Can I still trust?

Selene looked through the documents in her table. In a week a lot of movements has been going on around the clan. In general things were moving like she hoped.

The younger generation because of the new rules were beginning to work harder than they were used to and those that didn't shine because of their background begin to show themselves.

Of course not everything was a sea of roses. Some prodigal second generation that used to hang out with her brother were apparently waiting for him to left his confinement so they could do a strike.

As much as she wanted to ignore this stupid bunch, she couldn't ignore those behind them.

A group of old man trying to take advantage of the mayhem the youngsters wanted to cause to make her abdicate her position. The worst was that the people she sent to investigate, couldn't get all the identities of the people in the group.

As she was mulling how to uncover their identities, a knock came from outside.

"You may come in"

"Excuse me, are you busy?"

The newcomer was surprisingly her father alone.

"What's the matter father? I'm sorry but Bryn's stay is not negotiable"

Filip shook his head with a bitter smile at her subconscious denial. "That's not it. May I sit? It won't take long"

Selene raised an eyebrow to his unexpected answer and indicated to the chair in front of her.

"Please"

"About earlier... your mother is sorry. I won't make excuses as they would be to perfunctory. What I can do is control both of them from now on"

Filip said looked at his daughter impassive face with bitterness.

"I'll be taking both of them home later today. I know it's a bit too much but I would appreciate if you could send us out"

"That's no problem"

Selene agreed with a nod.

"That's great, thank you Selene!"

Her father answered enthusiastically.

"Well, that was what I want to talk about... also, I'm deeply sorry for everything you went through because of my incompetence. You should be able to enjoy your youth but because of my foolishness you're now bond to this burdensome role... if-if there's anything you want my help in the future don't hesitate to reach out. Although late, Father will do his best to help and protect you". Filip said with a sad smile and some expectation.

Selene nodded in acknowledgment but didn't add nothing. Everything was in the past and nothing he could say would change it.

The light of hope in his eye slowly went out with his daughter silence and with sad sigh Filip got up and went to open the door.

Turning the doorknob he turned once again to his daughter.

"We will departing three hours from now"

"I'll be there"

Selene answered with a neutral voice and saw her father exit her study.

It would be a lie if she said she wasn't touched by her father's words. This was the first time ( counting her many rebirths) that he ever said sorry and extended his hand for her.

Looking once again at the report in front of her, she wondered if she should give her parents another chance this time around.

3 hours flew by faster and in the entrance of the main house a young man could be seen screaming and shooting daggers with his eyes to the servants.

Bryn was furious. Since when he was young, he never suffered so much in a week. First he lost all his face in front of his friends, was trashed by a mere earl and then he was arrested for a week in the dungeons of the clan. What was worse is that no one treated him the same way as before. The young master who was always pampered and sought by everyone one around him couldn't handle the changes anymore and exploded.

"Isn't this our house? Why are we leaving?! And why are all the servants so incompetent now?? Not only Selene finally let her jealousy take over, that bitch-"

Bryn couldn't complete his phrase because he was stroked hard in his cheek. He spit and a bit of blood followed by a teeth.

Seeing the teeth in front of him, he glared at the person who slapped him, but once he saw who it was all his anger turned into astonishment and incomprehensibility.

"F-father?"

"Next time I see anything less than a compliment to your sister leaving your mouth, you can wait for a far more serious beating"

Filip said with an icy tone.

Selene who came bid farewell saw this scene and couldn't help the corners of her mouth curling up.

'It seems I have my answer'

She rubbed the envelope in her hand in a pleasant mood.

Elle didn't said anything to either her husband or her son, only helping Bryn into the carriage silently. Turning around to call her husband, she saw her daughter at the doorstep.

"Selene"

She murmured to herself, but saw her daughter nodding to her obviously hearing her calling.

"Have a safe trip mother"

She didn't know why, but such simple words brought tears in her eyes. Determined not to let her daughter see her like this she nodded and entered the carriage.

Seeing her mother enter the carriage, Selene turned to see her father.

"Thank you for coming"

Selene shook her head.

"Is the basic courtesy"

Filip sighed to her answer, but could do nothing about it. As he was about to once again extend her a helping hand, she gave him an envelope.

"I hope your help offering is still up. I need your shades to investigate this"

After much deliberation this was the answer she got.

Shades are the secret guards that every Tremere clan leader has. They would be cultivated by the heads and never reutilized by the heirs, who had to cultivate their own.

Although she, as the head of the clan, owned her own shades as her secret force, they were far from being as experienced as her father's shades. If she could use them, there was no reason to refuse her father's proposal.

Filip took the envelope from his daughter. For some reason he thought it was very heavy even though it couldn't be more than five pages inside.

"Also I think it wouldn't be advisable to tell anything comprising to Bryn"

Filip nodded in understanding.

"Don't worry, although your mom knows the quantity he used, I didn't tell her the situation of the clan. Things here you don't need to worry I will handle. He won't be able to make any waves for some time"

Selene nodded but saw her father still standing in front of her.

"Is there something else father?"

She asked in puzzlement.

"This... can I hug you?"

Filip asked a bit embarrassed.

"If you don't want than that's ok too"

The corners of her lips that were only tugged opened a full smile at her father's silly display.

"That's not it"

Shaking her head she gave her father a big hug.

Feeling the small body in his arms, a sour feeling came in his heart. Hugging her tightly, Filip could only repeat the constant thought he had the past week.

"My dear daughter, I'm so, so sorry for everything"

Feeling the tight hug and the sincerity of his apology, Selene knew that the decision she made was the right one.