Talia dreaded returning home, knowing that her father's wrath would be worse than the day she had come home last from the Vermillion residence over twenty years ago.

Talia and Fuegoleon had been close friends as young children. He was only a few years old than her, but that didn't matter to either of them. They loved to play together in the gardens at the Royal Palace, or just relax and read a good book or two with cookies to snack on beneath their favorite tree. They hadn't known each other for long, but the connection and bond was instant and it was rare to see them apart in those days. That all changed, though, the last day they had seen each other as children.

Talia and Fuegoleon had been playing a game of tag and to escape her "pursuer", Talia had climbed up into their favorite tree. Fuegoleon had been right behind her and tried to catch her before she got too high, but as she pulled her foot just out of his reach, she lost her balance and came tumbling through the branches and out of the tree. The maid that had been sent with her to the Vermillion residence, a young woman named Marissa, came running over when she heard Talia crying and found Fuegoleon trying to carry Talia to where his sister, Mereoleona, was nearby. Mereoleona had been quick to tend to Talia's scrapes before Marissa took her home to get changed, but no one had been prepared for what was going to happen when they returned.

Jaren was furious to see the condition Talia was in and he blamed Marissa for it. Instead of beating Talia, he beat Marissa mercilessly in front of her. While Talia cowered in a corner, frozen in fear, she watched helplessly as Marissa cried out in pain- her voice getting weaker and weaker until it fell silent entirely. She couldn't see Marissa moving at all and flinched when Jaren kicked away Marissa's motionless body.

"Look at what you made me do, Talia. Her death is your fault, you know. You shouldn't have let that Vermillion boy bully you into playing in such an unruly manner."

"B-But, Leon is my f-friend..."

*smack*

"A true friend would not put you into such a dangerous situation. Look at yourself! That dress was brand new and it was not cheap! You will not see that boy again, I will not have him nor his family trying to make me look bad for having such an unsightly wretch for a daughter!"

Marissa had been buried in her family's plot, her death ruled an accident- one staged by Jaren to cover it up- after a carriage she was riding in went over a cliff. No one outside of the Chalcedony family or staff knew the truth and the staff was forbidden from speaking about Marissa at all, lest they face a similar fate.

And now, Talia feared that someone else would die in her place.

As the family's carriage came to a stop in front of the manor, Jaren grabbed Talia's arm and dragged her inside. The staff all shrunk back from him as he pulled Talia into the foyer.

"I want everyone to watch," Jaren called out as he threw Talia to the ground. "I will not tolerate lying in this household, I will not tolerate blatant disobedience."

Talia glanced up at her father as he loomed over her. "I-I never lied, F-Father..."

"Marshall, my crop."

Talia could see Marshall's hesitation, but she nodded- prepared to face her father's punishment so that no one else would get hurt or killed on her behalf.

Marshall handed Jaren his riding crop and stepped back, his heart sinking at Talia's expression.

Jaren struck Talia with the crop, glaring down at her furiously. "I seem to have allowed you too much freedom." He struck her again. "Did I not instruct you to never see that Vermillion boy ever again?"

Talia winced with each strike of the crop, but she tried to take it as best as she could.

"How long have you been lying to me?!" Jaren roared, increasing the force of each strike. "How long have you been whoring yourself out?!"

Marshall and the others on staff watched in horror as Talia took each strike with little to no reaction. Marshall even looked to her mother, but she did nothing to help her daughter.

"Someone has to help her...!"

"Do you want to take her place..?!"

"She's always looked out for us, though, we can't just stand by and do nothing...!"

"Do you not remember what happened to you know who..? Do you want to share her fate..?!"

Jaren raised his arm to land yet another strike on Talia, but someone grabbed his wrist with a very warm and powerful grasp. "What the-"

"You will not lay another hand on her."

Talia looked up and saw Fuegoleon standing next to her father, his fiery hand grasping his wrist. "L-Leon..? What are you doing here..?"

"Randall came to find me immediately after you left headquarters and informed me of the situation," Fuegoleon said.

Talia struggled to stand. "Y-You shouldn't have come..."

Fuegoleon looked from her to Jaren. "I will not stand by and do nothing when someone endangers those under my command."

Jaren wrested his arm free and stepped back. "How dare you come into my home uninvited!"

Fuegoleon glared at him. "You came into my home uninvited, attacked my subordinates, and nearly killed one of them."

Talia watched as Jaren shrank back for a moment, Fuegoleon's mana surging overwhelmingly towards him. She stumbled a bit, but Marshall had hurried to steady her.

"Are you alright?"

Talia didn't know how to answer. Her wounds would heal easily enough, but the mental scars would not and now with Fuegoleon coming to her rescue, she wasn't sure how she felt.

Jaren began to panic and lashed out at Fuegoleon, much as he had against Karrick and the others. Being of the House Chalcedony, which was known for its water magik, Jaren stood a decent chance against Fuegoleon's fire.

Talia watched as Jaren threw spell after spell at Fuegoleon, his fear fueling them and making them unpredictable and erratic. Fuegoleon met him with equal force, but he remained careful not to endanger anyone else.

"This isn't right..."

"My lady, what are you doing?"

Talia pushed away from Marshall and made her way over to where Fuegoleon and her father were fighting. "I have to stop them..."