Reborn as the Princess' Knight (GL)

Side Chapter: Family or Him? (IV).

"Do you really think..."

Stomp!

"I would let you have your way with my son?"

The Viscount's beatings never stopped. Ellis' face was broken, bruised and he felt like toppling over the pain. "Tell me. What did you do to force him to do these things with you?"

He holds the boy's collar and raises him up angrily. How dare he defile his son! He has already planned on an engagement with his eldest and now this comes up?

If someone knew... That one of his sons were a- a homosexual?!

What would the noble court think of this?!

And furthermore - he knows his son is not like that. He's been studying non stop and asked for him to not be married until he achieved merits that will make him a qualified heir to the Yulien family line.

The Viscount eyes the servant he trusted to care for his son like he was his enemy. Clicking his tongue he lets go of him and asks.

"Awfully quiet now, are you?" He taunts him and he could hear the boy could only reply weakly, his dark purple eyes were determined and not afraid of the man in front of him.

Perhaps he has been preparing himself for anything like this to happen when he first thought of courting his master.

"I... Hah... Did not force your son to do anything with me." (Ellis) replies, panting for his breath telling the truth. Not once did he ask Lenard to do something he didn't want.

When he came to this estate, he thought he was alone. He thought loving another man was only a thing he did and understood.

Then he found out that the young master he served was someone like him. Every library trip they had together, was one of the best memories he treasured.

"Hah... I respect your son, sir. I love him to the point I would take every beating and torture you would inflict on me just to finally say it out loud." He smiles warmly at the Viscount who grimaced at his words.

How dare he smile at a time like this-

"You... Are not worthy of my son. You can't even bear him children, what use are you if someone like you can't give me an heir." (Viscount Lenois) clicks his tongue, making sure he knows his place. "You're a man yourself, this relationship will not last for much longer. You should know that."

Ellis' heart broke when he heard those words. Truly, he cannot give Lenard what most people want.

Children of their own.

They could always adopt it and it crossed their mind. However, people will always point... It will never be the same as how normal people have it.

The Viscount eyes his servant who coughs up a bit of blood before looking away in disgust. "And I will make my son realize his mistake for picking someone like you."

.-.-.-.-.

"I wonder where Ellis is today... He's late..."

Lenard, who came back to his room after a good night's rest, was looking through his room.

He was surprised that his pet plant had fallen down from his table and that made him feel unsettled. He grabs a broom and sweeps it off of his floor. He took another pot and tried saving it, settling it back down on where it was supposed to be.

"The kamera is still here..."

Lenard thought of the flashing light from last night.

Did it come from the kamera?

Did someone take a picture of them? If someone did... they must be keeping the film because it's definitely not in the kamera's mouth.

While Lenard was busy with his thoughts- he didn't notice someone else coming in his room, wearing a wide grin and looking smug.

"Hey, is that a new pot for your little plant brother?" (Lucas) didn't even bother to knock and just went into his room looking around.

"What... Do you want Lucas?" (Lenard) asks, standing up from his seat, facing his brother who was weirdly smiling at him like he was in a good mood.

"Nothing. I just came here to well... ask you something." (Lucas)

Lenard blinks letting his guard down. He didn't seem bothered after knowing that his little brother who didn't use words and would prefer using his fists was suddenly asking a question.

"Oh... if that's the case ask me anything." he smiles a little, thinking positively that maybe his little brother needed to know about something he can help with.

"Big brother... Have you seen your boyfriend around?" (Lucas) smiles widely leaning into his brother's ears. Enjoying the reaction he received.

Lenard on the other hand was panicking- he wondered if he knew- about him and Ellis. "I think I saw him in our father's study... Do you think he did something wrong to suddenly get called in like that?" (Lucas) slides over to the table and holds the kamera in his hand.

"Now... smile."

Click!

The flash of light captured Lenard's shocked face of fear, Lucas... was taking it in all. Feeling such an immense amount of joy when he saw his big brother fall onto his knees like that.

"Oh... you're not smiling in this little film of yours. What a shame... no matter- I think I like it better this way." (Lucas) sadistically mutters to himself, dropping the photo onto the floor and into Lenard's view.

Lenard glared up at him and figured it all out- this- brother of his!

"Argh!" (Lenard) forcefully takes back his camera away from him and angrily punches him right in the face just right by his jaw. "You-! Did you do this?! Were you the one who took a photo of us last night?!"

"Smart as always." (Lucas) took in his older brother's weak punch and shakes his head. This little scrawny older brother of his could actually land a decent punch but not as strong as his. "Now... Why are you not seeing your little boyfriend now? I told you where he is... I wonder what father is doing to him right now."

Lenard's heart dropped. Was Ellis in his father's study since this morning?

"E-Ellis..."

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Lucas' words haunted Lenard and immediately went on his way onto his father's office. Lenard dashed running out of breath with his lover in mind. "Please... Hah... please... be okay!" he mutters through each step.

Hoping that his father didn't hurt him.

"Hah... Hah..." When he arrived at the doors he quickly held the doorknob of it and twisted it but realized it was locked. The Viscount didn't want anyone to disturb him with his ongoing interrogation session but Lenard had other plans.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"F-Father! Let me in! I-I know you have Ellis in there!" (Lenard) bangs onto his father's door. Viscount Lenois who was done talking with Ellis with a bruised up body and face heard his son's voice and looked serious.

He hasn't even called for him yet... perhaps Lucas already made his move.

Ellis' eyes widened when he heard Lenard's voice just right outside the room. "Father! Let me in! Please don't hurt him!"

"Lenard..." he looks up to see Viscount Lenois' darkened expression. He looked really angry and it worried him that he won't be able to protect Lenard at this current battered up state of his. "Ungh... not now..." he holds his broken ribs trying not to groan in pain.

Lenard's father is some scary shit. The man was rumored to be just reading books all day but no one told him that he can kick like a horse too!

"We're not done. I'll let him in to see how pitiful and unworthy you are." (Viscount Lenois) walks up to the door with the loud knocking and opens it. Lenard almost falls over to his father's figure but thankfully he caught himself and looked mad with worry.

"Father! Where is he-?!" (Lenard) yells over him and the Viscount could only look in the injured boy's direction. "Ellis!" he immediately runs over to his lover, quickly attending to his face, his hands traveling to his many bruises and wounds.

Lenard would not believe... his father... would do something like this.

Or more like... thankfully he's not dead.

"So son. What do you think of the state he's in?" (Viscount Lenois) closes the door and locks it once more. Lenard's head was beating irritatingly, he's looking at Ellis almost beaten to death and he dare asks him what he thinks of the state of his lover's in?!

"Father- how could you?! He's in bad shape now!" (Lenard) looked at the Viscount in tears. His timid side was being vulnerable and he just couldn't help letting it all out.

"Lenard... I'm fine. It's okay, honey. I'm alright... it's just a few broken ribs." (Ellis) joked trying to make light of the blonde boy's face but it seemed it was the wrong time to bring up humor in such a serious situation. "Don't... make a sad face. It's making me sad too."

Ellis weakly raises his hands and wipes the tears off his boyfriend's cheeks and Lenard frowns. "B-But... you're hurt... I need to get you help- anyone with first aid- the maids can-"

"There will be none of that." His father's footsteps were heavy and he stood in between the two before pointing his finger at Ellis. "From now on this boy is no longer allowed to set foot in the estate, he's fired." (Viscount Lenois)

"Nngh..." (Ellis) looks up at the man he once called master and now throws him away for understandable reasons. If someone knew your son was dating another man, in the country of [Puronia] it would be punishable by death.

Him being fired is a merciful act by the Viscount.

Lenard holds down Ellis' hand and shakes his head. "I-I don't approve! I... Father-!" He bites his lip looking at his lover then back again, trying to garner confidence by holding his hand. Finally he does it.

"I like him!" he cried out and the Viscount froze from where he stood. Hearing his son's words made him question everything. Does he like him?

HE LIKES HIM?!

BUT HE'S A MAN!

The Viscount takes Lenard by the collar of his clothes and lifts him up. "Are you sick, boy?! He's a man! Not a woman! What in the world did you eat to make you think this way?!" He threw his son onto the ground and looked at him disappointingly.

"!!!" Ellis, who panicked, tried catching Lenard who was thrown off but due to his body being beaten to a pulp he could only use his own body as a cushion. With a loud thump he successfully softened his landing but it cost him pain. "Nngh... L-Lenard... are you alright?"

"E-Ellis-! Y-You're already hurt."

Stomp!

The Viscount didn't care about shoving Lenard away and just immediately attacked the servant for getting in his way. "Father stop! Please! He doesn't deserve this!" (Lenard) tries to stop him by pulling his arm but he is too weak to stop him.

"Listen- here- I'm getting tired of you. Choose! Him?! Or your family?!" (Viscount Lenois) couldn't help but shout, making Lenard cry even more.

"W-What?! If I do that then-!" He looks at Ellis who was badly injured. He thought of his family, even if they were horrible- there were still times that they were good to him so he hesitated to leave but- if he chose Ellis...

No... but to him... Ellis is already family.

"Ellis... is also family. I want him to stay father please... I don't want to leave anyone." The young man pleaded, heart tearing apart to be choosing anything that he both loved so dearly.

The Viscount clicks his tongue and shakes his head, it seems that his answer was clear. He chose the boy over his family that treated him everything that he needed. "Get out."

"Everything that we bought you- from your books, your toys, your camera, and all your allowance will be confiscated!"

"You're no longer my son and don't even dare to use the Yulien noble name from now on."

.-.-.-.-.

Lenard and Ellis both packed clothes, the servants escorting them both. Dottie, the old servant who helped Kein when she was thrown out, was also there… she looked empathetically at the two boys who were hurt.

"Young master…" (Dottie) calls out to them both and secretly heals them without the master seeing. "Outside the estate, please never come back and just live happily."

"Thank you, Dottie… Please take care of my mother and father for me." (Lenard) gave a stiff smile while he held all his necessities and Ellis gave his thanks to a friend.

A commoner carriage was pulled over, as the both of them paid for the fare.

Lucas watched it all unfold. He wasn't smiling anymore or was happy with the result.

He felt alone.