Chapter Two #2
She was so angry that she was trembling. “That is your fault,” she said. “You are the barbarian, not I. Not my family. We are defending what is rightfully ours. All because my father refused a solicitation of marriage? Why did you not speak to him about it rather than immediately going to arms?”
Covington didn’t reply. He looked to the battle-worn knight standing across from him. “Show her what I mean.”
The knight turned away, heading over to Rupert as he lay face-down on the ground.
Flipping the man onto his back, he stood over him, watching for any hint of life.
He could see what Emelisse couldn’t see – Rupert’s face.
He could see how badly the man had been beaten, his nose broken, teeth knocked out.
All from the breach of the gatehouse that the old man had no business defending.
“Hallam,” Covington said, his voice stronger. “Show her what I mean.”
But the knight shook his head. “It would not do any good, my lord,” he said. “The man is dead.”
Emelisse yelped, throwing herself onto the floor, trying to roll or squirm her way over to her father.
“Nay!” she cried. “He is not dead. Let me see him. Let me help him!”
Covington walked past her as he headed for Rupert’s supine form.
In fact, he stepped over her as she writhed on the floor, trying to get to her father.
As Emelisse struggled for every inch gained, Covington stood next to Hallam, both of them looking down at the still form of Rupert de Thorington.
Covington just stood there, looking at him, and it was Hallam who called over one of the physics in the hall attending the de Wrenville wounded.
The physic was a big man with big arms and black teeth.
He bent over Rupert, listened to his mouth, his chest, and then rolled him onto his side.
He began sticking his fingers into the man’s mouth, pulling out teeth and clotted blood.
Then, he gave him a slap on the back to dislodge anything else and perhaps get him breathing again, but Rupert remained still.
Finally, the physic stood up.
“He’s gone,” he said. “Might have choked to death on all of the blood from his face. It’s pooled back in his throat.”
Emelisse heard him. She was still trying to wriggle her way towards him but the tears came, slowing her progression.
There was such pain in her heart that she couldn’t begin to manage it.
It bled out all over the place, spilling out of her, and she wallowed in it even though she was trying not to. She was trying to get to her father.
She wanted to help him.
He can’t be dead!
“Da,” she wept softly. “God, please… Da…”
Covington heard her. He looked up from Rupert, realizing Emelisse was very close. She was covered in dirt, in soot, fighting for every inch gained to get to her beloved father, but he was unmoved.
“I will say this one more time,” he said coldly. “Tell your brother to surrender the keep. Agree to this and I shall let you tend to your father.”
Emelisse paused in her struggle, considering his demand.
Whether or not her father was dead or alive had no bearing on her stance.
She knew that Rupert would not want her to give in to Covington’s demands.
He’d been fighting a battle for three years that had evidently been caused by bruised pride and Emelisse wouldn’t surrender what her father had fought so hard for.
The sheer ridiculousness of Covington’s motivation was not lost on her.
She couldn’t believe it had come down to this one dark and agonizing moment in time.
“I will cut my tongue out before I tell Caspian anything,” she grunted, tears rolling down her face and onto the dirty, stone floor. “Stop asking me, for I will not do it.”
Covington’s jaw flexed at her insolence. “You will regret your choice,” he said. Then, he turned to Hallam. “Put her in the vault. Mayhap time spent in that nasty hole will help her see the error of her ways.”
Emelisse found the strength to roll onto her back, her watery eyes blazing. “I will never help you, you vile bastard,” she hissed. “God will punish you for this, Covington de Wrenville. He will wipe you and your abominable family from the earth and if he does not, I will. I will kill you myself!”
Hallam moved to her before Covington could order him to do something unsavory to her. He wasn’t beyond that when provoked. Hallam lifted Emelisse up by her bound arms and heaved her over his shoulder, turning to depart the hall before any further words between the pair were spoken.
The last vision Emelisse had of her father was the one she would remember the rest of her life, regrettably so.
She was able to lift her head enough as Hallam carried her off to see the man fully.
She saw the black clots of blood on the ground next to him, the missing teeth, the face that was smashed.
She saw it all.
At that point, she could only hope her father was truly dead to end his suffering, an unworthy ending for a kind and generous man.
At that moment, something in her changed. Became hard.
Died.
That day, part of Emelisse de Thorington’s soul ceased to exist.