43 Ancestral Enchantment

Strong arms hugged her from behind and held her close. "What is wrong, son? Tell me," her father softly whispered.

"Daddy~," she cried and huddled him tightly. Her trembling hand clenched his shirt. She burrowed her head in his clothes. A loud sob after sob racked through her small body.

This was the first time she had felt anything for a boy, and somehow her heart was crushed ruthlessly. She really did not know how to deal with this. She let out all her feeling though her sobs.

Her father lifted her up in his arm like a little baby and rocked her. "Eru, my baby, don't cry. It breaks your father's heart. Tell me what's wrong, dear," he said.

Ambai bit her trembling lips and gazed up at him. "I want to leave. I don't wanna to be here anymore," she cried.

Thinking that she has to see him every day made it even worse. Her heart would not be able to handle even more disappointment and heartbreak.

Her father sighed and hugged her tightly. "Hmm, anything you want, baby. Anything for you," he whispered.

Ambai lopped her hands around his shoulders and burrowed her head next to his neck.

Rukle took her to his study and placed him on the couch. Ambai wiped her tears with her sleeves. Her father sighed. "Tell me, baby. Who hurt you? Did that Deric say something? If so, I will beat him to pup," he ferociously growled.

She shook her head.

His eyes darkened he hugged her closer. "Then did that Zhong do something? I will crush his skull," he growled.

She shook her head and sobbed out loud. "Dad, you are so violent ahhh," she cried.

Her father panicked even more. "Oh.. I.. I didn't mean that. I will only beat him a little baby. Don't cry. Don't cry," he said.

Ambai leaned against his shoulder and sniffed her blocked nose. "Why is he so mean? Why? I love him. At least I think I do," she whispered.

"Who?" a soft growl was heard.

She gazed up to find her father raging. There was even smoke coming from his nose.

"Daddy?"

He held her shoulder and peered intently into at her face. "Who is that boy? Tell me I will kill him," he roared.

"I…I…. daddy… you look like a beast," she whispered in horror. He really did. His eyes were bloodshot and sunken. The veins on his forehead popped up. And even his beard was shaking as he shouted.

"Ah, tell me, kid. I will take care of that bastard," he shouted. Even His eyebrows were twitching abnormally.

She stared at him without blinking. "Why are boys so dumb?" she whispered.

Her father took a double take. "Where did that come from? Don't change the topic. I want to know who broke your heart at least I want to break his shins as a payback,"

She pulled her knees up and hugged them closer. "What is that going to change? He is in love with another person…..I was the one who misunderstood,"

"Then it is your problem," her father nodded his head.

Ambai gave him a disappointed look. She sighed and elbowed him.

"Aren't you supposed to comfort me saying things like, 'everything is going to be okay? Everything is going to be fine. Time will heal your wounds.' Words like that are MUCH appreciated," she said.

Her father chuckled softly and hugged her. "Eru, these words would only bring momentary comfort." He tapped her heart and whispered, "Whatever is in there… you need to face your own demons. And I know that my dear son can do it," he said with a fond smirk.

She twirled her fingers in her messed up curls. "I guess so. I know that I will probably get better. But….I still need time. So I want to be far away as possible," she whispered.

He scoffed. "No, you are the prince of this kingdom, you can't leave. Tell me who that person is. I will send him out of this kingdom,"

"That's why I won't tell you daddy." She murmured. "I don't want you to punish him. Thinking of him hurt hurts me even more. So please don't say you will kill him or banish him. It was all my fault, anyway. I fell for someone that…..is out of this world,"

Her father tapped her forehead. "it's never your fault. 'Sigh' baby what d'you want to do then?"

"I need some time and I want to go somewhere far. Since I could remember, I have never left this castle. It's suffocating. Can I please go somewhere?" she whispered.

Her father sighed and stood up. "Follow me," he took her to the secret room that was a mess right now. The enchantment she drew on the floor was still shining softly. As she walked closer, it shone brighter.

He bent down and picked up the inkstone tossed in the corner. He peered at her with his eyebrows arched.

Ambai chuckled awkwardly, "eh, daddy I didn't mean to. It was just an accident. I came in, but I didn't know how to get out, so… so I drew this," she stuttered. She plucked the saliva stained inkstone from her dad's hands and whispered, "this too, I will replace it,"

Her father gave her a wooden stare.

"I WILL CLEAN IT," she shouted and wiped it with her sleeve.

Softly sighing, Rukle lifted him up. "Eru, do you know what this enchantment is?"

"Yeah, it said something about transfer. It works though, but I am not sure how it chooses the destination," she mumbled.

"Did you really draw this?" her father was not facing her. He was putting all the scrolls and books on the shelf.

"Yea, I did. It was simple. But it took a while for me to figure out how to activate it," she sniffed. Her nose was still blocked. She wiped her nose and eyes.

Her father rushed to her and held her shoulders. "You really did it! Oh god, this is amazing," he exclaimed with his eyes wide open.

She shrugged. "Em, dad it was just a drawing. What is so hard about it?"

"Eru, this is an enchantment created by our ancestors thousands of years ago. No one till date was able to activate at least one of these spells,"