Replacement

Chapter four

Four people were inside Phileos office

Phileo sitting doing some paperwork

The other three standing

He had just finished explaining why he decided fo adopt Leonia

It was completely silent until

"WHAT WERE YOU THINK YOUR GRACE! YOU ADOPTED HER FOR A REASON LIKE THAT! THIS IS TOO IRRESPONSIBLE! HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF HER PERSPECTIVE AT ALL?" Cara(?) the head butler yelled/ asked

Phileo turned in his seat and got up walking over to the window he leaned against it and watched Leonia play outside in the snow

She was having fun... smiling genuinely

"A child is not a pet" Cara stated

Cara was preparing to continue when a loud scream interrupted them

Phileo looked outside to make sure Leonia was ok and it seemed that outside couldn't hear it so he went with the other three to check it out

Many servants and knights were running to the source of the noise it came from Leonia's playroom everyone was well aware she wasn't in there so it relieved them to some extent

Phileo burst into the room

2 maids were in shock on the floor by the door

In the middle of the room was all of Leonia's toys and books piled up soaked in what smelled to be blood a horse head on top of everything its eyes plucked out and laid on the floor

Several people looked away and gagged at the sight

"Enough help the two who discovered this out of here and question them once they've calmed down, make sure Leonia doesn't see this-"

"See what?" Leonia questioned

She pushed her way through the crowd meeting the gruesome sight

She gagged and prepared to throw up

"Who would do this?.. All my stuff.. i hadn't gotten to read all my books or play with all my toys!" Leonia sobbed

Phileo picked her up

"Its ok, ill get you new stuff, more then before"

Once she cried herself to sleep he passed her off to her nanny and got started on figuring out who did this

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Phileo had everything cleaned up and disposed of properly during that time the squad that stayed behind at the orphanage arrived

Phileo explained the situation to them and put off showing the prisoners to Leonia

Rupert and Phileo went to Phileo's office

"Do you have any idea who could have done it?" Rupert questioned

"As if you don't know, theres one person here that would do something like this and we all know who"

Rupert was the only person in the entire dukedom that didn't have a problem with Armaros so he didn't automatically assume it was him unlike everyone else

"Have you done an investigation-"

"That isn't necessary I know he did it, hes just like his mother. A lying, useless disappointment, that does nothing but cause trouble for fun" Phileo hissed

'Armaros has done some messed up things but he wouldn't have turned out the way he is if everyone was just the slightest bit nice especially you'

Rupert sighed, he knew such thoughts were pointless Phileo never listened to him when it came to matters about Armaros

"I have to get a report from him i can talk to him about it while I'm ther-"

"All reports are supposed to go to me" Phileo interjected

"Sir, you ordered him to send them all to me because he's not worth your time"

It was silent

"Have him come here"

"Sir he has a full scheldule you have him learning every spoken language, the highest level math and reading, he has several swordsmanship lessons today and he starts learning the bow" Rupert explained grimacing at all the work his master has a 14 year old doing

"I didnt ask about his scheldule. Go and bring him to me now or I will have him dragged here by the knights"

"Yes your grace"

Rupert left letting out a long sigh as soon as the door was closed all the way

'Im sorry Armaros' he thought speed walking through the hallways

He made it to the study that Armaros should be in right now, he knocked softly

"Young master Armaros, master wishes to see you I must bring you to him now"

The door cracked open revealing a disheveled Armaros

His hair was out reaching the back of his kneecaps, it being incredible frizzy

His eyes puffy and red tears stains covering his cheeks

Dressed in his night clothes the over sized shirt practicly falling off his small frame

"Young master have you been in here crying this entire time?" Rupert questions his voice shaking

Armaros isn't one to show what hes actualy feeling so the fact that he cried was breaking Rupert heart what made it worse is no one was there to comfort him

"Do you need something?" Armaros questioned

"The duke has requested your presence"

"The duke needs me? Tell him im not home" Armaros muttered before closing the door

"Young master, the duke said if you don't come with to him he was going to have you dragged there"