With Angel's hair washed clean and body scrubbed down, her maids got to work dressing her and preparing her for the day. Albeit a bit more quickly than normal, as the sounds from the room next door were becoming louder with each moment. Almost as if Courtlund was desperate for Angelique's attention for whatever reason today. Sitting at her vanity as her maids put her hair up, Angel held her silver whip in her hands tightly. 

She was more than happy to provide her 'beloved' older brother with the attention he so desperately wanted for ruining her morning. In the back of her mind, Angel had hoped for a singular quiet day to reminisce and silently say goodbye to this house that she had stayed in for so long. But it seemed even as she was leaving, the awful men of this awful family only saw fit to remind her of why she needed to leave in the first place.

Once dressed in a tight dress that hugged her body, Angelique made her way out of her room ignoring the fact that-- while she had requested something more modest. Her maids had hardly dressed her any differently than how she was normally dressed.

Angelique was dressed in a tight black and red dress that hugged her body and exposed her skin in odd places. Again, completely historically inaccurate for the time, but something that she had grown used to over the years. The shoulders of her dress were exposed as was her back… The collar-- if it could even be called that, of her dress was a thin strap of fabric held together by a single yet hard-working silver button.

Once stepping out into the hallway the door next door to Angel’s bedroom flew open and a young maid flew from inside hitting the opposite wall with great impact. Angelique’s maids flinched at the loud crack that was heard as the young woman curled up on the floor sobbing.

“Get her some medical attention, afterwards do your best to stay out of Courtlund’s line of sight,” Angelique ordered softly, The three maids looked at each other before quietly nodding. A hushed, “Yes, milady.” Came out of them before they quickly scooped up the fourth maid carrying her off to seek medical attention.

Angelique, now alone, was calm she still heard sounds of abuse happening within the room. Much clearer now that the door had been opened, a teapot was thrown against the wall closest to the doorway in the direction of the wall that was next to her room. 

She rolled her eyes understanding instantly that her ‘dearest’ older brother was causing this commotion on purpose. An annoyed sigh left her lips, she really hated it when he pulled this stunt. This was something Courtlund did from time to time growing up, Angel approached the spare bedroom slowly, her silver whip strapped to her side hanging off of the hip of her dress. 

How many times had he done this? How many times did she have to step in and stop his tantrums before he killed someone? Courtlund in the novel was a sadomasochistic psychopath. He terrorized the servants of the Hastings estate for years before Angelica showed up. Angelique often stayed out of his way seeming to opt for turning a blind eye to Courtlund’s behavior. 

Angel had attempted to do the same at first-- but there was only so much she could ignore. Angel’s eyes went to the pool of blood on the floor that she stepped in once she crossed the threshold of the room. What a disgusting vile creature, to make matters worse he wasn’t even an interesting monster. None of the Hastings men were. 

All of them in their own way were destructive without much purpose-- hardly better than pigs in Angie’s opinion. Hedonistic to a fault where their desire for decadence had become so twisted that simple pleasures of good food and company could no longer sate them. Whitfield and Courtlund were amongst the worse of the lot, though Seward was not two steps behind them. 

Esmund on the other hand-- well… Angel paused realizing she hadn’t interacted with the oldest all that much outside of brief moments as children. Esmund was always working, even when they were children, Courlund had been sequestered away by his nanny not having personally met Angel or his previous sister due to his naturally sickly nature… Between all of her brothers, she had been with Seward and Courtlund the most… 

How odd… 

Angel felt like there was more of a story there, but did not care enough to look into it. Rounding the corner Angel saw Courtlund kneeling over a young beastkin boy with his hands wrapped tightly around his throat. “I’ll teach you to treat the second son of the Hastings family so lightly!” Courtlund hissed through gritted teeth tightening his grip. Angel from what she could see, saw the poor boy’s face slowly turning from red to blue. Courlund was facing away, distracted with trying to murder this poor child for somehow mocking him.

Angelique Hastings in the book never spoke out against her brother’s behaviors. Often opting to either ignore them or participate as if in a desperate attempt to weave herself into the fabric of the family dynamics. As if she knew one day there would be a time in which she was thrown away. 

Angel had no such fears and in fact had looked forward to the day she was thrown away for years. Having tried several times to attempt to make that day come sooner previously. But because of this lack of fear and there was only so much Angel could ignore of this behavior… She-- in one fluid motion, unfurled her silver whip and without warning with a thunderous crack struck Courtlund on the back.

A cry of pain threw itself out of Courtlund’s lips as he jerked back releasing the young beastkin man. Gasping for air the boy through so miraculous effort scrambled out from under Courtlund’s grip. Courtlund having managed to recover went to reach for him but Angel struck again, harder this time. 

Courtlund collapsed on his hands and knees his white dress shirt stained red as blood seeped through the lashes. 

Courtlund turned slowly looking furious at first but his fury was replaced with an unreadable expression. “Sister…?” He asked lowly, “Hello Courtlund.” Angel greeted coolly, she looked around the room holding the handle to her whip tightly. She glanced down at the crystal and porcelain that was scattered on the ground. “You destroyed my crystalware collection.” Angel kicked the broken handle to the side. 

“That was worth fifty thousand selenites you know.” Angel looked back up at Courtland who slowly stood up dusting himself off. “So? I’ll get you a new set of plates.” He threw his hands up in a wide shrug as if not seeing the big deal. 

“There were only two sets made Courtlund the other is owned by the imperial family.” Angel pretended to seethe, she gritted her teeth for added effect. She didn’t give a damn about some transparent glowing plates. It was just some gift given to her by the imperial princess so she couldn’t get rid of them. “It was given to me by her highness Princess Selenia herself.” Angel gestured outward away from herself.

“So what? She only gave you them because she wanted to get a good word in for Esmund.” Courtlund scoffed, “And I thought you said you hated that bitch!” Courtlund exclaimed, Angel took a deep breath and stared at Courtlund admonishingly. “That bitch is the princess and it’s considered an insult to the imperial family if their gift gets destroyed. How do you expect for me to gain a good reputation for Father to find me a good husband if I go against the princess?” 

“I’m still failing to see your point sister. What other family could you possibly fit into?” Courtlund scoffed as if the idea of Angel leaving the Hastings family was so ridiculous. Angel glowered, “The imperial family, Courtlund.” Angel flatly replied, instantly Courtlund was disgusted. “Why would you want to marry that loser?!” He shrieked his voice cracking as he did.

“Because it’s what’s best for the family.” Angel rolled up her whip in her hands as he spoke, “Yes-- yes daddy’s little lap dog is parroting family values again.” Courtlund grumbled folding his arms. “You’d think with how much you love this family you’d just let Seward marry you.” Courtlund sneered at Angelique, “Oh yes, marry my little brother. For what? So I can hear you whine and complain about it? All that will happen is I’ll have two whiny and useless husbands with no rights to succession.” Angel replied sharply, “If I’d marry anyone it’d be Esmund. At least he knows when to shut up.” Angel spat. 

Esmund was best known in the family for not talking much. Essentially Esmund was a taller and more stoic version of Whitfield. He was more of a do-er than a talker in Angie’s opinion. Even in the book it was just the type to get stuff done rather than stand around and talk about it.

“Please I could be the heir if I wanted!” Courtlund insisted with a pout on his lips, he sounded more like a young man arguing with his sister about something trivial rather than marrying her and taking over the family. “Sure you could Courtlund.” Angel rolled her eyes. “As I’m sure you could pluck the stars out of the night sky.” Angel exaggerated, “Maybe it’s time you stop listening to that nonsense your nanny put in your head and grow up.” 

Courtlund glared at her looking furious, “What? Not going to try to strike me too?” Angelique mocked. “I’m leaving!” Courtlund shouted with a face red with fury, Courtlund wouldn't be able to do anything to Angel. At least not while she had her whip in her hands. The second Hastings's son had long since learnt to be wary of her when she brandished her whip. Angelique smiled, just as Courtlund went to walk out of the room, Angelique’s whip struck the floor cracking the tile. 

“What the fuck is your problem?!” Courtlund swore, Angelique rolled her whip back up and glared at him. “Don’t think you’re leaving so soon brother.” Courtlund went visibly stiff. “You broke family property and damaged two workers.” Angelique sneered at him, “Father says it’s thirty lashings. You’re not above the rules just like I’m not.” Courtlund bawked at this, “So what you’re still going to do everything Daddy says?!” Cortland stammered.

“Our daddy is the Duke of Hastings, and if he says thirty lashings for property damage then it’s thirty lashings for property damage,” Angelique replied snidely moving in Courtlund’s way to the door. “You can’t be serious?!” Courtlund whined, “You broke my crystalware and ruined my morning…” Angel replied, “What do you think?”