Like Fixing a Broken Window With a Blowtorch.
Agvald casually and confidently walked into his young daughter’s room, not bothering to shut the door behind him. He was a massive man, broad-shouldered with large hands and long arms and legs. Few would call him handsome, but most knew better than to call him ugly. He had fine neatly groomed white hair that was starting to thin and a full beard and moustache of the same color. He wore a white, long-sleeved dress shirt, black suspenders, and black trousers. His black leather shoes had been recently shined, and clicked along the wooden floor as he approached his daughter. The small girl sitting on her bed had her father’s blue eyes and white hair. She didn’t look at him as he entered, instead she stared at the fluffy brown teddy bear she’d recently been given. Her blue dress was new, and so were her white stockings and black shoes. There was a profound sadness and pain in her expression, but not a mark on her body. Agvald sat down next to his daughter, looking down quite a ways to do so. “You understand what’s happened, don’t you? What happened to your mother, and why?” he said, in a very matter-of-fact tone. The little girl’s only response was to shake her head. Agvald looked forward and nodded slowly. “Well, that’s understandable. You’re still very young. I don’t hold that against you. Not now, but it’s going to have to change. So, let me explain, so that can happen. Your mother and I had an arrangement. She was to provide me with certain things and never question me, and in exchange, she got to live here with me as my wife, in this fine house, and enjoy the fine things I provide. She knew this was how it worked, and if she had honored that agreement, none of this would have happened.” The little girl listened intently, nodding in acknowledgement as her father spoke. Agvald sighed and shook his head before he continued. “Now, it’s bad enough that she decided to stop holding up her end of the bargain, but that’s not all she did. She tried to take you from me. Now, don’t get some sort of idea that you’re more important than you are. Your job is to help me get what I need, so you’d better start learning to make yourself useful. I won’t tolerate freeloading when you’re older, but I’m getting off track… the point is no one cheats me, and no one steals from me. No one, no exceptions. Your mother did both, and that’s why she’s gone now. Now, then… do you have any questions?” The little girl finally spoke, tears running down her cheeks as she looked up at her father for the first time since the night before. “Why did you make me watch?” Agvald stood up, briefly straightening his suspenders before he started towards the door. “I didn’t want you to make the same mistake your mother did, Arnfasta. You needed to know what I do to people who inconvenience me.” With that, he shut the door behind him.
