A Shadow of Light |girlxgirl|

Chapter 1

As his panting and agitated figure loomed above her, barely visible in the shadows encompassing the smaller tents, a blurred memory slowly formed in her mind.

The man seated next to her in the back row had turned slightly towards her, and offered her a piece of candy before the show started.

Seated away from Father as she had been in the darkness, with Mother and the little triplets between them, she had thought he would not notice her gratefully accept the small, sugary sweet.

Berating herself for once again lowering her guard, Liana opened her mouth to quickly spill out an excuse.

Before her mind could scramble for anything of semi-coherence, Father fell upon her, clenched fists leaving a tirade of swollen bruise on her arms, her check, her chest.

She had thought this night would be decent.

Since she had begun living with the Thompsons’ three years ago, Liana was not often let out of the house.

Mostly, she had been occupied with helping Nina, her Mother, with housework, or caring for the three bundles of destruction otherwise known as her sisters.

And, of course, Father wished for his Favourite Daughter to always be present and accounted for, so he could spend time bonding with her.

If only Mother had known this bonding only consisted of Father’s body connecting with Liana’s in hatred and desire.

But she would never tell her.

Liana did not want to sully the perfect haven created when the influential family took her in from the streets.

This night, where Mother insisted they all go out and enjoy themselves as a family, had held the promise of fun, or at the very least a few hours of reprieve from a beating.

Seems Liana had been wrong, as usual.

Presently, Father continued to expunge his jealous rage through beating her, like one would a strung out blanket, to remove from it dust and dirt.

If only the impurities layering her soul could be so easily removed.

Before her instincts could kick in, and cause her to attempt to curl into herself, her frazzled mind registered an odd sound.

Akin to the smoothly confident hiss of a snake, it grew in volume and echoed in the empty space.

After a few more solid hits, one of which trapped the air in her lungs, Father also heard the disturbing noise.

He froze, and quickly stood from his kneeled position – frightened that someone may have noticed his actions.

No-one had ever caught him in the act of behaving anything less than a giving and charming Chancellor and family man.