Conspiracy of The Silence

Tarchannen Roial II

Cornelia on the other hand grew as a friend to the princess but still a part of her is confined to the past she doesn’t want to forget. Cornelia is the only daughter of Grand Duke Marcus Izrah Konrad and Grand Duchess Armenia Chrysies Valiere-Konrad. Her story started on the 6th day of November. She was born on the coldest day of the year, with her parents expecting a son to become the next grand duke. Earlier that day the grand duke received the news that his younger brother’s wife gave birth to a boy the week before and was named Blaire Terrence Konrad. “If my weak brother can sire a son then I will surely have my own.” The duke thought. But the disappointment came when the news was brought to him while he was in his study attending to some papers. The door was slowly opened, as the duke’s most trusted valet entered. “Your grace, you wife has finally delivered your child.”

      The duke stood and approached the man. “How is my son?” he asked in excitement. The valet stuttered in his response. “Out of it man!” the duke in his impatience barked.

      “You did not have a son, your grace. You had a dau-daughter.” The valet responded.

      ‘What? I had a what?!” the duke’s voice thundered aloud.

      On Cornelia’s naming day, four days after her birth, the duke was visibly red in the face. His anger at how fate cheated him made him always quick to anger. Every time the child cries and he is in hearing distance he would raise the roof in his anger and command anyone to silence the girl.

      Once when Cornelia’s crying was too prolonged already he stormed into the nursery and found his wife sitting beside the crib doing nothing.

      “Why are you not silencing that brat? The entire house is annoyed with her!”

      “Your grace, she is your daughter. Why can’t you attend to her yourself? I have seen your brother, Flavius, cuddling his son. Why can’t you do the same?”

      “Armenia, if you had given me a son I would have done the same and more. You compare me to Flavius, why don’t you compare yourself with Verdanica?!”

      The duchess stood and advanced towards her husband. The child hearing the raised voices miraculously quieted.

      “Verdanica? Yes, you still think of how I coerced you to marriage don’t you Marcus? But then, I still remembered you gladly accepting my dowry didn’t you? After all, I am a Valiere and Verdanica is just a Meyerhof? What comparison can you derive from that?!”

      “Woman you test my patience. I will tell you this, I do not want that girl in my house!” the duke pointed towards the crib.

      “She is my daughter and your heir! She will stay! What is it this time Marcus? What is it this time that your crazy Konrad mind had thought up?”

      The duke seized her arms then. The veins in his eyes and face were becoming pronounced. “I want an heir! A son!”

      “I am still young Marcus, we can still have another child, the son you wanted.”

      The duke gave a scornful laugh. “You disgust me. Forgive me, but as you have said, my crazy Konrad mind has thought up a solution.”

      “What is it?” Armenia asked before the duke hastily released her. As he went to the door he looked back at the crib and said. “I will adopt Flavius’ son as my own, he is a Konrad after all. He will be my heir.” With that the duke strode out and left Armenia sobbing to herself. She slowly collapsed to the floor and cried for a long time. Afterwards her wildly processing mind forced a laugh out of her lips.