𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎

꧁꧂

(Y/N) mourned her mother's death for far longer than what was appropriate in society. It was known that she and Alliny never had the best relationship since their thoughts would often clash, but not matter what, it was clear they loved each other dearly. Alliny couldn't accept the reality of her child being born a girl, so (Y/N) dressed as a male to make her proud, as she always wanted to.

Now, though, Alliny was gone.

(Y/N) was alone.

    In the weeks after her mother's death and funeral, everything shifted in her everyday life. She drank more, slept more, trained till she bled, and did anything everything to take her mind off of the tragedy that had affected her in more ways than one. Currently, she lay in her bed one morning, the cold fall air seeping through the cracks, she doing nothing but staring blankly at the ceiling.

How pathetic.

    You can't even go a day without her, huh?

    Tell you what to do?

    How to act?

    To keep your secret?

    Exhaling softly, she begrudgingly slipped the sheets off her shivering form. Using her clean binder to bandage her chest, she slid on some trousers and a shirt before leaving the house, ignoring the glances of the townspeople as she did. Not as many people looked at her in sympathy as they did before.

    Now it was pity.

    They could see how much she was affected, how much had changed, and they pitied her for it.

    (Y/N) hated that the most.

Keeping her eyes glued to the cobbled ground with a few glances up here and there, she walked the familiar route to the blacksmith, her boss having generously given her time to mourn. That is, until today, given no choice but to attend work if she didn't want to be fired.

"Hey," she greeted stoically as she entered the small shop, the heat of the fire and the scent of iron washing over her when she did.

    "Hey, (M/N)!" A man spoke loudly, setting down the sword he was fixing and wrapping her in a big hug. "So glad you're back!

    "Thanks, sir..."

"There's no 'sir' around here, you know that (M/n)!" He laughed. "It's just Banco!"

    "Right," she smiled softly.

Her boss, Banco, was a man with dark skin and no hair save for the bushy white beard on his face. His eyes were dark and molten, seeming to be able to look at a person and see right through them. He rolled up his sleeves again as (Y/N) did, both working throughout the morning non-stop due to the many knights and nobles who came in to have their weapons fixed.

Finally, lunch rolled around.

"So..." Banco began as he blew on some type of broth. "Have you heard the news?"

    "What news?" (Y/N) hummed.

    "Apparently, many of the servants that used to work in the Prince's palace have disappeared," he began, lowering his already deep voice for a creepy effect. "And now, they're looking all throughout the twelve villages for new ones. Ones that won't 'disappear' so easily."

    "Ah... do these disappearances have anything to do with the Prince?"

    "As a matter of fact, they do."

    "How did I know?" She questioned sarcastically, finishing the last of her soup as Banco merely chuckled softly in response.

    "You just know me too well, it seems."

    "I guess I do," she laughed lightly. "You always seem to have some sort of gossip surrounding the kingdom's prince, and it's usually never the lighthearted kind."

    "I just don't find the guy trustworthy, is all," he shrugged whilst using his pinky nail to pick at his teeth, grunting softly as he stood up, his wooden bowl in hand. "Ever since he came back from the Gerrad war, something that was only seven years ago, something that was very recent, he's been acting strange."

    "You perceive anything as strange," she scoffed, cleaning her utensils in the small workshop's sink.

    "No, he just... changed."

    "'Changed?' Hah... it seems the only way to prove you wrong is if someone went to work for him and told you otherwise."

    Banco's eyebrows raised at her statement, a small smirk crossing his lips, the look very familiar to the girl, "What a rather... interesting idea, young one. If only someone went to change my mind, then they wouldn't have to listen to, as they described, my crazy theories and ideas."

"Seriously?" (Y/N) clicked her tongue at that. "You're really trying to convince me to go work for someone described as the 'Tyrant Prince?'"

    "Yes, exactly."

    "No."

    "Well... what if I told you that the pay there is five times the amount you receive currently?"

At Banco's words, (Y/N) froze, her eyes widening in surprise as her jaw slackened, the amount of money he was speaking of being enough to settle the debts of Alliny's funeral and her recent drinking habits. There were many regrets for her, and though she knew Banco was trying to suggest working in the palace lightheartedly, she knew he also did so on purpose because he was thinking about her.

"Are you... being completely genuine?" She asked after a moment.

"Completely," Banco's smile softened.

"...Thank you."

    "Of course," Banco chuckled, holding onto his rather chubby belly. "I've know you and your mother for years now, (M/N). I know you need the money, and I... I cannot give you the help you need."

    "'The help I need?'" She quoted.

    "Yes," he sighed, running his hands down his beard. "(M/N), I know you would rather not hear this, especially from your boss, but I cannot bear to see the person I think of as a son in so much pain." Settling both hands on her shoulders, his dark eyes downcast with worry, he continued, "It would do you some good to be in a different environment rather than the same. For me... please."

    "...okay."

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