Vera had immediately rushed out of the war room and headed straight to her chambers while holding back her tears to save face in front of the guards and soldiers stationed along the hallways. When she arrived in front of her chambers, the guards were confused as to why she looked like that but she ignored them and entered while slamming the door to her chambers shut and locking it. She then proceeded to throw herself on the bed and cry her heart out.

Vera was frustrated at how stupid and heated she was being and deep down realised she might have taken things a little too far, but every time she remembered the frustrated look on King Valasaire's face when he struck her, she couldn't contain her feelings. For as long as she was alive, she had never been struck by her father. All the disciplining was usually done by the queen-consort or the queen dowager and even then they never got too physical with only slight ear-pulling or the like.

Right now, all she wanted was to be alone and cry herself to sleep. After about another half-hour of crying, her eyes and temples began to hurt a little as well as her nose being very runny and she had trouble breathing because of that. She always hated crying because of these things that would happen to her. When she began to calm a little and her sobbing began to quiet, she heard someone knocking on the door.

"Don't bother me!!" Vera cried out in annoyance as she thought it was just a maidservant or someone else.

"Please open the door, Vera..." When she heard the king's voice calling her, all the emotion started to come back. "It's not good to nurture an argument for more than a day... And please, papa just wants to talk! I also want to say that I'm sorry for what I did. Please just let me in."

When he heard nothing in response to his pleas, Valasaire sighed out as he knocked again.

"Vera, you're being very immature here." He said again as his face was against the door trying to hear a response "You're over twenty now, dear, I think you'd be mature enough to talk things out in an adult manner."

"I don't wanna!!" finally a response "You're just a big meanie!!"

"Dear God, I think I spoiled you way too much." Valasaire said as he slightly smiled to himself while shaking his head hearing his daughter's childish responses before he turned his body around and sat on the floor with his back leaning against her chamber doors.

The guards outside felt awkward and uncomfortable seeing their king on the floor and being disrespected by the princess but Valasaire merely chuckled and asked one of them to get a bucket of ice along with a towel.

"Are you still not going to open the doors?" Valasaire said "On the count of three, like it or not, I'm going to shoot the bloody locks on it and come in by force..."

Of course Vera knew her father was just joking, but there was this feeling inside of her that she really felt bad and wanted to apologise. And so she took a deep breath, then let it out, then finally proceeded to open the door. What caught her by surprise was when she opened it abruptly, her father who was leaning against it had fallen on his back and now he was lying on the floor while staring at his daughter awkwardly with a cheeky grin.

"About time!" Valasaire said as he got up "Oooh! I almost forgot..." He proceeded to pick up his pistol from the floor and put it back into its sheath as well as a bucket.

Vera still put on an unamused expression as she blurted, "So what is it now?" In a slightly aggressive tone

"Now, now. No using that sort of tone on me!" Valasaire said as he raised his hand.

Vera instinctively raised her hands to protect herself as if she were ready for another hit, but to her surprise. she felt a cool sensation on the cheek where she was hit. She realised her father was compressing the place he had hit. Though it was slightly uncomfortable she started to calm down and sat down on the bed when Valasaire gestured for her to do so.

"I'm sorry I hit you like that before... It was just... I-..." As Valasaire was fumbling about for an excuse, Vera had slightly grit her teeth and his paternal instincts shot up again "Oh no! Did I hurt you... I'm so sorry! I thought I was holding back it's-..."

"It's okay... I've dealt with worse..." Vera said and finally some tears started to roll down her face again as she suddenly hugged Valasaire and buried her head in his chest and started to sob again "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry papa! I didn't mean what I said and I wasn't thinking straight, please forgive me!"

Valasaire merely nodded and held his daughter tightly. After a few minutes like that, the two sat down. Valasaire managed to wipe away her tears as she stopped crying.

"Now you know that you are my beloved eldest daughter... And judging from how brave you acted, I may have been a little too lenient with you when you were growing up..." Valasaire said with a slight chuckle "What am I going to do with this headstrong little tigress... anyways, where did you find out... about your origins..?"

"Some of the noble ladies were speaking in the night and I overheard. They probably found out from some maids or servants and the like..." Vera answered

"Those bloody gossipers... Everyone who knew it was sworn to secrecy. But I guess the walls have ears. So, do you want to hear the full story?"

"...I think I'd like to. I'm ready now..."

"...Your uncle Valarian was a great warrior. One of the greatest we ever had, but he wasn't much for the traditional rules. Though he tried his best to follow them. And he did truly love Lady Theodosia. But alas, just a few days after their marriage, some people from a certain brothel dared themselves to come at the gates of the royal palace and said one of their whores had birthed a child of the Valamen."

"Needless to say, at the time, this caused quite the scandal within our family and an emergency meeting was called. You were born to a half-beast girl and the person who put you into her womb had stupidly left his family seal which was an authentic seal of the main branch. After an intense round of investigations, your uncle Valarian finally admitted to a drunken night of debauchery at a certain brothel and lo and behold, a beautiful baby girl was the product."

"...How did his wife feel about that?" Vera asked

"Surprisingly, she wasn't really all that bothered. It happened before they were married and we had discovered that the woman who birthed you - Intan was her name - had died during the process of childbirth." Valasaire explained

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"That's so sad... Do you know anything else about the woman who gave birth to me?"

"Not much really. She never really was a talker and had few friends in the brothel whom our soldiers could investigate. But the point is, Valarian and Theodosia were ready to adopt you as their own. You were baptised shortly after and do you know who came up with your name?"

"Who did?"

"Your mom did."

"Mama Alessa? But how?"

"Alessa always liked to stay at Rumasil and she was one of Theodosia's closest friends and she made sure she always had a chance to play with you. She gave you your middle name 'Dinauli' from an ancient Razyan ancestor and added 'Uli' to it because she was convinced you'd turn out pretty."

"But didn't Lady Theodosia contract an unknown disease and died young?"

"She did and you were barely a year old. Valarian was grief-stricken and the family had made a plan for you to be raised temporarily by one of the other branch families, but Alessa wouldn't have any of that and insisted on being your caretaker. Giving you baths, feeding you, taking you everywhere with her. Your grandparents let her have her fun as they weren't expecting anything odd to happen. In fact it was then you started calling her mama. After a bit of convincing and after we married, we officially made you our daughter. Your uncle hesitated for a bit but he knew you'd be better off with me raising you along with your mother."

"You two have always been my parents..." Vera chuckled as she hugged Valasaire

"And then the invasion at Hutalaut happened and the rest is history... But now you know, no matter what anyone says, the love we have for you is the real deal. And so what if we didn't physically bring you into this world? Your mother and I were the ones who fed you, taught you, cared for you, loved you with all our beings..."

"Yes, papa..." Vera said as she finally enjoyed the atmosphere of reminiscing with her father

"My God, you were always such a headstrong girl. I remember when you were barely three years old and you said you wanted to try sleeping by yourself. And so we did let you but you didn't give two shits about the guards and ran straight to our chambers in the middle of the night scared. You were scared to sleep in your room because you thought you saw a begu ganjang that was going to eat you up."

"You were banging the doors so loudly yelling 'Ai mama! papa! Mabiar ma au! I'm scared...!" Valasaire continued

"You don't understand, papa! I really did see something!" Vera retorted

"Yeah, I'm sure you did." Valasaire wasn't too convinced "Luckily your mom was there to open the door and quickly calmed you down. You ended up hogging her all to yourself the entire night."

"You sound less than pleased."

"Well Valamar was sleeping in your ompung's room, and because you wanted to sleep in your own room, your mother and I were busy making Vald and Valerie that night."

"Ewwww! Papa!! Gross like eck-*puking*." Vera quickly said in disgust to whilst slightly punching Valasaire's side to which he laughed out loud

"Don't worry, when you fell asleep, we got the job done in the dressing room. Hahahahhaha!!"

"Oh Tuhan!!! Uggghhh!!" Vera couldn't help but wince while holding her head in embarrassment.

After that the two continued to laugh and reminisce. Finally when everything was calm, Vera decided to speak up about the earlier issue.

"...So about this marriage." Vera finally started talking about this important issue "Who is it? Did Ferdinand Sianakranu come for my hand again?"

"No, it's no one who's previously challenged you before... On one hand this might be a wish come true, but on the other hand, this might cause you to hate me more." Valasaire said to which Vera couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"You might have to retire early from the Boruniruma." Valasaire said being prepared for another fit from his daughter but to his surprise, she was actually quietly contemplating.

"You took that a little better than I hoped you would." Valasaire said, breaking the silence

Vera finally spoke up, "To be honest dad, I've realised sooner or later I'd have to leave the Boruniruma. I don't have the aptitude to continue on to become grandmaster and I don't want to be stuck as a captain for my entire life. I also don't really have the patience to go through all their bloody ceremonies."

"You've only just realised that now, pumpkin?" Valasaire half-jokingly said

"Don't get me wrong, I love my sisters there but after seeing Valerie leaving for her Prince charming with no regrets then maybe, it'd be nice to have that as well, y'know."

"Awwww.... Just look at my sweet little daughter getting all sentimental." Valasaire pinched her cheeks as he laughed "My rockheaded little baby, thinking about her future..."

"Alright already! Now just tell me who this suitor is, papa! Are you trying to kill me with curiosity?"

"You're not a cat are you?"

"Well considering my birth mother, I might?" Vera joked to which Valasaire couldn't contain his chuckle

"Anyways. This is also in part to pay off a bit of me and your mother's past mistake. His Majesty, Jan III, the King of Slavsnik has offered for the renewal of the bonds between Slavsnik and Rumasil by having his eldest son, Crown Prince Aleksey Wladwiqi, betrothed to you..."

Hearing the news, Vera couldn't help but be dumbfounded and surprised. An actual crown prince of a major kingdom actually wanted to marry her. Granted, it was the King of Slavsnik forcing this upon his son, but still.

"You're not joking, right? An actual prince wants my hand in marriage?" Vera asked to make sure

"I wouldn't be joking about things like this. And don't worry his father assures me that it was the Prince himself who asked for it and that he has no lingering feelings for anyone."

"Good. I really don't want what you did to that Slavic princess to be done to me..."

Valasaire was wide-eyed in shock before he sheepishly smiled. "Don't worry. He agreed to the dueling requirements. You can give him a good thrashing before accepting the proposal just to show 'em who's boss."

"Ahahaha... You know I will..."

"Just beware. If his father's personality is anything to go by, best be careful. I don't really want to start a war with the Slavs but if they do anything to hurt you, I swear I will piss on the burning ruins of Stanisgrat."

"My father, always my hero."

"You best remember that. Always. Anyways, get some sleep. God willing we'll be returning either tomorrow or the day after. Frankly I'm a little frustrated and I need to see your mother to let off some of this steam." Valasaire smirked

"Alright, I think that's enough." Vera immediately distanced herself and pulled up the bed sheets as she got ready to sleep and her father also made his way to the door

"I'll be leaving this bucket here in case you need a cold wash to freshen up. Good night, sweetie." Valasaire said before giving a final kiss on Vera's forehead

"Goodnight, papa." Vera said with a content feeling in her heart

As soon as Valasaire left the room he was met by his two sons standing there in front of the room with serious expressions on their faces.

"Why aren't you two in your chambers yet?" Valasaire asked nonchalantly "What? Do you two want to be tucked into bed too? If so then you can piss off. No way in hell am I going to do that."

At first the king chuckled, but when he saw his sons still with serious expressions on their faces, he knew something was wrong. "What's the matter?"

"Bapauda had this message delivered to him just recently. He's back in the war council room along with Kings Esteban and John. Some of the generals are already there." Valamar said as he handed a letter over to his father.

When he read its contents, his expression immediately became serious as well and they immediately rushed off.