The supreme

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

"But why don't I find the same fire in your eyes." The Duke asked as he perused Rain's eyes, she turned her eyes away from the demanding green eyes of the Duke, this was one of the reasons she avoided him, she couldn't understand him. "Did you get too comfortable with the little luxury you have?"

"I don't understand what you mean, Father." Rain murmured the discomfort written in her eyes, the Duke released her and she staggered backward.

"Rain as much as I would like to avoid this topic, you are an illegitimate child," In surprise, she glanced back at her father, in all those years, this was the very first time he had mentioned something like this to her. "I can try to protect you but sooner you'll find out what society does to illegitimate children but if you don't have any powers yourself it would be difficult for you to handle it."

"So what if I am an illegitimate child?" Rain asked feeling some sort of anger flush through, she didn't like the fact that no one would shut up about it, and they just kept bringing it up whenever it was convenient for them.

 "Does it mean that I only have half of your blood? Or does it change the fact that I am also your child? Why did you take me in when you are just going to remind me of it every single time?"

The Duke smirked, this was the fire he wanted to see, the fire that was in her eyes reminded him of himself, she was truly just like him, if she learned to turn the fire and anger burning inside her into ambition, he should make a fine weapon out of her.

"Do you think the Duchess would just allow a bastard to come and outshine her?" He queried, it sounded like it was sports for him; Rain just couldn't understand the joy that was in his eyes. "Do you think there will be anything left for you? Are you going to be okay taking the scraps for the rest of your life?"

"Is that why I was taken to the detached building, from what the previous maids had said, it used to be a storehouse." A small smirk reached his lips again. "I understand that I will have no place, but father didn't you say you would give me basic things, like the right to my education, the protection I deserve to have just for being your daughter."

"You shouldn't be satisfied with having just basic things, Rain. That is exactly my protest," He scolded his eyes hardening again. "What you have to understand is, that you don't have a choice but to fight to get everything you want, money, power, protection, and other things, you would have to fight your siblings and the society that doesn't value bastards just like the way I did."

"I don't want to fight my siblings for anything." Rain muttered her green eyes falling to her feet, she would do anything but that. "No matter what, they are still your children, and the blood that joins us, I believe is superior to whatever feelings I harbor." 

"Iris will never accept you, Izekiel might be quiet about it but that doesn't mean he sees you as an equal, and the Duchess is just doing all she is doing out of respect for me." Elias's eyes brightened up again, just watching Rain twitch in discomfort gave him so much pleasure. "They are my family, I know them better."

"Lily is not like that." Rain defended. "She had never made me feel out of place." 

"How long do you think she would continue to take your side?" He asked curiously, the room quieted and he sucked in a deep breath. "She is also becoming a young woman, and her coming-of-age ceremony is just a few months after yours."

"Lily is a nice person, she would never become like that." Rain muttered back, Lily had always assured her that no matter what was wrong or right, the fact that they were sisters would never change. "We will always be sisters no matter what is right or wrong."

The Duke bursts into laughter, Rain was so childish, he expected too much from her, so much that it disappoints him now that he found out she was being unreasonably childish.

"The mind of a child is always so pure," He explained. "But even as a child I was rotten, there seems to be something wrong with you instead."

Rain had no counter, there might be something wrong with her but she felt she could understand why her mother had always feared this powerful man. She might not show it but fear is slowly creeping into her as he spoke.

"Lily is indeed a nice girl, but she is also my daughter," A wicked smirk spread across his lips. "She has an ambition hidden deep inside her, what do you think she will do when you pose a threat to her ambitions?"

"I would never…" Rain muttered in confusion.

"Don't be so sure about that," he stopped. "You can never know."

The room grew silent…

"Do you know what Lily first told me as soon as she turned six?" He strolled back to his table and took out his chair to sit down again. "She told me she would be the future Empress of the Aubreun Kingdom."

A small gasp escaped Rain's lips.

"I thought it was a joke at first but it went on and on until she grew," He explained even further. "She met with the Crowned Prince Aryan when she was way younger, and she liked him a lot. So, I could tell what exactly she meant by wanting to be the Empress."

Rain's eyes widened in realization, it was almost as if the Duke knew something, something he was not telling her and he was only teasing her with the information.

"If someone tried to take that position from her, what do you think would happen?" He asked curiously. "What you should think about is, what do you think will happen if that person is you?"

Now Rain was unsure anymore, she knew just how much Lily liked the crowned prince, but the Crowned Prince had also made an advance towards her, confusion seized her and her breathing became ragged, but she shook her head.

The Duke is just trying to feed on her fears, she realized it when she met the hot look of power, she clenched her fists tightly and glared back at her father.

"I will never betray my sister." She deadpanned.

"That's not your choice to make." He said with another smirk on his face. "Circumstances would allow it sometimes, do you want to see her reaction to your betrayal?"

"Father, why are you doing this?" Rain burst into tears. "Shouldn't you be worried for your daughters instead of trying to create a rift between them?"

Duke Elias took a deep breath and stepped out of his chair once more, and he paced around the room.

"This Duchy as big and peaceful as it may seem, was built on rift, blood, and tears of others," He answered. "There were so many people that I have put an end to their lives, colleagues, friends, and even members of my family. Why do you think my daughters will be any different?" 

"Are you that desperate to be in control?"

There was a small silence in the room, and the Duke suddenly slapped Rain across the face, the lad fell to the floor air knocked out of her lungs. She clasped her right hand against her cheeks and scooted away from him.

"Yes," He answered. "If I don't have control then why do I live?"

Rain's teary eyes couldn't believe the things she had seen, the urge she had felt nine years ago the first time she came to the Duchy was real. She knew her mother had brought her to her death, the Duke had been quiet for all those years to get her comfortable and now that she had gotten too comfortable he would bare his teeth at her and tear her into pieces.

"You bear the name Roni but don't know what it means," He got even closer. "He who has control over all, the supreme."

Rain's mouth widened, having a name that rivals the title of the goddess of basis, the Duke was indeed ambitious.

"Rain I don't know what it is, but there is something that makes me fond of you," he gets down on one knee. "And that is why I will ask your brother to train you in my stead."

"Brother?" She asked curiously.

Her brother? She had only met Izekiel a few times during lunch when they were younger, and he moved down to the countryside some three years ago to oversee some of the Duke's businesses.

"Izekiel should be in the Duchy by sundown." He mused he sounded very proud of his son. "You should brace yourself Rain, your brother is a true Roni."