It had been several days since Claire had talked Ruthivan into birth control, raising their four children, inviting her father and mother over, and faking her flames like mad as she held onto memories long past. It was just unfortunate that in her zeal to lie long enough to break free, Ruthivan had lied about birth control so that he got her pregnant days after Hadriel was born, he kept her parents from coming for days as well, and her hopes of getting outside long enough to contact someone, anyone, to save her were shut down with the discovery of her newest child. She was frantic, she wanted free, but she was drugged and found herself in a foggy haze for a day.
Finally, Ruthivan had made good on his promise. He invited her parents to dinner, knowing that her mother, Seranfrit would be on is side, and knowing that her father, Eladrim, wouldn't be at all the wiser since - in the tent - she couldn't communicate with him in secret. Still, Claire had to do something. She felt stir crazy, like she was drowning, suffocating, being choked by the lies that fell fat from her lips after filling her throat.
She did her cooking, listening to her mother's harpy-like voice crooning over her grandchildren and praising Ruthivan for being such a good father. She kept her head bowed as she worked at the stove. Once dinner was ready, the entire family sat at the table. Eladrim, her father, gave a smile and nod. "This looks delicious," he said. "So, it seems things have been going well here."
'He beats me,' Claire said, not bothering to look at the strangled look of murderous rage on Ruthivan's face as she spoke. 'I want to leave here and he will not let me. I am a prisoner in my own home. I want out. I want to break the bond. I want to be free of this man. If I can't break away, I'm afraid of what I will do to myself. I harbor a hate so deep and full, a hopelessness so complete and total, that I will end my life if I do not get help.'
The table was silent until Desmaren, two and so precocious shouted out, "Let's eat!"
