Nareman sat tense, her eyes darting quickly between her father and Barwin.
The ground beneath them trembled slightly with her father's movements—an unspoken sign of his tension and readiness to act at any moment.
Adam's gaze was locked on Barwin, his eyes sharp and unyielding, his body taut with alertness.His every move carried a quiet tension, ready for anything.
On the other hand, Barwin stood still, gripping his sword firmly. His cold eyes were fixed on her father's, showing neither fear nor hesitation.
Panic began to rise inside Nareman. She didn't know how to stop this, nor what to do if either of them made a sudden move.
All she could do was watch—her gaze bouncing back and forth between them, her heart pounding rapidly as the air thickened with danger and tension.
She tried to intervene, her voice trembling, "Please… stop… Don't let things get out of control…"
But neither of them responded.
Her father and Barwin both ignored her words, locked in their silent confrontation as the tension only grew heavier.
Nareman stood there, powerless, caught in the thick of the danger that filled the air."
"Stop… or I'll stop you by force!" she cried out.
After a few moments, Adam drew in a long breath; the trembling under their feet ceased.
He looked at Nareman with cold calculation and said, "There's no need for that. As for punishment—you'll receive it, today or tomorrow."
Then he turned and left the room.
When Adam left, Nareman exhaled deeply, unable to hide her relief.
She hesitated for a moment before stepping toward the window, where Barwin stood.
Lifting her hand, she lightly tapped his head, like a child scolding a stubborn man.
Her voice wavered between anger and disbelief as she said, "Why did you do that? My father… he'll never back down because of his pride."
Barwin replied coolly, "I wasn't going to stand there and let your father hit you."
Nareman's body trembled. She shouted, half in fear and half in anger, "I know… you're insane!"
---
The next day, Adam called out clearly, "Barwin!"
When Barwin appeared, Adam said, "You have several things to buy, and others to deliver from outside the province."
He handed him a paper filled with instructions.
Barwin stared at him coldly, suspicion flickering in his eyes, before taking the paper silently.
Without a word, he left, his steady steps carrying a quiet weight
A few moments later, Adam called again, "Nareman!"
She ran over quickly, hesitant but obedient. "What is it?"
Adam's voice was stern. "You're coming with me to the farm."
Nareman looked puzzled but followed her father.
When they reached the farm, he stopped and said, "You have work to do here. You'll gather every stone in this field and throw them far away."
Her mouth dropped open, eyes wide in disbelief. "You're joking, right?"
Adam's expression didn't change. His tone was cold. "Did you think I'd let your punishment slide? Barwin's been spoiling you too much lately. Your punishment ends only when the farm is cleared."
He walked away, leaving Nareman frozen in place.
She ran after him, pleading, "That's impossible! I can't finish that—it's too much!"
But he kept walking. She stopped, staring at his back as he disappeared, her mind reeling in disbelief.
---
Inside the house, Niolefer noticed Adam returning alone. Her brows furrowed in surprise.
"Where's Nareman?" she asked.
"I gave her a task to complete," Adam answered flatly.
Niolefer was taken aback. "Alone? Don't you think that's too harsh?"
Adam sighed and sat quietly on the couch. "Haven't you noticed how rebellious she's been lately?"
She joined him, her gaze calm. "I know… She's just going through her teenage years."
---
At the farm...
The air was still, dust drifting lightly over the dry grass.
The sun blazed overhead, its heat beating down on Nareman's head, its rays cutting through the withered branches.
She looked around at the wide, endless field scattered with countless stones.
She began picking them up, but stumbled and fell.
Quickly getting back on her feet, she kept lifting one stone after another—each one slipping from her hands, sometimes dropping painfully onto her foot.
She cried out, angry and sore, muttering between clenched teeth,
"Damn these stupid stones!"
As the sun began to sink, Nareman was still there, her faint groans mixing with the soft sounds of falling stones.
Dust covered her from head to toe, sweat streaming down her face, her breath short and uneven from exhaustion.
From afar, Barwin stood silently, watching her.
He observed her struggle—the way she stumbled yet kept going, lifting stones with quiet determination.
He finally approached, his steps slow and deliberate, stopping just behind her.
In a calm voice, he asked, "Need some help?"
Startled, Nareman turned quickly, then sighed in relief when she saw him.
She shook her head stubbornly, lifted another stone, and kept working.
Barwin followed her in silence for a few moments before saying with a faint, teasing tone,
"You walk like a penguin."
She froze, glared at him angrily, and threw the stone in her hand toward him.
He dodged easily, unfazed, his face unreadable.
Nareman huffed and went back to work, muttering under her breath.
After a while, Barwin suddenly knelt beside her and began gathering stones as well.
She looked at him in disbelief and muttered irritably, "I said I don't need help."
He didn't answer, continuing quietly until a pile of stones formed in one corner of the field.
His silent presence eased her fatigue without her noticing.
When they finally finished, Nareman wiped the sweat from her forehead and sat down, panting.
Barwin stood, gazing down the road. "Go ahead to the house. I won't be coming back yet."
She raised a brow, confused. "Why not?"
He didn't reply, simply turned and walked away with steady steps until he vanished from sight.
---
When Nareman returned home, exhausted, her father's voice met her sternly:
"Did you finish?"
She nodded silently, then climbed to her room and collapsed onto her bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
An hour later, the door opened—Barwin entered carrying the items he'd been sent to buy.
Adam sat in the living room, his sharp eyes lifting toward him.
"You're late today," he said coldly.
Barwin placed the bags on the table. "I had other work to do."
Their gazes locked—silent, heavy, filled with tension and doubt.
Then, suddenly, the children burst into the room, terrified, faces pale with fear.
Elias shouted, waving his hands in panic:
"There's electricity jumping out of Nora, Dad! She's destroying the place!"
In an instant, Adam rushed toward the room, his footsteps echoing down the hall.
When he flung the door open, a blinding light engulfed him—
The entire room glowed with unstable energy.
Nora stood at the center, hands trembling, fingers interlocked, trying to hold herself together as sparks flared wildly around her.
Her face was pale, her eyes wide with terror.
In the corner, Nareman sat on the floor, trapped and frightened, barely breathing so as not to trigger more chaos.
The pulsing light reflected her terrified expression.
The room hummed with the crackle of energy; the air grew thick and heavy.
Adam's eyes flicked rapidly between his daughters—fear and fury warring inside him, as he realized what he was seeing could no longer be controlled.
"Want to find out what happens next? Add me to your library to see!"😉