There in the in the center of the Garden Path, a butler stood over a maid as she quivered in fear on the floor. Her face dripped in blood, hitting the puddle of blood on the concrete floor.
"P–Please, please…stop. I'm begging you, I…I a–a-apologize sir. It was all my fault!" The maid begged as the tears dripped along with the blood on her face.
The other servants watched in horror as they saw her get struck by that man. They trembled just at the sight of her pain.
"Look, everyone, this is what happens when you disobey me!" The man announced to everyone as he picked up the poor maid, about to strike her again.
He lifted his hand and pulled back, releasing it rapidly. His hand was about to hit her face when suddenly someone grabbed his wrist, stopping him.
"What do you think you're doing?" Emris stood in front of the maid, shielding her from him.
They were all shocked to see her standing in front of the man.
"Lady Fallow!? I-I mean, My Lady, what can I do for you?" He bowed his head to her as if the woman cowering on the floor was nothing. Emris gave him a malicious glare full of hate.
Does he think I'm going to blow past this, the abuse of a person? Why is he acting like I won't do anything and let him get away with it? Emris threw down his arm with force, stepping forward to block the maid from his view completely.
"There is one thing you can do for me, actually." Narrowing her eyes, her voice cutting through the air like a whip.
"Yes, My Lady, how may I be of service." He smiled as if he was off the hook. Believing that a noble like Emris would blow past the incident as the woman being abused was a mere maid and of no importance.
"Report this incident to the Emperor immediately." Emris's aura had changed instantly; she glared at him with her glowing, fierce aquamarine eyes. He sweated as he saw her scary expression.
"My Lady, there is no need for this; the Emperor permitted me to discipline the staff." Attempting to regain control, he spoke to Emris in a haughty tone.
Discipline!? This is overkill; what a bastard! I'll show you what's discipline! Emris' eyes blazed with fury.
"Ah, I see. Then I won't go against His Majesty's orders." – He sighed in relief, thinking Emris would leave this alone. – "However, I'll ask his majesty if I may take this maid to be treated for her wounds of 'discipline.'" Emris smirked deviously, grabbing the arm of the maid.
"No, Wait!" He sounded distressed by her sudden action, which was what Emris had planned for.
"What's wrong? Why the fearsome face? Is there something you aren't telling me?" Emris said with a naive tone, breaking the butler.
"Lady Fallow, you'll disrupt the ball if you tell His Majesty, just let me take care of it." He tried to grab the maid's arm, but she flinched and moved behind Emris.
"It seems like she's afraid of you hitting her again. When I spoke with the Grand Emperor, he did not seem like a man who would allow such violence, and I'm sure he wouldn't want his son to do the same, so why are you trying to lie to me." Taking a defiant step forward, her voice filled with unwavering conviction.
He grew angry at Emris but continued to defend himself. "I don't know what you're talking about, My Lady; I would never lie to you." The butler grits his teeth, raising his voice at Emris.
"Is that so? Then I'll go discuss this with 'Mister Stephen' and tell him how I feel about the 'discipline' in the palace." – Emris smiles innocently at the man – "Considering how I might spend more time in the palace when my father comes to visit his 'childhood friend.'" Emris emphasized her father's connection to Stephen to get the man to come clean about his crime.
The butler flushed with anger, speaking with Emris in a condescending tone. "Mind your place, Lady Fallow. You have no authority in these matters. Do you really think they'll believe you over me? I have been the head butler of the Imperial Family for a long time; my word will come before yours, especially when you lack evidence."
"Authority or not, I will not stand by and witness such cruelty. You may be the head butler, but you're sorely mistaken if you believe your title grants you the right to abuse others." Emris' unwavering anger and sense of justice propel her to intervene further.
"Lady Fallow, you cannot comprehend the intricate dynamics of running the Imperial Palace. Sometimes, harsh discipline is necessary."
Emris clenched her hands, her face evident of scorn. "Necessary? There is a stark difference between discipline and outright abuse. No one deserves to be treated with such contempt and violence, especially those under your care."
"And what can a mere lady like you possibly do to stop me? Your threats hold no weight." Mocking laughter escaped him, his voice taunting Emris.
Emris swished her purse to the front of her torso and pulled out a recording device. She clicked and let the previous conversation replay for all to hear.
"You've made a mistake in being so arrogant. Consider this a lesson in the consequences of your cruelty and arrogance. I will ensure you face the repercussions of your actions in the way you are entitled." Emris smirked, relishing the shock on his face. His nervousness flooded him as it sank to his stomach.
Emris saw the maid trembling behind her and held her hand out in front of the maid who had been cowering. As Emris gazes upon the maid's battered appearance, she begins to recognize their haunting similarities.
This person, she can't even lift her eyes to meet mine. Trapped in the cold embrace of abuse, she doesn't realize that she won't be harmed again. Then again, just because you're free doesn't mean you feel free. Her ties to that man must feel as though they'll never be severed. Like me, she was robbed of the feeling of peace and innocence. Her body must feel heavy and her heart empty.
Slowly, Emris bent her knee and inched forward carefully. "Hello there, my name is Emris Fallow, what's yours."
Comfort and patience were in Emris's smile; the maid took her hand and dropped her head. "M-my name is…Irene."
She's trembling; what exactly did this bastard do to her? Emris pulled a handkerchief from her bag and placed it in Irene's hand.
"Wipe your blood, Irene; I'll have you treated for your wounds." The moonlight shines behind Emris; Irene feels like she has been looking at an angel.
"I'll…ruin it with my blood." Drops of her blood dripped from her cheek.
"That's alright; it's for a good cause anyway, so please go ahead." Irene saw Emris's radiant kindness and cried, clenching the handkerchief tightly in her hands.
Her pain leaked through her tears; Emris knew what it felt like to be this way, so she uncontrollably hugged her and comforted her. "It's okay, Irene, it's over now; no one will hurt you anymore." Irene cried harder as she hugged Emris tightly.
"Irene, come with me."
"Huh? What do you mean, My Lady?" She sniffles and pulls away from Emris's grasp.
"I want you to come work for the Fallow Manor," Irene got lost in thought as she gazed at Emris, "I can assure you that you'll be treated better and properly taken care of."
The tears stained Irene's face as she stared at Emris's Angelic composure. Her lips formed a faint smile; She felt a sense of security in Emris's eyes.
"I accept, My Lady, I want to serve my savior!" Emris smiled and gave her hand to Rosie, helping her up off the floor.
"Shall we go then, Irene?" Irene grabs Emris's hand and beams a smile that shines with relief. "Yes!"
"Ah! My Lady, I got blood on your dress!" Emris looks at the blood stain on her dress but doesn't care in the slightest.
"It's okay, Irene, it's just a dress." Irene's eyes softened toward Emris as her heart fluttered with butterflies. In Irene's eyes, Emris was the heroine who gave her a place of comfort; she wanted to guard her with her life.
They walked back inside to the ballroom hand in hand; Emris was on her way to speak with Stephen and Ashton about the incident, but the head butler ran toward them just as she was about to reach them.
The man screamed as he ran toward Irene with a rolling pin about to strike her. The entire ballroom was in shock as they stepped back in fear. "Irene, Watch out!" Quickly, Emris pushed Irene out of the way of the rolling pin and got struck instead.
"My Lady, Nooo!" Irene shouted.
Emris lay on the ground unconscious as blood spilled out of her head. The blood formed a pool around her that stained her white dress.
"EMRIS!" Warin screamed out as he ran to his daughter's body. The man was about to strike her again until the Knights grabbed him and pulled away the rolling pin.
Warin held Emris in his arms, dirting his clothes with stains of her blood. "Sweetheart? Sweetheart, please wake up! I can't lose you!" He desperately begged her to hold on as the tears of a heartbroken father fell from his blue eyes. He cried an ocean and quivered in pain from his daughter's situation.
"Some call a doctor! Save my daughter!" Please, heavens above, spear my sweet daughter's life, take mine instead, take my soul, anything, just bring my daughter back to this world! I'll die in her place; just don't take her away! She…She needs to live a happy life; I'll die peacefully if you grant her a life filled with happiness, so please, PLEASE HELP HER!!
"Get a doctor here immediately!" Stephen ordered a Knight with an alarmed tone, "Yes, Your Majesty!"
***
Outside the bedroom, Warin anxiously paced back and forth in the hall. Worry lines etch deeply onto his face as he awaits for the doctor to emerge. "How…How could this happen?! It's all my fault; I should have never left her side."
Warin cried as the pain consumed him entirely; his chest tightened, and his breathing became heavy. Stephen patted his back and tried his best to alleviate his pain. "It's alright, Warin; Miss Emris will survive!"
As much as Warin tried to believe his words, he knew in his heart that they couldn't be guaranteed. "Stephen…I can't lose my daughter. I've already lost Clarrissa, and it almost tore me apart. How on earth could I live without my daughter?"
Emris….Emris, I'm so sorry; Clarrissa should have been the one who lived, not me. I don't deserve to live when I can't do anything for my wife or my daughter. Warin clenched his clothes tightly and gritted his teeth; his face turned red like a tomato as he cried harder and harder.
After a while, the doctor finally exited the bedroom; Warin walked up to him rapidly, "Is my Emris alright!? Will she be okay!? Is it a serious injury!? She won't die right!?"
Warin's questions of worry only overwhelmed the doctor. "Your Grace, please calm down your daughter. It is fine. Luckily, the impact wasn't enough to cause any critical damage. She will recover soon. However, she should refrain from any extensive movement for at least 24 hours."
The weight of Warin's troubling thoughts left his mind, and his lungs let out the air that had been locked inside.
"Extensive movement? Would the carriage ride to Moonhollow be considered extensive movement for my daughter?" The doctor pondered to himself, causing Warin to fidget with his fingers.
"The road to Moon Hollow will be bumpy this time of year with the increasing chance of winds, especially during the night time, so it's best if you avoid the trip for tonight to prevent any risk of the injury getting worse." Warin sighed, tired of the complicated situation, but it was all drowned out.
"Thank you for saving my daughter. I am in your debt."
"No need to trouble yourself, Your Grace." The doctor refused, but Warin felt an obligation to repay the doctor for saving the only treasure in his life.
"Then sincerely, I thank you. You saved a member of the Fallow Dukedom, and more importantly, you saved my entire world. Without my daughter, there would be no meaning in my days or nights. She is the reason why I am still standing and why I continue moving forward through the struggles of my life."
His eyes showed the longing of a man who had been afraid of the misery and loneliness he tried so hard to avoid. The atmosphere echoed the melancholy mood that exuded itself from Warin's words.
Ashton told the doctor to leave shortly after, and the three of them entered the bedroom to see Emris unconscious, her head wrapped in a bandage. Warin walked over to Emris and touched her delicate head as he smiled peacefully.
"My dear daughter, thank the goddess that you breathe without restraint." He sat in the chair, holding onto Emris' hand while using the other to tuck her in bed.
Warin cried, reaching out with a trembling hand and gently stroking Emris's cheeks, the touch filled with tenderness and love.
Goddess, please…please don't let pain befall my daughter. Let her dream the sweetest dream and keep her comfortable as she rests. Emris, please rest easy. I'll protect you and reprimand the person responsible for causing you pain.
***
In the adorned main hallway of the Main Palace, in front of all the servants, they tried the Head Butler for his crime of attacking Emris.
"Mr. Palmer, you are to be held in the dungeon until we determine a suitable punishment for assaulting a member of the Fallow Dukedom." Not an ounce of mercy or remorse came from the tone of his voice.
Imprisoned in his thoughts, he made one last act of desperation. "No! Please, Your Majesty, it was an act of self-defense!" Silence filled the room as glares of disbelief were given to Mr. Palmer.
"Self-defense? You're claiming that my beloved daughter was at fault?" Warin's face was a mask of cold indifference. His glare chills the atmosphere and strangles the throat of the Head Butler.
In the midst of Warin's fury, Ashton walked forward with an unsympathetic mood that resonated with Mr. Palmer. "From what I recall, you attacked Lady Fallow when her back was turned."
Ashton pierced Mr. Palmer's lies with his eyes, but Mr. Palmer remained strong to save himself.
He's lying, but I don't know how to prove it. Hmm, that maid that was with Lady Fallow… maybe she knows something. It still wouldn't be enough to prove anything; it'll only be her word against his. Ashton racked his thoughts to find any possible solution to the situation.
"Your Majesty, the full story is that this maid and the Duke's daughter threatened me in the Garden!" He accused Irene and Emris. With that, they brought Irene, who'd been confined to her room.
Irene, escorted by the guards, sobbed, thinking of the image of Emris lying in agony on the floor.
"Irene, Mr.Palmer claims that you and Lady Fallow attacked him first, provoking him into self-defense. Is that true?" Ashton asked, starting Irene.
The absurdity of such a comment made Irene step forward, pushing through the fear of the one person who saved her life. The other witnesses were too afraid to speak up but chose to for the sake of Emris.
"He's lying, Your Majesty; it was he who was a threat to my life!" — Irene stood her ground and defended herself and Emris — "It was because of My Lady that I was able to survive! The wounds on my face are proof of his viciousness!"
"Your Majesty, those wounds weren't my doing! Irene is a clumsy maid who has hurt herself on multiple occasions!" Ha! No one will believe the words of an insolent maid! I'll always win, no matter who tries to bring me down! "Your Majesty, please believe me, I would never purposely cause harm to anyone without reason."
The blaze of Irene's pain was on its last straw; she wasn't going to let anyone treat her savior like this.
"I have proof, Your Majesty!"