NOVEL FROG Chapter 91 – The Sweet Patricide
Elana raised her sword as the bubble shattered and splashed, filling the surroundings with ice and water. Her eyes were on her father, but her attention was on Ashton. She did not miss any of the Prince’s movements.
And yet, Ashton was still as relaxed as ever. He currently was more interested in the Princess and the King. Frederick was gesticulating wildly while his father shook his head.
Seeing no reaction from the biggest threat, Elana’s empty hand reached for Vermont’s neck. Her fingers seemed like vices, longing to grab and squeeze the man’s windpipe shut.
“Stop!” The seated Duke explained while kicking his daughter’s shin. His foot landed ineffectively against the ice, hurting only his own leg.
But the crafty man used the kick to propel himself backwards. Falling from the chair, he rolled back, gathering the water from the surroundings and sending it towards Elana.
Seeing the water aim for her orifices, Elana gathered air in her lungs. She blew, her freezing breath stopping the incoming threat and turning it into ice.
Elana moved forward, marching through the spontaneously formed ice barrier, breaking it and pursuing her retreating father.
The man manifested more water, trying to use it to find a path of escape. Elana sneered, scattering more sharp needle-like icicles around her to prevent anyone from helping the Duke.
With the water Vermont used to escape suddenly freezing, he was stuck. Slipping on the ice, he ungracefully splatted on the ground.
Elana towered over the man. Her sword pointed at his heart as Vermont tried to back away. His laboured breath made his chest fall and rise, pushing in and away from the tip of the blade.
“Bleed for me,” She slowly pushed the sword down, puncturing through her father’s clothes and nicking his skin. The small wound didn’t bleed, immediately freezing over, which made Elana frown. She rather liked how people bled.
“Elana,” Vermont sweat even more despite the low temperature. “You filiality is-”
“It was never there,” She stopped him. “Now, I would think the world needs more colour.” Elana flicked her wrist. “Help me with that.” Her sword moved across Vermont’s chest, splitting it open, drawing the blood and enchanting the ice with its vibrant, red tone.
In the background, Elana heard her sister cheer and Ahston whistle in appreciation. But Vermont didn’t let out a peep, much to her disappointment.
“You don’t understand, Elana.” The Duke struggled on, not losing his bearing. “Ashton is…” His eyes flicked to the Prince. “We cannot stand up to them.”
“I see,” Elana finally understood.
“You don’t!” Vermont shook his head. “I did this all to protect you and our home. You can’t let my failings cloud your judgement.”
“I truly do see why,” Elana disagreed. Her mind ran at full speed, recalling why she found Ashton so annoying and possibly dangerous. “So you are a Saint.” She looked back at the smiling man.
As the Duke gasped in surprise, Ashton laughed. “So you figured that out? How?” He leisurely leaned back in his seat. “It is clear your father didn’t leak this information. Even in Palkon, just a handful of people do. So, how?”
“I will deal with you after,” Elana returned her attention to her bleeding father. The crimson paint slowly seeped into the surroundings, contrasting the white ice beautifully.
“You know?” The Duke gapped. “Then you must understand.” He hurried to speak. “He would have made for an excellent husband. It would have secured our-”
“You bore me with your plans,” Elana’s sword parted the air, cutting into Vermont’s face, splitting both of his cheeks in half, cutting part of his tongue and making his jaw drop uselessly without the support of flesh. “This way, you can still scream.”
And he did. Vermont’s howl rose, shaking everything around. His wail spooked people and gathered their attention, as Elana had imagined it would. They watched in horror as the respected noble was mutilated by his own daughter.
Elana basked in the light of everyone’s fear. She ignored Moira, who had a sudden laughing fit and the admiring exclamations coming from Catarina and her sister. “Intoxicating.” She felt a shudder of pleasure rocking her body. “Give me more!”
The sword fell again, making a cross on the man’s chest and tearing away his clothes even more. A new scream rose from her father’s chest, a little gurgling giving it an interesting touch. It seemed Vermont’s bleeding stub of a tongue was producing too much blood - pouring inside his throat.
“More!” Elana added another long scar on the man’s stomach. “More,” She demanded another scream from her victim. Her sword pierced through Vermonth’s tigh, nailing him to the ground.
Without a pause, Elana formed another thin sword and repeated her act of cruelty on the other leg, erasing all hope Vermont could have held of escaping.
What started as a roar of pain soon turned into a whimper and coughing as Vermont struggled to breathe. Yet, even those sounds seemed loud and clear.
“Sing more. Louder!” Elana wanted to hear more. She leaned down, grabbed her father’s neck and used her Divine might to lift the man into the air. It wasn’t even hard. “You know… If you had ever paid attention to your family, it would not have come to this.” She mused.
Not that Mary had noticed the change in her. Or perhaps she had? It was hard to tell with her sister. “But it is too late now.” Her voice seemed to carry incredible gravitas, making everyone around her listen to what she had to say. “You sold out your country, your home, your family and your future. And for those sins I-”
Elana realised the man in her grasp was not breathing. Her crushing grip had crushed her father’s neck. “But you are already dead.” She sweetly stated, throwing the corpse to the side. “Don’t worry. I will bury you in the way you deserve. I have just the companion for you in the afterlife.” She looked at Asthon, who was finally changing his expression after witnessing the brutal strength Elana possessed.
