Obey me

The ducal scion had his hands in his pants pockets and was looking down at her. Remesis frowned, not boding well for the encounter. She rose slowly, shaking the earthy dust off her skirt.

— What do you want?

The boy's brown eyes squinted at her.

— When did you start addressing me as «you»? — he asked.

— Since now, — the girl answered without hesitation, — Is there a problem?

Michelle, smirking, came closer. Remesis tensed slightly, but didn't budge. There was no way she should show this jerk her excitement.

— It's only been a couple months since we've seen each other, but you seem to have forgotten your place. You think because you've left your family, you don't need to show respect?

Remesis stared at her brother with an expressionless face.

In fact, she couldn't hide the fact that fear still lived deep in her subconscious. For the first time in her two lives, the girl dared to speak out against her relatives. Before that, she had even addressed even her own brothers and sister as «you», groveling before them. But now her patience was wearing thin.

Since, as Michelle pointed out, she no longer belonged to the Carter family, she had nothing to lose.

— Respect should be shown to someone who deserved it. What have you done to make me respect you?

Knowing how testy and arrogant her older brother was, Remesis thought a few words would be enough to hurt his pride and piss him off. But Michel, surprisingly, was still calm. He only squinted, as if trying to see something in her face.

Then the Duke's successor smirked, as if he realized something amusing.

— Ah, now I see. You're a princess now, aren't you? A big shot, huh?

— It's good that you understand that at least.

Michel laughed.

— Indeed, where you are and where I am. I envy you, Cece,» the teenager said mockingly, «it must be hard being a lousy princess. The rabble you rule isn't even worthy of shining my shoes. But it's good enough for you.

— What did you say?

— Lousy princess.

«…»

— Oh, right. I forgot all about manners,» the young man grinned, bowing his head mockingly before her, «I have the honor of greeting you, Your Lousy Highness.

Remesis looked at him silently. But Michel did not think of stopping. As in the old days in the mansion, he regarded his younger sister as nothing more than an object for bullying, given to him by birthright. Compared to them, full members of the ducal family, Remesis was nothing but a shameful stain. She was lucky she didn't end up in an orphanage in the first place.

— By the way, how is your wife? Why didn't she come? Oh, that's right. Dogs can't walk on two legs. Maybe she also barks? — Michel grinned: «I must say that heaven is fair. You two are perfect for each other.

— Not a dog, but a wolf that can chew your neck,» Remesis calmly objected.

— What?

— It's not my fault you're so deaf.

Michelle slowly began to lose patience. For the one who all her life silently endured any insults and did not react to them, the younger sister was now behaving unusually impudent. The young man decided that it was time to put her in her place.

— Hey, little girl, — Michel poked her forehead with his finger, — you'd better watch your tongue. Otherwise, I could put the dog you married on a leash at any moment.

— Take your hand off.

— What?

— Didn't you hear that? — Remesis snorted irritably, — You know, I might be able to bark now too.

Michel frowned.

— What the hell are you talking about? Have you completely lost your mind? — he threw intermittently: — Come on, apologize while I'm still kind. It's better for you if your father doesn't find out. Do you really think he'll let you get away with insulting me? You're nothing and your name is nothing. Do you think it'll make a difference now that you've got this pathetic status? You're nothing but a goddamn scum.

Her brother's words made Remesis bite her lip in anger. She felt as if some rod inside her had cracked.

Meanwhile, Michelle continued to laugh and point his finger at her.

— Get on your knees and beg me,» the young man grinned, «Then maybe I'll change my mind.

«…»

— Come on, even for a dumbass like you, it's not that hard. «Oh, noble young master, please show mercy to this lowlife…»

Michel didn't have time to finish before the small body suddenly threw itself at him. Remesis sank her teeth into his arm like a hound pouncing on prey.

Michel squealed in pain.

— What are you doing?!

The young man grabbed her by the hair and tried to pull her away from him, but the girl clung to him as if her life depended on it.

— I said let go, bitch!!!

Michelle staggered, not giving up trying to throw her sister off, but she hung on his arm. She bit his wrist until it bled.

Suddenly the little girl felt a rage like she had never felt before. She suddenly realized that she could no longer turn a blind eye to such treatment. Although Remesis had planned to begin her revenge much later, when she had gained enough power in the north, Michel's vile behavior had driven her mad. She decided that she would never tolerate the likes of him again.

While it wasn't the best way, it was the only thing she could do now to at least stand up for herself. Michelle was far superior to her both physically and socially. So the girl just did the first thing that came to her mind.

— You crazy bitch, are you out of your mind?! — The boy was slurping spit.

Bang.

Remesis barely caught the muffled crack above her head as Michelle began to pummel her. The stars swam before her eyes, but she still refused to let go of her abuser. She wasn't ready to give up the fight for her pride. But, after all, Michelle was older than her and twice her size. Finally, after another blow, he managed to push her away.

The girl lost her balance and collapsed to the ground. Disoriented, she tried to get up, but her head was spinning too much. With a clatter, Remesis fell on her back and Michelle began beating her with her legs. After what she'd done, he wasn't ready to stop so easily.

— Take that, you bloody scum! — The boy roared, seething with anger, «How dare you attack me!

Remesis spat up blood.

Though she was in great pain now, above that was the rage bubbling up in her miniature body. Her throat had already been slit once. So why would she be afraid now?

The girl, like an enraged buffalo, used all her strength to grab her brother's leg. She wouldn't be able to hold him for long, so she took advantage of the moment and bit through the fabric of his pants. Michelle screamed. For an heir who had been overprotected and nurtured since infancy, any physical pain was unusual. Even from teeth as small as Remesis'.

— Aaaah, let go of me! I said let go, you bitch!!!

The garden of the Imperial Palace, usually quiet and peaceful, was now noisier than any marketplace.

Michel was hitting her on the head, and Remesis was clawing at her brother and biting haphazardly wherever she could reach with her teeth. The eight-year-old girl attacked with all the ferocity of a bull terrier. The scene was like a prelude to a real dogfight.

Her gums were tingling and her front teeth seemed to be threatening to fall out.

But as it was, for the moment Remesis didn't care. Maybe one or two teeth would fall out. It didn't matter much to the girl right now, because this was a battle for life.

— What the… What the fuck is going on here?!

Someone's shout suddenly brought their scuffle to a sudden halt.

Remesis recognized her knight's voice.

Hannes Wrightly was worried about his little mistress, who had left the meeting and had been missing for quite some time. He went in search of her, but the scene he ended up witnessing simply shocked him.

Such a vile fight, if not a beating, was taking place on the sacred grounds of the Imperial Palace. Since the commander was only here now, he had no idea what had happened or how it had all started, but he didn't need to. The knight didn't stand still for long and rushed to his mistress's aid with lightning speed.

He grabbed the Duke's successor by the scruff of the neck and literally dragged the resisting teenager away from the girl by force. Michelle was furious and tried to break free.

— Filthy commoner, how dare you touch me…?!

Hannes frowned, and if it wasn't for this boy's high status, he would have taught him a lesson in his own way long ago. But right now, he was only holding him so that Michel wouldn't attack again.

The young man jerked his legs in the air as the preponderance of power was not on his side this time.

— Young lord, you dare not harm our princess.

— What?» Michel yelled like a madman, «How dare you tell me what to do? Do you even know who you're talking to? Let go! Let go, I said!!!

— I can't do that.

Michel's complexion went from bright red to the color of a chewed shrimp.

— You bastards! I will destroy you all!!!

The shouting and cursing of the ducal heir continued until he suddenly fell silent himself. All because an icy voice not far away from them inquired:

— What's going on here?