble…That wasn’t the only reason either as he wasn’t able to think straight and keep up his ‘dumb’ look and behavior.

Blinking a few times, to clear his vision, Cid found his Uncle in a fist fight with the two others.

This was one great thing about his uncle…He was big and hard!

He took the two on by himself and Cid tried to watch Ben take them out of the shop, to what Cid thought would be the officers just down the dirt road…But he wasn’t able to think more into it as not only blood was near his eyes but his head hurt so badly…

Unable to get up at that moment, Cid just sat there, hoping he doesn’t go to sleep. He wiped the blood away from his eyes, finding out that he needed to be gentle, as his head seemed to hurt more, the more it moved.

When the fighting was happening, it had been easier but as the moments go by and he is currently all by himself, Cid found it harder and harder to stay awake.

He had a doctor once state that a hit on the head was not a good thing and that he shouldn’t go to sleep.

Well, if he remembers correctly that is…

As it was, he had a headache and he was bleeding and he was having trouble focusing, so…He just worked hard on just not falling asleep.

“Cid, lad, you…”

Ben’s voice helped him pay attention, “I’m alright, Uncle.”

“I went to see the two that used to work here but they didn’t want to come back! They must have gone through a lot yesterday! So…I was…Going to close the shop.”

Cid smiled and slightly nodded, “Good…You did good Uncle.”

Feeling hands gently going over his head, Cid felt a sudden urge to sleep.

“Cid, come on, stand up. Let’s go see a doctor.”

Cid couldn’t open his eyes, now he was all deflated. His hands were limp down his sides and he completely relied on his uncle holding his body off the ground.

“Cid…Cid!”

Benjamin hurriedly put the boy on his back and ran like the wind towards the closest doctor.

“Doc…Doc! Hurry, he got hit in the head.”

Quickly putting Cid down on a low bed on the ground, he watched the doctor look at the boy and started to get impatient. “Doc, is he alright?”

The doctor put his utensil down and shook the boy on the bed, “Hey, wake up!”

Seeing the doctor act this way, Benjamin got down on his knees and he too shook Cid. “Cid!”

“…Tired…”

“Keep him awake!”

Benjamin made Cid sit up, then hit him on the arm, seeing him act all lethargic, “Oi, Cid!”

Cid could only follow the urgency in his Uncle’s voice and tried to do as he was told but…

It was strange all of a sudden, he felt like everything was fine…Until he woke up…

Now he was hurt and annoyed, tired and groggy.

Luckily though, Cid found that he felt a lot better after the pain had subsided.

He was able to open his eyes then and see Ben…Feeling bad when that worried look was on his face.

“I’m fine, Uncle…I’m fine.”

“Don’t scare me like that, lad! Your father would kill me if you died!”

“My father…Is…Not able to touch you…” Cid said, not understanding what his uncle said.

Putting a hand to his head, he felt groggier. “What did you give me, doc?”

“Pain relief.”

Cid suddenly laughed and nodded, “Right…”

It seemed that the doctor wanted him to stay awake to not only take the medication as early as possible but needed to find out how alert he was.

Having been able to focus better, now that the pain had dissipated, and that Cid could even respond and have a conversation, the doctor stated that Cid should be fine after some rest.

The problem was, Cid felt a strange, light headedness come over him.

“I was bleeding.” Cid mumbled, sitting back and feeling lazy. “It was red…Red blood…Falling down my face…”

“Cid?”

“I believe the pain relief is already working…”

More mumbling followed…

A blur went by and Cid can’t remember what had happened, but he suddenly became aware that he was on a carriage.

“Uncle?”

He watched as his uncle looked at him with searching eyes, “Are you back to normal now?”

Cid frowned and nodded, feeling slight pain. “Mmm.”

“You went a bit funny there, lad.”

Cid sighed and put his head back, “What happened?”

“I closed the shop, but the two senseless men were let free.”

It took a while for the news to settle in and Cid nodded, “Thank you, Uncle. It probably will work better if you shut down the shop instead of me.”

Benjamin put a hand to Cid’s head, “How are you feeling, lad?”

Cid closed his eyes, and said, “I’m alright.”

“The doc said for us to watch you for a while, so you’re staying with us!”

“Leonard won’t allow it.” Cid said.

“Tough, I’ll just tell him who beat you up then!” Benjamin growled out in anger.

“He will deny it, just like Steven will.” Cid said, resting his head on the side of the carriage.

If only it wasn’t so bumpy…

“…Then…I’ll just…”

“It’s alright Uncle, if he won’t relent, I’ll go back with him. I would go back now, to stop you from getting into trouble, but I just don’t have the energy and I’m sure you won’t just drop me off.”

“You’re right!” Benjamin stated firmly.

Cid smiled, just like he had thought. It was nice to be among people who cared for you once in a while…

After another hour, Cid got out of the carriage and slowly walked towards Pauletta’s and Benjamin’s home, becoming completely overwhelmed when a soft body rammed into his.

“Cid! What happened to you!”

Cid can only be glad that the Princess had not been with him when he had gone to the shop. His relief felt like another problem had been resolved…

“Your Highness…” Was all he could say.

“You idiot! Why are you in such a mess!?” She yelled and Cid only found it nice and adorable that she already was frowning and lightly touching his head.

“I’m alright, Princess…” Cid stated, stumbling and then feeling her body attempting to help take his.

Too close!

After another stumble, nearly falling over completely, Cid stood still for a moment.

No more stumbles please…

“…Are you really alright, Cid?”

Closing his eyes, Cid relished that sweet voice and placed it into his heart, locking it there.

“I’m alright.”

It seems that the Princess got shaken up or something because Cid didn’t hear her talk after, making him look at her in question.

He needed to sit down though, he was just a bit too dizzy to stand at the moment.

Upon sitting down, he looked back up at the pretty Princess, worried, and found her nearly in tears.

“Hush, Princess, I’m alright!” He couldn’t help but try and console her.

The Princess looked at Cid with her watery eyes and did not make a move or say anything.

Cid felt his heart breaking for her, and sighed, “Mmm, the Princess is worried about me, I should get hit more often!”

“No, you won’t! No! I forbid it!” She yelled.

Seeing her come up to him and hit him on the arm, Cid felt better.

She started to cry, and she put her hands to her face, “Don’t…Hurt…You…”

He just couldn’t leave her like this!

Cid took her into his arms and cuddled her tightly, “I’m alright, Bethany. Shh, don’t worry.”

Stiffening up, because she only cried louder, Cid looked up at his Uncle and then his Auntie, wondering what to do.

Pauletta made an action with her hand and Cid tapped the Princess lightly on the back.

Whoa…

Cid went into another world as all he could think about was the hands around his neck, a body pressed against his and that it was…Female…It was the girl of his dreams…It was…A woman…

She wasn’t a girl, he already knew that, but now he felt it!

His hands wanted to roam like crazy, but he kept them still as he forced himself to keep his cool…She was, after all, forbidden fruit…

It was nice though…Very nice…

Those nice soft things were nice against him…

“…Hell!”

Looking up, Cid saw David and smiled, “Hey buddy!”

“Your head!” David pointed at his friend’s head but did secretly notice how close his friend was with the Princess…He too knew of the attraction between them, so it was not of that much of a surprise.

Cid put a hand to his head, and flinched, “Mmm, I hit an anvil.”

“Ouch! That must have hurt!”

“I’ll hurt you, boy!” Benjamin hit his son over the head and frowned.

David sat right next to Cid, on the other side, and raised his eyebrows, “Ethan, are you sleeping?”

“No!” Came a voice from Cid’s neck.

“Hiding then?” David then asked, unable to stop himself from tormenting the Princess.

Their friendship seemed based on a few things and David’s blunt and positive nature was muchly appreciated by both the Princess and Cid. David was one that wanted to do things and go to parties, Cid was more a mature and smarter approach and as for the Princess, she was a gullible, yet one that made you laugh heartily because of her antics. So…This wasn’t the first time that David was playing with her…

“No!”

“You can’t be crying because boys don’t cry!” David stated.

Feeling the Princess stiffen in his embrace, Cid smiled. The Princess will retaliate to that!

“I’m not crying!”

There it is!

David looked at her, then away from her, and easily said, “Could have fooled me!”

“I’m not crying!” The Princess stated, wiping her eyes and then glaring at David.

“Ok, I believe you!” David said, shrugging.

Seeing Princess Bethany get even more angry, but still unwilling to leave his embrace, Cid stopped his hands from traveling further up.

His instincts…Or wants, were starting to get the better of him and obviously wanted this forbidden fruit…

Woe is me, Cid thought, reminding himself that this can’t happen. She is upset and will be fine soon, then she will be out of his arms. Hold your wants at bay like you’ve always done!

“…On him…”

Cid looked at his Uncle, then to David.

He…Wasn’t paying attention. No, how could he pay attention when he had only dreamt of something like this happening!? Her smell was nice, her holding onto him, her face…Lips…

“I’ll do it!”

Cid looked at the Princess and wished he knew what they were talking about.

“Oh, honey, I can’t…Really trust Cid, if you do that…”

Cid frowned at his Uncle and then saw his Uncle nod towards the Princess.

Oh…

Putting down his arms, Cid closed his eyes. With so much happening, with his head and being so close to someone so desirable, he had not even noticed his hands go to the Princess’s waist!

With all the work to stop his hands…It still hadn’t worked!

Please, Princess, hop off now!

“Your Highness, come, let us find something for Cid to eat!” Pauletta stated, seeing how Cid was having…Troubles…

The Princess didn’t think Cid was having troubles at all, she had liked crying…In a specific person’s arms…

“Princess!”

Seeing Pauletta give her a stare, Bethany could only relent and remember what they had talked about earlier that day, “Alright.”

And so, the girls got some food and the boys laughed about Benjamin beating up two men.

It was well and good for another three, four hours but it was during evening, night-time, that someone by the name of Leonard came to the house…

“It seems there’s been a misunderstanding.”

Cid was not surprised at what Leonard said, not surprised in the least.

Not having gotten up from his chair and even put on more effort to look as though he was in a lot of pain, Cid did not speak and let his Uncle continue to speak to Leonard.

“A misunderstanding? I tried to get those two people to return and work back there again but they were desperate to stay away! It was like they had been threatened or something! How is that a misunderstanding!?”

“…I…My son is not one to make big mistakes, there was probably a problem that he had tried to fix but went overboard in doing so.”

Cid took a small moment to look at Leonard, seeing him upset, making Cid smile in his head.

And just like Cid thought, Leonard was most annoyed with his eldest son right at this moment!

Benjamin then said, “Who is ‘your son’, to this business? Does he own it?”

All of us knew why Benjamin had stated ‘your son’ in a different tone. It was because Cid was also classified as Leonard’s son as well, it just wasn’t seen like that by Leonard…

“He does not!” Leonard spoke firmly.

Again, it was like they all knew what was behind those words. It was because if anyone was to own that shop, it ‘should be him’.

Cid sighed in his heart, seriously not in the mood anymore with how greedy his step-family is.

Why? Why can’t they just leave him alone!?

Normally he could cope with all this, dealing with it and able to sleep well and continue with his life the next day, just…Today he couldn’t!

“Stop it! I don’t want to talk about the shop today! I’m sore and don’t have the energy! The shop is already closed, so let it be!”

“But…But Cid…” Leonard stated but Cid interrupted him, “No! I can’t deal with what I should do right now! The shop is closed and that’s that! I will stay here for the night and be back tomorrow, you have my word!”

Putting his arm down from his head, hearing it flop beside him, Cid closed his eyes and breathed out.

No, he wasn’t acting at the moment, he really just couldn’t take it anymore!

“Tomorrow? Then…I will expect you home early!” Leonard stated, then quickly left, obviously not wanting them to speak after him, especially if they wanted to state that Cid may be home later…

Nearly all the people still left in the room frowned, except for that of Cid. They all felt like Cid should be treated better, like that of Leonard offering to let Cid stay there until he was healthy again or at least say that he’d come to pick him up with a carriage, but none of that was said.

It was obvious that Cid had to make his own way back home, or ask for help from his Aunt and Uncle, even though he had just gone through a dramatic experience, especially when it was done by two people that were under Steven.

It made Pauletta and Benjamin furious that they had no conscious! They will most likely never apologize and try to come up with excuses!

But it had been years now and after the man left, they were like Cid and weren’t surprised with how Cid was treated, after all, they had seen it a few times before already.

How they wished they could adopt the boy or have the boy move in with them!

But…Not only was Cid now too old to adopt but the boy was stubborn!

The door didn’t slam shut but they could all hear that a bit of extra force was used on it, making us all frown.

“That man makes me so mad!”

Coming out from around the corner, Princess Bethany made everyone remember that she was still here!

Pauletta widened her eyes and quickly pulled the Princess to the door, “David, quick, take her back to the palace!”

“But…”

The Princess was interrupted by Pauletta, “No buts, you must return, or we could get into trouble!”

Pauletta knew this statement always worked with the Princess and did use it, especially in times such as this!

Leonard should not be something that the Princess should worry about, they needed to deal with him on their own!

“Yes…Of course, the hour is late, and I should return.” The Princess stated, quickly looking at Cid, before looking defeated and continued to walk out the door.

Cid didn’t open his eyes, but did loudly say his goodbyes to her, which seemed to be enough to put the Princess in a better mood.

David might be one to play up, but he knew this matter wasn’t something he was going to go against, so he was quick to follow the Princess out and do as his mother told him to do.