There she was. The most beautiful woman in the world. Before she arrived, nothing mattered, and everything was gray.
She brought light into his life. Her warmth thawed his long-frozen heart. Years of torment, pain, and betrayal melted away with her smile, and for once in his life, Claude could say that everything was okay.
He would give her the world if it meant making her happy. Everything in his power, he would do to keep her safe. Anything for the light of his life. Anything for his love. Anything for Diana.
They were oh so overjoyed with the news of a baby. A beautiful baby girl. A product of their undying love.
Everything was okay. Claude was okay.
Yet life never allowed that, did it?
Everything shattered at the news of Diana's life being at risk. At risk because of the baby.
Claude would've chosen Diana over everything any day, yet she begged him. She begged him to choose the baby.
He couldn't lose her. Not after everything. Yet, as she gazed at him with those beautiful eyes, filled with such melancholy, glistening with tears, how could he say no?
...
She's gone. And she's never coming back.
Claude grew to hate the child. That child took everything from him, and his world was gray once again.
He was plagued with so much grief and pain he had to resort to black magic to remove all his emotions. Remove all memories of her. Anything to take away the pain.
He slaughtered. He killed. He conquered.
Yet he couldn't bring himself to kill that wretched child himself. How pathetic.
Gradually, he forgot. Everything was dull, just as it was before she arrived in his life. It was as if nothing ever happened.
How tedious. Tedious. Tedious. Tedious.
Every day was a chore to get through. Every new face, every new task, it was all tedious.
That day was as dull as any other, until he encountered a child, biting into one of his statues.
Jeweled blue eyes. Golden hair as bright as the yellow sun.
How curious.
The child made his days less boring.
"Papa!" She called, and somehow, his chest felt a little bit lighter.
This was his daughter. He knew. He had planned to kill her from the start. He had to remove all traces of her to take away his agony.
...what's the point of rushing though?
If it meant being entertained, maybe he'd keep her for a little while longer.
...
She'd almost drowned in the lake.
This was his chance. A chance to get rid of her once and for all.
Yet, as their jeweled eyes met, as blue as the water that had been suffocating her, the emptiness gave way into panic, and he swam her to safety.
Why did he do that? He wasn't supposed to care. If he started caring then... then...
...
He'll keep her for a little while longer. Just... a little while longer.
The years trickled by as he watched Athanasia grow.
Every single day he would think "Just one more day. Just a little while longer."
Yet here she was, a beautiful 9-year-old girl.
He couldn't turn away from the truth anymore.
He loved this little girl. His daughter.
His daughter.
Athanasia was his daughter.
"Papa!" She called. Every single time she called, his heart that was broken, mended, and broken once again warmed with love. Every single one of her smiles put the heart that had been trampled by fate back together, piece by piece.
The little girl he had once thrown away barged into his life with vigor and brought color into it once again.
The grey melted away and made way for the reds, yellows, and blues.
This little girl had slowly but surely put him back together, crude yet careful.
His beautiful daughter had grown to become everything to him.
...
Yet her life was put in danger once again.
Her magic exploded, and for 10 days she was on death's door, struggling to live.
The pieces she had put together were crumbling apart.
Claude couldn't handle another loss.
Please, not again.
Don't do this to him again.
"Papa?" She called to him weakly.
Jeweled eyes met, and all the color came flooding back.
He embraced her, holding her as if she would disappear any second. Just like she did.
"Papa?" She called again but did not hesitate to hold onto him.
'I would give you the world if it meant making you happy. Everything in my power, I will do to keep you safe. Anything for the light of my life. Anything for my beloved daughter. Anything for Athanasia.
If it means seeing your smile for one more day, I will bring down the sun, scoop out the moon, and
pluck the stars from the sky just for you.
So please, be healthy, and live a full life for me, and for you.
My beloved daughter.'