The Serpent's Enigma

14 | Obey Me

First, tell me are you #TeamSr , #TeamJr or #TeamCal (both)? 

.·。.·゜·༺♥༻ ·゜·。.

"My mother fed and nurtured me herself," Cal recounted fondly. He kept telling heartwarming stories about his mother as they walked out of the burial complex hand in hand. "Even when she had help, she'd rather look after me than rely on nannies."

How lucky. Having numerous siblings, Gigi never really had that privilege. Though since the Queen had no other daughters, she had always played a major role in Gigi's education, always stressing the importance of being a refined and dignified young lady.

"I can see that you're adapting her ways in the way you raise Junior. Although I do want to ask something," she looked up and Cal nodded. "I know that you are named after your father but why shorten it? Why were you not named Callisto Raedan Leroy?"

"Oh, that," he laughed. "Silly, really. My father thought it was feminine. So it was removed from my name and Junior's."

"That reminds me— I haven't seen Junior since after the memorial!" Gigi said as the sudden realization hit her.

"Oh, don't worry, he's safe. I left him safely with the other children."

"I thought Junior doesn't do well with others?" Gigi reminded him, getting worried. Growing up surrounded by a lot of brothers, she knew how mean they could be to one another. "Show me where you left him."

"You're right, come on." Cal led her to the corner where he had left Junior.

"Leave her alone you despicable, worthless thug!" A shrill, high-pitched voice alerted Gigi and her husband, immediately recognizing it as none other than Junior.

"Or you'll do what? Hit me with your books?" replied another boy, followed by a cackle.

"I'll do more than that if you dare to cross me." Junior stood before a number of boys, some much larger and older than him. One of them had a smoke-black cat tightened on a leash, struggling helplessly to release itself. "I am the Prince! Obey me!"

"Oooh," the boys chorused in unison. "Let's see what His Imperial Highness can do when this cat's drowned." One of the boys who held the leash dragged the poor animal toward a nearby pond, lifting it above the water, facing Junior who was still glaring at him furiously. "So long, Your Highness."

As if an invisible hand crushed it, the wooden foothold under the bully suddenly broke, making him stumble and fall into the pond. The cat wriggled free of his hands and dashed away with a limp as the boy fell, hiding behind the bushes.

Junior was surprised but otherwise smiled in glee.

"Mummy!" The bully cried out as he fled the pond, dripping wet with the other boys following him.

"You're such a freak," One of them sneered as they ran past Junior, who showed him no reaction.

"Junior!" As soon as she reached him, Gigi got ahold of his hands. "We shouldn't have left you. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Junior kept his composure, although Gigi could feel how his heart pounded madly against her palm. A rumbling thunder could be heard from the sky. "Didn't you see me? I took care of them!"

"That was not okay. Let me look at you." Cal Senior knelt down before him, attempting to check on him.

"Father, no." Junior swatted his hand away, the strain visible in his face. For the first time, he was resisting his father's touch. "If you do this now, they are just going to pick on me again. It's the poor kitten that was hurt. I am going to find her now."