Cinder's stomach immediately dropped when she heard the man's words come out of his mouth. The many months of waiting for news about her father and this is where it led her? A dead end? If she had tear ducts she probably would have shed a tear.
"Are you alright?"
She swirled her head to look back at the man once more and the unknown stranger finally realized who he was speaking to. Cinder raised a finger to her lips indicating that she did not want to make a scene.
"He was a good childhood friend of mine, y'know. But it's probably best if we didn't discuss this," gesturing towards the open tunnel, "...out here." Cinder nodded and followed the skinny tall man back to his home.
"I just want to say thank you for what you have done for Luna, it's an incredible honor for hosting you in my home," the man bowed while Cinder cringed at the formality. "Why so interested in the old man anyway?"
"He had some old connections to...some confidential files that I wanted to take care of…" Cinder knew that this wasn't the best excuse, but she wasn't ready to exactly tell the world of her newfound paternity. The older man was puzzled by her reasoning, yet he decided it probably wouldn't be wise to question it against former royalty.
"Jacob…was a very energetic individual. We would go to each other's house to play cards while our parents would host small combined meals together when they had the chance." He sat down on a chair across from the house guest and looked down solemnly remembering the memories.
"We always wondered about life outside of this rock-filled hole and I am happy to have the opportunity to finally get that, Your Majesty. But I don't know if Jacob has the same." He handed Cinder a small cookie, but she politely declined.
"About a few years before he disappeared, he started acting more secretive towards me and the rest of his family. We worked hard mining back then we didn't have much of a choice to much else. But I did see him sneak out past curfew a few times."
Some of those times must have been when he went to meet my mother. Cinder internally cringed at the thought of someone being romantically involved with the late queen. "Did you know where he most likely ran off to?" she asked.
He pondered trying to remember his decades old suspicions, "I've always suspected that he participated in…how do I say it…either smuggling drugs or being involved in the gangs that planned on dethroning the Blackburn bloodline."
Now this one confused Cinder. Smuggling drugs..okay wouldn't get him best father of the year award, but a rebellion? How would that get him to meet up with her mother somehow? She sighed, rubbing her hands into her hair. "That would be all for now, thank you…?"
"Atton Spencer, Your Majesty."
Instead of getting answers, all she got was more questions. Cinder banged her cyborg hand against the wall, mad that she wouldn't get her lifelong questions answered after all. She boarded off the podship making her way back into the palace. She couldn't believe that after her short rule of Luna, she would be stepping down and beginning a new life as a queen once more.
"Where have you been all day! We need to get back to Earth to plan this wedding, y'know!"
Iko frantically ran towards the mechanic, looping her arm against Cinder's own. "I was just visiting Luna, like a little 'goodbye to this rock that I saved from that large tyranny four years ago type of thing.'"
"Oh c'mon you can come back whenever you want we have so much more stuff to do! Kai has made most of the decisions for you already!"
Cinder sat down in one of the hallway chairs staring out the window. At Earth, her home. She dreaded the thought of being trapped as another spotlighted Queen for the rest of her life just to experience life with Kai. She glanced at the engagement ring that he had given her a few short months before.
"Iko, I don't think I'm ready to go through with this wedding. At least not yet," she turned to look back at her escort droid friend. "There's something I need to do first."
The look Iko gave to her gave a sense of bewilderment and her once exciting demeanor changed to one of dread. "Are you kidding me! We've been planning this for weeks and you're postponing it!" The former android fake fainted onto the grand hallway carpet to emphasize her over exaggeration.
Cinder rolled her eyes at the sight, "It's not like I'm canceling it, we'll get married eventually. I just want to wait a bit. I mean I've barely gotten out of this monarchy and I just need a little break. Maybe a bit of bonding time with Kai before we settle down. I'm only twenty after all."
"What is this oh so important thing you need to do," Iko said angrily, standing up and putting her hands on her hips.
Cinder debated on whether she should tell her eccentric friend about the news she had gathered earlier on in the day. It was nice to have a friend she could confide with.
"You know how I got a comm from Dr. Maynord earlier?"
"Yeah, you looked like you were about to cry. Please don't tell me you're dying from regolith poisoning."
"It's not that," Cinder dwindled with her fingers, "He found out who my father was." Iko stared blankly at her which quickly turned back to excitement.
"So you found your dad?" she said, jumping to her usual self.
"Not exactly. I went to look for him at the listed address Dr. Maynord gave me and all I found was that he disappeared." Cinder continued on with her solemn self. "I want to find out what happened to him before I go off and get married and have babies."
"Oh this is so exciting! I can't believe you're living in a real life net drama! I volunteer to help!" Iko jumped up and down.
Cinder, once again bemused by her friend's actions, motioned her hands to calm her down, "Well you can start by breaking the news to Kai about postponing the wedding. Don't mention anything about me trying to find my dad. He's got enough on his plate as he is."
So I am back after three years and my TLC craze has not stopped and so I have decided to possibly complete this story! Let me know what you guys want to see and I will try to do my best! Next chapter will have Kai in it I promise.