Daddy struck again and the braided leather bit playfully into my back. “Keep writing, Little Girl,” Daddy growled, but I could hear a smile under ...is words. I tried to focus on making each movement of the pen as smooth as possible, but I couldn’t anticipate the blows and when Daddy struck me on the thigh, I pitched forward a little and drew a rogue line up the entire set of lines I had completed. “Keep writing,” Daddy said, and I did, not worrying anymore on the neatness of my work. The stripes. There are things you need to know."I growled as I moved towards him, "the only thing I want to know is who killed my mother. When I find out they are dead."He straightened and then smiled, "now that I can live with."He walked around the desk and sat, "as you know the empire of Ren is not that large. Mist is the only system with three habitual planets. That makes me the strongest duke in the empire. I have no family or living relatives that will inherit."He leaned forward as I sat, "except you.. "Her head disappeared back behind the curtains and then the whole curtain slid back and Mom moved to climb down. She sat on the side of the bunk, beside the ladder, with her legs dangling intending to twist onto the ladder and climb down. I stood and moved over to help her and ensure that she didn't fall and then I suggested,"Here, let me lift you down - you don't weigh much and it will be a lot safer and easier. Lift your arms a bit and I'll hold you there."Mom lifted her arms clear of her. ." I stood still for a moment. "Take me to the site?"A'moth nodded and held me tightly in her arms. We jumped.We entered the scene about a hundred meters from the road, near the edge of some deep cover. We made our way a little closer, but there was a wide field with just some short weeds near the road. We couldn't get too close. We stared for a while at what was happening. High overhead, there were the faint shrieks of owls as Cindy and Isabelle voiced their frustration and anger. None of the.