Tempest & Temptation

ℌ𝔬𝔴 𝔐𝔢𝔰𝔰𝔶 𝔖𝔥𝔞𝔩𝔩 ℑ𝔱 𝔅𝔢?

"Mental and not physical? Odd that sounds familiar," Lord Sutherton had added.

They were harmless in nature, but those words struck Erin so intensely she slammed her wine glass down hard against the table. Her eyes glued to him, a simmering fire starting in her chest.

"How dare you." Erin's tongue was on fire as she glared at her father. "Do not ever, mention Sabina that way!" she spat, on the border of a yell.

"Excuse me?" Her father turned an iron stare on her. "Whom are you talking to?"

For a moment, the force of his voice and his glare impaled her. In that long tense moment, she was stunted and restricted to a quiet stare.

She knew she should stop and resist adding anymore fuel to the growing flame. But she couldn't stop herself, and her mouth opened before she tamed her tongue. "I spoke clearly."

"E-Erina, what is this sudden outburst?" Lady Sutherton hurried out words. "Your father was not even talking about Sabina, so end your temper, now." She peaked at her husband, and worriedly placing a hand on his arm. "Daviyd." She gripped her husband's hand and looked back to Ezra. "Mister Ezra, please just continue with your---."

"---Sabina is not crazy. You all just want her to be crazy so you have to an excuse to remove her from your lives. Be honest, you want an excuse not the truth! I bet you don't even know where Sabina is. I bet you haven't really spoken or seen her, because you want to let the First Prince Kaelixson-Nier 'handle her'. And his handling is likely to simply trap her away like some object he can put and take off a shelf!"

"Erin," Lady Sutherton whispered.

"Be honest!"

"No, enough of your horrid mouth!" Lord Sutherton hissed at her with a boiling hot snarl. "I'm tired of hearing you speak. We have told you the matter with Sabina is not something that concerns you!"

"You would have nothing concern me, Lord Sutherton." Her voice was coarse as she stressed with a honing of eyes.

"Erina, stop. Do not anger your father any further," Lady Sutherton said, pain prickling her like a thorn. She felt loose hairs so brushed her hair back and swallowed with chapped lips.

Erin's fingers coiled into the palm of her fist. She was entering dangerous territory, but couldn't stop. "You know, I keep thinking about that night." Her lips started to tremble. "I keep thinking about how Sabina came to us beaten and battered, and somehow you two still had the heart to send her away!"

"Darling." She held a wavering, forlorn and sad gaze with her daughter. "You have spoken enough, please just stop," she whispered, swiping a broken glance towards her threateningly stoic husband. "Your aunt is recovering. I don't know why you need to push on seeing her. She is unwell and is being stabilized from her madness by Prince Kaelixson-Nier. He is keeping her safe and away from any stressors. Do you really think she will be in the mind to handle other matters like seeing you?"

"Other matters? You think she thinks of me like a fleeting thought like am I to you two?"

"This is exactly why we had to send you away for your own good, Erina. You were and are being so hysterical, of course something had to be done."

"Hysterical?" Her eyes ballooned, a scathing scoff escaping.

"Yes, hysterical. Insane almost."

"You think I'm the one who's insane?" Her glare pierced her mother.

"No, I think Sabina's psychosis is affecting you."