Angelica closed the door softly behind them. She still felt wary, yet calmer than before.
She had no intention of leaving their home, not at all. She just wanted to push him, so show him that she was serious. He was not the only one that could be drastic. She considered the fact that if he saw how serious she was, he would change his mind.
"Sit down." he said sitting down by the fireplace.
She sat across him, for some odd reason she was not scared that he would try to harm her. She concluded the reason he had stopped her from leaving was because her mother spoke to her.
All that was left to do was wait and listen. Her father could be stubborn, rude and mean, however, he was minimally sensible, and that was the little inch of sensibility he had that she was hoping for.
"If you expect to receive an apology from me, you are sorely mistaken." He began.
"Oh father, I never expected such, trust me." she replied grimly.
"What you did is unforgivable, you went behind my back and asked for help from our common enemy." he seethed.
"Strictly speaking father, the crown prince is not our enemy." she mentioned. "Your half-brother is, and the way he managed to coerce the king to pursue this matter that had been left dormant such a long time is left to public intuition."
"All I know is that he is no going to get what he wants, which is all of us on the street." she declared vehemently.
"You seem so confident in your ambitions." Dariel said nonchalantly.
Angelica reminded herself to relax, she was out of danger now. Certainly her mother had spoken to her father, hence why she was here and why he was rather calm with her.
Angelica nodded in response to his statement. She was confident yes, but only because she was certain that her plan would work and be beneficial for both sides, even more for their family.
"Alright then... explain to me why that is so." Angelica's eyes instinctively darted across his face. She had never in her entire twenty one years of life heard him ask her to explain her reasons.
The dynamic in which things were done always entailed Dariel stating his opinion which he expected to be taken as gospel. Speaking back was unacceptable, refuting him was unacceptable. As a result Angelica had grown up hearing her father speak and concluding on handling things her own way behind his back.
Angelica almost felt like this his sudden change of attitude was too good to be true. Nevertheless, Angelica was not someone to back down from a situation that would benefit her.
"Father, this proposal of marriage will not only make you an in law to the king, but added to it would be a new title even more desirable than the previous and the title you have now." she stated clearly.
"Really now? A title such as?"
"Duke... the agreement between I and the crown prince is I marry him, in exchange he saves out family from the disgrace impending and promote you to duke." Dariel was quick to notice the tone of pride in her voice.
"And what makes you think I would ever agree to such an exchange?" he asked seriously.
"Because father, you are a smart man, you will certainly accept an offer that is beneficial for you and the family."
"And what makes you so sure that your plan is better than mine?" he narrowed his eyes at his daughter, he wondered how he allowed her stubbornness to grow to this extent.
"Well father, my plan silent, it will be resolved behind closed doors, meaning our enemies will be dumbfounded by your victory." she declared. "On the other hand, I am sure your plan entails fighting in the king's court, which definitely will yield no other result than our family banished."
"Which is exactly what your half-brother devised against you, against us." Dariel could not lie, he was amazed at how knowledgeable his daughter was in such intricate affairs.
"He wants you to make a fool out of yourself. That will not be so, we will make him believe that he has won and then suddenly, the news of your new title will be revealed putting all your enemies to shame." she said, she would have smiled if she was such an expressive person.
"You seem to have thought of everything." he concluded.
"I have, all I really need father is your agreement. I cannot get married without your approval and you know it father."
"Do you know why I am severely against this your proposal to sell yourself?" he asked. Angelica shook her head, she did not know why he was so opposed to her plans and quite frankly she did not care, so as long as he agreed in the end.
"My reasons are very justifiable."
"I vowed to never be such a father who is capable of selling his own children for his own gain, and that includes you." he revealed.
"My father was a vile man, he refused to accept me as his heir because he considered me an illegitimate child, born out of wedlock, thence I could never be his heir. Even though as his firstborn it is my birthright!" Angelica could hear the hatred prevalent in his tone.
"To him, I was just a bastard, his unfortunate bastard." Dariel scoffed.
"That empty-headed man had the insolence to put away my mother after he had impregnated her with his lies, deceit and promises of marriage and me." he seethed.
"Foolishly, he went to marry another woman, one of noble blood."
"My childhood was not a happy one. I was beaten mercilessly by my father every single day, given a constant reminder that I was unwanted, that I would never amount to anything, I would never inherit what was rightfully mine." Angelica had never seen him so enraged in her entire life.
"I grew up in the shadows, the unnamed bastard that would never amount anything." said Dariel, his hand curled into a fist hitting his desk resoundingly. "One day I found a golden opportunity to make a name for myself, to get what rightfully belongs to me and I took it!" he shouted.
"If that makes me a bad person, then so be it!" he said emphatically.
He stood up, Angelica who had been silently listening to him suddenly became wary, what if he lost control of his temper once more and was about to make her pay instead.
She stood her ground her legs tensing in her seat and her arms rigid. Her heart was beating quickly.
"I am going to show you something you have never seen before." he announced proceeding to unbutton his shirt.
Angelica did not know what to think at the moment, she just hoped that her father still maintained his sanity presently.
Dariel came to the final button of his shirt, swiftly he unhooked it, turning his back towards her, he removed his shirt revealing a palette of scars, bruises, burns and wounds that encompassed his entire back.
Angelica was frightened, she had never seen such horrible scars, burns and wounds on a single human being. She was frightened yes, but she did not show it, the only change in her demeanour was how wide her eyes were.
"These are the scars I carry, the constant reminder of what hell I have been through on this earth." he said, his face turned away from her, she was unable to see the tears forming in his eyes.
"They look painful." Angelica managed to say.
"They were... but the memories are far worse." he replied buttoning up his shirt.
"Has...has mother seen them?" she asked, she had to know.
"Several times." he responded plainly. He sat back down in his chair as soon as he had fastened the final button.
"You are not going to apologize?" he asked.
"Why would I? I was not the one who inflicted you with such wounds. Besides, my apologies mean nothing." she replied. She heard him chuckle.
"If I am not a good father, the only thing I pride myself in is the fact that I am a better father than my own father." he replied.
"I tried my best to be different." Angelica frowned, if the way she was raised was his attempt at being better than his father, then just how terrible had his father been?
"I will be considerate, I will agree to your plans." he said, Angelica could feel herself able to breathe easier. "However, the same way you did not apologize to me, is the same way I will not apologize to you when the troubles you will face in that marriage come." he said assuredly.
"I expect nothing less." she replied hearing him chuckle once more.
"Let it be known that I did not sell you, rather you chose to sell yourself." he stated.
"It is known." she replied nodding.
"Leave." Angelica nodded, she stood up and took her leave without looking back once.
As soon as the door closed behind her Dariel bowed his head, his fist in hand. he bit is own fist and banged his head on his desk attempting to subdue the tears streaming down his face.