She walked through the corridors of the castle as if she had absolutely nothing to do there.
With her hands behind her back, her step light, almost whistling, the twelve-year-old girl slipped between the marble pillars with disconcerting naturalness. Her dark brown hair, slightly wavy, framed a lively face with piercing steel blue eyes, sparkling with mischief.
- Mmh... left or right... she muttered to herself.
On the left, there are guards.
On the right too.
Well… let's improvise.
She spun around, turned around, then stopped short when she saw a guard appear in front of her.
- Hey ! You ! he shouted. What are you doing here?
- Me ? Nothing at all, she replied with a big, innocent smile. I… visit.
- Visit ?
- Yes. Very pretty castle, really. Okay, I'll leave you!
Before he could even reach out his hand, she was gone.
— CATCH HER!
The little girl burst out laughing and started running, jumping on ledges, climbing a railing with disconcerting agility.
— Seriously, you guys should exercise more!
A guard tried to grab him: BAM.
Another: CRAC.
She knocked them out without even slowing down, twirling with almost insulting ease.
- Oops. Sorry. Well… not really.
She turned a corner into a hallway… and BOOM.
She hit someone head-on.
— Ouch…
The person slowly stood up.
They looked at each other.
The man's eyes widened.
Those of the little girl too.
- … Dad ???!!!!
— Alixia?!
— HERE IT IS! the guards shouted as they came running.
They stopped short when they saw the man next to him.
"P-Prince Bryan… what are you doing with this intruder?"
—Prince???!!! Alixia choked.
Bryan turned to the guards, his gaze icy.
— So now you're asking me to account?
—N-No, no, my lord, it is not—
— What do you want?! he thundered.
The guards turned pale.
Bryan approached slowly, his voice becoming eerily calm.
—Listen to me carefully. I won't repeat myself.
First: this will be the first and last time you question me.
Second: this girl is not an intruder. She is under my protection.
He smiles.
A sweet…and terrifying smile.
"And whoever dares to lay a finger on her... I will personally torture him, then bury him alive.
Have I been clear?
— Y-Yes, my lord!!!
They turned around quickly... crashed into each other... fell to the ground with a loud crash.
Alixia observed them, half surprised, half amused.
- … Impressive.
Bryan ran a hand over his face, deeply tired.