𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐍 || 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐚 [ I ]

Chapter 38

As if a wave of ice cold water crashed into her, that was what Muriel would describe learning her mother and brother might still be alive as. At first it hadn't dawned yet, had she heard that correctly? She didn't know how to react, what to say. All she did was look at her father with wide eyes and managed to stammer, "w-what? How? What?"

"I should not have said it that way," muttered her father as he scratched the scruff on his face and straightened up in his chair. "Listen Muriel, we have never found your mother or brother, we just assumed the ship had sunk-"

"But we burried-" Muriel stated, but shut her mouth when she realized that had all been for closure. She had never asked what had happened, perhaps to protect herself from hearing their terrible fate, but no one had never told her either. It had resulted in a hope, a hope that they'd still be out there. But it had been a child's dream, nothing more than that. And then she'd asked Aslan, and he had told her not to lose her hope. This news, this confirmation of hope, should've made her happy, but the feeling of betrayal was stronger. He'd known all this time and hadn't told her. "We burried empty coffins," she concluded curtly.

"I should've told you." Her father looked at her with guilt in his eyes. "But you were young and so full off hope at the time, I didn't want to turn that into false hope. It was easier to tell the two of you they died, so you could start to accept that-"

"False hope?" Muriel's eyebrows had pulled together trying to figure out her father's motives for keeping this from them.  "Dad," her desperate tone was clear as day as her voice broke, "we have mourned-"

"I know, Muriel, I know, It's-"

"Darrin didn't talk for days," interrupted Muriel again as she turned away from him, rubbing at her temples as she tried to give this newfound information a place in her head. "You weren't emotionally available those following years!"

She let out a grunt in frustration, waving away Edith's hand that lingered near her shoulder before she turned towards her father again, let both her hands rest on her his desk and leaned forward.

"What in that letter could possibly prove there is a chance they're still alive." Her words were very precise, laying emphasis on every word she said. "Because if this is still 'false hope' I won't have it affect our lives again."

"Muriel I'm sure your father knows," started Edith as she tried to reach for her arm again, only to be stopped by Favian.

"It's alright, Edith," he interupted gently, gesturing for Muriel to come closer again. "Muriel has the right to be cross with me."

"Oh believe me, I'm more than cross," mumbled Muriel under her breath.

"But," continued her father, more stern this time, most likely having heard Muriel's comment, "you have to give me a chance to explain. I did not keep this from you and Darrin with ill intentions, but to keep you safe."

"From what?" Huffed Muriel, crossing her arms.

"From yourself-"

"-we were children."

Her quick response and rolling of her eyes gave Favian enough indication that Muriel had predicted that exact answer from him. He sighed, she was right, this were the easy answers he always had delivered to avoid the harsh reality. This time, he had to do better.

"You're right," he confessed finally, another deep sigh falling from his lips as he glanced at his daughter in all honesty. "To be honest with you, Muriel, it was my fear of false hope that kept me from telling you. But you have to trust me when I say that there is a real possibility they're still out there."