He's not dead
"Lara, please be reasonable," she heard Hillary say, he was the family servant, he had been for years. He had even helped raising her when her parents could not be present.
"I will not, I'm old enough to on a quest alone," she snapped, her arms crossed over her chest. She was looking at him with angry eyes. Why was it so hard to understand that she was feed up with school and wanted an adventure. To have some fun for a change instead of working her ass off with homework.
"That may be Lady Croft, but even you have to see that you cannot leave school until the term is over," said Hillary in a calm tone, he was by now used to her tantrums.
Lara groaned in dismay as she said, "You know if daddy was here, this wouldn't even be an issue."
"What wouldn't?" they heard Richard Croft's dark voice behind them.
"Tell Hillary that I can skip school and go out in search of a treasure," said Lara, looking at him with pleading eyes.
Her father quirked a brow before saying, "That is out of the question Lara, if you absolutely must go and explore something you have to do it in your free time."
"Which is when, like never," said Lara, rolling her hazel eyes at him.
"Don't push it," he said in a very warning tone. Lara grumbled something before walking up the stairs to her wing. Sometimes he wondered, 'Why was he to have all the fun while she was stuck at the manor?'
She looked out the window at the courtyard wondering if he would ever let her go for a quest alone after what happened to her mother years ago. Lara sighed, it was all just vague and fractured memories now, after all it had been eight years since she went missing. Lara was pretty sure she was either dead or stuck in another dimension if that was even possible.
She let a medallion slide between her fingers, she always had it with her, and there was a picture of both her parents inside. She had had it for as long as she could remember. It was one of the things that gave her strength.
Her mother…
The one to give her life, the one that taught her what was right or wrong. The one that went missing right before she would need her the most. She missed her first period, first heartache, fist fight at school, and a lot of other first. In those moments Lara so desperately wanted her there, not that her father wasn't great or Hillary for that matter, but still neither of them were a woman nor could know how she felt.
Lara had never heard or seen anything from her after she vanished and she doubted she ever would. The chance of that was minimal and too much to hope for, she knew that very well. So in the end she had come to terms with hear fact that she was gone and it would remain that way.
Her father had right after the accident asked her what happened and she explained the best way she could about the other woman and the parallel work inside the temple. At first he hadn't believed her, but as wouldn't give it a rest, he had no chance but to do so.
He also asked her how she managed from where the plane wreck was placed, having later found it, to the town of Katmandu. She had told him, she packed what was necessary in a backpack, a pocket knife he once given her, a bottle of water, a change of clothes, her teddy bear, some dry crackers and her valet. She had then started on climbing down from the mountain the best way she could, falling here and there, but in the end she had made it down to town. It had taken her two days.
Lara had in time overtaken Amelia's title as Lady Croft, as she was expected to follow in her mother's footsteps one day, and her father thought the title was suitable as she was the only female left at the castle.
Not that she was much of a lady. She was usually dressed in shorts with matching singlet or T-shirt and combat boots. She loved weapon of every kind, and she loved to box and other sports related to fighting. The only thing ladylike about her was that whatever she did she did it with grace. Well most times, and that she always rode as a lady.
That and the fact that she had to attend her father's upper-class parties, which she truly hated. There she was dressed like a lady to not make shame of him or the family name.
Sometimes Lara just hated her life, being born into this lifestyle. She did have all she ever wanted or needed, but to her that wasn't always a good thing. As everything came with a price.
She heard a knock on her door and knew it was her father. She sighed, saying, "Come in if you must."
Richard looked at his daughter, she was becoming more like her mother for each day and sometimes it made him sad to look at her, reminding him of what he had lost. At the moment the young woman was looking at him with annoyed eyes, arms crossed over her chest, as he calmly said, "So this is how you wish to leave things with me before I go."
"You always go, why can I not come with?" she asked, suddenly sounding like a little girl again, and not the seventeen year old like she actually was.
"I told you before, you have school to finish," he said with a sigh.
"But you could homeschool me like you did when I was younger, please father," she practically begged him, as that was what he had done after Amelia got taken from them, afraid to let his daughter out of his sight.
"I don't think that would be wise to do, I'm sorry sweetheart," he said in a calm tone.
"How long will you be gone for?" she asked, as she hated when he left her behind.
"I would assume three, max four days if everything goes as planned," he said.
"Will you bring me back a treasure?" she asked, looking at him with hopeful eyes. She always loved when he brought back things from his journeys even if it was something as simple as a piece of a rock.
"I will try, but you know no treasure can even come close to you Lara, you are the most precious thing I have," he said, letting his hand reach out and stroke her face.
Lara blushed shyly by this, smiling at him, saying, "Have a safe journey, daddy."
"I shall in deed try, and you behave while I'm gone," he said in a warning tone.
"Don't I always," said Lara with a very innocent smile, they both knew that that was not always the case.
"Hmmm," he said, as he slowly got up and left her. The young woman slowly walked over the window, watching him leave, wishing with all her heart she could go with him. If nothing else to raid something in hunt of a treasure.
Again her half thinking half daydreaming got interrupted by a knock on the door. She turned to face it hearing Hillary say, "Are you okay?"
"Fine, well I do guess that since I'm stuck here I'll do my homework, then take Champ for a ride, he could really use some exercise as can I," she said, referring to one of her favorite horses, a brown stallion name Champion. He could ride like the wind.
"Very well, let me know if you need anything," said Hillary, glad that she seemed to have calmed down. At least for now.
As he closed the door and she opened one of her books whispering, "My own yet and less homework."
"Hillary," Lara said, looking up from a book she was reading. The content was about ancient runes, important information if she ever needed it. Or so she had figured fining the book in her father's library the day before. By now she had almost finished it.
"Yes Miss Croft," said the servant that at the moment was dusting the shelves.
"Wasn't father supposed to be home earlier today?" she asked him.
"He was yes, I'm sure he just got a little late on leaving and will be home soon," said Hillary in a calm tone. He however had starting to wonder about his Lordship, not having heard from him after he left which was highly unusual. Richard always called home no matter how long he was away, too check on his daughter and sometimes talk to her if he had the time. And he always called home on the point of return so they knew when he was expected. This time he however hadn't making Hillary think that something was very wrong.
"Yeah, you're probably right. Do you mind if I take a ride around the estate instead of sitting here waiting, I'm a bit restless," she said, slowly putting the book aside and getting up.
"No, not at all, and you know you don't have to ask me for permission to do that," he said.
"I know, just like doing so still. Mostly so you know where I am in case you need to find me," she said with a half-smile.
"Yes, because the estate is just like a little garden," he said in a dry tone.
Lara just threw her head back making her brown hair fall down the shoulder as she giggled happily. She loved teasing him from time to time, and right now she didn't feel like being watched over. She wanted a little privacy to a change. The reason for this was that she was that she at this moment wasn't feeling really well due to her period. She had been having craps all morning and trying to hide them was a bit hard with her supposing to be ladylike and all.
She sighed slowly making her way down to the stables wondering where her father was as he was never late. She didn't get it where could he be and what he was doing that was more important than to come home to her.
Lara of course knew she was no longer a child and that she was fully capable of taking care of her own if needed. Still she liked having him around; it was a bit of safety in it.
She slowly opened the door to the stable and walked over to Champion saying, "I guess it's just you and me then."
The horse neighed happily by the thought of being ridden, and Lara giggled happily, thinking that if anyone could get her mind of seriousness it was him. Maybe that also was why she loved him so much. She got the saddle on before taking him outside and getting up. Leaning towards his head whispering, "Ride like the wind." And that he quickly did.
It was nightfall before a tired Lara got back to the manor. She slowly got off the horse and got him back into the stable all nice and cleaned up before walking inside.
"Hillary, Hillary, I'm back, I just had the most…" she stopped saying his serious face.
"Lara, there had come some news about your father," said Hillary in a very serious tone.
"But he's okay right, please tell me he's okay," she said, her voice was shaking.
"They don't know that yet, they still haven't found him and they are running out for places to look," said Hillary with a sigh.
"Then they have to look harder as I will not accept that answer, I do not care about the cost," she said, her eyes had turned grave and her voice was death serious.
"I'll try my best to make them do so, but in worst case you have to be prepared that he's not coming back," said Hillary.
"Never, he will come back!" said Lara in a stubborn tone as she marched up the stairs to her room, as tears were threatening to appear.
One day became many and they turned into months, but Richard Croft remained gone. His young, rebellious daughter refused to accept that he might be lost forever. In her heard she knew or at least hoped she was alive, somewhere and that he one day would return to her.
She got furious when people talked about him as he had already passed and she was having a hard time facing the fact that he was no longer there. The only ones left at the manor were herself and Hillary.
That was what he had left her in case anything should happen. He didn't want his little girl to be homeless. And the manor had been where she had brought up, it was only right it became hers if…
Hillary looked over at Lara that was sitting on the front stairs of the mansion, looking empty out in the air thinking.
"Still no news," he said with a sigh, wishing he could give her something better.
"I didn't expect it either, I honestly think we won't hear more about him, but one day I am going to find him as I know he's not dead," she said in a very serious tone.
Hillary just nodded, not saying anything as he didn't want to break her spirit. Instead he sat down next to her saying, "It will be alright."
"I know as I have you and you were always the best," she said, leaning against the older man, letting her tears fall for the first time since her father went missing. He just held and gently stroke her thinking she was unlucky to lose her mother, but no her father. The estate she was left seemed to have it all, but in the end it would be missing the most important thing her parents.
As a sigh left his lips he wished that things would have been different as she did not deserve to have it like that. So he decided to do the only thing he could do, the only thing the Lordship had asked him to do, take care of his little girl.
No more than ever she needed someone even if she would rarely admit it, and he intended to be there for her every step of the way. No one should go through something like this on their own, and with him there Lara wouldn't either.
As she continued to cry she held on to him hard, making his heart ache. No words would be said, there were none, and their actions spoke loud enough. In their own way they both said the same thing, 'I'm here for you and I will always be there if you need me.'
And in the end that was all that needed to be said and confirmed at that point.
Feedback always welcome and very much appreciated :o)