Run Free - 1. Chapter 1

“Hurry, hurry we have to get him to the room.”

“Why? I don’t want to get near him”

“It’s ok he won’t bite you. Is it clear?”

“Y-yes”

“Hurry and get to the door and I’ll bring him around”

8 year old Martha and 15 year old Alexander were currently sneaking a 6’4 hellhound through the castle corridors. Just a day ago Alex had found the hellhound on the side of the castle by the beach and somehow the thing made it inside. Alex couldn’t let the guards find him. To be so big and scary it was a very nice dog.

Running into the room Alex held the door open for the hellhound and his sister got on the windowsill scared.

“Alex why must you keep that thing? If Angel finds out she’s going to have a fit and you know it”

“Shut up Martha. It’s not like he’s a bad dog. See” Alex demonstrated by sitting on the hellhound. The dog’s tail wagged excitedly as it looked up trying to see Alex. “See, he’s a good boy.”

“You tell that to Angel. He is a dog as big as a horse, with red eyes red and black fur. Tell me, do you really think she’s going to let that thing stay in the castle?”

“Maybe…” Alex wrapped his arms around the dog. He was never allowed a pet though Martha had a cat of her own. He wasn’t allowed much of anything since the accident that took out his left eye. Since then he can’t do any knight training, no pets, can’t go outside. He is a caged bird all because of that. Angel puts so many restrictions on him and his parents agree with them. Sure they were all worried but it wasn’t like he was impaired or anything. He just couldn’t see out of one eye.

Alex got off the hellhound crouching next to it. “Do you think you can show my sister you’re not a bad dog?”

The hellhound’s tail wagged in response and it got up moving over to the Martha and she squealed lightly trying to move away when a wet tongue met her face. Scared Martha looked up at that happy dog and lifted a hand petting it. “Ok so it’s a good dog. Still….” She waived a hand for the dog to go away and it settled down on the floor next to her. “…You can’t keep it and you know that.”

“What should I name it” Alex asked.

“and he’s not listening to me. Oh boy. Name it Poochie”

The dog grunted.

“How about… Maxie” Alex suggested.

The dog grunted again.

“He’s a smart dog isn’t he? I wouldn’t like that name either.”

Alex rolled his eye. “He’s smart but he doesn’t think like you. Right Red”

The dog tilted his head.

“Red? That’s what you’re naming him?” Martha shook her head. “I think puppy is better.”

The dog grunted and moved next to Alex. “Heh, Red it is then” He reached down from the bed that he was now lying on and petted the dogs head.

“The question now is where did he come from?” Martha swung her legs watching Red as he licked at his paw. “That and what does he eat.”

“Meat, I only know that because he ate a cat earlier.”

Martha’s eyes widened. “No, not Fefe!”

“No not Fefe. Some other cat”

“Oh… must be one of the other cats Angel got wondering about. “

Alex nodded. “Probably, but how can we get to keeping him?”

“No, how can you get to keeping him.”

---

“Angel, my dearest sister that I love so much”

“What Alex? I’m busy. What do you want?”

Alex was currently the library where his 19 year old sister was currently doing magic study. She was suppose to be preparing to meet Prince Laurence but she much rather had been doing what she was doing.

“Well…” Alex brushed down his sisters violet skirt trying to make her feel as special as possible but she only raised a brow and pushed her blond hair off her shoulder closing the book she was looking at. “No”

“I didn’t ask for anything!”

“You were going to” Angel put the book away and continued her search.

“But… but… please let me have a pet”

“ALEX! We went over this. How do you plan to keep up with it with that eye?” She started stomping her foot. Alex always did this.

“But what if it is the one keeping up with me? Like… a… dog?”

“There are dogs here.” Angel ruffled her brothers head and went back to what she was doing. “Besides why don’t you ask mom or dad?”

He huffed and shook his head. “You know why. They only listen to you. If I ask then they will say ask you.”

Angel looked back at Alex and smiled. “Sucks to be you” She turned back to the shelves looking over the books. “Besides what kind of dog are you trying to get?”

---

“Absolutely not.” Angel stormed out of Alex room and Alex trailing behind her with Red following him.

“But he’s a good boy”

Angel turned to Alex. “Look you get rid of that demon right now or I will give him to the guards and they will kill him, you got that?”

Red growled lowly but it went unnoticed.

“No! Don’t do that. I don’t want to get rid of him. He really likes me.” He wrapped his arms around Red the best he could as the dog towered over him.

“I don’t care. It’s too big, scary. It’s dangerous”

“Careful what you say. He understands you.”

“Really?” she looked up at Red. “I want you out of my castle now!”

Red whimpered his ears lowering. Angel pointed behind her. Alex shook his head and clung to Red. Angel stomped her foot and huffed. “He won’t move if you cling to him Alex. Let go.”

“But…”

“ALEX!”

Alex whimpered letting go of Red and Angel yanked him towards her. “Out Red. Now!”

Red whimpered slowly passing by them and they followed him out. The guards looked up fearfully. They knew what he was but no one ever see one. No one had ever seen an actual Hellhound. Once outside Red looked back once more and Angel pointed and Red walked off, out of the castle walls and Alex yanked away from his sister tears rolling down his face. “I hate you Angel!” He ran back to his room clinging to his pillow.

Martha entered a few minutes later sitting on the edge of the bed. “It’s ok. I’m sure she will let you have another dog.”

“I don’t want a dog I was Red. A big black and red dog.”

“Alex, that was a hellhound so said the guards.”

Alex looked up at Martha tears running from his eye. “I don’t care what he was I want him.” He buried his face back in his pillow and Martha shook her head leaving from the room

----

The night air was cool as it seemed the wind was blowing through an open window. Shivering, Alex opened his eye as he had cried himself to sleep. Sitting up he looked down to realize he fell asleep in his clothes. Angel would be mad at him if she found out. He looked at the wall as it lit up. He tilted his head watching the wall as it seem to be flashing when it hit him that it was coming from the window. Turning he saw fireballs going up into the air. He ran over to his window and looked down to see red eyes looking back up at him.

“Red you came back.” He smiled brightly and the dog jumped about a bit. Alex looked back as he heard something. “Red. Red?” He saw the Guards coming as they were investigating the light. Alex quickly closed his window so he wouldn’t be noticed. Once he was sure the guards were gone he looked out his window. “Red?” He heard a rustle and Red came from some bushes. To be so big he was a good hider it seemed. He smiled down at the dog and looked around. “I don’t know if I can get out Red.”

Red whimpered scratching at the wall. “Climb down? What if I fall?” He heard the door open and Martha rushed in. “Reds out… side. Oh so you know.”

“Yes I know. I’m surprised he didn’t get found out by the guards.”

“Thanks to me and making flashing light elsewhere”

Alex tilted his head. “Why can you do that?”

“I’m allowed to learn magic. I have both my eyes”

Alex shook his head. “Whatever. How do we get to Red?”

“Get to him?” Martha asked.

“Well yeah. Get to him. Too many guards at night”

“Climb down?” Martha looked out the window. It didn’t seem hard from Alex window. “Didn’t you learn something like this in one of your books?”

“Can I have your curtains and sheets?” Alex smiled and Martha sighed leaving out of the room.

It took a while but they made a way out tying together sheets and curtains. Tying it to the door knob they use it to climb down. Alex was surprised he could do it since he wasn’t allowed many activities and of course his sister did well. She climbed everything. Once they were down Red laid down as if asking them to get on his back.

“As they say in my books I guess it’s time for an adventure. Will you come with me Martha?”

“I got this far with you. I’m tired of Angel too. Do we need supplies?”

“Well… We don’t have time to go back up and stuff…”

Martha sighed. “Spur of the moment, shame on us for not thinking.” She climbed onto Reds back. “Don’t get me killed.”

Alex chuckled getting on as well. “Tell that to Red. I think he’s the protector.”

Red got up and trotted for a moment before barking. Scaring both Martha and Alex they clung to Red before he began to run. They clung tighter to the dog and closed their eyes. The wind whistled past them and the loud rumble of Reds paws hitting against the ground. Alex slowly opened his eye watching everything zoom past. He had never seen anything move this fast. He had even been on a horse but never did they run this fast. He looked at Reds paws that were coated with fire and suddenly Red jumped into the air. Martha screamed and Alex froze as he saw the city gates underneath him. “W-wow”

---

Marchen looked out of the window from his brother’s room as his brother put another picture of him into the photo album. His purple hair slightly blowing in the soft breeze and he turned to his brother a bit. “Hey, Ruka… Where do you think puppy is?”