Anticipating a confrontation was nothing new, if anything else, it was a moment of bravado for him. He had seen triumph in most of his endeavors, and Rohesia's influence definitely had a part to play in it.
It couldn't be that Rohesia had always let his actions slide, it was just that he was good at hiding them — or so he had thought.
The only thing he felt was dread as he remained seated in a room in the east wing of the mansion, two guards on his left and right, waiting for further command.
There was a loud silence that followed, which was only broken by the footsteps of heels approaching the room.
His breathing grew heavy, and his mind went numb as he witnessed the lady assess him as if he were no more than an object, a bland showpiece with nothing of interest. She sat opposite him, and behind her was the silhouette of Leonard, and at a distance, Ronan.
Hadrian held back a flinch as she sighed and loosely interlaced her fingers before narrowing her eyes towards him.
Rohesia was only a few inches taller than Hadrian, but her presence towered over him like a mountain would to an arrogant hiker.
"Tell me Hadrian, for how many years have you been working here?"
A direct question.
He straightened up as he replied, "Four."
"To be more precise, you tried for an year to be in the ministerial cabinet, when you failed I still appointed you despite your lack of a portfolio and now for the past two years you have been serving as a parliamentary secretary."
Rohesia took a pause and reclined back on her seat before continuing, "Despite your trend of continuously messing up, you're still here am I correct?"
It was a difficult truth to accept, but it was the reality of his situation. If Hadrian attempted to dispute her statement now, it would essentially result in a death sentence for him. He needed to negotiate an agreement—any agreement—that would minimize the damage he would have to endure.
"Yes Ms. Rohesia, and I've tried my best to remain useful to you."
Lies. He was lying directly to her face.
And Rohesia knew, because she narrowed her eyes once again glaring at Hadrian before closing them momentarily.
"Do you forget how little authority you have? No, I'm quite sure you are well aware of it, yet you still challenge just how much you can get away with your actions, right?"
"No. I only do what I think is best for the current situation, Ms. Rohesia. If I have done anything it is my attempt in service to you."
"Hadrian!" Her voice was barely a yell but her tone was sharp with rage, "Is killing an innocent boy your idea of a valiant effort to aide me? Or are you simply too insane to realize that you've robbed not only that boy of a future but also simultaneously ruined your life as well?"
Rohesia's words made Leonard's eyes slightly widen in surprise, while Ronan took a step back.
"I want to know what you were thinking when you decided to pull the trigger. What exactly did you stand to gain from this?"
"Ms Rohesia, please listen to what I have to say." He waved his arms around in desperation, "Lucas was not just an ordinary boy! He very well had a reason for coming here. Think about it, a lousy, foul immigrant! Sure, he may have been "experienced" in his shitty work, but with a bleak history and connections, do you really believe he is just some unfortunate country boy who ended up here?"
His raised his voice further, for the few cards he had to play, he had to display no hint of weakness. Even the slightest contradictory shift in his emotions would lead to an instant defeat at the hands of who sat before him.
But she seemed uninterested. As a matter of fact, she appeared to pay no serious heed to the shitshow that was proceeding.
As Hadrian's claims came to a gradual halt, Rohesia let out a sigh,
"Hadrian."
Her previously dismissive tone had suddenly shifted to an authoritative one.
"This is your last chance to justify yourself." Her words were crisp with utmost seriousness, "Fail, and I will ensure you never see the light of day again."
His eyes darted from place to place and his breathing grew heavier. Still, he had to continue. This was truly his final shot.
"Ms. Rohesia. The reality is that, no one was present besides me and Ronan during the firing that killed Lucas! Yes, it was me who was responsible for his death on the surface but please remember that Ronan was present there."
As Hadrian spoke, a quiet rage filled Ronan, his eyebrow twitched. He came forward to speak but—
"Don't", the man said without a tinge of concern in his voice.
He had raised his arm to block Ronan from continuing and dropped it after he was successful
"And Ms Rohesia, you need to know that Ronan was also responsible, if not MORE than me!"
His movements had became more erratic and his voice grew louder with each word, as if it was his final cry for help.
"After glaring, then cussing at Lucas, he turned to me and said how Lucas was not only a PEST to him and you, but that he was also secretly passing information over to Civinham, with how he had been snooping around the mansion. Think of it, Ms Rohesia! Either Lucas was not an innocent boy, or the real fault is of Ronan, who prompted me to—"
As he planned to close his argument, he finally glanced at Rohesia and instantly froze.
Fear.
He felt only fear as he noticed the pure rage and bloodlust in Rohesia's eyes.
He halted in his tracks, not moving a muscle out of sheer reflex.
He felt that, if he continued any further, he might never be seen again.
No, he was sure of it.
For the few faces he had seen of Rohesia, this was a first he had never expected and incidentally, could not respond to it.
From behind, Ronan's anger turned to confusion at the sudden stop, while Leonard silently pitied Hadrian, he had dug his own grave, much, much sooner than if he had kept his mouth shut.
"Just how scared of Ronan are you, Hadrian Bain?" Her voice was much sharper and direct than before, as if trying to hold back ripping him to shreds.
As Hadrian struggles to move, so far as to speak, Rohesia calmed herself before making her final verdict.
"It seems I had severely overestimated you. I apologize for that." she said as she glanced at the two men that stood behind Hadrian, she gave them a low nod.
"WAIT! MS ROHES-!"
As his arm were locked from behind, he yelled words that he himself found insensible.
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS! THIS IS FUCKING INSANE!"
His pleas sounded more like rabid insults from an aggravated man-child.
"Wait! Ms Rohesia! Are you really planning to do this? A member of your house being taken I- AH!" He grunted as the two men tied his arms behind his back, his head forced on the table, " A member of your house being taken in! Won't that just harm your image! AREN'T YOU JUST SHOOTING YOURSELF IN THE FUCKING FOOT!?"
Silence.
She looked him in the eyes once more.
The eyes of an old man too insecure of his own standing. Maybe that's what led him to such extreme lengths, but one more thing that she saw in his eyes was a deepened sense of regret, not guilt for taking an innocent life, but regret for not pulling the trigger on Ronan when he could've.
"You were no more than an employee at the mansion, further your actions were committed outside of the vicinity of my control."
Her final words to him weren't those of farewell, but a stark reminder of just how grim of a mistake he had committed.
"Media outrage is maybe something we would be met with, but what is to make out of a servant who suddenly killed an innocent boy outside of the mansion, without any control over him by his supervisor? Besides, I would make sure to eradicate your existence from any official databases."
Hadrian's eyes once again widen in horror.
"You have defined yourself, as not only useless, but also a brutal murderer. Cherish these final moments of freedom, well, the few minutes that are left at least."
As the muffled screams of the old man faded off into the distance, the tension in the room is at an all time high.
Rohesia stands up from her seat, and made her way to Ronan.
Ronan stood in his position, as Rohesia approached him, he looked her before averting his gaze, expecting something harsh.
What Hadrian had said was nothing more than hogwash, but he was right about one thing, Ronan was present.
If he had been cautious, if he had been even a little more vigilant, maybe he could have avoided Lucas's untimely death. Maybe that is why Rohesia was approaching hi-
"Wha-"
Contrary to his expectations, Ronan felt a gentle hand caress his head. Before he could react,
"Look at that face of yours. Your eyes look like you could kill someone."
As a smile erupted on Rohesia's face, the following words she spoke truly surprised Ronan,
"Me and Thea had planned to surprise you today but, the atmosphere seems tense now doesn't it? Well, despite that, I don't want you to miss this. It must be about time as well.." Rohesia glanced at the plain white clock on the wall, all the while Ronan stood confused.
"C'mon. Get going to the main office, we installed a special something there. Look in the drawer too, you'll find what you need to do."
Rohesia turned Ronan around and pushed him forward with both her hands on his back.
"Oh and."
Ronan raised his eyebrow at Rohesia's words.
"Lucas was a good boy, he wouldn't want you to blame yourself for what happened."
Chapters after this are from an earlier draft; once this message is removed, then the follow-up for his chapter will be released.