Opal The Omega

Chapter eleven

Eleven Years Ago

The door to the dining room bursts open as my father comes in.

"Opal," he calls out, eyes darting around in panic. He notices me first, then the Luna.

"You must be her father." she says.

My dad nods, then comes to stand behind me.

'I'm so sorry Luna Dupuis. This will never happen again," he says, setting his hands on my shoulders. I press myself into my dad until my body weight is almost resting entirely on his hips and legs. A strong sense of safety washes through me. Vaguely, I wonder how he found out about what happened, then remember that Marie didn't join Oliver and me in fighting Franchesca, She must have run off and told dad I speculate.

"What's your name again? I've forgotten since we last spoke."

"Jerem, my name is Jerem Brown."

"Well, Jerem, you are certainly a very talented cook, and we are glad to have you here. But your daughter attacked mine." Luna Dupuis gestures to Franchesca, "And ruthlessly beat her. Of course, from what I understand, my husband's ward coerced her. Nevertheless, we expect our servants to be of the highest integrity and cannot tolerate this type of behavior." Luna Dupuis says.

"Of course." My father replies.

"I expect you to take the necessary precautions to ensure that this never occurs again."

"Absolutely." My father responds. "Opal will be punished."

"Excellent, I'm so glad you understand." Luna Dupuis says. She walks over to the table and picks up the belt she set down. My dad looks at her in confusion when she tries to hand it to him.

"Children must be disciplined." Luna Dupuis says. I look up at my dad's face in horror. His eyes widen slightly for a millisecond in shock before he reaches his hand out slowly and grasps the leather belt.

"Dad, please no." I plead, as my father drags me by my bicep to the dining room table. I take up the same position Oliver was in moments earlier.

"Pull down your pants." my father says. I hook my thumbs into my waistband and shimmy my pants down to my knees but leave my underwear.

"Panties too." Luna Dupuis adds. Something burns in me as I expose myself completely. My father has given me spankings before, but this is different. Before it was always for a reason, a clear definable thing that I had done wrong, but this time all I did was protect what was mine.

The first lick stings, the tenth lick is fire that falls on already burning skin, the twentieth rips screams from my throat. But the worst pain is the pain that festers in the core of my being when it's done, a mixture of fear, exposure, and anger so deep it feels like it will never fade.

"Is it true, did Oliver make you fight Franchesca?" my father asks. I sit on my bed later that night, with fresh tears running down my already wet cheeks.

"No, I fought her because I wanted to. Because she destroyed our tea set for no reason. She deserved it."

"Opal, you can't fight people because you think they deserve it. I know this might be hard to understand. But I need you to just grin and bear it. Otherwise we might end up back in the Smog District or worse. Can you do that for me?"

"You're a coward and I hate you." I spit at him. My father's face rears back.

"Did you hear that?" I repeat. "I fucking hate you." I shift slightly on my bed to alleviate the pressure on my stinging backside.

"I understand that you're angry, but I will not tolerate this disrespect." he says.

"I fucking hate you." I scream again.