Crystal Hearts • Book 2 Of The Crystal Trilogy • ⏸

-| 26 / under lock and key |-

Caroline had decided that since her father wouldn't make the living conditions in the dungeons any better and that Edgar would probably die of a heart-attack if he ever saw another rat in his cell or within a ten feet radius, she would personally go to his office again, verbally attack him, emotionally manipulate him (if she managed to find any tinge of emotion within that empty cocoon he was) and force him to get everyone that had never done anything wrong out of their cells, not just her friends.

She and Gwen had started to get along again, Phoebe was getting over her low self-esteem issues (slowly but surely) and Edgar... Well, Edgar remained the same, but that's not the point because he's more or less flawless.

Esmeralda, on the other hand, had stolen a few weapons from the armory and had turned Caroline's room into a training field. The princess had started to get tired of explaining why she constantly needed new pillows, though she couldn't argue that Esme had taught her a thing or two about defending herself.

Caroline had a knife hidden in her shoe, another one under her belt and a third beneath her dress at all times and trust me when I say that she'd learned how to use them in the case of an emergency.

She threw open her father's door without knocking, as she felt that he no longer deserved her respect and good manners, and marched into his office, glaring straight into his eyes because even when he was sitting, she still wasn't any taller than him.

"What is it this time?", he sighed, looking up from a piece of paper he was holding.

"You're a savage! An imbecile! How dare you have people live in such terrible and unhygienic conditions under your own roof? They're prisoners, not some object you no longer wish to use and that you can easily dispose of and leave to rot!", she got right to the point.

"This again? I already told you that a dungeon renovation is not to be negotiated.", he glared at her, his patience running thin thanks to his daughter's newfound rebellious and outspoken attitude.

"Then free everyone who doesn't deserve it.", Caroline hissed.

"Everyone I've locked up has done something to get on my nerves, so everyone who's in there deserves it.", Alastor replied, clearly annoyed by the entire conversation.

"You know, this is what stripped you of all potential allies you may have had. Nobody wants to be on your side anymore. No matter how much you may blackmail them, no matter what you have on them and no matter how much they're going to sacrifice to go against you, I know that everyone is willing to go to great lengths to bring you down."

"No one is that stupid. No one would put revenge over the things and people they care about.", Alastor growled.

"That's exactly what you've been doing all these years."

"Caroline, dear... Haven't you realised by now? I only care about two things; revenge and myself. You may be my daughter, but the person you're turning out to be is starting to annoy me. Keep this up and you'll end up in the dungeons with your friend- if you're lucky.", he growled. "Now get out, I'm busy."

"If you don't free them, I'll get them out myself and then throw myself of a window. We'll see how that war is going to work out for you if you know the throne will immediately become your brother's once you die. You care about three things, not two. You forgot the one in which you mind about having an heir.", Caroline said smugly.

He raised his hand, seemingly too slap her, but stopped himself when his daughter flinched away. "Fine. I'll free your little friends, but only because I have too much on my plate right now and can't afford to spend any time on such trivial matters. Your little rebellion is going to do nothing to stop what's coming."