Chapter 6: Another Ball of Fur

'Now, do I really have to contact Sylvester because of my dear, stupid brother?'

Sydney sure as hell appreciate her better after this.

Tudor sensed her inner turmoil and appeared with a windy gust, thoroughly puffing his coat of feathers as he settled down on her shoulder before pecking her cheek affectionately.

"Master, Master, what's wrong? Why do you feel distressed?"

"Tudor, hello," Libitina greeted the owl with a small smile. She had made her little owl worried again. "I am just wondering if I should send this letter."

"Why not?" the owl tweeted.

"Because it's to one of the knights destined to find and destroy me eventually," Libitina lamented bitterly. "Well, I guess 'destroy' is a strong word to use, since I technically was simply returned to the earth when Marianne dispersed me…

"Point is, my Tudor," she sat up on her bed and took the owl down from her shoulder to look it in the eye, "It's ironic that this boy, Sylvester, and I, Persephone, are on talking terms, because I have a very bad feeling about him. So, shouldn't I run away from him? And being Sylvester, a cunning, spiteful and devious little guy that he is (I think), he could prove dangerous to both Sydney and the Merveille House."

In the game, Sylvester remained a faithful knight towards Auglarus even if he did not end up with Marianne. After all, with Alistair and Marianne coming from Auglarus, he would never betray them, whom he considers his true family instead of the malicious blood-related hell he experienced within the Clomodorian Monarchy. However, Sydney never reconnected with Sylvester in the game. If he did, what could change? This was a factor that Libitina did not want, either.

The owl tilted its head adorably. The situation was probably full of worries that were irrelevant to an owl's life. "So…don't write to him then?"

Libitina eyed the owl carefully and finally sighed. "It's complicated."

The owl whistled. "Well, Tudor doesn���t like to think that much, so Tudor suggests that Master should meet my friend first! Master, please can we open her up? I've been hearing her screams so badly."

Libitina widened her eyes. "I almost forgot! The jewel we got from today! Has Elizabeth stored it away properly?"

"Yes, it's here," the owl said eagerly as he swooped onto a black box hidden under her pillow. "Master, come over quickly! She's noisy!"

Libitina ran to her bed and slowly opened the black casing. The gorgeous necklace of the Great Queen laid quietly in its silken bed. 'How is this noisy?' thought Libitina, confused.

Cautiously, she pricked her finger and prodded the centre jewel.

Immediately, the necklace burst into light.

"Quick, shut the windows!" Libitina squealed. The owl and human hurriedly dashed to the windows and dragged the heavy curtains shut to conceal the brilliance of the necklace.

"What is it doing?"

"I don't know!"

The pair were frantic before the necklace dimmed abruptly, condensing into a large round ball.

Libitina and Tudor watched the ball of light closely.

"Bam!" The round ball fell onto the bed heavily and rolled off. "Ah!" a sad cry echoed in the room.

The owl and human looked carefully over the edge of a bed as a curious sight entered their eyes.

Fumbling around on the carpet was a large brown creature, about the size of a baby bear. It had two triangle ears and a twitching nose. Its brown fur was rough and it had four stumpy paws. Sensing their gaze, the creature looked up with its beady brown eyes and screamed again.

"Yahhhhhh!"

"Ahhhh!" Tudor shouted. "It's you!"

"Who's you!"

"You! You're the one below!"

"Ah ah ah, you're the one above!"

The two creatures screeched at each other hysterically as they were reunited. Libitina could not understand their conversation at all. The sight of an owl and wombat communicating made for a weird combination and she was belatedly realising how absurd the entire situation was. If she was right, the wombat was even crying from its beady eyes.

'Thank goodness Father and Mother are out on their honeymoon again,' Libitina wiped off her imaginary sweat mentally. 'How can I explain this otherwise?'

"Ah, who's this? Who's this?"

"Master! She's Master, don't you know it!"

"Master! Master!"

The wombat clawed at the bed and tried to get back onto the bed. Libitina furrowed her brows before reaching out to the large creature to pull it up. The creature was big and heavy and the thick fur was roughly rubbing against her skin. Besides, it had claws that occasionally scratched her.

"Easy, girl. Ouch!"

But the large creature simply kept crying as it hung onto her.

"Master! Master!"

"Let go of Master, you idiot!"

"Ow! Ow ow ow! Gah!"

"Master! Master!"