Chapter 45: The Lesson
Fiona and Ellie were chatting happily about the stolen goods when I emerged from the forest. Their triumphant smirks annoyed me, although I was glad that Fiona made a new friend or sister. Whatever she thinks of her.
I haven't heard her talk about kids, nor has she shown longing for playmates of her age, which troubled me. From what I know, don't princesses of nations have other princesses as friends, despite the dispute between the parents? I guess Fiona isn't considering that the nations just ended a great war.
Tensions were high back in the capital of Mareriona. I felt it even though we only stayed one night. Guards frequently ran the streets and cultivators talked in hushed voices, making breakthrough after breakthrough. Their auras were disturbing in the middle of the night. It was almost as if they were preparing for another war.
Speaking of another war between the four kingdoms, that reminds of Fiona's engagement to the little frost prince. My mood soured. She doesn't have any friends but is hooking up with some a prince already! She seems comfortable with the marriage too... I scoffed.
The thought of it frustrated me. I've got to restrict any interactions she has with males.
"Whatcha thinking about after that long dump?" Ellie asked. Fiona looked over curiously, shoving some gold bars into her spirit ring.
"Some insignificant matters," I replied. "What were the two of you talking about, ahem, while I was finishing up my business?"
Fiona grinned. "Sister Ellie and I talked about our dreams, our past, our cultivation and the effects of certain pills."
Ellie chimed in exactly like a third wheel would, eating a green pill. "This is the third-ranked Breakthrough Pill, if you don't know. It forces a breakthrough at any stage in the Soul Formation realm." She paused, her palm opening to another pill I was all too familiar with.
"This is the Spirit Refilling Pill. As its name states, it helps rejuvenate both one's spirit and body. But taking too much more than your body can handle causes a severe urge... to take a dump."
Irritated by her words, I waved my hands. "Knock it off, the joke's getting stale. It wasn't even funny in the first place," I added. These two just had to make fun of me...
Fiona giggled, her voice hearty and sweet. I walked over, my shadow looming over her.
"Daddy, w-what—" she cried out, as I shamelessly scooped her into a hug.
"You belong here," I said seriously.
Fiona blushed as she kicked and squirmed, pinching my arms as she did before. I kissed her on the cheek. "I broke through. Your silly attacks don't hurt anymore."
Behind me, I could hear someone irrelevant mutter, "You've also broken through in your levels of shamelessness.."
Hearing that, Fiona was about to bite my shoulders when she closed her mouth and curled her body. She couldn't contain her laughter as let out a cute "Pffft," then covered her mouth with her hands and looked away.
"Sister Ellie is right, daddy isn't childish like how I thought, he's just shameless..." she mumbled under her breath. My mouth moved weirdly as I didn't know what to think of this.
I can hear you, you know...
I looked at Ellie, who was nodding whole heartly and about to open her big mouth when my frustration exploded.
"Who's childish!?! You two are the only childish ones around here!!" I shouted, gritting my teeth. These two are definitely talking with each other with voice transmission just to infuriate me!
I clenched my fists as I heard them laughing their stomachs out, forcing myself to squeeze out a smile. These moments aren't bad when you realize your loved one is happy...
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I wiped the sweat off my head as the two calmed themselves down. I looked at Fiona, who was sitting on my lap, wiping away her tears. The indignities I felt disappeared.
"Have you gathered all of your treasures yet?" I asked, stroking her hair. "We can try to cross the mountains today and reach the borders by tomorrow night."
Fiona stared at the pile of things scattered on the ground. Pills, herbs, weapons and even a cultivation manual. She grabbed everything but the sword and saber and stuffed it into her ring.
"Just take everything. We can sell it later for money," she answered.
Ellie and I were speechless as I made a note to bring her to the Azure Frost Kingdom's imperial vault for more things to hoard. My daughter's quite the greedy little goblin. The cutest one out there.
"Then we can leave now," I said, looking at Ellie. Her face was full of disappointment.
This kind of departure is abrupt, I know, just when we were getting along well together. We don't have time to lose though... we've wasted, no, I won't say that, but used up a lot already. We have too many issues running rampant right now.
She forced a smile as she said a simple but difficult, "Good luck."
I nodded in thanks, and I stood up, turning to face the exit of the forest. Fiona patted her dress and smiled at her. She must've thought of something as she tugged my arm and bowed.
"Thank you for all you've done for us, sister Ellie."
I followed suit. She's helped us reap a huge harvest and been tolerant towards me. "Thanks for understanding."
I held hands with Fiona as we walked out of the forest, but my heart felt uncomfortable. Uncomfortable that I didn't complete my promise to myself for the sake of her, and that if I did, or tried to, Fiona would be the one that would be uncomfortable. Both feelings were troubling.
Fiona must've sensed something wrong as she stopped walking suddenly and said calmly, "Go help sister Ellie, daddy."
She's always been able to tell me my mood and even better at understanding me... I sighed, looking at her eyes. "You won't be mad?"
"Sister Ellie has already said what happened earlier was her doing. Besides, she's a likable person. Didn't daddy say before to always repay your favours? We haven't done enough."
I ruffled her hair. "You're so caring, Fiona."
"Mhm."
I looked at Ellie. Her head was low, and a sense of desolation filled her lonesome back. I could tell what she was going through. Her uncle chased her out of a place that seemed like home, then Fiona and I showed up, cutting her hopes off at settling into a sect.
We were probably the worst people to interfere with her life, then abruptly leave like this. I pitied her. Her closeness and fondness for Fiona was not because she liked her... but because she treated her as a sister, and me, as a father figure.
"No, Fiona," I finally said.
"Sometimes it's not just about repaying a favour. Sometimes, it's out of the heart."
I turned around and walked back.
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Ellie POV
The mister is leaving just like that, huh... come to think of it, I didn't get his name. I breathed, trying to control my emotions.
Yes, we are strangers, and he's just repaying a favor. He's a father who would go this far to repay a favour, to let his daughter sleep comfortably on a bed for a night.
B-but he... he reminds me so much of my own.
Blurred memories flickered across my eyes back to when I was young, but I couldn't recall anything. Was he that selfless to me? Was he that caring, that affectionate to me? What was he like?
Was he like the man that's leaving me?
No. I shook my head. Princess Fiona is his daughter, and nothing will ever change that. That's the man he is.
To be honest to myself, I really was angry when he tried to deceive me like that. The first time his eyes that never left his daughter lingered on mine, all I could see was the reflection of myself. Childish. Immature. Weak.
It hurt that somebody I felt close to looked at me like that. It really, really did.
Now that Fiona and I talked it out, and even about our pasts, I can only curse myself for being so naive. I foolishly believed in the righteous and trustworthy pretenses of the outside world. When I saw that sect ancestor launch an attack on him and Fiona, it truly infuriated me.
Was that how my father died, protecting me like that?
That's when I realized that I couldn't stay mad at them. Their intentions were real. Their affections for each other were real. My anger turned to envy, and I realized that I took the man as my father.
I wanted him to spoil me as he did to Fiona, but that hope was out of desperation. Fiona was the source of my envy, but also my admiration. She was strong. I was weak. She'd gone through the same experiences I did at a younger age, and she took it better. She's well on her way to uncovering the truth and getting her life back to where she wants it to be.
Me? I laughed self-deprecatingly. I don't even know what to do in the future. That man... he is my future. Maybe, just maybe... he would turn back around and look at me? Then I can... can go on my knees and beg him to take care of me.
I turned around, expecting nothing. My eyes widened. His body. His voice. My knees wouldn't move.
"Ellie?" He asked, looking concerned. I flashed a bright, genuine smile, knowing it would be my last.
"I'm all right. Just thinking about my future," I replied. He would ask what I wanted to do, then I could answer that I wanted to go with him and Fiona and it would be all right if he ignored me and treated me worse than Fiona or even just treat me as air, ha, ha.
Nothing. Silence.
I've only felt pain twice in my sixteen years. One that I can't recall from my childhood, and now, even though I expected that answer. What I didn't expect was the morbid truth and the grief that followed, no matter what.
"Remember the life lesson I told you about?" He said after a while. Even his voice did not help cure the numbness I felt.
"What, the 'things aren't always what they seem' part?" I answered in a low voice, not knowing why he asked this.
"Yes, that," he nodded, flashing three fingers. "First, investigate your father's death thoroughly."
I looked towards my feet.
"Second, I'm not your father."
I froze as a scorching flame burned my cheeks. He knows.
"Your father didn't die for you and gave you his cultivation for you to find a replacement for him. He died for you to live well. He wants you not to crave for a father's love, but love, as in a romantic relationship." He scratched his head in embarrassment and muttered, "My relationship with Fiona is not like that."
"Lastly, the only thing that is not what it seems is true love. Believe in your heart. True love and your desire to dote on someone is not something easy to find, but it is worth it.
Fiona waved from afar. "Daddy!"
"Just my two cents. Coming, Fiona!" He answered, bowing me again, and walked off. My throat cuaght my words as I stammered out,
"W-what's your name, m-mister?"
He didn't hear me as he picked up the little girl for a hug. She climbed onto his back like a koala, and the two walked out, not looking back.
A series of emotions churned within me as I let out a smile and searched my spirit ring for a brush and talisman.
On it, I wrote what's on my mind:
April XX, 20XX
A heaven's blessing I saw today. Two angels hugging each other under the light, adoration in their eyes. They lived and died together, their fondness even beyond death. The little angel closed her eyes, and the man closed in for a kiss on her forehead. He flapped his ethereal wings, bringing the two out of sight.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
ryfulrifle
ryfulrifle <3