Morticia

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The young man collapsed onto the marbled floors as a stinging pain erupted on his cheeks. He trembled in fear as he tried to properly kneel in front of this imposing man staring down at him. Displeased, the emperor looked down at the young man whose knees is on the floor.
Wondering why he kept this pathetic fool alive, he went and sat on his majestic, golden throne.

"Grendel." A low and chilling voice surrounded the quiet throne room. The boy trembled even more. He struggled to breathe as if something was stuck in his throat. He tried to calm himself but it didn't work. It never did. In front of his father whom he very much fear, nothing would ever make him calm.

"...Y-yes, father.." The boy finally uttered in a faint voice. Finally managing to utter something. What's the reason he called me? The boy thought as he stayed kneeling on the floor, unmoving, and bowing his head low for fear of upsetting his father even more.

"... Child, did you know what you did wrong?" The emperor asked the boy who shivered in fear at his father's discretion. The boy didn't answer. He knew what he did. He knew what consequences there will be from what he did especially since he angered his father. He didn't want to be punished. I didn't do anything wrong... She was just so enchanting and beautiful that I did that to her..! It's not my fault, it's not my fault... It's not...

"I already took care of the scandal you had recently and now you've caused another? Is it not enough for you to harass the ladies of the lower nobility? Now you have gone to Duke Everett's daughter?! HAVE YOU GONE INSANE, GRENDEL?!" The emperor's voice rose as he berated the third prince.

"ARE YOU RUINING MY REPUTATION ON PURPOSE?! IS THAT WHY YOU WENT AND ATTACKED DUKE EVERETT'S DAUGHTER?! ANSWER-"

"IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" The boy interrupted his father with all the courage he could muster. I can't be punished. It's not my fault. I can't help myself. That's not my fault. Right... I was never at fault..."It's not my fault... It's... It's princess Morticia's fault... That's right... It's that wench's fault."

The boy muttered whatever he could think of and repeated it over and over again. As if brainwashing himself. Pushing the blame onto someone else. The boy who's like a broken record looked up to the emperor with a deranged expression laughing and repeating his words over and over again.

The emperor knew that it was his son's fault. He knew his son to be completely hateful of his twin. She couldn't possibly convince him to do these things. The emperor knew the boy was pushing the blame to his sister but he didn't say anything. For better or for worse, he can't rid of this boy who's a prodigy in fire magic. I can't lose this talent. That useless brat should take the blame. She's useless anyway. This is the least she could do.

This logic is flawed. The emperor knew that but he had the artifact. With that object, it would be easier to manipulate people's opinions. They're like puppets now with that artifact. I have nothing to worry about. The emperor convinced himself of that thought as he coldly looked at the knights before ordering for Morticia to be dragged to the throne room.

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My pale knees hit the marbled floor as the heartless knights pushed me onto it. Feeling the cold stare of my father, I winced in pain. I don't know why he called me but I'm sure it isn't good. I trembled at the thought of my escape plan being exposed. Is this the end? I kept my head low as I tried to calm my chaos-filled heart. I clenched my trembling hand as to not make my father notice that I'm scared. 

"Father, what made you call this humble--"A sharp pain erupted from my cheeks as my head turned back. A metallic and salty taste filled my mouth. My father coldly stood in front of my collapsed body on the floor, slightly shaking his hand from the slight pain his slap made. Fury filled his eyes when I looked at him with disbelief. His whole body shook and his arms raised again as fear immediately made me cower seeing the gesture. 

" YOU UNGRATEFUL AND USELESS BRAT!" He bellowed as a large hand hit me. Unable to stand up from the impact, I only struggled to at least kneel. The emperor, who is usually calm and indifferent, was hitting his daughter, me, in a fit. I could only grit my teeth and endure the pain. I can't talk back. It'll only worsen whatever punishment I'll be receiving.

" YOU BRAT!! IS IT NOT ENOUGH THAT I FED AND CLOTHED YOU?! NOW YOU'D GO AND RUIN YOUR NAIVE BROTHER'S REPUTATION BY MAKING HIM HARASS DUKE EVERETT'S DAUGHTER?! MANIPULATIVE WENCH!!!" My father's angry voice echoed into the throne room yet people doesn't seem bothered by it. At the very least, they should look uncomfortable yet... 

My Father kept on hitting me, cursing me, calling me whatever names he could think of. Other than the pain I felt from the physical abuse, my mind felt numb. How many times had this happened again?... I didn't keep count. My father seemed to slightly calm down as he stopped hitting me yet still cursed at me. I stealthily shifted my gaze from the floor to my brother and saw him grinning from ear to ear with a deranged expression. He looked straight into my eyes and his hateful orbs had a strange glint in them. His sweet young self, who used to call at me and Mother sweetly. Who used to treasure me and Mother dearly, who used to be the loving brother of my childhood... Overlapped with the young man in front of me.

My eyes felt hot. Tears slowly dripped down my face as I lamented what went wrong. Where did I go wrong? How did my loving brother turn into this stranger in front of me? I averted my eyes away from his laughing ones. My heart hurts so much. I can't take it anymore. I've long since ignored what my father is saying right now. I couldn't care less. My one and only brother, the only blood relative from my mother already turned his back on me.

I'll accept whatever punishment I get from this fabricated sin. Even if it's death... at least I'll be able to sleep peacefully albeit I'll never wake up. I've already resigned to this fate. The previous plans of escape have been abandoned. I'm tired--

The throne room shook as a loud bang ensued. The locked doors of the throne room were forcefully opened. Everyone inside looked at the person.

" Father." A cool and soft voice erupted from the young woman who forcefully opened the huge doors. Her pitch-black hair draped on her shoulders as vines erupted from the ground at her command. " I have participated in making the third brother harass the duke's daughter..."

"... Therefore, shouldn't you punish me too?"