๋࣭⭑Tinted Tulips ๋࣭⭑ [♡WMMAP x OC♡]

🌻 Convinced 🌻

"Did she skip her meals again?"

Her Father asked her lady-in-waiting.

"Yes. She refuses to eat until you grant her that request."

Wasn't she the one who claimed that this trick was practically blackmailing? And that he should have hit her for being such a brat? But, then again, Asteria is Asteria afterall.

"Where is she right now?"

Her father asked Sasha, this time, reclaiming the softness that he had jilted.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ♡₊˚ 🦢・₊ ♪ ✧
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ        𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ  ㅤ────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆──
   

The girl could feel her stomach make noises. This much for just skipping 3 meals. How in the world did Asteria manage to starve for 2 days? It was Asteria's fault that she had such a wild idea of starvation.
This wouldn't work anymore. But, seriously. He melted when his daughter starved herself for a rare Dragon Ruby, but can't melt when she wants to work? Was the family image this important to him? He didn't even visit her since last night. She wanted to smuggle some food from the kitchen. Nah. That would be a hassle.

*Knock*

"My star, it's me."

Finally! It was him. Her father. She quickly got on her feet and kept her neck and forehead near the heater. Perfect strategy.

"Come in."

Her father opened the door just to find her rolled under a blanket, her back facing him. And as soon as he heard her daughter cough, he ditched his cold disguise and approached her.

"Are you okay, my star?"

"Why are you here, Father? I thought our family image is more important than me?"

Wow. She was better at emotional blackmailing than she remembered.

"Oh, no. Please don't say things like that. You have misunderstood my intentions. I swear, nothing is more important than you.

"Really, Father? You expect me to believe that? That nothing is more important than me? Then why couldn't you grant that single request of mine?"

"My star, it's just that I..."

The man found his voice crack in the middle of his sentence. It was like...he was holding back his tears. And this sight, pained her. Pained her heart more than she had expected. She was being such a brat. And she had realised it now. That's right, he was Asteria's father. Who was she to take away his daughter from him? It was not like this was her body. She was in a territory which she didn't knew and didn't own.

"I am sorry, Father. I am really sorry. I...was being such a brat. Please forgive me."

"No, my star. You were never a brat. I am sure you are withdrawing your request because you think that I am in pain. Please don't do that. I have had more than enough of that from you. You sacrificing your desires for me. It was us, who have always been selfish. We have been so so unfair to you. Asteria...you have only heard about the Dragon Ruby incident. That's not the only thing that you requested for. Infact, that's the only request that I had granted. I wonder if you would forgive us after knowing how selfish your parents have been. No, you won't. We did things...that were unforgivable. That's why, I have decided. I don't know why it is that you want to go to the Ruby Palace...but, it doesn't matter. Actually nothing matters, if you are happy. Because that's all that matters."

She was in the warm embrace of her Father. She was nodding her head but, she wanted him to know. To know, that she wasn't Asteria and that she had no clue about why he was apologizing. That he had no obligation of treating her this nicely. For Asteria, he was a Father. But, for Mallory, he was 'the' father. The father she never had. The person who cried for her. The person who cared about her. He was her first Father. And she absolutely loved and cherished every moment that she had with him. If this is how having a Father feels like, she wanted to be nothing more than just a daughter.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ♡₊˚ 🦢・₊ ♪ ✧
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ        𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ  ㅤ────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆──
   

The carriage was finally here. The carriage to the Ruby Palace. She was standing besides her Father. Her eyes swollen, for she was crying the whole night.

"The carriage is here, my star."

She glanced at her father before looking at her feet again. She was feeling guilty. For taking Asteria away from her own father.

"Take care of yourself, hm? Don't skip meals. If someone bothers you, don't hesitate to come back. I have talked to Lily. You will be with the Princess especially. As I said, I have no idea why you want this all. But, as long as you are happy..."

"I won't disclose my identity. No matter what. I promise. And about why I want this all... it's something that you won't understand, Father. But, I swear, I will be safe."

More like keep this body safe. Keep his star safe.

Her father was worried. But, he knew that he was going to leave this world any day now. And he had written his will. He had kept all the documents ready and hidden. His son wasn't the perfect successor. But, his daughter was. And he believed that. No memory loss or disease would change that fact. Asteria had a perfect brain. And a perfect heart. Alaric on the other hand, was careless and ruthless. Not a perfect successor. So Asteria had to be back soon. Because when he would die, she would have to take care of this all. Sure, he was sad about not being able to spend time with her during his last days. But, he wanted her to remember him as a Father who purchased her the Dragon Ruby and let her go to the Ruby Palace to work. That's the father he always wanted to be. Her father.

 ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ♡₊˚ 🦢・₊ ♪ ✧
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ        𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ  ㅤ────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆──
   

The carriage arrived at the Ruby Palace. It was beautiful and ravishing. As her feet touched the ground, she could feel her heartbeat increase in excitement. She was going to meet Athanasia. And try to save her. She wasn't going to be demotivated. She was confident about saving Athanasia.
According to the novel, Athanasia met Claude on her 9th birthday in the Emperor's garden. She just had to protect Athanasia from that, right? Hah, perfect. Claude didn't even deserve to know about the existence of his beautiful daughter. That insensitive bastard.
Suddenly the girl heard a sound. It was from her behind.
As she turned around, her eyes fell on a short kid. A beautiful girl with jewel eyes and soft golden bangs that slightly covered those mesmerizing eyes of her.
Was it her? It was her.
Athanasia de Alger Obelia.