The Lost Life of Laraine

Chapter 6

Delfone knew his personal, and head of the rest of the servants, butler favored his first granddaughter over his other grandchildren, but he would have never thought he authorized the servants of the West wing to cover for her when she wants to sneak out. 

But who can blame him? Or her? 

Trapped in a house that no one who shares her blood even looks at her, even he would have wanted to leave. Not that he had a great childhood, he just wanted his descendants to be happier than he was, but alas he's failed miserably with 1 of them. 

"So where does she go, when she leaves?" Delfone was sat as his desk, glaring at his loyal servant who's head was held down. 

"M-my lord it's not her fault, I was the one who suggested she goes out into the city once in a while," Bell wasn't afraid of getting fired, he was afraid the young lady will be punished and be more miserable. 

"That's not what I asked," Delfone seethed, but he actually wasn't angry at Bell or his granddaughter. He was angry at himself. His negligence of his eldest son which in turn caused his first granddaughter to be neglected. 

He blames himself for her situation. When they all learned on her first birthday that her element was water, he turned cold and left the ceremony early. Never before a  child of Fortunith have an affiliation to anything except fire. 

It wasn't her fault though, the spirits of water favored her more than the spirits of fire, and so she simply was better as a water user.

"S-she's probably at the local blacksmith," Bell pondered, "Then she probably would want to get dinner at one of the stands that are happening at the festival, and then definite end her night at the local dessert shop." 

That just sounded what a normal little girl would do, and somehow that was comforting to Delfone, minus the blacksmith part. 

"The blacksmith? We have our own blacksmith for our knights," Delfone commented, confused why she wouldn't just go to his hand-picked craftsmen. 

"Well my lord," Bell took a deep breath, "The blacksmiths are for the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st unit of knights as well as the main family, and because the 4th unit is in charge of the west wing, the lady feels that she should do like the other knights and go to the local one." 

That makes no sense. She is part of the main family. And then her knights, meant to care and protect her, are going to some cheap blacksmith for their weapons. 

"And the local blacksmith is highly praised," Bell tried to assure him, "I've checked myself and he greatly favors the young lady, so she only gets the best quality weapons." 

"I heard a report that 2 of the swords she's used have broken." 

"Well one was made by one of his apprentices, and because the lady is growing so much she constantly replacing her swords to find her perfect fit." 

Swords are made ready-to-use, so the sizes are usually standard and hard to customize, hence why they have an in-house blacksmith to help mold the swords perfect for his family and knights. 

That was Delfone's last straw, standing up and grabbing his coat to head out, pausing for a moment before turning to Bell, "Bring me a more casual outfit, I want to blend in with the commoners." 

"Y-yes my lord," he wanted to question the lord, but just rushed to follow his orders. He didn't even have time to warn the lady but was quick to locate her through the winds per his lord's orders. 

And now they followed her. 

Delfone felt like a common criminal, stalking a young girl, but she was his granddaughter yet virtually a stranger. 

He watched as she and her maid walked hand in hand, like sisters would, they had just finished their business with the blacksmith when he found them, and he only managed to catch her giving the older man a big hug. Something that his 2nd granddaughter would do every time she saw him. 

Her little sister, he thinks, is treated as the first and only granddaughter of the family, and thus is nearly a princess-equivalent. 

He watch as his real first granddaughter was behaving like an actual child would, laughing and giggling with her maid, happy at something the maid said, but all of the sudden she stopped. 

He peaked out more from where he was hiding, only to duck away as soon as she turned to look right in his direction. 

Exceptionally perceptive, like a true swordsman. 

"My lord?" Bell questioned, going to peek out at the lady but she and Rebecca are already continuing their walk, "Do you want to follow?" 

"No," Delfone began to walk away, "I've been away from work for too long, we should return now." 

"Yes my lord." 

By the time he got back to his office, his eldest son was waiting in there, standing in the middle of the room, looking up at the portrait of his late mother. 

Dismissing Bell and the knights Delfone sat at his desk, staring at his son who he got reports of has been investigating the West wing. 

"Do you remember?" Gerris turned to face his father, his question vague but Delfone had some idea what he meant but didn't want to confirm it. 

"Remember what," Delfone replied, going to his desk and taking a set, his son watching his every move, "I'm getting quite old, you're going to have to be more specific." 

"The execution," Gerris went straight to the point, "Her death, the sky raining fire, everything." 

"Only a little bit," Delfone sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He doesn't remember the details, just the feeling. 

"I remember all of it," Gerris also sighed, going over to one of the couches and collapsing into it, "I remember the trial, the verdict, her death." 

He was silent, unsure what he should say to his son. They both made an incredibly foolish mistake that cost the life of an innocent woman. They both knew then and now that she was innocent but neither did anything to help her. 

They've never done anything for her. 

"She doesn't seem to remember anything," Gerris commented, "Everything about her seems to be the same." 

"How do you know?" Delfone questioned, "You've never even spoken to her, your own daughter." 

"I've always kept track of her, making sure she didn't destroy the Fortunith  name." 

"She would never do that." 

"How would you know?" Gerris spat back, "Back then the only time you saw her was the day of her Revealing ceremony,  and the only other time you even looked at her was the day of her execution." 

He had nothing to say, knowing this was true. 

And just silence fell between the pair. 

Utter silence.