Nicoletta Ch. 10

"I-I don't know..." I squeaked willing my tears not to fall.

"Oh but I think you do know my wily little jezebel!"

"Oh father ..." I groaned heartbroken from the scorn of his words.

"How-long damn you girl!"

"Six months!" I cried

"Six months huh...? You played the town whore for six months, Clarin?"

"n-no ... father I didn't!"

"This ends, right now Clarin!" He barked slamming his fist into our kitchen table.

"No!" I shouted, but before I could say more the room around me emitted a flash of white light before darkness flooded my vision. It took me a second to realize that my father's hand had made flesh heating, mind numbing contact with my face in a furious slap knocking me to the ground.

"Father I love him!" I plead while holding my stinging cheek.

"You know nothing Clarin ... and much less about love!" he seethed.

"Please father ..."

"You will not leave this house without a chaperon!" He ruled. And you will bed with your mother, lest you decide to take another midnight stroll."

"Father ..." I said weakly. "P-please ..." It seemed that after the slap he had begun to calm, yet still I flinched when he knelt in front of me so that we were eye to eye.

"This is done Clarin ... do you understand?" and with that he stood up again and turned his back to me. It was like another slap in the face, my father had completely shut down.

"No father, I do not understand ..." I sniffed. He said nothing right off, he just stood there staring out of the window.

"You know nothing Clarin ..." he said with a certain sadness. "Then tell me!" I demanded. He was quiet for a long time as he considered his answer. "I owe you no explanation daughter, none what so ever!"