Chapter 282: Chapter 282
Her silent trembling and crying vibrated through her soul outside her body, transmitting the overwhelming void fear caused to the young Theressa whose awkward hand had finally come to rest on her sister.
"Marianne..." — ’Why is she reacting like this? Was it that... shocking to her?’
Referring to her own actions, Theressa could not understand the depth of her current situation, much less that of her sisters.
"Marianne, Theressa... Didn’t you hear me, Prince?" — Kneeling and surrounding with his arms his two daughters, Orland then glared at Zeleskiaz, whose aura remained unfolded... Yet strangely calm as he watched Paul.
"Dismiss it."
"... Once he leaves." — Zeleskiaz responded to the Duke’s order, aware that the cause of his beloved’s grief was the man standing across from him.
"If anyone should leave is the Prince. This is where I at least belong unlike you."
"Say no other word, Paul. Was what we just talked about empty words? Don’t enrage me further, boy."
Menace was palpable in Orland’s tone and essence. The scowl in his countenance was flaring in annoyance at the current scene, to the point he called the man a mere boy... Implying with such words how his behaviour made him appear.
"Go back now."
"No. Marianne is–"
"I said to go back. Right now. If you haven’t noticed... You incited for this to happen. Or have you forgotten your sister’s condition that you freely displayed your aura?"
"....."
"Answer me."
The prolonged stillness of his pause to Orland’s question felt cold to the skin, and permitting a fair amount of time for the conflict to settle in his disturbed son’s head the Duke pressured so he would respond.
"... No."
"... Go back. I’ve had enough." — The Duke with indifference to Paul’s unfocused eyes announced.
"..... Alright."
The agreement of the young master came delayed but calm to the ears. And at the distance he had kept, Paul’s gaze dropped to get a glance of Marianne, his entrancing sister, who beautifully let crystalline tears fall down her youthful cheeks. Elegant like the goddess she was in his mind.
’Marianne... Why... When I’ve missed you terribly mad...’
Hurt to not receive a glance from the woman, those hyacinth mixing with the bloody red eyes of the man near her were found fixated on him. Dreadfully watching the tearful stare of the Lady’s brother.
"... Dismiss it." — Softer this time, Orland requested to the Prince. Interrupting the intense stare between him and his son.
"..."
Glancing back to the place Paul was to be in... Zeleskiaz found him still there.
Standing prominently and condescending... The man had stayed solely to gift a malicious grin, before lightly nodding in fake politeness, turning his back on them to leave as he was instructed.
"Tsk."
The sight was aggravating and to it, the rage was revived that could not be released as he once did. Hence, his insides were to endure the furious flame burning his guts. And his hands would clench again wishing to break so at least some flesh would be stricken.
However.
"Don’t." — The hand of the Duke, had reached Zeleskiaz to stop him after catching a glance of the burst finger he had purposely broken to restrain his extreme thirst to avenge the owner of his heart.
"....."
The unwavering gaze of the Duke was enough for the Prince to understand.
Any more of this ambience, any more injury he inflicted on himself... No good would do to the Lady whose resistance was clouded by the exhaustion these circumstances had brought.
The glance that made it to her figure immediately forfeited the harshness of wrath from Zeleskiaz’s countenance. And replaced it with the yearning one to reach her lids and take away the tears with a caress only his love could give.
’Such scene... My Love... If only I was allowed to embrace you to appease the hurt of your soul...’ — Zeleskiaz, told her as his heart throbbed in distress at her fragility. That even when he knew was there, she elegantly hid and portrayed with prominence.
"We will talk about this later. You three."
Seeing the hues of the Crown Prince change into lovesome colours, Orland told this to the men near her daughters. Immediately leaving aside men’s matters to concentrate on the confused Theressa who did not know what to do when her Sister was acting as she never has... And said Sister, Marianne. Who’s figure looked small even when she surpassed the youngest Miss.
"My children... What has happened? Dear, what brought these hurtful drops to your petals?"
Lifting carefully Marianne’s visage with affectionate touch, her lids wouldn’t open but at least her grasp of Theressa lessened. Slightly acomplishing to separate them.
Then Orland’s eyes went to meet his youngest’s who for a moment showed worry in her honey gems that soon remembered the recent reprimand she got from her Parent.
"... Are you alright, dear?"
"!..... yes... Father..."
Slight blush of relief, that even though more cold than when speaking with Marianne, her Father had asked her sincerely concerned. As she could see it in his eyes that still looked at her with affection.
"What happened?"
"I’m... Well..." — Glancing at those who had witnessed it, she hesitated to tell. Although she was clever enough to know that lying at this time would not help her for she had heard the Duke promise the men a conversation.
"Umh... I...!"
As she tried to speak, the eyes of the sister in front of her opened to watch her with a gaze she could not describe nor understand since it was the complexity of Marianne’s nature that at this point made everything more difficult for Theressa’s mind to grasp properly.
The hands of her Sister came dainty to take hers and stroked them softly with what, if she wasn’t reticent to believe it, she would describe as fond care.
’I’ll do something so he won’t hurt you... I’m still your big sister... of both of you...’ — Fixated on the source of her tears the foreigner told, indifferent to the matter Orland asked.
And at the sight. Theressa paused to answer while looking at her older sister.
"I disobeyed Father."
"..... I can see you did that."
"I... I came to sister’s room against your orders... And acted... And I acted capriciously again... ngh... I–I hit sister’s hand too...!"
"What?"
"T-This hand... M-my sister’s hand... I hit her..... Mnnh! ... A-And now it’s very red, Father! Hic! Hnnng! I am sorry, sister...! sniff... I’m sorry... I’m sorry, Father..."