a home on flames

now.

after five days of walking Baronet Acton Becker has finally arrived at his residence. his home was mostly completely destroyed by what it seems to be arson.

the Becker residence was burned until only ashes and parts of what used to be a mansion are the only things that are left. the only part of the mansion that was saved, is the inner garden.

everything around of the mansion was also burned, it was burned so badly that no tree was left untouched. it was so bad that it doesn't seem like anything will ever grow again, on that land that used to be green.

there is only one tree that was left standing. a part of the tree was gray. there are two corpses hanging from it. both corpses have their faces covered by a bag. one is the corpse of a young male, the other one belongs to a young female.

the corpse of the male was badly burned on the legs, on the arms, half of its torso was burned to. it is like, if the fire was only interested on the male corpse. was he alive? was he dead when the fire touch him? he will never know.

the branch holding the corpses breaks. the Baronet walks slowly towards the dead bodies. he takes the bags off their faces. he recognizes the face of his eldest son, Acton Becker the 5th. he also recognized the face of his son's wife.

"no, you stupid, stupid boy. I told you to stay away."

yields the Baronet as he holds his son's corpse.

the Baronet screams with horror and pain. the worst horror to ever happen a man, is to be witness of his offspring's demise. the screaming keeps going for hours until the Baronet's voice is no longer there.

after some time, Baronet Acton Becker the 4th bury the corpses. he was so broken from inside, jet he keeps hoping to find his other children alive.

he looks at the wound on his stomach. he forgot about that wound, it was still there. the pain was there to remind him that he is alive. he lost so much blood that he should be dead by now, maybe it was his will to see his children that kept him alive.

somehow among the ashes he found the tools to take care of his wound. he wasn't ready to die on his lands nor without finding his children, alive or dead.

the sky became darker, the Baronet decided to stay the night on his property before leaving. he chose to spend one last night on his home. he wasn't able to properly say goodbye to his son. Sir Baronet Acton Becker stayed the whole night crying.

"I will have my revenge. I will avenge my fallen family. I will reclaim my rightful place."

yields the Baronet with rage.

.....

five days ago.

Holly Becker is on the garden. she is reading books about medicine. she is waiting for her father, she knows that he has been doing something illegal without warning anyone from the family. she is afraid that he will put his own self on danger.

her father left to have a meeting with some friends. he promised to come back home before diner was ready. she wants to talk with her father about something important. she heard about the assassination of the king, she also heard about many battles among noblemen & noblewomen for power.

a butler tells Holly that there are some knights who came to the Becker residence. the knights seem to be suspicious. the butler recommends her to hide. every servant from this home cares for their Lords.

Holly leaves the garden. she walks on the main hallway. she looks out a window. she is witness of how her brother Acton Becker the 5th receives the guests with open arms. the young man and his wife are trying to pleased the knights.

among all the knights the man leading them is Cole Cotton. he sends all of his men around of the castle making sure that they find every living person on the mansion. he wants to find every servant or lord who lives in there.

Cole is just following orders. it doesn't please him to kill nobles or commoners who don't know how to hold a sword. a knight tells him that they have taken all the servants to the garden. Holly Becker walks in front of Cole with two knights at her side.

Cole takes the sword from a knight. he starts talking about some random shit. he walks around the couple. Cole knows what he has to do.

"this is going to be hard for me. so please do hate me."

said Cole as he tries to be ready.

"don't be. my father is a fool, this house was meant to fall."

said the young man waiting for what is meant to happen.

Cole steps behind the wife of Sir Becker the 5th. he stabs her from behind. he stabs her on the heart making sure that she died on seconds before feeling any pain. he then steps in front of the young Sir.

he didn't hate nor blame the knight. tears are falling from the noble's eyes. he felt rage towards his own father's sins. he felt sorrow for his wife's death. he felt many feelings at the same time, he never felt hate towards those who are doing their job.

Cole stabs the nobleman twice. he falls on his knees. he is looking up at the ceiling. his eyes are losing focus. he spits blood. his breathing becomes faster. he looks at Cole before his last breathe. he then falls. finally dead, to rest with his lover on the after world. or that is what Cole hopes to happen.

"please don't destroy the garden. I wish for there to be something, something for my father to hold, when he comes home."

said Holly with teary eyes.

Cole gives the order to his people. they force to kneel every butler, every maid and even cooks. Cole executes them all. he shoots at them until none is left alive. he then gives the order to his people to burn the mansion and its surroundings.

Holly was taken alive inside of a carriage as she looks at the residence of her family on flames. she is witness of how the knights hang the dead bodies of her brother and his wife. they hang the bodies to mock the Baronet.

Cole gets inside of the carriage with her. Cole tells her that she is no longer a noble. she will be sold like a slave. he admits to not agree with his boss's orders, but he always follows every given order.

.....

now.

Sir Baronet Acton Becker wakes up. the light of the morning reminds him that he is alive. he tries to stand up. his body is too weak. he is walking slowly. there is a bird in front of him. a bird singing a song to him.

Sir Acton Becker looks around of the ruins of his home one last time. he hears a sound. there is a carriage awaiting for him. inside of it is someone who is willing to help a friend in problems. inside of it is a nobleman who has been discreet with his own actions.

Sir Acton was expecting to be forgotten by everyone. he thought that maybe no one will have the courage to help him on a moment like this, on a moment of need.

Duke Lucan Whitby is inside of the carriage with Saer Manley. the Baronet gets inside of the carriage. he sits next to the Duke. he looks at his two colleagues. he seems to be pale, he looks like a ghost. Duke Lucan Whitby offers him some soup.

"I am grateful for your help. I want to find my children. I need to save at least one of them. I don't feel my soul. I feel like victim of rage."

said the Baronet with tearful eyes.

Saer Manley offers his help in exchange for his loyalty. Duke Lucan is already a loyal server under the command of the prince. prince Saer Manley has won the loyalty of many by helping them on their moment of need.

the prince isn't only playing politics or conspiracy with the enemies of his family. what the prince is doing, is trying to win the loyalty of those who can be important to him on a future. a powerful man needs powerful people following his command.

the Baronet is soulless, he seems to be lost in thoughts. he needs to find about his children, before he lose his own sanity.

Duke Lucan has doubts about the capacity of a man, who is losing his own sanity. the Duke wanted to leave him behind. it was the prince who convince him to give one last opportunity to the Baronet.

"fear not my good friend. Sir Becker your son is safe at our side."

said the prince while reading a letter.

finally there is peace on the face of the Baronet.

.....

then.

Holly is on a carriage with Cole. the road is mostly quiet. Cole is looking away. he doesn't like a job that has nothing to do with killing on a battlefield. Cole expected the young lady to be crying, begging for her freedom, cursing or even trying to take her own life. but she is just quiet and peaceful. is like if she didn't care about her own future.

Cole wants to ask why? why aren't you angry or sad for your self? why aren't you sad or angry for your brother, and his wife? why aren't you showing any emotional sign? there are many questions on his head, but he dares to ask none.

"death & slavery, both things are evil and sinister. there is no good in those words. the reason why I don't even care now, is so unknown to me."

said Holly as she feels empty.

there is the answer Cole wanted. well what he wanted wasn't that answer in particular, what he wanted was an answer to his curiosity. now he asks himself if that answer was ever needed or necessary.

Holly understands why he is curious. she understands the human emotions. but she doesn't feel so emotional nor human. there is something inside of her that is broken, and she knows that. she knows it.

"I know nothing about you or your life. I hope you can find peace one day. this world or the next one, they all are cruel to some, they all are peaceful to others."

said Cole in a cold tone.

Holly understands that this man is trying to be nice. she is a prisoner and he tries to give her some kind of peace. he is nice when it isn't his job to be.

"I listen to the tongue of many, I can hear the tone of emotions. the more I think about it, the more I wish to be more human, human enough to feel, to feel like most do. in the end I am just an empty vessel, a vessel that lacks emotions."

said Holly with tearful eyes.

it is clear that whatever happened to her on the past, it took away from her the possibility to feel human. now she is in this world lost inside of her own skin.

Cole looks at his watch. he tells her that soon they will arrive at her new home. he doesn't feel well using those words. that is no home if it is a future hell.

the carriage stops. Cole gets out of it. Holly follows him. they stop in front of a brothel. a prostitute named Lucy gets out to welcome them.

Cole tells Lucy why he is in there. he asks her to take care of Holly. she is soon to be sold. well those are the orders of the prince. Cole says goodbye before leaving.