Smack!
The sharp crack of flesh meeting flesh reverberated through the chamber like a whip. Eloise's head jerked to the side, strands of hair falling loose on her face.
Her cheek flushed crimson, a burning welt blooming against her pale skin. For a heartbeat, the room hung in silence, the air heavy with shock.
Oberon slowly withdrew his hand, his palm trembling as though the violence had startled even him. He touched his own face, inhaling raggedly before releasing a long, controlled breath.
"Sigh… You're just like your wretched mother, always making me lose my reasoning."
Eloise straightened, her expression taut with defiance. She tilted her head just enough to meet his gaze from the corner of her eye, lips curling into a crooked, almost mocking smile.
"And you're just as violent as your father. Do you think if you beat me and keep me confined, I'll give up? In your dreams, Oberon."
His composure snapped. With sudden ferocity, Oberon seized her by the shoulders, his fingers digging into her flesh with bruising force.
The veins along his temple throbbed as his eyes burned with unrestrained rage. Eloise bit her lower lip until it nearly bled, steadying herself, her body trembling yet her spirit refusing to bend.
"Shut your fucking mouth, you bitch!! It seems I've been too lenient with you all this time that you've forgotten what I was like before!"
Her lips curved again, but this time into a sharper, eerier smile.
"You were a little demon then. Now you've grown into a full devil. What difference does it make?"
For a fleeting second, his grip tightened as though he meant to crush her bones. Then, trembling with fury, he shoved her away with a violent push.
Eloise staggered backward, catching herself on the edge of the bed before righting her balance, her hair cascading wildly across her face.
Oberon loomed over her, his jaw clenched, voice low and venomous.
"Let's see who wins in the end. I won't even let that bastard step foot in here, let alone meet you."
He spun on his heel, boots striking against the polished floor as he strode to the door. His hand gripped the brass handle, already pulling it open when her voice cut through the air, steady and chilling.
"Not even the King can stop him. You know that very well, don't you?"
Oberon paused in the doorway, his shoulders stiffening. Slowly, he tilted his head just enough to throw her a withering glance.
"Haa… If it were his father, then I might consider your words. But he's merely a brat with no experience handling such matters."
He pushed the door open with a sharp motion and stepped into the corridor. Without turning back, he barked orders, his tone cold and final.
"Do not let her leave the room. And don't give her a meal today."
The servants bowed deeply, their faces carefully blank though unease flickered in their eyes.
"Yes, understood, young master."
Eloise sat down onto the cold stone floor as the last of her strength slipped away. The echo of Oberon's presence still lingered in the air, suffocating, like a shadow that refused to lift. Her hands trembled as she pressed them against the ground, her mind spinning.
'He will come. If he got my message, he will. And even if he doesn't come to rescue me, I'll find another way to get out of here.'
She curled her arms around her knees, rocking slightly as if to ward off the silence pressing in from every side.
Eloise had never experienced the joy of belonging anywhere. Yet, for the first time, she felt happy to be included among those loyal to Arthur.
She was happy that someone might consider her as their own, treat her with respect and kindness, and value her intelligence and hard work.
***
A few days earlier, as Eloise entered the manor, her steps carried her toward the staircase that led to the second floor. Her gaze, however, froze upon a familiar figure.
She could never mistake those features, uncannily similar to her adoptive father's.
'Oberon...? Wh-when did he come back...?'
Her face drained of color. The trembling in her hands returned, memories clawing at her chest.
"Oho~ If it isn't my dear younger sister~"
Oberon descended the stairs, his hand grazing the polished rail for balance. His steps were slow, but his eyes were glazed, unfocused. The stench of liquor hit her before he even reached the bottom, thick, heavy, and sour. He had clearly been drinking since morning.
"Bro... ther...?"
"Mm-hmn~ So where have you been, huh? Won't you tell your dear brother what you did today?"
His words were laced with mockery, drawn out with a drunken rhythm that made each syllable more menacing. His figure swayed slightly as he descended further, each step landing with a heavy thud that echoed in the silence of the hall.
"Why aren't you answering me, hmm? Were you fooling around with some guy?"
The question dripped with accusation, his darkening gaze narrowing in on her like a predator cornering its prey. His boots struck the marble with a deliberate weight until he stopped directly before her.
He leaned close, exhaling a sigh that reeked of cheap spirits. The foul stench washed over her, forcing her to inhale it no matter how desperately she tried not to.
"Why won't you say anything? Were you really, hmm~?"
His eyes, once unfocused, now burned with manic obsession, sharp and feverish. Eloise couldn't bear to meet his gaze any longer and almost instinctively, she turned her head aside.
But his hand snapped out, gripping her chin, forcing her to face him again. The strength in his fingers dug into her skin, making her wince.
"Why are you looking away? Tell me, what have you been doing behind my back?"
He had been away, traveling across the country. During his absence, Eloise seized the opportunity to apply for the aide position. But now, he had returned much sooner than she anticipated.
"Wh-what would I be doing?"
"Now that you're talking back to me, it only makes me certain someone's been tainting your mind with filth. Who is it? Who's that bastard?!"
"Let go of me!"
She slapped his hand away, fury flashing in her eyes. Her voice broke into a shout, echoing in the silence of the hall, and she glared at him with disgust that cut sharper than any blade.
"Who are you trying to kill this time, when there's no one?!"
"No... I'm sure there is. And It appears you won't tell me his name easily, will you?"
Oberon seized her wrist in an iron grip, his fingers biting into her skin until it burned. She gasped in pain, struggling against him, her pulse quickening beneath his hold.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
Without another word, he yanked her up the stairs, his grip iron-clad around her slender wrist. Eloise stumbled after him, her heels scraping against the polished wood, her protests swallowed by the echo of their hurried ascent.
"Let go of my wrist!"
He flung the door open, dragging her inside. The room was dimly lit, the faint glow of the hearth casting uneasy shadows across the walls. His eyes immediately caught on the steaming teapot left on the table by a maid.
The maid, startled by the intrusion, gasped softly and bowed instinctively, her hands trembling as she lowered her gaze.
"Young master...!"
"Aaha~ Right on time~!"
Before Eloise could react, he snatched up the teapot from the table. She twisted in his grip, her wrist straining, but he held her fast, dragging her closer until the teapot hovered dangerously near her skin. The steam coiled upward like a sinister threat, and her eyes widened in terror.
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
His fingers tightened, bruising her wrist as he leaned in, his expression contorted with fury.
"Tell me, who is he?! I said tell me!!"
Her lips quivered, words stumbling out in broken fragments of fear.
"Ev-even if I tell you... Y-you won't be able to touch a single hair on his head."
His mouth twisted into a grotesque smile as a hollow laugh escaped him, chilling the air.
"Ah-haha~ So it means he's a nobleman. Who is he? A Viscount? No... you wouldn't be satisfied with just that. Then, a Marquess?"
His eyes darted over her face, dissecting every twitch, every falter in her expression.
"Hmm...? Doesn't seem like it. Then, perhaps he's an Earl, isn't he...?"
The faintest flinch betrayed her, and though she tried to mask it, it was already too late.
"Heh, hehehe~! It's the Earl. Hahaha~! The Earl, hmm?!"
His laughter rang out, manic and jagged, as he slammed the teapot down, hot liquid splashing onto the tray. Then his hand came up to cover his lips, but it did nothing to stifle the madness burning in his eyes.
"Hoo~ If he's someone I can't even get close to, then he must be well-known. Who is he? Tell me the name!"
The madness in his voice cracked, spiraling into a scream that reverberated through the chamber.
"Speak! Tell me his damn name!!"
Eloise's breath hitched under his manic stare, her chest convulsing with shallow hiccups. Her wide eyes shimmered with unshed tears as her shoulders trembled.
"Hic... Hicc..."
Oberon leaned forward, his shadow falling over her like a predator ready to strike. His voice, low and venomous at first, erupted into a roar.
"Don't make me repeat myself, Eloise. Who is that motherfucker? Who is he?!!"
Eloise flinched so violently as she squeezed her eyes shut, her lips quivering before she forced herself to answer, each word fractured by fear.
"Ash... hic... bourne..."
Oberon's expression twisted into cruel amusement. His lips pulled into a grin, but his eyes burned with madness.
"Ahhh~ Is it the older Ashbourne or the younger one, hmm~? Oh, wait... I believe I heard the news of older one's death. So it must be the younger. Hehehe~ He must be handsome enough to have wooed my sister, huh~?"
"Young master, it's nearly time for the master's return."
Both of them turned their heads to look towards the the butler, who had crossed the threshold with quiet authority. Though his words were respectful, a thin edge of warning lingered beneath his tone.
Oberon narrowed his eyes, irritation flashing across his face.
"Huh? Old man~ Why do you keep interfering between us siblings every chance you get?"
"Forgive me, young master. But if the master saw you like this, he would be quite furious."
For a moment, Oberon's grin faltered and he glanced down at himself. The disheveled clothes, the stains on his shirt, the stench of wine clinging to his unwashed skin. He resembled nothing more than a reckless drunk, unworthy of his family's name.
"Tsk! When has he not gotten furious at me, hmm?"
The butler opened his mouth to respond, but Oberon cut him off with a sharp gesture, his hand slicing the air.
"No... never mind. I'm going. I'll wash up, right now."
"A wise choice, young master."
Oberon straightened his back, his grin returning with false bravado.
"Of course. Now that the older brother is gone, it's only right I step in as the eldest and take care of the family in his place."
He released Eloise's hand, at last. The sudden absence of his crushing grip left her wrist throbbing with pain, her skin already mottled with angry bruises.
He cast her one last warning glance, before striding toward the bath, his steps heavy and arrogant.
Eloise lowered her gaze, cradling her injured wrist against her chest. Her lips trembled, but her eyes hardened as a spark of defiance lit within them.
'I'm not going to bend to your will. Never...'