My Wonderful Second Life

Chapter 37- Not for your eyes and ears

A warning: Violence ahead.

The bloody face that peered into Jennifer's pleading and sorrowful eyes was a familiar one. Her father never once got to show his blessing powers to her, and she now understood why. The force that his sheer presence provoked rendered everyone silent, afraid of what their words could unleash.

But Jennifer didn't mind since those cold blue eyes, whose glance froze the most courageous of the knights, could do her no harm. No Mountnero feared their family. What they feared was losing those they cared for, and Jennifer was too scared of losing her sister to care for the rest.

Lucreatia's hanging breaths alarmed her and, in desperation, she prayed to their goddess. She whispered those words into her sister's ear as she hugged her cut and bruised body. The bleak scars marring the perfect pale skin. Tears of sadness and agony erupted from Jennifer as her prays were left unanswered. There was only one solution left to try, so she went for her sister's wrist where the bracelet hang forgotten amid so much blood.

About to touch it, she stopped as she listened to her father's drenched boots make crunching sounds as he entered the room. Several other steps followed, weaker in intent, and Jennifer recognized her father's aides presence. She had to wait, and she knew that.

Lady Beatrice, who stood beside her, let go of the sharp letter opener and walked to her father. Jennifer watched as everyone looked at the senseless woman approach her death as she opened her arms for a loving embrace. Her father stopped in his tracks, his eyes focused on them, his daughters. The ice that once surrounded the room peered into the bones of all close by. Yet to a crazy person, those warnings were nothing of concern.

"Oh my Lord, you are here! I am sorry I couldn't finish my end of the bargain! I am sure soon we could..." a cold air cut her speech, the duke by now had directed his attention to her. His hands took her neck and squeezed it as one would with oranges for juice. Her arms vibrated and her legs kicked, no longer supported by a ground. The wailing sounds of pain and missed breathes filled the icy room, which turned frozen in that minute.

"Father... Papa please, Lulu..." it was the cries of Jennifer that woke him from his unsubdued rage, tossing Lady Beatrice as a dead weight against the far away bookshelves.

A throw so strong, Jennifer heard the lady's bones snap and her body fall inert on the ice that formed around the floor. The archbishop, previous champion of smugness, tried to leave as he saw Lady Beatrice's fate. However, the slippery floor and the strong aides prevent any movement from the burly man.

"Release me at this instant! I am archbishop Fenabiche and I only respond to the High Priestess and the Goddess!"

He yelled, but those fell on deaf ears, no one willing to help him or even listen. Less Jennifer's father, whose concern for his daughters, made the air warmer around them. As he launched himself to the other side of Lucreatia, Jennifer, in a feat of true desperation took the bracelet away. She kept it under her dress as she told Lucreatia to pray.

And every time she did, she saw her father eyes flatter and grow sadder, tears threatening to flow as much as he wished. With a concerted effort and without peering away from them, he talked for the first time to the knights who waited by the door.

"Guards take the prince and Lord Joshua from here." his raspy voice echoed in office.

"My Lord." Said the prince as he approached the family, his arms in a protective stance. "I don't think it is wise to leave me out of this..." the prince didn't finish his thought, before being dragged by the knights. Since he offered resistance, contrary to Lord Joshua, who was picked from his hiding place in a shaken mess, her father intervened.