Awry

Eos had already warned the people who weren't involved; her family, the village, close associates, and friends, ahead of time so that they could excavate. The war preparations undergoing at the Monciaux with Eos being the one to manage all the inventory of weaponry, food stock and soldiers. Eos had already began prepping for the Butler, Silas, and his mother to escape from the Monciaux Dukedom to a safe house that belonged to Lilith. Eos was the only person who couldn't leave the Monciuax Dukedom since the Duke had placed a seal on Eos when she was younger to stay loyal to him. This time Eos was truly alone.

Sleep rarely came by as Eos who was only accompanied by Lisa who was insisted on not leaving Eos behind, "My Lady, you haven't rested much all this week." She bought in a cup of tea, placing into Eos hand trying to warm up the cold hands that had been stained with ink smudges, "Please, drink some of it please." Lisa pleaded as she wrapped a thick knitted shawl that she had made to stave off the cold. Eos stared out of window where heavy snowfall fell. It was unbearably cold for Eos. It didn't help that it was during the midst of one of the coldest winters yet. Eos gently sipped at the hot tea which instantly burned her tongue causing her to flinch as she spilled some of the tea on herself.

Lisa took a cloth to soak the tea out of the dress but alas the dress was still soaked, "My Lady, let's quickly get you changed into something warmer." Lisa immediately rushed to retrieve a simple warm dress for Eos to don for the night. Eos was left alone in her room where she leaned against the back of the chair as she slumped into the curvature of the chair as she ran her fingers into her hair pushing it back. A heavy sigh escaped from Eos' lips as she picked herself to run a bath for herself, pouring some bath salts into the water. Her legs ached so she seated herself on the floor as she leaned her arms on the edge of the bathtub. The crystallised salts soon sank to the bottom of the bath as the water continued to rise. Eos began to mix the water and the bath salts with her hand so that it would dissolve into the water.

The warm water enveloped her hand as she swirls through the water before the amount of water reach the top where Eos undressed herself. Dropping her clothes on the ground before submerging herself into the water as she leaned her head against the edge of the bath, "I definitely needed this," Eos scratched at her scalp before sniffing it only to find that it was smelly, greasy and there was a build-up of dandruff so she dunked her head into the water gently massaging her own head to get rid of the grease as she applied some of beauty water to help combat the much needed care for her scalp.

A knocked resonated on the door of the bathroom which revealed Lisa who was carrying the clothes, "My Lady, I got some warm clothes for you to dress into and after this bath, please Eos try to get some sleep." Lisa resumed her duties as she began massaging and cleaning Eos' scalp in places which she couldn't see for herself, "I'm not suggesting; I'm telling you too." Lisa paused as she stared at Eos who released a sigh before nodding so Lisa proceeded to continue with the scalp massage. After the bath Eos was immediately clothed and as soon as Eos' body flopped on the bed which she was immediately knocked out.

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Eos was slumped into her bed, hair sprawled everywhere on the pillowcase where drool seeped into the fabric. The blankets were ripped off from her body as she shivered once the cold temperature instantly awoken her, but she was immediately covered in a knitted shawl by Lisa who was trying to protect Eos' modesty in her own room, "Duke, on what occasion requires you to visit today?" Eos knelt on her knee before bowing her head which Lisa solemnly bowed as well since she was the lowest of the rank here. But the Duke was silent as he stood in front of Eos peering over her kneeling figure.

The Duke's leather boot entered Eos' view as she continued to bow her head before a hand bought her chin up to look at the Duke as he looked at her figure distastefully, "Come." He ordered as flicked his wrist making Eos tumble to the ground but thankfully Lisa managed to catch her mid-fall. Eos turned her head away as she wanted to refuse the order knowing full well what was going to happen. He did not try to bother with repeating himself. But seeing as she wasn't obeying like usual, he immediately went towards Lisa pulling her hair as he dragged her to the balcony.

Knowing full well what the Duke was about to do Eos clung at Lisa's figure, "No! Stop! Please stop!" Eos trying to prevent the Duke from enacting punishment onto Lisa knowing that physical punishment was not effective in making her obey. He kicked Eos away from the maid as he continued his destination to the balcony door which he swung the door violently before continuing to drag the maid towards the balcony. Eos grunted disorientated from the kick from the Duke trying to separate the two of them, shaking her head trying to sober herself up from the double vision. Before remembering that Lisa was in danger as she scrambled to her feet towards the balcony as well.

The Duke made Epoine watch in horror as he held the maid at the edge with her hair being the only thing prevent her fall, "I'm not asking, Epoine." Whenever the Duke used her name, it was only the harbinger of bad omens as Lisa's feet were dangling from the air as she clung to her hair that was saving her form her potential plummeting death. Eos dropped to her knees as she intertwined her fingers into each other into a prayer, clenching them, praying to the Duke like he was a god.

Epoine clung to the Duke's feet for an act of mercy, "Please! Don't! Duke!" Epoine began incoherently begging for the Duke to spare Lisa's life knowing full well that continuing to protest against the Duke would only bring more harm than good, "I'll listen just spare Lisa's life! Don't let her go! Please I beg you! I'll listen! I'll listen for good!" Tears began pouring down her cheeks as she continued to grovel at the Duke's feet continued to beg for Lisa's life knowing that her family was still waiting for her. The result of her death would only lead to condemnation from her family as she failed in her duty and oath protect Lisa as a protection guardian.

The Duke gave a snark expression as he watched Eos grovel like the peasant child which he took in which contrasty unlike the girl which he had groomed to be the prefect upstanding lady of nobility. He pulled the maid back to the safety of the balcony where Eos went to check on Lisa's condition seeing that beside the scalp, which was throbbing hotly, she was fine. The Duke walked off to the door where he awaited for Epoine, "It looks like the seal need to be reapplied." She hesitantly toddled over to him as she followed him through the corridors. They soon went through an isolated part of the Monciaux. The restricted access which was only granted by the Duke and any appointed personnel meant that there were few people who knew where it lead to. They would eventually reach a spiral staircase which was attached to a separate tower which was the tallest building in the Monciaux Dukedom.

They reached a wooden door that had been barred by metal bars which hadn't even rusted over the years that it had been in the elements. The Duke waved his hand over the bar which immediately disappeared as they both entered the door which led to a dimly lit lanterns which encased some spirits within which screamed. The ridiculous number of lanterns illuminated the entire room as they lined the ceiling were managed by small grotesque pixies, llaidains, chuckled at the sight of a spirit's torment. Their tiny screams could only be by Eos who immediately shuddered at the numerous voices that were begging for help while some died. The illuminated figures that had fizzed out were immediately replaced by more.

Within the middle was an old spell circle which was illustrated with chalk has been dissipating from the long period of stagnation. The Duke when to work as he went to look for something from the shelf up top amongst all the old cursed artefacts, ancient forbidden spell books and jars containing unique ingredients that were vaguely familiar to certain body parts of magic folk. He pulled out a familiar looking leather-bound book which was clasped by insectoid looking wings on the cover. But those insectoid looking wings were actually fairy wings which had horridly perfectly preserved by some method which Epoine was still completely aware of till this day.

The Duke took an old piece of chalk from a tray where he began to redraw the spell circle by copying it from the book. As he finished the spell circle, he placed the chalk back into the tray before gesturing to Epoine to enter the spell circle where he stared down at her as he tapped his finger against the book, waiting for Epoine. Epoine swallowed some salvia, but it was dry before she untied her chemise, letting it down until it showed her entire back to the Duke. She tried to cover the rest of her body with her dress as she tried preserve her chastity as much as possible. The wintry chill began to sink into her skin as she waited for the Duke to reapply the seal.

The Duke began mumbling incoherent words as Epoine sat in the spell circle which was beginning to glow an ominous bright green which then began to swirl from the spell circle as it viciously flew up in the air pushing the wind as it knocked Epoine to the ground. Cackles that were reminisce of witches erupted from the magic as it began sucked the light of the spirit trapped in their lantern cages. As the lives of the spirits were drained, the llaidains could only sulk as their only source of entertainment were taken away from them like a toy being taken from a child. But they allowed for the spirits to be taken away for the ritual as they continue to bring more into the cages that were left empty.

After the spell had finished consuming all the necessary energy to finish it began to plunge down towards Epoine who could only whimper as the constant stream of wild magic surged through her body completely draining her own magic. The bright green and her own emerald green that was differentiating the two magics began fight against each other, but the emerald green was soon connected to the Duke who absorbed into himself as his eyes glowed an emerald green colour began returning back to its golden colour. As soon his eye returned to their brilliant golden colour signified the completion of the sealing ritual as the engraving of the seal was embedded into Epione's back.

Epoine's own natural magic which had never been allowed to use for herself was stripped from her very soul once again only made her feel more helpless. The Duke left Epoine to her own devices after he had finished what he accomplished, leaving her in the tower. After the ritual was done everything that inside disappear as if it had never been there. The magic room had shifted into a different tower that was close by. The strong breeze of the winter cold continued to bare its teeth into her skin as she lay motionless in the middle of the room. Alone.

Epoine begrudgingly pulled herself from the ground, tying her chemise back up before she exited the tower. She gripped on the connecting bridge seeing the entire land which she could see with her own eyes which the Monciaux had reigned for decades covered in white. The heights of the Monciuax Estate were grand as Epoine stared at the ground below, wanting an escape from this reality. She didn't want to live in this reality anymore. It was too painful. She wanted to end things. She didn't want to care about anything anymore. She stared at tower which had just been the placeholder which had taken so much from her. She climbed on the edge ready to end this completely.

But she couldn't commit to the very act, "Somebody. Anybody. Please... just end this nightmare." There was something that held her back. It wasn't any physical holding her back, "I had enough of this nightmare... please." There was no one to save her from this hallowing nightmare which would continue to haunt her until her death. Epoine unconsciously limped her way back to her room as she watches Lisa run up to her, wrapping her in the recently knitted shawl.

As she sat on her bed which was of the softest material, "My Lady, where happened to you?" Lisa went to get a towel to dry off the snow which had melted onto Epoine's skin. Epoine silently held the handmade knitted gift in her hands as smiled at Lisa. Eos unwrapped the woollen shawl from her shoulders, "My Lady?" She wrapped around Lisa who was confused by the sudden action by her ladyship.

Epoine let out a breath before getting up from the bed before walking up to a painting of a seagull flying into open sky at a coastal dock, "I want you to leave this place and don't look back," Before ripping the hinges of the painting hangings as she threw the painting on the ground, "Please take your family and leave before it's too late." Tears began to pool at her eyes as she took out the panel revealing a safe which held a worn-out small jewel box, toys in pristine condition that had no creases and envelops that had been yellowed from age which was accompanied by beautifully white enveloped that had not recipient address.

She pulled them out of the safe before hugging them tightly into her chest, "My Lady! What are you saying?" She pulled at Epoine's shoulder to see her heart-wrenching tears fall from her ladyship's beautiful face who had never shown such a vulnerable expression before, "How can I leave you when you are like this?" Lisa pulled Epoine into hug which engulfed her small shivering figure which clasped around her back.

Epoine cut the hug short before handing the items into Lisa's hands, "Please, as a last request as your master give these back to my parents." Eos made sure Lisa packed her belongings before leaving to send the gifts which had been sent to her when she younger. She watched as Lisa helplessly went out of the Monciuax Dukedom to fulfil her request.