Chapter 40: Hide-and-Seek and Heartbeats

Chapter 40: Hide-and-Seek and Heartbeats Tension still clung to the imperial palace like a thick, invisible fog. It had been more than a week since everything turned upside down, but thank the gods—Grand Duke Regis finally, finally woke up. Osric cried again when he felt his father’s warmth again, hugging him tightly. It was a warm and relieving moment. But after that he changed... Osric wasn’t the same. Not in a bad way, just... different. Quieter. Focused. He suddenly became broody, like those sword-fighting book heroes who stare into the distance and whisper, "My blade is my destiny." Now he trains all day like the sword is his best friend. (Well, that’s kinda sad.) Whereas Papa, Grandpa Gregor, Theon, and a new knight I’d never seen before—Sir Ravick—were always holed up in the meeting room. They were busy, talking about war and strategy and things far too big for someone my size to understand. From what I overheard Marella whispering to the other maids, we were planning to strike back at the kingdom that attacked us first. I still didn’t know if Papa would leave or not. No one told me anything, probably because I’m "too little." Which is hilarious, because inside, I’m older than half the people in this palace. Sure, I waddle like a duck and can’t pronounce ’strategic retaliation,’ but my soul? Ancient. And Marella and Nanny must’ve sensed I was one royal stress ball, because Marella smiled and suggested, "Let’s play hide-n-seek, my princess!" "Hide-n-seek?" I mumbled, my eyes lighting up. And here I am in the garden playing this fun game. "I’m going to begin!" I declared dramatically, covering my eyes behind the tree. "Ten! Nine! Seven! Six!" (Yes, I skipped eight. Don’t judge. A little cheating never hurt anyone, right?) "Four! Three! Two! One! I’m comin’ now!" My little legs took off across the garden with all the grace of a sleepy puppy. This was my first time playing this game for real. In my last life, I was too busy trying not to get caught—or hurt—by the orphanage teachers. So...I am gonna all the fun I missed. "Hide wherever you are—I’m gonna catch you!" I shouted, feeling very official. I peeked behind a rose bush. No nanny or Marella, just a flower. (I sniffed it anyway. Fancy.) I peeked behind a pillar. "Nope..." I toddled across the marble path, eyes darting around. Where would Nanny hide? She had a big skirt—maybe she was stuck somewhere? I giggled under my breath. This was fun. Really fun. And I kept looking—but there was no Marella. No nanny. Just air and disappointment. Did they vanish into thin air, or what? I scratched my head, squinting suspiciously at a bird that looked way too innocent. Where could they be hiding? Definitely not by the pond—Papa strictly ordered no going there, and I always follow rules. (Well, most of the time. Kind of.) So I turned around and— WHAM! My tiny royal body hit something solid, and I bounced off like a fluffy ball. "OW... my butt!" I whined, sitting dramatically on the ground like a tragic heroine. When I looked up, I saw... silver hair. Cold blue eyes. Tall like a tower I could never climb without stairs and emotional support. Sir Ravick. He looked at me like I was a rare museum artifact. Or like he had never seen something so dazzling and chaotic at once. (Fair. I am both.) "...Hi," I said slowly, blinking up at him. My baby voice sounded so small even to me. We just stared at each other in absolute silence. Does he not smile much? Or did I break him by bumping him? Before I could ask if he needed help rebooting his brain, a familiar voice called out— "Lavinia." It was Papa! He stepped around Ravick with his usual emperor swag, looking all serious and handsome like always. I lit up like a lantern and jumped to my feet. "PAPA~~~~~!" I screamed, running like a missile straight into his arms. He caught me, lifted me up like I weighed nothing (which is true—I’m small and powerful), and I hugged him like a koala. A royal koala. He smiled down at me, all soft and warm, and brushed invisible dust from my cheek like I’d just returned from a quest. (Honestly, I should get a medal.) "Were you playing?" he asked gently. I nodded with all the pride of a champion. "Yes! Hide-and-seek! And I’m winning!" Technically I hadn’t found anyone yet, but it’s the spirit that counts. Papa chuckled, the sound rumbling in his chest like a happy drum. "Is that so? And who’s left to find?" I squinted dramatically, like I was scanning a battlefield. "Marella and Nanny. They hid good. Too good." Right on cue, there was a rustle from behind one of the giant courtyard bushes. Two very guilty-looking adults emerged like they’d just been caught stealing royal cookies. "We... we greet Your Majesty, the Emperor," Nanny said, trying to look dignified while bits of leaf clung to her skirt. "Nanny!" I pointed dramatically, utterly betrayed. "You were hiding behind that bush?!" Nanny smiled sheepishly. "Yes, my princess. We were very quiet." I stared at the enormous leafy monstrosity in disbelief. "...I didn’t look there." So close. So close. I could taste victory on my tongue, but alas—defeated by shrubbery. I crossed my arms and sighed like a world-weary old general. "This game... is cruel." Papa chuckled again, shaking his head in amusement. That’s when I noticed him again—Sir Ravick. Still standing there like a statue, except his eyes were locked on me like he was trying to figure out what species I belonged to. I tilted my head. Was he always this intense? "Oh right! I should introduce you two," Papa said suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Lavinia, this is Ravick—the captain of the Black Knights." Oooh. I know, Papa, but it feels good being introduced like this. Emperor Cassius Black favorite knight, Ravick. He is one of those legendary cold-faced, no-nonsense, terrifying sword masters whom even nobles tiptoed around. Papa turned to him. "And Ravick, this is Lavinia—my daughter and the next ruler of the Elarion Empire." There was a pause. Then Ravick blinked. Then he blinked again. "...D-Daughter?" he echoed, as if the word personally slapped him across the face. His expression was priceless. Eyes wide. Mouth slightly open. He looked like someone just told him his sword had turned into a spoon. But I still wonder, Was he seriously not informed?! Not even a memo? A scroll? A dramatic sky banner with glittering fireworks? A royal tweet? Even neighboring kingdoms know about my existence. How come he doesn’t know? I’d heard a lot about Sir Ravick—the cold, scary Captain of the Black Knights. People said he was even darker and more ominous than Papa. And after Papa, he was the strongest person in the empire. Maybe I introduced myself? Should I wave? But before I could do anything, he said, "I thought the news of you having a daughter was just a bluff." Huh? Bluff? But why would he think that? I looked up at Papa, then immediately understood. Right... Usually, a ruthless emperor like Papa having a daughter he adores does sound like fake news. Then, Papa patted my head with a soft smile. "But now you know it’s real." "Yes, your majesty," Sir Ravick nodded and gave a solemn nod like he’d just accepted a new law of nature, then bowed deeply. "Then I shall take my leave, your majesty. We must begin preparations for war." Ah... right. War. The word dropped like a stone in my tummy. I looked up at Papa. I didn’t say it out loud—Are you leaving again?—but my fingers were already twitching, ready to grab onto his cloak like a koala clinging to a tree in a storm. Just in case. I mean, war. This wasn’t chasing off some rude merchant who overcharged for potatoes. This was swords and strategy and shouting! And the last time Papa left, it took him more than a month before he came back. Would he really leave me again? Sir Ravick vanished like a shadow with a very tight schedule, and Papa and I strolled through the garden. The birds were chirping, the wind was whispering... And my heart was doing tiny backflips of worry. "Why are you so quiet?" Papa asked, looking down at me. I bit my lip. "Papa... are you going to leave me again?" He blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?" "I heard you’re going to war," I mumbled, scooping into him, avoiding his gaze. "Are you really leaving?" Papa stopped walking. Then he did the thing. He gently patted my head and leaned me against his chest. I could hear his heartbeat, steady and strong like a war drum—except this one was mine. "Don’t worry," he murmured, "I won’t be going." "Don’t worry," he said softly. "I won’t be going." "Really?!" I shot up like a startled bunny, nearly headbutting his jaw. "Really, really?" He chuckled, nodding. "Yes. Ravick can handle such a small kingdom without me." I exhaled dramatically, flopping in his arms like a fainting noblewoman. But then—then—he smirked. "And even if I did go..." he said, lowering his voice like he was revealing a royal secret, "I would have taken you with me." I froze. My jaw dropped. My tiny fists clenched in horror. "WHAAAAAT?"