𝕳𝖔𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖘𝖘 - (Ranboo)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟑

Yet, barely a week later, as Hertha went about her routine of getting ready to go to the castle for her morning duties, things fell sour.

Hertha was in her room, wearing Ranboo's cloak as she had every morning. She could see how over time the drag of his lengthy robe decreased as she grew. While in front of the mirror, which needed a clean in all honesty, she spun around and hugged herself into the deep, padded leather.

"Hertha, my dear, Henry is here, he..." Orphi trod into the room mindlessly. Henry was the shepherd who was fond of Hertha's mother. Hertha wasn't sure whether it was romantic or less. The man was nice, he gave gifts often since Orphi gave her leftover harvest to him for his sheep.

But her mother's hand dropped from the handle of Hertha's door, staring aghast at her daughter dressed in the robes for Styx. Her daughter: a maid who had been innocently minding her business and staying within the means of her village her whole life; wearing the garment of beasts. The kingdom of the dead. The pole of monsters. Orphi thought to herself, eyes still on her daughter, who stood paralysed with the fabric on her shoulders. The silence which hung only worsened the situation.

"What!?" She screamed as Hertha flinched, not expecting her mother to suddenly explode at dawn. "You're engaged with... with Styx!?" She exclaimed to the equally surprised Hertha.

"P-Pardon!?" Hertha barely stammered tersely. There was a certain surprise but also quickness to her response which caused her mother to grab her and drag her into the kitchen, "m-mother!" She yelped accidentally.

"Since when? With who!?" Orphi wailed while Henry, the shepherd, stood to the side, "do they have a boy over there!? How could I let this happen!" She cried at the sight of her daughter.

"Calm down, Orphi. Crying won't help her, she's as blank as a canvas," Henry attempted to reason, "give her a moment." He soothed and sat Orphi down.

"How!? Whose is this? This... this... cursed item!" Orphi grabbed the cloak, shocked when her daughter quickly pulled it away and stared at her wide-eyed.

"Calm down." Hertha suddenly ordered. She didn't mean to, it fell out since the situation wasn't looking good.

"What!? Answer me, girl!" Orphi had to be kept back by Henry, who held her down by the shoulders.

"I-I... It's Ranboo's. Yes he's the prince of Styx and what!? Am I not allowed to associate with him? I've had the cloak for a week, but he gave it a year ago! Why are you tearing up!?" Hertha saw her mother almost shut down at the answers she was given, "and what do you mean: "engaged"?" She narrowed her eyes.

"You stupid... foolish child! Why would you ever affiliate with those monsters!? Those... freaks! How could you!? You're engaged to the prince of monsters!? The undead!? How deeply have you forgotten yourself, girl!? A year? You've been engaged for a year!?" Orphi stretched the last "year" and pulled at her face while staring at her daughter. It took a lot in her to cry, yet the information sinking in was doing a number on the poor woman.

"He's not a freak!" Hertha shot back suddenly, hugging the cloak, "and for the love of God, what do you mean I'm engaged!? He never proposed!" Though she thought about it and felt her cheeks warm.

"You wore the royal cloak, you're a part of the royal family! It's common sense, you insolent child!" Orphi could nearly scream at how her daughter could have done this to herself, but seeing her daughter take the angered insults thrown at her only made Orphi feel more immature.

"I didn't know! And I'm your daughter, call me by my name!" Hertha strained pained request. The insults were hitting deep in her.

"No daughter of mine would throw her life away like this. You were such a sweet innocent child. How could you lie to me? Hide this from me!? He- he groomed you! He never told you, did he!? He's kidnapped you! This is what happens when I leave you alone!" Henry kept Orphi down as she spoke, giving Hertha warming glances to make her feel better.