A/N: I suggest everyone play the music I attached on the media while they read for a better reading experience! :D (You can play it right from the start)
---
Pier Belmiunde has returned.
The phrase kept on repeating itself in both the Crown Prince and the Young Duke's minds. They were instantly frozen on their spots along with the palace's knights and mages who had no clue what was happening.
He felt his heart beat faster in a short amount of time as the information started to sink in at his own self.
"Pier" Asher whispered as he aimlessly started to walk in the front lines where the knights of and mages from the House of Masters were all kneeling.
Step
The Crown Prince had a look of disbelief on his face.
Step
His hands shook for a moment and even amidst the cold breeze of the evening, he felt as if he was suffocated with the feeling he's getting.
Step
He staggered on his step and he felt dazed for a moment.
Step
Just outside the gates...
'Just outside the gates... Pier would be there' He thought as his individual steps started to become the pace suitable for a walk.
"Get out of the Crown Prince's way!" The Crown Prince's attendant spoke when he saw Asher start to go towards the front.
One by one, the knights and mages from the House of Masters got away from the way of Asher Lumiere.
'Pier...' His eyes were wide and his lips slightly trembled.
His steps started to even become faster until Asher was running.
"Your Highness!" Raphael called as he immediately followed the Crown Prince into the front lines that leads outside the gate.
---
"THE YOUNG MASTER HAS RETURNED!" The Knight Captain of the Belmiunde Household said and the said young master froze in his spot.
"Father, aren't you creating a bit of a scenario?" Pier asked as he eyed Noah and the knight who was up at the tree.
They were staring at him as if he was some sort of a new organism that had evolved from the human specie.
The Headmaster had an expressionless face once more as he stared at Pier down below.
"The entire household needs to greet the returning successor" He spoke before he turned his back and Pier's hand that was pointing at him started to move again.
Ronnovian gave him a side eye glance and Pier stopped for a moment.
'What was I thinking' He scolded himself as he brought his hand down.
"Y-Young Master?" Noah asked and Pier gave him a cold stare before he turned at Gideon.
"Where's Snow?" He asked and Gideon looked at another direction before he placed his fingers in his mouth and he whistled.
Neigh!
Pier heard the horse from afar and he sighed.
What was Ronnovian doing?
Why did he bring the entire war force of the House of Masters at the Southern Wall? Just to greet his return? He did not find the excuse reasonable.
He looked at Ronnovian once more but the Headmaster was still up in the air turning his back on him.
Rustle
Rustle
Rustle
The bushes started to shake and a few soldiers started to pop up one by one. They all were curious as to whom was the person that the Head of the House of Masters had personally come to get.
They were curious of the young master that had gone missing for months.
They were curious of the person whom the entire power of the House of Masters were kneeling to.
'Is that the young master?' A soldier who saw Pier whispered but it was loud enough for him to hear.
'Tsk' Pier clicked his tongue.
More knights continued to pop up one by one and they all started to surround him.
The young master immediately placed the hood of his cloak over his head as he bowed his head.
'What is this unpleasant feeling...' He gritted his teeth.
He planned to quietly go back and enter the kingdom and start the commotion when he announces his return to the House of Masters.
But no, Pier knew that the entire warriors of the House of Masters were currently stationed in front of the gate.
"Remove your glances from my master or I shall take your eyes out!" Gideon threatened as he glared at every knight or mage that started to surround Pier.
Neigh!
Snow quickly approached her owner and Pier was silently thankful that his trustworthy companion had arrived.
"Gideon" He called to the knight that was giving the other knights a hateful glare.
"Yes, young master!" Gideon quickly responded as he glared at Noah one last time before approaching his young master who was already riding Snow.
"And where do you think you're going?" Pier heard the voice at the top of the forest again.
He looked at Ronnovian and he saw that his father was once more staring at him.
"I have prepared a carriage for you" Ronnovian spoke but Pier had other ideas.
"I do not want to get inside your carriage, father" Pier spoke and a frown was etched on Ronnovian's face.
"Why's that?" The Headmaster spoke in a now cold voice which made Pier's skin shiver.
"I just don't want to" He spoke when he felt Gideon get on the horse's back.
"Hyaa!" The knight immediately pulled the reigns and Snow started to run with the young master and the knight on her back.
Wind brushed by them as Snow's quick strides carried them throughout the Western Area of the forest.
They ran past a few knights and a few burning monsters and Pier hugged his coat tighter to himself.
Surely right in front of the gates, he would be stopped with the thousand warriors from the Belmiunde Household but since his plans were already ruined in the first place, he wanted to go back to the mansion with him and Gideon riding on Snow's back.
"Cease your hardheadedness, Pier" Ronnovian spoke as he lifted his hand and pointed it at the young master who was quickly running through the forest.
Immediately, trees were uprooted and were thrown at a far off distance.
Ronnovian was destroying an entire forest with just a movement of his hands.
He was displaying his power in front of all the warriors that encompassed the Taron Kingdom and everyone could not help but stare with fear at the Headmaster's immense magic.
"Gideon, give me the reigns!" Pier spoke in hurry and Gideon did not hesitate to lend the reigns to his young master.
He expertly maneuvered through the trees as they were uprooted from left to right.
Crack!
Crack!
Cracking sounds could be heard as a great force was snapping the healthy trees in half while they were in midair.
Gideon stared as the ground around them were also crumbling at the areas where the trees were uprooted.
He was terrified of Ronnovian's magic power. It was just the Headmaster moving his fingers and it was already creating so much damage at the area.
"Y-Young Master... why... why don't we just take the Headmaster's carriage?" Gideon asked as he also held to Snow's reigns in case Pier accidentally lets go of it.
Why was Pier so persistent in not taking Ronnovian's carriage and he had to make a commotion of getting the gate's western area destroyed?
He could not comprehend his master's decision. Pier could have simply ridden the House of Master's official carriage and he would probably return home safe without any problems.
But instead, he was dodging Ronnovian's attacks like a lunatic.
The knights and mages who went out to do the monthly raid screamed back and forth as the trees were uprooted. They were also terrified of what was happening to the forest that they had come to inspect.
In the serene evening at the Taron Kingdom's Southern Wall, Pier was having fun playing with his own father.
It was then
'Enough'
Snow's hooves hitting the ground were the only sounds that could be heard along with a few screams of the knights and mages in the forest.
Ronnovian sighed as he stopped destroying the Taron Kingdom's outer forests and he allowed the white horse to pass through.
Pier was creating his own scene by not following Ronnovian's own decisions.
"Captain" Ronnovian called and the Knight Captain bowed his head before he took his sword off of its sheath.
He raised it and the thousand soldiers of the Belmiunde Household saw the command.
"RESTRAIN THE YOUNG MASTER!"
---
"RESTRAIN THE YOUNG MASTER!" The Knight Captain announced and Pier smirked under the hood of his cloak.
He then let go of one of the reigns temporarily as he held his hand out.
Schaaa~
His ice sword manifested.
Just a few meters away, he would soon get out of the Southern Wall's western area and he would be back on the main road once more where the gates are located.
"Y-Young Master...?" Gideon spoke in hesitance as he heard the Knight Captain's announcement of seizing the young master.
What could he do?
He did not know the choices.
It was more than a thousand knights and mages from the House of Masters and even if Gideon had risen to the ranks of an expert swordsman, he could not deal with all of them.
He was even sure that there are some expert swordsmen like him at the ranks of the House of Masters' elite force that was standing close to Ronnovian and the Knight Captain.
However, Pier did not answer him. The young master continued to hold the reigns attached to Snow with one hand while his ice sword formed on the other.
"Melfar" Pier whispered under his breath so that Gideon would not hear.
"You called, Guardian" The mythical creature inside Pier's body spoke in his head.
He smiled when he heard the voice.
"Lend me some of your power" Pier asked the Phoenix and Melfar laughed.
"You are free to use a small portion of my magic, Guardian" The flaming bird replied and Pier nodded his head in satisfaction.
He was upset.
He was not satisfied with the turnout of events.
He only wanted to help for a few minutes and quietly go inside the kingdom but it was spoiled with Ronnovian's appearance.
---
Asher ran, he ran with all of his might towards the gate of the Southern Wall.
All the knights and mages stared at the Crown Prince who did not bother sparing them a glance.
He just kept on going.
'Pier's back?' He asked himself.
He did not know what was happening.
Not a single clue.
What was happening right now? The young master has returned?
It was so sudden that the Crown Prince had no time preparing at all.
"RESTRAIN THE YOUNG MASTER!"
His eyes widened and his breath hitched.
---
The young master had his head lowered down and Gideon was even more in panic.
"Young Master! Young Master!" Gideon tried to call for Pier but the young master's body seemed like it was limp and dead cold.
'What is happening?' Gideon asked as he stared at the unmoving back of his young master.
"Young Master! Is there something wrong?!" He asked in worry but Pier did not respond. The ice sword continued to manifest on Pier's left hand while his other hand was still holding Snow's reigns.
'Fuck' Gideon cursed as he tightened his hold on Snow's reigns and he urged the horse to run faster.
"Hyaa!" He called and Snow took a huge set back before lunging and speeding even faster.
'What is wrong with my master?' He asked but he could not let go of the reigns since Snow was running incredibly fast.
He gritted his teeth as the main road could now be seen.
His grip on the reigns were to tight that veins protruded in his hands and arms.
"My knight" Pier called and Gideon immediately focused on Pier.
"Y-YES, YOUNG MASTER?!" He exclaimed.
Just a few more.
Just a few more and they will be back into the main road where the thousand knights and mages of the House of Masters are waiting.
A little bit more and they will be out in the open.
He was unsure of himself if he can fight a thousand by himself but he was not doubtful of his master's plans.
"Let me handle everything for now" Pier spoke as he slowly lifted his head that was still covered with the hood of the cloak.
"WHA- YOUNG MASTER! I COULD NO-"
Gideon was about to respond with the nonsense his master was speaking but it was too late.
They have already exited the forest and they were now in the main road that was in front of the gate.
Neigh!
Snow neighed when they were at the main road right outside the Southern Wall.
Gideon's body froze and his eyes trembled at the sight.
In front of them was an endless sea of knights wearing shining armors and mages holding staffs at the back lines.
They were completely blocked from entering the kingdom.
Pier raised his head fully and his eyes met the scenario in front of him.
'Heh' He scoffed as he patted Gideon's leg that was just behind him.
"Y-Young Master..." Gideon trailed in his words and Pier sensed the hesitation in his knight's voice.
"That's fine. We'll get past them" He assured Gideon.
"FOLLOW THE HEADMASTER'S ORDERS AND WE SHALL NOT USE FORCE UPON THE YOUNG MASTER'S ENTRY TO THE KINGDOM!" The Knight Captain spoke with his loud voice.
"What if I don't?" Pier asked as he instructed Gideon to get off of the horse.
The knight followed Pier's orders and he silently went down Snow's back. The young master following suit.
"THEN WE SHALL USE FORCE UNTIL THE YOUNG MASTER IS SUBDUED!" The Knight Captain replied.
Pier laughed at the person.
'Isn't this the same knight that accompanied me to the palace when I first got to this world?' He thought. He remembered how the Knight Captain speaking of his restrain was also the captain who accompanied him in his visit to the Royal Palace.
'You made a scene that I did not like, Ronnovian' Pier commented in his mind as he raised his left hand that held the ice sword.
Everyone was silent as they watched the young master.
'You're not my father and I will not acknowledge you as one'
He hated it.
He despised it when his plans are ruined by someone else.
'You made a scene bringing the entire army of the House of Masters here then let me make one too' He smirked.
"Father" Pier called and Ronnovian who was at the entrance of the gate stared at him even though they were still pretty far away from each other.
They can see each other clearly.
'Let's play a game, Ronnovian' He chuckled.
For others, it might have seemed like it was such a small reason for Pier to act out just because he did not want to get inside the kingdom with the House of Masters and the entire kingdom watching him.
It was bringing him back Pier's memory of being eyed by everyone in belittlement.
It was letting him feel the original Pier's fear of the eyes that judges him silently.
He wanted to reveal his full potential to his enemies when he had already placed the foundation.
But Ronnovian got to him first and immediately exposed him to everyone.
It was just like Pier had thought.
Ronnovian did not care about him. Instead, the Headmaster was setting his own son in a trap that would make him face his own demise just when he had gotten back from being missing.
He was using the original Pier's weakness of the mind to punish him even without blatantly showing it to everyone.
'Since we're already causing chaos, let's use this opportunity' He thought to himself.
"If I kill all of our forces can I enter the kingdom freely on my own?" Pier asked with a small smile on his face.