12 The struggle

"For old times sake, I thought- let me Come and walk my sister home from school "

"Let's go then Baronie" I grab his hand excitedly and start walking.

"I told you, I do not like that name" He mumbles.

As we were walking I tell him everything that happened today at school.

He suddenly halts and grabs my shoulders

"El, Unless you refuse the bad things happening to you, you will continue to suffer from your own consent!" he shouts while shaking me.

" ok-aay, I g-ot itt, st-opp shaking me!" I say while struggling to speak properly.

He halts and looks at me with a smile. It is a cloudy day today - The warm sun that was hidden by the clouds throughout the day beams and kisses his face

"Never give up little sister," He says with a bright smile

I smile back but I notice two figures coming towards us from behind Baron- men in black, one wearing neck gaiters and the other balaclava but both men wearing dark shades. I start to feel tense, something doesn't feel right. The sound of the engine getting closer and the sound of the tyres crunching on the rocks-I slightly turn and out of the corner of my eye, I see a black Mercedes speedily approaching where we were standing.

It suddenly stops right next to us, leaving tire marks on the road. Everything happens in slow motion-before I could process what was happening, Baron grabs me and covers me with his body.

I hear gunshots, three fired from behind baron and six from the direction of the car

"what's going on? "

I feel Baron's body shake as we fall to the ground. I am trying to look around and assess the situation but baron is lying on top of me.

Darius

"Baron...Baron" Elena mumbles, she shifts left and right as she sleeps. Sweat is dripping down her face and her eyebrows scrunched up in a frown.

I am currently sitting on a chair at the edge of her bed watching her, analysing her.

"You went too far Darius," Phine says and he stands behind me. He folds his arms looking down at me with a disapproving look then looks towards Elena's sleeping form on the bed with concern. I am not surprised by his reaction, Phine was the most sensitive of the three of us.

"I was only training her as I would train any other person in her shoes, "I say nonchalantly and lean back on the chair that was somewhat too small for me as my large frame couldn't quite get comfortable.

"I know you knew she was still recovering from injuries her mom inflicted on her and you just had to push her, "Luke says as he enters the room and stands next to Phine.

Luke and Phine we're being too sentimental, she wanted to be treated indifferently from a man and that's what I did but now they are reprimanding me for it. How ridiculous, at first when I saw the little girl waltz in here I thought -she was delusional and just wanted to play the bad guy but today she showed some promise, determination and courage. It seems she is driven only by revenge towards the Peers family, but what happens when she gets her revenge-will she be as fierce?

I still do not think she is worthy of the family name, after all, if she can't surpass me then she is not fit at all to lead the family. She's got fire in her which is good, when she attempted to strike me from rage earlier I saw a brief glimpse of her father back in his prime.

Luke walks closer to the bed, he places his hand over her forehead and his eyes widen, "Shit this is bad, she's got a fever now, Phine get Nana" he says and Phine nods then walks out of the room. Phine snickers and looks at me disapprovingly, "Listen she is just a kid man, you need to take it easier on her especially when she was still recovering"

"No one took it easy on me when I was a kid and I was constantly battered up- I was brutally trained which shaped me to be the man I am today"

Luke scoffs and, "You're a cold heartless bastard Darius, always fucking alone because you just push people away"

Nana bursts in the room with Martha following behind her. Worried she moves to inspect Elena and gives a few orders to Martha on what to bring, to get her temperature down. After Elena's temperature has settled everyone leaves the room, leaving Nana and I alone.

"How do you feel knowing you will not inherit this empire?"Nana asks as she stands on my right side, also watching Elena sleep more calmly now.

"Relieved, but worried for the organisation. It's a double-edged sword, to become the leader you must also have the insurance to carry all that burden and all that surrounds you is darkness. I was willing to take on the task as I am already used to it but she is just a kid, women to add on, I don't think she is capable."

"You will be surprised as to how strong she is, and I think she is determined to show you that, "she says while smiling. For a while, we just stand there in silence which she soon breaks by saying, "Many things that seem threatening in the dark become welcoming when we shine a light on them, Darius". I don't say anything but continue to stare off in space in thought, Nana rubs my shoulder before taking her leave. I look back at the little girl on the bed one last time before exiting the room.

Elena

Slowly waking up I lay on my side balled into a tight grip. I attempted to stretch my legs out from under me but a sharp pain from my legs to ribs made me flinch back. I could feel the bruises that still littered my body, starting to ache again. I moved my hand to my stomach and recoiled. I'd have to move eventually. Breathing deeply and leaning into the bed I attempted to lift myself up. I stood and immediately my senses reeled. I vomited, violently. The extra strain on my stomach making it ache. I stood the small victory felt like I'd just conquered Everest. Now to walk, so I decided to limp to the bathroom for that icy bath that could ease my muscles. I was covered in sweat and breathing heavily. I looked all around me, trying to get a sense of where I was. Few, im in my room, it had changed quite a bit I thought as I remember that they remodelled it while I was training with Darius. Everything was grand. My fingers lightly hovered over the items as I limped across the room to my bathroom- my hands kept a distance, careful not to break anything. My gaze drifted back towards the king-size bed. Its sheets and pillows looked perfect for a princess. There was also a 50" TV on the opposite wall, facing the bed. My eyes rounded in shock as I spot the expensive-looking lamp on the bedside table gave off a warm light, giving everything a slight glow. Noticing how dark it was outside, I wondered what time it was as I thought about the tutoring appointment I still had.

I enter the bathroom and use the baisan to support my body and I look at the grand mirror before me to see my reflection o a bruised face that was still healing. That was a terrible nightmare. Images flashed through my head all at once. How will I be able to sleep after that? Will I ever be able to sleep peacefully? I thought as I lowered my body back into a laying position o the bathroom mat and stared at the ceiling. Why me?