The visit occurred only a day after our return from the Midlands.
Claire—who I hadn't seen since last year—embraced me as soon as she saw me, and I hugged her back.
The Duke and the Duchess of Bearington, on the other hand…
They were tense and silent as we spent the afternoon together in the peaceful garden outside the manor.
Then, without a word spoken by either the Duke or Duchess, the visit...ended.
[?]
It went…better…than expected?
Was what I thought until I was placed into the carriage alongside my family which wheeled us towards the Bearington duchy where I was then confined to my room at the Valguard residence.
…
I endured the solitude for two weeks.
During those weeks, the only people who entered and left my room were the maids, but—perhaps on the Duke's or Duchess's order—not once did they speak or answer my questions.
And so…
I snapped.
On the seventeenth day, as a maid was entering my room, I slipped past her and sprinted past the guards standing beside the doors.
"M'lady! Stop!" the guards shouted in alarm as they ran after me.
"FATHERR!!" I roared at the top my lungs as I sprinted away. "MOTHER!! COME OUT AND SPEAK WITH ME!!"
Thus began a chase around the manor as the guards tried to grab me while I evaded them and roared up a storm.
"SIIILLLEENNNNCCE!!!" the Duke's voice roared throughout the manor, and I immediately headed towards his direction.
"FATHER!" I shouted as I ran down the staircase, spotting him at the main entrance with Sir Al close behind.
A deep sigh left the Duke as I rushed towards him, and he muttered under his breath, "Must I arrive home to this, today…?"
"I want to return, Father," I said, abruptly getting to the point just in case the Duke ordered the guards to take me away without listening.
Much to my worries, he looked past me to the guards standing in the distance.
"Bring her to her room," he commanded before walking away.
"I want to return, Father!!" I repeated, shouting while backing away from the approaching guards. "How long will I be kept in silence and isolation?!"
The heel of the Duke's footwear clicked on the marble floor as he paused in his step, causing the guards to stop as well.
"You will be kept for as long as it takes you to yield [that] which urges you to become an E-knight," the Duke spoke without turning around.
"That's impossible!" I huffed angrily.
"Then you'll stay in your room until it's possible."
I sucked in a breath and swiftly exhaled.
"Father…" I said as calmly as I could. "Father, you've allowed me to train as necessary for the last four years, and you yourself said you would fully support me if you could! So, why must I give up now—"
"AND WHERE DID THAT LEAD YOU?!" the Duke roared, whirling around to face me. "WHERE DID ALLOWING YOU TO DO AS YOU PLEASE LEAD YOU?! DID YOU FORGET WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I SENT YOU TO THE BORDER?! DO YOU NOT REMEMBER THE PAIN INFLICTED ON YOU JUST AS YOU SEEM TO NOT REMEMBER THE PAIN CLAYMORE'S PEAK HAS UNLEASHED UPON YOU?! …Have you not seen yourself, Airee? For how much longer—WILL YOU INFLICT PAIN UPON YOURSELF?!! HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU INTEND FOR YOUR SELF TO SUFFER?!!! TELL ME, AIREE!!! TELL ME!!!"
…
"If I could avoid pain and suffering, I would, Father," I said quietly, acknowledging his concerns that echoed some of mine. "Yet…I cannot avoid it since those things are inevitable to an E-knight—"
"And that is why you will give up on becoming one," the Duke declared, his nose flaring as he calmed himself. "From hereon you will give up the sword and such thoughts and focus on your betrothment just as the King intended."
I gritted my teeth.
"The King will be informed of this decision, as will Lady Cassandra," continued the Duke. "Once you accept this, you will be allowed to leave your room and—"
"And exchange danger for danger?" I interrupted, glowering at the Duke. "You want me to abandon the dangers surrounding the sword yet would walk me into the dangers within the royal palace yourself, Father?"
"You impudent child…!" the Duke growled, clenching his fists as he flushed an angry red.
Blood and indignance roared in my ears as I continued to speak, unable to stop myself. "Surely, you're aware of the happenings in the palace, Father? Surely you know what I speak of! The Elkhaus investigation and all the murders that remain unsolved! You're aware of this and believe me to survive against that?!"
"AND WHAT OF IT?!" the Duke snapped, the veins in his temple bursting. "AT LEAST THEN I AM ABLE TO PROTECT YOU!! DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND MY WISH FOR YOU—MY CHILD AND BLOOD—TO BE WELL AND SAFE WITHIN CLOSE DISTANCE?!!"
...
"…Father…the protection you speak of…we both know it [won't] hold should any royal member request for either of our heads. This Valguard name protects us only so far—"
The Duke stormed towards me, and my words cut off when he slapped my face.
"Do not dare utter such treasonous words—ever again!" he snarled, spitting fire at me.
"Would you not offer my head if it was asked for, Father?" I wildly continued, anger and fury and sadness storming inside me. "Tell me, if my head was all that was needed to save this family—to save Mother and Claire and all that is Valguard—WOULD YOU NOT GIVE MY HEAD, FATHER?!!"
"ARE YOU SO EAGER TO DIE, YOU INSUFFERABLE CHILD?!!" the Duke roared, slapping me once more. "YOU DARE SPEAK OF DEATH AS IF YOU HOLD YOUR VERY LIFE IN THE PALM OF YOUR HANDS TO CRUSH WHENEVER YOU DESIRE?!! YOU DARE SPEAK IN THAT SORROWFUL MANNER WITH NO REGARD TO HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR VERY FATHER AND MOTHER?!! DO YOU TRULY WISH FOR US TO WEEP UPON THE SIGHT OF YOUR BROKEN BODY AS YOU MEET YOUR END DECADES BEFORE YOUR MOTHER AND I?!!"
"I'M SORRY, FATHER!!" I roared back. "BUT HOW CAN I NOT SPEAK OF IT WHEN IT IS A POSSIBILITY—WHEN I HAVE ENCOUNTERED IT MORE THAN NOT?!!"
"AND FOR WHAT REASON HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED IT?!! THE VERY REASON THAT DROVE YOU TOWARDS THAT MOUNTAIN—THE VERY REASON YOU'RE INJURED AS OF NOW!! THE VERY REASON YOU DESIRE TO BECOME AN E-KNIGHT!!!"
"AND I'VE ACCEPTED THAT!! I'M AWARE OF THE DANGERS LYING AHEAD, YET I'LL BE EVER MORE PREPARED AND STRONGER WHEN I OVERCOME THEM!!! I DESIRE TO PROTECT THOSE I LOVE AS WELL, FATHER—SO I ASK YOU—I PLEAD YOU—DO NOT CONFINE ME ANY LONGER FOR I'LL NOT CHANGE MY DECISION!!! THIS IS THE PATH I'M TAKING AND NOTHING WILL DETER ME!!!"
…
There was a moment of silence where the only thing heard was our heavy, angry breathing.
Then—
The room shrank and darkened as the Duke grabbed me by the collar.
"I now see I have neglected in disciplining you," the Duke uttered, his knuckles whitening as his grip on my shirt tightened even more. "If you won't heed my words, I will simply beat it into you."
"Your…your Grace…!" Sir Al gasped in horror.
"THEN BEAT ME!!!" I snarled.
║║║║║║║║║║
When I came to, there was a figure sitting beside my bed in the dark, gently stroking the side of my face.
"…Mother…?" I whispered through the bruises, half-conscious.
…
"…No…" I answered, wondering why she would ask that.
…
"Do you want…me to stop as well…Mother…?" I questioned.
…
I couldn't quite comprehend her answer as my eye slid shut.
As tiredness overtook me, I could have sworn the shadowed figure beside me rippled a deep violet…