IV. The Impact of Her

~ Twenty-One ~

I groaned as I slowly awakened from my sleep.

I looked around and Elizabeth welcomed my sight. She looked at me, disappointed. Her arms were crossed as she stared at me, unamused.

"Elizabeth?" I asked as I sat up. I took a good look around me. I was in her room. "Why am I here? What happened to me? Where is Benjamin?" I asked one after the other as I walked towards her.

Elizabeth let out a sigh as she reached for her teacup. "He is in the throne room with JAmes and Mother. His wounds are currently being attended to," she explained before she took a sip.

I turned around and proceeded to the door. But before I could walk past the centre of the room, I was thrown back by a barrier. As I slowly stood up, the barrier crackled with lightning. I groaned as I returned to Elizabeth and demanded, "Remove the barrier now."

"And then, what?" Elizabeth spatted as she put her cup down. She looked at me and continued, "What will you do? Barge into the throne room and create another ruckus?"

I sighed before I rolled my eyes. "Benjamin must be captured. He kidnapped Laura and caused Grandpa Ben's situation," I argued.

"Is that so?" Elizabeth mocked me as she asked. She then rested her chin on her hand, "Do you have evidence to support your cause?"

"No, but–"

"Then you have no right to accuse him of such a crime!" Elizabeth raised her voice as she slammed her hands onto the table. She continued, "It also doesn't give you the right to nearly kill him because of your anger!"

"Aside from Mallory, only Benjamin has the motive to do it," I protested, which made her scoff. I continued, "He and I had a fall-out because of Laura. He hates the fact that Laura chose me and not him. He already attacked me once. I believe I have every right to do that to him."

"But you don't have any evidence to prove that your claims are true," Elizabeth repeated as she leaned onto her knees. "Until then, your accusations remain as speculations. And you must not harm anyone all because you cannot control your emotions," she continued.

I stepped closer and answered, "You don't understand what I am going through, Elizabeth. He took someone important to me. I will not stop unless justice has been served and Laura returned. And if you were in my situation, you would do the same." I turned around and stepped in front of the barrier. "Remove the barrier."

"Robert," Elizabeth now spoke in a calmer voice.

My hands balled into fists. I gritted as I held back my temper, "Remove this barrier."

"Robert, listen to me," Elizabeth's voice seemed nearer as she called out to me.

I turned to her and screamed, "Remove this barrier now!"

"HOLD YOUR TONGUE, ROBERT OF WESTERN WIND!" Elizabeth's other form showed itself.

Without any control over my body, I dropped to my knees.

Elizabeth radiated in blue as her voice echoed. Her voice changed from gentle to speaking in numerous voices. Her eyes turned white. Wind roared throughout the room. "YOU ARE BEYOND YOUR LIMITS. REMEMBER YOUR POSITION," she continued.

After a moment of struggle, her power finally pinned me down to the ground.

After a few more seconds of her fury, Elizabeth finally calmed down and returned to her true self. The wind disappeared and light reentered the room. She took a moment to compose herself before she helped me sit up from the ground. We remained seated on the floor. She sighed and cupped my face. Elizabeth stared at me for a few seconds before she caressed my cheeks with her thumbs.