A vow of love

7

"Harder, Claire" she pouted and gave her father a sidelong look. "Why should I, you said Shane was going to be king, so I'm going to be queen anyway" Michael smiled, pushed himself away from the ropes of the boxing ring and walked over to his daughter, taking her hand and examining the bandages for displacement . "That's right, I said it, didn't I?" he twisted her arms to either side and then looked at her.

Seven year old Claire snorted and Michael laughed. "I know I said it honey, but this is different" he let go of her hands and rested his palm on the punching bag. "One of the main duties of a wife is to support her husband, protect his pride and increase his strength" Michael looked around the boxing gym and his smile became somewhat sad. "As Shane's wife, you will be queen, but you are also your mother's daughter, Claire, and she didn't need a king to rule" he looked at his daughter again, cupping her chin and lifting her face.

"Your mother was a true Queen, a treasure, one that kings bow down to" sadness and pride flickered in Michael's voice, his eyes moistened slightly and Claire felt her father lose himself in the memories of times gone by when her mother was was next to him. "Mommy ruled alone?" Michael nodded and crouched down in front of his daughter, gently grabbing her shoulders.

"Your mother was a smart, strong and proud woman Claire and you look so much like her it hurts every time you look at me" Claire's lower lip quivered as she watched her father's dark eyes cloud with grief at the lost his wife. "She had the same eyes and the same hair" he reached up and grabbed Claire's ponytail and ran his fingers through the blonde locks. "That's why you have to do it treasure, your mother left you this legacy but you have to protect it, all I can do is show you how" Claire nodded slowly and her father stood up.

Claire sat up abruptly, cold sweat running down her temples, her chest heaving quickly and sharply. Her hand instinctively searched for the bed next to her and she looked at the empty place with surprise and felt the cold, Shane was long gone. "Shane?" she lowered her feet from the bed and walked towards the door that would lead her to the living room of the apartment. "Shane?" she shouted louder, her eyes quickly darting around the empty room. She had to find him, she had to tell him that she remembered.

"Miss, are you all right?" she nearly screamed, covering her mouth with her hand. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you" Claire took a deep breath to calm herself. The memories continued to flood her. "You are your mother's daughter" her father's words brought back a time when Claire wasn't so helpless, when she was strong, knew how to fight. Her father had prepared her, had taught her how, had shown her how to stand proudly next to Shane and how to keep her mother's legacy. And she had forgotten everything, she had turned into a porcelain doll, who could not even wipe her nose without someone else's help.

"Where's Shane?" she asked, trying to remember at least parts of what it was like to be what she should be. "In Mr. Stone's room" the security guard replied and Claire squared her shoulders, heading for the door. "Miss, they have.." Claire glared at him. "I know what they're doing!" she snapped sharply and he looked down. With each step, Claire grew angrier and more ashamed of herself.

Her father had taught her how to accept the life she was going to lead as Shane's wife, he had shown her that life as much as teaching her how to behave around them, but along with that, he had also shown her how to behave as a a real mafia queen - her mother. And Claire had forgotten everything, had neglected the lessons and had decided to erase this part of her childhood. Now she was coming back and exacting revenge.

"Miss, you can't come in!" one of the guards blocked her way as she exited the elevator and stopped in front of Derek's room door. Claire took a deep breath and eyed him. "Don't tell me what to do!" Claire breathed out sharply, trying to regain at least some of the power her father had given her. When had she become so weak and useless? How had years of her life suddenly disappeared?