"What are you doing?"

Miguel glanced up from the washing well, one of Eugene's tunics gripped in his hands. "Ummm…. Washing?"

One of the other women frowned, "Don't you have a job to be getting to?"

"… I am."

Several members of the village trusted him to wash their clothes, due to wither working full time, having no wife to do it for them, or having a large family. Ramses and Jacob were two such people, and they paid handsomely for it.

The women sneered at the answer, before heading over to the schoolmaster, their eyes darting at him every so often.

This was not going to go well.

Needless to say, he was right, as several of the washer women started pulling his clean washing out of the basket and throwing it onto the muddy ground, cackling like the witches they were as they walked away.

"Miguel?"

As he was shoving clothes into the basket, groaning at the thought of washing them all over again, Miguel glanced up and gave Jacob his best reassuring smile.

It didn't work.

Jacob moved to his knees and started to help him, sighing wearily, "You can't let them treat you like this Miguel…" he cautiously spoke up, "… it's wrong!"

With all the clothes back in the basket, and all the women still hanging around the area, Miguel just shook his head. "I know… but what can you do?" He gestured at the messy clothes, "I'll come back later when it's less busy and get all your clothes done then, I promise."

Without giving Jacob the chance to reply, he started to make his way back home, hoping to have something to eat before battling the masses again.

…..

"Sir? Sir?"

Tzekel-khan snarled, causing the acolyte to take several step back in alarm, "What?!"

"I-I'm sorry, is this a bad time?"

"Yes. What do you want?"

"Y-You wanted to be told of anything happening with Miguel… W-well I think he could use some help."

Tzekel-Khan chuckled, pushing himself to his feet and checking himself out in the mirror, "Excellent."

"Miguel!"

Miguel, whose face was still burning with humiliation, turned as Tzekel-Khan came running up to him.

"I heard there was an incident near the well today?"

Miguel ignored him and tried to get past, only for Tzekel-Khan to block his way again.

"Can I give you a little advice?"

Now outside his front door, Miguel turned and frowned at the priest.

"The kind of changes you're trying to make… People around here aren't going to trust them!"

Miguel couldn't help but roll his eyes, "I was washing clothes…. I think if more men knew how to do that, then the women might be less grumpy in this village."

"You should really be considering another career path Miguel… ever thought about working in the temple?"

"Never, and no- "Miguel interrupted, holding up a hand before Tzekel-Khan could say anything again, "- I never will. Don't think that I don't know what you're doing…. I won't make you happy, and I am not the right man for whatever job you have in mind."

There was a brief moment of silence, before Tzekel-Khan sighed, "You do know what happens to single fathers in a village like this? They have to do whatever they can to make ends meet… whatever it takes."

The implication was clear.

"Be that as it may…" Miguel took a deep breath and opened his front door, heading inside, "… I will never be a part of your temple, never!"

He slammed the door shut, not daring to move until he knew that Tzekel-Khan had left. Once he was sure that the other man was far enough away, he stormed away from the door, kicking at the table in an uncharacteristic show of anger.

"Who does he think he is?" he sighed, talking to himself, "How could he think I would just- " He cut himself of, growling in frustration.

Knocking a bowl off the table, he practically collapsed into a chair and buried his face in his hands. "I want more than this…" he eventually whispered, "... I don't want to be stuck here doing nothing, trapped here. I just wish someone would understand that."

"Guys!" Eugene winced, "Guys, where are you?!"

Silence.

"This isn't funny anymore!"

Playing hide and seek in the forest wasn't his idea, and now that he'd been abandoned, he was starting to panic.

"Maybe… maybe home's this way?" He walked to the right, heading down a path that was surrounded by trees on all sides, "Flynn Rider wouldn't be lost…" he grumbled to himself, "… but Flynn Rider had a horse."

And then he heard the wolves in the distance.

Eugene made a run for it, yelping as he tripped over a couple of times, ripping his trousers slightly. Knowing that there was a chance that the wolves were chasing him, he didn't stop, not even as his knees started to ache terribly.

After a couple minutes of straight running, he spotted a temple in the distance. Large gates were directly in front of him, preventing anyone from getting in easily… not that it was going to stop Eugene. Finding a gap in the large iron gates, he squeezed through and shut them fully, spotting glowing eyes in the distance.

When he turned his attention back to the tower, a cold shiver went down his spine.

This place was creepy…. Especially when snow crunched under his feet, despite it being summer.

"Someone's got to live here…" he muttered to himself, teeth chattering in the cold, "… someone's gotta let me stay here." He rushed up to the front door, glancing at the candles in the window. As he got closer, the door opened up and he made his way inside.

"Thank you, thank- "

There was no-one behind the door.

"… Okay." He slowly pushed the door shut and glanced around the large entrance room, "Hello? I'm lost! I live in the village… can someone help me?"

"He must have gotten lost in the woods."

"Poor boy."

He spun around in alarm, spotting a beautifully carved shepards' staff leaning against the wall. He grabbed it, just in case.

And then he spotted someone dart into a nearby room

"Hello?"

He ran towards the room, opening the door, hoping to catch the person unaware.

All that was there, was a multi-coloured coat draped over a large piano. The fire was roaring in the corner, near a small table, where some food and a cup sat.

"I-Is that for me?" he called out, only to hear silence as he moved closer to the fire and the food, "Ummm… thank you."

On the table, there was some freshly baked bread and milk…. And Eugene only realised then just how hungry that he was, tearing the bread in half and stuffing it on his mouth.

And then the cup shuffled closer.

"You should have something to drink…" the cup whispered, voice a little deeper than Eugene's, making him squeak slightly in alarm, "… Sorry, Dad told me not to move because it might be scary. I'm sorry."

Eugene stared at it in silence for a few moments, before shaking his head. "I-it's okay."

Within seconds, he was running away from the table and back out into the entrance hall, "Ummm, thank you!" He called out, his voice trembling slightly, "I think I need to get home now though! My Dad will be worried!"

Slowly opening the door, he ran out, feet crunching in the snow.

It was obvious that someone was following him, and before he could reach the gate, someone grabbed his collar and lifted him up into the air.

"DADDY!"