The Blog of armine

Klarissa was brought to Marelda's lodging quarters in the estate - a large, bright, beautifully-decorated room with plenty of sunlight and circulating air from outdoors. The walls were tastefully adorned with paintings of nature scenes and portraits of royal families (both living and deceased); the furniture and rug assemblies had a style reminiscent of medieval France. Several sets of exotic votive candles glowed mystically on mantels, shelves and tabletops spread out fairly evenly throughout the well-maintained living space.

Marelda greeted Klarissa with a look of caution at first... but soon she was feeling less inhibited, and longed to connect with her daughter.

"Your father has taken good care of you", Marelda began. "Please join me for tea in the sitting room".

"I want you to release him". Klarissa declared as she followed Marelda into a smaller adjoining room overlooking the magnificent castle gardens. "How can you just throw him in jail, when you haven't yet given him a chance to explain his side of the story?"

As Marelda took her place at a table, Klarissa noticed how well-dressed she was. Her jewelry, in particular, looked to have cost a small fortune.

"I wish you wouldn't make any judgments on the matter", said Marelda as a servant came out to offer light refreshments. "You were too young to remember what happened - but I will never forget".

"True, I do not know the specifics of Father picking up and leaving", Klarissa agreed, "but I do know he is a good man, and I know that he still loves you - even now, with the awful way you are treating him. I know that there wasn't a day that went by where he didn't wish you were with us. I know he never spoke badly of you - and I know that this whole thing was a set-up!"

"He left me to die", said Marelda. "I will never forgive him for that. I want you to come and live with me here. I can arrange for brief visitations with your father, if that is really what you want".

Klarissa stared at Marelda, not believing her ears.

"You will have the best of everything", Marelda promised with the slight wink of one eye. "You will want for nothing - everything you ask for you shall have".

"All I want is my father back - and to return to our home in the village", Klarissa said firmly. Marelda was not pleased with this response.

"Why do you say such a thing?" she asked. "Do you not desire to live a life of luxury and opulence? I am practically handing you such a life".

"The only life that I know", Klarissa retorted, "is the one that I share with my father. He is the only family I have ever had, and he has striven every day to be the best father he can be. No we do not have much money - but money can never buy what matters most to people like me and him".

Marelda looked taken aback, and could not speak for a moment.

"Keep your riches - your gold, your pearls, your playthings. You are a stranger to me, and I have no interest in your lifestyle - none whatsoever. Release my father from this prison, and let the two of us leave this castle forever!"

Marelda was torn, disappointed upon hearing these words. "Your father will not be leaving", she said sternly, "and quite frankly, neither will you".

Klarissa stood up suddenly. "You cannot keep me here!"

"Yes I can - and I will", Marelda declared with a chilling edge to her voice.

A short time later, Klarissa was escorted to her own private living quarters; it had everything a girl her age could possibly want, material-wise.

But all Klarissa wanted was to be back home with her father, and to see Zamiel again too.

As she watched the glorious sunset from her window later that afternoon, Klarissa believed she had never felt lonelier than she did right at that moment.