***
"Mom! Dad! Are you sure you are able to come back home before Christmas?" Myrene excitedly called on the phone.
"Of course, sweetie. "We even brought you some souvenirs from our business trip!""
"Yes! Please hurry home alright? I have also surprised both of you!"
"We will be there before Christmas Eve."
"I really miss you, mom, dad for these two days that you are gone."
"We miss you too, sweetie."
"Myrene!"
"Your parents!"
***
"Mother," with the sudden memory of the past, she tucked her knees closer to her even more and buried her head. 'I want to ask anyone why is this happening? Is this because I didn't stop her in the end? It was like the past life, because of my selfishness, my parents died.
And yet here... It's because this time I got too complacent. This is all my fault again. I-I can't save her and now even my brother...' Myrene's eyes widened as if a sudden realization came to her.
'Yes, I still have brother! I need to get my brother!'
Click!
Myrene glanced at the door when she heard it being unlocked.
"You're awake." That cold voice made Myrene stiffened from her seat.
She glared at Frayah as soon as she entered the room.
Frayah gave a sideway glance to the untouched food of Myrene. "It seems you didn't touch your food. It's completely understandable since your mother has recently passed away that you have no appetite. But you need to eat. Or else you might get sick." Frayah said with worry visible on her face. "I don't want that to happen."
Right now, she sounded like someone concerned which made Myrene wanted to puke in disgust.
Myrene remained silent as she concentrated on every action Frayah would take against her. Unlike the sinister outfit Frayah wore before in the forest, she was back to her regular prim and perfect maid appearance. Another set of food was in her palm. She'd probably fall for her act if it weren't for the chains on her feet and what she witnessed in the forest.
She was the reason why she was not able to save her mom.
Frayah simply casted a gentle smile on the girl who was extremely glaring at her.
"Ah, don't look at me like that as if it was my fault. In fact, I didn't even do anything and she just suddenly fell on the cliff like that. I just prevented both of you from harming yourselves by falling off the cliff as well."
Frayah slowly walked towards her.
"With that kind of magic, you can save mother, which you didn't do! And that contented expression you had as mother fell down! I'll never forget it!"
Myrene immediately jumped out from her bed to go to the other side. But that was how far she could go with the chains binding her foot.
Frayah seemed unbothered by Myrene's words along with the hostility and wariness directed to her. She replaced the untouched food on the table.
She then turned towards Myrene. "Young lady, being on the floor might get you some cold."
"You lock me here for I don't know how long! And yet you are now worried for my well being!"
"Young lady, you seemed to be misunderstanding things. This is all for your safety and protection." Once again, those strange red liquid that bound Myrene back then enveloped her. It carried her back to the bed. From there. Myrene could see that this liquid came exactly from Frayah who was manipulating it with her hands.
She struggled to get off the liquid but it was stronger than any rope completely binding her. Myrene could only glare more to Frayah when she was just beside her now. Frayah just looked at her with a smile.
She leaned closer to Myrene's right ear. "You are nothing but still a weak child right now. That is why you can't save your mother." Her usual concerned voice changed now into cold and sinister ones. "And if you want to see your brother alive again," Frayah looked directly at Myrene's eyes and caressed her face. Myrene tensed up at the mention of her brother.
"I will be your new mother now, my dear daughter. So you must listen and obey everything that I say."
"Never in my life, I will call you my mother!"
"You will be used to it, since that is the only way where you can see your brother." Her hands stopped at Myrene's eyes. "And those eyes. Those eyes are really just exactly like his, your father, his greatness, the demon lord! Oh How beautiful!" Frayah caressed Myrene's face even more. Her face held a euphoric expression.
Myrene couldn't help but tighten her fist. The thing she refused to believe and the reason her mother, she and her brother tried to flee. With eyes that were like the shimmering rubies, no. It was not the color of rubies but the color of blood... It was the perfect evidence that she was the demon lord's daughter.
"Let's start by having you eat this food now, my dear daughter."
"Do you think I will eat that! I will never have anything from you!" Myrene yelled again at Frayah. "And don't call me your daughter! I only have one mother in this world." Letting out all the frustrations inside her.
Frayah's eyes glistened with madness hearing her words. Without wasting any more words, she grabbed Myrene's mouth.
"Sadly dear, like I said you are nothing but a weak child right now." Frayah grabbed the spoon and forced Myrene to eat the food.
"Mmm..." Myrene tried her best to spit out the food but Frayah blocked her mouth until she was able to swallow the food.
Frayah let out a satisfied grin seeing that Myrene had eaten the food she prepared.
Myrene's eyes started to become dull and her head became fuzzy.
That was when Frayah freed Myrene. "A child should always be obedient to their parents. Because I only want what's best for you." She gently scooped the girl in her embrace and caressed her hair. Myrene's vision were getting hazy. She wanted to push Frayah away but it seemed her body refused to listen to her.
"My dear daughter, we can finally start a new life. I will train you and your brother until you become worthy to be given a name by your father. And together we will become one big happy family that will reign above everyone."