Tenebris Renasci: A World of Magic and Gunpowder

While Ben and Alexander got settled in their guest room, Louise walked slightly behind her mother.

The sound of her heels clicking against the marble floor echoed down the long corridor. 

*Click* 

*Click* 

*Click*

Louise nervously stared down at her feet as she walked. Holding herself tightly as she inwardly panicked. 

Louise knew well what was to come, not only had she broken her promise of not returning home after Camilla went to the front, but she was so confident that her father would return with her, that she never sent a letter to inform her mother of her decision.

The broken promise and blatant disrespect Louise showed was not to go unpunished. 

Though her mother was many things, kind she was not, and now that her father wasn't here to save her, Louise was certain that her mother wouldn't hold back.

Béatrice led Louise to her private study, a large room that was guarded by two pathfinders. 

Standing before them Béatrice gestured for them to leave with the wave of her hand.

The pathfinders nodded and unison and marched away, their boots clicking in the distance. With them gone, Béatrice opened the door that led to her study, revealing a massive interior.

The walls were lined with towering bookshelves that were filled with various books of varied sizes and filled with stories, knowledge, and history.

Alongside the bookshelves were shelves filled with artifacts, maps, and other materials and various items. 

In the far back of the room sat a mahogany desk that was decorated with quills, books, paper, and a jar of hard sweets.

Behind the desk was a large glass window that illuminated the room with natural light from the sun, its soft glow casting long shadows in the room's interior.

In the center of the room was a small tea table that was surrounded by two leather couches that formed semi-circles around the round table. 

Béatrice moved gracefully towards the table, each step she took radiating power and authority.

As she moved to sit, Louise closed and locked the door behind herself. Once done, she joined her mother in sitting at the tea table, sitting on the couch opposite of her. 

Béatrice remained silent, her eyes narrowing as she studied Louise. The silence between the two women was deafening, each passing second feeling like an eternity.

Louise didn't dare look her mother in the eyes, her heart pounding with fear and anxiety. Louise was trembling at the stern gaze her mother had placed upon her.

"Give me your excuse." Béatrice finally said as she crossed her legs, her tone cold and gaze unwavering. "Go on then," she said, encouraging Louise mockingly, "Tell me your reasoning for your deceit and betrayal."

Louise swallowed hard as she began fumbling with her thumbs. "T-there was no reason." She stammered softly under her breath. 

Béatrice raised an eyebrow as she led back in her seat. "Speak up Louise." She said firmly. "You're woman enough to disobey me, then surely you can speak like a woman."

Louise hesitated briefly before speaking up, her expression a mixture of fear and dread. "There was no reason," Louise said louder, her voice clearer yet still shaken.

Béatrice gritted her teeth as she leaned her head back, throwing a hand into the air. "Louise," she said, her tone aggravated and vexed. "I am not in the mood."

As her threatening words echoed throughout the study, Louise couldn't help but squeeze her hands together tightly. 

"Now, answer the question truthfully…"

Louise, still not looking her mother in the eye, spoke. "I… I wanted to stay with my father." She answered.

Béatrice sighed. "So you're still not being truthful?" She asked, shaking her head slowly as she rose from the couch. "I suppose we both know what comes next, right?

Louise, for the first time since she entered the room, finally looked up to her mother with wide eyes. "Mother please." She said in a desperate plea as she raised her hands to protect her face. 

Béatrice simply frowned as she approached Louise, "I'll only ask once," She said sternly, "lower your hands."

Instead of obeying Béatrice's instructions, Louise began to Desperately plea in her defense. "Mother please, I just wanted to–"

Before Louise could finish, Béatrice struck her across the cheek with a swift backhand. Louise crashed to the floor as she was knocked from the couch. 

She hit the ground hard as she reached a hand to her cheek,  tears welling in her eyes as she attempted to hide her face. 

"I asked a simple request from you Louise!" Béatrice shouted in anger, spit flying from her mouth as she pointed down at Louise. "Why did you disobey me!"

Louise remained silent as she cowered in on her mother. The only noise she made was quiet whimpers and she stifled her tears. 

"Answer me!" Béatrice shouted. "You wanted to be a woman and disobey me, and now you can't even respond!" 

béatrice stared at her daughter briefly before gritting her teeth as she tightened her fist. 

Angrily turning away from Louise, Béatrice began pacing around her study, her footsteps heavy and filled with emotion. "My whole family is filled with idiots." She grumbled under her breath as she crossed her arms. 

"I knew Napoleon was a fool the moment I met him, and Camilla was his damn copy."

Béatrice then shook her head with a resentful expression. "I'm not surprised the two of them are dead, it was to be expected with how often they visited literal war fronts, in fact, I was banking on it." 

Béatrice turned to look at her daughter who was still on the floor. "But you, I raised you to be better." She said in disappointment and frustration. "You are my future, the future of the Nova family, and you're willing to throw that away because you wanted to stay with your father?"

Louise remained silent.

"Well, now what are you going to do Louise?" Béatrice asked, her arms spread wide. "Join your father and sister in hell?" She asked challengingly. 

Louise again remained silent. 

Shaking her head, Béatrice began heading towards her desk. "You're fucking worthless." She hissed under her breath. "A haughty brat that I've allowed to become too privileged."

As Béatrice reached her desk, she navigated around it and opened one of the various drawers. "Well, that's going to change starting today, I am not letting everything I worked for fall to the pits."

— — —

Ben and Alexader had spent about an hour and a half in the guest room before there was a knock on the door.

"It's open," Ben called out, rising from the floats as he straightened out his worn uniform. 

The door slowly crept open to reveal Antoinette, she looked slightly disturbed but forced a smile on her lips anyway. "Lady Béatrice will see you now."

Ben exchanged a glance with Alexander, Who was previously lying in bed but was now sat up and fully aware.  

With a nod, Ben and Alexander followed Antoinette out of the heated room and into the hall. Walking down the corridors of the palace, Alexander couldn't help but feel a strong presence of anxiety floating in the air.

"Antoinette, is everything fine?" Ben asked as he quickened his pace to match her stride. "You seem a little nervous."

Antoinette sighed as she slowed down slightly. "I'm fine." She answered, "It's just… it's none of your concern."

Ben raised an eyebrow. "But you are my concern."

Antoinette blushed as she looked away from Ben, "now is not the time for that." She said softly, "I told you, I'm fine, if something bothered me personally I'd have told you."

Ben sighed. "So you're worried about someone else?"

Antoinette remained silent.

Ben then nodded. "I see, well besides lord Alexander, you're all I care about right now, so as long as you're fine, I'm fine."

Antoinette frowned. "Ben don't say things like that when we aren't in private, we could get in serious trouble."

Ben chuckled. "I can't help it, it's just how I feel." 

Antoinette's blush deepened. "Well, I feel the same." She muttered under her breath, "But we can't become careless, we're soldiers, and that's how we're expected to act in this estate."

Ben nodded understandably. "Got it."

Alexander couldn't help but smile as he watched Antoinette and Ben from behind. He had watched their relationship progress since the beginning, and despite a few hiccups, the two seemed to be a perfect match for each other.

At least Ben has Antoinette because there's nothing worse than a man losing everything.

The group continued to walk until they reached Béatrice's study. 

Stopping near the door Antoinette took a deep breath before gently knocking on the door. 

After a period of silence, Antoinette slowly pushed it open, revealing Béatrice's study, which was just as grand and elegant as the rest of the Nova estate.

Stepping inside, Béatrice could be seen sitting behind her desk with a tired, yet stern expression. Her hair was frayed and her dress was creased and wrinkled, and before she sat a wooden paddle with six holes going from top to bottom, three on the right and left.

Alexander instinctively reached for his butt.

He felt a flash of memories wash over him as he spotted the paddle, the times he got beaten with them at football practice for failing an assignment or exercise was not a fun experience.

"Lady Béatrice." Antoinette announced, "I've brought lord Alexander and Sir Ben of the Daname house, as you requested."

Béatrice nodded. "I can see that." She answered coldly.

Turning her attention to the two men she gestured for the two of them to come closer. 

Ben moved forward first, with Alexander flowing closely behind him. They moved cautiously, like a rabbit approaching a wolf, The tension that hung in the air was palpable. 

"I'm not one to play games so let's get to the point," béartice began, her voice carrying authority. "Your continued presence here is a mere hospitality, the Daname family, no matter how great it once was is not nothing but a shadow of its former self."  

She turned her attention to Ben, her eyes narrowing as she stared at him. "You're survival, is a burden I must carry solely on my shoulders, and now that my husband is dead, I am not keen on passing kindness forward."

She then turned her attention to Alexander. "So contrary to whatever life of luxury you lived before, the Nova estate will not become a refuge for those without purpose."

Alexander felt a shiver run down his spine as he further hid behind Ben. 

This woman meant business.

"Seeing as you both came from a Pathfinder house, I expect you to integrate seamlessly," she said while standing from her desk.

"Sir Ben, you will renounce your duty to the Daname house and serve under house Nova, and Alexander, you will become my son, I will treat you as such."

Both Ben and Alexander's eyes widened.

"Make no mistake." Béatrice said as she stepped away from her desk, "This offer will only be made once, so either accept it… or leave." She said with a gesture to the door.