As William wolfed down the hot meal, Harvick suggested, “When you start working in the castle, I can get someone to teach you how to read… It’s a very valuable skill”. To this William made a twisted smile. Not knowing whether to be proud or insulted. He said, “I can alweady read”.

Harvick eyed William up and down. Unbelieving of what was said, he exclaimed, “WHAT!? You can read?.. How…?.. Are you sure!?”. With great confidence, William replied with a “Yep!”.

Harvick thought for a moment, before he went down into his bag to fetch something. He got hold of a piece of rolled up parchment. It was flattened and laid down with a smack, onto the table. “Then tell me what it says here”, Harvick demanded. William glanced at the text with an high and mighty attitude, which quickly fell apart like his jaw. He screamed inside himself: What is that!? Latin!? It looks like a crow breakdanced all over the place, with ink on its feet!

Seeing William’s twisted face, made Harvick convinced that his suspicions were correct. He said, “You shouldn’t have lied, Mirabelle… There is no shame in lacking a skill… But no matter… We’ll talk about this in the future… Once you’re able to write and read, we can communicate by letters. Doing so, will make it much easier for us to keep in contact. And hopefully prevent you from doing anything… Questionable again”.

William was hit by an awkward gust of wind. He gulped down the last spoonful, before he asked, “I know this ish rude to ask, but… Ish it really okay to give me all of this?”. Harvick repeated, “This?.. You mean why I want to help you?”. William slowed his movements and nodded, “Yeah… Because, you have been gwone for quite some time. Not seeming to care abwout us anymore…”.

Harvick sighed. He seemed unsure whether he himself knew the answer. He took back the scroll, before he softly said, “I think… It’s because, like you, I also seek someone who I can trust… You know... Who happens to not be so fixated on what I have but what I am… One who treats me like a proper person… Erh-”.

Harvick held back his words. For William was looking at him quite peculiarly, “Yeah… I don’t know… To me Harvick… You’re like a suber powerful god! Weally awesome! So don’t back down and become yhet another bland peasant. Enjoy it and be proud of yourself!… I know I certwainly would be, hehe”.

Harvick shook his head, knowing his point didn’t get across as intended. Yet he couldn’t help himself yielding to the other’s optimism. “Although, you might not be the brightest here-”. Harvick pointed towards his forehead and smiled mischievously. Then he redirected his finger to point towards his chest, before he sincerely added “-You’re very bright in here… And that what matters”.

William was about to drop his spoon. This kind of raw compliment was too much for him, so instead of blushing like a dork, he tried to spin the compliment into a joke on his behalf: “Yuu can’t be serious!.. You too thwink that I’m stupid!?”.

Harvick shrugged his shoulders, not seeming to mind how William glossed over his sentiments. Before they went each to their own, William said, “You know… I think I’m fine not bweing the most clever person out there. So long ash you’re my ally… And of course, I’ll be yours in retwurn. I promise yuu Harvick! I won’t let you down... You can also ask me for helb… If you need it”.

Harvick smiled. It was plastered on his face like tape, for deep inside he knew that the help he needed would never come. He was a self made man.

****

During the sun’s descent, Harvick and Grettel began to fight over the custody of William.

Within minutes their verbal-war had become quite heated. Grettel growled, “For someone so young, you sure are blissfully arrogant. Who do you think made you so successful!? Who-”. Harvick struck back, “Who, but myself!? I was the one bringing down the walls of Halbal castle! It was me, who came to rescue your sorry tits, when fate decided to come bite you in the ass! And where did those fangs come from? That’s right! Your own self-destructing, nasty schemes! What do you think the lord will do to you, when he finds out?.. Burn you on the stake?”. Listening to Harvick’s less noble side, made William flinch. Another illusion painfully cracked.

Grettel on the other hand, became raspy red in the face as she retorted, “And guess where all of that money went!? HA! It all went to fatten up your sorry little ego!.. Don’t think for a second that your smarter than me! If you dare tell lord Blaise of where those cubs came from, I won’t be the only one who’ll have to pay!.. All those who knew of my secret and didn’t tell him are exactly as guilty as I! Hahaha! That includes you, my dear son and that little vixen of yours, who you so desperately want to protect… Mirabelle!..”.

Both William and Harvick got stunned by those words.

She added, “Or have you forgotten, that we made a list of those whom we told of our little endeavor?”. Grettel’s mouth was wide open, to the extent that they could see her tongue that bulged playfully. It was a disgusting sight.

Harvick fought back his urge to slug his own ‘mother’. It took a few seconds before this desire, ceased its chanting inside his head. Suddenly, the almost uncontrollable rage, was magically recalled into his vessel. It was rather eerie, how easy it was for him to calm down…

The teenager readjusted his clothes before exhaling, “Fine!.. I won’t snitch… Tell me m-... Erh… Say, if I let you come and live with me at Halbal castle… Along with my brothers of course… Will you let Mirabelle serve the Blaise family instead?”.

Hearing this offer, made Grettel turn up her eyes, while her lashes fluttered. She was so very happy…

“Of course it’s a deal! Ahahaha.. I’ll pack immediately and then you can have that fleabag…”. Harvick pulled at her shoulder before she scampered off, “Wait a second… You’ll have to stay here until Mirabelle can be accepted by the castle… Or do you wish to see her homeless?.. Like you once were?”.

Harvick knew just where to strike this time…

Even if Grettel was dried up inside, her shriveled heart bled for the homeless. It was the only charity she supported when they visited the temple. “Oh… I guess… It’s not like I have the humility to return her to that annoying father of hers… Hmm. So I suppose we can wait… The weather now is also frosty and not suited for travelling… Just remember to keep the gates open!”.

William wanted to smile from ear to ear, but didn’t. This was to avoid provoking the hag to hit him, for looking like a fool. Harvick also enjoyed their little victory. Along with his sweet sinless smile came thundering eyes, that hid their lightning behind clouds.

Grettel didn’t know what she had coming…!