Content warning: This chapter will cause distress to some readers (due to a subltle mention of sexual assault)!


Fall 5

It had been two days since my outing with Oswald, and I had another two days until Oswald's proposal. I was running out of time to find an excuse to decline his proposal while not staining my family's name.

A knock from the door of my bedroom caused me to jump from my vanity's seat as I opened it, peeking out to see Cecilia.

"Yes, Cecilia?" I asked as she gave a small curtsy.

"Jack is here. He wishes to speak to you."

"Ah! Of course!" I exclaimed, leaving my room; Cecilia trailing behind me as I walked down the stairs. I noticed Jack had a look of concern on his face.

"Jack?" I asked as he looked over towards me. "What's wrong?"

"I was at the general store not too long ago…and Douglas asked me to fetch you. He'll have to explain to you what's going on." Jack explained as I wondered if it was about Mana's strange behavior the other day.

"Alright then. Let's be going." I said as Jack nodded.

"Right."


I pushed opened the door of the Pumpkin General Store as Douglas looked up, nodding at us in acknowledgment.

"Douglas? You…wanted to see me?" I asked as Douglas sighed, his head giving a nod.

"Yeah. I know you and Mana aren't close, but ever since you and Oswald walked into the shop the other day, she's been in her room, crying and she hasn't left. It's gotten me worried. However, she won't talk to me. Did something happen between you two?" My eyes widened. I suspected Mana was the one to start the rumor of my pregnancy, even if it was true…did she feel bad about it? Is that why she was crying?

"Uh, did something happen between you two?" Jack asked as I sighed.

"I think so…I'll explain upstairs though, Jack." I said, as Jack and I began to head towards the staircase.

"No." Douglas began, placing his hand on Jack's shoulder, "No boys allowed in my Mana's room."

"Uh, okay…" Jack said nervously, "I-if you need us, Rosalind, just holler?" I smiled.

"I will." I said as I made my way upstairs towards Mana's room, I knocked on her bedroom door.

"Go away, dad!" Mana exclaimed while sobbing, I opened the door.

"It's not your father. Just me." I said as I noticed Mana was looking at me with such fury while shaking.

"M-Mana?" I asked as Mana threw a pitcher towards me; it missed, hitting the wall with a shatter.

"Why are you here?! To torment me? You're a horrible person, Rosalind! Why would you even bring that…that…orc here?"

"Orc? I-I though Jack was your friend!" I exclaimed in shock as I noticed Mana's breathing becoming hyperventilated with frustration and anger.

"Are you stupid?!" Mana exclaimed, "I wasn't talking about Jack!" I noticed Mana was crying.

"I hate you, Rosalind! I hate everything you've done to me! And I especially hate that baby you're carrying!" My eyes widened, as I felt a suspicion overtake my mind. I began to take in consideration Mana's strange behavior, I started putting puzzle pieces together about Oswald's hair and why it was familiar. I had to get to the bottom of this…this could not only be the key to being able to decline Oswald's proposal, but also the key to putting Mana's mind at ease.

"What would Matthew think?" I asked, taking a step towards Mana as she gasped.

"Don't you dare put him into this!" She yelled, sobbing even more.

"I know you've been through a lot, Mana. I know your father became over protective of you because of Matthew…" I took another step towards her.

"Shut UP!" Mana shrieked in a begging way, placing her hands next to her ears, but I continued.

"And I can't even imagine the pain you felt when you lost Matthew. But how do you think he would feel knowing his own mother wished for an unborn baby's tragedy."

"Please…no more." Mana whispered, her knees collapsed on the floor as she covered her mouth with her hands, wailing loudly. I heard footsteps trudging upstairs as Douglas entered her bedroom.

"Mana! What is going on?!" Douglas exclaimed, as Jack pushed passed Douglas; entering the room.

"Rosalind?!" Jack asked worriedly, rushing over towards me, examining me. I noticed he was shaking.

"Jack?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, Rosalind…" He began to tear up, "When I heard the shatter of something ceramic, I started to go towards the stairs…but Douglas wouldn't let me…and I…I had to tell him about the baby." He embraced me.

"I was so scared." Jack whispered in sobs, while still shaking.

"Jack…" I whispered, embracing him back. "It's okay. I understand. We'll be able to tell everyone else soon enough."

"So…the rumor is true?" Douglas asked as I blushed.

"Yes…it's true." I sighed, as I saw Douglas furrow his brow.

"And…Jack is the father?" He asked as Jack and I both nodded. Douglas sighed in relief.

"Good, so I no longer have to worry about Jack asking for my little girl's hand in marriage."

"Dad…stop." Mana said downheartedly.

"I'm sorry, Mana…" Douglas said with understanding. "I just don't want you to be hurt anymore. With what happened to Matthew and especially with what happened to you."

"Uh, was Matthew Mana's ex-lover?" Jack asked.

"No, Matthew was…" Douglas began but was cut off by Mana.

"He was my son." Mana said, while shaking.

"It was horrifying…all of the pain Mana went through…it's why I'm so protective of her." Douglas claimed, while tears formed in his eyes. "No girl, nor anybody really, should have to go through the trauma and pain that Mana went through."

Douglas looked up into Jack's eyes.

"Ya know…I wasn't always this over-protective of her. Not until that night. And when we found out she was expecting…that brought the protective meter up to full blast." Douglas said as I looked back towards Mana.

"And…I think I know now…" I began, taking the last few steps towards Mana whose facial expression screamed at how much pain her heart was in. I sat next to her on the floor.

"It was him, wasn't it?" I asked as Mana's eyes widened and her tears came out faster. She began to wail loudly while shaking. I embraced her.

"It's okay, Mana! It's okay! I'll take care of everything." I said as I overheard Douglas' knuckles crack.

"No, I'll take care of that no-good rich son of a bit…"

"Douglas." I said sternly, "You can help, but no violence. As much as I would love to see that orc getting smashed to a pulp, we must be civilized!"

"There ain't nothing civilized about that orc!" Douglas exclaimed, "He put my little girl through so much terror. And I am so mad at myself now. I can't believe I never put the pieces together…but so many men came to town around that time that I didn't know who did that to my daughter!" Douglas' teary eyes began to pour as they flowed down his cheeks.

"But Matthew and that orc have the same hair." The room was slightly silent with only the sound of Mana and Douglas' weeps.

"Whatever…happened to Matthew?" Jack asked curiously.

"He was a stillborn." I replied sadly as I began to shake, terrified that my child would meet the same fate. I felt Jack's strong embrace.

"It'll be okay…" he whispered, "Everything will be okay." As the gears in my head began turning.

"Douglas? Mana?" I asked, breaking my embrace with Jack, turning my attention towards them. "Do you still have those photographs Natalie took of Matthew?"

"Of course! We've kept them in a safe." Mana explained as Douglas raised his brow.

"Why do you ask, Rosalind?" Douglas asked as I gave a small, mischievous smile.

"We'll probably need at least one photo of Matthew to bring the orc shame…preferably one showing his hair." I replied as Douglas returned my mischievous grin.

"I like the way you think, Rosalind."