Warning: Mention of blood, suicide/suicide ideation. 

It was late afternoon once Suzette arrived back at her home, Beatrice teasing her with how long she had stayed there, then perhaps they should pack her things. Suzette was startled by this and meekly responded, "Well...he had a fever...as a possible candidate I should check and see how he's doing..."

            Beatrice didn't seem to buy that, as she was filled with wisdom in her old age, but she decided not to go further with her teasing, she wouldn't want Suzette to distance herself. She returned home just before dinner and even though Cynthia only had a few sessions, she seemed a bit brighter--closer to her former self. Which they were all excited to see.

            "Father," Cynthia began, setting down her fork and knife with a slightly clank against the table.

            "Yes?" Harold was surprised she was talking, she has barely said a word the past few days--to them at least. He was thankful the therapist seemed to be helping.

            "I want to pick up the sword." Cynthia blurted out and nearly everyone spit out their drink. She looked at him with pleading eyes as he began dabbing his face with a handkerchief, "Can't I please, father?"

            "Well, I, that's fine, but...why do you want to wield a sword? Did you decide to become a knight?"

            "No, I, I'm really grateful that you made me learn self-defense...but, it wasn't enough, if I was stronger and more skilled...then maybe I could've prevented this from happening...or I could've been able to escape on my own." She seemed to be struggling with the words she chose and everyone listened in carefully.

            "I won't stop you, but I have some conditions, firstly, I want you to eat better--don't think I haven't seen you picking at your plate tonight, two, your studies will be your main priority--if you keep up your good grades than I have no problems, but lastly--and most importantly, I want you to tell us how you're feeling. Don't keep it bottled up--if you're upset or scared we're here to comfort you. If you're happy we want to share and spread your happiness, okay?" Harold told her, it seems she wasn't the only one, her knights had undergone harsh training as they couldn't forgive themselves for her capture.

            "Yes, father!" Her face showed a smile that hasn't been seen in days, it warmed everybody's heart. Once that was settled, Harold turned to Suzette, "So I heard you visited Duke Chelvion today?"

            "Ah, yes! I received word that he had a fever so I went to check on him, did me leaving worry you?"

            "No, it's fine, but be careful not to fall ill." Harold reminded her, while he didn't necessarily want her leaving the house, she was near a grown woman with the thought of marriage being a possibility more as time went on. So he knew he wouldn't be able to prevent her from leaving, he also didn't want there to be bad blood between them--with what had happened, that was the last thing that he wanted.

            "Of course not, I'll be careful, father." Suzette smiled, and both her parents locked eyes with one another. They knew that she had fallen for him and while they didn't necessarily want to give her away--they were happy that she found someone she'd love and care for and have the same done onto her in the future.  

Duke Theodore went back down into his prison, the prime suspect--now convict was bound and was not allowed to eat or drink anything. The man he put in an essential slave contract was almost out of his grasp--the doctors had to smuggle in a separate contract stone for them to resonate and repel one another, just to figure out where exactly it was in the stomach.

            After a few hours of surgery and lots of anesthesia, he was patched back up, and a stone covered in blood and fluid was removed. Once he came to he felt very thankful, that now he could die on his own terms and not implode everything around him.

            "Are you sure you want to die?" Duke Theodore asked him, holding onto a dagger.

            "Yes, even though it was against my will, I still rose my blade against children. I can never forgive myself...and thus, this is my way of atoning." The man was quite calm, talking about his eventual planned death. Duke Theodore understood and handed him the dagger, as they had confiscated his sword days prior during his arrest.

            Duke Theodore wanted to tell him, he should live out his life in place of those children, but held his tongue, that would be a cruel punishment--and even more so if the parents found out, he would never have a peaceful day again in his life. He could see them stoning him and much more. With the man's hands unbound, he swiftly pulled the dagger into his stomach--directly into the wound they had just sewn up so there'd be no surviving it.

            Duke Theodore was there watching him in his last moments--still using the last of his strength to make sure the dagger stayed within him, and closed his eyes for him so he could find solace, "Rest well, unnamed one." Even until the end, he never revealed his name--having it associated with the acts he was forced to do was probably a part of it, and so Duke Theodore decided not to pressure him.

            After Duke Theodore took a step back, he examined the man's face--he looked so peaceful. If not for the fact that the convict has been deprived of everything--he would normally be fearful that he was next. They quickly reported the unknown man's death and then buried him afterwards in an unmarked grave. He knew his investigation team would figure out his name eventually and they figured they'd add it once this catastrophe began to leave the majority of people's minds. Not long after, the doctors were completely finished with all ten girls autopsies, he read their reports which he would later add into his own. He clenched his teeth--like expected, all the dead girls were on the older side. He glowered at the vile waste of air in front of him, who didn't react at all from his deprivation.

            He took a deep breath to calm himself--soon enough, that vile creature would never hurt anyone again. With much caution, they added the girls into a casket and decorated them with flowers. They were ready to be sent back to their families, not to mention the splitting of assets for those families was almost complete as well all that was left was for the bank to complete the task, the emperor stood part observing the whole thing. Duke Theodore half expected that the emperor wanted to reclaim some of that land for himself but held his tongue as the emperor had said nothing.

            Once the families received the caskets, they saw their daughters surrounded by beautiful, fresh flowers in full bloom, after the autopsies, they were cleaned up--makeup and all, it looked like they were merely sleeping. The parents cradling their deceased daughters faces. Duke Theodore kept to his carriage and even that was unbearable. He could see their cries and hear their wails from inside, a part of him wondered, what those girls dreamed of doing in the future that they can't achieve anymore. He had hoped that their next lives were a blissful one.

            Eventually, the carriage was on its move again and he was counting down the hours until the execution began the next day--after the emperor finally decided on a date.

            Once the next morning arrived, Suzette's father, Harold was already getting dressed and on his way out, Suzette noticed it and asked him where he was going.

            "The execution is today, I'll be in attendance." He answered and she clenched her fists.

            "Father, please let me join you!" She still was dead-set on giving that bastard a piece of her mind.

            "Absolutely not." His adamant answer came faster than she could even fully finish her sentence. She frowned and that didn't work on him either, "I'll give him a piece of mind from the both of us, I don't want you to see something as gruesome as an execution."

            She sighed, seemingly giving up. She waved to her father as he set off and wondered if perhaps Duke Theodore would be willing to escort her there, or would he also be the same as her father.

            She decided to think of a plan, she didn't want to use her friend as an excuse, but she thought that that might be the only way to get out of the house. She was prepared to face any punishment that her father gave her afterwards. She inwardly apologized to her friend again. She asked for a carriage to be prepared and once she exited out of it, right out of the Clandence's estate, she sent it away.

            The estate was not far from the city square where the execution was taking place so she began to walk that way.