Chapter 11: Truth's Secret in the Study

Day: 6

Birds chirped pleasantly through the chattering trees. A stream of cool wind caressed her cheek, stroking her out of sleep. At first, she lay contentedly, letting her senses pour over the calming sensations that surrounded her sightless view.

Then a terrible thought caused her to open her eyes. Rinoa sat up with a gasp. "Father…" she breathed, struggling to get out of the cot and race to his side.

She had one the battle. Freedom was hers. She could go home! But how deep was the cost? Had she… killed him? Of course. There was no way he could have survived that.

Rinoa Heartily was a murderer. Not just any kind of murderer though. She had committed patricide.

Already, she was walking toward his office. The office she knew he'd never be seated in again. Opening the door, her heart sank as she looked over the empty seat and untouched papers. Numbly, she walked forward.

The desk was well organized. Most of the documents were necessary applications to regain his name. Things she expected him to have. But under the organized stack of incomplete papers was a cream colored colder. An end of it was sticking out at the bottom.

She placed one hand on the tab that was sticking out and held the stack atop it, pulling the folder into sight.

Plain in appearance, but bulging with documents, the folder appeared to be out of place in the whole office. She curiously opened it and found leaflet upon leaflet of military reports regarding Sorceress Ultimecia. Not only that, but military-based abductions of civilians with compatible host qualities or something codenamed the 'sorceress gene.' Fanatical reports of sightings and determinations to halt or commence the birth and ascension of the sorceress. Debates over time paradoxes and possibilities of galactic collapse.

If Ultimecia never came into being, then the universe would possibly collapse on itself. The last year would never have happened.

The one mistake of humanity ultimately being the knowledge of the future in an attempt to prevent disaster.

For all of the debates, the government had split into factions; some seeking the potential hosts or sorceress gene carriers to protect them and others to destroy them. This was an age of witch-hunts.

Several pages held lists of candidate hosts and the sorceress gene. On the second page of names, hers was circled in red ink.

She was targeted. Her father had been protecting her. Numbly, she set the folder down and turned. She jumped, startled to see her father in the doorway.

He looked terrible. His face was pale and beaded with sweat. Tired eyes met hers and then broke away. He had a can in one hand to lessen the difficulty of walking. She had struck him across his abdominal muscles. He was doing his best to hide the amount of pain he truly was in.

She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it. He stepped into the office. "You haven't changed your clothes," he said, motioning to the bloodstains scattered over her sweater.

Wincing only a little, he hobbled to his seat and took his time sitting. "Y-you're… alive?" she managed to ask, trying not to choke on the words.

He smirked. "You think a simple cut could do this old dog in? I'm military material."

She nodded, looking down. Refusing to allow her relief to manifest. "You… didn't take me seriously." Fingers were fidgeting with the corner of the folder.

"There's no way that anyone can force me to slay my own child."

Rinoa closed her eyes and nodded. After a moment, she held up the folder and asked, "What's this?"

"The reason we left Deling," he answered shortly.

"… Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was… easier… for you to hate me than to see you troubled over such a matter."

"Forget my fear! I could have killed you!"

"I didn't know what else to do…"

She slammed the folder on the desk. "Lying to me is worse! Manipulating my feelings is not the way you protect me!"

He said nothing.

So she continued, "I am not a child, father. Saying terrible things to end my determination and break my spirit to shield me from the fact that I'm being hunted… it… makes me hate you! You can't keep me sheltered from the world forever! I'm not made of porcelain. But crush my heart with a hammer over and over and I may as well be!"

He swallowed. Perhaps she was close to breaking him? "When I lost Julia… I couldn't see letting you fall into such a tragedy just as bad, if not worse. I don't know how she felt then. If she had regrets or relief. I had no way of knowing. A piece of me was lost that day. You're the last, living remnant I have left of my Julia. Please understand my reasoning. The fact that losing the only treasure I have left would also leave me lifeless."

He paused, wiping his eyes as if to stay them from tearing up. "I did not intend to scar you this deeply. I know that it makes me a terrible person. But now, my responsibilities must be passed on to another. One more suited to care for you. Until that time, please do not do anything that would put you to harm. I cannot take you back to Deling. The city is under constant surveillance. So, for now, please be patient… and wait for your prince."

Rinoa could have hugged him. When he looked up, she was smiling. He cocked his head to the side, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms.

She organized the folder and handed it back to him. "Thank you," she said, trying to contain her excitement.

He took the folder from her and watched her leave. Perhaps that was the best thing he'd ever done for her. Was happiness really that easy to obtain? Closing his eyes, he thought of his love for Julia. And then smiled.