Princessa of his heart

Chapter Thirteen - A Fathers Love

There was a knock on my door and I scowled confused as I went to answer it. Liam was on a solo engagement, Catherine was with her family while Will was doing something and no one had been announced as coming over. I opened my door to see Dad standing there, with a comforting smile gracing his face.

"Dad? I wasn't expecting you. Come in." I stepped to the side letting him through "Is everything all right?"

"Of course, my dear. Can't a father come to check upon his favourite daughter and grandchildren." he chuckled as he removed his coat. I took it and hung it up.

"I'm your only daughter, Dad." I shook my head in amusement "You want some tea or coffee?"

" tea would be lovely thank you." I nodded and made my way into the kitchen and put the kettle on. I made us both our drinks and we sat down.

"So what brings you to my abode? I thought you were on a number of engagements this month." I blew on my cup of tea and the took a sip.

"I am, I am. But i kept this day free because I wanted to spend some time with you. We haven't done it in so long . Now your married with children on the way." I smile softly "Sweetheart if there is anything you wish to talk to me about. You know i am here for you, right?"

"What do you mean?" my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Sweetheart, I know about your night terrors." I glance down and sighed "You know...your mother was the same. Pregnancy was not easy for her."

"Though for different reasons, no?" I had some more tea.

"Yes. Yes, indeed." he shuffled and removed something from his jacket pocket and it turned out to be a small notebook. "I did some research."

"About what?"

"Your pregnancy of course. I have got to the internet and spoken to your doctor about what typically happens with twin pregnancies during each month. I will come over and tell you all about them" I sat there an listened to him as he told me all that he learned. He went of a tangent in some moments which made me giggle because it would last a good ten minutes before he realised he was completely off topic.

There was something about him taking the time out of his day to research all of this and then coming to me talking like a avid expert. For the first time since finding out I was pregnant i felt settled with the whole experience.

"I remember when you were born." Dad chimed "I love your brothers do not get me wrong but I had always wanted a girl. For the few first hours after you arrived I did not want to let you go."

"You held me coming out of the hospital." I commented. Over the years more specifically around my birthday. My first 'photo call' were usually re published. Mum and Dad coming out of the Lindo wing after me being born Dad carried me out and in the car. Unlike with my brothers. Dad came out with William who was then handed to Mum and Harry was solely carried by our mother.

"Yes." he chuckled "Your mother didn't know whether to be happy or argue that I was reluctant to let go of you. Once things settled it became this unspoken thing that i was wrapped around your little finger."

"I've seen the pictures and the old articles."

"Hindsight is both a gift and a curse. As you and your brothers have grown, I have expressed a deep regret for how I treated her. After her passing I did my very best to make sure I loved the three of you enough for the both of us." he cleared his throat and adjusted his tie "Aurora, I am aware that not only you but your brothers as well are cautious when it comes to those you love. You've tried to take every precaution with William, in that he knows what he has entered into. But my darling, you cannot control everything. Love is complicated and risky and you can never be sure that you are in the moment. You have done your up most to prepare him, more so than I ever did with your mother.

You are loved and I see that you are. He adores you and I know that he stepped up with all the knowledge you could provide."

"Tell my subconscious that." I mumble he takes my hand and kissed my knuckles "i love you Dad."

"I love you too my darling." I hug him

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I ask for family albums to be sent over containing my brothers and I. Sat cross legged in the living room looking over them them and smiling. Liam came and sat down next to me looking over them as well.

"Where did these come from?"

"Storage, they were part of my mothers collection passed down to us." I answered Liam stopped on a page.

"I don't see your Mom holding you that much?"

"Yeah, Dad had always wanted a girl, when I was born he used to find every opportunity to hold me. You search group pictures or interviews of us on the internet. There I'll be in his arms." I chuckle "Mom held me, just I was...am his pride and joy. Mom used to say..." I stopped my self and gulped

"What?"

"She would have these really low moments, she tried to hide it from us but sometimes she couldn't. One time she said that she loved me the most because I would be the only one to supersede Camilla in my fathers affections." Liam gave me a luck of pity "She had a few to many whiskeys." I flipped to the next page.

"Would she say stuff like that often?" Liam wondered

"Not to our face. But the three of us agreed that we could always tell. She loved us all equally, just being in close proximity to Camilla brought out the worst in her. Mainly I would over hear it in arguments. Drop off between parents was the worst. I would be sent off to another room but i could still hear them bickering. It was the silent digs at one another that got to me. Picked up on that very early on. One time just to prove a point she had me go up to Dad and Camilla to interrupt their conversation and steal Dad away."

"Really?"

"Like I said brought out the worst. I only did it the once, she asked me another time and i went to William instead. William told me that he could sense what was going on and took me away. Ever the big brother." I stopped looking at a picture of William and I "Oh. I was ill there, I remember that. I was six and my appendix burst and i had to have them removed. I could not stop crying. Neither Mum or Dad could keep me calm, I kept calling for William that much Dad caved and pulled him out of Eton to be at my bedside."

"Not Harry?"

"Harry was going through the phase of the annoying mean big brother. Though not being pulled out he quickly changed his ways after that. never had a huge problem since." I chuckle and I pull it out. "I'm going to show this to Will." we continued looking through the albums where there were more pictures of me and Mum. I had a couple made picture so we could have them in the flat. I even to the albums for Will and Catherine to look over when I was finished with them.