The Demon King said to call him Papa

Chapter Twenty-Four: Together

Hello everyone!😶‍🌫️ You-you can put down the chair: I come in peace!!!😨

....

Thank you. *coughs*

SO, you saw the last 'chapter'.... April Fooolllssssss!!!!!!🥳 I'm not really cancelling 'The Demon King said to call him Papa' and that was all just a random thing typing that I did earlier when the brilliant idea of an April fools joke came to me....😅

But the lack of a response then later 'you better hide' scared me so I quickly finished this chapter for you all. But it was true that I meant to post this yesterday and family stuff came up which prevented that.

No really, that was true.

I do hope that you all forgive me and enjoy the chapter!🥰😘

Love you all and Thanks for reading!! 

"Hello Granddaughter." Grandpa's voice comes out from behind me as I sat at my desk. 

"Hello Grandpa!" I was used to how he would randomly pop up. I had once tried to play the hide-and-seek game that Nadia and Aidan taught me with him but I was unable to find him the entire day.

It wasn't until Papa noticed that I was struggling hard not to cry from being unable to find him; that Grandpa showed himself, reappearing from my shadow. 

"I see that you are diligently studying." He pats me on the head. "Very good." 

A board appears as Grandpa stands in front before he uses magic to start writing.

"Let's begin your test."

The books that were scattered on the desk closed and stacked themselves off to the side as paper and quill was left behind.

"First question: What is the first law of the Demon Kingdom?"

"The weak must obey the strong." I spoke as I wrote my answer to the question.

"And the second?"

"The strong must protect the weak." I paused. "Grandpa?"

"Yes?"

"What does that mean exactly?"

"The strong are given the right to rule over the weak, but-" He taps the board that turns the words into a picture of a big demon and a small demon. "We are only as strong as the weakest link. Each of us has a role in the world. For example: your father is the ruler of the kingdom- the strongest of all demons. However, he would be unable to do his duty without the help of the weak who assist him in his work. From myself, who advises him with my wisdom to the chef who cooks him meals to sustain him."

"What is my role, Grandpa?" I finally ask. 

"His daughter." Grandpa said simply. "Now onto the third question..."

Grandpa continued his questions before taking my paper before pausing. "Is something wrong?"

"What does a daughter do?" 

I couldn't help but ask. As Daddy's daughter- I cleaned and threw away trash while doing anything for him; but Papa hasn't had me do any of those things.

So I had no idea what I should be doing as a 'daughter'. A hollow feeling appeared in my stomach as I started to panic a little.

"Soraya?" Grandpa's voice barely pulls me out of the spiral that tried to pull me into. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes." I swallowed a lump and forced myself to stop shaking. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said."

"Daughters do not have to 'do' anything." He says gently, his gaze comforting. "When a father has a daughter; it means that they need her."

A few heartbeats pass as his words sunk in.

"Need?"

"Yes. Need." Grandpa smiles. "Daughters are special to fathers. They help them change to become better men. You give his Majesty a reason to show more emotions; being king can be very stressing and heavy for one individual, even with the many talented people assisting him. I have seen myself: how he lights up when you are around, how he asks about you and how he works hard every day to his work done to share a meal with you."

"Then..." I didn't know how to form the words as Daddy started to reappear in my thoughts. "Are... All fathers.... Are all fathers like that?"

Grandpa goes silent as his wings slightly fluttered, brushing against the carpet.

"Unfortunately." He sighs. "No. Some men do not feel that way towards their daughters; some might even leave or treat them badly."

I flinch at his words as the memory of Daddy taking money and leaving me behind flashed in my mind.

~~~~~~

"Soraya?" Papa cradles my face in his hands as I suddenly realized that we were outside. "What is wrong?"

"Sorry Papa." I leaned into his hands. "I was distracted."

"I see." He takes my hand, leading me towards a bench and lightly tugs me to sit down next to him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I stare at his hand, unable to meet his eyes.

"You do not have to Soraya." He squeezes my hand carefully. "But I want you to know that you can at anytime-"

"This feels like a dream."

"A dream?" I could feel Papa's eyes on me.

"It feels like I'm imagining everything. Grandpa, Mimi, the castle... You. I can't help but have a feeling like it will all disappear suddenly and I'd be back..."

Words started to choke me as I spoke.

"Back there. Back as the me who barely survived. Who was left behind. Everything feels too good to be true. Like I'll go to sleep one night and you would be gone!"

A sob slips out as I covered my face, I didn't want Papa to see me crying.

The hand that still held his was squeezed once more as I took some deep breaths.

"It's okay." Papa was hesitant as he started to pat my back but when I leaned into him, he hugged me while each pat made the sobs disappear.  "This is not a dream. You are really here. You are my daughter."

I looked up at his words. 

"You are my daughter."

"I am?"

"Yes." He smiles. "Your past does not matter. Regardless of what anyone may say- you are my daughter. You chose me and I chose you. You are the only person I would have as my daughter. No one can take your place."

Tears start to fall down my face, but they were different from earlier: they were tears of happiness.

"Papa."

"Yes, my daughter."

"Papa!" I buried my head into his chest.

"I will always be your Papa, Soraya."