“No, Jordan. This will not do. No, she needs to know her place and this will simply not do. I suggest we remove that marking so she is no longer so special. We should remove that mark so people will stop believing her to be demonic. At least we can hide what she is by making her look normal. No! No, I will not hear you try and stop me. I am going to take Violet with me and we are going to walk into that dungeon and we are going to cut off that terrible looking birthmark. It gives me the willies. I can't stand looking at it. I'm going to have Violet do the honors. She is of a ripe age now and should learn how to start taking care of our dirty work.”
“You can't just have that child go down there and cut into flesh that isn't her right to cut into, Lily! That is cruel and unfair to both of the children.”
“Children! Pah! Violet is a young woman now and she is ready for the responsibilities of the kingdom. As for that thing in the basement, well, perhaps if we remove that terrible marking the devil gave her then we can put her to work and she will stop terrifying the help.” She was right, of course. Everyone was terrified of the child. It had been two years since she was brought into this house, and at six years she should be able to start taking up some duties and chores around the keep. But there she sat in the basement because she was a terror that no one desired to look at let alone deal with.
“Alright. Alright, Lily. You win. But I will not let you go down there. I know how squeamish you can be seeing that girl. Let me take Violet and we will come up with a way to do this together. I'm not fond of your idea of removing the mark. I think there could be some way to hide it.” A great hefty sigh caused his chest to deflate before he worked up the strength to rise from the chair as his wife huffed and spun on her heels to stalk out of the room. She desired nothing more than to be rid of that child. Jordan, though, could only wonder if their little girl Violet would turn out as haughty and needy of power and riches as his mother. A frown played upon his lips as he shook his head back and forth slowly, glancing towards the door swinging on its hinges after her exit.
He began his journey towards Violet's play room where she had a daily play date with a child of a staff member to keep her social as she had no other siblings other than Niokala. Niokala, though, was off limits, even if Violet did ever want to play with her. Which she didn't. Climbing the stairs he began to call. “Violet. Violet, honey. Put down your dolls and say good bye to your friend. You and I need to have a little walk together.”
The response was almost instantaneous as the door pounded the wall on the other side as it was swung open with such an incredible force. “No. You stay right there. And don't move. And don't touch any of my things or I will cut off your little finger again.” Again? Goodness! He hoped this was just some part of a game they played. Children had such wild imaginations.
“Come now, my little angel. Your mother talked me into taking you down to the dungeon and teaching you how to deal with some family business. You don't have to come if you don't want to, honey. I don't want to take you from you games if you are enjoying yourself.”
“Oh daddy, are we finally going to get rid of that little slut?” A slap came hard across her face at that time, causing her jaw to throb. A whimper followed shortly after along with a look of wonder that her father would do such a thing.
“You will not call your sister a slut, Violet. She is still your sister. We are only going to try and help her be more normal looking so people wont be so afraid of her. You be nice, now. She has never done a thing to hurt you.”
“She isn't my sister, father. She is a terrible girl and it is all your fault she is here.” Violet rolled her hand into a fist and punched her father in the thigh before running full strength away from the man with tears in her eyes. All her father could do was shake his head. She was still too young, even if she was six years older than Niokala.
