Shortlived joy

The Father and daughter duo went back into the sitting room and saw the man sitting there quietly. His eyes lit up immediately when he saw her.

 " Mr Castiel, your daughter passed my test. Throughout Blueshead, she is the only successful one. I'm the head of security and hunters in RedShire and personally came to handpick the best. To my surprise, she's the only one. Congratulations to you both."

 " Thank you so much!" Her father bowed before turning to look at her. He embraced her tightly, " you always make me proud Minerva, always."

 While embracing her father, her eyes didn't leave the man who was doing the same. A small blush crept onto her cheeks and she buried her face in her father's embrace.

 " Ahem! I would leave you two to talk, we're leaving tomorrow at first light. I have spent quite a lot of time waiting for you to come back from hunting and that added to your score, bringing home a deer big as that is something." The man then walks out of the house with a smile on his face while looking at her.

 When the man was out of their small house, Castiel looked at his daughter who was smiling and asked, " don't tell me you like that man. You just met Minerva." It wasn't bad to love someone but not so quick.

 Castiel wasn't against his daughter falling in love with any man or standard but he must not indulge in evil. That was the only criteria.

 " Father! I just like him. He would be my personal teacher too and I can't help falling for him if he shows up every time except if he is married." Minerva grinned and lowered her head sheepishly like a little girl caught doing something bad.

 " It's your choice but you must not forget the home you came from, our discipline and integrity. Your dream still remains, I'll send letters often." He said and gave her a sweet smile but that ended the next moment when an arrow from nowhere suddenly shot out from her father's chest.

 " Father!" She screamed but he pushed her away so far her back hit the wall.

 " Run away Minerva, find the man quickly." He said with so much pain and regret in his eyes. 

 " No, I can't leave you. Father!" She yelled when he suddenly disappeared from her sight and she ran out of the house.

 The man was nowhere to be found. Before she could fathom what to do next, their small house was suddenly engulfed in fire.

 Minerva looked behind in shock as the boom sound had sent her flying backwards. Not only were their houses on fire, other houses also and wailings of people and children filled the air.

 Horseshoes' footfall vibrated on the ground and the unsheathing of swords became loud and piercing. Minerva was unable to stand for a long seconds, trying to process what was happening when she heard a gruff voice.

 " Take this one, she looks fresh!" One of the men on horseback yelled and laughed like a maniac.

 A pull on her leg made her turn, her other leg hit the man pulling her and he fell to the ground with a thud.

 A sharp blow landed on his face followed by a series of others. Minerva's strength increased immeasurably and the other man on horseback jumped down with a club in his hand..

 Swiftly dodging the heavy maze, Minerva kicked his leg, twisting it with her both toes and the man lost his balance.

 " You slut!" The man shouted and kept pressing the sharp dagger forward while Minerva did her best trying to push the sharp edge towards the man.

 The sharp dagger was a few inches away from her eyes when the man suddenly rolled away from her. She screamed upon seeing the man from RedShire squatting beside her with a bemused expression on his face.

 " I've been looking for you. What happened here?" He asked and raised her up while another man kept beating up the man with a dagger. Due to his height, Minerva could tell he was from RedShire.

 The man tipped his chin towards the other man lying beside her with a knowing look on his face. " You're even stronger to beat up men. Where's your father?" He asked and all the pictures came back, filling her head again as hot tears pooled out of her eyes.

 " My…my father, he was shot…the house suddenly caught up in fire." Her voice broke as she tried to absorb the fact her father was gone in just one night.

 " Vincent, we've to leave here now. These men are pirates, they've killed everyone." One of the men said and the man earlier who was called Vincent looked at Minerva who was sobbing on the ground.

 Why was her father shot? He was inside the house but the arrow came from behind her as if the person was inside the house with them and then her father disappeared before she could process everything. The house suddenly caught fire, burning every trace of him.

 " Have there been wars or anything like this in the past?" Vincent asked.

 Minerva shook her head in reply. She was absolutely lost and half dead. 

 " Take your men away from here, I'll be right behind you." He ordered his men.

 " No! We aren't leaving you here, it's not safe…"

 Vincent glared at the man who hesitated before nodding. His master was strong to take care of himself. 

 " Let's go." The man ordered before walking away with his men.

 " Should we go look for him?" Vincent's question made her look at him with groggy eyes and she managed to sit up.

 " Let's search around, maybe we might find something." He then helped her up.

 For some time, Vincent regretted leaving the small family. Nothing happened when he was with them but soon after he was out, the war broke out, starting from the very house he came out of. 

 " Percy!" 

 The dog was in a miserable state as it stared at her. It's hand was broken.

 Minerva was about to move towards the dog but Vincent's strong grip on her shoulder stopped her.

 " What are you doing, it's my dog!" Minerva screamed at him and Vincent released her. 

 Minerva was surprised by herself and wanted to apologize but he had said hunters don't apologize so she hurried towards the dog who was whimpering.

 " Percy, I will get you out of this," she said and started removing the animal trap from the dog's foreleg.

 She successfully removed the iron when a huge net suddenly picked her up along with her dog.

 " Take her away." She heard th

at familiar voice and her eyes went wide in surprise upon noticing who was standing below and her jaw dropped.

 " Vincent."