Everyone in the room was shocked at what the man had just said, "I'm sorry can you repeat that again" Estelle said her face one that looked like someone had just slapped her.
"Like I said, I'm Rita's father, my name is Robert Mordio. I'm- sorry I was a mage at Aspio before I was kicked out of the city for some… bad things that I prefer not to talk about."
"I'm sorry sir, " Rita said standing up, "but I don't believe you, for one my parents are dead, I don't know when and how but that's what the mages at Aspio told me. Besides I can't even remember my parents face."
Flynn went to the man, "Sir if this is some sort of prank I will have to ask you to leave now."
The man quickly took out a pendent but it was broken in half, "Look I have the pendent see? You should have another one similar to this."
Estelle and Flynn looked at Rita who was thinking hard about it when she had an idea, she went towards her luggage that she brought from Aspio and rifled through it, "It should be here somewhere," Rita muttered then brought out another pendent but also broken in two she gave it Robert and he joined the two together to make one complete, albeit broken, pendent everyone gasped at this, "So that means…"
Robert smiled, "Yes Rita that means I'm your father." He approached Rita for a hug but she backed away and went to Flynn's side, "What's wrong?"
"Sir, you can't really expect for a reunion when you've been absent from Rita's life the entire time" Flynn interjected.
"Yes, of course I knew this would be the hard part," Robert said, "but please lets be a family once again okay?"
Rita shook her head, "I'm sorry but if at all possible can you please return tomorrow? I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that my father, who I thought was dead, is alive and here with me now."
Robert nodded, "Okay then I'll be going now, if you need me I'll be at the Coronation Inn near the marketplace, I'll be seeing you tomorrow then Rita." Robert then left closing the door.
Rita crumbled to the floor in a daze, "My father is alive? How?"
Estelle picked her up and sat her back down on a chair, "Rita, its okay Rita we'll get to the bottom of this? Now are you sure that the mages at Aspio told you that your parents were dead?"
"Yeah they did, they said that my parents were doing some sort of formula when something went wrong and it blew up and killed both of them. They said that there was nothing left of them, for years I believed it as truth but to think that my father was somewhere else just waiting for me to come to him."
Flynn went to his fiancée and hugged her tightly, "Its okay, its okay" he continued to say, "Don't think too much about it, just sleep for now and we can sort it out tomorrow."
Rita nodded and slowly went to her bedroom to dwell on what had just happened, Estelle got up and said, "I best be going now, I'll try to get in contact with Aspio and have them come here to explain what's really going on."
Flynn nodded, "I agree, I'll also have my knights keep an eye out on that Robert guy." With those words Estelle parted with Flynn and Flynn went to Rita and comforted her, he kissed her on the forehead and said, "I love you Rita" and Rita said, "I love you too Flynn. However after a while she said to Flynn, "Can I tell you something?"
"What is it?" Flynn said rolling to Rita's side.
Rita rolled to face Flynn, "During my travels with Yuri and Estelle there were times where…" Rita stopped as tears began to run down her face, "where I thought I was going to die, especially when we were fighting Raven when he was Schwann, when we were fighting Alexi and especially when we were fighting Duke."
Flynn cuddled Rita closer to him as he felt tears staining his shirt, "Don't go there, you're here and alive and that's all that matters."
Rita either didn't listen or didn't care she continued by saying, "And in those times I thought of my parents and if I was going to die if they were going to be waiting for me somewhere or if I was just going to be… gone forever. And now…now…" she couldn't continue as she cried her heart out to Flynn.
"I know Rita," Flynn said, "But remember this, you're the genius mage that defeated the Adephagos and saved the world. Against all odds you survived and now you're here, with me." Flynn looked down and saw that Rita had already fallen asleep, she had mentally and physically exhausted herself, Flynn smiled and slept still holding Rita tightly as though he could protect her from whatever was plaguing her mind.
The next morning Rita woke up with Flynn by her side, "Don't you have work to do?" Rita asked Flynn.
"I decided to take the day off, just for you," Flynn said smiling before kissing her.
"Don't," Rita said, "I'll be fine on my own and you must have a ton of paperwork to complete right?"
"Don't worry about it Rita. I'm sure Sodia can handle it until tomorrow." Flynn said.
Rita didn't say anything for a while then she got up and said, "Than you Flynn." She then made breakfast for both of them; a simple sandwich was all that Rita could manage until she could learn to cook from Yuri though that was going to be a pain.
"So are you ready for Robert?" Flynn asked.
Rita looked away and out into the window, "I don't know Flynn, here I am with a father that I've barely known for my whole life and now… its just too confusing."
Flynn held her hand, "I know you're confused now but me and Estelle are going to get to the bottom of this, for now just play along until we know the truth about this."
Rita got up and went to Flynn and hugged him tightly, "Thank you Flynn, you're the best fiancée a girl could ask for."
Flynn smiled and kissed her, "Now lets get this house sorted, it's still a bit dusty from where I'm sitting."
"Really?" Rita said looking around the house, "I thought I got most of the dust and dirt gone by now."
"Almost," Flynn said wiping a small speck of dust off the table, "Now it is clean."
"Haha," Rita said sarcastically, "very funny."
For the rest of the day both Rita and Flynn worked on the house to make it more livable, they moved the furniture, they brought some ingredients for lunch and dinner and they pretty much just relaxed for the day. Then Estelle came by to give some news bringing with her a mage, which Rita recognized as Damien, a mage she often interacted with, "I have something on Robert" Estelle said.
"Damien, it's a surprise to see you here" Rita said.
Damien bowed, "Same here," he then smiled, "I never expected you to be married at such a young age."
"Well there were other circumstances that led me here," Rita said rubbing the back of her head, "anyway Estelle you said that you have something on Robert?"
"Not Lady Estellise, more like I have information about your father that you should know about." Damien said.
"How do you know my father?"
"He was one of my closest friend, and so was Diana, your mother. It's time you know what really happened 17 years ago, when your father and mother married it was like a dream come true. Robert was a young intelligent man but that was flawed by his inability to create formulas despite being a mage; Diana on the other had was the complete opposite of Robert, she was young but had no talent in magic but she had an exceptional ability to create formulas out of thin air. So you can imagine Aspio's surprise when they decided to marry."
"It seems you've inherited both of your parents ability Rita" Flynn said and that made Rita blush.
"However disaster struck this happy union, when you were born Diana…unfortunately died from childbirth problems."
Flynn held Rita's hand which was shaking despite showing a blank face, Flynn knew that this was hard to hear that her mother was dead because of her birth, "Then what happened?"
"Needless to say Robert was devastated, in one single moment he had lost the love of his life and was a single father. All of the mages were saddened to hear this and tried to console your father however he could not be consoled soon he left Aspio to be a wandering mage, before he went he told me that when you were old enough to tell you that your parents were dead so that you wouldn't go looking for him. I'm sorry I never told you Rita I just thought that it would be for your best if you never knew."
Rita was silent as Damien ended his story; she began to realize that Robert had loved her far more than she anticipated for. She began to silently cry as she began to realize just how much Robert loved her, the door opened and everyone saw that Robert was standing outside his face one of shock, "Damien…" he said.
Damien smiled and embraced his old friend, "Robert, how good to see you."
Robert was a bit shocked but he embraced his friend back, he then went to Rita, "I guess he told you what had happened."
Rita got up and hugged her father tightly, "Father…father" she kept muttering as though the words were unfamiliar to her.
"Rita…my daughter, it is good to see you again. I am so, so sorry that I left you alone in Aspio but it was for the best."
"Sir," Flynn approached him hand outstretched, "my name is Flynn Scifo, I'm your daughter's fiancée."
"Ah…yes I heard about you, you're friends with Yuri Lowell the one who dragged my daughter into an unforgettable adventure. Yes, I see she will have a good husband." Robert said shaking Flynn's hand.
"I intend to be one sir, you have my word." Flynn replied.
Robert then turned to Estelle, "Princess Estillise," he said bowing low, "I heard how good of a friend you are to Rita, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the times you've put up with my daugher."
"Oh no sir the pleasure is all mine," Estelle said blushing, "I'm just happy that Rita has finally found her father."
"Yes it is, and congratulations on your marriage."
"Thank you sir. I must be going now Rita, please take care. It's been a pleasure to see you sir."
"See ya Estelle," Rita said waving, "Come back soon."
"Well I must be going now as well," Damien said he looked to Robert and said, "do you want to rejoin Aspio again?"
Robert shook his head, "No, I much prefer to stay with my daughter until her wedding day if that's okay with you. Besides, I don't think that there's much use for an old mage like me."
"The other older mages will be thrilled that you've returned especially since its been what? 17? 18 years since you've last been to Aspio."
"It has been that long has it? Then perhaps I will visit but not now."
"Then I shall leave, goodbye Rita"
"Goodbye Damien and thank you for telling me this" Rita said, "Now for accommodation, good thing we have a guest room is it okay if you stay there Robert.- I mean- father?"
Robert smiled, "Yes that would be just fine, thank you Rita," he then turned to Flynn, "Flynn, may I have a word with you."
"Certainly sir" Flynn said. The walked out and went to the market place, it was a sunny afternoon and most of the residents were busy doing last-minute shopping they sat a bench and Flynn said, "so what is it you want to talk about sir?"
"Please call me Robert," Robert said with a smile, "during my…travels I heard that there was some sort of tragedy during Lady Estellise's birthday, something concerning a mage. Care to tell me what that was about?"
Flynn face went hard, he looked at the ground and said, "Are you sure you want to know about it?"
"I am Rita's father, I need to know everything even if it would break my heart."
Flynn nodded and narrated everything that had happened from Rita's attempted suicide until her near-death experience just recently. When he had finished Robert was looking at the ground and he could see tears forming on his eyes, "I should've been there for her." Robert said.
"You couldn't have known, even I didn't know until it was too late." Flynn said.
"I should've known, I should've come back much sooner than now but I was just so afraid that she would reject me. Oh how could I've been such a fool back then."
"Robert, you're here now. It may be a bit late but you're here, Rita has accepted you. Perhaps its time to reconnect, to find those lost moments and catch up what you missed in the 18 years of her life. Now is the time."
Robert looked at him and smiled, "This is why Rita married you, you're a hell of a politician."
Flynn smiled, "An occupation hazard when you're in the knights."
"Thank you Flynn, perhaps it is time that I come back to Rita's life. Will you help me?"
"I will be more than glad to Robert." With that the two men went back home to reconnect with a daughter that had never known the joy of childhood.
A/N: Finally the 11th chapter done, sorry it took so long. University took a toll on me, so the final chapter is coming up. Please read and review on what you think about it.
