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Claudia giggled girlishly as her boyfriend waved her goodbye. Swooning and smitten, sighing and looking longingly at Terry’s disappearing back as if they’d be separated for months instead of just for the night.
Just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse! His daughter! Was dating! An elf!?
Viren still looked tense and disapproving. Every inch the authoritative father, or at least that was what he was trying to be. With the ripped shirt, the bruises and the dirt on his face, he didn’t exactly look the part. “I do not want you seeing that elf, Claudia” Viren said sternly. He couldn’t stress it enough. He did not like this… this… elf runt dating his daughter!
Claudia crossed her arms defensively, “Daaaad! Terry makes me happy! Would you deny me this bit of happiness?” she said in her best ‘I’m daddy’s princess, he’ll give me what I want’ voice, sad pleading eyes included.
“No… No! Of course I want you to be happy…” Viren sputtered, “but he’s an elf and you are… you are just too young to date Claudia!” He was still a bit bewildered, this really was not a conversation he could have imagined happening at this moment.
Claudia threw up her hands in annoyance and frustration, “Dad! I’m 18!”
“Oh… right,” Viren went quiet, “I was gone for two whole years.” His lost expression softened Claudia. “It’s just in my mind… you’re still 16, my little girl… and you’re growing up so fast… and I missed two whole years.”
The fight went out of Claudia, “Oh, Dad,” she threw herself into her father’s arms, “It’s not because I have a boyfriend that you’ll lose me.”
Viren wrapped his arms tightly around his daughter. As if… if he could hold her close enough, all this mess would disappear and maybe she would stop growing up so quick?
As a father he’d been pleased that Soren grew up strong and had achieved the position of crownsguard at such a young age. Maybe he had been a bit disappointed in the boy’s lack of intelligence, but Claudia… she was always his little girl, his pride and joy.
He sighed. “I still don’t like that he’s an elf,” he mumbled into her hair and pulled her closer.
Claudia just rolled her eyes, but hugged her dad back. He would get over it.
After a while they let each other go. Viren took hold of her shoulders and told her, “I am so proud of you, and the young woman you’ve become, I just wish… I had spent more time with you and your brother.”
His daughter gave him a watery smile, “Thanks dad, and everything will be alright, you’ll see, everything is going to be alright again, I promise.”
Viren gave her a weak smile in return, “You’re still so young, you shouldn’t be the one who has to make things right again.”
Claudia straightened up, standing tall, “I’m an adult now dad, I can do it.”
Her father took her hands and replied, “I have no doubt that you’re capable, but that doesn’t mean it should be your responsibility.”
“Then we’ll do it together.” She reassured him.
He nodded and smiled a brighter, “Alright, together then.”
She beamed up at him, “Deal.”
Then her face morphed between expressions, as if she suddenly remembered something, “Oh… and Dad…Terry is coming over for dinner tomorrow,” Claudia said with a smile, causing Viren’s face to take on a startled expression, “So you better get over it,” she finished, giggling and looking sweet and every part the doting daughter.
Oh, hell…