Anybody But You

74

Chapter Seventy-Four

Vibe: Okay by X Ambassadors

"Welcome home, father." Alice greeted the blond man with a smile—hands clenched behind her back. "I hope it was bountiful trip and you weren't too lonely out there."

The duke looked rather exhausted as he stepped out of the carriage; his head shaking as he exhaled through her obvious bullshit. "...I had many stories to keep me entertained that cut the trip short, my busy daughter." He eyed her, his jaw clenching. "Alison, why was I told that you were charged with multiple accounts of treason?"

"Only thrice, father." She responded smiling innocently as he stopped in his tracks ahead of her.

He didn't turn around as he spoke with an edge to his words, "Daughter, put on athletic attire and join me on the training grounds." He demanded, his voice stoic before walking off and leaving her standing there.

Alice glanced at Missy who was just as confused, her teeth gnawing nervously at her cheek. Would he finally snap and just kill her himself?

As she made her way to the training grounds, she saw her father standing beside a few of Arvel estate's knights as he talked to them. Gathering tips for her beheading, she assumed.

A public execution perhaps?

"Ah, Alice, there you are." Her father spotted her, making her freeze before walking over as he waved her over.

"Father..." She hesitantly greeted him, biting her bottom lip. "Good knights..."

"Lady Arvel." The knights greeted her back with a respectful bow.

The duke spoke again, taking back Alice's attention, "Continuing our conversation from earlier—you've been quite active in my absence, dear daughter."

Her nails dug lightly into her skin as she nodded, "...but all is well now, father." She reminded him, showing him another well-behaved smile.

His grey eyes hardened, "I may not understand everything when it comes to you, however, I am not such a fool to believe that all is well." With a sharp glare at her, he turned to the four knights. "You will teach her every day until I say otherwise."

Alice's brows flinched as she watched the knights all comply to the order before taking their leave towards the training armoury.

Teach her? Teach her what?

Her father turned back to her, "Alison, I had to hear from Sebastian about what occurred in the Royal Court." He angrily spoke, "All the letters you sent contained nothing of the troubles you were in—what in the world were you thinking?"

Alice tilted her head, humming with slight disdain in her voice, "I didn't feel it was necessary to involve you, father... it's not like you've ever taken an interest in what I was—"

"Alison." He exasperated, his aging face flinching from angry to frustrated, "Your actions impact this family."

Grinding her teeth she averted her eyes, "Yes, father." Right.

"Starting today you will be training with the knights." He demanded, his grey eyes hard.

Alice's face turned into a frown as she looked at her father, "Training? Why—"

"You were poisoned." His teeth clenched together, the words forced through, "Alison, you almost died."

Her own teeth gnashed together, bitter thoughts filling her head. She barely forced them back as she glared at him, "That sounds like a problem that doesn't concern you, father—I'm okay now, aren't I?"

With rage filling his expression, the duke's hand flinched forwards in a blur—causing Alice to wince her eyes and turn her head to the side as she braced for the pain. As his palm made contact with her cheek, she squeezed her eyes shut—the sting lingering as the slap sounded out. Her fists clenched; the tops of her nails filling with her blood as her face burned.

"You are my concern." Her father's voice boomed out into the silence.

She kept her cheek turned to him, her eyes opening. "Bullshit." She spoke angrily, tasting the metallic tang coating her tongue. Spitting the blood out on the ground, she finally looked at him—as if proving her point.

His eye twitched as he spotted the swirling vibrant red in her saliva on the mulch. Clenching his hand, he grabbed his face—rubbing his skin roughly as he shook his head, "Dammit. I'm trying, Alice."

Breathing heavily through the violent thoughts in her head, Alice stared at him silently.

How could he say that after striking her?

As the duke's breath slowly returned to normal, he dropped his hand from his reddened face. "If you don't give me the opportunity to, how am I supposed to change? How am I supposed to show you i'm willing to work with you?" He exhaled, his anger depleting with the breath.

Alice's brows knitted together as she remained still, her heart aching in her chest. It was like everything was switching between hot and cold within seconds. She didn't know how to respond to it. On one hand she couldn't deny how badly she wanted his words to be the truth. Yet, a larger part of her wanted to close herself off—stay cold and distant so he couldn't hurt her and disappoint her again.

"I apologize for losing my temper and striking you." He continued with a regretful frown just as one of the knights returned, carrying a bundle of swords. "You are right that there are problems that you have to face alone. That's why I would like it if you trained with these knights separately until you are able to defend yourself."

The knight bowed, his helmet under his arm as he gave her an encouraging smile as his brown eyes stared at her warmly, "Your father cares gravely for your safety, Lady Arvel—please allow me to train you in the art of swords."

Learn how to sword fight? That was her punishment? She glanced at her father weirdly. Even Elizabeth and Samantha weren't taught how to fight with swords.

"You're your mother's daughter—" The duke answered her unspoken question in her eyes with a sigh, "—Mary was always jumping headfirst into situations despite my worries. I know that no matter what I tell you, Alice, you'll continue to put yourself in harms way...

"So at least let me try to minimize the risk this time."

~*~*~

A.N.

Then try harder, sir! You can't hit your kid then whine about them not giving you a chance. Seriously, tf kind of bs self-victimization manipulation is that? I agree that Alice isn't opening up, but can you blame her? She's not the one that has to change, YOU are. Change so that she does open up—ya get it? Men like this can be the worse. Seriously so damn entitled and they really make a convincing argument. Even while writing it I was feeling for the dude, but rereading it, I'm like ooooh hell no, violence ain't it, dudio✨

I hate when parents choose violence with their children rather than discipline them properly. It's worse when they are young (young children can not distinguish between abuse and 'spanking', and it causes the same psychological trauma that physical abuse causes because it IS physical abuse... idk how some parents don't understand that), but dang, don't hit Alice even if she's legally an adult. Use your words! Because fear tactics don't work forever.

Thanks for reading! Sorry for the rant, but *anger at my own character*. That was some bs lol. At least he apologized.