The noble lady stood up from her seat. She was mad to see how one of her husband's trusted crow was ignoring her. Although in fact, it is her fault for making Estes act so, she was the first person to start accusing Estes' family of abduction of her husband, the King.
"We do not accept noble clients for our precious information provider not only detest nobles, he also wish for their extinction. As small number and jurisdiction as it is that we have, we cannot afford to lose even a single thing." Not looking at the noble lady in the eyes as Estes said, his voice was kind, yet his words aren't. He walked pass her.
The noble lady sank back into her seat, her eyes dimmed with indignation from consecutive rejection of her request from countless private detectives, as her missing husband case was quite old and difficult, and now even Estes rejects her request without hearing them first. Something snapped in her. She took off her hood and stood up with dignity, her beautiful features which is quite known by many as the continent's queen stood out from the crowd, every single person in the same space as her bowed, even Estes humbled himself and bowed. Only Tricen did not, because he knew he holds more power and he knew sooner or later he could not escape her. Her desperation to find her missing husband had clouded her judgement long ago, only now does it show when she had the remarkable bravery to slap the devil Tricen on his left cheek. As others in the room felt a strong, yet bad premonition, they all left except for Estes, the queen, and the victim of her slap, Tricen.
She knew she had crossed a line. Now, facing the consequences of her actions, she realized the depths of her mistake. With quivering eyes and trembling legs, frozen in place, she watched as Tricen come closer to her with a face she cannot read, she was afraid of how the devil would kill her, without knowing that the devil meant no harm, yet the devil's eyes showed no empathy, rather apathy and mockery, his eyes screamed the words "pathetic" to the person it fully had its focus—the Queen.
"Careful." Tricen held her trembling hands and guided her to sit. "Not everyone is as patient as I am." He warned as he let go of her hands and look down at her with a smile on his face, completely humbling her as he humbles himself.
"P-please devil... Find my husband....!" She pleaded as she was clutching the sleeve of the devil. Tricen gently shook her hand off. He crouched, nearly kneeling to her. "When using a devil for your gain, I hope you knew what it might cost you." Tricen looked up at her, eyes indifferent and nearly lifeless.
"I'll do anything!" she cried desperately, tears welling in her eyes. Head lowered like a servant in front of his angered master "Please bring him back to me!"
Tricen gently held her hand and place it to his nose, sniffing quietly, then he frowned, his lips parted slightly wide enough for her point finger to enter, he took a bite and drank the blood as it trickles to his mouth.
Estes smacked the back of Tricen's head, surprising not only Tricen, but also the Queen. "What are you doing?!" Tricen turned to Estes, his expression unreadable. "She offered," he replied calmly, gesturing towards the Queen whose hand still trembled from his touch. Estes sighed and walked away from them to another room, he cannot be bothered more. He opened the door hidden from sight, behind another open door, and there, he saw. An eagle with broken wings and bleeding body, it has been struck by multiple arrows that it may be a miracle that it's still warm and although alive, dying.
"Scree...."
A weak sound came out of the bird before it dies. "Yio..." Estes whispered the eagle's name with broken voice. His heart was pounding quite slowly, he knew, because it's the only thing he could hear. He gently stroke the bird's bloody feathers as he feel the warmth slowly but surely fading away. He spent a few more moments in silence stroking the dead body of his one and only pet which he had spent most of his childhood with. With his heart sinking and mind being muddied, his eyes wandered from the bloody head and wings, thinking of how much his pet has suffered, then he noticed the bird's left foot slightly wider than the other. He tapped on it and felt the texture of the paper. He swiftly took it off and read the contents.
[Know that the moment you messed with me, you will experience your eyes being gauged out too, while as you flee, arrows will follow you. ]
The paper were signed with three letters 'Ms.C,'
Estes' eyes widened, his eyes ablaze in fury and was died down by the water streaming down to his cheek. He lifted up the bird and felt pain far greater than when he lost his foot. The closed eyes of the bird were sunken while blood seemed like tears drenched the feathers. "Y...you did well." His lips trembled along with his hands that embraced the bird to his bosom.
"............................"
Estes was silent the whole time he wrapped the bird in an expensive silk fabric and gently laid Yio to a deep grave he had dugged a few minutes back. Then he erected a small shelter for when it rains, because he knew... Yio hated the water.
"Your silence was by far the loudest sound I have ever heard." Tricen spoke from behind Estes.
"Haaaah..."
"And that is by far, the saddest."
".....you speak like you understand a person's feeling, when in all honesty you think nor feel otherwise." Estes said, wiping off his tears and standing up from kneeling. He was startled as he was met face to face with Tricen. He felt it, that the one he called 'Cat' was gone. "And who might you be?" He asked, knowing that it is the same, yet not.
"Whatever do you mean?" Tricen with his seemingly innocent silver voice asked in a tone of a question in confusion.
Estes felt cold all over his body, cold sweating from the side of his cheek. It was unfortunate, he knew far too well what it was, and what he was talking to, not a devil, but as persona. "... Where is the Queen?" He asked as a change of subject. Again, it is unfortunate, that he is not stupid.
"I ate her." Tricen jested with a merry smile.
Estes' face paled.
"Is the taste pleasing?" He asked with a teasing grin. Doing quite well with hiding his fear from the creature that looks at him with empty eyes and gives him heartily smiles.
Tricen frowned, seemingly hurt from Estes' words. Estes gulped. Tricen walked closer and tapped the shoulder of Estes, it was a small gesture for comfort, but it did the opposite to the recipient.
"It was merely a joke, I hate the taste of humans the most." Tricen confessed. Estes felt at ease as he knew the words uttered were the truth.