Chapter One: A Matter of Truths and Revelations - 1743
Being flung to the ground with enough force to take the breath from him was nothing for him now, but when he attempted to rise almost as quickly as he had fallen, there was a blade resting against the clef of his chin, pressing lightly upon his skin. Richard had to stifle a string of curses as he waited for it to end. And so it did.
"Hah! Dear cousin, I believe that makes it two falls of three."
Blinking dirt out of his eyes, he could only stare up in disgust over the figure kneeling next to him with a broad grin creasing her features.
Rebecca Belmont held the smirk for a second or two longer, and the lifted the wooden practice knife up from her cousin's throat. Standing to brush away leaves and dirt from her loose practice clothes, she eyed him as the blade tapped on her shoulder absently. For the last year and a day he'd been forced into sharing his practice time with her. And for a young man such as himself, who stood a good chance of claiming their family's heirlooms as head of the clan, to constantly have to share his uncle's practice sessions with her was irritating. Every time he mastered a skill, Rebecca was right behind him ready to let the next steps beyond it to reach his level, forcing him to push even harder to break away from her persistent tagging. And even then she was his match in any physical contest in which they faced each other, and to be stuck in second place on even a semi-regular basis to a girl was shattering. Each time she pulled ahead, if only for a moment, it seemed like her eyes gleamed at him in a way that made it feel like she was deliberately goading him into a misstep, like she was enjoying the torturous game so carelessly inflicted on him. To make things worse, he couldn't say anything as both her father and his uncle leaned but yards away against the stone wall of the town's flourmill.
"Break both of you, break! Richard, be mindful of the fact of your mother requesting a few less bumps and bruises for this practice, and thump her in your place. As for you Rebecca, you would do well to remember the same, as he does have an appointment today. And while it bothers me greatly to keep you from practicing at your full levels today, I think I would rather face your grandfather's ire, then deal with Meredith's wrath at her son coming home a tatters."
Rebecca's nose quirked in the matter that showed she was hiding an inner smile and Richard could only ignore it and nod at the words coming from his uncle Patrick. He did need to make his leave quickly, for his opportunity to study at a university was at hand in just a few hours time when the traveling Bishop who had offered to take his application to Vienna returned with the reply about his whether or not he was accepted. And then finally he would be rid of Rebecca, and her pointed remarks, for unlike her, he could advance in his schooling while Rebecca would be left behind as women were not meant to acquire the higher learning. But his thoughts trailed off as Patrick clapped his coiled whip against the stones of the wall before making a motion for them to square off again.
"But enough of that prattle. One more round before we release you, and be quick with it this time!"
Five minutes later Richard was moving off with his uncle, a little more bruised then before, as both barely containing their shared amusement inside before turning the corner out of sight and into town proper. Left behind were the rest of the members of the gathering. One was torn between outrage and wry humor, and the other was feeling both disgust and anger. It was a good thing Phillip had many years of parenting experience behind him, otherwise his daughter might have wanted to verbally slay him on the very spot he stood, if he didn't die of laughter before she got a hold of him.
"Now Rebecca, come up from there, you'll catch yourself a cold if you don't stop sloshing around! Twas your own fault that you attempted that move so close to the trough."
Peeling back flaming red locks, now clinging to her face like damp seaweed, Rebecca stared sullenly back at her father, bubbles coming out in a steady stream from her partially submerged mouth. Giving one great thrash with her right arm, to send a water spray arcing through the air, she hauled her soaking form from the horse's watering trough and onto dry ground. Phillip had to take a few calming breaths himself before attempting any further discussion, and his own lips twitched a little. It was a good thing she wore a leather vest over her clothes, or there would be almost nothing to hide her from the world except a wet brown blouse. She was soaked to the core and bore a striking resemblance to a drowned rat, albeit a red haired one, as she squelched through the grass towards him. If he didn't know better he'd swear some of the dyes on the sheaths had faded over her real blades, placed at her hips, as they seemed to have a soft purple hue to them. Finally he had to give into the pressure, and quietly chuckled. Only to quickly stop and take a step back as she peeked out from the mass of her hair with a look a pixie would have envied.
"Uh, now Rebecca, you did lose fair and square. And we do have to get going on home. I, hey! No! No, Rebecca!"
Attempting to back up was an effort in futility as his back was almost to the wall, just as his daughter threw herself onto him in a bear hug. Phillip's shoulders almost passing over his eyebrows as the cold shock kicked in, snapping his spine straight as a rod from the chill. Rebecca by this point had wrapped her arms so well around him there wasn't a point in trying to resist and squirm away. Teeth clenched tightly to bury a word unfit to utter in his daughter's presence, he finally shrugged and gave up. Rolling his eyes to the sky and laughing, he picked up her slight weight, swinging her in a low circle.
"What are you crazy?" Phillip could only laugh between his words, still swinging her around, "If your mother finds both of us as wet as the fishes, neither of us will have an inch of skin left once she's through."
Face growing dark with that revelation passing before her mind's eye, Rebecca let slip her arms from around her father just as soon as he set her feet back upon the ground. Her mother would definitely think this as something un-amusing in the least, especially for a young lady of such an illustrious family. The lecture would begin at an even enough tone, before slowly reaching a crescendo that would echo through the house, and then settling back to softer tones accompanied with the upswept eyebrow only known as the 'Eye' by her family. And while she knew she could at least survive her mother's lectures, if father joined in alongside her, Rebecca would have no leverage to talk her way out of whatever was decided against her. Lips drawn tight she looked up at her father trying, for all the world, to project the image of a wet whipped kitten.
"Papa, you won't tell her will you? I mean we can find someway into the house without her finding out?"
Knowing that immediately following any talks between his wife and Rebecca, that he too would be on the receiving end of Arissa's tongue, Phillip wisely choose the better part of valor. He had no wish to have her in an irritable mood, and especially considering the timing. And she had that un-natural way of just knowing what was going on behind her back too, which he happened to know all too well about.
"Hmm, I think we can time it if we hurry. She'll be baking right now so we can probably sneak in if she's busy. But if she catches us, you're on your own."
A favorable ultimatum set before her, Rebecca readily agreed with a vigorous nod, hands wringing her hair as dry as possible. Father and daughter set off along the tree's edge to avoid anyone noticing.
Mothers of course know all that go on in and around their homes. In Arissa's case it was all the more pronounced. Somehow she seemed to almost always know what was going on with Rebecca. Anytime her daughter tried to sneak out of her duties, even if out of sight, she rarely managed to make it more then a few steps, only to freeze as her mother's voice registered. Arissa knew she had this gift since Rebecca was a toddler, and exploited it mercilessly at times. But on occasion she'd let things slip, but only if Rebecca could pull it off without letting mom 'notice' what was going on. And when she immediately sensed a rather drenched and worn out presence sneaking quietly in through the backdoor, she ignored it for the moment. Being elbow deep in readying a stew was taking up more of her concentration then she wanted to spare for Rebecca, who seemed to already have had a long afternoon. Now as for the inconsiderable rascal she had to call husband that was following their daughter through the door, there was going to be an extremely interesting conversation tonight about wet footprints on her freshly cleaned floor. However since she was busy, she let both of them have a couple of minutes to quickly change and freshen up before going off to see if they had come home 'yet'.
Sensing they'd have enough time, her head poked out from the kitchen to gaze upstairs, "Phillip? Rebecca? Did I just hear you come in?"
Twin half-murmured replies greeted her ears as she caught those two coming downstairs from the bedrooms. It wasn't often that she was caught off guard in the house with either of them, although guests managed to always slip right under her nose with whatever they were doing. Rinsing off, she waited patiently for them to get into her sight. Just as expected, both of them were wearing completely different outfits from this morning, and Rebecca's scarlet hair was quite obviously damp from a serious drenching. The edges of her lips quivered slightly, hovering between both a slight frown and a smile, but took control of herself with long practice. While the mother in her was quite dismayed at her daughter's appearance, another part of her was quite enjoying this utterly mischievous feeling coursing through her. As for Phillip however, she sent a glance at him that would have melted the hearts of any who saw her. Or at least it would have, until her eyebrow quirked up a millimeter and the gaze cooled to something approaching artic temperatures. She'd spent most of the morning cleaning around the house and just beaten out the door rugs less then an hour ago. Her timing was perfect, for her husband caught the look and flinched slightly. He was definitely going to have a hard time making it up to her later.
Outside from the damp hair, she couldn't see much to fault either of them. Daily practice had become the norm several months ago for them, but both had obviously remembered that today was quite important for young Richard and had changed into something more appropriate. Phillip as usual managed to make whatever he wore look like the proverbial 10,000 pound note. And speaking of one of the two members of the family who actually took pains to look their best, Rebecca had dug deeply into her clothing trunks to find the dress she now wore. Dressed in soft green, hair tied back properly into a flowing trail that stretched to her waist, she was a sight to behold. Even Arissa had to bite back a stab of envy on occasion when Rebecca decided to actually dress as the lady she actually was. She was the only one in the entire village that Arissa would admit to, that looked even more beautiful then Arissa at that age. Not of course that she would admit that to a living soul.
Arissa couldn't help the comparison. Until Rebecca bloomed a few years ago, Arissa had quietly reigned as the ruling beauty of the town for years. She had been a definite break from the growing stereotype of all red-heads were firebrands, in that she was very self-conscious and was quite often blushing from a random comment directed her way. More often then not someone would begin an attempt to compliment her on her beauty only to falter for a lack of words to describe it suitably, and she'd still burst into a flush over it. She never used her appearance to gain any favors, as she was far too shy to attempt it, and only seemed to truly open up around Phillip. Even so, she'd received an enormous number of suitors in attempts to woo her that had kept her cheeks reddened for days on end. Yet Phillip had seemed to be able to reach past her shy nature from the very beginning, and within months of their initial meeting the two were almost always together, and the envy of the town's youth. It was with a playful nature that virtually the entire male half of the town, at their wedding two years later, announced how she had broken their collective hearts at choosing Phillip over any number of them.
Lips twitching into a brief smile at the memory, Arissa gave both her husband and daughter a smile as their choice of outfits.
"Well, well, it does look like the two of you remembered. And here I thought I was going to have to give both of you a lecture about smoothing out family relations. Now show up, make him feel proud for the support, and make it back by dinner or you'll be getting nothing off my table."
Father and daughter both broke into soft smiles at the teasing prod. While a little rough for everyone since Michael died, they were all family, even if Richard was holding a grudge against Arissa. No one in the family was sure why or at least they didn't mention it in her presence. However she had caught strange glances in her direction at times from her father-in-law Simon, and Phillip's brother Patrick. And as much as she wanted to ease the rift between Richard and her family, she was not about to bring up her suspicions on the matter. Given that they were most likely correct, the consequences of just uttering them would be…profound. Her father-in-law was already intimidating enough as it.
Catching Arissa lost in her thoughts, the other two quickly snatched up an apple each. Arissa's dream-catching was one of the few times anyone could snitch a snack from the table, let alone get into her kitchen without detection. Neither of them going to be getting much to eat at the reception after the Bishop's stagecoach arrived, so a quick bite to eat was definitely a preferred option to standing for at least several hours on an empty stomach listening to the endless speeches. Noticing Arissa coming back out from her thoughts both father and daughter beat a hasty retreat before she could hurl any imprecations their way beyond one.
"Curse you two! Those were for the pies!"
By the time the pair had reached the town square where the town council meeting was to take place, it had already filled to standing room. Although it was technically a meeting of the town's council, for tonight at least it was more a backdrop for young Richard. He would be the first of the townspeople to receive a higher education, and so this would be a major event. Everyone knew this, and all were waiting for Bishop Stefan Albrecht to appear with the news.
While his Eminence had arrived on the stagecoach earlier in the day, he had sworn off telling any of the news he carried. Instead he had gone to the village church for a few hours of mediation and prayer. While many in the town eagerly wanted the news, none more then the Belmonts themselves, no one would even think to question his right and devotion to God. Before entering, and asking to be left alone for a few hours outside of a grave emergency, he had said he'd be ready to make 'an announcement' as of the evening's council meeting. The mention of that announcement alone spurred even the farmers at the edge of town to come to see out of curiosity. Everyone was hoping that the young Belmont would be accepted, and from the vigorous way he applied himself to his studies, it was a forgone conclusion that he had made this year's list.
As members of the same family, both Phillip and Rebecca found the townsfolk more then willing to part before them as they made their way up to the front of the crowd. Phillip had to bite back a soft chuckle as several of the younger girls instantly attached themselves to Rebecca. One of the girls already at Rebecca's side, Lydie, was like his daughter's shadow. They were friends since both were toddlers, and they would often conspire together with mysterious giggles whenever any of the boys their age were around. Waving the girls off to their own devices he made his way up next to where his brother stood next to Richard.
Thankful that she was left alone with her friends, Rebecca immediately made the best of it. Tugging on the sleeves of the rest of the girls she whispered into their ears, and as one the group turned to young Lydie.
"So, have you made up your mind yet?", Rebecca was quick to state before her friend could figure out what she was planning.
"Made up my mind about what? I haven't done anything lately." Lydie was one of the brightest of the girls in the circle of friends, but on two items, specifically two people, she was beyond dense to her everlasting dismay. And of course the girls would always make sure to remind her of it constantly.
"Why, about who you've chosen silly! Is it Maxim or Juste?" Faye, one of the friends, piped up, eyes gleaming to know who Lydie had finally decided on according to the newest rumors.
"Faye! I. . .I'm not choosing either of them. Now stop asking already!" Her voice tightening into a squeak of embarassment at the end, Lydie could only blush furiously at the question. All the girls knew she was close to the current boy 'terrors' of the village; Maxim Kishine and Juste Belmont. All three had turned 14 less then a month apart, and the boys were sheer chaos on two legs. And yet Lydie always managed to tag along with them, somehow managing to restrain them from causing too many problems. It was obvious to everyone except the trio themselves, that Lydie was rapidly finding her heart split between both of them. The girls were abuzz with rumors that she was spending more time with one of them, and constantly took pains to tease her about it at every available opportunity.
"Alright, alright, we'll stop. Let her blush cool a little before we ignite it further."
"Becca, you're almost as bad as they are. Please? Just drop it?"
"Why? Are we getting close to the moment of truth then after all?"
"Becca!"
Compared to Rebecca, Lydie was a quiet girl. In fact, she reminded Rebecca greatly of how her mother acted. So she would rarely press an issue that could get Lydie flustered to the point of tears, but tonight seemed different, and Rebecca had to mentally rein herself in a little as her inherent mischievousness began to slip her control. There was something about large crowds that made her want to go wild and unleash herself a little. It was as if she was feeding off the sheer energy produced by such large gatherings and it helped spur her onwards even knowing she was acting far less mature then was expected of her.
"Alright, I'm sorry Lydie. I'll not bring it up again, or at least I'll attempt not to." Knowing that she'd got a little carried away, Rebecca made an attempt to make amends with her friend, and gently squeezed the young girl's shoulders.
"Becca, you are so mean sometimes I swear it."
"I said I was sorry."
"Alright, I'll forgive you. But not before I tell about what I saw come out of the horse trough this afternoon."
"Lydie!"
A few minutes later and several tellings of the day's events between the girls, the loud crash of a gavel were heard by all at the raised table in the center of the crowd. Conversations died off as all eyes turned towards the mayor. Titters went through the people closest to him as once again had to stretch in his boots to be seen. Mayor Holst was a short stocky individual, and took the little chuckles with good humor.
Alongside the mayor stood a rather non-descript man with neatly kept brown hair and a paternal gaze, not one who would not have caught the eye except for the cloth he wore. Holy vestments draped over his shoulders, revealing him to be His Eminence Bishop Stefan Albrecht, he who carried the reply from Vienna, and head of the church for the region. The bishop was beloved by virtually all of the people within his accustomed traveling distance, and he would often push himself to attend a service even if it meant traveling out of his way. Yet tonight he seemed a bit more pensive then normal, and already a few at the very front of the gathering were beginning to wonder if perhaps he carried sad tidings.
"The Warakiya council is now convened."
As the meeting progressed Phillip found himself hiding a yawn behind a raised palm, that he did not bother to hide. Most of the gathering was mere formalities with nothing of importance. No deaths, only one announced engagement, and the only official matter raised was that a new water mill had been approved for construction. But none of those issues were what had gathered the crowd. They all wanted to be the first to hear of Richard's acceptance into the college. Virtually all of them, including Phillip and Rebecca, believe that he would pass the exams with ease and be accepted. And when the discussions finally ended, a hush settled over the townsfolk as Bishop Stefan stepped into the speaker's circle before them.
"Good people of Warakiya, I bring news from Vienna, and the Vienna College. Young Richard Belmont has indeed been initially accepted into its ranks. . ."
Whatever words he might have said immediately following that were drowned in the roar of the crowd. The shout had started in unison by Richard's uncle Patrick, and his mother Meredith. She almost clung to him with joy as the young man's face burst into a smile, as all those closest to him began to offer congratulatory words and slaps on his back. Yet the bishop had not stepped back from the circle, but had merely bitten back his next words and held his own council while waiting for the initial cheering to die down. Stepping up to where Richard stood, taking his hand in a firm shake, the bishop leaned in to whisper for a minute in Richard's ear.
Immediately stiffness appeared in Richard's features, which he had to blink away in confusion. All his relatives in the crowd had been watching him, and instantly spotted it. They all began to converge upon the young man, now seemingly leeched of his cheer, to surround him from outside view. Simon and Rebecca both arrived at the same time to complete the huddle, as Meredith finally coaxed Richard into revealing what had been said. By now his face was a near blank slate, a total contrast from bare moments ago.
"Bishop Stefan said that while I had been initially accepted, that I did not mean the cut-off limit. While I was high enough to enter, there were several others who had the same grading, and in the end I was placed as an alternate, and no one dropped. I will be held as second on the list for next year, but because I was placed as alternate, I have to retake the application test again in its entirety to prove that I haven't backslid." Richard turned to look up at them with bitterness in his eyes, "I didn't make it in."
Everyone in the family was stunned into speechlessness. Meredith, so proud a moment ago, was now doing her all to make the best of it, telling him that he had passed one test and could pass another. To reach a goal, to place your hand upon it, only to find the ground snatched from under you before you can grasp the prize is a bitter taste indeed, and all knew it. Phillip reached down to squeeze his nephew's shoulder. Even the strained relations between the two were not to be seen as Richard meekly nodded his thanks for the comforting hand.
Rebecca couldn't believe her ears. Richard had studied like a madman for days on end, and this is the ending it had brought? A failed admission, most likely due to some doddering old fool's back in Vienna that didn't care enough to know what he'd done was ironic at best. It was almost hilarious, at how everyone expected him to make it in and yet none of them had even made plans for what might happen if he had failed, and now here they all stood with not a word between them. Richard's failure might not be of his own making but now they had to deal with. He had tried to step beyond his place in life only to tumble at the last time. It was pitiful to see it happen.
Feeling angry eyes upon her from all directions, Rebecca's thoughts tumbled to a stop as she looked up in confusion. And then realization struck that she had verbalized her what had gone through her mind, and her hands flew to her face. Turning to look at her father, she was struck by the look of anger writ clearly across his face. She hadn't meant to consciously say it at all, and on every face in the family was a dark look. Turning back to face Richard, Rebecca knew at last that she'd taken a step too far with words, as Richard's threadbare feelings snapped under the embarrassment. Everyone was thinking a version of what she had, but had kept their peace in respect to the young man's feelings. And she had dared voiced it in his face. Richard slid out from his mother's grasp to grab Rebecca by the arm, even as Phillip made an effort to sooth the situation to Patrick and Meredith who were demanding an apology from her. Richard did not even bother to make it look like he was escorting her away, and all but dragged her off through the crowd to one of the alleys leading out from the town square. No one bothered to stop them, thinking that Richard merely wished for some privacy with a relative and let them pass, not taking time for a second look to see the naked fury across Richard's face. So shocked by his brazen behavior towards her, Rebecca never even attempted to stop him, to her everlasting regret. As soon as they were beyond the light from the torches, Rebecca found herself tossed against the wall. Wheeling to give him a tongue lashing, the words slipped from her as the look on Richard's face registered in her eyes.
"You pathetic excuse for a Belmont. What do you think you are? The reincarnation of Sonia herself? She must be turning in her grave as we speak so ashamed is she that you descended from her. Rebecca, you will never be a Belmont beyond your birth, let alone whatever deeds you will ever perform."
Richard words were wrapped in a rage born of years of years of troubles between them. Each minor indiscretion piled upon another, and never forgotten. He'd always known that she was nothing but a disgrace to the family, and now she had the audacity to accuse him of being one. His words would have sounded more like continuous teenaged taunts, except for the fiery look in his eyes and the tears of rage flowing over his cheeks.
"You are nothing but a girl with delusions beyond her place. Even grandmother had more strength as she awaited Grandfather within Castlevania itself, then you even possess now."
With each sentence he took another step closer, and his anger built. Driven back into the wall behind her, Rebecca could not escape from him, and shrank slightly into her dress as her hands grasped useless against the brick to steady herself from him. Face draining of color as the words struck her to the core; she could only stare at him in shock. He was so close to her now that Richard was practically looming over her, using his inches ruthlessly to his advantage, forcing her to shrink back even further. She didn't know why but at that moment she was more terrified then any of time in her life, as if his very presence was a threat to her beyond even his words.
"To think that you consider me a failure to this family. Nothing more then a fool who seeks to elevate himself above his place you say? You, who will never see another day of training once I am gone. You, who would not see another day of schooling in her life. And you even once consider you my better? You are the one who is diluted, lost in a daydream of your own making, thinking the world and the people around your are nothing but toys to be played with and then tossed away."
"Richard, please…" The words barely made it past her lips as a whisper.
"Please what? Please stop playing to your vanities? I'd be glad to. Perhaps you'd want me to please stop humoring you in the training sessions? I'm sorry, but I think I did that this afternoon. You looked so good looking like something that crawled out from under a muddy rock."
Jerking back as if slapped, any attempt she might have made to stop him died in her throat. If she tried to do anything now it would only provoke him further. But it was of little use as his next words drove her to her knees in shock, regardless.
"I know what it is. It's Alissa. Your mother set you out to do this. Coming out of nowhere, without even a family for support, let alone a dowry, and manages to marry into our Clan. Nothing but an upstart herself, she must almost preen at night with her accomplishments. And now she's having you follow in her footsteps that little harlo…"
"That's enough Richard!"
Richard shuddered to a halt as another voice in the gloom registered behind him. Rebecca jerkily peered past him, where her father stood outlined by the glow from the town square, and tried to give voice to the fear she felt. Richard took a half-turn to glare back at his uncle, and only the ingrained respect he held for his elder kept him from a verbal error he would never have recovered from. He spat out the respectful words, but in a tone that could never be construed as such.
"It will never be enough. . . uncle. These past several months have been but a farce, and you know it as well as I. Rebecca," He said her name as if he were chewing on glass to even bring himself to say it, "will never become more then she is now. For that I pity you, having to deal both her and that wife. . ."
Phillip never let him finish his sentence as his eyes narrowed dangerously,"Richard, if you utter another word, I will personally beat you to within an inch of your life, even if you are family, so help me God. Get away from Rebecca. Now."
Turning back to face her, Richard's lip curled into a sneer of contempt as he was forced into holding his tongue, when it clearly showed that he felt it was far from over. Rebecca began to realize that even with her father's threat hanging in the air, that if he wanted to, Richard still could have done nearly anything he wanted before Phillip could reach her in time. As if to confirm it, Richard's hand slipped up from his waist to clench menacingly, and Rebecca let out something akin to a whimper. Whether it was because he heard his uncle take a very menacing step forward from behind him, or that he had finally brought himself to a semblance of control, but Richard brought his hand up to brush over his face, like he was attempting to wash the very image of Rebecca from his eyes. Taking a few steps back, the sneer never leaving his lips, he turned to stride off back to the main square. Passing her father without even a look, he paused at the very edge of the alley and spoke without turning back.
"I am revolted as to even think that in some small way I have to be related to one such as yourself. You will never amount to anything in this world except perhaps as someone to be laughed at for trying to vainly step beyond her place. You're even worse then your mother." With that final insult he strode off into the square.
Phillip's gaze went red with anger as his body began an inexorable spin with a willingness to batter the young man into the ground and unconsciousness. It was when he heard Rebecca's first sob that everything snapped back into place, and he turned to face her. Her hands were up over a face gone sheet white from shame and sheer terror, body visibly shaking against the brick wall where she lay. Instantly all thought of tearing his nephew apart vanished from his mind as his daughter looked on with naked fear in her eyes. He took a few steps forward, but Rebecca only flinched further away.
"Rebecca..."
Phillips words were said in a soothing tone, meant to try to calm her, only made her flinch further back. Richard truly had struck home with some of his words, as Rebecca couldn't even bear to look her own father in the face. She curled her lags back underneath herself, sliding on the knees of her dress along the wall, until her hand went around the corner and she pushed off, coming to her feet instantly. Rebecca ran almost blindly with one hand over her eyes and face, into the trees beyond the building. Too hurt inside to even look back at her father, she ran even from him. As much as he was trying to catch up to her, Rebecca only ran faster and farther into the trees. He finally had to give up after a bit, hoping that she'd run herself out and slow down. Phillip knew she was headed towards the lake, and decided to take his time, both to catch his own breath, and to give his daughter the time to calm down.
Cheeks still bearing a flush born of shame and embarrassment, Rebecca ran through the brush heedless of the snags snapping at her dress, or tearing at her locks. Out of sight and reach of her father who she had heard finally stop running minutes, Rebecca's steps began to meander down to a slow stumbling pace as she reached the lake's edge. Not quite caring where she would stop, other then she needed to; she reached out to touch the nearest tree leaning out over the water's surface. Turning to press her back into it, Rebecca's hair fell around her to hide her face, shoulders shuddered from the quiet sobs racing through her. Tears began to well up in her eyes, but she refused to let them slip down her face. Even with her pride in tatters from Richard's words, she clung to what little she had left, and refused to give into tears yet unshed.
Ever since Richard's father was killed there had been a wall built up between the two cousins. Before tonight he had always maintained a civil tongue in her presence, even if she knew he wanted to say something more. And because of that she'd never really pressed her playing taunting that she had with some of her friends in the village. But never had Richard so openly stated his contempt for her in such a flagrant manner. While it was spoken in anger, his words had cut her with surgical precision straight to her heart. Taken individually it was but irritating taunts of a near sibling, but as a whole it her more then she'd ever known. And his sheer physical presence had scared her deeply. She didn't know why but he seemed to almost glow in his rage, and the more she felt that, the more terrified she became then even by his words.
She'd known since she was a child that somewhere inside her was a slightly malicious streak that came out occasionally in bad situations. Most of the time she was able to keep it under control to the point that it appeared as nothing more then a mischievous nature that only received mild rebukes from her elders when she said or did something wrong. But on those most rare occasions when tensions where high and the wrong things could be said with enough impact to cause drastic problems, words flowed out of her mouth that she had no idea where they came from. Thankfully her mother had managed to keep Rebecca from uttering the wrong things, as she always seemed to sense exactly when something was about to burst from insider her. But what was worse, was there was a part of her that wanted to curl her lips up into a smile at the sight of the bits of anguish caused when she did manage to get a word in. Her thoughts a jumbled mess, Rebecca finally collapsed against the tree trunk, still vainly trying to fight back tears beginning to overwhelm her, blankly staring out over the nighttime waters.
Looking out into the darkness, something inside Rebecca began to worm its way to the surface. It was cold, haughty, and disgusted at how Rebecca was acting, and it washed over her like a black flood.
Why should she be feeling so miserable for saying what she had? The arrogant fool deserved every word spoken, especially as his behavior showed afterwards. And she had just let him speak like to her! In fact it was Rebecca who was Richard's elder, and she had let him get away with it, all without doing anything in reply. Oh yes, she could have stopped him at anytime and drove him into the ground by exposing his faults and drawn him over them like they were broken glass. And when he stepped up to actually threaten her? How dare he! The daggers at her side weren't there for decoration, and she could have shown him exactly what he deserved with his words. A prick…no a slice! A shallow cut over his cheek to set him straight, that he was to respect her now, and best not forget it. A small nick to eternally remind him that it was only by her leave that he could stay in her presence.
By the time her father finally caught up to where she lay, Rebecca had changed completely. She had left on the verge of tears, only now the face that gazed across the lake now was full of rage and anger. Phillip even took an involuntary step back when she shifted her gaze up to meet his, so piercing and resolute was it. Approaching her, Rebecca beat him to the first word.
"How dare Richard say such things to me? I, a Belmont as well! He made a mistake and all I do is point this out to him, and this is what he does in return? I'll go back there and bury him before the town. I could lay him so low that the gutters themselves would not shelter him, cesspools would be to clean! I'll tear him apart!"
Phillip could but stare as his daughter seemed to consume the night around her, so focused was the rage within her that she seemed to glow with it, even as the air around her darkened with each passing moment. The look she bestowed upon him now was of almost mindless fury, as she set her hand upon the daggers at her hips and drew them before her. Both had been hand-crafted by Phillip when she was a child, and cared for them more about all else. She'd never before pulled them out for anything more then a cleaning, and so even in all her rage, Phillip could not believe that she had drawn her blades at him in anger.
"That worm, I'll teach him. I was trained as well as he, so let him feel the taste of my knives. I can demand satisfaction, I can demand. . ."
As soon as the steel left the sheaths it seemed like something twisted inside Rebecca, her face turning between hate and despair. The venom in her words seemed to leech away, splashing a look of confusion over her features. As Phillip watched her stance slowly changed into something resembling something he could recognize as his daughter, as her legs wobbled under her tottering form. Finally Rebecca collapsed to her knees, to slam the blades repeatedly into the tree before her, as tears flowing down over her cheeks.
"Why! Why Did I say that! Why did he do what he did! Why!"
It was as if thrust of the blades drained away at Rebecca strength, until with one final blow she slumped to the ground, sobbing. The daggers slipped from fingers now pressed up to her face to fall mutely upon the grass at Phillips feet. For a minute nothing moved or could be heard along the lakeside, except the water lapping at the shoreline, and the quiet sobs of a woman tormented to the core by her very soul.
Knelling down, Phillip gently wrapped his arms around his daughter, as she crumpled against his shirt, soaking it through with tears. Holding her close, he let what little anger and strength she had left, cry its way out of her system. At last completely exhausted and spent, her head lolled into the crook of his arm, having drifted into merciful sleep. Carefully, he reached down with his free arm to where her daggers lay abandoned on the ground. He knew she treasured them more then anything else she possessed and would never forgive herself or him if they were left behind. Sliding them back into the sheaths at her belt, Phillip rose cautiously. Cradling Rebecca as he had not since she was a child, he gazed into the moonlit skies and offered up a silent prayer of thanks that she had slipped into unconsciousness.
Ducking under the branches of the tree as he turned to head back to town, his gaze briefly dropped to where Rebecca's maddened thrusts had scarred the tree's bark. Eyes widened for a moment, then closed, and turned resolutely back to the path towards home. The relieved look faded into one filled with worry as disappeared into the trees. Behind he left only the still waters of the lake, and a once healthy oak, now slowly shriveling into a dead husk, its leaves littering the ground around it.