๋࣭⭑Tinted Tulips ๋࣭⭑ [♡WMMAP x OC♡]

⭐ Reliability ⭐

"You...how can you be so...heartless?"

"What did you just say?"

Claude looked colder than ever. It had been a long time since someone looked him right in the eye and talked to him with that tone of voice.
Felix and Athanasia were just as surprised. This conversation was clearly not advantageous for her.

"Pardon my behaviour, your majesty. But, may I just ask, what would have happened to the princess if I hadn't jumped in the lake?"

The blonde man was just staring right into her soul with his icy jewel eyes.

"Are you suggesting that I would not have saved her?"

"No?"

The girl had not broke the eye contact. She was furious. How could a person, a father above all, be this insensitive?
Felix was concerned and he knew what would happen if Claude lost his cool right now.

"Obviously I would save the princess. I thought that she could swim. Just when I realised that she couldn't, I planned to save her, but then you jumped in."

Athanasia was shivering. She was drenched afterall. But she couldn't meet her Father's cold gaze. And that's what angered the woman more, that Claude, was putting all the blame on Athanasia!

"When, your majesty? When were you planning to save her? When she hit the rock bottom of the lake? Or when she stopped struggling and breathing? Just when were you planning to save her!?"

"Enough! I told you that I thought that she could swim!"

The girl was testing Claude's limits. Everybody knew that emotions like love, generosity and pity had died in Claude. A long time ago. No one dared to even look him in the eye and this girl...she was raising her voice infront of him.

"Swim? Your majesty, she's barely 5! How can a 5 year old swim in such a cold and deep lake!?"

"She's the Emperor's daughter!"

"Exactly. She's your daughter! But, Above all, she's just a child!"

Their conversation had turned into just continuous yelling. While she sat there, holding Athanasia close, Claude stood there, glaring at them coldly.

"I see no reason why I should be explaining myself to an ignorant maid like yourself. Though I must say...you have got some nerve to talk to me like that. You have gotten bolder over the past few years."

Over the past few years? What did he mean by that?

"Felix?"

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Bring whatever the Princess needs from the Ruby Palace. I have talked to Lillian York. The Princess will be treated as a Princess officially as of today. She will be residing with me."

What? What did he just say? Athanasia will live with him? That was beyond dangerous for her. Especially after today's incident.
Athanasia couldn't stop coughing. It looked like she had caught a cold. Her anger was far from gone, but looking at Athanasia made her soft quickly.

"Athy...has a condition!"

Claude stopped in his tracks after hearing his daughter's voice and turned around to face her.

"And what's that?"

"Lily and Terry will accompany me!"

Athanasia spoke with her eyes shut tightly, leaving Felix and the girl beside him flabbergasted. Felix had experienced too many mini-heart attacks today.