To Win Her Heart

Chapter 13: Lilliana's Father

The day after Lilliana left was silent. All her friends and family mourned like she was dead. I too tried to not think about her while she was away, but I could not erase her memory from my mind. Lilliana was the light of my life, and I had always wanted to ask her to marry me. My life became dry and time seemed to slow as the days got longer and my patience turned restless.

One day, Lilliana's father sent me a message to come to his home for some sort of talk. I accepted this with curiosity as my drive to meet him in his household. As I stepped through the doorway I could hear a faint voice calling me.

"William...is that you?" called the voice.

"Yes sir." I answered as I ran towards where the voice had come from.

It was coming from the old man's bedroom, and as I opened the door slowly I saw Lilliana's father in bed looking quite pale.

"Oh no, what's...what's happened to you sir?" I asked him very concerned.

"William...I'm dying dear boy..." he muttered.

"B-but this cannot be... y-you have to live..." I said going to his side and holding back my tears.

Lilliana's father was ill and as much as it hurt me, it hurt him even more that Lilliana was not there to say goodbye. Lilliana was going to miss her chance to say goodbye, and there was nothing I could do.

"Please... can you do an old man's dying wish? Take care of Lilliana... make sure she's safe..." he said struggling against the pain of his sickness.

"I swear it, believe me, you know you have my word." I reassured him in a hushed tone.

Then, he smiled at me and gradually closed his eyes. Lilliana's father was now is greater pastures than the ones of the world. I did not have time to feel dismay for his passing, because I had to fulfill his dying wish. I realized there was only one way to. I had to rescue her from the dungeon, and save her from what horrors she might be experiencing at that very moment.