Raquelle's Resurgent

30 Minutes

"Dad, you can't be serious? You honestly expect me to choose between Ishilda and this family?"

"Yes. Choose. If you choose her, then you're no longer a Tenebris and if you choose us, then let her leave."

"But dad? Why? Ishilda didn't do anything wrong other than kept her family a secret. If you're angry because she lied then,"

"Don't you get it, son? It's never about the lies. The fact that she's a Vancleave is a danger to us all!!"

"What's wrong with the Vancleave? How can they be a danger to us? You're telling me the the Vancleave Clan which is governing the Capital Kingdom is a danger to a family of commoners?"

"You don't understand!!"

"Then make me understand. You can't expect me to abandon her after all these years. Although you're my dad, she is my fiancee too."

"So you're choosing her over us then?"

"I .... I didn't said that."

"No, you didn't need to. The point that we are even having this talk in the first place is already telling me where you stand."

"Well....you don't exactly give me much of a choice."

"Then this conversation is over. You can leave this house with her if you like."

"Dad," Duncan didn't said anything else and left the room, walking out of the kitchen and to the backyard. "Dad!"

"I'm sure your father didn't mean that." His mother comforted him.

Having listened silently in the other room, Annabeth was feeling conflicted. As a mother, she wanted to support her son but as a wife, she knew her husband's feelings. It was a difficult situation for both of them and when it involves the relationship of the heart, it wasn't as easy as choosing one over the other.

"Mom, why is dad behaving this way? Why can't he accept Ishilda? Is it really because she's a Vancleave? And why did he meant by them being a danger to us?"

"I'm sure you have alot of questions to ask but it's not my place to tell them."

"Why not? I need some explanation. I can't just pick and choose randomly."

"Try to be understanding, Rowen. For your father, it's not a simple matter to talk about."

"Is there some bad blood between us and the Vancleave?"

"No, it's nothing like that."

"Then?"

"Just give him some time, Rowen. He'll come around and talk to you. In the meantime, you try to find Ishilda and coax her back to the house. It's getting late and I'm sure she needs to rest as well."

"Okay but please mom, help me talk to dad, won't you?"

"Of course I will. Now go."

Rowen took one last look at the back door before heading out the opposite way. Just as he closed the main door, his sister called out to him.

"Are you chasing after her?"