| abstract | - . Daisy kept running until she reached the biggest mansion in all of Millfields. Victoria finally caught up with her and looked up at the foreboding building. She knew who lived there, of course. Everyone did. The power-hungry monster named Reaver. Victoria laughed as she stared up at the big statue of him that stood in the front yard. He was nothing but a self-centered pretty boy as far a she was concerned. Daisy ran to the front door, which worried and surprised Victoria at the same time. Reaver was notorious for shooting people on sight for no reason, why was Daisy so excited about the mansion? "Come on Daisy, lets go, theres nothing here for us." Victoria pulled on the dogs collar. But then, Victoria had a crazy idea. Maybe Daisy was on to something. This Reaver was rich, and no doubt had lots of things to steal and sell. She had to make a living somehow, and she sure wasn't going back to lute playing. "Who cares if he's good with a gun? I'm the daughter of a hero. He's no match for me!" Victoria spoke cockily as she fetched her lock pick and jimmied in in the front lock. The door to the enormous mansion sung open. Carefully and quietly, Victoria snuck inside. The mansion has decorated in reds and golds and there were pictures of the infamous ruler of Bowerstone Industrial all over the walls. Victoria rolled her eyes. The man sure was conceited. Daisy continued to sniff the floor like crazy while Victoria scoped the mansion out. She walked slowly into the other room, a fireplace and three large armchairs decorated the dark room, as well as some sort of study. There was a bottle of brandy as well as a goblet on the desk. Victoria kept on her toes as she entered the next room, which led to a flight of stairs. Victoria slowly advanced up the winding staircase and into a bedroom. There, she saw a chest. Her heart jumped as she knew that all chests in Albion had treasure in them. Victoria rushed over and greedily opened the chest. However, she didn't find any treasure, rather, a dark green dress, a master long sword, a silver pistol, and a diary. Victoria was a bit disappointed. "Why in the heck would this stuff be in a treasure chest?" Victoria asked herself. Then, a sound came that stopped her in her tracks. A ferocious growl came from the other side of the room. Victoria broke out into a cold sweat as she saw two green eyes glowing in the darkness. She shakily went for her cutlass, but too late. The source of the eyes made itself known. A large black dog with silver hairs on its shoulder blades advanced on her. The creature was growling and bared its huge fangs. Victoria stepped backwards, forgetting the stairs. She fell backwards, tumbling down to the floor below. A sickening crack and a sharp pain confirmed Victoria that her leg was broken. She winced as she looked back up the stairs. The huge dog was coming down, Victoria made a grab for her cutlass. But it was too late. The dog was on her, but before it could bite, Victoria saw a flash of black and white, as Daisy plowed into the black dog. The two animals rolled and tussled. Victoria had never seen Daisy so aggressive before. She watched the two animals fight. Then they began to circle each other again, they were sizing each other up. The black dog was much larger than Daisy, but Daisy was much younger, so the fight would be close. Both canines bared their teeth, but just as they were about to attack, the fight was interrupted by a sharp click on the marble floor. Daisy and the other dog both looked up and cocked their heads. Even Victoria looked towards the source of the click. "Troublesome, come here!" A voice from the darkness spoke. The black dog lowered its posture and slinked off. Victoria watched as the dog walked away, and then the voice called again. "You there! How dare you enter my home! You had better have a death wish." The source of the voice advanced into the light and Victoria saw none other than Reaver standing before her, and the big black dog was standing beside him, protectively. Reaver pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Victoria. Daisy growled and stood in front of Victoria. "I wouldn't advise that!" Victoria snapped at Reaver. "And why not? You are a trespasser in MY house. The law is clearly in my favor you petty thief!" Reaver spoke, never lowering his pistol as he did. Victoria spoke again. "I'm more than a thief! I'm the princess of Albion! You kill me and you'll hang, my brother will make sure of it!" Victoria yelled at him, even though she honestly didn't even know if her brother would care. She had relinquished her crown after all. Reaver's eyes widened and he slowly lowered his pistol. He took a step back. "Victoria?" "Yeah? That's me." Victoria replied harshly, forgetting the danger that she was in, as well as the pain in her leg. Reaver took one step forward, slowly. "Victoria...I am sorry..." Reaver said in a strange voice. Victoria couldn't be any more confused. She was a trespasser in his house. "What are you apologizing for?" Victoria finally asked him. Reaver got to his knees and looked her in the eyes. "You've grown up beautiful, you look a lot like your mother." "What the hell are you taking about?!" Victoria snapped again. The pain of her past, coupled with her broken leg was making her more agitated by the minute. And the fact that Reaver wasn't making any sense wasn't exactly helping. "You don't know who I am do you?" Reaver asked her sadly. "Of course I do. Your that heartless jerk in charge of Bowerstone Industrial. You know, that lackey that works for my brother." Reaver glared at her. Only one woman had ever talked to him like that before, and her daughter was just as fiery. His eyes caught the crimson rag on Victoria's pant leg. The memory of the suit that the rag had come from ignited a painful yet wonderful memory in his blackened heart. "Where did you get that?" He asked Victoria, ignoring her insult. Victoria was still taken aback by Reaver's strange behavior. "That's none of your business." Reaver grinned at her. "That used to be part of something didn't it? A dashing crimson suit with a gold chain. That rag is from the cape." Reaver spoke to her. Victoria was stunned at the shocking truth. "It can't be...you?!" Victoria gasped. Reaver nodded. For the first time in 20 years, a genuine smile found his face. The two stared at each other, green eyes took in brown, and brown in turn absorbed into green. Victoria had long had guesses about whom her father might have been, a powerful king, a dashing knight, but not in her wildest dreams would she have guessed that her father was Reaver, nor that he had been right under her nose all these years. To shocked to speak, she just simply stared at her estranged father from the cold floor. Reaver was unsure how to proceed as well. After all, he had not even seen his own daughter in the entirety of her existence, how did one go about such conversation? He was amazed at how much Victoria looked like her mother. This was one of the reasons that he had thought it best to avoid seeing her, that face brought back the face of his true love. How his heart ached for her! Daisy finally broke the silence by walking over to the black dog, which was still at Reaver's side. Daisy sniffed the large beast and it in turn did the same. Then to Victoria's surprise, the black dog licked Daisy on the nose. "Daisy?" Victoria questioned her dogs strange behavior. Reaver just smiled. "Its ok, that's her mother. She won't hurt your charming little dog." He told his daughter. Victoria looked up to him, still shocked. "Her mother?" "Yes. Troublesome is Daisy's mother, and your mothers wolfdog was her father." Reaver explained. Victoria looked at Reaver's dog, and she realized that it was actually not a dog at all but rather a wolf. "She's a pure wolf!? How did you get her to stay as a pet?" Victoria asked. "Now that, is a long story." He chuckled. Victoria was starting to feel more at ease with her newly found father. But there was so much that she needed to ask him, so much that she yearned to know. Why had he left her? Why did her mother die? Why had he never come to see her again? So many questions. Her leg ached and so did her head. Victoria groaned and Reaver noticed her leg. "My dear! Your leg, is it hurt?" "I think I broke it when I fell down the stairs." She moaned. Reaver stood up and went over to her. He picked her off her feet much to Victoria's surprise. My he was strong! "Here, I will take a look at it in the other room." He said as he carried her off. Daisy kept close pace with him, and growled a warning. Troublesome also was following close behind. Reaver looked down at Daisy and smirked. "Shes alright. I won't hurt her." Victoria felt a smile melt over her face at his loving thinking, she threw her arms around Reaver's neck, almost causing him to stumble. "I finally found you. I always knew that you were out there somewhere!" Victoria exclaimed. Reaver felt his heart soften just a bit to his daughters sweet words. He started to smile and to tell her how much he had missed her, but the evil in his heart refused to allow it. He snapped out of the moment and continued to carry her without another word. They reached a room that had the door already cracked partway. Reaver kicked it and it opened all the way, and he entered with Victoria in tow. There was a big bed in the corner, and he gently laid her upon it. Victoria looked around at her surroundings and then up to her father, whom was already inspecting her hurt leg. "You didn't break it, but I'm afraid that it is sprained. I'll have to fetch some ice immediately." Reaver commented. Victoria sat up. "Thanks." Was all that she could manage. Reaver left the room and quickly returned carrying some first aid objects. He pulled up an armchair and went to work on Victoria's leg. Victoria watched him work. He was so loving, so gentle, even though she was a grown woman, and even though she had broken into his house. He truly did love her. That only deepened the mystery. Why would he leave a child that he obviously cared so much about? Reaver worked on the leg, carefully applying the splint and then wrapping it tightly with a cloth. Victoria spoke. "Your really good." She complemented. "I've been told that, in entirely different situations of course." Reaver replied with a sly grin. Daisy still kept a watchful eye on both Reaver and on Victoria. "Victoria, what were you doing upstairs? Other that trying to steal from me." Reaver asked. "That's just about all I was doing. I'm really sorry father." Victoria remarked. "Don't mention it. My little urchin was mearly doing what she's good at, and following in her daddy's footsteps at that." "Footsteps? But you're not a thief are you?" Victoria asked him. Her father looked away. "I used to be. Back when your mother and I met." Reaver replied. The splint was set, and Victoria leaned in closer. "I really never thought that I would meet you this way though dear." Reaver added. Victoria smiled. "Likewise." She answered back. Reaver stood and pushed the armchair away and turned to exit the door. Victoria stopped him. "Wait! Where are you going?" She asked, upset that he was leaving after just finding his lost daughter. Reaver turned and grinned. "My you're a worried thing aren't you? I was merely going to fetch us some tea. But if you're not thirsty than I shall stay here." Reaver said. Victoria breathed a sigh of relief. "I would like some tea, thanks." She answered, feeling a bit foolish. Reaver again turned and returned with a silver tray and two cups of steaming tea and some cookies. Daisy looked up and started to beg for the sweet snacks atop the tray. Reaver rolled his eyes and reluctantly threw both dogs a cookie. Then he sat down and placed the two cups and the remaining cookies in front of him and Victoria. Victoria took her tea and sipped it slowly. "Do you like stories?" Reaver asked her, after taking a sip of his own tea. Victoria nodded. "Oh yes." She replied, stuffing a cookie into her mouth. "Well then, sit tight, because this ones long. But your old enough to hear it." He spoke softly. Victoria sat up straight and locked eyes with her father. "Is it about you and mother? The big secret that everyone has kept from me for so long?" Victoria anxiously asked. Reaver nodded. "Yes. Yes it is." The silence was long between tea sips and awkward stares. "I found a chest upstairs. It had some odd things inside. There was a green dress, and a sword and pistol. Also there was this book..." "Those things belonged to your mother Victoria. Except for the journal. That bit is mine. You didn't read it did you?" Reaver asked cautiously. Victoria shook her head. "I didn't have a chance, your wolf tried to kill me." Victoria smiled. Reaver laughed. "She always has been somewhat troublesome." He looked at his black wolf. "Troublesome? Is that really her name?" Victoria smiled again. "Yes." "That's a funny name for a wolf actually." Victoria took another sip of her tea. Reaver sighed. "Yes I suppose it was a strange choice, but when one is in love one often makes strange choices that he or she would not otherwise make." "Like what?" "I wasn't going to keep her. Your mother and I found her and I ended up on keeping her to have something else in common with that woman. We were so different, and yet, she was the only one that I could ever have loved like that. I never told her this, but I had always had a deep admiration for her. She gave me hope in my hopeless existence." His voice trailed off at the last sentence, and Victoria was sure that she saw his eyes dampen just for a second. Reaver turned to her and spoke in a low and serious tone. "You are a woman now, and it is time that you know the story of your mother and I. It is time that you knew the truth." "I'm ready." Victoria stated confidently. Reaver's eyes darkened. "I'm not so sure that you are, but it's too late for that now, you have to know." As the last few shards of sunset dissipated under the heavy night sky outside, so too did the mood in the manor begin to darken. Reaver had since locked the door to the chamber where Victoria and he were talking. Now he sat at her side on the bed, thinking about how to proceed with the truth. It was almost maddening. He had not seen this girl the entirety of her existence, and yet he loved her. Love. There was something that he hadn't felt in 16 years. Not since her. Reaver continued to ponder his plight, until Victoria piped up yet again. She certainly was a very persistent young thing, he wondered if she was stubborn too, then she would have both of her parents annoying traits. He chuckled a little at the thought. "Hey Reaver? Can I call you that?" Victoria asked. "You can if you wish to." Reaver replied. Victoria looked to him and shrugged her shoulders. "I've been ready for the story for half and hour now, tell it to me already." Victoria demanded. Reaver glared at her. "Mind your manners when you speak to me, people have died by my hand for less." He growled and then added. " I will tell you after my guest have all left." "Guests?" Victoria asked. Reaver nodded embarrassed. "I was going to have a party here tonight, but I have since made other plans, as you are no doubt aware of, as you are it. We shall hide in here until my guest grow bored and leave." Reaver explained. Victoria gave him a bemused look. "Your hiding in your own house from people that you invited to your house? Here's a more realistic thought. Why don't you just tell them that something came up and that the party's off?" Victoria commented sarcastically. "Oh yes, she'll make someone a fine wife someday..." Reaver thought to himself before answering. "My dear, that would indeed be a more realistic way to go about things, but you see my guests aren't people, their balverines. And I don't know if you know this or not, but balverines aren't exactly keen on taking no for an answer, especially when they already think, well in advance that they are to be fed tonight." Reaver replied. Victoria looked towards the locked door. "Balverines?! Why are you inviting balverines to your home?! Are you crazy? Wait a second, you said your feeding them?!" Victoria asked him. "Well obviously not tonight, but yes, usually." "But they eat human flesh." "Precisely. Which is why I'm not going to be the one to go out there and tell them that dinners off." Reaver added. "But you usually feed them what exactly?" Victoria asked, getting a tad worried. "I feed them people of course! Not interesting nor valuable people. Rather the people that make my families life hard or annoying. Mainly criminals, but of course any revolutionists or factory workers who refuse to work will do just fine." He spoke. Victoria scooted away from him. "You monster!" She accused. Reaver looked at his daughter. "Maybe I am, what are you going to do? Make a huge spectical over this? Your brother already knows and approves my sweet little princess." Reaver purred. Victoria tried to get up, but her leg was still far too weak. "I can't believe of all people, your my father! What ever did my mother see in you?! She must have been out of her mind, or maybe she was just as wicked as you and I never-" Victoria yelled. Reaver stood. He turned to Victoria and slapped her across the face. He looked down to his daughter and hissed. "Don't you EVER talk that way about her again...Your mother was an angel of mercy. Take all the stabs at me you like, I deserve them. But if your ever talk about your mother like that again so help me I'll-" Reavers parental speech was rudely interrupted by a loud thudding on the front door. Both Reaver and Victoria turned to the window. Reaver rushed over and whispered as he did so. "They're here...Oh no, this is really not good."
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