When they neared Renzille's room, her gaze suddenly caught sight of a figure walking towards them from the opposite end of the hallway.
The familiar man— with his red eyes and stern gaze fixed on her, instantly triggered a surge of anxiety inside her, causing Renzille's heart to race which inadvertently made her quicken her pace.
She hastened towards the safety of her room, her steps becoming desperate and urgent.
Kreios followed suit, matching her hurried stride, his hand gripping hers a bit tighter as he sensed her unease, all the while having a little trouble catching up with her pace.
However, he made no noise of complaints, letting her drag him whenever.
Soon, they reached their destination and Renzille urgently pushed open the door to her quarters before she shoved Kreios inside without giving him a chance to react.
He stumbled briefly before catching his balance, but the suddenness of her action caught him off guard.
"Lady Thil—" Kreios was about to protest, but he swallowed his words when he noticed Renzille frozen in place, her gaze fixated somewhere down the hall.
Then, Renzille turned her head to face Kreios, her voice firm as she gave him a stern instruction. "Under no circumstances should you open the door unless you hear me utter the word "Ramsolstice", do you understand?"
Once again, before Kreios could respond, Renzille abruptly shut the door, leaving him standing there dumbfounded, his lips left hanging open.
The suddenness of her action left him baffled as he found himself staring at the closed door, confusion and concern etched into his face, his eyebrows creasing together.
Kreios quickly moved closer to the closed door, pressing his ear against it, intently listening for any sounds or conversation taking place on the other side, but then, he was startled as the distinct sound of a harsh slap resonated through the door, breaking the silence.
SLAP!
The sharp impact was a reminder of something familiar; Kreios recognized the sound all too well, for he had experienced it before.
He winced, the memories flooding back to him, leaving him feeling afraid.
On the other side of the door, Renzille stood with clenched fists, her cheeks aching from the impact of her father's hand slapping her across the face.
This man.. Renzille hissed in her mind.
The pain stung and she could feel a dull throb where her father's palm had connected with her skin, but despite the man raising his hand on her, Renzille's expression remained stoic and composed, her jaw taut as she met her father's gaze without flinching.
She held back showing any sign of weakness, determined not to let him see the effect his blow had on her.
Count Thillion's eyes glimmered with anger, his gaze boring into Renzille with an intense glare. "Have you no sense of shame?! Why did you venture out of the estate without consulting me or your siblings?! The entire capital is now gossiping relentlessly about your actions!"
The Count's voice was filled with irritation, his glare intensifying. "You have brought disgrace upon this family's name! You're the only Thillion who had completed her ceremony without a guardian!"
Renzille remained unresponsive, her face expressionless as she endured her father's words— after all, it was his fault why she had to venture out alone.
Count Thillion's irritation grew even more intense as he looked at his daughter's expressionless face.
He couldn't stand her unflinching manner, merely fueling his frustration further so in a swift movement, his hand lashed out again, delivering a second sharp blow to her left cheek.
The impact sent a jolt of pain coursing through her face, leaving her skin stinging with the imprint of his palm.
Renzille felt her heart beating faster, but she forced her composure to remain unbreakable, her face showing no reaction to her father's harsh treatment, not caring if it will only add more coal to the fire.
As Renzille stood there, she tasted the warm metallic tang of blood on her tongue as another unexpected blow struck her other cheek— a sharp wave of pain washed over her, but she clenched her fists tighter to suppress any visible reaction, determined not to give her father the satisfaction.
The impact seriously stung, leaving a reminder of his displeasure, but she held firmly in place, refusing to react or cry out.
"Wipe that look off your face, Renzille!" The Count hissed and just as the Count's hand was about to descend upon Renzille's cheek once more, a firm grip halted his hand, preventing the blow from landing.
Startled, he whipped around, only to find his eldest daughter, Leira, standing before him, her eyebrows raised in a puzzled expression.
Count Thillion's irritation flared even more while he stared at Leira, his surprise quickly morphing into annoyance as he tried to tug his wrist off from his firstborn's grip. "Leira! Let go of me immediately!"
Leira's gaze shifted towards Renzille, her eyes immediately hardening when she caught sight of the evident marks on her sister's face.
Then, her gaze darted to the sight of the blood trickling from the corner of Renzille's mouth which fueled a wave of anger within her, making her grip on her father's wrist tighten even more.
"Father." She said, her voice cold and sharp. "I believe that this is more than enough."
The Count could feel the undeniable strength behind Leira's grip, an evidence to her formidable stature, because he knew deep down that attempting to overpower her would be futile.
Leira had earned a reputation for her exceptional physical abilities, making her one of the most powerful individuals in the kingdom and even got promoted as the captain of the First Order of the Knights.
So, of course, the Count recognizes the danger in trying to fight against her, the consequences potentially leading to a one-sided beatdown.
He's lucky because he's still the head of the house, if he wasn't, Leira would be able to throw him off the window without hesitation— he could feel his daughter's distaste towards him after all.
The Count scoffed in frustration, casting a final, disapproving glare at Renzille before Leira finally released her grip.
"Your sister's actions have brought great shame upon our family, and you stand there, offering no rebuke or punishment?" The Count expressed his disdain, casting a glance at Leira. "I must say, you disappoint me, Leira. Your leniency is a weakness."
Leira simply rolled her eyes at the Count's dramatic words, then walked over to Renzille's side.
With a gentleness that was surprising from her strength, Leira grasped Renzille's jaw, which caused Renzille to bite her tongue to stop herself from hissing and flinching.
Leira clicked her tongue disapprovingly as she gazed at the marks left by their father's strikes on her little sister's face.
"You're the one truly bringing shame upon our family for damaging her face." Leira glanced at the Count over her shoulder. "Don't you realize that her face is a topic of great interest within high society? Yet, your actions have only ruined the allure that gathers foolish suitors."
The Count's gaze shifted to Renzille's face, his expression darkening into a deep frown as he refrained from commenting further, choosing to turn on his heels and walk away instead.
This action of his conveyed a silent dismissal, as if the heated exchange and his violent actions had never taken place.
Renzille kept her eyes on the Count until he disappeared down the hallway, leaving behind a trail of unresolved tension and unspoken grievances.