The day started with shouting and yelling. Molde was drunk again and made a beeline to Ilanna's location. Ilanna never understood how Mold was able to find her. But nevertheless, Molde was in Ilanna's room screaming at her.
"YOU WRETCHED LITTLE CHILD! HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU STEAL FROM ME!"
She picked up a vase with dead flowers and threw them towards Ilanna. Barely missing her, it crashed behind her. Ilanna stood there watching Molde throwing anything and everything everywhere. She stumbled a little and leaned on the bedpost for balance. She looks at Ilanna before raising her hand.
SLAP
"How dare you look at me like that!"
SLAP
Mode continued her beatings until Ilanna was curled up on the floor. Molde picks Ilanna's arm up and dragged her out of the room. Maids in the hallway glanced at her and Ilanna but quickly looked away when they saw Molde's angry. Bertrum walked out of the study when he saw Ilanna being dragged by his mother.
"Mother? Ilanna? What is going on?"
"Silence. I am helping us get rid of this child once and for all."
Molde pulls the protesting Bertrum back into the study and locks the door.
"Your attachment towards her will soon fade once you realize she is a parasite," Molde snarled and continued to drag Ilanna. They leave through the side door and Molde throws Ilanna into the carriage.
At this point, Ilanna's consciousness was fading in and out. Until finally she closes her eyes. It was at this moment Ilanna assumed she will die here and how there were so many regrets she had. She wished she could've just yelled at her father for neglecting them. To slap Molde as hard as she had done to her. But soon she just hoped that everyone would be happier without her there.
"Dear…"
Who?
"Open your eyes, child."
Ilanna slowly opened her eyes and flinched from the pure white light. Once again slowly she adjusts to the light and sees she is in a completely white space.
In front of her was a tall beast. Their head was of a bird and had four legs. With a lion's tail. Ilanna recognized this beast. A griffin.
It peered at Ilanna and rubbed its head against Ilanna's cheek.
"Child, we don't have much time."
Ilanna looked at the beast and tilted her head.
"What do you mean? Who are you? Are you really a griffin? Wait, where am I?"
The griffin chuckled, "questions that can be answered after. You are heading for danger. When you see the chance you must run towards the trees. I will find you but you mustn't get caught. The Duchess has completely lost her mind now."
Ilanna's vision starts to blur.
"Wai-wait. no-w?"
Ilanna opened her eyes and saw she was in the carriage. She peered out the window and saw Molde talking to some men in leather armor. Ilanna saw two men talking and one next to the carriage. Ilanna looked around and saw the bundle of trees on the right side. Quietly Ilanna opened the door, jumped down, quietly closed the door and she rolled under the carriage. There was enough height just for her to stay sprawled out. She waited for the man next to the carriage to move towards the horses before crawling to the back of the carriage and booking it to the tree. She heard shouts and ran. Adrenaline kicked in and she ran faster. Her dress tore until there were no more sleeves and it became short. Ilanna could hear more shouts in the distance and then she felt a warm breeze around her. She could smell cookies in the air and felt the breeze move past her and towards her right. She followed the warm wind and Ilanna spotted a cave. She runs towards the cave and behind a big rock.
Weariness and pain washed over her and she crumpled to the ground. The last thing she saw was a similar pair of claws.
Night had fallen by the time the duke arrived home. When he entered he found the house quiet as usual but something was off.
"Foster, report?"
The head butler proceeded to give his report when Mrs. Cunnings suddenly appeared before the duke.
"My Lord, the young miss hasn't returned."
The duke froze before running to Ilanna's room. When he arrived, he found the place in utter disrepair. The decor was torn and shattered all over the floor. The bed was messy and there was no sign of Ilanna.
"What happened?" The duke snarled.
Mrs. Cunnings looked down, "Lady Molde had one of her tantrums and took it out on the young miss. They went somewhere, however, only the lady returned. When I asked where the child was. The Lady said her children were home and that there was no other child. Then she locked herself in her room."
"Where are the other children?"
This time the head butler spoke up.
"I found the young lord trapped in the study when I heard the youngest miss crying. When questioned, the young lord said the lady has done something to the young miss. I have sent out the knights to find her but no word so far."
The duke slammed his fist on the wall and stomped his way towards Molde's room. With a loud bang, he shouted at the door.
"Open this door right now, Molde! Open it or I will!"
There was no response, which was more than enough for him. He quickly kicked down the door and was met with the heavy smell of alcohol. Molde was sitting on the chair in front of the fireplace with a bottle of alcohol in her hand. There were a couple of empty bottles at her feet already. Molde glanced at the door and saw the duke then looked back at the fireplace. The duke walked into the room and stood beside Molde. He pulled the bottle away and stared at Molde coldly.
"Where is she, Molde?"
Molde looked at the Duke and then looked up to the ceiling.
"You know Janot. We both loved you so much. But you chose her. You always chose her, in spite of the fact I was betrothed to you. You humiliated me and my father every time you did. But I looked past it all because I loved her too. I was more than willing to accept her child. But you didn't like it. You are selfish. I was so sure you would have loved me in time if you just could get over her, but," Molde stood up and poked the duke's chest hard.
"The day she died. You grew cold. You ruined me. You ruined our family."
The duke grabbed Molde's wrist and pulled it away from him.
"Where. is. she?"
Molde sighed and pulled her hand from his grip.
"I don't know. I was going to meet some filthy people to sell her but she got up and ran off into the woods. She could be dead by now since that was the Beast Forest."
The duke filled with rage slapped Molde which made Molde lose her balance and fall to the ground. He stormed to the door.
"Duchess Molde is under house arrest. All contact will be cut off, only food and water will be provided to her," the duke ordered and glanced at the woman that had sat up on the floor watching the fire before leaving completely.
When he turned the corner, he found Bertrum standing there. They look at each other for a long time. Bertram was shaken that his mother did this but was more scared for Ilanna's safety. When he looked at the duke, they realized their shared feelings.
"Father, what will you do if you can't find her?"
The duke remained silent. He didn't have an answer to that. All he could think was to find her. Find the last thing Shresta left behind. Everything else can be handled after.
"I don't know, but I will keep looking with my last breath."