Chapter 9 ~ The Rancid Nightmare

                                    

                                          
Killian returned home late at night from his walk. Fireflies glowed around him as he stepped out of the forest, his footsteps halting when he saw the silhouette of a young woman standing near the house. He began to smile, cheered by the sight of his daughter. He eagerly walked forward, his smile dwindling when he noticed the somberness on her face. 
"I will ask again," Mara said strongly, her voice uncompromising. "Why?" 
It was the reason why she became a private detective. Answers to the greatest mystery begged to be revealed, refusing to be in vain. Mara would not let this go, even if she had to force the answers from her father. 
Killian took a deep breath before slowly letting it out. I can't keep putting this off. I suppose it's time I finally told her. She needs to know, Killian thought, feeling it was unfair to keep such information from her. He had been unwilling to do so in the past, but now he felt it was a suitable time to revisit such unpleasant memories, to finally confide in his daughter. 
"I will tell you over tea," Killian promised, needing a drink to help him clear his mind. 
Mara carefully scanned Killian's face for any sign he might back down from his promise, but seeing he was indeed serious, she conceded and stepped back into the house. 
Killian prepared Mara's favorite tea blend consisting of oolong almond rose with red rose petals, saffron, amaretto, dark chocolate, peony buds, and sencha green tea. He poured water into two cups and took them to the porch area just outside the dining room table. A blue rooftop covered the porch area from the rain. There was a small table and two chairs so two people could sit and drink tea or read a book while watching the rainfall. 
However, it wasn't rainy that night. Killian sat across from Mara after setting down the cups of tea. The cool night air wafted with the fragrant scent of tea. Fireflies arranged an intermittent light show while a small breeze sang through Mara's long black hair. For a moment, there was nothing to break the silence of the night. Fireflies continued dancing, the breeze continued singing, and stars sparkled brightly. 
Then out of nowhere, Killian's voice carried through the night. Even the breeze became quiet, attentively listening to Killian. 
"Vinessa Haidesur was the daughter of my father's rival business partner, Scypere Haidesur. Vinessa was engaged to a noble man named Ruyesli Calire, but she didn't love him and she chose to marry me. We were young and foolish. I proposed to her in a rose garden in a forest that was our secret meeting place. 
"My father, Merdan Decuir, discovered our romance. Instead of reprimanding me as he should have, he allowed us to meet, hoping this meant the end of rivalry. He arranged meetings with Vinessa's father to try to peacefully negotiate. 
"Per my father's hopes, the rivalry successfully ended. Instead of business rivals, my father and Vinessa's father became business partners. The business partnership strengthened upon our marriage joining the two families. All was well, with much prosperity and success. 
"The only one who opposed our marriage was my older brother, Ilucian Decuir. He warned me against her, but I didn't listen, blinded by love. 
"Vinessa was already pregnant with you by the time we married. I rejoiced when you were born; it was one of the best days of my life to see my flesh and blood created in such a way. I held you every day, singing to you as you slept. I took you everywhere with me, so proud was I of you. Even Vinessa's former fiancé Ruyesli wished us well, gifting you with red and white flowers and a pearl music box. He married a mermaid named Annasca Qiramis and moved to the seaside with her. 
"Life was a fairytale for me. The business flourished like my marriage. My older brother was a few years older than me, and he was to inherit the business from my father. They worked alongside each other, learning everything there was to know about weaponry, metal, and gemstones. Even though my brother had the best teacher, he was no metalsmith. He refined swords, but he had no talent in design. I was the one who created the family emblem and my own personal emblem, the emblem that would always remain with me.