Chapter 97: Eleventh Episode: Chapter 6 (2/2)
”Alright, I was only kidding.” Oscar offered his other arm to Catalina, ”My young princess, come with us if you don’t mind. It could be the next moment, or probably latest by midnight, that we meet Esmeralda’s little foal!”
Catalina turned her head away. Although this damned prince kept insulting her, she didn’t understand why she kept tolerating his meanness.
”It’s okay, I can go there myself!” The princess became reserved all of the sudden. She still wished to maintain some of her dignity.
”Ola! It’s your choice!” Oscar shrugged nonchalantly and walked away with his hand in Young Lady’s. He turned back to the princess before leaving the house, ”Oh, Catalina, promise me you will not mess around with the things in the residence. That is a basic courtesy.”
Before the princess could defend herself, Oscar had left happily with Sasha by his side.
The marshal’s residence was dead silent, but voices came from the racecourse on the other side. Today was the big day for Esmeralda, everyone in the residence went to the stables to help out.
Looking out to the empty corridor, and again at the cold coffee left on the table, Catalina finally cried. She remembered the last time she wept so terribly was when Esmeralda was being bullied by the big black beast. But this time it was different. This time, the girl herself had become the victim. She didn’t understand what was going on with herself! She was well aware that the people in the marshal’s residence didn’t welcome her, and although the old marshal was very kind to her, she sometimes sensed the cold eyes he cast her way. As for the young prince? He had done nothing other than embarrassing her in awkward situations. Yet, why did she still like coming here, even if there wasn’t anything worth coming for? Was it for Esmeralda? It didn’t seem like it. The princess’s tears fell on the side of her floral dress. What was this for? What was she expecting from all these visits?
Out of the blue, a handkerchief was handed over, and the frightened Catalina quickly wiped off her tears.
”If I’ve guessed correctly, you still have a long way to go until your adult ceremony.” Marshal Robin said as he slowly replaced the cold coffee with a freshly brewed one.
”You’re wrong, I’m already sixteen!” Catalina argued in-between sobs.
”Haha, that means you’re already a big girl now! It’s time for you to experience love.”
Catalina’s face became bright red. She lowered her head shyly and bit on the edge of the coffee cup.
”Is His Imperial Highness The Prince of my place your cup of tea?”
The young princess finally laughed, ”I’m not planning to drink him.”
Old marshal nodded, ”So, big girl, can you tell me why you like Oscar?”
”I don’t like him at all! Not even a tiny bit!” Catalina’s face burned with fiery redness again. The color of her face resembled that of her Esmeralda’s fur.
”Hmm… let me rephrase that?” Old marshal gave it a little thought, ”Why do you want to befriend Oscar?
Catalina tilted her head to one side, ”He’s the prince of Titan Empire, also the possible heir to Andrew House. His status and identity definitely make a good match as my friend.”
As she felt the strange look cast on her from the marshal, Catalina couldn’t help but ask with cautious, ”Why? Did I say something wrong?”
Old marshal shook his head, ”Wrong! Absolutely wrong! I know the hierarchical system is essential in West Percy Royal Family, but I would like to ask you, what good would it bring you to befriend a Titan prince? How could you benefit from making friend with the heir of Andrew House? In your opinion, are friends just another manifestation for you to boast about your title and status?”
Catalina opened her mouth to argue but found no words coming out from her mouth.
Old marshal gave a nonchalant shrug, ”I know your time in University Town wasn’t really joyous. It seemed that only Young Lady from Andrew House talks with you. Those other ladies stayed away from you because they are threatened by your status, while the young noblemen on the other hand only shower you with nothing else but flattery. Therefore... you admire Oscar, even if he doesn’t look at you properly at all, even if he insults you with harsh words, but you still like coming here. If I’m not mistaken, you are hoping to change your friendship with Oscar, but you have no idea how to do it. Am I right?”
After what seemed like forever, the dumbfounded Catalina slowly nodded, ”That… that seems to be it. The more he dislikes me, the more I wish to be accepted by him.”
”Big girl!” Old marshal petted the young princess’s head, ”The issue lies with the way you treat your friends. Don’t see him as a prince, and don’t think too much about his family background. You can only foster a true friendship with someone if you approach them with a pure heart that wasn’t contaminated by dust. Let them feel your sincerity! Oscar is a sensitive guy, if you manage to do this, I’m sure he would apologize and slowly open his heart to you.”
”Really? A pure heart that wasn’t contaminated by dust?” Catalina stared at the old man with her big eyes, ”Regard his status and identity as dust?”
”Exactly!” Marshal Robin nodded with affirmation, ”You’re absolutely right, those are just dust that layered upon the sincerity, which affects you to lose sight of the beautiful things friendship could bring.”
All of the sudden, from the corridor of the residence, rapid footsteps could be heard.
”Ola! Oh my God! Old man! Why are you still here?”
Marshal Robin was so exasperated his felt the hairs on his body erected. ”You little bastard who has no respect for elderly! Are you in need of another spanking?”
Oscar couldn’t be bothered at the enraged old man, ”My Catalina, hurry, come with me! Esmeralda is going to give birth to the little foal soon! She’s most familiar with you, I’m sure she would calm down once she sees you! She wouldn’t even let the rest of us approach her!”
Catalina jumped up like a spring, ”Really?”
Oscar rolled his eyes in annoyance, ”Hurry and come with me, my little princess!”
Catalina almost forgot her own existence when the prince’s hand held hers. She could feel his body warmth from the pair of hands, he felt so strong. ”I… I like it when you call me that.”
”My God of Light!” Oscar slapped at his own forehead, ”My little princess, I don’t mind calling you that another time, but this is really not the time for that. Come with me!”
Having said that, Oscar that was restless with anxiety picked up the young princess in one move. He carried her over the shoulder and start darting across the field.
As expected, the old marshal naturally sighed with emotion. ”Young people are really simple-minded!”
Along the way, Catalina’s laughter spread across the field like a delightful melody.
One hour has passed, two hours had passed, three hours had passed! Good God of Light! Eight hours had passed!
Everyone in the stable was going crazy as Esmeralda’s labor pain gradually intensified. She stood there in agony, sometimes looking down at her pregnant belly, her overly massive belly... So tremendously massive that she had to cling to the ground as she trembled in pain. Esmeralda had just chewed on a carrot, which made her a little more energetic. The once fiery red beauty had completely changed. Her face swollen and her eyes full of tears. Her beautiful red mane had also completely lost its luster, they now resembled the fur of a foxtail scattered in all direction. Esmeralda looked out to her husband and appeared rather disappointed. The black fella! It had gotten so close to herself when he was experiencing the jolly moment, and now he stood so far away! Male! As expected they were of no good!
The Raytheon was extremely helpless as he faced with his wife’s reproach. He had not been in a good mood lately. Even though that old man had put himself and his wife in the most spacious barn, but he found himself having the constant intention to find trouble with other horses. From time to time he would warn those guys off from his beautiful wife!
Damned! Damned! Damned! The Raytheon looked angrily at the crowd that has filled the barn, which damn fella tied him here today? It was so chaotic that he had completely forgotten the fella’s face! The Raytheon bit at the reins, but it was too tight! All he wanted to do now was to gallop over and give his wife a comforting kiss, and to kick at all two-legged creatures in the house!
”God of Light!” Poison Doctor had prepared for a long time for this moment. But only until now that he finally discovered the crucial problem. ”Your Highness, I finally understand why Esmeralda’s labor pains are growing with such intensity!”
”Isn’t it too late to say now?” Oscar doubted his most trusted doctor.
”Probably not!” Percy wiped off the beads of sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand, ”She… she’s using her muscle and reproductive organs to adjust the twins’ position. This is an essential step because if the fetal position is not correct, she would be in a danger during the delivery process!”
”Ugh…” The furious Oscar paced up and down anxiously, but there was nothing at all that he could be of help.
Finally! The exhausted Esmeralda plunged to the ground, while Catalina almost fainted as she looked at the blood oozing out from her companion’s lower body. Trembling, she knelt down on the ground and kept kissing Esmeralda’s face. ”My dear Esmeralda! What’s wrong with you? Please don’t scare me! Are you doing okay?”
Percy distinguished the cigar with his two fingers, ”Fenrar! Hurry! Bring me some distilled water and alcohol! Her amniotic fluid has broken!”
Immediately Fenrar rushed out of the stable to get what was required. On the other hand, a confused Oscar came closer and mumbled some ridiculous question about birth and labor terms.
”Get out of my face! I don’t have the time for your nonsense right now!” Percy screamed in anguish.
The unwelcomed Oscar ran to his Raytheon, who knew the big fella unexpectedly bit him hard on his arm. Oscar shouted in rage when he noticed his own sleeve being chewed into small pieces.
”Hey! What are you doing? Are you crazy!”
Raytheon’s neighs were deafening to Oscar who stood just right next to it. It seemed like he was trying to warn his owner his capability to kick the two-legged creature to a cruel death.
”What… what do we do now? Is she… is she in danger?” Catalina’s face went as pale as a sheet of white paper.
Percy nodded, ”The chance of conceiving twins is extremely rare for horses! Moreover… the foal of a Raytheon is much bigger in size compared to normal foal, therefore… therefore Esmeralda is at high risk.”
”Isn’t there anything we can do?” Catalina said in a quivering voice, ”If anything bad happens to her, I will bury you alive!”
Percy couldn’t help but shiver. He was aware of the tradition in the West Percy Kingdom where servants were buried alive with the dead.
Just at this second, Esmeralda suddenly neighed and stood up with much difficulty. Percy quickly went forward to hold her tail, ”It’s coming! The vagina is completely open now, Fenrar! Fenrar! Where’s my distilled water and alcohol?”
”Oh God of Light! I can see its head! It’s a black fella!” Percy managed to attract everyone’s attention. Young Lady, old marshal, Oscar, and Catalina rushed toward the mother in labor.
”God of Light! Can you see it? It’s black!”
”Esmeralda! Come on! Push!”
”Oh God! Its forelegs are out! Push harder! Push!”
In the midst of cheers and support from the human, a small black foal was pushed out from its mother’s body and slid to the ground. With its eyes still closed, the little fella struggled to stand on its feet, but after several attempts, he still didn’t succeed. Finally, Oscar and Young Lady worked together to assist it to its feet. Only then people noticed the little black fella had two pairs of fiery red hoofs.
”Damn it! God of Light! Damn it!” As if forgotten about the existence of the two ladies beside him, all of the sudden Percy began to curse, ”Its legs are coming out first! Oh God! That’s a huge trouble! This foal might suffocate in its mother’s stomach!”
Perhaps Esmeralda felt the abnormal fetal position, she began to neigh in immense agony. It kept pushing on its stomach, but the intense pain made her afraid of pressing it furthermore.
”Damn! As expected! It’s stuck! Its head is stuck!” Percy was going mad. He knew the foal was struggling, but its mother wasn’t the most cooperative team member at the moment.
”Let me try!” Marshal Robin rolled up his sleeves and went forward to pull at the foal’s forelegs. ”Where is its head? Where is its head?” Old marshal was feeling the rhythm of Esmeralda’s pushing. Finally, he felt the little fella struggled most violently when its forelegs were pulled to this one specific angle.
”There it is!” Ignoring the poor mother’s wail, old marshal adjusted his stance and in one swift move, pulled the forelegs forcefully away from its mother’s body.
”It’s out! I can see its head now!” Percy jumped in excitement.
Finally, a fiery red foal fell to the ground. However, when Oscar tried to touch it, the foal laid still where it was seconds ago, motionless.
The old marshal squatted down his body to check on the foal’s breathing, and shook his head in disappointment, ”I’m sorry young man, we were a few seconds too late.”
”That’s not true!” The stubborn Oscar pushed the old marshal out of his way and began performing artificial respiration on the foal. Once, twice, thrice... damned! He had already performed thirteen times! Suddenly Oscar angrily grabbed the foal by its head and shouted at it, ”Hey you! Unconscious little fella! Wake up in this instant!”
Everyone was shocked at the prince’s action, no one expected him to hit at the little foal’s head!
A miracle happened out of the blue! Perhaps it was due to shock, but the fiery red little fella unexpectedly jumped at once. With tears rolling down from their cheeks, the ladies frantically hurried into Oscar’s arm. They noticed that the black foal’s sister, which was a fiery red little fella, looked just like the opposite of her brother. She had completely black colored ankles and hooves.
”Alright! It’s over now!” The old marshal grinned from ear to ear.
The gratified doctor also smiled as he looked at the two little foals that were searching for their mother’s nipples. ”Yes, it’s finally over!”
”I have a suggestion!” Oscar pulled the two girls away from his arms, ”The boy is named Oslu, and the girl Catya, any objections?”
”Oslu? Catya?” The princess of West Percy Kingdom suddenly turned shy. These two names were definitely the shorter variation of the prince’s and her own names.
”Anything you say!” Catalina said and planted her lips on the prince’s. The Young Lady who witnessed the event at the side was totally stupefied.
”Ola!” When their lips finally parted, Oscar appeared so embarrassed. This was his first intimate interaction with the Princess of West Percy Kingdom, he felt… well, it wasn’t too bad, to be honest, at least it was sweeter than what he had imagined!
The Raytheon neighed, as though it was saying, ”Hey, hey, hey! Have all of you forgotten about me? I’m the children’s father! HEY! You damned two-legged creatures! Let me see my children!”