The resounding slap struck Elara's cheek like the sting of a whip. She staggered back, clutching her face in shock and pain.
Her mother's outburst was nothing new. It was a constant torture that had haunted her since their father's death.
Time and again, the burden of her mother's frustration was poured onto her.
"How dare you speak such words within these walls? To the family that raised you? Lady Victoria's voice boomed.
Her mother's finger pointing accusingly. And it added weight to each sharp syllable.
"I-I never meant to, Mother," Elara stammered. Her voice quivered with anxiety. "It's just that Draven -"
But before she could finish her sentence, Draven cut in. "I didn't do anything, Mother. I swear to the Triune Gods! Elara accused me of being a thief. But I didn't do it!"
"Draven!" Elara's eyes widened in shock and disbelief at Draven's outright denial.
"Enough!" Lady Victoria shouted. "You will ruin the family's reputation because of your selfishness, Elara? You should have helped your brother if he was in need. What an ungrateful piece of trash!"
Tears welled up in Elara's eyes. But she fought to hold them back, determined not to show her weakness.
'She was just angry because she was grieving and frustrated,' Elara consoled herself.
But Lady Victoria was not even content with her venomous words. In a swift and aggressive motion, she grabbed a piece of the nearby book.
Her intent was clear as she prepared to hurl it at Elara.
Tchk!
The large, hardbound book struck Elara on the head. And it caused her to reel in dizziness. The impact was intense, knocking her to the ground.
As Elara's body hit the floor, a drop of blood fell to the ground. Her hand instinctively flew to her head. And she felt warm liquid blood coating her fingers.
Elara looked at her mother and then her siblings. They were all looking at her with unconcerned faces.
At that moment, Elara felt a mixture of physical and emotional pain. The physical pain only intensifies the emotional agony she had been carrying within for so long.
But even in the midst of this pain, Elara's spirit remained unyielding. With steely determination, she pushed herself to a sitting position. Her hand pressed to her injured head.
Just as the tension reached its point, a surprising intervention came from Aurora.
"Elara must probably just want to buy a dress. That's why she's asking Draven for crystals," Aurora interjected.
She continued to smile sweetly. "Don't worry, Mother. I will take her to the market and buy her one."
Elara's eyes widened in shock as she stared at her sister. 'This is not true. She's just too evil for this.'
And just as Aurora spoke, Lady Victoria's fury seemed to subside.
"I am fortunate to have you as a daughter. Thank you for your thoughtfulness," she said, her voice softer now.
Lady Victoria caressed Aurora's hair, expressing her appreciation.
Aurora's smile remained sweet. But Elara could see a glint of mischief in her sister's eyes.
Elara clenched her teeth. 'She had seized this opportunity to elevate herself in our Mother's eyes.'
"You, go back to your room now," Lady Victoria commanded Elara. "And you will not go out until I say so!"
Elara's shoulders slumped with resignation. And she knew there was no point in arguing.
She had seen this look in her mother's eyes before. And it meant there was no room for negotiation.
With a heavy sigh, Elara nodded obediently and turned to leave.
As she retreated to her room, Elara couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped. She was like a caged bird, yearning for the freedom of the open sky.
She thought it was the end of their torture. But she heard a distinct click of the lock outside the door.
She turned to the door. And her eyes widening with disbelief. The lock was engaged. And it sealed her inside her room like a prisoner in a tower.
"What?!" Elara exclaimed. She tugged at the handle. But it refused to budge.
Her fingers trembled as she tried to unlock it from the inside. But the mechanism seemed to be jammed shut.
"Mother, please don't do this to me!" Elara pleaded. Her eyes welled up with tears. She is claustrophobic. And she knew about it.
To her surprise, it was Aurora who answered. "I am merely obeying Mother's orders to keep you from going out," she stated matter-of-factly.
Elara's breaths quickened as the walls of her room seemed to close in around her..
"I-I can't… breathe…," Elara gasped. Her hands clutched at her chest, desperate for relief.
In the dimly lit room, every sound seemed amplified. They echoed in her ears like the pounding of drums.
The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows on the walls. And they made the space feel even more oppressive.
"I need to…. get… out…," Elara muttered, her voice shaky and strained.
She pressed her hand against the stone wall, trying to ground herself. But the cool surface only served to intensify her sense of confinement.
"Help me…"
Her eyes darted towards Ember, her father's phoenix. She is in a cage just outside her window.
It appeared willing to assist her as it peeped. But it remained imprisoned within her own cage, unable to offer aid.