Discipline and Punish

To this day, I wonder if I ever truly left that room. Perhaps I am still in there now, musing to myself. Wouldn’t that be a riot? Did that room ever exist, or is it part of my imagination? Perhaps it is, but a fragment conjured up of my own growing madness. But in that room. In the ever-tormenting room of my mind, I cling to the faintest of hope that next time, it will be better. The walls will come down for good, and I won’t be trapped reliving it anymore.

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“How dare you instruct the guards to keep us out. I’ll have you know that I, Lady Chesternaut, the lady of this land, will not stand for this.”

“So?”

“So, I will have you significantly reprimanded. You are orchestrating a coup under our watch.” Stepmother scolded.

“I was under the impression you were off fleeing to another country.”

“We considered it, but we decided that our love for the people of this land was too great to sail off elsewhere,” Father responded.

“In other words, the boats weren’t sailing, correct?”

“Well, that was an additional factor, but our first and foremost reason is because we care about our subjects.” Father tried to justify his position.

Lady Scarlet sighed. “I don’t think you understand the situation here. I. Don’t. Care. I honestly think you lot are despicable individuals. If you are done with your bickering, it is time for you to leave this place.”

Stepmother turned red in the face. She looked absolutely furious.

“Now, now,” Father said, “We haven’t done anything that warrants this sort of treatment, my dear Lady Scarlet. We concede that we planned to flee the nation. But we ultimately didn’t. Therefore, we are still technically the ones in charge here.”

“Done nothing?” Lady Scarlet looked fierce at them, and they began to cower. “What about the way you treated your daughter? That’s certainly more than enough a reason for me to kick you lot out.”

“Child?”

Father’s eyes clouded over, and so too did Stepmother and Anne. I couldn’t tell him if it was because they were reflecting on their actions. Perhaps they were trying to think of something to say that would satisfy Lady Scarlet. Either way, something was off with their reaction.

I went to open my mouth, to defend Father, but no sound came out. Everything turned grey for a split second.

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“Done nothing?” Lady Scarlet looked fierce at them, and they began to cower. “What about the way you treated your daughter? That’s certainly more than enough a reason for me to kick you lot out.”

“Child?”

Father’s eyes darkened, and so too did Stepmother and Anne. It appeared as if they were thinking. Perhaps they were trying to think what the best thing to say would be to satisfy Lady Scarlet. Something was off.

I felt weird. It was like I had experienced these moments before. I believe I heard it was called Déjà vu. Despite being able to predict the events as if I had seen them before. I didn’t try to say anything this time.

“Ah yes, I forgot that thing was my child,” he said, looking over at me. “She is barely a member of our household. She is nothing but the daughter of a temptress maid. I would have had her exiled long ago if she were not my own flesh and blood.”

Stepmother positioned herself in front of Father.

“If I may, Miss Scarlet. It appears you have grown fond of this little wrench. We will happily give her to you as well as throw our support behind you in exchange for allowing us to stay in this camp.”

Lady Scarlet laughed, although there was anger in her eyes.

“Oh, what a wonderful offer, you’ve convinced me.” Lady Scarlet nodded.

My Father and Stepmother looked ecstatic, but for some reason, despite being reunited with my family, I wasn’t as keen.

“I just have one tinsy itty bitty little issue. But I’m sure it won’t be too hard to address.”

“Anything? What is your issue?”

“I’m just wondering why I couldn’t just throw you out, which would maintain my authority and allow me to keep the kid here. I just don’t see any means by which this deal would be beneficial in any way.”

Lady Scarlet leaned forward on her throne. Her posture shifted, appearing far more threatening than before.

“For an attempt at negotiations, you sure suck.” Lady Scarlet looks coldly down on them.

“mw… huh…” Stepmother seemed dumbfounded. She could only mumble. I wasn’t particularly wise like Lady Scarlet, but I knew this was a sign that she was winning the argument.

“So you are just planning to throw us out?”

“Oh good, I thought, given your negotiation skill, it would have taken longer for you to realise that.”

“Are you ok with seeing your dear family thrown out into the wilderness?” Father shouted at me.

I didn’t know what to think. Should I ask Lady Scarlet to spare them? I mean, they were my family, after all. I didn’t like when they beat me, but they weren’t as bad as people made out. They had given me a chain. No one else I had met had one of those.

I thought momentarily and was about to speak up when something caught in my throat—like a crow cawing.

Don’t

I remained silent.

“Now, guards, escort these individuals out of the camp. Do not allow them in. You may use lethal force on the adults if they resist.”

Seeing my parents be escorted out was an experience that I didn’t know how to feel about. Part of me felt bad that they were being thrown out—they were my parents—and they were all I knew for most of my life. But another part of me was happy.

Yap

Buddy barked; this was the noise he would make while trying to cheer me up. Suddenly, a splitting headache came over me. I gripped my head and fell to my knees, being careful not to injure Buddy as I fell.

I could vaguely make out Buddy’s worried barking and Lady Scarlet rushing over, but all I noticed was the faint sound of a girl singing as the world blurred. I think I must have passed out.

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End Chapter 10