Channing was an old man and he had seen horrors yet again. He was tired and hence he called off classes for a week. In the meantime, Osmond did his duties on his own.
He studied in the book room. He trained on other days and in his spare time, he helped around the mansion.
It was training day and Osmond was doing pushups. The dawning sun kissed his skin, rejuvenating his soul. He pushed himself up with each breath. He could now reach ten, twelve if he strained himself. He tried reaching thirteen, failed, and fell. He lay on the grass on his back and gasped for air.
The birds were chirping in the oak. A squirrel jumped from one branch to another. A breeze came and plucked some leaves becoming nourishment to the ground.
"Where is the old man?" Came a voice prideful in tone.
"We shouldn't do this, we could get into trouble." Came another, this one's voice timider.
"Don't be a wuss Christopher, this feels like an adventure," said a girl.
Osmond got up from the grass and met with three pairs of eyes. He saw Chadwick, Christopher, and Marigold glancing around.
"Who is that boy lying down?" Marigold exclaimed.
Chadwick and Christopher looked in the direction Marigold pointed, and met with Osmond.
"It's him, mother told us not to talk with him," Christopher said timidly.
"Mother is not here with us," Chadwick grinned.
Chadwick pointed at Osmond, calling him, "you there, come over here."
Osmond didn't like the condescending tone in his voice, but he was told to obey in this mansion, so he did just that.
"Say your name," Chadwick said looking down.
"Osmond. . . It's Osmond." Osmond said in straying glances.
"Where are your parents?" Chadwick asked with his arms crossed.
Osmond's eyes widened. He felt like crying, but he told himself,
"Men only cry when they are alone."
"They're. . .gone ." Osmond's voice dissolved in the air.
"What is it? I didn't hear you. Anyway, mother told me that you are a bastard," Chadwick said grinning.
"Bastard?" Osmond asked with puzzled eyes.
"It means your mother is a whore, idiot," Chadwick replied frowning.
Osmond didn't know what bastard meant, but he remembered what whores were. He remembered the woman that went with Rileyton The town of parting, heavy on makeup and skimpy dressed. His mother wasn't like that.
"My mother is not a whore," Osmond said glaring.
"The bastard is trying to oppose me?" Chadwick was now angry.
"You take that back," Osmond pointed to Chadwick's face.
Chadwick grabbed the finger, twisted it, and said, "Then how come my uncle married her? Why were they sent away?"
Osmond punched him with his free hand. Chadwick fell because of the sudden attack.
"You take that back," Osmond screamed.
Chadwick looked at Osmond and gritted his teeth. He jumped back, dusted himself, grabbed Osmond in the collar, and punched him in the gut.
Osmond tasted last night's bread in his mouth. He sat down coughing.
"Bastards should sit like bastards," Chadwick glared.
Osmond glared back, with the taste of vomit still lingering in his mouth. He was raging, he wanted to make him pay.
He charged at Chadwick, pushing both of them to the grass. Osmond sat over Chadwick and started punching.
"Call Audrey," Marigold screamed at Christopher. He looked timidly first and ran away.
Osmond was punching Chadwick. He tried dodging and Osmond's fists met with grass. Chadwick struggled and pushed Osmond down, this time him above Osmond. They punched and dodged and rolled, with Marigold trying to separate them to no avail. Their clothes ate dirt and grass filled their mouths.
Soon Christopher came with Audrey and another servant. They separated the boys, them still punching the air.
In the afternoon, a meeting was held with Marjorie, Melinda, and the children in attendance.
"You dare hit my son, you boy?" Melinda seethed.
"Melinda, stop," Marjorie said softly.
"We give you food and shelter and this is how you repay us?" Melinda said glaring.
"Melinda..." Marjorie increased her voice slightly.
"And a bastard boy of all things," Melinda stomped.
"MELINDA," Marjorie shouted.
Melinda was stunned, she looked around and met with Marjorie's face, it seemed all the red that was faded from her hair had returned to her face.
"You crossed a line, Melinda," she said glaring.
"But mother. . ." Melinda stuttered.
"His mother may not be a Centurian, but she is still from a high caste. He will never be considered a part of the Ward family, and he will never dine with us, but there is a common courtesy one should have against a child." Marjorie said as if she was disappointed in Melinda.
"It is from the parents that the children learn, and you have taught your children wrong," Marjorie concluded.
"But doesn't mean he can strike my son," Melinda was still standing her ground.
"That is true. We will let Connor deal with it. He will be returning shortly." Marjorie said tapping her chin.
A mother's instinct is correct most of the time, so Connor returned to the mansion the next day.
Connor was sitting in his study when Melinda stormed in.
"THAT boy struck my son." She shouted.
Connor was leaning forward with his hands on his forehead. He looked at Melinda and frowned, "Do you know where I am coming from?"
"The nerve of him, I want him punished as soon as possible," Melinda didn't listen.
"I have seen at least a thousand of my men dead. I can still hear their wailing cries in my ears. I can still smell the smoke from the burning mountain of corpses, and you want me to care about some kids' squabble?" Connor stood up from his seat.
Melinda was shocked by the sudden change in demeanor in Connor.
"They want to fight right? Well, then I will give them a fight," Connor said with his face tight.
Melinda was happy that Osmond will be punished, but she did not understand what that punishment was.