All Down To Choices

There was a clear regret on Count Arthur's face. The fine lines of his cheeks seemed to have been pulled down by his lips that had pursed from the upsetting emotion he felt for losing touch with his long lost daughter. She stared at him, wondering if the man was sincere but she couldn't find any lies from his actions and words.

He had even agreed to supply her with bread for her family in the slums, holding no prejudice against them even though he was a noble and a man who live in such illustrious manor. She could only wonder the reason for her mother to leave this man.

If her life was smooth and rose colored in this manor, why did she decided to leave his side? Going as far as hiding in the slums, as if she was afraid of someone or something. She had imagined him to be a violent man who had held a grudge against her mother for running away but instead, he appeared to be a normal father who wished to have seen his daughter and build a happy life with her mother.

She knitted her eyebrows and took the opportunity ahead for her, "Why did my mother run away?"

Count Arthur seemed startled. He appeared to have lost his cool and panicked before he appeared downcast as he shook his head, "It was your grandfather, my father in short. He was once a famous ship trader who had started the center of our family's business. As the monarch of our family, he was extremely strict and a person with a terrible tendency on looking down upon commoners. Your mother, she was an orphan who worked as a maid in my old acquaintance's house which resulted in us knowing each other. When I decided to engage with your mother, he was extremely furious. I think that had scared your mother to run away."

Elle had seen how Carol behaved and expected most if not every noble would act the same as her, hating on her even though she was a human just like them. She would understand the hatred toward vampires or those supernaturals, but human tend to hate on the other for being poor or looking poor and even though they weren't perfect, humans will always hate on those whose flaw appeared the biggest.

She sighed, understanding if her mother had sunk from the pressure as she doubted it was only her grandfather who had hated her mother's presence. Carol's mother, called Lady Gladys seemed to be one who also despise her mother, judging by how she had hatefully stared at her features earlier.

"Wouldn't he be angry? Your father, I mean," Elle said for Count Arthur to scoff.

"He died from an illness. Around the month after your mother left mysteriously, he got extremely upset over a news and died from anger. A fitting death for a stubborn man," Count Arthur whispered, appearing to also hold a grudge to his father who had separated him and the love of his life. "So you don't have to be scared of him anymore. Back then I was powerless but now, I'm the head of the family and I'm capable enough to protect my own daughter."

Elle showed him a softer smile, realizing that this man, her father, wasn't as bad as she had imagined him to be.

"I would like to speak more about your mother if we have the chance next time."

"I'm sure we will," Elle smiled back at him. "I will make sure to visit you often, well at least, if you allow that."

"Of course I will be more than happy. As I offered, you can stay every weekend here," Count Arthur slowly walked out of the room.

Elle felt the weird presence from her back and turned her head behind, wondering again if the house was really haunted. She would have asked Count Arthur if there was rumor regarding ghosts around the manor as she was sure someone had pulled her ankle earlier on, a ghost perhaps. After thinking how rude her question might sound, she decided to not ask and followed him in leaving the room.

Count Arthur then closed the door behind him. Pulling out a golden key, he entered it inside the keyhole and made sure the room was closed for good by trying to open it twice.

"It seems to be an important room," remarked Elle.

Count Arthur smiled, "Well let's talk about the food tomorrow? I will tell the servant to prepare it so you could go back with all the food."

"Thank you very much," Elle placed her hand over her bosom, sincerely thanking her long lost father.

"Don't thank me, that makes me feel like a stranger. Please remember that I would never turn you away from any request so you could be at ease when talking to me."

Elle felt thankful to God that her father wasn't someone violent or terrible. Instead, he had turned out to be a sincere man that had put all the suspicions she had of him to rest. Calling him father wouldn't take too long, she thought as she didn't quite dislike the man after all his kind attitude.

"Sleep well, Elle," said Count Arthur as she nodded her head and stroll back to her room, retracing her old steps.

Count Arthur's smile only spread wider as he made his way back toward his study room. Upon opening the door, a man who was sleeping lazily on the brown couch in the room pulled the book that had been covering his face greeted him with a smirk, "I heard you punished Mikail. He wouldn't be happy about that."

"Mikail is a good knight," Count Arthur said as his smile had disappeared by the time he entered the room. "But he isn't the sharpest tool in the shed."

"He isn't. He does follow the knights rule but his blue blood is too royal, so he must have hated seeing the commoner daughter of yours and treated her rudely. Regardless, it's been years since I have seen you this happy, extremely happy even," said the young man who appeared to still be in his late twenties. He pushed himself from the lying position and sat down with both legs crossed on the couch. "But not happy enough I suppose. What's wrong? You finally found her."

Count Arthur took a cigar from a black rectangle case and cut the end before lighting it from the white candle nearest to him. After some thought, he confessed, "She seems convinced on not moving in the manor. Whatever I say don't budge with her."

"So she's shy? Maybe she feels weird about staying with her newfound family. It isn't as if she is related to your wife or your noisy daughter. " The man said with his eyebrows raised. "However, still this is a terrible news. She is precious for your plan, and you were so certain she would stay with you. What was the reason for her decline?"

"She has a family back in the slums," Count Arthur seemed to have clicked his tongue as he spoke. "Just like her mother, she doesn't seem to like leaving her family."

"What will you do now then?" The man asked with his lips twisted. He looked at Count Arthur and smiled like a serpent, "I could help you in anything you want."

Count Arthur tapped on his cigar. He took a deep breathe, inhaling the smoke and spoke at the same time the gray clouds slipped from his mouth, "She wouldn't have to go back to the slum if she doesn't have a family there, right? I'm sure you will do a great job in it, Valiyant."