Chapter 67: You're not alone.
Kein's POV
"Mm..." I could feel sothing using my side as a support. Is it morning already? I don't rember what I was doing before drifting off to sleep.
I wonder if Rose ate yet... her chest was so soft.
"Moma..."
Mo...ma?
"Ungh..." I groaned, waking up to the gentle sound of soone breathing and leaning to my side. I wiped my eyes and saw a small blonde figure leaning over to . It was Vivienne sleeping right next to with a chair.
"Vivienne?" I blinked, feeling sothing behind my back. There was a white blanket covering my body and when I looked around my father's study on the table there was cake.
Did she... do all this?
I tried moving carefully in order for her not to wake up, I picked her up from the chair in my arms, I was surprised about her lightweight and it was easy for to get her up from the nearest couch.
"You're pretty light huh." I muttered out while laying her sleeping figure down. She was sleeping so comfortably and it seems she didn't realize that she was being moved.
I held the blanket that was covering my body before and placed it on top of her. "There we go, I'll co back for you once I talk to my father about so of my leftover work and possibly... the trip for the cure."
Without even thinking my hands reached for her head and I couldn't help but caress her hair for a bit, her head instinctively bumps into my hand as if she wants more of them.
I couldn't stay for too long.
I looked at the table that was beside the couch and saw a cake on a plate that was just sitting there with a fork on the side. It's morning and I know I shouldn't eat sothing so sweet so early but I can't waste food now can I?
I took the fork and stabbed the cake in half, taking a huge chunk of it and eating it in peace before finally finishing it off. "Thank you for the food." I laughed a little not expecting sothing like this in the morning but I suppose my tastes haven't changed.
I'm alright with anything as long as it's edible. The trauma that I got from Aunt Haren is still there, food scarcity is not easy to get over with.
I left my father's study with the dirty dish in tow. A servant who was not far away saw carrying a dirty plate. "!!!"
It was a maid who imdiately ran up to and lowered her head.
"Milady- please let handle that." She offered her hand out to accept the dish and I tilted my head, I know I've been here for years and have servants accompany all the ti- still I couldn't get used to it.
"If its alright with you, I apologize for the trouble." I told her kindly and gave her the dirty dish.
"No need to apologize, milady! Excuse ." she beamingly at before deciding to leave be. I think she was particularly happy for so reason- did I miss sothing when I was not at ho?
"Good morning, milady."
"Milady! Good morning."
"A good morning to you, milady."
I walked a bit more and noticed the servants greeting ever so energetically.
"Good morning?" I replied back to them with a smile and their expression seed to beco better. I noticed a few new people inside the estate. I wonder if my father decided to hire new servants. "Excuse , do you know where my father is?"
I approached a servant who was dusting a vase and they greeted with a clumsy curtsy first before answering. "M-Milady! I believe the master is at the art room, he would often be there to paint there when he has the ti."
The art room? I haven't been there in a while. It was more like I haven't gotten inspiration to draw anything since Rose decided to leave , I couldn't look at a canvas properly ever since back then but now things are different.
"Thank you, I'll go and see father now."
"Ah! And um milady-!" she calls out to looking a bit nervous. I turn back to the maid who lowers her head so more. "Thank you-! For all your service!"
Service?
"Pardon but what service?" I ask her and she looks up, fixing her posture with a flustered face. It seems that it took a lot of courage for her just to co up to and talk.
"M-My little brother! He's already been enrolled in the public school program- I wanted to thank you for erm... fighting and pushing education for commoners. It's really amazing." She smiled brightly at and I couldn't help but smile back.
"It's nothing." I wave my hand, shrugging feeling shy at the words of thanks of this girl. I don't usually get this so I was a bit surprised. "Do your best today, I'm glad your little brother is enrolled. I'll see to it that the school will be a safe space for him to learn and grow. If you'll excuse I'll find the Baron now."
"Oh! Certainly milady!" She curtsied and continued her work on cleaning.
.-.-.-.-.
I took her advice and I tried finding the art room to where it was, I opened the door letting out a little squeak. The maid was right, father was sitting on a chair, looking over at the easel with a half painted canvas.
"Oh Kein, I see you're awake." he turns to with a brush in hand and I lean my back over at the entrance door.
"All the paperwork that was on your desk is half finished, father. I see you're painting, when was the last ti you painted?" I told him and he laughed.
"It has been a while. I know my skills are not up to par but... seeing that we might have a new addition to the family I wanted to make sothing for her first day here." (Baron Hills) happily told while continuing to make his piece.
I shook my head with a smile, walking over behind him.
I inspected his work, it was a drawing of a Pegasus where a small blonde girl was riding on the top of the saddle with silver eyes so I was guessing he painted Vivienne while riding vanilla on a little hill.
Father's art reminded of how second graders would draw. "I almost didn't see that it was vanilla if you didn't put any wings on it." I told him teasingly and we both laughed a little as I watched for him to continue.
Every brush stroke he did was wiggly, still he seed to be having fun and I was having fun with him by watching with a smile on my face.
A few monts after he stopped fiddling with his brush, I leaned over to see his face and he had so slight tears in his eyes that made step back a bit in worry.
It seems that he was done painting his piece, placing down the brush on the side of the easel he holds down the canvas and sighs.
I stared at him a little worried, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Father... are you alright?" I asked him with worried tone, we were just laughing a minute ago-
"The idea of having grandchildren has crossed my mind, you know, I thought of it so much... I planned to spoil them, cuddle them, and buy all the things that they would want in the world." (Baron Hills) gently passes the canvas and I hold it in my hands, looking over the drawing he made.
"When my late wife died I lost all hope for having any children that would give what I wanted." He stood up and held by both of my shoulders and gave the happiest looking smile I have ever seen father make. "Then you ca along and brought one."
I looked at the canvas and to Father, I know I've already attached myself to the little blonde girl in the study but part of is afraid.
What if I beco a bad parent? What if I'm not enough? What if- I don't... give her the life that she deserves and wants?
I'm not her true biological family... So what if one day her true blood related family knocks to take her away? Would I be able to give her up so easily?
"I... don't know if I'm ready for the responsibility of taking care of a child, father. I'm still trying to fix things with- Rose, and we're doing well but- would adding a children into our life. Will it make it better?" I asked my father, searching for advice on what to do. The fear of being a parent is getting to my skin again. This is not the first ti I beca a foster parent, so I know what to expect.
Everyone keeps telling how easy it was to raise a child.
It wasn't.
Father smiles, giving a reassuring pat on the back. "I don't know as much about parenting as you do, daughter of mine. You ca into my life when you're already your own person. You know what to do and what you want so it was a bit easy."
"Father, you didn't find to be a pain in your back?" I asked him, knowing that I was a pain in his back sotis.
"At tis, if I'm being honest you had your monts and I'm sure I had monts where you found a pain as well." (Baron Hills)
I looked up at him and tried to rember if there were any mories of Baron Hills being a pain in my back. I shake my head at him, with no mories coming to mind. "You were a great father I admired and respected. I didn't find you to be a pain in my back. Other than the teasing and when you used Rose as a way to distract when we were practicing..."
"My point exactly." He smiles widely looking down at the canvas and I found myself staring at it as well. "Kein, the little girl you brought ho is a joy. Parenting isn't easy and we know that but... what's important is to raise her on what you can. You're not alone, you have and Alfred to take turns taking care of her."
"Oh!" (Baron Hills) yelped when I tackled him into a hug, I made sure to not drop the canvas while I was hugging him.
Hearing those words made feel weak and I just wanted to embrace him for everything that he did to all these years, treating like I was one of his own.
This man... I love him for being the best father I could ever have and I'm glad I'm not alone.
"You're being a softy today, you ntioned Rose on your travels... you finally t her again? It has been a while and from your stories it seed you t her through your mission at the Winshern kingdom. How is she?" (Baron Hills) asked happily, he seed to be joyful that Rose and I t once more.
Rose would often co to our estate once or twice a month, so my father knew of her and I even told him of how she's actually the second princess of [Puronia].
The only people who know that Rose is a princess are Father, Veronica and Lord Vincent.
Maybe... it's not the best ti to tell him- that we almost… made love- and almost gone to fourth base. we're having a mont and I'll just tell him another ti- "Father yes. I t her mostly. She's alright talking to . She told she is doing well and- wanted to reconnect explaining why she left two years ago and apologized.."
Which is- the truth.
"I see... well if she wants to reconnect make sure- to keep your heart guarded this ti. I don't bla the girl if she wants to woo my handso daughter once more but if she breaks your heart again I oughta-" before he even says sothing out of line of wanting to smack the current crown princess of the country-
"F-Father co on!" I almost used the canvas to smack him instead but stopped and I just crossed my arms looking away. "It's getting late- I still need to settle my other duties. How about this canvas- you should be the one to give it to Vivienne." I hand him over his canvas and he takes it.
"I'm sure she'll be happy her grandfather made this for her so early in the morning."
He looks over his drawing and to , "I truly hope… she will."
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