The Lost Life of Laraine

Chapter 18

The talks didn't end there for Harken. 

After seeing off the only two women in the party and a sudden Mr. Pleasal, the older Winvestial dragged his son into their room and sat him down with his arms crossed. He was staring down at his son with a burning fire that was full of anger and frustration.

He had so many things to say to his son, and deep down he felt like he was failing him as a father.

Originally Parter thought his son was having a schoolboy crush on the little Lara but after overhearing a rather loud argument through a storage room door between Harken and Vadallea, he figured there was something much larger going on here. 

"Explain yourself," Parter growled, staring down his son with a frightening glare. 

"Father I-" 

"Don't you start," he spat, "Your behavior has been very strange for the past few weeks and it's only gotten more suspicious the more Lara has been around. So explain. What memories do you have? What did you do to that girl?" 

Harken was speechless. If he admitted everything that he did in his past life his father would never forgive him. But judging by Parter's expression, telling the truth might allow him to be let off easier. 

"We were married," Harken began, completely taking his father off-guard but Parter stayed silent, listening intently, "Our marriage was a reward for me for slaying the dragon of the North, to be able to marry the daughter of a duke." 

"And you agreed to it?" Parter scoffed. He thought his son knew better than to take someone else's daughter as a prize. 

"You were dead by then," his chest got tight remembering his father's close casket funeral, "And there was a huge pull for power, the only way I could secure it was marrying a high ranking noble." 

"Tell me you gave her a good life," Parter's stomach grew sick at the thought of this poor girl. Thrown into a political marriage, and judging by Vadallea's anger towards his son it seems that she was given a less than happy marriage. 

"I barely talked to her," Harken looked to the ground in shame, "I hardly saw her but she did so much for the castle and land. She managed to get crops to grow again. Redid the ball room and dinning hall. Everyone loved her." 

"But?" 

"I was blinded by love," Harken answered honestly, "A girl from another world by the name of Charlotte came and I fell so hard for her lies. I can't pin all the blame on her," he chuckled lifelessly, "I didn't want to get to know Laraine and I didn't want to forgive her for sins she didn't commit." 

Harken grew silent, feeling like he wanted to throw up, remembering the day he turned her in. 

"Harken just listen to me!" The adult Laraine was tired of her husband's behavior. All the signs were pointing towards her innocence but he wasn't having any of it, "I had no intention of hurting her, I-" 

Before she could finish her explanation she had to dive to the ground as a massive fireball flew over her head, singeing the tips of her hair. Harken's hands glowed with golden flames, his eyes burning just a brightly as his anger. He couldn't hear her. He couldn't hear any of his people screaming at him to not hurt Lady Laraine. 

Laraine stood shakily, brushing her hair out of her perfectly unscarred face. She never was able to save her mother when she was a child. But she will save Harken. Hopefully. 

"Please just let me help you," Laraine lifted her hands cautiously, approaching him very slowly with long strides. "Listen to me Harken, you've been deceived." 

"Shut up!" He suddenly whipped his hands forward, large blades of fire shot forward in a violent X formation, not allowing Laraine anytime to dodge as the force shoved her into the castle wall that was 10 feet behind her. 

"My lady!" Knight Folkner was the first to rush to her side, trying to help her to her feet, gasping at the sight of her burnt skin on her face and arms. "S-she needs a hospital!" 

A sudden hand on his wrist stopped him from lifting her up and carrying her away from his violent lord. 

"I'm fine Folkner," Laraine once again stood shakily, "I tried to handle this peacefully but he's not listening to me." 

The temperature dropped as all the moisture of the surrounding area, from the snow to the plants, began swirling around like a hurricane. Her eyes were glowing so brightly that the blue was no more and nearly silver. 

"Harken, even if you don't trust me I just want to honestly tell you that I'm sorry," she whispered, suddenly enveloped in water that began to spin so fast it looked like a white blur as she lunged forward, sword in hand. 

Harken was quick to block her blade, fire enveloping his hands and blades. 

"You bitch," he seethed, his years of training gone as he just animalistically slashed at her, his movements were unpredictable and she did her best to defend but a few successful gashes on her arm caused her to drop her sword and the water was quick to form into ice to protect her from a lethal blow. 

"Harken!" Her voice broke, suddenly pushing all the water in a massive stream to push him away and bind him in ice but a massive explosion had shot her back, rolling unceremoniously away until she stopped, lying face down. Motionless. 

"Take her away," Harken growled, clutching his sword in order to hold himself back from beheading her himself. When no one made a single move he screamed, his voice partially breaking from the strain, "Take her away!" 

Parter was speechless. 

He had never been so disappointed in his son. In himself. 

Had he been such a terrible parent that his son grew to be so stupid and heartless? 

"I know what I did wrong," Harken tried to reason, more with himself than his father, "I will make it up to her now. I will protect her." 

"From what?" Parter scoffed, "Because it sounds like she needs protection from you." 

"I will protect her," Harken spoke firmly, more secure, "She will not suffer like she did in the past, I will be sure of it." 

Parter didn't know what to think. What to say. No matter how much magic is in the world there was this time travel magic was beyond him. Perhaps it was fate that the world was reset. Perhaps it was Harken's purpose to make up his sins against Laraine. Just simply leaving his son with a simple,

"You better be."