The Lost Daughter Of The Ashford Family

Ruby rushed toward Giselle with hurried footsteps, her face pale, lips trembling.

"Your Grace... You..You need to see this... That little girl..." Her voice cracked, overwhelmed by the gravity of what she had seen.

Giselle immediately placed a hand on Ruby’s shoulder to calm her. "Ruby, what happened? Are her injuries worse than we feared?"

But Ruby shook her head frantically. "Please come... I can’t explain it. You must see it with your own eyes."

Sensing the urgency, Giselle shared a glance with Tristan before hurrying toward the bed. Her breath caught when her eyes landed on the little girl’s broken body. Wounds and bruises layered over each other. Some had festered, others were fresh, red, raw.

But what stopped Giselle cold was the girl’s small wrist. A soft gasp escaped her lips. Her hand flew to her mouth in disbelief as she stumbled a step back.

That mark... shimmering faintly beneath the grime and dried blood... it couldn’t be.

Ruby turned to Tristan and bowed low. Her voice trembled. “Your Grace… you need to see this too.”

Tristan’s expression darkened as he stepped forward. Ruby was always poised, calm even in danger. For her to be this shaken…

Then he heard Giselle's whisper.

"...Serena..."

His steps halted.

His chest tightened.

His lips parted. "What...?"

Serena.

That name.

The name of the daughter he had searched for every day for the past five years.

His heart thundered violently as he stumbled to the side of the bed. The sight before him broke him. His daughter, his baby girl was lying there, her tiny body marred by cruelty. Her wrist bore the undeniable mark of the Ashford family: a silver dragon encircled in ancient runes. A divine symbol, gifted only to those of direct imperial blood by the First Saintess herself.

Only a child born directly of the Ashford bloodline could bear the mark naturally. Even the wives of male heirs had to undergo a sacred ritual to receive it. Giselle herself, despite being Tristan's wife, had gone through that ceremony. Cleo—Giselle’s son from her previous marriage had also received the mark through the same ritual. And even Eric, though adopted by Tristan and not his blood, had undergone the rite to be recognized as an Ashford. The mark could not be forged or faked. It was a divine symbol, an irrefutable proof of one’s place in the family.

His fingers trembled as he reached out, brushing her fragile hand. Her skin was cold. Bones far too prominent beneath her flesh. Her whole body was covered in bruises. His knees buckled as he embraced her.

“My baby... Serena... My daughter...”

He broke into sobs, the sound of them raw and helpless. The years of searching, the torment of not knowing, everything poured out in those tears.

“I’m sorry... I’m so sorry... I couldn’t protect you. I didn’t know... Forgive me, baby... I’m sorry.”

He had been searching for her for what felt like an eternity. Hestia had vanished while carrying his child, and from that moment on, his life had been consumed by the desperate need to find his daughter. The letter she left behind, he didn't wanted to believe it.

But now, seeing Serena’s broken little body with his own eyes, he couldn’t deny the truth any longer. Hestia had truly hated him. But why? What had he done to deserve such cruelty from the woman he once loved? He had no answers—only the crushing weight of guilt and a single, unrelenting question clawing at his heart: how could a mother do this to her own child?

"I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry baby.. So sorry... I'm sorry." Tristan continued apologising. Giselle sat beside him, her own eyes misted. She wrapped her arms around Tristan’s shaking form, holding him tightly as silent tears streamed down her face.

An hour later~

The atmosphere inside the room was heavy—air thick with sorrow. Ruby and Maria stood respectfully at a distance, eyes lowered. Neither spoke. Even the ticking of the clock on the wall felt too loud.

Tristan still knelt at Serena’s bedside, holding her delicate hand between his own.

Finally, Giselle gently squeezed his shoulder. “Tristan... Let Physician Rune examine her. She needs help... urgently.”

Maria came forward with new dress. She dressed up the little girl. She gathered the bloodstained rags with a quiet bow. “I will dispose of these, my lady.”

Tristan went near Phyiscian Rune and asked him to check his daughter. He wiped away his tears. He need to be strong for his daughter. But seeing her condition, he couldn't control his tears from falling down. What mustve been his baby went through? What did Hestia do to her? All the thoughts made him angry and sad.

Phyisician rune walked towards serena and asked ruby, "Is her whole body covered in bruises? Is it in bad state? I need to use my magic to detect her health so I need to know how much force I need to put." 

Ruby nodded and spoke in sad voice, "Yes Physician Rune, her wholy body is covered with fresh and old wounds. It's horrible. Many of them are infected. It.. It's terrible. Please be gentle with young lady."

Physcian Rune sighed heavily. He raised his hand, a green glow emitted out of his hand. An intricate magic circle formed in air. A gust of green magic waves wrapped around serena. It was gentle.

This was a detection magic of Phyisician Rune which helped him to understand patient's diagonsis.

Few minutes later~

Phyisician Rune gasped. His brows furrowed. His mouth fell slightly open. A single tear slid down his aged cheek.

"What happened, Grandpa Rune? Why are you so terrified? Is my baby okay?" Tristan asked anxiously stepping forward. He knew that serena's condition was worse but phyiscian rune's expression made him more worry.

Physician Rune turned towards tristan and spoke in heavy voice, "I'm sorry, tristan but this little one is in terrible condition. Her entire body is covered in bruises and burn marks, all from being struck with magical weapons."

Tristan staggered on his feet. He felt as if his whole world was collapsing. Giselle was horrifired but she immeditaly held tristan's arm to support him. 

"She's so weak that she can't even use her holy powers to heal herself. She's been pushed. pulled and thrashed around so harshly. even her scalp is damaged by puling her hairs around. And it seems like her holy powers was often sucked away using a cruel ritual that causes heavy serious injuries on this child. Not only are her external wounds severe but she's also suffereing from internal injuries like internal bleeding, organ damage, fractured bones and trauma shock."

"But the most concerning issue is her mental health. My powers can detect the mental fitness. A kid's mind should always be filled with thoughts like candies, food, toys, mischief but her.. her mind is empty like that of a dead person. There's nothing but darkness, a chaotic boid consuming her thoughts and emotions. She is terrified of humans."

Tristan’s legs gave out.

He dropped to the floor, burying his face in his hands. His emotions were mess, anger, sadness, guilt. His tears were falling continuously as his heart ached for his daughter.

A full grown person would get crazy with such abuse. That person will fear everything. But...But serena is a just little girl who went through such horrible abuse. How can.. how can he forgive himself? It was all his fault.

"My baby suffered a lot. It's all my fault. I'm sorry serena. Why didn't I find you sooner? Why? I'm really sorry." He cried silently.

"Its not your fault tristan" Giselles hugged him and rubbed his back slowly. "Don't blame yourself. It's all hestia's fault. How can she behave so cruel with her own kid? I don't understand her..."

Royal Physician Rune walked over slowly and placed a firm hand on Tristan’s shoulder. "Stop blaming yourself. What matters now is helping your daughter heal. She'll need your love and care moe than ever. You need to be positive and happy so that she can feel comfortable and safe." 

He slowly added. "Your family needs to be the ray of light that pulls her out of the darkness. Understood? I will come back soon to check on her. I will clean and disinfect her wounds for now."

Tristan nodded sadly. Physician Rune started cleaning her wounds with help of Ruby. 

Few minutes later~

"Remember tristan, your family will have to be patient with the little girl. She is fragile baby. You need to take all extra efforts to make her a normal kid again. It will be better if only one person visits her now." He said while leaving.

Tristan nodded sadly. He decided that he will make Serena, a bright and confident girl. No matter what it takes, he will always be there for her.

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