Arcane ~ ONGOING

~Chapter Twenty-Seven Pt.2~

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"Come on, you gotta wake up hun," The soft voice whispered as I forced my eyes open. The smiling face of Ana appeared in my vision and memories of last night came tumbling back to me. "They know," I whispered, dread audible in my voice.

"I know," She whispered, softly caressing my hair. "And it's alright." She then asked me to sit up while handing me a white ceramic mug.

"Is this milk?" I asked as she rolled the curtains open.

"With a hint of vanilla, just as you like it," She muttered, petting Sky who had walked in just when Ana opened the door. She jumped on my lap making me sigh in relief, it's been too long since I got some time with Sky. She licked my face making me crack out a smile as I calmed her down.

After a couple minutes, she calmed down, settling on my lap as I sipped on my sweet warm milk. "You gotta be quick, sweetie. I'm sorry if you don't want to be reminded of it but you have places to go to today," Ana muttered from the bathroom.

"I'm not going," I said, my head hung low. My milk was now left unattended as I held Sky close to me.

"What do you mean?" She asked, walking out of the bathroom. Her eyebrows were furrowed together as she walked over to me.

"I don't think I should go meet him," I said, my voice cracking. It took everything in me to not burst into tears. I did not feel that I deserved to go pay my respects after everything that I put my dad through. I agreed with Dorian, as much as it pained me to say, I had no right call myself his daughter after torturing him like that.

"Why would you say that?" She asked, kneeling down in front of me. I could see genuine concern for my sanity in her eyes. And honestly, I don't blame her. I've been questioning my sanity for a long time now.

"It's just how I feel. After everything I put him through, would he even want me to be there? I understand now what Dorian meant. It just doesn't feel right. What if he hated me before going? What if he wished that I wouldn't ever see him again but never voiced that wish out? Because that's what I think happened. I just don't think that he would've still loved me, or even entertained the thought of me before that happened," I replied.

"That is not true. I was there when it happened, I met him when he was in the hospital and you know what he told me, he told me to get his girl, however long it takes. Even if it is after him, he just wanted you to be here, where you belong. He would never be able to hate his little princess. He knew that if you weren't here before something happened to him, the brothers would be caught up in a web of their emotions instead of looking for you," She said before taking me in her arms.

"So, it doesn't matter if you're a little late or if you weren't there when he wanted you to because he understood. Your father was a smart and compassionate man, unlike the cold exterior he showed to the world, much like your brother. And just like them, your father was incapable of hating you." I leaned into her warm body as she rubbed my hands, trying to comfort me.

She handed me the mug, somehow the milk was still warm in it. I started to drink t, deep in thought. It hurt more knowing that he didn't feel any hatred towards me even after what I put him through. I felt as if his love, his immense love could have been gone to better. Some place where it would have been appreciated.

But I understood what Astria said and even though I wasn't there when he needed me, I will try to make amends. I can't show him how much I love him anymore or much I appreciated his love but I can still try to pay my respect, respect the love that once existed with him, respect the love that still exists without him.

"How about you take a nice, warm bath?" Ana asked, her chocolate brown eyes emitting a warm glow, "I'll have breakfast ready when you come downstairs, yeah?" I wordlessly nodded as she stood up. I stood up after her, without giving it much of a thought, lost in my own mind as I lost balance. I stumbled a little but Ana was quick to spin around and steady me.