WAKE UP!

Daisy sighed in understanding. She would've said the same if she was in Daniel's shoes. 'But then they are still his parents' she reckoned and went mute thinking of what to say to get him to change his mind.

After a while, finally feeling she just came up with something, she wiped off the sweat on her face and stared into his eyes. "I know you're so angry with them right now but they are still your parents and they are the only people you have... except me anyway."

"I know they are my parents and the only ones I have but I have you like you already said and I also have your parents so I'll be fine that way till when I decide to visit my parents again."

"I can't let you do that." Daisy shook her head. "I can't let you keep an enmity with your parents. We have to go to your them. And you need to apologize to them. After all, you're the one in the wrong here not even them. Besides, what would they have done anyway? What if they tried to save you and the people pounced on them as well? Have you thought about that? I don't think you have. Now can we go?"

Daniel thought about Daisy's words and seeing so much sense in them, smiled at her and nudged her on the shoulder. "Yes. Let's go," he whispered and with their hands entwined, they walked away.

It didn't take long before they arrived at Daniel's parents' house and he halted. Making a quick cross sign he glanced at Daisy who, noticing his anxiousness, rubbed his hand in encouragement and bobbed her head. "You can do this baby. Let's go. Besides, I'm here with you, what can possibly go wrong?"

Nodding his head, they walked into the house but abruptly halted at the sight before them. Daniel's parents were cuddled together. His mum was sobbing on the chest of his father while his father was rubbing her hair in a gesture to soothe her. Both of his parent's eyes were so puffy and red and their hairs were so disheveled.

Daniel lowered his head at the heart-wrenching sight and shook his head as tears couldn't help but drop down his cheeks in thick lines.

He released his hand from Daisy's grip and strolled to his parents. Kneeling before them, he patted his father's shoulder, who in turn, jerked at the sudden touch and turned.

"Daniel?" He gasped.

Daniel's mum raised her head immediately she heard the name and turned as well. The next second, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She stretched her hand and touched Daniel's face. "Daniel, my son. You're alive? I thought I lost you." She sobbed, pulling him into a warm embrace.

Daniel went freely into her arms, forgetting all the anger he had for them and for several minutes, mum and son hugged so tightly while sobbing in each other's arms.

The sight broke Daisy's heart but at the same time brought a radiating smile to her face. She was sobbing but from the expression on her face, one could tell that it was tears of joy. At that moment, Ava sighted Daisy and waved at her to come to join the hug and she rushed and joined.

While they hugged, Ivan, on the other hand, was growling lowly like a dog who was warning its prey before it attacked. His teeth were bared and his fists were clenched.

A tick vein crossed his forehead and adrenaline coursed through him in waves. He kept tapping his foot on the floor, the sound reverberating all over the place.

Daniel, Daisy, and Ava disengaged from the hug several minutes later and Daniel rushed to hug his father with a bright smile on his face but just as his body was about to touch Ivan's, he was hurled away. Daisy and Ava gasped out and stared at Ivan in shock but he didn't even bother about them.

Landing on the floor with a loud thud, Daniel groaned in pain and stared at his father with deep sad eyes.

"What did I do to deserve that, father?" He asked, rubbing his aching elbow.

Ivan stood up and strolled to him, jerked him up, and hurled him away once more while cursing incoherently. Daniel landed roughly on a wooden dining table in the room close to the sitting room and the table shattered.

"Get up and fight, hero! Come on, you foolish boy! Come on and fight!" Mr. Ivan barked at him and rushed to jerk him up once more but Daisy and Ava rushed and blocked his path. "Please stop hurting him. He just recovered from the beatings he received from the villagers. Please don't add more pepper to his wounds. Please, dad." Daisy pleaded and dropped to her knees, clutching his leg.

Ivan stared down at her and hissed before kicking her away. He pushed his wife away too and jerked Daniel who was in so much pains up. Staring around, he hurled him at the sitting room table more roughly than the other times and the table shattered the moment Daniel landed on it.

"I trained a boy of great wisdom, not this one I'm seeing before me. You've brought so much shame to this family just because you wanted to be a damn hero. You made so many people lose their lives just because of your damn challenge. Who are you? Tell me cause I don't think you are my Daniel! I don't think you are my son!"

Daniel spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered up. He strolled to his father and knelt before him while sobbing so pathetically. "I'm sorry father. I was wrong and I own up to my mistake. Please don't cast me away. I only beg for your forgiveness. You can hit me all you want but please forgive me.

"I acted out of impulse as I couldn't bear it when the witch said she'd kill you and mum and also kill Daisy. I'm sorry, father. I'm still your son. Your only child."

"Nah, I doubt you're my son." Ivan retorted and let out a bitter laugh. "My son would've walked away without saying anything or perhaps beg for mercy! He would know barking at a witch like Theodora and challenging her would bring nothing but harm. But you chose otherwise.

"You made us lose not just our lives but our drinking water. Now, both animals and we humans, who don't die from Theodora's sword will die of thirst. After all, we are not yet sure of the other streams."

Daniel tried to touch his father's leg but he kicked off his hand. He tried once again but got the same treatment. "Hah!" He suddenly stood up, a deep frown clouding his features. His nose flared up and he glared at his father, snapping, "You all are against me because I chose to be brave. Aren't you ashamed of yourselves? You cowards?"

A deafening smack from his father landed on his cheek and he lowered his head, spitting out blood. He raised his head almost immediately and laughed. "Isn't that all you can do?" He asked and covered the space between him and his father, both glaring daggers at each other. "Do your worst, father! Do your fucking worst!"

Ivan raised his hand to hit him again but Daniel abruptly grabbed the hand and dropped it back down. "Fuck you, father. Fuck you!" He growled, made the finger sign and stomped out, banging the door so loudly that the house shook.

"Daniel!" Daisy yelled and rushed after him but not without staring sadly at Ivan who was breathing heavily.

Ava tried to touch him but he pushed her away and stomped inside. Sighing, she crouched down on one of the couches and broke into tears while hoping that everything got resolved soon. She couldn't bear it.

"What was that?!" Daisy shrieked at Daniel as she caught up with him.

Daniel glanced at her and ran his hand through hair. Without saying a word, he rushed to a tree, and began punching it so hard that in no time, his fist started bleeding. "Why is everyone against me? Why can't they see reasons with me? Why? I just want to end it all right now!" He cried out and increased his punches on the tree.

"Stop, Daniel!" Not being able to bear the sight, Daisy rushed to drag him away but he pushed her away out of rage and she landed on the ground on her butt.

"Stop this, Daniel," however, not caring about that, she continued to say. "I see reasons with you and I know your mum does too. You just have to give your father some time. He's just angry and sad. I know he will come around. Please just stop.

"You're causing so much harm to yourself and it's hurting me so badly. Stop for me, please. Please, baby." She stood up from the ground while softly groaning in pain and rushed to him, grabbing his arm, intending to pull him away, but he pushed her away again more roughly than the last and she landed on the ground, slammed her head on a rock, and blacked out.

Daniel kept punching the tree while sobbing not knowing what just happened to Daisy. For several minutes, he kept doing it until it dawned on him that he'd not heard her voice all this while and he abruptly stopped and turned.

"Daisy!" He wailed in horror at the sight of her laying on the ground sprawled out and rushed to her with his bleeding fist. He raised her head and she was bleeding. "Daisy wake up! Wake up! I didn't mean to push you! Please wake up!" He sobbed, shaking her but she wouldn't budge.

Not knowing what else to do, he jerked her up and began running to the route that leads to her house while sobbing and begging her to wake up.