The Preparation.

Just like the countless days that had passed, she still found herself at this very same position, looking down at them. Lowlifes. That was what her father calls them, but not her. Instead, she sees them as something to have fun with to pass time, as she was trapped in the mansion she called her home. Yes she was Kliara, and yes, Kliara with a K. And she was born into royalty to the GREAT house of FINTH.

Kliara’s parent are descendant of a long ancient lineage that was described as high born and highly respected by people, so Kliara has received the most expensive and exquisite training since her upbringing.

Although Kliara had noticed that her parents have been hiding secrets from her.

Over the years of her upbringing at the Finth’s Mansion, she had noticed some strange and weird behavior displayed by her father.

She most times sees her Father leaving the Finth’s Mansion with some group heavily equipped with weapons of different sorts and each time he returns, he is covered in wounds with blood all over.

Kliara at her early age had always been more fascinated with handling weapons kept around the mansion than the training she received as a child of a noble.

“Why do you always go out at night and come back home wounded, did somebody hurt you?” Kliara had asked her Father out of curiosity.

Instead she was met with a warm smile from him as he replied.

“It is my duty to go out hunting and one day that duty will fall to you when you are older”

“But I want to go out with you sometimes” she insisted

“And you will, but only after your 25th birthday” Williams replied to Kliara

Kliara was only 10 years of age and was smart enough to know that there was more to what her Father had told her since she found out that he only hunts at night and never during the day.

But having to wait till her 25th birthday seems like a lifetime of waiting and she was eager to join the family business.

One night, a strange sound woke her up from bed and when she went to check it out, she found out that it was her Father returning as usual with some group but this time something was different.

They seem to be dragging in a covered carriage with something locked in it making weird noises she wasn’t familiar with, sure it was some sort of animal and being curious as always, she left her room to figure out what kind of animal her father had caught .

She watched and followed carefully as they dragged the cage down a room she had no idea was at the mansion and as they left, seeing no one in sight, she snuck in.

“What is this place?” Kliara whispered to herself as she looked around.

The room was odd looking with weapons and blood everywhere. Then a growling sound caught her attention, it was the cage covered with brown sheets.

As she took some steps closer to the cage, it began shaking violently which startled her yet she still held her ground but not long after it stopped and just for a moment she caught the glimpse of a human hand raising part of the sheet that covered the cage.

Immediately the door to the room was opened.

“What are you doing in here” Williams her Father rushed and dragged her out of the room before she got any closer

“Why are you her” Williams asked again as he raised his voice at her

“I… I… wanted to see what you had caught” Kliara who had never seen her Father in such a state towards her before stammered out of shock as she replied.

Williams saw the innocence on her face and quickly came to his senses.

“I’m sorry for being that way, i just don’t want you to get hurt” he said calmly this time as he knelt and embraced her.

“Why not I walk you back to your room?” Williams continued.

She slowly nodded as Williams held her hand and walked her back to her room.

She knew pretty well what she had seen that night but didn’t try asking Williams about it.

A day from today Kliara turns 25 years old, already a woman of her own. Kliara didn’t turn out that bad as one might think, just as long as you know your place, which was below her.

Due to her Noble status and her dashing beauty, she was adored by all. Deep down she enjoyed all the praises being poured on her but she never let it show as she always wears a cold face.

It was a day to her 25th birthday and the FINTH mansion was busy as hell.

“This is the last day of preparation and we have nothing to show for.” Williams, Kliara’s father, who was with his wife in the bedroom, muttered.

“That's not true and you know it, they are almost done with it just that it’s a little different from your taste.” Thelma, Kliara’s mother, spoke softly to Williams.

“A little different you say? Those lowlifes forgot to order the beef. Now, all the quality and high protein beef have been sold out.” Williams complained, but instead, he got another soft response from Thelma.

“But they already ordered the beef, honey.”

Williams, who was walking furiously up and down the room, stopped and sat down on the cushion close to his wife who was on the bed.

He sighed in relief and then answered, “They got the beef from lowlifes like themselves. This is our daughter’s 20th birthday, and it should be perfect.”

Thelma went ahead and told him that as long as they were always there for Kliara, that was what a perfect birthday should be all about.

Immediately, a knock came in. “What is it?” Williams asked with a strong tone.

“Sir, I am here to inform you that the beef we ordered has arrived. You said to let you know when it arrives.” A faint voice outside the closed door was heard.

Williams gave out another sigh and excused himself from Thelma.

….

Kliara was out for a walk and as always she was met with compliments and salute from all, and as always it made her feel more important than others.

The thought of her turning 25 years old kept running in her mind.

“I have waited a long time for this moment “ she said to herself as she remembered what she had witnessed when she was little.

“At Least now I get to understand what I saw when I was little” she continued

On her way back to the FINTH mansion, she walked gracefully through the FINTH’S garden glancing through the beautiful flowers. Straight ahead, she caught a figure coming towards her.

As expected, Kliara was waiting to be worshipped by this passing figure.

Looking closely at the coming figure, She noticed something was a bit off as he was not in any way looking her way.

The individual was putting on a cold demeanor as he seemed to care less concerning Kliara’s presence.

This sent chills down her spine, and as expected, this individual passed right beside her without making even a single eye contact or saying anything.

There was a first time for everything, but what just happened didn’t go well with Kliara. This was the first time she felt an aura that actually overshadowed hers.

There was no man, be it the lowlifes, the rich or royalties, all of them adored her and were wowed by her presence.

But today, she was made invincible.

“Stop for a minute.” Kliara tried to call him back. Being smart, she tried to hide her temper because she had yet to know his identity.

“He might be royalty or a noble. I shouldn't act rashly.” Kliara said to herself.

She noticed that he wasn’t stopping, so this time she used a more serious tone, “I am talking to you.”

Sensing trouble, he stopped. ‘Why does she keep bothering me after ignoring her? Doesn't ignoring always work?’ He thought to himself, before he turned and retraced his steps towards her.

This time, maintaining eye contact with Kliara.

“Can I help you?” He asked her, with a calm but yet dominating tone

Kliara saw how bold he stood, yet with a calm voice, making her invisible once more because the eyes looking back at her weren't ones that gave any interest to her.

Before Kliara could say anything, a loud shout interrupted, “Butcher boy, we don’t have all day!”

Immediately, he excused himself.

Kliara with disbelief still in her eyes, said to herself “Was I just toyed with?”