"How nice to see you again, Duke Vissier." The woman spoke, her head not moving. "Have we decided the reason for this visit?" Her deep red hair flowed down her dress, reminiscent of a waterfall tainted with blood.

  "I believe our interests align." The Duke said smiling through the darkness in the room. The woman's head tilted slightly.

  "You want me to kill my husband," she spoke with something that was both sinister and cheerful.

  He replied silently, nodding to her words.

  "Well, that makes things simple. I guess our interests align." She smiled. "But what's in it for you? I wonder..." She trailed off into silence. "If you're coming to me with such a request, you must gain something from all of this. I could wait a few more years, I'm patient. What do you have to convince me to kill him now?

  "He has a daughter." The Duke spoke.

  "Why should I care?" Her violet eyes narrowed.

  "It's Celia's." He answered.

  "Don't mess with me. Celia died ten years ago." She said, startled.

  "The child is ten years old." Vissier smiled cheerfully.

  There was a pause. The woman breathed heavily, trying to comprehend the situation.

  "Why haven't I heard about this before?" She seemed shaken.

  "It was under the Duke's orders. Everyone else knew but you."

  "Where is she?" The woman pleaded.

  "Don't be so alarmed! She's safe." Vissier seemed to understand her panic. "Even I know the heartbreak that comes with not seeing your someone akin to a daughter for years."

  "Where is she.

  "Wow, Madeline. You still have quite the temper."

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "Cut the crap, Vincent. WHERE IS SHE?

  "The forest." He replied.

  "THAT MOTHERFUCKER!"

  The room's lights came back on. Revealing the visage of Madeline Theomor. The Duchess.

  "How dare he! First he lies to me and says that Celia isn't in the fuckingfucking Do you know what happens to people that betray me, Vincent?"

  "Let's make this absolutely clear, Madeline. I couldn't tell you. The Duke made it impossible." Vissier told her.

  "FINE. I'm gonna kill that bastard." She chewed her nails.

  "That's why I came to you." He smiled.

  Back in the present, the Duke was in a coma. A very painful coma. Was it caused by the duchess? Who can say? No one can give proof or any evidence to show she did. Who would even hurt their husband? Currently not her!

  It took a few days for the Duchess to (allegedly) gather the materials to cast the spell she used. The spell she (allegedly) cast was a cruel one. It made the receiver spend months in a painful rest, fully conscious, able to feel every wrinkle of their bed sheets and die after one last stab of pain. He told Cassion to handle his duties before he was unable to speak, which was unfortunate. Even if Cassion had grown up, he deserved a long break from the pain his father put him through. She was proud of both of her sons for dealing with such an ass of a father. Both had been through so much during their formative years. And now, Madeline had found out that her niece, who was supposed to be in the town living a happy life with no relation to her father, WAS STUCK IN THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE IN THE ENTIRE DUCHY.

  Needless to say. She was angry.

  Madeline loved her sister, even if she was a bastard child. Her own father had an affair and Celia was the product of that. Nonetheless, they loved each other and when Celia was pregnant, she told Madeline to take care of her child if she ever disappeared. She couldn't even keep that promise. That husband of hers deserved to die a long and painful death for causing such pain to her sister. She even endured the process of creating heirs to keep her sister safe when they were threatened. But that bastard broke his own promise and now Madeline hadn't even been there for that poor child who had grown up in such a place. She felt ashamed of herself.

  After the Duke had been in that painful state for a few days, Madeline ventured out into the forest, stepping outside of her house for the first time in ten years. The forest had been enchanted by magic but it was quick work to get past those measly disorientation spells for a witch of her caliber. It wasn't easy to find the Tower that Vissier had described. Just because the forest was so dang huge!

  When she finally spotted it, she ran. No appreciation for the tears in her dress or the mess of her makeup. She knocked on the door frantically and when the door opened, she immediately hugged the girl who looked exactly like a mini version of her sister and shouted,

  "Ray-Ray!!", with excitement.