-Break-

Walking with the flour thief beside me in the hallway, I ignore her cries and hum to myself, but then she cries even louder while pushing the bump on her head into me.

So, I start to hum much more cheerfully than before while keeping the same tone, but she continues to push into me, so I put her in a headlock and use my knuckle to aggravate her bump which causes her to say, “OWOWOWOW!”

She then bites me in the arm, and I say, “You gluttony.”

I start to pull her hair, but she locks her legs with mine and continues to chow down on my arm, and our fight continues until we both lose energy, and I say, “You’re a beast.”

“And you’re delicious,” she says licking her lips.

“I think I might bring forward that execution.”

“Try me, I will defeat you before you have the chance.”

“You think you can beat me?”

“I think I can eat you.”

We both get up and press our heads against each other, and I say, “You’re both a glutton and a liar.”

“If everyone believes a lie it becomes the truth.”

“Nu-uh.”

“Yeah-hun.”

We both bash heads against one another then, I say, “I hope you enjoy the toilet after eating all of that flour!”

“I will, because my husband-to-be takes care of me.”

Moving my head back, I snicker and say, “You, a husband? Don’t make me laugh.”

“I would have you know some wolves appreciate women with a big diet such as myself.”

“Saying big diet instead of glutton won’t make all of the weight disappear.”

Making a mocking expression, she says, “Hey guys, I am Cú Culainn, an idiot who beats on women!”

With the sincerest look I can make, I say, “I don’t know why but hurting you felt natural to me.”

“BEAST!”

“YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO IS A BEAST. THE GIRL WHO EATS ALL OF THE FLOUR IN ONE OF THE FOUR KINGS CASLTE, ON THE EVE OF THEIR WEDDING!”

“I ALREADY SAID, I WOULD REPLACE IT! What a small man for holding onto such things.”

She stares at me up and down, then snickers whilst saying, “Small.”

I ignore her and walk away, but then she pushes her face into mine and says, “SMALL!”

“SHUT UP!”

She starts to laugh, and I say, “I might be short now, but I am only 13, soon I will be an adult and tower over you.”

“Whatever you say, you pixie.”

My rage starts building but I calm myself, and walk away saying, “Minagrain, Minagrain, Minagrain.”

She then walks up beside me and says, “Minagrain, the future queen of the empire. I can’t wait to meet her.”

I glare at her, and say, “I’ll kill you.”

I walk forward and say, “And she isn’t going to be the queen of the empire, but of Gorias. I am getting sick and tired of these rumours.”

“You might be getting tired of them, but they aren’t dying down.”

“For now, but if they keep trying to imply that Conchobar is impotent their heads will roll, and they will shut up.”

“Did you know that a couple of years ago, one of the women Conchobar wanted cheated on him with her first love? What was her name again Deirdre?

After her cheating, Conchobar killed all of her family, and her husband's family until none were left. Rather brutal isn’t it?

Well, cheated is a bit much considering that Conchobar was so smithing he used many different underhanded tactics to get close to her, and all but forced her into marriage.”

“I know of this story. My uncle says it was his greatest failure, and my grandfather and master punished him harshly which allowed him to change and fix his reputation.”

She makes her same old smile and says, “That’s all well and good for him, but the dead lady and her family are rotting in the ground due to his mood swings.”

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After these words leave her mouth, she tills her head away from me and makes a furious look filled with disgust. That almost makes me stop in my tracks.

“You’re correct and the high king should be shamed for his behaviour till he also rots in the ground. But he can do more to help his people alive than dead.”

I don’t like to think about it from time to time, but I am sure my father, uncle, grandfather, and the rest of the people I love and care for have done horrible stuff.

Who knows how many of the older Faoláin soldiers even took part in the assaults against humanity? Even I might have if I was born during that era, and didn’t have both Scáthach, Ferdiad, and Aurelius.

If such a thing happened to Minagrain, would I be able to write it off as easily as I just did?

An unpleasant image rushes into my brain and I put my hand over my mouth to stop me from throwing up, and the girl beside me catches and supports me then says, “You need to shit?”

“Don’t go trying to be funny after all of that.”

Getting up, I walk and say, “I will change things for the beastkin. So, if you have an issue with our past be assured they die with our generation.”

“I am sure you are going to be a great king. Sad that your future sibling won’t have a chance to be a king like you.”

“Don’t worry I will always have a place for the little brat at my court.”

“You have a lot of love for it already.”

“Of course. It will exist at some point, so it is good to preheat my brain for the love I need to give it.”

Looking upwards she says, “Do you think all siblings feel that way.”

“I can’t say for sure but from the way, Laeg, and a certain man talk about their siblings. I think that it’s the only relationship one can have where they can hate and love a person just about the same.”

With a smile appearing on her face, she says, “I see. I am sure you will be a good brother, and besides you might already be one. I hear rumours that Péatra is already pregnant.”

“Really? So my father has been enjoying himself,” I say with a smile.

“Most kids don’t smile at that?”

“Sex is fun, so why wouldn’t I be happy my father is having some.”

“Have you had?”

“I am waiting till we get married, so Minagrain can feel as secure as possible.”

“Well then, I hope you have a good time. Though it is kind of funny that the first event this new life will experience is an execution.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you know, they are going to execute a bunch of golden-haired humans tomorrow? I heard of the announcement from my father.”

I stop for a minute and then my head flashes back to Aurelius and all of the other slaves brought in with him, and I say, “They gold.”

Turning away, I start to move and say, “I got to go, but our conversation was nice. You happen to be the second strangest purple-haired girl I know.”

Φ As Setanta runs away, I say, “First must be Scáthach right? Is she really stranger than me?”

Turning around, I say, “But still I accomplished all I aimed to with that conversation. Looks like the next high king can be tricked if he is stressed enough from planning a celebration.”

With a smile, I say, “I can see why you would want him to be in charge of the empire Ferdiad, I would definitely like him to be in charge of the empire. Though that doesn’t mean you have to be his stepping stone.”

Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice say, “Glic Ó Sealbhóir, what are you sneaking around here for.”

Looking over at her, I say, “Of course it is to see you Aimee Fuinseog, or should I say sister.”

“I am married to Donald; I am no sister to you.”

Moving up close to her, I say, “But we share half our blood with each other.”

She turns to walk away and says, “We share half of the devil's blood.”

I follow her as she walks and say, “If it allows me to be connected with you, I am sure it must be the most sacred blood.”

With a cocky smile, she says, “If Father sent you to make me spy on the Fuinseogs you can tell him to choke on his own venom. I have no intention of telling him anything or allowing Donald to remain his toy.”

“No, right now Father doesn’t even know I am here.”

My sister looks shocked for a moment, then says, “So you have started your own little schemes like he does. No wonder you’re his favourite.”

“I am his favourite because I allow him to both seduce and manipulate the younger generation in a way he cannot. Besides I am sure father has some interest in you.”

“Everything is a game to him and you where all people are just toys to be used. All I am is a result of him playing too much with a toy before it broke. Never once have I stirred his interest outside of this marriage to Donald.”

“You’re right I lied.”

She looks at me with distrust, then says, “What are you getting at?”

Holding her hand, I say, “He might not care for you, but you’re one of my two favourites. So, I will make sure no harm comes to your new family, I will protect you an avenge both our mothers.”

She freezes for a moment, then breaks my grip and walks forward saying, “I would never believe a word out of your mouth. I hate you.”

I walk up beside her, and say, “That’s fine because siblings are the only people who can carry both intense love and hate for each other.”

She blushes a bit and walks forward.

Φ I was almost seduced by this family of mine again. No matter how sincere she sounds, I refuse to believe that someone raised as his successor could ever be truthful. Never again, never again.

Location: Deichtire’s room

Φ Running as fast as I can I burst through the door, I look at Father who sits on a chair staring at all of Mother's possessions.

Seeing him in the chair, I smell the strong scent of alcohol and tears, and then I hear my father say, “Hey Setanta, I have given you very few things that I have explicitly forbidden and walking into this room without my express permission is one of them.

So, I will assume that the only reason you would do such a thing is because you believe some circumstance makes this an exception. Now I give you a chance to explain your actions, and it better be good.”

“FATHER, WHY ARE YOU EXECUTING MY HUMANS!”

Lugh sighs, and says, “So it was for something stupid.”

Getting up my father says, “In the latter half of this year the beastkin will launch an invasion into the eastern continent, and to boost morale we will be executing those who bear similarities to the leader of the humans who enslaved us.”

“Is that the reason you have kept those humans locked in a cage all this time, so you could kill them for sport!”

“Setanta the eastern continent are the only people who have ever defeated us in battle, they are the only people who cause fear in the beastkin. So, something symbolic like this can help alleviate that fear. I shouldn’t have to explain something so elementary to you.”

“But they are living beings!”

Confused my father says, “No they are humans. Now enough of this, get out of this room, and return to the party.”

Lugh sits back in his chair and gestures me away, and I try to say something, but he says, “SETANTA. Get out of this room immediately or I will stop treating you like a misbehaving child.”

“NO! I refuse to leave her until you answer my question.”

Lugh sighs, and says, “Care for my opinion more than I think? Nonsense.”

Getting up, my father stares at me, and for the first time in a while, I feel my legs shake.