Moon Glaive

Chapter 10: Indu

"Alright, I won't press you to answer that question. But what I must hear an answer for is how you know the Count." He said in a frighteningly calm tone.

He won't take no for an answer. Indu shivered and looked at her father with the cutest eyes she could muster, but unfortunately, he was having none of it.

"I'm not letting you off the hook for this one."

"Ok..." Indu meekly replied and spilled everything, from meeting the troll to Axer carrying her back to the town. The entire time her head remained down as if speaking to the floor.

"You....you...you...!" Her father's voice contained a terrible tremble, and she hesitantly looked up.

His face paled considerably, and his whole shook. His wide eyes stared at Indu as if witnessing a ghost. Indu could almost hear his heartbeat through his clothes. But more so than that, Indu felt the palpable wrath building within him. But all of a sudden, everything calmed. His heartbeat returned to normal, color returned to his face, and his body ceased to tremble.

"You're grounded for a week. Don't even think about stepping out of the house."

"But, father-!"

"I will tell the library that certain circumstances prevent you from doing your job. They have no choice but to accept my explanation lest they wish to be removed." Her father snarled.

For the rest of the carriage ride, he remained silent. No matter how much Indu begged, he didn't entertain her pleading. Eventually, she stopped, but her anger and sadness festered within her like a tumor.

Indu dove onto her bed when they arrived home, hugging her orange blanket close. She burst into tears, sobs wracking her body. She didn't know why she was crying. Was it because of Axer's disgust? Her father's punishment? Her reckless mountain endeavor nearly killing her? Not knowing the answer but still soaking in the sadness deep within, Indu shed tears until her tear ducts were dry.

Why does he ban me from work? He's never done this before. She hugged the blanket closer. She hadn't even changed yet, so the beautiful dress was beginning to get soiled. Reluctantly changing and throwing on a white nightgown, Indu collapsed back on the bed. It only then did she ruminate on her actions.

...well, I never left the town without guards before, so I guess it isn't unfair to be punished...

Although Indu understood it rationally, she still hated her punishment. Being cooped up at home like a dog in a pen hurt her emotionally. She wanted to roam the town and explore its exterior, but she wanted to do her job the most.

Ever since she turned 18, Indu had worked as a librarian at Ambrose Town's sole library. It had a fee to enter, so not everyone could access its knowledge, but many people still visited it. She was never idle, always doing something or the other – sorting books, managing files, purchasing more books, helping customers, and much more – and it gave her purpose.

As the daughter of the Town Chief, the people who knew Indu assumed her to be a girl with a gold spoon (which wasn't entirely inaccurate, her dad certainly spoiled her and Aniya, but it was more like a silver spoon than a gold one) and not have many skills. She wanted, no, needed, to prove them wrong, to show them that she was as useful as anyone else. Hence why her librarian job was so important and why she descended into a fit of tears when her father banned her from it for a week.

Will he change his mind a few hours later...? With that final thought, Indu fell asleep, her mind and body exhausted from the busy day.

...

The dying rays of day poked through her window. The dusk sky had only begun emerging. Indu hugged her pillow closer to herself, wanting to sleep some more. Faint, indiscernible voices came from below, followed by muffled footsteps.