Chapter Two
992 Words
The way he dressed clarified that this new person wasn’t from here. His attire was reminiscent of English fashion, with a white linen shirt, navy blue waistcoat, frock coat, breeches, white stockings, and black leather shoes. The individual gives the impression of being connected to the English court. A pale complexion and dark brown hair pulled back characterized his appearance. His eyes gleamed like precious emeralds. His height was approximately 6 feet. After some time, I shifted my attention towards my father. My father is drenched in blood. I jumped up from him, holding me.
“Papa.... Papa, are you okay?” With each word, my voice quivered.
“I will be fine. Find your mother.”
“Papa, I have no intention of doing that.” I felt tears coming to my eyes.
“My dear... sweet child, please don’t fight me this time and just... just do as I ask.” His breathing is getting very slow and swallow.
“Pa...”
“Florenca, am I correct? He prevented me from communicating with my father.”
Finally, the person who stood over my father and me opened their mouth to speak. His voice had a gentle quality, yet there was an underlying hint of roughness he kept hidden. As he said this, he bend down and put his hand on my shoulder.
“Yes. Can you tell me your identity?”
“You should go to get your mom. You can count on me to stay by your father’s side while you handle that for him.”
I experienced a comforting feeling as he uttered those words. My heart found its way back into my chest. The tears that were forming went away, and I felt at peace.
“What’s the situation with him?” As I pointed to the person laying on the ground.
“You can relax. There’s nothing to be concerned about regarding him.”
A smile appeared on my face as I rose from where I was sitting. While I was fleeing, I heard my father speaking to someone in a way that I couldn’t comprehend. I burst into the house, frantically trying to locate my mom. I searched downstairs but couldn’t find her, so I went upstairs and discovered her in her and my father’s room.
“Mother. Mother, Father requires your attention. This is of great importance. He’s hurt,”
As she was busy, she gave a disapproving look that conveyed, ‘how dare you interrupt me.’
“Make sure this interruption is worth it or face my wrath.”
I experienced little kindness from my mother. I always knew that my younger sister holds a higher place in her affections than I do. Out of everyone, my father was the only one who loved me. We went back to where my father was. The person was still standing over my father.
“What is your reason for requiring my assistance, and can you please introduce yourself? My mother’s voice carried both anger and annoyance as she said this. With her golden ray blonde hair tied up in a bun under a bonnet, my mother stands at about,” and has captivating sapphire blue eyes. She loves to wear her periwinkle blue dresses with white flowers pattern on it.
“Allow me to introduce myself, madam. I am Korrack Octavius.”
My mother uttered “De Smithe” with such venom in her voice.
It seemed as if he had just been bitten by a snake, judging by his facial expression.
“I am familiar with your husband, Madam De Smithe.”
“There was no discussion about you by him. It seems like you’re bleeding. Don’t die on me because I can’t handle both of them.”
“I... apologies, however... This wasn’t my decision.”
My mother cast a scrolling gaze in my father’s direction. Silence filled the air. Breathless, my father; hopeful, my mother’s tapping foot; and nearby, Korrack. Then, out of nowhere, Korrack broke the silence from everyone.
”Madam, I can tell that your husband’s condition is critical, so I’ll speak openly for a moment. If that’s acceptable to you.”
“You have full permission to engage in any activity of your choosing. If death is coming, then embrace it already. I don’t have time for this.”
The expression my mother received from Korrack was unsettling, yet it held the same element of shock.
“Hmm,” he mused, “what if you raise this little girl and I provide financial assistance until she is old enough to live independently?”
My mother’s face lit up with a carefree smile. I understood it wouldn’t be favorable for me, but Korrack had alternate plans for me. I maintained my unwavering stare at my father as I grasped his head, observing him gradually expire right in front of me. With each breath he took, my heart disintegrated to pieces.
“Ma petite lune, I need you to be strong for me,”
“Papa, you’ll recover, I promise,” I said as tears cascaded down my cheeks. I had to believe he will get better.
“My child, it’s okay. You will be fine. I promise you listen to Korrack, he is an old friend of me. He will take care of you.”
With that, my father closed his eyes, took his last breath and let death claim him for his own. I broke down. I cried harder than I very thought I would cry before. My whole body went numb with the loss of him. My heart finished crumbing. I lost my hearing for a moment. I couldn’t hear anything from anyone. It took Korrack kneeling down for me to stop looking at my father dead body.
“I apologize for the loss you’ve experienced, dear child.”
I attempted to smile at him, but his actions crushed me, and I’ll remain that way for a while.
- Writer
