Through Sightless Eyes and Unforgivable Ties

Chapter 56: The Contract Remains Unchanged

Victoria

I poked my head up as I heard the footsteps echoing throughout the dungeon of Herondale Hall. Finally a bit of company in this pit of isolation.

It had been two days since the trade. The detoxing process my father was putting me through taking far longer than any of us had expected it would.

Every hour without my medicine began to feel like waves of fire shooting through my veins, increasing slowly over time.

"Daddy? Is that you?" I asked as I stood up and made my way to the doors metal bars. The room almost feeling adjacent to the cells I'd seen back in Azkaban.

"Yes Princess. How are you feeling today?" He asked as he held out my third meal today.

"Tired of this place. It's so gloomy and lonely down here" I said as I held my hands behind my back. Silently saying no to the offer of food.

"You can't just run off for over two years and expect everything to go back to normal. You've disappointed me Princess. Far more than I ever thought you could." He said as I let my eyes close and my head lower.

I don't know why I still felt such a need to impress my father. Even now, after everything that has happened. I guess certain things never change.

"Did you have fun?" He asked, my eyes flying open as I tried to process the words.

"What?" I asked as I kept my gaze on the ground, allowing it to at least shift up enough to see his feet, almost like I had to make sure he was still there.

"With your new friends. Did you have fun?" He asked as I saw his posture shift, he was leaning against the bars, imploring for me to answer. "Was it all worth it in the end?"

"Not all of them." I said honestly, remembering a certain redhead who'd almost seemed to go out of his way to hurt my best friend. "But I met some people who made me feel special. Made me want to be a better person." I admitted.

"They made you feel like you had to hide your past, hide your true self. And you're convinced that it all made you a better person?" He asked.

"No it's.... It's hard to explain." I said before looking back up at him. "Can I sleep in my room tonight? Please?" I asked as his lips pressed into a firm line.

"That all depends." He said before reaching into his pocket and pulling out my flask of medicine.

He didn't even get to say anything else, my body reacting instantly to rush forward and reach through the metal bars, trying my hardest to grasp at the lifeline.

"Well that answers that" he said as I let out a small defeated whimper. "They turned you into a junkie and expect you to be thankful for it. Convincing you it made you a better person" he said, a large amount of anger coming from the last words.

"Daddy please. I can't do this. It's only going to get worse and it already hurts. I can't go back to being who I was before, please" I begged.

He only shook his head in response before pocketing the vial and holding his hand up to mine, the same warmth running through him as did me.

"You just need guidance. That's all you've ever needed. You'll be right as rain soon. None of those pesky potions to keep you weak." He said before giving out a heavy sigh. "The Gaunts have been made aware of your return as well" he said.

"No, please don't tell me you still expect me to-" "Your contract remains unchanged." He said simply a groan leaving my throat.

"But I don't love him! I fell in love when I was gone! You can't expect me to marry someone I don't love!" I said, hearing him let out a low chuckle.