SECRET ELOPEMENT

As Kariyah entered his office, she couldn't help but notice the familiar rhythm of her father's finger tapping against the desk. The old man, her father, had made it a habit, punctuating his speech with each rhythmic beat. While he spoke, Kariyah's gaze wandered to the array of books lining the shelves behind his chair, momentarily lost in their titles and spines. Yet, amidst the quiet of the office, her mind couldn't help but drift to the tumultuous memories of her childhood. Each tap of her father's finger echoed like a haunting refrain, triggering a flood of unsettling recollections. Kariyah found herself grappling with the weight of past mistakes, each one seemingly magnified by the looming threat of her father's disapproval. At that moment, the sound of the desk tapping became more than just a sound. It was a harbinger of fear, a reminder of the painful consequences that awaited any misstep. "You'll marry the duke, Kariyah Mason" "Are you listening to me?" "Yes, father, I am." Without hesitation, she responded in a clear, soft tone, without any hint of malice, even as the Count's words persisted. Meanwhile, her stepsister, Jasia, stood gracefully at the Count's side, silently observing the unfolding scene. Suddenly, a burst of laughter erupted from Jasia, her amusement breaking the solemnity of the moment. "Who would have ever imagined that you'd become a duchess? You're nothing more than a mistake, a result of pleasure, an illegitimate child of this family... you should be grateful to my father." Lost in her thoughts, Kariyah had been absentmindedly engrossed in the titles adorning the bookshelf, her attention intermittently drawn to the rhythmic tapping emanating from the Count. Finally, she lifted her gaze, revealing her enigmatic yet captivating silver eyes, fixating them upon Jasia. Jasia harbored a deep-seated resentment towards those eyes. Their hue seemed out of place, a stain on the Mason family lineage, yet their intense allure left an indelible impression nonetheless. "You'll obediently answer like you always do, Kariyah" Jasia said while staring away from her with disgust. That was the type of person this illegitimate child was. No matter what Jasia did, Kariyah, in the end, would always respond obediently. She was nothing more than a doll made of straw with no choice but to remain in its house, even if it meant she'd be torn and ripped to shreds by its cruel owners. However, this time, something shifted within Kariyah. As thoughts of her true origins and the possibility of liberation from her tormentors flooded her mind, she chose a different course of action. With a serene smile adorning her features, Kariyah spoke in her customary clear, soft tone, but with a newfound resolve. "Yes, Father, I am grateful. It is a wonderful gift indeed," Kariyah responded with genuine appreciation. "Who could have imagined that you would bestow upon me such an opportunity? The Duke I am wedding may have faced the loss of his wealth, been accused of treason, and met his end branded a traitor on the battlefield. Yet, how can I possibly lament my fate when I am to be united with such an esteemed and remarkable man as the Duke?" For the first time, the doll displayed a rebellion against its owners. Jasia's countenance twisted with panic as Kariyah's laughter danced in the air, a stark departure from the usual submissive response. "Why are you surprised?" They had underestimated her, presuming she would forever remain submissive. But now, Kariyah felt liberated from the shackles of familial obligation. This marked the turning point. Kariyah Mason's once-promising life lay in ruins, confirming the family's dire predictions regarding her doomed marriage. Jasia, a year Kariyah's senior, had been the original intended bride for the Duke. Unlike Kariyah, who bore the stigma of being a bastard child, Jasia was the cherished daughter of the Mason family, her legitimacy secured by her mother's status as a Countess. However, upon laying eyes on the Duke, Jasia was captivated, love igniting within her at first sight. She proceeded to ask her parents for permission to marry him, a request they couldn't deny. At that time, Duke Bloodmoon commanded universal respect, admired by all who knew him. His only perceived flaw lay in his apparent disinterest in women, though Jasia remained convinced that her beauty would be enough to capture his attention. The Count's family spared no effort, tirelessly working day and night to fulfill their daughter's fervent desire. Eventually, the marriage contract was finalized and delivered. However, an unforeseen complication arose with the contract. As a seasoned swordsmaster, Duke Bloodmoon devoted the majority of his time to the battlefield. Tragically, he met his end accused of treason against the kingdom, his noble reputation tarnished in an instant. Now, Jasia found herself legally wedded yet tragically widowed before even having the chance to meet her husband and embark on their life together. This marked just the onset of a series of tumultuous events. A butler emerged bearing damning evidence of the Duke's alleged conspiracy against the kingdom. While the Mason family was exonerated of any involvement, they had already received a substantial dowry as part of the marriage contract. With ambitions to expand his business ventures and extend his influence into the Duke's territory, Count Mason found himself in a predicament. In order to honor the terms of the contract and maintain his foothold in the Duke's domain, he needed to fulfill the marriage arrangement. However, the household couldn't bear to part with their cherished daughter, Jasia. Thus, the decision was made to send Kariyah as a substitute bride. Born to a common maid of the Count's household who had tragically passed away during childbirth, Kariyah had spent her life neglected and marginalized within her own home. Now, she found herself thrust into a role she had never sought nor desired. For Kariyah, this offered a reprieve from the torment inflicted by her stepsister. No longer would she endure the cruelty and disdain that had plagued her existence. Instead, she faced the prospect of a solitary life with a husband she had never met. In an unexpected turn of events, Jasia found herself relieved at the prospect of Kariyah's departure. The bastard child she had long regarded as an insignificant nuisance would finally be removed from the household. Without hesitation, she lashed out at Kariyah for daring to speak out against her. "Are you using sarcasm in your address to me? How dare you, you lowly wretch!" As Jasia's furious blow landed on Kariyah's cheek, a crimson hue flushed across her skin. Yet, within the confines of the office, no one batted an eye at Jasia's outburst. From the very outset, the notion of striking Kariyah had loomed as an unspoken possibility within the family dynamic. Despite the silent understanding, even the household staff had refrained from raising a hand against Kariyah, despite her perpetual neglect. However, in a moment that stunned all witnesses, Kariyah, who had silently endured seventeen years of docility and obedience, acted in a manner entirely unexpected. With a resolve previously unseen, she balled her delicate hand into a fist and delivered a retaliatory strike directly to Jasia's head. "i'm not the lowly one here. That role has consistently been yours, Jasia, with your penchant for unruly outbursts and reckless violence." With the realization that obedience was no longer a necessity, Kariyah faced a stark choice. Marrying a deceased Duke, a fate akin to a death sentence, would inevitably lead to her expulsion from the family, left without any semblance of support or safety net. "Are you quite mad? Utterly deranged, you dare to defy me, you despicable creature!" Jasia lunged at Kariyah with ferocity, their hands grasping and tugging at each other's garments in a frenzied struggle. Before the altercation could escalate further, the Count abruptly rose from his seat, seizing Kariyah by her hair in a forceful grip. "I have provided for you, offered sustenance and shelter, and yet you have the audacity to raise your hand against your own sister? You display a complete lack of respect and understanding!" "kyaaaa" The Count seized Kariyah, her screams echoing across the room as he dragged her mercilessly across the carpet. Without a shred of mercy, he began to rain down blows upon her, each strike punctuated by the force of his feet stomping upon her prone form. "Father, teach that insolent wretch a lesson she won't soon forget!" Jasia seethed with fury, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as she struggled to contain her anger. Meanwhile, as the Count closed in on her, Kariyah seized an opportunity, sinking her teeth into his ankle with desperate resolve. "I refuse to be treated like a mere animal any longer!" Kariyah summoned every ounce of strength, clenching her jaw with an intensity as she sank her teeth in, determined to make her mark. In retaliation, the Count unleashed a brutal assault, his foot crashing down upon her head with merciless force. With a sickening thud, Kariyah was sent reeling, blood and an indistinct lump of flesh mingling in her mouth as she was forcefully dislodged from his grasp. With all her might, Kariyah clamped down, her jaw exerting an unyielding pressure. In response, the Count retaliated with brute force, delivering a vicious stomp on her head. As Kariyah was forcefully thrown aside, blood mingled with an unidentifiable lump of flesh spilled from her mouth. With a defiant spit (ptui!), she expelled the gruesome remnant, fixing the Count with a steely glare emanating from her silver eyes. At that moment, Kariyah Mason underwent a profound transformation, emerging as a formidable force to be reckoned with. Both the Count and Jasia sat in bewildered astonishment, witnessing the abrupt metamorphosis of Kariyah. No longer the submissive girl who endured mistreatment without protest, she had become an indomitable figure, unyielding in her resolve. Following this pivotal moment, Kariyah ascended to the position of Duchess Bloodmoon. Her new abode awaited her in a solitary house nestled deep within the heart of a secluded, mountainous region. This ancient and forsaken estate stood as the final vestige of the Dukedom, and it was here that Kariyah would forge her path alone. "Excuse me, please gather your belongings." The Count's coachman unceremoniously tossed the luggage at Kariyah's feet, barely waiting for her acknowledgment before hastening back to the carriage and urging the horse forward. Accustomed to being disregarded, Kariyah remained unfazed by the coachman's brusque demeanor. With a resigned sigh, she made a swift decision to depart, having little to carry with her. Bending down, Kariyah retrieved a stone from the ground and hurled it toward the carriage's wheel, a silent expression of her frustration and determination to leave the past behind. 'Uwak'. In an unexpected turn of events, both the carriage and its driver were sent tumbling to the ground. The startled horse, now freed from its restraints, bolted away in a panic. Bewildered and unsure of the cause of the carriage's overturn, the coachman set off in pursuit, hobbling after the fleeing horse. "What in the world just happened! Hey, come back here, you i***t! Stop running away!" She observed the coachman's retreating figure and endured his verbal barbs before turning her attention to the house. "Hmm, it's not as dire as I anticipated," she mused quietly to herself. While her husband had been accused of treason, his estate remained intact. However, the Bloodmoon estate faced severe repercussions from the imperial family following the Duke's demise, with some family members executed and a significant portion of the assets confiscated as a punitive measure. It was a stern lesson administered by the imperial authorities, intended to deter others. In the wake of these events, the loyal servants of the Bloodmoon Family were summarily dismissed and dispersed. With Kariyah unable to produce an heir, she found herself alone on the vast estate. Yet, amidst the upheaval, not all the estate's assets had been seized by the imperial family. The two-story villa that stood before her still belonged to the dukedom, a testament to the enduring legacy of the Bloodmoon lineage. "This is my house. My very own house lies here." Despite the villa's isolation, requiring half a day's journey to reach the nearest village, Kariyah found herself undeterred. The grand residence, though neglected and cloaked in dust, cobwebs, and plagued by leaks, still held an air of faded grandeur. Its halls echoed with a solemn silence, a testament to the absence of inhabitants for an extended period. Despite the occasional draft whispering through the corridors, Kariyah remained resolute in her decision to make this solitary abode her home. "Hmm, seems I'm missing a roof," Kariyah remarked dryly, observing the dilapidated state of the villa's exterior. Yet, undeterred by this unforeseen setback, she resolved to make the best of her circumstances. With a sense of quiet determination, Kariyah embraced her new surroundings, finding solace in the quietude of her secluded abode.