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THEIR EYES MET, ALMOST SIMILAR TO HOW HERS AND LEVI'S DID DURING THEIR FIRST ENCOUNTER. But this was different. The jolt of energy that rushed through each and one of their bodies felt different.

Her eyes glowed purple, both of them did. As well as the man's. And by then, she knew immediately who he was.

"F... F-Father?" her timid voice squeaked, e/c eyes widened in disbelief.

"You..." the man trailed off, unable to continue whatever he was about to say.

The glowing purple eyes of the two beings bored into the other, both shared the feeling of recognition. There was some sort of emotion in them, one of which indicated something they lost came back to them.

F/n stepped forward, eyes still connected with the old man in front of her. She stopped walking just in front of the cell, wrapping her left hand on the cell bar.

The man, too, stepped forward. While glowing, his eyes were glistening with his tears, wrinkles on his face evident and the quiver of his lips were to be seen.

"You..." he repeated, hand placed softly on her small face as if it was to disappear if he added more pressure to it, "My daughter..."

"F/n," she introduced herself, using the name given by her scientist friend.

"F/n L/n," he unconsciously stated out loud, "It's a lovely name. Who named you?"

"My... friend," she answered.

"F/n," he repeated again, "F/n L/n, daughter of Aigragallian Emperor, crowned Empress, known to be the Goddess born on the surface by many."

Although F/n had no idea what he was speaking of, she still had her eyes on him, taking note of every detail of her father's appearance.

"You disappeared the night I pronounced you as the next to the throne," he mindlessly continued, "I remember being so terrified. I... We thought you were gone."

The word 'gone' in the sentence held the meaning of death instead of literal disappearance. He mourned for a long time and the second he pronounced his brother as the next to the throne, the younger changed, at least in his eyes.

His greed grew to the point that it was visible for everyone to see. The Empire was no longer ruled by a kind, generous ruler and instead was led by an avaricious, possessive Emperor that only cared for himself and no one else.

It was horrible.

But there she was, the crowned Empress known to be the Goddess born on the surface, standing in front of him with the most expressional expression on her delicate face.

She's grown, clearly. Health, even. And he was glad, despite being angry at himself for not being able to watch her grow like how a good father should. But all he cared about now was that his daughter was standing in front of him, alive and well.

"Oh, my daughter," he breathed out, brushing his thumb across her cheek, "You've grown so beautifully."

"Thank you... F... Father..." she returned.

It broke his heart hearing his own daughter being so hesitant in calling him her father. Though, he understood and he hoped that that fact would change in the future.

The future they would have together once she got back what's hers, to begin with.

"Come on," he said, dropping his hand with his finger grazing on her face before seating himself comfortably on the plank of wood he was sitting on previously, "Let us catch up on everything."

𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁

"I remember when you were so little," the man said, a fond smile growing on his lips, "You were so frail and small, I was scared of hurting you but your grandmother taught me how to correctly hold you."

F/n laughed quietly at that, causing her father's smile to double in size.

"What about you?" he hummed in questioning, "You've told me very little about your life."

The woman pondered for a moment, recollecting the memories she had with her friend within the walls made by humanity's enemies themselves.

"I have friends," she said, "A lot of friends. They help me... a lot. Hange, she's my sister. Levi's the one that found me. In the tree. Eren, Armin and Mikasa are still very little but they're also my friends. Jean, Sasha, Connie and Historia too. Erwin's the Commander."

The former Emperor stayed silent as he listened carefully to every word that came out of her mouth. Even though he had no clue what she was speaking of, he still listened, trying his best to redeem his role as a father.

"And then Levi drinks tea with me," she finalised and the man hummed.

"You seem to be fond of this Levi," he noted, "It's like you like him more than just how you said you do. Do you?"

F/n understood what he was saying, every word and every meaning behind them. And knowing exactly what he meant, she blushed, not too furiously but there was a pink colour that dusted lightly on her cheeks.

The man let out a humble laugh, throwing his head back slightly and leaning against the wall even more. She stayed silent, unable to contain herself any longer, feeling as flustered as the Captain was that night.

She still wondered how they were doing, her friends. And she hoped they were doing well since she was. Very.

"Jokes aside," her father said in a more serious tone before clearing his throat, "We need to get you out of here."

"Why?" she asked before remembering the man from earlier, "Who is he?"

"He's... my brother, your uncle," he said, knowing exactly who she was referring to.

"Why? He hurts you, why?"

"Ah..." the Aigragallian let out before chuckling humorously, "He wanted to uh... He wanted to find out about your mother's... belonging."

"What belonging?" she leaned forward curiously while sitting on the cold floor of the dirty dungeon.

"Her necklace," he sighed, "Which is why you need to get out there and show yourself. But not immediately."

F/n stayed quiet and her father continued his explanation.

"Your uncle is the Lord of Aiceolyra, the man who's next to the throne after you. He isn't... too good and that's why you need to fight for the throne. For yourself and humanity. For everyone."

Everyone. Did that include her friends and the people inside the walls of their home?

"You can leave here from the hidden exit with the staircase. It would seem as though there was no entrance but you can leave by just kicking the bottom right corner of the wall. The door will move and you'll be able to leave."

"That's where I came from," she pointed out and he nodded.

"That's good then, you'll know where it is," he said and she nodded her head, "All right. After that, you'll need to go from the window, the window of the tallest tower of the palace. No one can go up there besides royal blood and my brother hated that tower so you won't need to worry about being spotted."

"Then you'll change into this clothing that is provided in the wardrobe in the room. You'll wear that and leave the tower the same way you entered – through the window."

"You enter from the beginning of the palace. But before that, take a horse with you. You'll be able to find one in one of the stables, near the palace. Take it, no one really rides them anyway."

"Enter the palace without the guards needing to worry about you and guide the horse to just a nearby tower and tie it there. Enter the actual building by foot, your clothing will disguise you as one of the guards of the inside of the castle building."

"Be careful at all times," he strictly reminded her, "No matter if you have that uniform or not, you still need to be careful. Put your guards up and no matter what happens, do not panic. You got it?"

The female quickly nodded her head in understanding. Her father's instructions were in her head, stuck and unable to be forgotten as if it was meant to be there her whole life.

'Father...' she thought, brows furrowing in concentration, 'I will save you!'

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