Enthralled By You

7| Healing Fire

ZADRAL MANOR

"What is it?" Lady Razzini inquired impatiently when Lord Heron remained silent after reading the parchment. She's been walking nonstop inside the library.

"Hanaya is held captive."

"What?" She gasped, she clutched her chest tightly. "Who are they?" Worried lines became more visible in her flawless face.

He leaned on the table trying to hide his trembling hand from holding the parchment. "It's the Lord of Calrassus."

"No..." Lady Razzini slump at the nearest couch, she turned pale. "Why would he take Hanaya? What did he want?"

"He wanted to stop the Marble quarry in Hannan region."

"If he wanted to stop the quarry, he can do it himself. There's no need to take our daughter away." Lady Razzini rushes towards him. She had this kind of motherly instinct that her daughter is in great danger. "Why did he take Hanaya—they said he abducts ladies whenever he pleases!"

"Don't fret yourself believing that hearsay. It's not true, he won't send an envoy if he didn't want to give our daughter back." He skims at the parchment again. "At least, he's not that inconsiderate at all."

"And you're glad about that?" She slammed her fist on the table. "I told you before that you shouldn't let Hanaya be included in the selection. I shouldn't have trusted you! I've heard he even treated the crown prince as his puppet! Hanaya will be condemned for life after her abduction spreads out! How could you let our daughter be tangled in this mess?"

He's contemplating why he let himself get involved in this trouble. But why did the Lord would want him to stop his venture in Hannan? He's uncertain if he could bail her daughter out unscathed.

The Lord of Calrassus is not a common opponent to begin with. Back to those days when some lords dared to challenge him, they were all wiped out and vanished without any traces.

It was believed that he possessed an extraordinary and out of this world ability. Some even said he's an elemental deity that descended in the mortal realm. But it's baseless and absurd. It's just a rubbish tale only fools would like to believe. But whether if it's rumor or not, everyone knows that the Lord of Calrassus is someone they shouldn't dare to mess with.

"How could you ever think that you could win a battle against him?"

"I didn't know that some minorities in Hannan have sought assistance from the Lord of Calrassus. Gormeli had told me that the venture in Hannan was clear and been running under his control. I didn't expect things could go worse—"

Lady Razzini angrily slashed an air that made some books and papers went flying inside the library. "Your dealings with Gormeli—that greedy man, you should stop it! I'm telling you! Just look what your greed had served you. Your daughter was in grave danger right now!"

The Lord became motionless. He knows exactly what to do when the Lady had her temper out of hand. He breathed out when she calms down. "Don't worry, everything will be alright." He uttered but there's a trace of uncertainty in it, he knows that their daughter might be in danger.

Lady Razzini looked at him disdainfully. "You dared to mess up with him. And now Hanaya took responsibility to your greed. You've never changed. You've always grasp anything without thinking possible consequences of your decisions."

He became silent as he went limp on his high-back chair.

Lady Razzini heaved a laborious sigh upon seeing the despondent appearance of the lord. "What are you planning to do now?"

He took a glance from the partly-rolled parchment on his table. He looked at the ornamented scroll with distraught as if every rich and bold word written in it was an augury. "He expected an emissary to relay my message tomorrow. But I think I should go in Calrassus and talk to him personally about our deal. He's going to release Hanaya after everything is settled."