The Cursed Queen

At The Precipice

I follow slowly behind my father as he waltzes out of the garden. We take the back entrance through the black spiral steps to his office.

As I enter he gestures for me to take a seat. I lower myself onto the rose-shaped chair.

"I have news," He drags

I raise a brow, why else would he drag me mid-conversation out here?

"The council has agreed to allow you to meet the spirits during your ball, well now coronation" he adds chuckling

I blink, what was he even talking about?

"What happened to be low key"

He shakes his head and stands animatedly

"Darkling you have been hidden for so long I can't let everyone think I'm ashamed of you- I can't let you think I'm ashamed"

I sigh and suck my teeth, why does it matter what they think? I know how he feels about me, he does an annoying job of expressing it.

"The only thing that matters is what I think" I explain

He takes a long deep breath and sits in his black office chair.

"Darkling, I want to be able to shield you from their rumors, their dark gazes, and poisonous words. I want to be ... your father"

I grimace his intentions sounded pure but I didn't want him to protect me. It was too late for all of that. Maybe if this were years earlier we could pretend to have some type of semblance of a loving and doting father-daughter relationship, but in this reality, we both knew it can't happen.

"I understand the intent, but I can't just-" I start

"Please Yemisi, let me redeem myself. I can't expect everything to wash away. I can't expect the grief and anger to fade away like a healed wound when I know you're still hurting but please at least let me try" he says, his voice wavering.

I grit my teeth, I hated this feeling. I hated that I could feel the sincerity oozing from his words. I hated the fact my father was close to tears. I hated that after years and years of building walls, they pathetically fell after seeing a man that caused me so much pain, crying.

Silence engulfed the room, I couldn't admit to him that what he said sparked hope in me. That would be destroying everything I tried to protect myself from.

"We'll take it slow" I answer

I hear a sharp inhale and a slight sniffle before my father stands arms out.

"Hug?" He says softly

I stare at his arms in discomfort. We weren't ready for that yet. Or at least I wasn't.

He sets them down and coughs.

"Well you and Themis have a dress fitting to attend at Pyrans Best Boutique"

"You didn't have to -" I start

"Only the best for you, Darkling," he says, attempting to smile.

********************************************************

It was jarring, to say the least, to be in the face of such luxury. Gold-plated everything was dangled carelessly in every nook and cranny of this boutique.

A skinny pale man stood before us, smacking his gum. He eyed us in disgust as I glared at him. Who did he think he was?

"I was expecting a princess and a pretty girl. Move you're blocking me from greatness"