Chapter 8 - The Scarred Face

Lord Dustin, Lord Nulim, Lady Erza, Crius, Ulious, and Winter everybody arrived at the Husre's study in their fancy night attire, they took a glance at him turned outraged,

Lord Dustin ordered servants to take back their children and to return to their rooms except for the nursing maids and my mother.

"Dear!" When Lady Erza saw her husband covered in blood, she became furious and leaped toward her husband and attended to his wound. Her face was tormented after seeing her husband in such a sorry state.

Erza already was cranky enough because of Husre's treatment toward her, she was getting more vexed and arrogant day by day when Husre became the head of the family, even though she was the head woman of the mansion, everybody was a slave to her, but the only one that she wasn't able to take under her restraint was my mother.

Lord Nulim had ordered that my mother will only serve him, so she was already sore towards her, she tried to humiliate her, frame her, and even tried to hurt her but failed miserably.

"Dear!! Are you okay with what happened here? why are you like this?"

She was in turmoil, she asked the nursemaid who was treating Husre, for the zest of the situation, but Husre grabbed Erza's hand and wailed,

"It was this bitch Cara!! who attacked me suddenly with that paperweight."

"Cara you whore ...... HOW DARE YOU!! 

I WILL KILL YOU ALONG WITH YOUR BRAT!!" she was mad, her teary eyes turned, and by the look of her face she was not going to back down this time easily, she stood up and looked at us,

"DIE!!" 

[ANSWER MY CALL EUROPA] 

(It was mana deforming magic that shaped mana into physical attacks, it is activated by calling the name of a named user bestowed upon its Arsenal.)

A rapier appeared in her hand. I knew she was going to attack my mother, so I exempt myself from my mother's hand and tried to protect her instead.

Erza screeched, 

"[PIERC-]"

"Enough!" Lord Nulim shouted, he may be old, but he still was the strongest in the mansion.

"But father!" Erza looked at Nulim, and I could see her disappointment and misery left in her face.

"Before reaching any conclusion, we should hear Cara's side also, how can you show such negligent behavior in front of me Erza!" Nulim and Dustin was the only one calm here,  I was really afraid, Erza bit her lips when she heard that, 

She was keen to punish her but couldn't because of the Lord.

"How can I keep calm after seeing my husband in such a state? and didn't you think you have given too much liberty to this bitch, father!" Erza lowered her gaze, started crying.

"Mind your language Erza! and you girls, if he is alright now, then return to your rooms at once."

He said to Erza and the nursemaids who were done treating him, and his injury was healed, but a scar was left behind on his head.

Husre stood up by taking the support of the table and told the maid to go back, 

"Look what she has done to your son and head of this house! And you are still telling me to keep silent. Tell me, Dustin, are you okay with this!

Look at your brother, have you seen him like this before?" 

Erza went insane after looking at Husre's scarred face.

"Sister Erza I know you are in grave misery, but please don't forget your talking to our father, and also father is right, we should take a look at both sides then decide who's the victim and who's the abuser." 

Dustin kept his calm face, as was expected from a Raven of the Kingdom.

"But-",

"Silence!" Nulim shouted,

"Cara, tell me honestly what had happened here" Nulim looked at my mother, 

"Sure, my lord but before that can I please send my son off." She was calm and composed even in this situation.

"No! I am scared, please let me stay with you! please!" I pleaded to her.

"Let him be here!" Erza spoke, "let him know about his mother's true colors."

"Fine." my mother sighed, 

"My lord when I was returning after completing my work I heard from Beth that this leech...ahem... Lord Husre has summoned me to his study to look up to an important affair, when I reached there he handed me some documents and asked me to attend them, but I apologized to him as my duties for today was already fulfilled, and my son was starving and waiting for me, so I had to return to him as soon as possible, but leech… excuse me, Lord Husre started to forced me to continue to work, but I refused, At last, he told me that he will let me go if I offered my body to him-"

"she is lyin-" Husre yelled and he was covered In sweat, 

"Silence!! speak only when I tell you." Nulim shouted at Husre, 

"Cara continue"

"yes, then I refused and tried to walk away, but he grabbed my arm from behind and pushed me on the table and tried to cast an apprehending spell on me, but before he could touch me again, I grabbed the paperweight on the table and swatted it on the lord's head, I didn't do anything purposely  I only took action according to reflex, and to protect myself, and then he started bleeding and screaming, I moved to the corner, to try not to kill him and then everyone including you came here, and after whatever happened after you witnessed yourself."

After hearing this, for the first time in my life, I wanted to kill someone, but my mother remained calm and squeezed me toward her. I never saw this side of my mother. I know she was menacing inside, but she was also afraid because of me.

"Fathe-" Husre anxiously,

"Silence!! Didn't I warn you to stop doing things like this!

do you think I would listen to you after hearing this, you have a beautiful and caring wife and a child yet still..." lord Nulim was furious and disappointed at the same time.

"Cara I apologize, and I am ashamed of his actions. I will compensate you for everything, for everything that you had to go through today, because of him, please forgive me!" 

Nulim moved his gaze from Husre to my mother,

"You don't have to apologize, my lord,

Please don't put me in guilt and I also apologize for bothering you while being aware of your health."

My mother bowed to Lord Nulim.

"Cara you are free to go now, and you are free to return to your duties whenever you feel comfortable."

I was relieved, I thought everything has been resolved and everything will go back to normal now. Mother grabbed my hand gently, and I took a peek at lady Erza, she was filled with sorrow and agony now, she was clenching her fist and everyone knew from this point onwards, her resentment toward my mother will be increased monstrously, she was sobbing,  it was obvious that a sheer sense of defeat from my mother crushed her heart.

After this, my mother escorted Lord Nulim to his room, while I was walking behind her I saw some bruises on my mother's palm and checked my pocket for Druid stone, but it was not there.

I thought I may have dropped it somewhere. I asked the mother to go ahead, eagerly looking for the stone led me to in front of the Husre study again, I found it at the corner of the door, I heard some noise coming out of the room and I tried to take it swiftly without anyone noticing me, but their words took my attention.

When their chat was finished I hurried back to mother and found her in front of Nulim's room,

"Cara please take care from now on, and also I was impressed by this little guy here, the way he tried to protect you from Erza's spell, aren't you brave."

Now the hostile expression of my mother changed into the flattery and grinning ear to ear after hearing this.

"Did you hear that Aaris Lord is impressed by your bravery... Aaris what happened to you? You look worried." She looked at me and said,

"Nothing mother, let's go home. Good night Lord, and thanks for helping my mother."

"what great child, a good night to you too," he said,

We returned to our cottage without wasting any more time.

"Mother, are you okay! Did he hurt you anywhere, are you okay?" I was blabbering quickly.

"Aaris.... Aaris, dear calm down! I am fine if anyone you should worry about, it should be Husre but don't waste your time thinking about that jerk of a man, and you know I was really glad that my little knight came for me, I am proud of you, but please don't act harshly from now on you know if she had completed the enchantment [pierce] our chest would've been pierced us both in an instance." 

She gently patted my head and said softly.

"Eh?" I was scared but didn't regret jumping in front of her.

"So, please don't act so rashly next time," she said.

"But I promised that I will protect you no matter what," I said in a low voice, for a while mother's face froze, she pulled me and hugged me tightly.

"Then Please continue to look after me from now on, my little emperor." 

she whispered I was half asleep at that time, but I heard,

"Gladly!" At this point, I was sleep talking and dozed off in her arms.

============================================

"How could you do this to me!" Erza was shrieking,

And Husre, he was just standing and gritting his teeth and listened to her wife's sobbing.

"Dustin! how could you remain calm after watching your brother getting insulted because of a puny maid, Dustin! don't tell me, you are with that bitch too, she had already seduced the father, even when you also supported your brother to become head, she opposed you also, her opinion is considered above ours, and it looks like she is more superior to us, don't tell me you don't care-"

"Sister Erza!" Dustin yelled in rage,

"Please watch your words, I understand what you are going through is hard, but if you think that a Tresguy will remain silent after seeing his dear get played by mere servants then let me assure you, they will get what they deserve!

I will make them beg for your mercy, this is the least I can do to thank you for looking after my children, now please go rest, and brother you also, 

I am taking this matter in my hands now." 

Dustin had a sinful smile, I heard this when I went back to Husre's room while seeking the Druid stone, while my mother was escorting Lord nulim to his room, and when I returned Lord Nulim started praising me all of a sudden, but I paid no mind to it.

I was more troubled and scared for my mother.

But I didn't know what to say to her because I didn't know what they had in their mind and I didn't want her to give more hardship than she already has.

But That became the biggest regret of my life.