-Are you okay, dad?-

  -Of course I am! Why are you asking?-

  -Your face is all wrinkly. Like a raisin!-

  Silika signed with a worried expression.

  I made a show of making a funny face which made her chuckle, but it didn’t ease the emotions I was masking so poorly.

  I felt completely terrified.

  As I walk with my daughter toward that third floor bedroom, all my muscles are screaming to run as fast and as far away as my leg can carry me.

  I felt my breath grow shallow and cold sweat run down my face, it took everything I had to keep a straight face so Silika wouldn’t realise how much of a wreck her dad was, but I could tell I wasn’t doing a very good job of it.

  -You know dad, we don’t need to go see granddad today. We can go some other time.-

  She signed in a worried manner.

  I smiled. Proud that my daughter could be so empathetic, and how I wish that was true.

  But the circumstances weren’t so kind. In just one night, rumours had spread even amongst the maids. Rumours about Silika and me. Some true, some false, but none of them in our favour. It was now somehow common knowledge Silika was deaf and I could see the strange looks she was already receiving, but even more outrageous things were being spread around and that I couldn’t stand. Some claimed she was the child of a mistress, other’s said she was dim and evil, while others even claimed they had seen her utter strange heretical curses.

  What horrible things to say about a child…

  If things were left as they were, it wouldn’t be a month before the whole duchy was against us.

  No, I need to put an end to it today.

  Not just for the title.

  I need to do it for Silika and I.

  I need to face my father and show him the man I’ve become.

  I bent down to Silika.

  -Why is that, Silika? Are you worried?-

  I asked her innocently with a smile.

  She shook her head strongly before looking back up at me.

  -I just don’t want you to be sad.-

  I smiled as I ruffled her hair.

  Truly the best daughter a father could wish for.

  It’s only fair that I should try… No… That I should be the best father a daughter could wish for.

  I took her hand and helped her up the last flight of stairs.

  Just like that we once more arrived to my father’s room.

  Marlot and Lady Gott were talking as we approached them.

  Lady Gott turned to us with a smile.

  “Lord Ashbrook. It is good to see you again today.”

  She said eloquently despite her thick Avlirian accent.

  “And to the younger Lady Ashbrook…”

  -Good morning.-

  Silika smiled and signed back to her.

  -Good morning to you too.-

  A new person learning her ‘secret language’ never failed to bring a smile to her face.

  ”Interesting book, this is.”

  Lady Gott continued as she handed me the dictionary.

  ”Very elaborate. Complex Westernial syntax is emulated to perfection. I am surprised you found such a book. Even more surprising, you found one not in Solomian. Very rare. Perhaps one of the few remaining copies of its kind. Where did you find it?”

  “A priest gave it to me. Apparently it was gathering dust in a Septenary Church of the Lower districts in Evergreen, I didn’t ask, but perhaps they had other copies.”

  She nodded, obviously interested.

  ”I will send a correspondence to the College. I am sure they will be interested in such a book.”

  She shook her hand dismissively.

  ”But enough about scholarly topics. You may go in. Your father is awake.”

  I looked back to Marlot and her in surprise.

  ”Are you not coming in with us?”

  Marlot shook his head.

  ”We’ll join you later. You two– You three have a lot of catching up to do.”

  I felt an icy grip around my throat. I had to clear my throat just to keep a straight face.

  I nodded and as my hand reached for the handle, a million thoughts ran through my mind.

  Thoughts of fear of what might come. Thoughts of shame for what already did. Thoughts of anger for the injustice that was forced on us. Thoughts of hate for everything that had made it this way.

  But also thoughts of hope. Hope for what tomorrow may be. Pride for the decisions I’d made and the man I had become. Happiness for what life had brought to me, and a deep love for everything it now was.

  A love so strong, it pulled me out of my torpor in that dark office in Evergreen and brought me all the way here to this very moment.

  My hand now resting on the handle was resolute and I slowly turned the handle of the door.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  As I stepped into the room, I was surprised by what was waiting for me. I had expected a dark and damp room, but instead, the place was illuminated. The morning sun was flooding through the drawn curtains while a small fire burnt in the hearth, keeping the room warm and comfortable despite the wind flowing from the outside. As my eyes followed the flow of light, they finally landed on the silhouette of a man sitting on the bed, staring out the window wistfully.

  It was my father.

  I almost called out to him, but the icy claw still had my throat in its grasp.

  He looked the same as before, maybe a little greyer, a little thinner, a little older, but still he had the same presence.

  I walked slowly until I was only a foot away from his bedside.

  From here, I could hear his slow laborious breathing as his chest rose and fell.

  His head slowly turned and I locked with his soft blue eyes. The same that had watched me come into this world. The same that watched me as I grew from a child into a man. The same that had never judged me for my actions.

  He struggled to part his lips, but almost in a whisper he managed a few words.

  ”Marshal? Is that you?”

  My knees immediately grew weak at the sound of his voice. I tried to keep my composure, but all pretence melted as my vision grew blurry.

  I fell to my knees and grasped his extended hand.

  ”Yes, father. It’s me”

  He smiled.

  ”My, Marshall. You’ve grown so… So much.”

  He turned his eyes to the side where Silika was standing.

  ”I-Is that..?”

  He began asking as his hand extended toward her.

  I nodded as I motionned a nervous Silika closer.

  ”It’s your granddaugther. Silika.”

  I said as I struggled to wipe the tears in the corner of my eyes.

  -Are you okay, dad?-

  Silika asked me with a worried expression.

  I smiled at her.

  -I’m fine, I’m fine. Why don’t you get closer so Granddad can see you better?-

  She looked relieved at my words, but she looked tensely toward my father.

  I took her by the hand and delicately pulled her over.

  -Can you try saying hi to him?-

  I asked her.

  She was nervously fidgeting with her dress, but still nodded.

  “Ur, gue-a…”

  She mumbled uncertainty as she glanced down, as if to avoid his gaze.

  “Oh my, isn’t she pretty! What a lovely voice…”

  He said with a weak smile on his face.

  He tried to reach out, but Silika flinched back as a fearful expression flashed across her face.

  “Oh! Did I scare her?”

  “Oh no, no, she’s just a bit shy, just give us a moment…”

  I said as I turned to Silika.

  -Are you okay, bunny?-

  I asked her.

  She avoided my gaze as she chewed nervously on her lower lip.

  It was strange. She had never mentionned any reluctance to meet my father before and almost seemed excited at the idea, but ever since we entered the bedroom she had completely clammed up.

  -I’m okay.-

  She motioned, but she still wouldn’t meet my eyes.

  -I don’t think that’s true. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?-

  She glanced back at my father who was simply smiling as he looked on, oblivious to what we were talking about.

  -Don’t worry, I won’t tell him.-

  I signed to her.

  She looked me in the eyes as she continued fidgeting for a moment before looking away and signing to me.

  -I think he hates me…-

  I looked at her in surprise.

  -What? No! Never! Why would he hate you?-

  She shrugged as she scratched the back of her neck nervously.

  -I don’t know. I just– Well… Maybe he doesn’t like me because I’m not his real granddaugther?-

  I felt my heart sink.

  I had almost forgotten.

  Although Silika called me ‘dad’ now, it didn’t mean she truly believe it. Doubts and uncertainties probably still made it difficult to accept this complete stranger as her ‘granddad’ as I had so candidly referred to my father as.

  I still remember that night in Evergreen when I showed her the family portraits. How she had cried her eyes out, telling me all the reasons why she wasn’t deserving to be loved or to be my daugther… I had hoped that time had healed those wounds, but that’s ridiculous… It was barely a few months ago, how could she already have forgotten about it? How could she already think of us as her true family?

  I should have known better! I should have known that those thoughts hadn’t gone away. I should have known that it would be difficult for her to change home. I should have known…

  …And yet I didn’t do anything.

  But that doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is the girl in front of me and how she’s feeling right now.

  -Silika, you’re my daughter, right?-

  -Yes, but I’m not you’re real real daughter. I’m just…-

  She made a vague motion as she looked down at her feet.

  I felt my heart sting. Perhaps she didn’t understand her own feeling properly.

  I have been blind and conceited… Of course she didn’t think she’s my real daughter, why would she? It hasn’t been a year since we started living together. We hadn’t even seen the leaves fall from trees or a singly snowflake together. It’s a miracle she even calls me her father!

  I closed my eyes as I weigthed my words carefully.

  -What’s my name?-

  She looked at me strangely through her glassy eyes as she rubbed a drip at the tip of her nose.

  -Lionheart.-

  I smiled but shook my head.

  -I mean my real name.-

  She hesitated for a moment before signing.

  -?rs?ll Ashbrook.-

  I smiled and nodded.

  -That’s right. And do you remember Granddad’s name?-

  She again hesitated, probably trying to think of the spelling again.

  -??n Ashbrook.-

  I nodded.

  -That’s righ. And then…-

  I pointed toward her with my index finger.

  -...What’s your name?-

  -...Silika…-

  -I mean your REAL name?-

  Her fingers froze, she looked as if she would crumble on herself. Despite this, she weakly signed her words.

  -...Silika– Ashbrook...-

  -That’s right.-

  -But you gave me that name it’s not the same!-

  She said as tears began trickling down her face.

  I felt the urge to pull her in close and tell her everything would be fine, but it would only serve as a bandage on the wound in her heart. I needed her to believe that not only did I see her as my daughter, but that she was also deserving of that title.

  -You’re right, it isn’t the same, but it’s just as good.-

  She looked at me with a confused expression.

  -How..?-

  I smiled.

  -I may have been born with my name, but that’s it. I didn’t have to work for it, I didn’t have to suffer, I didn’t have to live in an orphanage, I didn’t have to learn a secret language just for people to understand me… But you did. You earned everything you have. Every struggle, pain and heartbreakers. Really, compared to you, I barely deserve a name at all!-

  -It’s not true! I didn’t! I didn’t!-

  She repeated as she shook her head as tears kept dripping down her cheeks.

  -Yes you did!-

  -No! I was just lucky! I didn’t earn anything!-

  -No, Silika. You earned it. You’re an Ashbrook as deserving of the name as any of us!-

  -I… I…-

  I picked up Silika and signed to her.

  -Look at your grandfather.-

  -No. I’m scared…-

  -I know, but look at him. I’m here, you’re safe. So trust me and look at him.-

  She hesitantly looked up at my father who was still sitting in the bed, looking obviously a bit confused, but smiling nonetheless.

  -Does he look angry to you?-

  she looked at him for a moment before looking away.

  She shyly shook her head.

  -That’s right, and do you know why that is?

  She looked up at me, tears

  -It’s because he doesn’t hate you. He’s your grandfather and like all grandfather. He really likes his granddaughter.-

  She thought for a moment before slowly nodding her head and I felt a smile grow on my lips as I gently kissed the top of her head.

  Only 2 more chapters before the end of volume 2! I know it took a while ;u;