A few more hours have passed since mine and Erik's first meeting, I did have a long list of things I've wanted to get done but as he wasn't here, I had no idea how to get around it myself. First off, I needed him to start the list of new officials to replace the current officials, since the meeting I was in, it was clear those men were not up to the standard. Erik was able to suggest a few names off the top of his head but told me he'd look more into that, I know the officials will be so annoyed but I really couldn't care less.
Now secondly, I did some digging of my own and found the original photo of Gray's family, the one with Matilda in. I had Erik replace the current one in the hall and put the one with his sister up. I'll show that to Gray later, I hope he likes it. The last thing I wanted Erik to do was track down my first advisor Masons wife, when she ran passed the guards a few weeks after I got here that stuck in my mind. He told me he'd try his best but he wasn't promising anything, but I knew Erik, he is the one person that would be able to track her down.
The time had come for me to see my dad, I thought I would be nervous but I wasn't. I knew what I was there for and hopefully what his reply would be. I haven't saw Gray all day but I told him I'd see him at dinner, but I didn't know if I was going to be late or not.
"We're just about to head down into the dungeons ma'am, mind-link will not work down here so if you need to contact anyone I'd do it now" Erik tells me as we stop outside a metal door in the basement of the castle, I should probably tell Gray what I'm doing just in case he gets worried that he can't get through to me.
"I can't for talk very long but I know I should tell you what's happening so you don't worry, I'm going to have a meeting with my dad down in the dungeons of the castle, don't worry Erik has set up all the security so I won't get hurt, see you at dinner love you" I mind-link him before following Erik in before he could reply, I knew he would tell me not to go in.
I'm led down a dark corridor which was very tight, we had to walk in single file. The only noise you could hear was the dripping of water hitting the ground, it was something out of a horror movie. We continue on our journey until we reach a large opening, cells just lined the walls some even high up. A single guard stood at each cell door who all bowed their heads as I walk in, this place was horrible, is this really where they keep the worst people from being in society? I had many guards with me who could now all circle me, Erik stood beside me as we continued to make our way through the dungeons, which I actually couldn't see anymore due to all the guards.
We come to a stop where the door is opened and I'm let in first, sat at the table with his hands cuffed behind his back was my dad. His face held pure shock as I walk in, Erik whispers he'll be just outside before the door is closed and I'm left alone with my dad.
"Clara, what are you doing here?" He asks worry in his tone, standing here for a second I didn't know myself "it's not safe down here, especially as you're a woman and the Queen" he stated which causes me to nod then look around at him.
"I know the answer already but I have to ask, you look so uncomfortable in those chains behind your back, if I tell the guards to let you sit with your hands unchained, you won't try to attack me?" I ask looking at him, he immediately shakes his head looking kind of hurt.
"I would never hurt you, you're my little girl" he says which makes me smile, I tell the guards to unchain his hands which they do before leaving.
"What happened to your arm?" He asks looking down at my cast, everyone seems to bring that up when they see me.
"There was an explosion in the castle made by a really bad guy, I was flown back but I'm okay I get this off soon" I smile holding up my cast, he looks down after I explained.
"I heard the explosion and I've been told Rupert Bynes did it, a name I know" he sighs still looking down at the table, yes it's a name we're about to talk about.
"Now you're more comfortable than you were, I need to tell you the reason behind me coming here, I'm just gonna get right to it cause this place freaks me out" I say walking over sitting on the chair across from him, this is the closest we've sat since I was little "since I arrived at the castle I've been having flashbacks of when I was little, some of them not very nice, but yesterday I remembered something that changed everything I thought you.....it was the night you and Cyrus helped the former King burn Rupert's house down" I tell him, he looks confused for a second but realisation hits, he sighs looking down as I continued.
"You were so different to what I remembered you to be, I always thought you didn't care about us, me and Kyle were just inconveniences to you, but we weren't you actually cared" I say tears beginning to prick my eyes as I spoke, he looked up moving as if he wanted to hold my hands but he stops himself.
"I still do care about you two, I know I wasn't the kind to show my emotions and I was far from being a good father, but I never stopped loving or caring about you and your brother, the night when we had to leave you was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, when you walked out the door with your mother I just broke down in tears, I'd let my whole world be taken from me due to my brother" he says tears now in his eyes, I slowly and rather cautiously move my hands across the table to take his.
He looks up immediately holding onto my hands allowing the tears to fall, I just look into his eyes seeing every emotion he was holding was true.
"After remembering all those memories, I don't want you to be stuck in here, I want to build a relationship with you and mum, but I can't just let you leave and not help me, so I know you actually want to have a relationship with me and you're not just doing it to get away with all your crimes" I say his face immediately holds shock but also a hint of happiness.
"I will do anything it takes to have a relationship with you Clara, just name it I don't care if I have to testify against Cyrus and be named a snitch, being in here has given me so much time to think and reflect on my life, I want nothing to do with that man again, he pulled me away from my children just because he didn't have any of his own, I want nothing more than to start building this relationship back and if that means double crossing him, I'll do it" he tells me for once in his life with an honest look.
"It's not Cyrus I want you to testify against, it's the Kings father Preston" I say which immediately makes his eyes go wide from shock.
"The former King? I thought he was dead" he says which is a statement I've heard a lot today.
"He isn't dead, he's actually locked in a cell here awaiting a case to be filed against him for all the horrible things he did, I won't get into all the details but I know you and Cyrus did a few jobs for him and that's what I want you to testify against" I say which makes him sit back at little but he still had a tight grip on my hands "if you do, you'll have full immunity from any crimes you did for him but also, full immunity from any crimes you committed with Cyrus, you'll be free to go home to mum and free to start a relationship with your kids if you want" I say which he immediately smiles and nods sitting up straight.
"Like I said, I will do anything to have even the smallest relationship with you and Kyle, just tell me what to do" he says smiling from ear to ear.
"I'll get my advisor to tell you the next steps but first, I'll have some guards take you to the safe house where mum is, where you'll stay until the trial is over" I smile which immediately makes his eyes well up and he looks down at the desk, he begins to actually full on cry sitting at the desk.
I get up from my seat walking over and without even thinking about it, I wrap my one good arm around him where his arms immediately hold onto me so tightly.
"Thank you Clara, thank you so much" he cried holding me tightly as he spoke "I'm so sorry for all the pain I put you through as a child, I promise I'll make it all up to you" he cries, I hold back tighter telling him I know.