echo ( John)

"so how do you know this meg?" I questioned, but she remained frozen, her expression etched with an unyielding stillness. It was as if her very being had turned to ice, devoid of any warmth or life.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" I implored, my words falling on deaf ears. It seemed as though she was lost in a world of her own, unresponsive to the outside world. But why? What was the secret behind this paralyzing fear that held her captive?

"Did she recognize you?" She said such ridiculous things.

My frustration grew, fueled by unanswered questions and a sense of betrayal. Why had Elenore placed such unwavering trust in her ? And What had transpired to instill such fear within Meg? The weight of these thoughts bore down upon me, and in a moment of anger, my fist collided with the table.

The sound reverberate through the empty room, magnified by the silence that cover us. It was a hollow echo, a haunting reminder of the secrets that lingered in the darkness. The room seemed to absorb the sound, reflecting the emptiness that pass the air.

In that moment, the truth escaped her, hidden within the depths of the shadows. The mystery deepened, and the walls of the room seemed to close in, suffocating us with their enigmatic presence. I was left grappling with the fragments of a puzzle, desperate to uncover the truth that lay hidden within the frozen depths of Meg's fear.

"Tell me now! The truth! Or you won't be die." I yelled, my voice echoing through the room. The girl bound to the chair trembled in fear, her tears transitioning from forced to genuine. The weight of my accusations and anger bore down on her, intensifying the atmosphere of terror that surrounded us.

"Why did you poison her? Why does she believe she's fifteen? And why did her aunt prevent her from meeting me? And beat her?" I demanded, my voice filled with a mix of desperation ,frustration and of course anger. The room seemed to absorb my words like a leaf, the sole candle casting flickering shadows as its light diminished in synchronize with the intensity of my voice.

Questions tumbled from my lips, fueled by a torrent of emotions. I sought answers for the bottomless, seeking clarity in the midst of confusion. The silence that followed was deafening, punctuated only by the girl's quivering breaths, her eyes wide with trepidation.

In my anguished state, I couldn't help but query further. "And why did her parents allow this to happen? Did they know? Did they turn a blind eye?" The room held its breath, as though even the walls were privy to the secrets that lingered within.

As the echoes of my words subsided, a heavy silence settled upon us. The candle's feeble light flickered, casting elongated shadows that danced upon the walls. the truth hung in the air like an puzzling specter, waiting to be unveiled from the depths of darkness.

As she slumped, unconscious, in the chair, a twisted smile crept upon my face. "Passed out, how convenient," I chuckled to myself. "Tom!" I bellowed, summoning my loyal soldier who had been patiently waiting just beyond the door. He entered the room, his gaze shifting from the girl to the scene before him.

"I told you to stay calm, not to frighten her," Tom admonished, his voice laced with concern. I glared back at him, bristling with anger. "No, you didn't," I retorted, my frustration simmering just beneath the surface. Tom's puzzled expression morphed into one of disbelief. "My Lord," he stated cautiously, "you do realize that she is a woman, not a man, right?"

Tom's observation hit me like a thunderbolt, piercing through the fog of my assumptions. I had allowed my anger to cloud my judgment.

Tom's voice carried a mix of concern and confusion as he broke the heavy silence. "Will you tell me what is going on? Because you never make this kind of mistake, sir," he implored, his loyalty and friendship evident in his unwavering gaze.

"I don't know. Normally, I am calm. I'm just tired." I trailed off.