She caught her father one day at breakfast, between ministers with tactical problems and councillors with strategic ones. His face lit up when he saw her, and she made an embarrassed mental note to seek him out more often; he was not a man who had ever been able to enter into a child's games, but she might have noticed before this how wistfully he looked at her. But for perhaps the first time she was recognizing that wistfulness for what it was, the awkwardness of a father's love for a daughter he doesn't know how to talk to, not shame for what Aerin was, or could or could not do.
In this scene from "The Hero and The Crown," the protagonist observes her father during breakfast while he speaks with ministers about important matters. His demeanor changes when he sees her, and she feels a wave of affection but is also aware of their distant relationship. She resolves to connect with him more often, realizing that he carries a sense of longing for their bond, which she had previously overlooked.
As she reflects on his expressions, she begins to understand the complexity of his feelings—an awkward but genuine love for her as his daughter. This moment marks a significant turning point, highlighting the struggle of connection between a father and child, where love exists even amid uncertainty in how to communicate. It deepens her awareness of their relationship and her father's attempts to bridge the gap between them.
