Dishonored Knight

Elle was taken aback. She had came with the idea that she will meet her father because of his man dragging her here. Seeing Mikail's rude behavior she had imagined the man to be overbearing perhaps even more vile as Lady Gladys and Caroline acted like the very best example of a haughty noble. But here was the man, hugging her by her shoulders and even shedding his tears. He didn't mind that she was tattered or she smelled like the slums. One might think this wasn't too much to ask, but Elle had never seen anyone who had touched her without shrieking in disgust.

She was puzzled. She knew how to calm down a crying child as she had spent most of her time taking care of the slums children who were most if not all orphaned. But a crying adult man? Much less her father? She doesn't know! She stood in a froze as if she had seen a monster. Her arms hung around her shoulders until she felt uncomfortable and pushed the man slightly away.

Count Arthur was startled he had been pushed away. His eyes that glistened in blue color looked up at her with tears still drenching down his eyes. He was a man who ought to be respected but here he was, crying like there was no tomorrow. He didn't feel offended even though Elle had pushed him away and instead gave her a small smile as if in pity and understanding that a stranger's touch will only make her feel unsettled.

"I'm sorry, dearest," said Count Arthur, "I must have startled you."

"You did but it is alright, I understand" she responded with an awkward smile while Count Arthur was touched by her words. She continued, "I'm sorry for my forwardness, but are you my father?"

Count Arthur's eyes had turned even redder and wetter with tears as he nodded his head, "Yes, yes I am! You are my daughter, Estelle. Marilyn had always spoken how she wished to name her daughter Estelle, just like the star."

Elle was surprised to hear her mother's name and even a little bit of information given about her mother. But she was still skeptical, "Are you really certain that I am your daughter? From what I had heard from your knights, it seemed that I am just one of many possible candidates of your long lost daughter."

"Candidates? No, of course not. Some people did claim to be you but just seeing your face, your hair, and your eyes, everything of you look no different to your mother so I know by my heart you are my daughter," Count Arthur said with a bright smile as if he felt relieved that the long stress and inner guilt he had of losing his daughter had finally ended.

Now, Elle understood Count Arthur is convinced she was his daughter. She didn't doubt the man but she didn't trust him either. Considering Mikail had forced her to come here, even going so far to hurt Timothy, she was more concerned if the man could snap and hurt her like Lady Gladys wished to do.

She said with a gentle tone as the man was still crying, "By the way you dragged me without my consent almost made me thought that I was a prisoner."

"Dragged? Without consent?" Count Arthur was startled. "There must be a mistake, I have warned Mikail to bring you here with the most care."

"He had harmed my friend from the slum, someone who I thought as a part of my family. I couldn't even say goodbye to my other family and they are children," she stressed her words and she might sounded like she had complained but she was worried over Lucas and Marcie. When they found out how she was missing, she could tell the children would panic— her heart broke just thinking of their tears.

"Mikail!" Count Arthur raised his voice. Mikail immediately rushed toward his side and looked confused as to what was happening. Count Arthur glared at the knight and demanded, "Dare you to explain your rude behavior to my daughter?"

Mikail's blue eyes moved from his heavy silver helmet toward her side. He seemed to have narrow her eyes, as if saying, 'You pathetic slum rat. You tattled on me!'

But Elle didn't care. She was no saint. Did he think she would immediately forget how he had hurt Timothy and even go so far as to threaten breaking his arm?! Tattling is the lowest of low, but this was necessary for Mikail to apologize.

"I only did what is necessary because there was someone who had hindered us from meeting Lady Estelle," Mikail was taller than most but his tone that had been rude to everyone else tamed at once upon talking to Count Arthur.

"That wasn't what had happened. Don't you have any shame to lie as a knight?" Elle said with her eyelashes narrowed. She couldn't believe he dared to lie in front of her!

"Well I wonder who to trust but I know Sir Mikail wouldn't lie. He has always been polite even to an animal," Caroline suddenly cut in between and Lady Gladys beside her seemed to nod.

Seeing that these people trust Mikail more than her, Elle couldn't blame them as she was a stranger but she still feel a tinge in her heart.

She looked to her father with her glistening golden eyes and firmly responded, "He demanded to my friend to find me instead of explaining the situation politely. My friend thought he was someone who come to hurt me so of course he would feel apprehended to let me meet him. Instead, this knight threaten me to come with him or he would hurt my friend even more."

"Mikail," Count Arthur said with a sigh.

Elle studied Count Arthur's expression. She wanted to see if this man would turn to doubt her for the truth like Lady Gladys or Caroline was or if he would trust her regardless.

Much to her surprise, Count Arthur stated strictly, "Expect yourself to have your position removed from today."

Mikail's blue eyes widened, even shake under his helmet. "Sir!"

"I would hear no more of your words. Estelle wouldn't lie," Count Arthur said that had touched her heart unexpectedly really easier than she thought it will. "Or are you saying that my daughter would lie simply to put you, a new person she met, to a predicament?"

Still startled, Mikail tried to protect himself weakly, "No sir, however—"

"—I have stated my answer to you. Do not ever come in front of Estelle anymore unless if it is to apologize. Remove yourself from our sight now."

Mikail gripped his hands into a fist. He stared at Elle with contempt and she could hear a sound of a crack from his teeth as he had tightened his jaw excessively. He glared at her again but she looked away pretending to not notice the man's glare as she wasn't in the wrong. When Mikail left, Count Arthur looked at her with guilty eyes.

"I'm sorry dearest. Mikail must have shocked you. He isn't a bad person however if he did make you feel uncomfortable you can let me know at any time. I'm sorry that this happened to you right before you came here."

"It's… alright," Elle was still suspicious at the man but it really did seemed like he had warned Mikail to greet her with the most respect which the man didn't heed.

"Let us not talk about this trouble anymore. We can't let this dampen your mood!" Count Arthur clapped his hands as if to switch the once gloomy mood into a happier one. "How about we talk more during dinner? You must be starved from the long ride in the carriage. Is there anything you would love to eat?"

Elle found the man's clumsy attention to be a little out of sort but it wasn't unsettling. She walked beside him and smiled, "I am not a picky eater so I could eat anything."

"Great! There is this one dish your mom loves to eat…" Leaving behind Lady Gladys and Caroline who seemed miffed by her husband's overly attention to the new daughter, they had took off to the dining room.

Lady Gladys was still stunned by her husband's quick decision to remove his most trusted knight from his position, shock was an understatement. They all know how Count Arthur always placed his important task to Mikail as he was the best knight in their household.

"Mama," Caroline cried. Fear had settled in her eyes as her father had prioritize Estelle's words which the believed to be a lie rather than Mikail, the knight who had served them even before Caroline was born. "We are done for! Papa, he has finally lose his marbles. That girl— she will flood his mind with lies and one day we will be kick from our house! No! No! I cannot let this happen!"

"Carol," Lady Gladys frowned at her pitiful daughter who had ran to hug her. Patting her head, Lady Gladys said to her with her teeth set in fury. "That won't happen my lover. Your mother will make sure she will be driven out of this house no matter what. Mark my words darling… if she doesn't leave, I will make her soul leave first."