You Think I Won't Talk?-Chapter 686

"Atrocity?" — Offended, her visage softened hurt from his words. Coming closer again to tell her beliefs. — "How can you call it an atrocity when it is meant to free us, honey?"

"We’ve always been free, woman. Open your eyes!"

"You simply cannot acknowledge it, dear." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"... and you truly don’t seem like you’re inclined to tell what I demand."

"... all you care about is her." — With darkened eyes, she now muttered with lowered head. Lifting it to dangerously glare at the now cold Orland. — "I hope she dies before your very eyes... and then you will finally understand, Orland, that I am in the right."

"... when did you become such a despicable being?" — Hurt, Orland said blue from dismay. Completely releasing her, disgusted and aghast by the hatred in her sound. — "I try and I try, yet I cannot endure this lack of heart, Elenaide! That I used to be passionate?! I loved you dearly, woman!! Our children were the best gift your love gave me and yet—!! Not a gist of humanity is in you...! Your hatred ruined even the hopes we once had!"

"Why do you talk as if it is in the past?... I can still see it in your lovely grey eyes, my kind man... you still—"

"Even if I do, I’m not going to agree with your insanity. Sleep on your own, with those snakes if you want, this is the last night we share the same ceiling."

"... what?... what did you just say?" — Stopping him with her broken sound, the distance was the void the curse of a witch had finally achieved.

"... you will be going back to your parents’ house. At least for some time. I do not want to see you for a long time."

"!? You cannot! If you do, the shame that will haunt me— come back, Orland!! Open the door!!"

Feeling on his back the hits and vibrations his wife produced on the chamber’s door, he locked it before handing the key to a guard.

"Don’t open it even if she makes a threat..." — Orland sighed, walking down the corridor as if wandering to find a place to hide. Naturally guided by his concern to the chambers of his daughter which he knew would be empty once inside.

The door was slightly open and whilst feeling the void of deception he wandered inside, looking around the dark room and lighting it up once he found a candle.

’What Elenaide said... she’s been acting strangely. Could her mind be ill...?... yet what if what she said is true??’ — Worried pale, Orland weakened in tremble. Stressed by the problems and concerns while his heart broke further thanks to his wife. — ’Lords of Izeneya... what was my sin...’

"... I should send someone to make sure they are fine..."

Depression was sinking his soul to the bottom of darkness and while desperate from the emotions a breeze, cold and ominous, showed what his child hid but an evil one wanted him to see.

"?... a window is open?" — He wondered, going to check and finding the journal as he closed it. — "Ah... I recall giving this to Marianne years ago... she still has it, haha."

A smile was drawn in his sad countenance for a moment. Orland had picked it up solely to recognise the journal, knowing that what was inside should not be read as his daughter’s deepest thoughts could be in there.

’Should I save it somewhere else?’ — He thought concerned that someone could peek into it without knowing. Nonetheless, the door closed abruptly, making him flinch and drop Marianne’s journal. — "Oh, goodness... did the pages fall.....?"

An open envelope with "Father" written on it... and a wide open diary with pages filled with the words "die Marianne".

Blankly, he stared at them from his spot. Marianne had expressed, her grief and difficulties to her father before, yet the view of her handwriting and hardened pages because of her dry tears shook Orland up.

"... I am terribly sorry... will end it all.... Love you..." — The thought of his daughter’s despair was enough to break him apart harder as he read the letter once meant for him to read. Dizzy, he sat to let the impotence be poured in tired sobs. Holding the diary he was afraid to even look with trembling hands. — "sniff... and it wasn’t... only you that I failed to protect, my innocent bird... sobs..."

The fresh image of his other children came alive in his head, unable to erase the wife he had just rejected from regret.

"I..." — He gasped heartbroken. — "Had I done better... had I been less passive... I could... could I have protected all of you?"

"..."

"I failed my family..." — Broken, he sobbed weakly while thinking of his parents. The teachings they had instilled preciously in Orland unlike with his brother felt as if his being became senseless. His wishes of becoming older and honourable in a loving family crumbled more into nothingness. Impossible it appeared... undeserved it became.

"Aren’t you too harsh on yourself, father?"

"?!"

"It is not a big deal... this journal, Marianne only wrote this out of boredom while missing me. You don’t need to cry about it."

"... Paul... where have you been hiding all this time?"

"... why are you at Marianne’s chambers?" — Ignoring the question as he paced looking around mesmerized by the remembrance of his sister, Paul stopped to calmly ask. Summoning slowly his jealousy without provocation. — "She’s not here. Why aren’t you with mother at this time of the night?"

"... can’t I visit my daughter’s chambers?"

"No. You can’t." — Paul frowned. — "Marianne’s nights are mine. You cannot take them away from me as well."

"Paul, what you’re saying is heinous. She’s your sister!"

"It doesn’t matter!" — Hitting the table, his golden eyes flashed with horrendous black, controlling the distortion of his face once he felt aware. — "It has never mattered for us... ever since young..."

The journal that was left alone was now picked by Paul’s hand, sniffing it deeply while recalling a bewitched past. — "She has always been lovely... I was afraid knowing she was smaller than me. We grew and played... Marianne searched me whenever she wanted protection and was so sweet... she has always been too sweet to me, Father."

"..." — Paying attention, Orland remained composed, watching far behind the son how the light from an open door showed the sight of blood on the ground. — ’... this is bad... he’s not alone for he’s not dumb..... yet there is silence in the mansion... Elenaide... I said to lock her...’