My Seductive Guardian

“Faster! Father, faster” Hazel shouted as their horses galloped. She loved the way winds played with her hair. The breeze whispered slowly in her ears. And how she was leading the race. “Mother, you are going to lose it if you ride slowly.” She giggled, looking behind. Her eyes were twinkling and her smile was addictive. Her father smiled and shook her head. “Oh Hazel, you have already won. Shall we go cutting the cake now?” the man sighed as he looked at her daughter with a dotting gaze. “Honey, your father is right. You are going to miss your own birthday if you are late.” Her mother looked uneasy. Her eyes were staring around as if hidden monsters were going to jump on her. Hazel laughed without a care. “I don't care. I would rather stay here and enjoy the breeze than attend to those rich brats who knew nothing but to show arrogance.” Her voice trailed as her horse jumped suddenly. Her eyes widened and she held the reins tightly but the horse started running faster, galloping and neighing as if it was in pain. “Honey, slow down?” she heard her mother shouting but did not get the chance to reply. Her horse was too fast. It had already left her parents behind. It galloped and jumped making her lean on its back. “Biscuit, calm down. Why are you panicking?” She tried to console the sacred beast but it was of no use. The beast kept shouting and running until she could not hold the reins anymore. Her hands were injured by her tight grip and when the hose galloped again, she fell on the ground and rolled many steps away. “Mother, father!” she winced when the horse ran away leaving her behind in the poodle of blood and mud. —---------------- Hazel felt dizzy. Her head was heavy when she opened her eyes. Her forehead burnt and she felt like she was going to go bling with all the brightness when she opened her eyes. Hurriedly, she closed them again with pain. Her consciousness slowly returned and she realized she was not alone in the room. “I can not believe that she is the only survivor of the accident. It should be her and her mother who should die.” Hazel held the blanket tightly as she recognized this voice. It belonged to her father’s elder brother, uncle Luther. “It is not too late. Who knows if she could survive her injuries or not,” her aunt whispered with a small chuckle making her frown. What were they talking about and where were her parents. She suddenly felt uneasy. “Still, I could not understand. I am sure my brother was earning too well. Is he not Lizzy? How could it be that he had left nothing behind for his one and only daughter? I thought that she would inherit large properties. The way he had spent thousands of gold coins in this wretched girl's birthday party. I have thought…” he shook his head and sighed when the woman cursed too. Lizzie, the nickname of Elizabeth, was her aunt, the younger sister who loved her too much. Her father always doted on her aunt. Hazel was sure aunt Lizzie would scold her uncle and then tell him that her parents were alive. Why were they fighting over her inheritance when her parents were alive? She held the sheets tightly as hot tears started to sting her swollen eyes. “It must be that crook. Did you not see that this house was not in Hazel’s name? I am sure my brother had earned millions. He had spent so much this year. That fraud must have cheated everything. Should we go and claim that he had made a false will out of our brother?” she offered making Hazel flinch. “Do you think they would listen to us? This paper had his majesty’s signature. I knew that wretched brother of mine was blind after meeting that woman but his partner was equally despicable. All he had left us was this foolish ugly girl and…this small allowance. Even that we need to spend on this girl. Would you believe it?” Hazel could not pretend to be asleep anymore. She opened her eyes and stared at her relatives. Her uncle who used to care for her father and her sweet aunt who was spilling venom from her words. They were surprised to see her awake suddenly. But soon their faces were covered with disgust. “Ha! Look at how healthy she is. After killing her parents, her cheeks had grown rosy.” her uncle sneered as he looked at her with hatred and disgust. “What happened to my parents? They could not die. They were with me in the morning. We.. were racing.” she stammered as she tried to stand up but her feet did not move. She felt like a huge weight was placed on her legs and it was impossible to move them. “Ha! Are you seriously asking me that?” Lizzie was the one to reply. She folded her hands in front of her chest and sneered, “was it not you who asked them to race at hillside and then you lost the balance of your horse and left them behind. How could you be devious at such a young age? You know that they would follow you without a care in their life. Huh? Because of you, they fell from the hill and died. My brother’s body was so torn that we could not even look at him without shuddering.” the woman shook her head and covered her face with her hands. “What about mother? Maybe she is alive there?” Hazel forced her feet and stumbled. She fell on the ground but she was ready to crawl if needed. “Where is my father’s body? I want to see him.” “Your mother’s body was not found. But who cares! No one could survive that fall. Hazel, you are an orphan now and we do not want to keep a jinx like you with us. So leave as soon as you can.”