Misana stared at me, her entire body visibly shaking. Salvester got instantly to his feet and moved over to her, asking, "My Lady, do you need a moment?"

She didn't make any sort of attempt at responding, instead took several deep breaths and rubbed her hands along her arms. Anna's eyes shifted between me and the two. After one more deep breath, Misana waved her butler off, and said, "H-hello. I-I'm sorry."

I twitched as the words left her mouth and bit the inside of my lip for a split second. She noticed instantly and looked away, her shaking only having mildly died down. I said, trying to let the small spike of anger go, "Your mother dragged me in here and then left me. I thought it was better to just let you enjoy your book."

Her eye shot about my face in a way that reminded me of a scared rabbit. I let her continue trying to calm herself without saying anything more. I didn't know how to deal with the poor woman, but trying to help seemed the worst option. She took yet another breath, and said, "T-thanks. I-I was surprised to see you a-at the dinner y-yesterday."

I raised an eyebrow and said, "You invited me."

Misana's eyebrow knitted and Salvester looked to me with a calm face. He let out a sigh and said, "I see. I'm starting to get a mild concept of what Lady Lura'mi is up to then."

The timid woman turned her eye down to the book in her hand as she fidgeted. I said, a dry feeling in my mouth, "Ok. I guess I should have suspected something was off. So, what now, then?"

The half elf's eye slowly turned to me. I wish I knew at that moment what was going through her head, but instead I was left only guessing. I thought that she might have just wanted me to leave, but Misana instead said, "That b-book. It's...o-one on runes for m-magic. So is that w-why you are h-here?"

Anna let out a sudden grunt and said, "It's thick like actual wood."

Salvester gave the guard in a maid outfit a short look of disapproval, causing her to straighten back into a more socially appropriate attitude. Misana nodded lightly and hesitated. Her eye darted away and she seemed to become lost in some momentary thought. Finally she said, "I-I suppose it was to be m-my duty to teach y-you."

She stared down to the ground next to her chair as her delicate hand ran along her eyepatch. The fact she brought some attention to it, knowingly or not, made me wince. As soon as I had, her hand stopped and her remaining eye turned to me. For a moment, there was a strange glint to her eye that reminded me of the intensity of the one her mother had given at the dinner. I couldn't help but flinch and Misana dropped her hand back to her lap.

At that moment I had to wonder further what that look had meant. The only reasonable thing I could imagine was that she wanted me to leave but knew I was not really able to leave without some issue arising. Still, it reminded me too much of the way Lady Lura'mi had stared at me to really be that. It was a puzzle that I hadn't all the pieces, so I said a bit sheepishly, "If you don't want to, I'm sure Anna c-"

Anna let out a small grunt, her eyes like daggers on me. Salvester shrugged apologetically and said, "Lady Lura'mi was clear, I fear. Though, if it is not to your liking, my lady, we can hold off for a bit. I'm sure some time to prepare would be needed, at the least."

Misana shook her head lightly and said, "N-no. If this i-is mother's wishes, then I.....have t-to."

The old man nodded and returned to his chair, giving me yet another look that spoke to his demands he had made before. I nodded, unsure if anything I could say would give her any comfort. Anna sunk back into her chair, letting out a soft sigh as she said, "The chairs are comfortable, if nothing else."

It was an uncomfortable time sitting there as she tried her best to not get near me but still somehow manage to help teach me. Even with Anna and Salvester there to provide what help they could, it was slow moving. By the end of that day, I had only really begun to even remember the most simple of the runes.

The attempt to learn the method of writing the magic runes didn't go well at all. Misana had attempted to approach to show me, but as soon as her hand touched mine by accident she grew completely still. She had turned and walked out of the room, only returning some near hour later.

Salvester hadn't even bothered following her. The only change was his expression growing grim. I didn't know what to make of that, but it gave me an uneasy feeling. Anna wouldn't even look at me till Misana returned. There was mention of it, but the half elven lady sat down on her chair strangely so that one of her legs didn't fully touch the seat.

That evening I was forced into dining with them again. While awkward, I didn't have to see anyone thrown from the wall. I took time to note Lady Lura'mi's actions. She stared at me with that intense look again, asking questions about how the day had gone with me in the library. To my shock, Misana spoke up clearly, stating it had progressed well enough.

The other thing I noticed was how Captain Zent had carefully cleaned the silverware in front of him. Other than the futile effort for there to be conversation, it was a quiet meal in the open air. Anna, while clearly uncomfortable being there, seemed all too eager to enjoy the food. It was nice to see that my presence was improving someone's life, at least. Still, I felt a pang of sadness as I looked at the food. I tried to imagine how Veline would have reacted to the finely crafted foods. I decided that when she returned, it'd be among the things I'd treat her to.

The next few days continued in a similar manner. I was forced to join the diner every day and Lady Lura'mi would watch me and her daughter with her cold, glowing eyes. She would consistently ask questions about how my training was going. I couldn't really ever figure out what her schemes were. I had a horrible thought that she viewed me as a potential candidate for her daughter. While I held no malice towards Misana, the very idea seemed cruel. The other idea was that she might suspect I had interest in her daughter.

The lessons to learn how to draw the runes with magic progressed very slowly. I quickly learned that Misana most certainly didn't want to be around me. The smallest accidental touch would cause her to leave the room for a strangely long time. Neither Salvester nor Anna seemed to even acknowledge it after the first time.

Then came one day, I was sitting in the library and Misana was just out of my reach. It was about the only way we could actually manage at that point. She gently ran her finger through the air, making the magical line appear. She said, "A-and now yo-you try. R-remember, it's lik-like turning the magic into a-an ink."

She took a step back, but suddenly she fell forward as her shoe's heel broke off with a loud snap. Almost purely on instinct I jumped up and caught her. I heard both Salvester and Anna inhale sharply as I did. I gently pushed her away only to see her eye. A cold feeling skipped across my skin as I stared into that green eye behind her glasses. The blonde haired half elf slowly stepped away, the pupil growing ever smaller as her breath began abnormal in it’s pacing. She said nothing as her mouth turned ever more down by the second.

Salvester jumped to his feet and said, "My lady, yo-"

Misana retreated suddenly next to a bookshelf, stumbling all the way. Salvester approached until she shot him that exact same look. Then, to my absolute horror, Misana reared her hand back and slammed it full force into the shelf. My breath caught as she let out a gasp as there was a horrible breaking noise, and then she repeated the action. Anna got up, grabbed me, and began to forcefully drag me from the room. I watched in terror as Misana then did the action once more and the horrible cracking noise reached me as I was dragged out the door.

I broke free of Anna, made my way to the window, threw it open, and I lost what I had eaten earlier. I'd died and seen people die, but that was far more than I could take. I could hear Misana screaming in there and I heard something heavy crash to the floor. I left the window and began moving away from the place with no destination in mind. Anna quickly hurried along, saying, "Wait!"

I said in a stark tone, "No. No damn way."

It was only when I had made all the day into the gardens did Anna stop me, saying, "Alexander, stop!"

As soon as her hand gripped me, I spun around, and shouted, "What in the fuck was that?"

She stared at me with her mouth drawn thin. She looked away, saying, "Listen, I know it's awful, but you can't just leave."

Slowly I looked around and said, "Leave? I'm not staying in the library or anywhere near it after that. Now, what the fuck was that?"

I heard a sound and saw Anna's face grow from that look of anxiety to mild fear. Turning, I saw Captain Zent and Lady Lura'mi, who was carrying a parasol to shield herself from the sun. She tilted her head and asked, "Did something happen?"

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

I instantly said, "Yes. Something damn well did happen. Your daughter began to break her hand right in front of me!"

Lady Lura'mi merely raised an eyebrow and Captain Zent slowly got a look of anger, saying, "God damn it all. With all respect my Lady, I fucking said she was going to eventually do that. You knew she wa-"

Lady Lura'mi raised a hand and put it directly on his face as she said, "Unfortunate. Out of all the people, she seemed the most unstable around you. I had wondered why, but it seems it isn't the demons after all. Perhaps...." She paused for an uncomfortable amount of time.

She turned her attention to Anna, who twitched as the elven woman said, "Ms. Timberland, do tell me. How is Mr. Moores at such matters?"

Captain Zent's anger turned to a look where his eyes widened and he glanced at Lady Lura'mi. Anna said, confusion clear, "Such...matters?"

Lady Lura’mi’'s eyes turned to me, the raised eyebrow never leaving. She asked, calm and robotic as usual, "I see you are a man of certain virtues then?"

I felt my stomach churn and heard Anna's breathing hitched. I asked, somewhat disgusted, "Are...you honestly consider...having me...with your...daughter?"

The pale woman didn't move even slightly as she stared at me. Then suddenly she walked over to me and put her hand on my cheek. I stiffened and saw Captain Zent staring at us, clearly amazed and not liking what was happening. She said, her voice lowered, "You are such a problem for me right now. Your effect on my daughter has grown worse despite the demons being removed from you."

I stared, feeling like I might become ill again as she spoke. She continued, "I've seen that you've noticed that I've some interest in you two when you are together. Your effect on her is fascinating but I still want this problem solved. Salvester said that she goes to do her little sessions when you two come into contact physically. It's so bothersome for her to wander off and take a whip to herself while whining about how she deserves such punishment."

She suddenly grabbed my shoulder as I unintentionally attempted to step back. She leaned in, her pale glowing eyes peering hard into mine. Lady Lura'mi continued, "I don't know why she has come to the belief that any action with you is deserving of such. If you have some idea, do tell."

I said, feeling like I was in the grip of an actual bear, "I don't."

Lady Lura'mi tilted her head and said, "A shame. As for that other thing?" She gripped my shoulder painfully. "Your life belongs to me, Mr. Moores. If I demand it of you two, you will bed with her. Is that clear?"

It felt like I was swallowing a small bird and I said, not hiding my disgust, "Yes."

She let go and turned, saying, "Good. Don't worry, I've not decided yet."

Captain Zent gave me a look of suspicion for a few seconds before then following Lady Lura'mi. I turned to Anna who was watching her employer walking away. The guard's hands were gripped as we turned and walked away. She said, quietly, "I know this isn't good, but just..."

She trailed off and her hands gripped the bottom of her dress. At the door she stopped and I looked at her. Her brown eyes were glued to the floor and she said, "I can't just...say you should...follow that order. But...if you disobey...Lady Lura'mi will..."

I frowned and gently patted Anna's shoulder. I had a horrible knot in my stomach as I wondered once more what I'd be forced to do in this place. I took a moment to remember why I was doing any of this. I had to find out and do what the god of art demanded of me. If I didn't, I'd never get her back. Still, I had to wonder what I'd do to get her back. Anna brushed my hand off and said, an attempt at humor in her tone, "Don't start getting touchy with me, Master Moores. You already agreed to not do anything to me."

I gave my best attempt at a chuckle and we went back inside. I decided to just avoid the library and head back to my room. I gave a half hearted farewell to my guard and flopped down on the bed. I considered once more the worlds The Cruel Poet had left me with. So much lay on the line for me to not be certain. I had to get it right or Veline would never be able to see the world again. It was a cruel joke, I realized, that the life I cared the least about was my own and yet I was the one who couldn't stay dead.

The day wouldn't end for some time yet, but I wasn't called to eat out on the wall that day. It suited me just fine to not see Misana. The guilt mixed with a horrible feeling of repulsion when I thought of her. That night, the sight of her breaking her hand haunted my dreams.

I was woken suddenly by the heavy door striking the wall. With a startle, I looked up to see Anna standing there with Captain Zent. The man walked over to my chair, grabbed it, spun it around to face me, and stopped to look at it. He ran a finger over it and frowned before pushing it away, saying, "Alright, Alexander, we're going to have a little chat."

Still half asleep, I didn't answer but I sat up slowly. He didn't bother to wait as he said, "So, I had a damn long talk with Lady Lura'mi and hopefully I got her to understand that her plan was dumb as shit. But I am going to tell you now, cut the fucking shit already."

I stared, growing more annoyed with the captain who had woken me abruptly. The sun wasn't even up and the only light was that from the magic crystal on a stick Anna held. It lit the room well but was harsh enough to force me to squint. I asked, not hiding my emotions, "What are you-"

Zent cut me off by saying, "I want to know what the fuck you did to Misana. Why the fuck is she so fucking scared of you and what the fuck did she mean that one day?"

I blinked and rubbed my eyes, now fully angered. I swung my legs off the bed and said, in as clear a manner as possible, "I haven't done anything to her. What day?"

Captain Zent's eyes flared and he said, "You have had to do something to her. Anna heard what she said! There is no way in hell Misana would be doing this if you hadn-"

I lept to my feet and swung at him. The shock of my action caught both off guard enough for Zent to not be able to fully block and my fist made contact with his face. Anna quickly grabbed me and roughly pushed me down as I yelled, "Fuck you! Fuck right the every loving fuck off! I didn't do shit! I don't give a fuck what you think! Fuck you! Let go of me, Anna!"

Zent looked somewhat shocked as he touched the spot. He let out of an hiss and said, "If you won't tell me I'll just hav-"

I struggled against Anna as I shouted, "Fuck you! I won't let this shit happen again! I didn't do shit! I have no fucking idea what she even said that day and I've never been around her without my own guard and that fucking butler! If you are going to fucking accuse me of shit, think about it first you fucking moron!"

Anna said firmly, "Stop. You-"

I continued struggling and I growled out, "Stop?! Should I just accept another bullshit crime on my shoulders I didn't do?!"

Captain Zent stood silently as he stared at my face. He took a deep breath and his anger turned to an odd frown. He crossed his arms and asked somewhat quietly, "Another?"

I struggled harder as Anna pushed painfully and I glared, my entire body shuttering in my rage and panic. I said, voice unsteady, "I don't know what the fuck she's accused me of. I didn't do it. I will not let this happen again. I will not just accept that."

Anna said, "Alexander, please. Stop."

The Captain's frown deepened and he said, "Damn it all. Alright. Fucking fine then. You want to actually explain then?"

I stopped and turned my attention to him, almost amused at the statement. I asked, my voice dripping in venom, "Me? Explain? You've come in here with some accusation I have no idea about and demand I explain something I don't even know what exactly is. How about you fucking start?!"

He raised an eyebrow and said, "Fine then. Lady Lura'mi said it yesterday. For whatever reason, Misana has become wildly more unhinged. Even with the demons gone, her worst habits have gone damn wild. Given you seem to, atleast fucking lately, been far more calm then the obvious thing is at some point you did something to her. Even during the possession she had said something interesting. Anna, if you would?"

Anna hesitated before she continued restraining me. She said, "Lady Misana had said that day that she was ok with you...being the one to kill her. She said she was scared to see you again. Yet, it was only right and she was ok with being punished by you."

I stopped struggling and felt an odd sense of fear at the statement. I asked, almost calm in that feeling I couldn't truly place, "See me again? The first time I met her was in the Carriage with Zent."

Captain Zent's frown grew as I talked. He asked, "You are an outsider right? Lady Lura’mi said you were, at least. Is that true?"

I sat there, my mind racing as I tried to put together any possible explanation. That odd sense of fear turned to a cold feeling I didn’t know how to place. I said, calmly, "Yeah. I am from another world. That makes no sense, though. How would I know her even then? I'm not even thirty years old and she was born in this world."

Zent, now calm himself, asked, "So, what? She thinks you are someone else?"

I bit my lip, my mind racing to think of all the people who had wronged me back in my world. I said, "It would have to be. Right? Otherwise none of it makes any sense."

Suddenly, a noise echoed from the door. We all looked to see Misana watching us, her face far too calm and sad looking. She wore a nightgown while she held the same device as Anna but unlit. In that outfit, I could see a disturbing manner of fresh and old scars on her. She muttered, "I-I'm sorry. I o-over heard the shouting."

Captain Zent turned fully to her, his expression falling to dismay. Slowly he gave a proper bow and asked, "My lady, would you pl-"

Misana turned her eye down to the floor. Slowly tears flowed from her as she said, "I...I can't. Please. I can't t-take th-this. Altivaro, I-I'm the one w-who has commi-committed..."

The Captain twitched at the name and stepped over to her. He gently put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Please, just be calm. I only want to make sure you-"

She smacked away his hand and turned, saying quietly, "H-he didn't d-do anything. I h-hurt him."

The icy feeling in me grew to a simmer as something occurred to me. I hoped it wasn’t the truth but I couldn’t shake it. I asked with a dark tone to my voice, "How?"

Misana shuttered a moment and turned her green eye to look at me. She said, quietly, "I want to...speak to him a-alone."

Captain Zent's eyes widened and said, "Misana, surely you do-"

Anna slowly let go of me and stood up as the half elven woman said, "Altivaro, I k-know. But please, don't inter-interfer. I've long f-for the day w-when my sins would finally c-come to an end."

He shook his head, for the first time I'd ever seen, wearing a look of worry. He said, "No. Damn it. I won't let you just."

She let out a sad sort of chuckle and said, "I...I order this of you, Captain Zent."

A look of hurt passed over his face and he turned from everyone, walking out of the room. Anna gave me a morbid look and whispered, "Whatever happens. Don't do anything stupid. For me, yeah?"

I sat down on the bed as the door closed and Misana took the chair Zent had flung. Her golden hair was no longer in it's usual braid and she seemed almost resolute. Slowly she said, "I-It's been a really long time. Yet I still saw you in my dreams. I knew m-my fate when I saw you again tha-that day in the carriage."

I frowned and said nothing, she was not wearing her glasses but she didn't seem to really even care. Slowly she continued, "Th-this world is my punishment. T-to see you here confirms it. Fifty something y-years I've been here. T-trapped and forced to f-feel other's pains and m-miseries. To fe-feel all their anguishes and h-heartbreaks. Yet my own mo-mother couldn’t ever a-actually love me. God t-truly d-does prepare a hell most a-apt right?"

I asked, my voice low and quiet, "Who are you?"

Misana bit her lip and slowly looked away. Then she shook her head and forced herself to look back at me. I felt like I knew exactly, even if it made no sense, and I didn't know exactly how I would react. I tried my best to brace myself for what I knew would be said, even if I didn’t want to believe it. There was a mix of fear, anger, and misery in me that her face so clearly reflected. She took a shaking breath and looked me directly in the eye. I watched as her defeated face grew red and the tears ran down it. She took a shaking breath, and said, "I don’t k-know if you ever learned m-my name. B-but my na-name was Emily Cross. I...I was..I am the...one f-from the par-party that...that said you...assaulted me."