Valen had enough.
The market was bustling, full of people shouting, calling out their wares, and the rich scent of freshly baked bread wafting through the air. The capital was so loud, so overwhelming, and most of all. so boring. For hours, he'd been carried around like an accessory while Fel haggled with every vendor about gardening supplies. If it wasn't pots, it was fertilizers, if it wasn't fertilizers, it was seeds, and then more fertilizers. It was an endless cycle, one that Valen was slowly losing his patience with.
His stomach churned. not from hunger, but from utter boredom. And the worst part? Fel wasn't even paying attention to him. She was completely absorbed in her transaction with yet another grinning merchant, who was probably overcharging her for a simple bag of soil.
Enough was enough.
Valen's tiny, fluffy form wriggled free from Fel's shoulder. He shot a quick glance up at her, but she was still too busy to notice. Taking his chance, Valen scrambled down the side of her cloak and landed lightly on the cobblestone street. He didn't care where he was going. Anywhere was better than this.
He darted through the crowds, weaving between the legs of passing townsfolk, his tiny paws making soft pattering sounds on the ground. He could hear the distant sounds of Fel's annoyed voice as she realized he was missing, but Valen didn't care. He was free.
For a fleeting moment, he reveled in it.
That is, until he crashed into something large. something that halted his progress instantly.
It was a pair of delicate hands. Soft, but firm, scooping him up from the ground with surprising gentleness. Valen blinked, his heart racing, only to find himself staring up at a pair of wide, curious eyes that looked at him with... adoration?
"Goodness, look at you!" the voice cooed, sweet and high-pitched. "You're so fluffy! I'm going to call you Floof."
Valen's fur bristled at the name. Floof? He was not some... pet! He was a powerful vampire prince, with the purest of blood magic and the ability to summon an entire legion of monsters. He wasn't a toy for some silly little princess to name.
The princess, oblivious to the growing storm inside of Valen, giggled as she brought him closer to her face. "I just love you! You're going to be my pet, Floof."
Valen's rage flared. How dare she? A pet! He opened his mouth to shout, to demand an explanation, but before the words could form, he felt something else. a sudden rush of air and the heavy clinking of armor.
A group of knights appeared from the crowd, quickly encircling the princess in protective formation. Valen squirmed in her grasp, but she didn't seem to notice. The captain of the knights, a tall and broad-shouldered man, stepped forward, his voice authoritative.
"Your Highness," he said, eyes narrowing on Valen. "That creature could be dangerous. We must secure it."
Valen's frustration peaked. Dangerous? Dangerous?! They thought he was a rodent or some kind of wild creature to be contained.
The knights drew their weapons, preparing to move in, but the princess immediately held up her hand.
"No," she said firmly, her voice as determined as it was childish. "I want him. He's mine."
Her voice held such finality that the knights hesitated, glancing back at their captain for guidance. He gave them a curt nod, signaling them to hold their positions but not approach.
"Princess, we must ensure it's safe," the captain said, but the princess, clearly enamored with Valen, was unbothered.
"I don't care," she pouted. "I want him. He's mine."
Fel, who had been watching from the crowd, narrowed her eyes as she made her way toward the scene. She had spotted the commotion from afar, and her sharp gaze quickly settled on the princess, who was now holding Valen as if he were the most precious thing in the world.
The knights, seeing Fel approach, immediately stepped into position, forming a barrier between her and the princess.
"Halt!" one of them commanded. "You cannot approach the princess!"
Fel stopped just short of them, her eyes glinting with annoyance. She crossed her arms over her chest, her voice dripping with icy authority.
"That pet is mine," she said with absolute conviction. Her words were slow, deliberate, each syllable falling with an undeniable weight. "Give him back."
The princess blinked in surprise, her lip curling in indignation. "What? You mean Mine!" she shouted, her voice rising with the beginning of a tantrum. "I found him first! You can't just take him!"
Fel's posture remained unwavering. "You mean I 'found' him first," she replied, her voice even. "He's mine."
The princess huffed, crossing her arms and stomping her foot like a child. "but. I want him!... I'll buy him from you! How much?"
Fel's eyebrow twitched in amusement. Buy him? From her?
A cruel smile played at the corner of her lips as she regarded the princess, her eyes sharp as she weighed the situation. She could leave the capital now, end this ridiculous spectacle, but... what was the harm in letting the princess think she had won?
Fel's gaze slid to Valen, who was glaring up at her with what could only be described as murderous intent. She could practically hear him screaming in his head.
But Fel simply shrugged. "Fine. If you want him so badly, go ahead. You can buy him."
The princess's eyes practically sparkled with glee. "Done!" she exclaimed, her smile wide. "How much? Name your price!"
Fel tilted her head, making a show of thinking. Valen's eyes shot daggers at her from his tiny form, but she ignored him with practiced indifference.
"Hmm... well, if you're that eager," she said, her voice dripping with faux sweetness, "I'll sell him to you for a fair price. One hundred gold pieces."
The princess's grin faltered for a moment, but she quickly nodded. "Fine, done! I'll pay you right now!"
Fel stepped back, her eyes never leaving Valen. The princess's excitement was palpable as she cuddled Valen close, cradling him like he was some plush toy.
Valen glared at Fel, his eyes filled with pure, unadulterated fury. But Fel only smiled back at him, a wicked glint in her eyes. There was something almost enjoyable about watching him fume in helpless frustration.
As the transaction wrapped up, the princess beamed, utterly unaware of the storm she had just created. Valen's resentment hung heavy in the air like a dark cloud, but Fel wasn't bothered. It was just another day in her world.
Fel turned and began to walk away, her voice ringing in the air as she called back to the princess. "Enjoy your new pet, princess... But... just remember..." She paused dramatically, casting one last glance at Valen, who was now suffering at the princess's arms. "He's still mine."