Lenna POV

A burst of fidgets ran down my fingers, hearing the doors of the cars being opened and slammed shut. So this is the real deal, huh? Focus, Lenna, you’re stronger than that, this is for Alphonse, my idiotic but affectionate brother. I looked down at my lap as my hands started to flinch here and there on their own. Worries began to fill my head once more, I was confident because of what we discussed earlier. How come I’m nervous now? Snap out of it, Lenna!

“Lenny” A voice called out as a slim and veiny hand covered my fidgety hands.

I turned my gaze to the right and saw Adrian giving me a small smile.

“We got this, I will be beside you along with Kalem. I won’t let anything happen to you,” His grip on my hand lightly tightened, the warmth he gave me made my heart pound. “Thanks, Adrian”

The doors of the car opened, letting the three of us see the view outside on the docks. Kalem took off first while me and Adrian followed. He gently scooted me along with him and held my hand until I was out of the car. Once I got used to standing on the rough surface with my high heels as well as maintaining the lower part of the dress, I began to scan my surroundings.

Few cars followed behind, while others were already on standby, if I see it correctly, the car I was in was probably positioned in the middle. And those from the Esmond Family were simply behind us. Adrian’s and Kalem’s crew began to get out of their cars as we stood there, counting on how many men were guarding the place.

“There’s so many of them, are dad and the others inside that warehouse?” I whispered to Adrian, even Kalem turned his body around to face me.

“Definitely, I just hoped nothing happened while I was away” Kalem replied.

A few loud and ringing claps soar through the air like lightning, all of us turned our attention to the midget Caporeigme who just exited his car. 

“Hey, get moving! We don’t wanna delay more time” He scowled as he glared at the three of us for a moment before turning his back, walking towards the entrance of the warehouse.

“Let’s just follow what he said, Adrian, line up the crew. Have them surround us and Lenna while we’re making our way inside” Kalem talked with a direct voice.

“Roger that” Adrian nodded and let go of my hand to attend to our crew.

It was just me and Kalem there, glancing at each other. With him showing no remorse in his eyes, while I was feeling pressured. Alphonse….

“Nervous?”

“N-no, I’m not, Kalem” I chuckled nervously and grinned at him, it made him shake his head with a smile on his face.

“Come here, your hair looks a bit disordered”

He gently grabbed me by the shoulders, fixing my hair and White Lily floral hair clip with his gloved hands. He kept stroking and straightening the edges of my hair, I could see the melancholy in his eyes when he turned his gaze to the hair clip I was wearing.

“I remember this hair clip, it was from your mother, wasn’t it?” Kalem lightly chuckled

“Our mom, Kalem.” His eyes slightly widened and narrowed at me, his hands let go of my hair rather quick. He averted his eyes away from me, lingering grief spilling from the look on his face.

He let out a sigh before he could make eye contact with me, “I wish she was still here… If it wasn’t for that day… If only I could just-”

“It’s no one’s fault, Kalem. Dad already told you not to blame yourself about it, along with Al” I cut off his words before he could take it any further. 

I tugged the sleeve on his left wrist while his face was full of guilt, frowning deeply as he gazed at me. I could almost see tears forming under those pupils of his. 

“..You’re right, I shouldn’t have thought about it that way. For now, let’s do our best… for Alphonse..”

“For the Esmond Family,” I added

“Kalem” 

Both of us turned to where the voice came from, looking as Adrian walked towards us with our crewmen began to surround the three of us. 

“We’re ready” Adrian added, his hands tucked into the pocket of his Pine-colored trenchcoat. 

“Let’s go then” Kalem hovered his hand over my shoulder, leading me as the three of us surrounded by our crewmen made our way to the entrance.

As we passed by, we got some looks from the men guarding the place. I couldn’t clearly see the expression on their faces, well since I was surrounded by the crew. With Adrian and Kalem beside me, their faces stiff, bodies straight up as we reached the entrance. The building was old by the looks of it, large murky windows, rusted metal walls, and some degradation from the colors of the paint sealing the surfaces of it. 

A large double door was opened for us by a man with tanned skin, dirty blonde hair that had been turned into a bun. His attire consists of a white shirt, a gun harness strapped across his chest and over his shoulder. He stayed quiet as Adrian pulled me closer to his side, passing by the anonymous guard.

When we were inside, the view laid in front of my eyes was surreal. The whole space was blanketed by hundreds of men, whether it’s on my level or higher ones. Dad must be in the center of all of this. As we continued forward, the sound of our footsteps echoed throughout the concrete floor. It made the crowd in front of us turn their heads towards me, Kalem and Adrian. Some of them gasped, murmured, and looked shocked by my appearance. 

“Make way” Kalem spoke up as he and Adrian strutted across the floor beside me, with me being in the middle.

All of them said nothing and pulled themselves aside enough to fit us three into the path forward. The once surrounded circle around the three of us disappeared as we traveled along the crowd who I guess is from our side. I can feel the tension in this place, the abnormality of the atmosphere was putting me on edge. Murmurs began to rise up when I was walking further into the crowd, hearing some of them talk about me.

“Look, that’s Lady Lenna”

.

“Woah, I have never seen her in person before”

.

“She’s really a beauty, perfection if you ask me”

.

“As expected of Don Roderick’s daughter, just like what the rumors says”

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“She’s quite hot”

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“Having seen her here, now I understand why Alphonse kept her away from the sights of other men”

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“Yeah, rumors that one man tried to flirt with her, and he ended up being beaten up into a pulp. Some said that his face was almost unrecognizable, he was found tied to a rope hanging off the jumbo screen in the central plaza the next morning. And all of that was his doing, it even made into the news”

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“Being one of the two executives means he’s the top of the game, with the other one being the Consigliere, his foster brother.”

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“That man has also been so protective of Lady Lenna, he won’t hesitate to corner someone at gunpoint if they dared to hurt her in any way, even if it's a minor insult”

.

“They are part of the Esmond Family after all”

Hearing them talk about the rumors within our side, Alphonse’s and Kalem’s reputation was off the charts. Members began to talk more and more about them as we made our way. With the two of them being the next people to lead the Esmond Family, there’s no doubt that they would be feared amongst the crew and even allied families. When I looked over to Kalem, his face was straight, no expression, as if he wasn’t denying the murmurs talking about him and Al are true.

“Taking compliments, I see?” Adrian playfully whispered to me as we walked. I glared at him with a slight pout as he smiled.

“I don’t know how to react, okay?” I replied nervously

“I’m just kidding, they know well not to speak ill of us, especially you, Kalem, Alphonse, and your father,” Adrian added

“I could feel their eyes on me, it’s really unsettling,”

“Just keep walking and it will be fine, besides, I bet Kalem wanted to shut their mouths up if you weren’t here” He whispered close as not to alert Kalem.

“Kay”

A few moments after that, I felt a shadow being held back at my right. When I turned around, I saw Adrian being held by the wrist by a man as tall as him with a black suit overlapping his shoulders. The same mole beneath his left eye, Violet eyes, and dark chocolate hair. I stopped my tracks to see what had happened, along with Kalem following my actions. The look on the man's eyes changed when he directed his pupils to my direction. A welcome that was inviting yet so distant was scattering all over his face.

“Lenna, it’s good to see you” The man bowed his head for a second before turning his gaze back to Adrian

“Uncle Fransiscus-”

“Father, I-”

“You stay here” He commanded, tugging at Adrian’s wrist as he hopelessly stared at me with a worried look.

“But-”

“That’s an order, Adrian” Uncle Fransiscus pressured his tone, making his final decision in front of me and Adrian.

His brows and lips frowned, I knew well he couldn’t defy his dad’s orders. His eyes locked itself unto mine with an upset tone within his Violet irises. A hand began to pull me around the wrist, when I turned, Kalem’s eyes were face to face with mine.

“Lenna, we have to go,” Kalem added, slowly pulling me further into the crowd. My eyes focused on Adrian who was being held back by his dad.

“You hear Kalem, Lenny. Go, don’t worry about me, I’ll be here watching. You can do this even without me, I believe in you” Adrian nodded

As I was pulled along, my eyes still laid upon Adrian’s face,

“I’m sorry”

The movements of his lips indicated those two words while giving me a warm smile as his face faded away.

When I looked forward, I could instantly see my dad’s back and some of the opposing party standing there stiff as a rock. Emotions washed over me when dad turned around and saw me, his face filled with relief. Worries and concern came over me, making my body move on its own towards him.

“DAD!” I said in a hurried tone as I threw a hug around his body and hugged him tightly.

I became a sobbing mess when I finally saw with my own eyes that dad was okay. Gripping tight into his suit as he hovered his coat to cover me. While his left hand held his coat to hide me, his right hand wrapped around my body. He let out a sigh and kissed the top of my head, stroking my hair gently with his hand.

“T-thank Goodness you’re okay, dad...”

“Me as well, did anyone try to hurt you?” He whispered, placing his chin on top of my head. Still clinging to his suit, I shook my head lightly.

“I see…. That’s good. I’m very sorry that you have to be here” His tone filled with sorrow, placing yet another kiss on my head

“N-no, it’s okay. I heard everything from Kalem, I’m here. What matters now is Al’s safety, we need to make sure he’s okay” I looked up at his face while tears were still dripping down from my eyelids.

“Agreed-” He nodded as his right thumb wiped off the liquid from my left cheek

“Well, well, looks like the main attraction has finally arrived” 

A deep and clicky voice called out, making dad turn his body facing towards the short and robust man before us. His right hand still resting on my right shoulder blade, holding me close as Kalem stood by my side. So, I’m guessing that man’s the Godfather of the Flammia Family? I saw the many men standing by his side, including that puny midget Caporeigmen at his left.

The assumed Godfather began to stare at me with a sinister smile as he scanned from my head to the bottom, “Elegant, what a marvel to see that she has grown into a fine young lady. I’m sure my men would be satisfied to be graced by her beauty on this lovely night. Maybe she can give us more than that”

Shivers ran down my spine as he gazed at me with a sick look on his eyes. Dad’s grip on my shoulder tensed when the man let out those words, low hisses can be heard coming out of his lips. Snickers of that old man and his crew followed as I looked around on the opposing side, eyes peering into me like I’m some sort of one of a kind merchandise. When I glanced at both Kalem and dad, their eyes were turned into ones flicked with rage. 

“She’s off-limits, now as we agreed, start talking, then we can get into terms” Dad spoke up with a growl

“Uh, uh, there’s one more person we ought to wait for” The man lifted his right index finger up as his left hand was placed on top of his cane.

“Why even bother, you’re wasting our time by telling this now.”

“I thought he would be here when the main guest had arrived, it seemed like he took longer than I expected. Shutting up a barking dog is a lot to take after all, especially one with Auburn hair and sharp fangs to bout.” The man smirked at both me and dad, indicating that who he mentioned was none other than Alphonse.

“What did you do to him?” My dad raised his volume, his pupils shrink in anger 

Dad let go of my shoulder and stomped a few steps forward until he was face to face with the man. I tried to go after him but I was held back when a hand placed itself on my right shoulder. When I turned my head around, I saw Kalem’s face and he shook his head.

“Remember, Lenna, we don’t know what they have up their sleeves. So don’t be impetuous, one clumsy act can provoke a retaliation. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you” He said as he moved his mouth closer to my ears to whisper.

“Oh your little boy’s fine, I only ordered my man to shut him up, not to torture or broke our captivating guest. So I suggest you take a step back, Roderick, now”

As soon as he said that, the crew surrounding the man cocked their guns up towards dad.