The Binding Fates SEASON 2: The Present

Chapter 10

After what happened to the birthday party, Elyse's days of staying inside the cold tower were peaceful even though Vierra started to monitor her movements because of what she did at the party. Vierra was humiliated and she won't stand back from the humiliation Elyse made for her. For an entire five months, she stayed inside the room to secretly practice magic and sneak out at night to practice swordsmanship. Because of this, worry ran through Chad's veins as he quietly watched Elyse's movements inside the cold and dark tower. The Aniya he knows doesn't work like that when they were kids, she pitifully stays inside without freedom. But everything changed when she changed all of a sudden. She looks more free than the others, he sees The Goddess of Wisdom inside of her.

But then, one day, everything changed. Elyse was currently in her locked chambers when Vierra's assassins went inside her room all of a sudden. Elyse was quick enough to stand up and defend herself from the continuous attack using magic. Elyse was stunned to see Vierra's most skilled assassins trying to kill her and when she almost outnumbered them, Vierra came into the scene and there she froze.

Her world turned silent when her heart started to pound faster and the heavy feeling continued when she saw Vierra slowly walking in front of her.

"I knew it. You were practicing magic and even swordsmanship?" Vierra confronted Elyse but she remained in utter shock as she looked at her mother's eyes.

"N-no, I didn't mother-!" She stuttered. "SILENCE!"

All of a sudden, with a swift hand, Vierra slapped her daughter which caused Elyse to lie down on the ground with tears streaming in her eyes. She looked down, making sure that Vierra did not see the tears that were trying to flow down her tanned-skin face.

"You dare try to learn magic when you are not even capable of it? Do you dare question the abilities the goddess has given to you? You imbecile!" She said and pulled Elyse's hair up which caused her to scream in pain.

Her half-brothers arrived at the scene without any care at all. But to Edward, there's something inside of him telling him to stop Vierra this instance when he saw Elyse's eyes glow in gold. But he didn't dare and only watched her getting what she did not deserve.

"Do you plan to be better than your brothers? Well, in your dreams Aniya because you will never, and never will, be better than your brothers! You are just a half-blood witch who carried my blood alongside that disgusting traitor! You have no right to be chosen!" Vierra said and quickly carried her through pulling her hair to the ground as she smacked her small and frail body to the wall of the castle. 

Elyse coughs blood as she feels to start dizzy. In her mind, she begged her mother to stop. In her mind, the image of her mother being warm to her was just her hopeless dream. It is all in her mind after all, Vierra has become unrecognizable as a mother as her mind went crazy just by learning that her bastard daughter is gaining knowledge.

"Is my love not enough for you, Aniya? Do you prefer this to your mother? I was the one who bore you, I took care of you and this is what you'll pay me?!" She shouts at the top of her lungs enough for Chad to hear from below the tower.

Chad on the other side was picking bellflowers for Aniya because he feels that she's lonely in the tower, it is also an excuse to talk to her. While he's on his way to where Elyse or Aniya is, he hears Vierra's loud voice however, instead of entering the tower he then remembers the night when Duke Zues talked to him.

It was in the ball when Chad saw Duke Zues looking at Aniya. Duke Zues was confused, there was no mark of abuse in her body but in her eyes she looked tired. Duke Zues then asks Chad what happened to her to confirm if the rumors are true, and when he confirms it, he says to Chad, "If there is a problem, please do call me and I will go straight away." Duke Zues offered and Chad nodded his head with his bright smile. Finally, an ally that Aniya can trust.

Going back, Chad using his powers delivered a message using his ability - telepathy to Duke Zues's mansion. When he receives his message, Duke Zues immediately calls the Imperial Guards and his personal guards going straight into Elyse's place.

Elyse on the other hand, is still being punished by Vierra with her painful insults as she kept on slapping her, and also abusing her body by smacking it with a hard leather strap. Edward and his brothers were only there to watch, although deep inside they wanted to stop it however, they were scared of Vierra. They are scared, she's going to do the same thing to them as what she did to Elyse.

Before anything could go any worse than what she did, the Imperial Guards and Duke Zues's guards arrived in time.

"HALT, BY THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR!" Duke Zues spoke with such authority in his voice. The Imperial Guards then spoke next, "Duchess Vierra, by the name of the Emperor you are called at the Imperial Palace to explain this horrendous event that happened in your place. Meanwhile, Aniya, daughter of Duchess Vierra will temporarily stay in the arms of The Zues Family."

Vierra stumbled, shocked in her place as panic arose in her eyes. 

"W-what do you mean...? OH! ANIYA!" Vierra then pretended like she was hurt at the sight of the naked Aniya who was pinned and only revealed her naked back with tons of slashes from Vierra, revealing such a dark secret from her.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Chad then came into the scene and blocked her way to try and get Aniya.

"You fool! You called the guards didn't you?" Vierra whispered and Chad nodded his head. 

"Yes, so what?" He said with such confidence in his eyes. With that, it made Vierra's knees feel weak. "Y-you... you ungrateful child!" She screamed but Chad stayed at his place and looked down on her. "You're dirty. Get away from here, Duchess. Before I, in the name of my Ancestor,  though I deliver message, I can also deliver sentences. Do you know?" He said with such mischievous in his face.

The guards took Vierra away and Duke Zues cut off the ties which then made Elyse fall in his huge arms, Chad then gave her his coat to wrap her stripped clothes. Elyse who lost consciousness awoken by the beautiful sun rays in the afternoon and the first one she saw was Duke Zues's purple eyes looking down at her.

"You are safe now, Aniya." He said softly and all of a sudden, she suddenly saw Tina in his eyes. Finally, the tears she's controlling streamed down in her eyes. Although weak, she hugged the Duke with all her might before she fall out of consciousness.