Forbidden love

About a ½ a week later. Father paces up and down the length of Daughters room.

“Daughter of mine,

Why do you do bring trouble upon my grey head

Did I not specifically request that you have nothing to do with that scoundrel?”

“What scoundrel are you referring to Father? There are many scoundrels at that dance;

Some tall, some short, some polite, many rude…

And one who smelled of vinegar and fish, mixed with dentin cream.”

Father wrinkled his nose at the thought of this.

“I’m referring to the one you danced with the entire night.”

“I danced with more than one person, Father.

You need to be more specific.

How did you come by this information?”

Father sighed and looked around him, “May I sit?”

“Please do,” Daughter replied, with an impatient wave of her hand.

“You’re making me nervous with your inconsistent pacing.”

Clearing a wooden chair, with leather upholstery and Dragtonian heads carved into the stained arm rests, of its contents, Father sat and frowned at Daughter. “You want to know how I came by this information.”

“Yes, no doubt it was from that cranky old man with not so subtle hands, and his suggestions were even more lewd.”

Father sighed, “Daughter of mine, you know the role you’ll play upon entering the service of Crow and this old man, no matter how lewd or bad he smells will undoubtedly become one of your many ‘lovers’.

“Then I won’t enter the service of Crow & Company.” Daughter replied, throwing her blonde hair back and viewed her red puffy face in the mirror.

“Don’t talk like that Daughter,” Father scolded. “You know the punishment for disobedience, you know what is required of me, if you refuse to enter the service of Crow & Company.”

“But surely Father, you wouldn’t do that to your own flesh and blood.”

“My dearest daughter, laws were put in place to govern us. What good will they do if we choose to ignore them.”

“So that is your decision then, you’d kill me, curse me, and then cut me in pieces for refusing to do my duty.”

“If it comes to that, but rest assured it won’t.”

“How can you be so sure Father,” Daughter quietly asked.

“For two reasons, first you will have no more contact with the Brother.”

Sister scoffed, “Yeah, how are you going to prevent that.”

“Simple, for the second reason though it breaks my heart is needed for your protection and mine.”

“And what would that be, Father?”

“You’re to remain confined to this room, till the Ceremony of Crow. You’ll have no contact with the outside world.”

“You can’t do this Father,” Daughter cried.

“I’m your Father, I can do with you as I please,” he replied from his seat “and would it hurt you to clean this room?”