29

Loka, the first-born daughter of Taryu, and the only child of her now-deceased mother Le, was almost a perfect blend of the two. In Taryu's eyes, he saw Le, and in her mother's eyes, she saw Taryu.

Taryu instantly knelt down and touched his daughter's face,

"What's wrong Loka?" he asked her.

Taryu had his suspicions, but he never truly figured out his daughter's emotions. She only ever focused on one problem at a time, never melding situations and compiling them together. Though this seemed great for Taryu, the issue came from her having multiple problems floating around her head. He guessed she was still upset about her mother, but he didn't want to assume.

Loka's black hair hung in her face as she let out a sigh, so similar to her father's, "I don't want to leave Tiziano dada."

Taryu instantly stiffened up, "Is everything okay with Isabe?"

Loka looked up into her father's maroon eyes, searching for something. She couldn't quite decipher if he was asking her stake of the stake of the village. Her father's eyes gave no answer and she let the question leave her mind as she shook her head no.

"Isabe is fine, if not great. I… I just don't want to leave my father. This, Tiziano… it's all I've ever known. "

Now Taryu had positioned himself next to Loka, sitting by her side. He looked solemnly at the ground for a moment letting the silence of the tunnels fill the air before finally speaking.

"I honestly don't want you to leave either. I wish all of my children would just stop growing up."

Loka managed a faint smile and said, "Sometimes I wish I could go back to when I was a kid. Everything seemed so much easier dada."

Taryu looked at her and smiled as he rubbed his hands through her hair whilst gently leaning in and kissing her forehead.

"I have to say, I'm jealous little one."

Loka looked at her father in surprise, "What are you jealous of?" she asked.

Taryu stared at the opposite wall, eyes dark from what looked like fatigue. He closed them slowly and for the first time, he let the tiredness wash over him in full.

"Sometimes Loka, I wish I could live a simple life and just take care of my family. Sometimes I wish I was never born Taryu the Levithan and instead be a simple fisherman. Even though your life will never be easy or simple. If you decide to you won't have to bear the burden of rulership. If you truly want, you can simply focus on raising and enjoying your family."

Loka's eyes watered at the image of her father. The green painting him in a light of sadness and sorrow.

"Don't envy me, dad, at least you won't have to deal with the rage and pain I feel concerning mom."

Taryu's eyes shifted from the floor up to her face,

"I hate to tell you that you are wrong on that one baby girl."

Loka furrowed her brow in confusion,

"What, what are you talking about Dad?"

Taryu pushed his hair away from his face and sat up straight. The sadness that rested in his eyes slightly faded as he looked Loka in hers.

"Before I was titian of Tiziano, my father was, and Shezira her father was the titian of Yfantis. Shezira's father killed my father."