Unbound Book 1: The Failed Duke

CHAPTER SIX: CHILDREN AND MEN

Inside of a stone castle, there was a room lit exclusively by blue light.

One of the people in this room was a middle aged man who was on his haunches by the fireplace.

He was dressed in a long coat with a collar that went all the way up his neck and wore a long sleeved shirt underneath. The man also had brown hair that had begun to gray, and a ring on every finger except for his left ring finger, which instead was much lighter than the rest of the skin on his body.

The fireplace he stood in front of blazed brightly, as it heated up a branding iron.

Once it was red hot, the man pulled it out and got to his feet.

Upright, the man walked over to Lucan, who was held down on his knees by two armored knights,with a gag shoved in his mouth.

The man got down on his haunches once more and began to run his hand around Lucan's face. "Now, make sure he doesn't squirm too much. If he dies, then Conner is going to make it my problem, and if it becomes my problem."

He looked at the two nights that held Lucan down and said, "Well, let's just say you will be in a rather unenviable position."

"Yes Duke Byleth," the two men said simultaneously.

With that, Duke Byleth got back to his feet and held out the branding iron to Elena.

When he saw the way she looked at the brand, he began to click his tongue. "Listen Elena, I think it's the responsibility of the old and dying to pass down their wisdom to the next generation."

Duke Byleth forced the brand into her hand and said, "Tell me, do you know the difference between a man and a child?"

Elena looked at the floor and mumbled something.

At that Duke Byleth grabbed her by her hair and yelled into her ear, "Speak up! I can't hear a damn word you're saying!"

Elena began to sob as she said, "I. I don't."

"Clearly."

He let go and walked over to Lucan. "The difference is simple."

Duke Byleth made a motion with his hand and the two people who held Lucan let go.

He walked behind Lucan and grabbed his head, where he forced him to look up. "A child simply stands there, paralyzed by the thought of leaving their mark on the world, whereas a man."

He pushed Lucan's head further forward as he said, "A man leaves his mark and cares not for the opinions of children who are too cowardly to leave any impression."

Duke Byleth looked at Elena and asked, "Now tell me Elena, which would you rather be? A child, living a simple life, pumping out children until your body rots from the inside out, or are you interested in finding what lies outside the nursery."

Elena squeezed the branding iron, and thought about everything that brought her to this moment.

She looked at Lucan, a fire in her eyes, and Lucan began to shake his head, forced to stop once Duke Byleth strengthened his hold on him. "Good. Good. Now Elena, make your first mark."

Elena walked over, and Lucan looked at her, tears beginning to fall as she slowly got closer to him.

Once she was close enough, she bent down and pressed the hot iron onto Lucan's face, directly under his left eye.

Lucan screamed as loudly as he could while gagged, his fingers twitching as the pain set every nerve in his body alight.

At first, Elena only pressed the brand lightly, but after a few moments, she began to press it harder, and harder against Lucan's face.