Remaking Of Lady Cruel

Chapter Eighteen: Punishment!?

Arthur arrived in the mansion in less than five minutes followed by the crown prince. Arthur glance at him with a puzzled look and asked.

“Your Majesty, why are you here?”

“I heard what happened. My abilities can help Ms. Cruel.”

Arthur stare at him in silence before Finnian, the butler, arrived beside him. He notice the presence of the crown prince.

“G-Good day, Your Majesty and welcome back, Young Master.”

Both of them glance at him and notice his bloodied clothes. Their expression went dim due to the sight. Finnian, who’s aware of it speak again.

“The lady was still unconscious due to the injury in her head. Right now, she’s comatose.” He explained in detailed, just like what the doctor said.

“Comatose?”

“Yes, Young Master. Not only that, bruises were also evident in the lady’s body. A sign of physical abused was applied on her.”

Arthur did not waste any seconds. He barged in to Viviene’s room and saw her lying on her bed. Her face were swollen, a bruise on the side of her lips and a cut on her lower lip. Her head and neck was bandaged as well as her feet showing under her blanket. He walked towards the bed and covered her feet and continue pacing beside her. His hands were trembling in anger and disappointment as he saw her pitiful state. The prince entered as well and saw her condition. His face is obscure and his anger has the same intensity with Arthur. Viviene’s body is small and she’s gotten paler these past few days that Arthur noticed. A single hit might cause severe negative effects to her body since she’s physically weak.

‘She even saved Eliza with that condition.’ The prince muttered to himself grimly. Without saying a word, he went beside her and touch her forehead gently.

“Please Your Majesty, heal her.”

Aleiandro glance at Arthur’s direction, amazed by his plea to heal his only sister. He’s confused because he knew that they don’t have good relationship with each other due to an unknown reason. He look away and stare at her sleeping face.

“No need to tell me that, Little Duke. I’ll heal her even if you wont say that.”

Arthur did not mutter anything, just waiting for Aleiandro to perform his power. A warm, bright light surrounded Viviene’s body and lasted for a minute. It disappeared and the bruises and wounds on her were gone.

“Viviene?” Arthur called, hoping to hear his sister’s voice but she didn’t answer, she didn’t even wake up.

“Relax, Little Duke. She’s still recovering from mental trauma. She will wake up soon.” Aleiandro said to calm Arthur’s nerves. He glance at the girl who’s sleeping peacefully on the soft bed like a princess in a fairytale books.

He look at her closely like a small diamond in a mud. Long eyelashes, thick well-formed eyebrows, and red lips, her hair was scattered on the white pillow and bedsheet like the of autumn. The sight was breathtaking, and he cant understand why he didn’t notice such rare beauty before. Of course Lady Walmeir is as beautiful as a flower under the sun. She’s kind-hearted and warm like summer days which was why he liked her, yet this girl lying on the bed, she’s a complete mystery.

Autumn can be like that, an aesthetic that can charm someone’s eyes in an odd way. Yet despite the beauty in it, no one can deny that certain fact that everything is dying. He tried to caress her cheek but Arthur stopped him.

“Your Majesty.” Arthur called as he notice what the prince intended to do. The prince heed his strict gaze at him so he pull back his hand and step back from the bed.

“Don’t murder me with that look, Mr. Cruel. I even did you a favor.” He muttered as he smile wickedly.

“I am aware, Your Majesty. Thank you for helping my sister. I’ll repay your kindness when she wakes up.” He muttered indifferently to him.

He already knew what he’s talking about. Arthur is going to increase the budget of the empire which was possible for their wealth. But the prince is not greedy of gold nor materialistic.

“I hope you’re not going to pay me gold for my generosity, Mr. Cruel rather, I wanted to visit your sister until she recover.” He said with his serious face.

“Pardon?”

“I want to visit your sister. It’s a simple thing, of course you wont have a hard time thinking for a response, Little Duke.”

“… Alright.”

“Then, its settled. See you tomorrow, Little Duke.”

After he said those words, Aleiandro vanished inside the room. The loneliness makes him feel all the frustrations and sadness even more. He sit beside her and touch her cheek. Her face is pale yet its better than seeing her bruised and swollen face. He glance at the corner and saw the dress she wore before. He stood up and pick it up with trembling hands. The collar of the dress were covered in blood, the sleeves and the skirt were tattered and dirty showing how she struggled so much from the captors. His face dimmed in anger, too much anger that his heart cant even handle.

‘Its all my fault.’ He thought disappointed to himself.

He let go of the dress and it fell on the floor. He went back to her side and brush her hair away from her face.

“.. No one will harm you anymore. I’ll protect you.” He vowed to her before going out of the room. He needs to calm his anger and frustration.

The news about Viviene came to the duke when he received a letter from Arthur himself. Without a single doubt, he went back to the mansion immediately. He was welcomed by Finnian and the other servants.

“Where’s Arthur?” He asked in a heavy tone that everyone started trembling.

“Young Master is in the lady’s bedroom, Your Grace.” Finnian answered while still looking at the floor. The duke went upstairs and enter Viviene’s room.

Its been a long time since he entered his daughter’s room. Nothing changed since then, the simplicity is still presence.

“Father.”

He glance at Arthur who’s standing beside the bed then his eyes went to the girl lying on the bed. She had a pale face and she’s not moving like a doll. Her breath is as silent as a mute but her is moving up and down, a sign that she’s alive. He walk towards her side and sit on the bed.

“Father, you must be tired. Please take a rest.” Arthur said gently.

“How can I rest when my daughter is still not waking up? Don’t speak nonsense again.” His tone is serious and overwhelming. Arthur became silent.

“Why isn’t she waking up?” He asked to him as he held her hand. He flinch as he touch her cold hand. He thought he’s handling a corpse and that idea scares him. If someone knew that he’s scared, people would laugh at him.

“The crown prince said that she’s still recovering from mental trauma.”

“And her situation when you first saw her?” He asked.

Arthur did not include that to the letter because he wanted to talk this matter to the duke personally. He open his mouth and speak with trembling hands.

“… She’s covered in blood and unconscious when Finnian saw her lying on our doorstep.”

He heard his father cursed angrily and notice how tight his grip to her hand.

“And the leader of the captors escaped?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

The duke even frowned more because of the bad news.

“Offered a man-hunt operation and make sure to catch that bastard who harm your sister.”

“Yes, father.”

A gust of wind suddenly appeared in the room. The wind disappeared and the crown prince showed up. The duke’s face look at him darkened due to his sudden intrusion in a lady’s room.

“Your Grace, long time no see.” He greeted with a smile, yet his eyes were still dreadful.

“Crown Prince, care to explain why you’re here in my daughter’s bedroom?”

Sensing his increasing anger, he chuckled.

“Your Grace, I may be a tyrant yet I’m not a rapist.”

“Still, you’re not allowed to be here, Your Majesty.” Arthur butted in glaring at him.

“Anyway, I came here to tell you, Your Grace and Mr. Cruel that I brought you a present.” He muttered and grin wickedly. He snap his fingers and a man chained with a binding spell appeared kneeling in front of him. He raise his head and looked at the men with a frightened expression. He thought for a second that he saw demons before him.

“He’ll tell us a very, very good story.” He added as his face become even deadlier than before. Once again, he snapped his finger and the man in front of them vanished.

Faye Anne, the spirit inside Viviene’s body was wandering in the darkness for a long time. She didn’t complain of the dark, strangely, she felt used to it. No matter where she look, emptiness is always present. She continued walking without exact destination. It doesn’t matter to her, she just wanted to be out of here.

“Where are you going?” I voice asked. She stopped and roam her eyes but she saw nothing.

“Where are you going, lady?” The voice asked once again and this time she answered it.

“Out here.”

“Out here? Yet you don’t want to be out here.”

“What are you talking about?”

She asked confounded of its question. How can she feel that way when she’s searching a way out? A blinding light appeared and a huge, magnificent golden bird stood proudly in front of her. It’s a phoenix, a mythical creature which only lived in fairytale books.

“Am I crazy?” She mumble to herself.

“No, you still have your sanity.”

“Oh, that’s good to hear. What do you mean that I don’t want to get out of here?” She asked.

“Like I said, you don’t want to go out because this is what you want. You’re not accepting the life ahead of you.”

“The life ahead of me?”

‘Is he, talking about me being Viviene?’ She thought.

“Yes. This is a fate given to you, isn’t it natural to accept it and live with it?”

“Accepting it? Living with it? Wait, who are you?”

The bird blink a several times and stare at her in disbelief.

“I am the spirit of time and reincarnation Axxiale.” He answered.

“So the only way for me to get out is to accept this life?”

The bird nodded as response to her question. She can feel her blood boil in anger.

“Look, Mr. Axxiale, this whole thing is not mine. How can I live to be someone I’m not?”

“This is now yours”

“This is not mine. Where’s the real Viviene? I bet you know where she is. Tell her to go back and live her life again.” She demanded to him.

“Are you commanding me? A spirit higher than you?”

“I wouldn’t dare, Mr. Axxiale. Why, why me? I did not wish to be here. I don’t want to be here! I want to go back!”

“It seems that you forgot what your heart told you to do.”

“What?”

“Its something you need to know on your own.”

“I don’t get it!”

Her voice suddenly rise due to anger and frustration brought by the predicament. Living with someone’s identity is not something she wished for. She just wants to live her own life and die peacefully yet she didn’t see her own death and woke up in a wrong body.

“Lady, there’s nothing for you to go back. Faye Anne Wind, aren’t you tired of it? Being alone and struggling so much to live a good life? The heaven opened an opportunity for you so why cant you accept it?”

“Why are you asking like you don’t know anything!? Are you even using your brain?”

Axxiale did not flinch of her insult and remain listening to her complaints.

“Yes its true, I don’t have anything back there. You don’t need to remind me of that piece of crap! However, I did not give it up no matter how hard it was! I didn’t give everything up because I am still hoping that my life will be good someday! Why do you sound like I already did that just to have this shitty thing in my hands!?”

Axxiale can feel her disappointments, sadness and anger mixing together. Unlike Viviene’s amber eyes, hers were as black as the darkness around her. No light just emptiness and pain from a hard life.

“Hm, I see. Then perhaps I’ll give you this thing as a punishment for your stubbornness.”

“What!? Stubborness!? I’m just explaining my side here! Will you please stop this crap and return me?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

She frowned and paled after hearing Axxiale’s answer.

“If you keep on resisting your situation, your soul will be in grave danger. You’ll suffer a lot, kid.”

“Excuse me? Suffer!?”

“You’ll wake up soon. Until we meet again, Faye Anne.”

“Wait! Axxiale!”

The bird disappeared in front of her and once again, darkness surrounded her.

The duke, with the prince and Arthur were in the dungeon. In front of them is a man who’s badly beaten.

“I-I’ll tell now! Please! Spare my life!” The man said, pleading for his life.

“Speak.” The duke ordered like a king to a subject.

“C-Captain Valkeire was tasked to k-kidn*pped the lady named Eliza Walmeir as a hostage b-because of her connection with the duke’s son and the crown prince.” He explained while stuttering due to the pain and fear.

“And why is my daughter included in that piece of s**t?”

“O-Only the captain knows the reason. T-The lady wasn’t included in the plan however, C-Captain seems to like the lady.”

“What?” Aleiandro asked dreadfully while staring at the pitiful man. Arthur and the duke glance at him but they never asked a thing.

“I-I heard that they talked the captain bribed the Miss to go with him to form an alliance. H-He promised a good life f-for the Miss but the lady refused it. S-She said she’s not g-going to be here for a long time.” He muttered.

Their eyes widen as they heard his confession.

“T-The captain asked if she’s dying but the Miss did not answer—”

Before he can finish his sentence, the prince killed him with his sword. No one muttered a single thing and let silence take over them. The duke’s obscure expression turned into sadness as he stood up.

“Investigate this Arthur. Know if she’s.. She’s dying.”

“..Yes, father.”

The duke left them behind. He’s walking with heavy steps in the hallway. He recalled the times he’s with Viviene and concluded that there weren’t times that he spend together with his own daughter when she’s just a child.

‘Maybe that’s the reason why she’s distant from me.’ He thought with a heavy heart. He stopped at Viviene’s door. He opened it and glance at the bed where Viviene’s lying still. He walk towards her side and sit on her bed. He held her hand tightly.

The duke is not a religious person yet for the first time he prayed for his daughter.

“..Don’t die, child.” He whispered as his voice cracked.

“..Father?” A gentle and sweet voice called him that made his heart jumped of joy. He look at her and saw her amber eyes like the sun.

“..Are you alright? Do you feel pain?”

His question baffled her but she answered him politely.

“Surprisingly, no. I remember that I was slapped thrice in my face yet its not hurting any—”

She could feel his deadly aura spreading in her room.

‘Please don’t kill me with suffocation!’ She exclaimed.

“Father, I thought you’re in the north?” She asked to change the topic.

“I heard what happened so I immediately travelled back.”

“You must be tired. Please take a rest.”

His heart is aching. How can she be this considerate when he’s did not do good to her as her father. He cant even call her by her name.

“Father?”

“Yes, rest well and lets talk if you feel better.”

“Yes! Thank you father.”

She said and smiled. He glance at her before going out from the room. He decided that his daughter will be his priority from now on. He started to walk towards his office and make things for the decision he made.