"....What are you doing here?

The leaves rustled as the breeze blew. Claude looked at you expectantly, his golden lock swaying on his forehead, his sapphire eyes glowing in the sunlight. It put you in a trance. The mesmerizing jewelled eyes, you could look at them forever.

"...."

You coughed to focus. "That's my line. Did your mana act up again and dumped into a random place?"

He flinched slightly before blatantly ignoring your questions. "I asked the question first, so answer."

So bossy!

"Well, I want to answer first." You said haughtily. Two could play the game.

He stared at you. His cold sharp sapphire eyes glimmered with irritation.

"Okay, okay! Fine. Geez, don't glare at me like that." You caved in sighing. This kid is scary~~~

You start explaining to him and once finished, Claude's nose scrunched in confusion.

"The king summoned you?" Claude asked surprise laced in his usually monotone voice while his cold look wavered too.

"What's with the surprised tone? I get it. I don't look like I'd have special talent but geez."

"...No it's not that. It means bad news for you." He said vaguely a conflicted look on his stoic face. Like he was contemplating whether he should elaborate or not.

"You are scaring me with your cryptic words." You laughed nervously already catching the hint.

"You should be." His monotonous voice had a sharp warning.

The fear and apprehension gripped you harder than the one you tried so hard to push down. The uncertainty of the unknown was grappling.

You swallowed hard. "What do you mean by that?"

He shrugged. "Well, you must have heard stories about the King. Take a guess."

Of course, you could take a guess. The stories of the cruelty of the king had spread far and wide, filling the hearts of the listener with fear. You were no exception.

"I'm just saying don't let your guard down." He said in low voice before muttering to himself. "Why am I even warning? Not like this little girl could understand what I mean."

Oh, you could understand. You didn't want to but you did. But he was right for a nine-year-old, she couldn't read between the lines. And you needed to keep up that facade.

"You trying to scare me away right? Hmph. I won't fall for it."

He sighed like he expected you to react that way. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

You changed the subject. The fear and discomfort were getting too strong for you to indulge in more. "Well now, tell me now why are you here? Was my hunch correct? Have you dropped here because of the malfunction of your mana?"

"No." He deadpanned. "I live here."

"Live here?" You blinked. "Are you a knight in training too?"

"Too? Do you know someone?" He cocked his head, golden locks gliding to the side with the action.

"Yes, his name is Felix. The sweetheart who helped me when I got lost in this ridiculously big palace. A true knight he will be, I tell you." You said proudly, recalling the genuine kindness of the red-haired boy.

"So you know Felix."

"Huh? You're acquainted with him too?" You slapped your forehead. "That was a dumb question. Of course, you will be. Since you both are training to be knights."

His sapphire eyes narrowed with a calculative look. "You aren't from a noble family, are you?"

Taken aback you asked. "What gives?"

He smirked calmly. "Other than your unrefined behaviour, I have other guesses."

"You couldn't help yourself taking a jab at me could you?" You huffed. "Yes, you're right. I'm not from a noble family. I was adopted into one."

"Adopted by who?" Claude asked.

"You sure do ask a lot of questions. Like a curious cat." You observed, giving him a goofy smile.

"...."

"Don't glare at me! Hmph!" You shivered from his cold look before grumbling. "This is getting one-sided. Unfair. I should get right to question you too, you know. Information exchanging of the sort."

His reply was quick. "Forget it then. You don't have to answer my questions."

"You dismissed it so quickly?!" You cried out, baffled. "Why?! Are you some big-shot dude in a shady thing who can't share his information, huh?!"

Claude ignored you yet again. "What were you doing climbing the tree?"

"I'm not answering that!" You huffed, crossing your arms with a pout.

Claude's eyes flickered from the tree behind you to your pouting face.

You too looked at the delicious apple, longingly. If only this big bully hadn't come, I'd be munching on those plump apples. You lamented over your lost snack.

Suddenly a wind blew, swiftly cutting off a red apple from its stem.

It landed on your surprised face with a thump and bounced off your lap.

Claude smirked at your gobsmacked face but it soon vanished replaced with expressionless. Like he didn't just drop an apple on your face, intentionally.

"I saw that smirk!" You grumbled at him accusingly.

You took an aggressive bite from your apple and a second smacked you on your face.

"You used magic." You said awe once you realized. Your eyes sparkled as you looked at the boy who squinted a bit.

"No." He scoffed. "It was the doing of the wind who took pity on your drooling face."

You huffed taking another bite. "Do you have to be sarcastic all the time? I was going to thank you. But forget it now."

Aw, my sweet precious bean is no longer sweet. Instead, he's replaced by this cold, dry, sarcastic boy. You grieved, taking another bite.

You moaned at the sweet juicy taste of the fruit. As expected it was delicious.

Feeling an intense stare drill a hole in you, you raised an eyebrow at the quiet boy. "Want a bite? It's quite delicious! Only one bite though." You offered your apple.

"No." Claude recoiled. His brows twitched, irritated.

You shrugged. "Your loss then."

"...."

Claude was quiet, observing you gobble down the fruit with a slightly amused look, much to your chagrin.

He suddenly straightens up, throwing you the last look he strode away wordlessly.

"Huh? Where are you going?" Confused, you got to your feet chasing after him.

He rolled his eyes. "Not everyone has free time to waste."

You nodded, already getting used to his flippant side. "I will ignore that nasty remark. But you're gonna leave behind your friend you met after three years? How cold."

"Friends?" His feet faltered for a second. A strange emotion flashed into his glimmering blue eyes and just as quickly it was gone. You didn't have the time to discern it.

Claude shook his head. "What friends? We had just exchanged names. That does not mean we are friends."

"There's a simple solution. Let's be friends then!" Claude's silence made you blink. "What, you don't want to be friends with me?" You complained.

"No." Was his cold curt answer.

"But I want to be! You're the only one I know besides Felix in this palace. Everyone here is a stranger to me."

"Not my problem." He sped up, his golden locks shining in the light as the breeze blew.

"Yes, it is! Be my friend!" You too stumbled after him, trying to keep up with him.

"No. Go and bother someone else." He grumbled.

You grinned like the little brat you were. "No! I'll follow you until you consider me your friend."

"You're gonna force me into friendship?" He asked, his stoic face breaking into an exasperated look.

You thought for a moment before nodding gravely. "Yes. If that's what it takes for you to become my friend."

"The answer will be still a hard no." He scrunched his face, annoyed.

"Oh come on! Don't be like this!"

"Go away." He let out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't have time to babysit a bratty girl."

"No. I'm not a bratty girl! And be my friend!"

You followed him nagging on. He continued to refuse you but you shamelessly persisted.

No way you were leaving a chance to get acquainted with someone familiar. Though he might have lost some cuteness of his you still cared for him. He had grown on you back then and now that you met again you realized how much you missed his presence. It was weird why you felt so connected to him.

And he was considerate and kind enough to warn you. Even more, the reason to be his friend.

He halts in his tracks and you almost bumped into him breaking away from your musing.

"What? You give up?" You giddily questioned but a second voice broke in.

"This vermin still resides in the palace? You truly are generous, My Queen, to let this filth live with you."