Second Female Leads' Playbook

They changed the power suppressing shackle on me with normal ones. The old man than walked forward, hands on my shoulder. I could feel a force seeping into my body.

"Sir Hans here can not only find out your power, but can also coerce you to use your power." 

I had to shift no matter what, but Ralph had seen my blue finch form before. He might not remember a bird he had seen passingly, like Carlisle. But I could not risk it. So I shifted into my gray finch form. 

"A bird? You tell me the guard Carlisle kept by his side can only shift into a bird the size of my fist? I thought you could turn into a bull at least. Then when he needs some strength, he can use you." He laughed hysterically. "A bird. No wonder he discarded you. Is Ivory Manor that weak nowadays? He couldn't have found a more useful guard?" 

If I was that useless, I wouldn't be the one to spy on you and expose your secret of controlling the salt market by bribing Sir Rossi. I thought secretly. Salt was an ingredient that everyone used in their daily life, by controlling the market, he could earn a lot. That's also the reason why the Duke had gotten that furious. 

The shackle around my foot stayed with me, it even shrank to accommodate my tiny feet. Guess it worked like my enchanted clothes, the shackles stayed with me at all times. 

"I thought of something fun." He walked towards me and grabbed me in his hand. Unlike Carlisle who was skilled in handling a bird, the way Ralph held me was rough and brutal. My wings were crushed. I pecked at his hand with my beak in my struggle, leaving a blood trail. 

"You!" In anger he pulled out my feathers and pain shot through my body. "If you do not want to become a one-winged bird, you stay put." He glared angrily. I pretended to struggle once more and then stayed in his fist dejectedly. I could not risk the fact of him amputating my wing. 

He then walked out of the prison, the guard holding my shackle trailing behind him. We entered a beautiful courtyard. 

"Mother," he shouted out. "Mother I brought you something fun."

"What?" Lady Sabrina shouted back in annoyance. "I was just taking a nap!" 

"Don't be angry, Mother. Look at what I brought you."

Lady Sabrina took a look at his hand and her face flashed in anger. "Why do you bring in a bird? I hate birds! Don't you know what your father did to me? He blamed me for his missing blue bird! He stopped giving me my allowance even when I told him I wouldn't give him his monthly antidote!" 

"Mother, we're not that poor. Who cared about his allowance?" 

"He even ordered all the shops to stop doing my business! He no longer listens to me! He no longer hovers under my threat!" 

"Then let him die. I become the Duke and you can buy anything you want."

"He said he would leave a will and pass his position to that Carlisle! He said he would tell the important ministers about his will and they would no doubt support Carlisle. The kingdom did not need a greedy Duke who bribed and stole money from the people."

"He wouldn't dare!" Ralph said dismissively. 

"He lost his mind! He was already a bit unhinged after that blue bird he got from Carlisle for his birthday went missing. He totally lost it after that ugly woman died! I thought he would come back to me after that ugly woman died, but he didn't! He wants to die with her! Why!" she shrieked and tears streaked down her face. "Am I not beautiful? Why doesn't he choose me?" She threw the vase next to her onto the ground. 

"Then just charm him." Ralph rolled his eyes. 

"I told you my power had a limit! The person on the receiving end will get used to it if I charm him too much! That's why I always use moderation. That's why I use that poison Master Samuel made to control him! But the resistance is starting to show! Didn't you notice your father no longer doted on me when I tried to charm him? And I got so tired just trying to charm one person! I had to take days of nap to recover! Wrinkles grow on my face!"

"My father never treated me well!" Ralph shouted back. "Have you ever seen the way he insults me? Never mind that's not the reason I came here." He held me to his mother. "This is a prisoner I got from that wimp. You can torture this bird all you want. You hate birds, don't you?" 

"This belongs to that son of that ugly woman? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Come, give it to me." A smile bloomed on her face, all the hysterics she had a second before gone from her face. I knew I was doomed. 

Ralph squeezed me tight within his fist. "Don't you dare harm my mother, if you do, both of your wings will be gone." He then throw me to his mother. What could I do but to endure. I held back a shriek as another feather was torn from me. I wonder if I could still fly after the tortures I went through. Lady Sabrina dug her sharp nail into my wings. 

"Mother, don't totally break her. I still have things to get from her mouth. If you pushed her too hard, I don't know what she will do."

"I'm not an idiot." She rolled her eyes as she tore another feather from me. "You got that sword, why didn't you just bring it to your father?"

"What's the fun if that wimp isn't here to see it? I can't wait to see his face when he notices I get the sword before him and am named the next Duke."

"Then what about those Ministers. They don't like you. They object to everything. I want to marry your father, but they all knelt down and objected with their life. If it's not for them, I would have become Duchess." 

"Don't worry, Mother. I had already formed an agreement with the tribe leader from the grassland. He said he would help me by sending his army to support me. As long as our soldiers manning the fortress at the border open the gate for them when the time comes. So don't worry even if my father leaves a will passing the Dukedom to Carlisle, I can get back what is mine."

"But aren't you afraid of that tribe leader betraying you once he and his army enter our kingdom?"

It seemed like Lady Sabrina was not that stupid, I thought as I held back another wince as her sharp fingernails slashed through my wing. The tribes in the grassland had been meaning to occupy our kingdom for ages. It's just that our soldiers fought them back before they could enter our border and we had strong fortresses. Who knew what would happen if Ralph let them in to 'help' him.

"Don't worry. The tribe leader said he would marry his daughter to me. Then his daughter would be my hostage! Do I still need to worry about his betrayal? Furthermore, their army will never be as strong as ours."

Our kingdom's army was strong, that was true. But if Ralph really fought Carlisle for the Dukedom, first off Ivory Manor would no longer stay by Ralph side. Then the strength of our kingdom's army would be greatly reduced. 

"My head hurts just from hearing things like this. I believe you, my clever son. Do what you want to do."

"Of course." Ralph's laughter rang throughout the whole room.