Dauntless ─ Kingsman

PROLOGUE

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1997

HARMONIOUS was already attached to Carlisle King's little family for several years, and Carolyn King became the happiest kid in that time. She got everything she wanted and made all the children her age pleaded to their parents to buy what she had. But, literally no one could escape from the bitter reality, even something really beautiful could be broken sometimes. Everything was easy and exhilarated at first, until one day in the cold weather of night everything shattered and her childhood was filled with bickering and endless arguments from her parents. The hostility from her grandfather against her mother, Kathleen Humphrey made their relationship had to end quite depressing. The clothes closet became the most frequently place she visited to hide as well as to abscond from their arguments that echoed throughout the night.

"What is the purpose of your father accused me of embezzling company funds?" Kathleen asked angrily. "He came to the company and accused me in front of all employees! What is my fault until your father should accuse me, huh?"

"Calm down, Kath." Carlisle replied. "You'll wake Carolyn. It's late at night, where have you been?"

"Don't act like you don't know anything, Carl." She snapped at him. "I was taken to the police station for interrogation for ten hours! Your father told the clerk to check my bank account, and guess what? The company's fund suddenly found in my account."

"Maybe it was just a mistake, why did you not tell the truth to them?"

"For God's sake, do you think they'll believe it? Your father had to brainwash them so that they would cooperate with him. I might not come from a rich family like you, but I'm not stupid. I know your father never liked me and he was always looking for ways to get rid of me from here!"

"Stop blaming my father, Kathleen."

She laughed mockingly, "Of course, daddy's little boy. You know what? I've had enough of this nonsense. I'm out of here and for your information, there's someone out there who can appreciate me more than your imperious wealthy family."

"What do you mean, Kath?" Confusion trailed behind his voice.

"I want a divorce, Carl. I couldn't stand to face your family and I don't want your family to trample my dignity ever again."

And that was it. The end of Carlisle King's little family, also the end of Carolyn's happiness. For a five-year-old girl who didn't understand anything, she could only stare at her father to interpret what was going on. Why her mother left the house in the middle of the night and gave her a goodbye kiss? But all she got was a lie, saying Kathleen was just need a space for a while and would be back soon. When the fact was she never returned. Of every second Carolyn asked when she would return, until she never asked at all.

And in the warm of summer day, she cried to her father because she asked for Kathleen to come home for her birthday, but Carlisle only refused her request firmly. Six months had passed, and she reached the peak of which she missed the love of a mother.

"Carolyn, get back to your common sense!" Carlisle stated sternly, kneeling down in front of her. "I'm going to bet everything on you. I don't need a boy, you can do it all."

She just sat in the couch looking at her father with eyes filled with tears.

"Why are you showing your weakness with tears? You are going to replace my position in the Army someday. You try to smile when things are tough. If you want to cry, do it alone. You cannot show your weakness to others. Don't trust anyone. Don't show your true intentions. That is how Carolyn King is going to survive. Do you understand?" And when she just tightened her embrace on the doll given by Kathleen, Carlisle took the doll roughly and threw it on the floor.

"Daddy." She whined.

"Stop playing with this girl toy! Your destiny is not just being an ordinary woman. Your mother betrayed me, but you shouldn't do that. You are the only one I trust in the world, Carolyn." Her father said. "Do you understand?"

She only nodded as Carlisle continued, "Ignore your fears and be brave. You don't need love from others because love is for the weak. It was enough to just love yourself."

With that her journey began, educated in the discipline and rigorous way by her father, making her personality changed. Carolyn no longer asked about Kathleen and stopped playing with girl toys, instead she chose to practice archery. She was determined to join the Army once she was old enough, and be brave, always planted solidly in her mind.

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