The room was dark. The look I last remembered and how it was now was so different.

I pushed my wheelchair forward, closer to the bed.

The lack of light hadn't impeded my ability to see in the slightest, and in the middle of the wide, messy bed, a shadow of a figure entered my vision.

Her emerald eyes reflect the absence of the word that had long since lingered stubbornly inside this empty space.

"Helena..." I called softly.

She tousled her unkempt hair, staring at me out of focus. After a while, she decided to get off the bed, and with almost broken and clumsy steps, Helena made her way to me.

"...Alex...? You're here...?" Muttered her feebly.

"It's me, Helena." I nodded.

"..."

Her hand landed on my shoulder. I didn't know whether she was punching me or not due to the lack of intent and power, but it sure did look like it.

"Where were you...?" Queried Helena, void of strength.

"...I'm sorry, Helena..." I let her be.

"I said, where were you, Alex? Answer me." Asked her yet again, firmly this time.

"...Just here and there. Were you worried?"

It was a question I actually didn't need to ask. It's just...I didn't know what else to say, to be honest.

She looked terrible, and I just couldn't find the right words to say.

My Sister said Helena had been waiting for me in my room since I'd been gone. She refused to do anything and stayed cooped up in this room. If not for Howard and Sister's incessant effort to have her at least drink and eat something, Helena would surely be in a much more dire situation than she was now.

"Everyone was looking for you. I was looking for you...but you weren't there...I kept waiting, but you never came..." She punched me yet again, infused with a bit more force this time.

"I'm sorry, Helena. I really am-"

Helena drew her hand high, about to slap me, but it never came.

I watched her whole body trembling quietly in place, with streams of tears falling on her pale and almost sunken face.

The hatred was apparent in her eyes, yet I could see the flicker of something else hidden beneath them. Something foreign but also familiar in some mysterious way.

"...I hate you so much, but I can't even hit you, Alex. I hate you, Alex! I hate you so much!!" Hissed Helena loudly.

"Float slowly to the bed..." I held the crying princess in my arms and took her back to my bed.

"Uwaa! I hate you, Alex. I hate you so much!"

I stroked her head gently back and forth as she poured out all the frustration and anger that had been plaguing her heart.

At that specific moment, I really didn't have anything to offer her. Seeing how broken she was, I realized just how reckless and easy I had when all I could say was sorry.

The burden of breaking her heart was heavy, all the more so when I remembered what I must do in the future.

'I'm sorry, Helena...for this...and for later...' It was hard to breathe, but I forced the words out of my throat. "I am sorry..."

She would cry for me again in the future. Maybe worse than this, or maybe not...

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"I am really sorry, Helena..."

But all I could do was to ask her for forgiveness while I still could...

***

Knock, knock!

"Come in." A low, chilling voice rang from the other side of the door.

With Hannah pushing the wheelchair, I entered Father's office.

There, Father, Mother, and Sister were seated on his sides, and finally, Byron, who took Hannah's place behind me after she excused herself.

"How's Helena, dear?" Queried Mother worriedly.

"She's sleeping, Mother. Howard and Adam are also there with her in case something happens."

"That is good. She hasn't been sleeping well this past week...Dear, how about we wait until after dinner before you talk with Alex? Look how thin he is; he must've been starving." Commented Mother, skillfully changing the subject so that I could have a bit of leeway from the coming trouble.

"Yes, Father. I think this can wait for later-" Added Sister Alyson before she was cut off by Father.

"Enough. We will have this talk now, and that is final."

Unyielding as a mountain was his face. Stoic, yet sharp. Grim, but also elusive.

I reckoned he must be mad, but there was no trace of it whatsoever in his face, not even in his voice. I really couldn't tell what he was thinking...

"What happened to you, Alexander? Where were you this past week? Were you taken captive?" And so, the interrogation began at last.

"No, I am not, Father. I escaped from my room by myself at night and wandered around to see the world outside." I answered calmly while trying to gauge his reactions.

"You wandered around? For eight whole days without informing anyone?" His tone dove sharp.

"Yes...Father." I nodded low.

Father paused briefly before continuing. "Why?"

"Because I want to know more about the world outside." I knew my answer was stupid, but anything would be better than saying I was out having a bout with the Saint, I believed.

"Do you really expect us to fall for your words just because it came out of your mouth? Tell us what really happened to you, Alexander. Speak of nothing but the truth." Finally, his expression melted a little, and rage began blooming gradually on his countenance.

"That is the truth...Father." I could see the expressions on Mother and my Sister's faces slowly warped into a frown at my response.

Father scowled deeper as his tone turned colder and sharper. "Do you realize who you are, Alexander, and what you meant for this House?"

"I am Alexander Von Dawson. Father and Mother's child."

"Correct. You are my son. My firstborn son. Someone who will lead this house after me. If you were kidnapped and hidden against your will, I can understand the situation. But you are telling me that you, of your own free will, left this house, left your family, and wandered to god knows where for eight whole days just because you want to know more about the world!?"

His words stunned me. It felt like rather than questioning me about my disappearance, Father was testing me right now.

"Yes, Father. It is very important to me. It is something I have to do...Also, I am indeed your son...But I will not be the head of the family, Father..." And that was my answer to his test.

"Dear!"

"Alex!!"

Sure enough, my answer was enough to draw quite the reactions from my Mother and Sister. Even Byron appeared to be astounded, unable to hide the shock in his face.

Across me, I noticed Father's eyes, calm as a lake, as they quietly found me.

"You wish to cede your right as the firstborn son to your brother, Adam? Is that it?" Asked Father grimly.

"Father! You can't be serious!? Alex is still young, so he doesn't know what he's talking about!" Cried Sister Alyson, almost jumping to her feet.

Meanwhile, Father, who seemed to have made up his mind, didn't back down. "Silence. I am now talking to my son not as his Father but as the Duke of Dawson...Answer me, Alexander Von Dawson."

Thus, all eyes were on me.

"...I wish to surrender my right as Dawson's firstborn son to my brother, Adam Von Dawson," I answered sincerely.

And then, it was nothing but silence.

No one was speaking.

My Sister looked like she was about to swallow me whole if she could, but she was holding herself in front of our parents. Mother, on the other hand, had kept her silence while casting a pained and conflicted look at me.

"I hear you..." Replied Father after a long while.

He sounded sad yet determined at the same time.

Father stood up and walked back to his desk...His wide back looked so tired and lonely.

"Heed my command." Stated Father firmly.

"Yes, Your Grace." Answered Byron, saluting as he received my Father's order.

"Alexander Von Dawson will be locked inside his room for a month. Bar his windows with steel and magic. Triple the guards around his room. No one shall be allowed to step foot into his room other than the maids who will bring him his food. And anyone who dares to break this rule shall answer to me...No matter who they are..."

So, yeah...I was grounded.