In front of all the Valorian knights, Brandon was being embarrassed by the crown prince. And to make matters worse, Roselyn was also present. She was yet to notice her father amongst the sea of spectators but he could clearly spot her on the opposite side. But it required great courage from him to even look at her. Brandon was looking at the ground, smitten and on the verge to give up. He supported his frame with his sword trying to stand up which he managed. His face looked sweaty and tired contrary to that of Alexander. Not even a strand of his hair was out of position. Everyone present was chanting the Prince’s name but all that turned to background noise for him. Maybe dueling with the prince was not a good idea to begin with. And surprisingly, Alexander had been on the defensive side all the while and already he had done this to him. What if he decided to attack? Brandon could tell that he was holding back so much already. Exactly how powerful was this damned prince. He hated him!"I hate you!" He screamed launching his sword at Alexander but just like before, Alexander dodged his attack effortlessly escorting him with a kick on his ass that made him lose the grip of his sword before he kissed the ground for the nth time. He could hear the knights laughing at him in the background. But what pissed him most was the look on Roselyn’s face. She looked at him as if he was some kind of fool or idiot."Concede your defeat," Alexander said placing his boots right in front of Brandon’s dusty face. He looked up at Alexander, his eyes a mix of unreadable emotions. How he hated this guy! He laughed before he spat blood on Alexander’s boots."Oops! Wrong idea," Alexander warned before he kicked his head like a ball rendering him unconscious that instant! He could see Roselyn hold her mouth as a gasp escaped her lips. Wait! Did she care for him, a mere knight? The fact that he was her personal knight didn’t guarantee him her personal space. The knights chanted his name louder as an unconscious Brandon was carried out of the place. Roselyn couldn’t take it anymore and ran after the knights carrying Brandon. Throughout the fight, she had been neutral but seeing Alexander gain the upper hand, she could only sympathize with Brandon. And as foolish as he was, he threw the tantrum at Alexander who had been avoiding so much to inflict injuries on Brandon. "Brandon? Are you alright?" She called shaking him to wake up to no avail. Tears threatened to fall now stinging the brim of her eyes when she thought Brandon was dead. "Please talk to me," she begged trying to keep up with the pace of the knights. "He’s not dead," came a voice from behind making her halt in her tracks. That voice! Oh, how she missed it! Or was this just one of her fantasies? She had to confirm it. She turned around and found that familiar figure smiling at her just as she could remember. "Father? Is that you?" She asked as if she couldn’t trust her eyes anymore."Yes. It’s me my daughter." He said smiling painfully. ’Daughter!’ That word brought the already buried wounds erupting them afresh. Her only father had disowned her! "What are you doing here?" She asked, her once smiling face switching to a cold one he had never seen before. A wry smile curved on his wrinkled face trying to assess the situation that he could only predict to be worse."I came to see you," he began taking a step forward and halted after just one step. He could see how uncomfortable she was by just having him in her space. Lord! Would she ever forgive him? "Why now? You disowned me! I don’t know who you are," she said looking him from head to toe as if trying to remember where she had seen him last. He had to admit she was good at acting."I’m your father Roselyn, and you know that," he said taking another step forward. "Yes," she said lighting sparks of hope within him. "You used to be my father but I’m sorry I don’t know who you are." She added killing his hopes of ever earning forgiveness from her.Roselyn could never let him come back to her life that easily. He didn’t even make an effort to apologize for all he did yet he was claiming to be her father, father of a daughter he disowned! He just sprang out of nowhere and he expected her to forgive him? Never! Not that fast at least."I’m sorry was everything that I said that day my daughter. After staying alone for a while, I’ve learnt the hardest lesson life has to offer. I miss you Roselyn, you and your mother." To Roselyn, that was an insincere apology. Was that all it took for her to forgive him for disowning her? Just mere words with a touch of emotions? Anyone else could buy that but not Roselyn. "I’ll never forgive you even if you take me back as your daughter. As of my mother, I don’t even know if she’ll take it seeing you." He swallowed the lump on his throat at that. Was she scaring him? He had thought making it up with Roselyn would be the hardest but seems it was the piece of cake here, one that he was unable to resolve at that! "If you’ll excuse me father... oops! If you’ll excuse me Your Majesty, I have work to do and a friend to look at, a caring friend." She stressed the words before she dramatically and exaggeratingly curtsied and left. A sad Henry stood in the hallway unmoving, tears threatening to break on his eyes any second soon. His only daughter had gone forever! It was too late for him already and he couldn’t win his daughter back. What then was the meaning of joining this war if she couldn’t forgive him? But she would only hate him more if he withdrew his support for Valoria, and he would be going against his words as a leader. In the end, he chose to stay. He had one more person to apologize to, and as his ’daughter’ had said, she’d be the hard nut to crack. He spared his tears for the oncoming apology instead!