Defending Left-Handed

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“Are you sure that you will continue to work as a knight?”

Liriel looked at the man who was in front of him. The man was so careful not to spill the coffee on his documents laid on the table. He looked at Liriel in his eyes as he arranged the papers. The documents contained the will of testament that Liriel’s parents left behind. “You could still continue your studies, Liriel. You can still redeem your old life.”

Liriel clenched his fist under the table. His decisions did not matter to the people around him. They always decide for him. If his parents were only alive. Everything would be different.

The man in front of him was his family’s attorney, but even the attorney could not give the justice his parents deserved because they could not condemn the king for his declaration. He was the chosen king. A king running an absolute monarch where he controls everything.

And how could he redeem his old life back? His parents were no longer by his side. Nothing will ever be the same.

“I heard the king has recognized you.”

“He should be,” Liriel coldly said. After what the king did to his parents, he should recognize him to remind himself of what he did to them. He betrayed them. They served him with respect and loyalty when he was the crowned prince, but he repaid them with violence and death.

“Tell me you are still not over with your delusion, Liriel? Give it up already. If your parents were still alive they would not want you to focus on things like that.”

Liriel tightened his fist. Delusion? Is seeking revenge for his parents’ death a delusion? He asked himself. Is it wrong to seek justice after they were wrongfully killed? He continued.

Liriel stood up from his seat and turned his back on the attorney.

“Liriel,” the attorney called, but Liriel did not bother to look at him. He was tired of him nagging like Reasee. Why could they not just leave him and his decisions alone?

Before going back to his quarters, Liriel stopped by on a hill. Five years ago, today, his parents were killed. Those left-handed who were killed did not receive a proper burial because the king thought they did not deserve it. All of their bodies were thrown away on this hill. They were burned. He put down a flower on the place where he used to put the flowers whenever he visits. There were also fresh flowers near him. They were also people who visited before him. Who could they be? He asked himself.

Liriel stayed for a few minutes to see if he could meet some visitors but there were none. He had no other choice but to go back to the palace. He stood up from sitting on an enormous rock and shook off the dirt from his pants.

He did not want to go back to the palace, but he did not have other choices. It was his only way to get his revenge.

As he was walking around the town, it was visible from the eyes of the citizens that they were afraid of the knights roaming around the town. They were all over. One wrong move and they could immediately put you in jail.

So if there were a rebellion against the king, then they must be outside the kingdom. Where could it be?

As Liriel roamed around, he could honestly commend the king for his other accomplishments. The town was clean, the rivers were clean, the crime rates decreased, he was able to sustain the natural resources here in the kingdom, he was able to build functional infrastructure, but, that did not change the fact that he had ordered to kill a lot of innocent left-handed people.

Liriel’s attention was diverted when he heard a child crying from one of the houses he passed. It was low in volume but it was enough for him to hear. He moved a few steps behind to see what was happening.

“I told you, you cannot write on your left hand,” the mother said in a warning. Liriel saw how the child tried to follow his mom but he could see how the child’s tears ran down his face. If you force something that was not meant to be, it will hurt. And it was obvious that the child was already hurting right now.

Liriel could not stop himself from lightly coughing to steal the mother and daughter’s attention.

“Mind if I come in?” he asked.

Fear registered on the mother’s face. As she looked at Liriel’s built body, she could tell that he was a knight. She had no other choice but to nod, but deep inside she was already screaming and panicking. She was already anticipating what could happen. She felt her blood drain when she saw Liriel immediately focus his attention on her daughter. She knew he had heard them. She immediately went to her daughter’s side. She had already seen this scenario before.

“Please, do not hurt my daughter. I am begging you,” she begged as she bowed down to Liriel.

“Mom…” the little girl said as she noticed that her mom was already crying.

She immediately stood up in front of her mother and faced Liriel without any fear. “How dare you make my mom cry, Mr. knight!”

“Ma’am,” Liriel respectfully called. “I am not going to hurt your daughter.”

The mother immediately faced him. Liriel reached for the girl’s hand and placed a lump of clay on it. “You should use this to practice your right hand. Eventually, you will get used to it, and writing or using your right hand dominantly won’t hurt anymore.” He closed the little girl’s hand. “You should follow what your mom said for you to get out of danger. In three months, the assessment of preschoolers towards their dominant hand will take place. You need to use your right hand when that time comes.”

The little girl had no other choice but to nod because she could not fully comprehend and understand what Liriel was saying.

The girl’s attention was diverted when the palace’s clock struck three.

“The princess is here,” she excitedly said, and placed the clay that Liriel gave her on the table where her educational tools were placed.

“Thank you,” the mother gratefully said. She thought she was already doomed. She could not take it if her daughter were killed just because she used her left hand dominantly. She could not take it.

Liriel did not say anything and went out of the house.

“Liriel,” a sweet voice called. He looked at her. It was Princess Slithen.