If asked, Oswald still can't quite place it: the call that was pulling him-faint but insistent. It was impossible to ignore-it would be like abandoning Lacie when she was screaming for help. The feeling that caused him and Lacie to move from town to town barely stopping to rest, even before the townspeople swooped on them for Lacie being a Child of Misfortune. Both of them felt it ever since they saw those faint golden lights, the urge to move on, each step taking them closer to Sablier the capital of the country.
When they arrived at the Baskerville estate, Oswald tightly clutched Lacie's hand, they were greeted by murmurs of "Get Glen-sama", of "They're here." He whispered to Lacie not to let of his hand, any minute now, no doubt these red-cloaked people would advance on them. Then the crowd parted, bowing to reveal a man with neat white hair, draped in the same cloak as the others were, but carrying himself with an air of quiet strength.
The man's smile broadened when his eyes hovered over Oswald, before finally settling on Lacie.
Lacie was so much happier. Now that they were dressed in finely made new clothes, now that they didn't have to live in constant wariness of people beating jeering hating hurting them, now that they went to bed on full stomachs, her sweet lilting voice filled Oswald's ears constantly, as he was dragged around the Baskerville estate, to explore every nook and cranny. Oswald had no right to complain. He ought to be happy too, after all Glen-sama had taken both of them in under his wing, the explanation that Oswald had been chosen to become the next leader of the Baskervilles.
"Ni-sama look! Those birds are sunbathing, they've closed their eyes! Let's sneak up on them!" Despite Oswald's half-hearted protest on not disturbing the birds, ("That's cruel Lacie…") he allowed Lacie to do so, the look on her face being one that he had missed for a very long time.
Lacie was safe and happy, and that was all that mattered.
"You'll die." Was the casual reply, as Glen-sama simply smiled and continued walking on.
Oswald knew it was too late, that there was no going back. He was going to be contracted to Owl, to be bound to Glen-sama, to inherit Glen-sama's position. The urge to grab Lacie's hand, to run away from the threat as they had done so before was now impossible: Glen was a wall separating him and Lacie, a wall that Oswald himself had put there by bringing Lacie to this false haven.
AN: Had a bit of inspiration to write something from Child!Oswald's POV, after re-reading Retrace 68.