~MY CUTE BABY
After the unsealing Julian and Alice forcefully make Eleanor take a break. For the past two weeks Eleanor is staying in the Arundell Duchy.
Although Eleanor needed to rest she focused most of her time to her child Charles. Charles is already 9 months old and started to try walking and speaking. He slowly grew as a cute and chubby toddler.
In one of the Arundell Duchy's guest rooms Duke Edmund and his friends are staying and resting after days of work.
"Charles is amazing he is starting to learn how to walk and not only that he is already trying to speak" Duke Edmund is praising Charles to his friends and he is obviously trying to make them jealous.
Duke Edmund's friend after some years are invited to do business and also to reminisce their past together.
Duke Edmund before getting married travelled in many places.
"Yes we know, you really love your grandson" The noble with Auburn hair and ripped tanned skin said while laughing.
"I'm very envious my son is still single" The other noble with black hair and eyes said with a sigh.
Claus is on the Palace helping Julian with political affairs. Both of them is slowly trying to solve some political problems that is uncovered because of Eleanor's story. They are planning to solve the small problems and be prepared to the bigger disaster coming.
...
On the garden of Arundell Duchy Eleanor is helping Charles practicing walking.
"Ba~" Charles said loudly with his mouth wide open.
Eleanor heard her son's voice she smiled to Charles as a reply and continued to assist Charles in practicing walking.
Slowly Charles is talking steps holding Eleanor's hands.
Charles is falling to the ground after two or three steps but he is still determined to practice walking.
The servants are already used to Eleanor teaching Charles on her own rather entrusting the kid to servants. When it comes to feeding Charles if Eleanor has a chance she will also feed him by herself.
They are just enjoying the scenery of the mother and son walking happily and slowly forgotten Eleanor's past of being obsessed with Mikhail.
Charles chubby hands is so soft and Eleanor can't get enough holding her child's fat arms.
Failing to stop herself he hugged Charles "Charles is the cutest"
Charles started to speak randomly while his mother is hugging.
Charles laugh while Eleanor continue hugging her child.
This peace is something to treasure.
Duke Edmund and his friends are walking toward the garden, when Charles suddenly scream his scream is not a scream of fear but a scream of excitement as he saw his grandfather face.
"Ba! Ba!" Charles said to Eleanor pointing to Duke Edmund. Charles look really proud.
"Ah Grandfather is coming?" Eleanor said talking to Charles.
Charles smiled as a reply.
Charles is too excited to see his grandpa so he tried to walk on his own leaving Eleanor.
Eleanor let Charles walk but didn't leave his side and slowly followed him.
Charles just walked for two steps and suddenly fall to the ground. The fall is not to hard but it is still painful for a baby.
Eleanor hurried to help Charles side waiting for Charles to cry but to her surprise. Charles didn't cry but on the contrary he is laughing.
Duke Edmund on the other side saw his grandson fall and can't help to be worried and walk faster towards Charles.
Walking towards Charles Duke Edmund said in a worry "is Charles fine?" but to his surprise he saw a laughing Charles.
'He is fine' probably...
Duke Edmund and his friend also saw the scene of Charles laughing and felt like their heart is melting.
We also need to have our own grandson soon. This is illegal. Too cute!
Eleanor helped Charles to stand up and removed dirt that he got from the fall in the grass.
"Eleanor, it's nice to see you again" The noble man with the black hair said.
"Uncle Pierre! It's nice to see you again" The noble man named Pierre has a black hair and eyes. He is a merchant from a far away country. He is one of Duke Edmund's friend when he is traveling in his early age.
"Your son is really lively, His name is Charles right? What a handsome and clever boy" Another noble man with tanned skin came in sight while looking at Charles with a wide smile.
"Sir Troy it is nice to see you again too" Eleanor greet the tanned noble.
Sir Troy slowly walk towards Charles and give him a head pat.
"Your strong aren't you. You didn't cry when you are hurt instead you laugh" Sir Troy said looking with admiration. Sir Troy is a noble from Grimea.
Grimea is a country full of mercenaries and has lesser nobles than other countries. Nobles from Grimea unlike in Arabella are trained to be strong mercenaries so that they can strongly hold onto power in their country. To be put in simple terms. The stronger should be obeyed. The mercenaries also have a chance to become a noble if they are strong and charismatic.
"He will surely grow as a strong man" Sir Pierre smiled while looking at Charles.
Charles noticed Sir Pierre's look and held his hands up.
Sir Pierre is puzzled on what Charles wanted. He just concluded that maybe Charles wanted his brooch.
As he is going to remove his brooch "He didn't want your brooch he wanted to be held up" Duke Edmund said smiling.
Sir Pierre eyes suddenly showed happiness and slowly lifted Charles.
"That's unfair I came near him first but you get to carry him first" Sir Troy with pouting face said.
Sir Pierre just laugh at his friend, Charles is looking at Sir Pierre with curiosity.
"Charles that is Sir Pierre" Eleanor said introducing Sir Pierre to Charles.
Charles stared at Sir Pierre like he is memorizing Sir Pierre's face.
"Pa~" Charles said trying to say Sir Pierre's words.
Sir Pierre looks very touched by the thought of Charles trying to say his name.
"I really should encourage Siegfrid to have a wife as soon as possible" Sir Pierre muttered.
"Don't rush Siegfrid, Your son Siegfrid is a handsome and talented boy he will surely find a good partner." Sir Troy said comforting his friend.
"You say that but Dionn and Dante are already married with each of them having a daughter, I'm the only one that didn't have any grandchild" Sir Pierre with a tone of sadness said.
"Your grandchild will definitely come, if Siegfried is still insisting on not getting married you still have Sonya she is really pretty and I heard that she and Duke Hamon are happily in love"
Sir Pierre remembered her daughter and he suddenly had some hopes.
"Yeah maybe Sonya will be married earlier than Siegfrid, that kid is really hardworking. It is not bad but I want him to enjoy his life" Sir Pierre continued to worry about Siegfrid
"He's the same with Claus. My Claus is still not married but I don't really worry to be honest. Maybe to them their life right now is their happiness." Eleanor heard his father's word and remembered Claus early death.
She vowed she will make her brother live a happy life.
While everyone is talking Charles is staring at Sir Pierre and slowly he reach Sir Pierre's black hair.
He grabbed it with some force but because he is still a weak baby it doesn't hurt at all.
"Is he amused with my hair color?" Sir Pierre directed his attention toward Charles.
In Arundell black haired people are rare but in Cantena they are common. Sir Pierre is a powerful merchant with lots of connection from Cantena.
"Probably your hair color is really rare here in Arundell" Sir Troy attempted to hold Charles but Charles has a hesitant look.
"Why is he willing to be carried by you? Do I look scary?"
"Probably he is troubled because you seem really strong and might squish him" Sir Pierre laugh at his friend's problem.
"Your the first he saw with that hair color Pierre and the reason he is quite hesitant to be held by you Troy is because earlier Claus said that swords are dangerous" Duke Edmund slowly reach onto Charles and pointed to the sword in Sir Troy's waist.
Charles slowly grab his grandfathers hands.
Sir Troy removed the sword hastily and reached his hand towards Charles.
Charles didn't look hesitant now and reach into Sir Troy's hand.
"This kid is so soft!" Sir Troy said as he slightly pinch Charles.
The contrast of Sir Troy's muscle and Charles softness makes Sir Pierre and Duke Edmund laugh.
"Charles he is Sir Troy, he is a very strong man" Eleanor introduced Sir Troy and with a proud look Sir Troy smiles.
For a few minutes the Duke and his friends started to play with Charles.
Eleanor let them play and because she also saw Charles enjoying the sirs company she let her son indulge.
"Ta~" Charles voice as he giggled can be heard.
"Father if you would like I will prepare some light snack before your friends leave." Eleanor pat onto his fathers shoulder suggesting a light snack.
"That's great this guys will need some energy before traveling" Duke Edmund agreed.
"Please take care of Charles while I'm preparing your snacks Sir Pierre, and Sir Troy" without a second thought Sir Troy gave a thumbs up and Sir Pierre replied with a nod.
...
Eleanor finished preparing the snacks and let the maid serve it.
She head towards the garden as she finished preparing and she noticed something wrong to Charles when she came back.
Charles expression is not the kid's usual.
"What happened father?" Eleanor carried Charles.
"To be honest I don't know. He is laughing just a moment ago and suddenly he looked like his head is hurting.
Eleanor checked Charles temperature.
"Is he sick?" Sir Pierre with a caring look.
"No I don't think so" Eleanor is not relieved I'm the slightest.
As Eleanor is pondering Duke Edmund commanded a maid to call for the family doctor.
Sir Troy on the side suddenly look like he remembered something. "Do you think he overworked himself? I remembered my Granddaughter Katrina practicing dancing for a whole day and on dinner time she looked really lethargic."
Eleanor suddenly remembered Charles life before her rebirth. He died of overwork.
Panic and fear strikes in Eleanor's heart.
Duke Edmund noticed Eleanor's abnormal reaction and tried to calm her "Eleanor, don't worry Claus also overwork himself a lot when he's a baby. All you need to do is let him take a rest and give him nutritious foods."
Eleanor is still guilty. It is really rare for someone to die of overwork but she still let her son die from it in her past.
Charles noticed her mother's emotion and tried to cheer her up.
Charles smiled patting her mother's face like saying 'I'm fine'.
Eleanor noticed it and smiled. She regretted it. She really regretted it.
"Charles next time please tell me if you are already exhausted. I'm really worried" Eleanor said and without a second Charles smiled to her mother as if he understand what her mother is saying.
Duke Edmund noticed Eleanor's panic slowly fade and he breath a sigh of relief.
Sir Troy and Sir Pierre also became relived.
The maids finished preparing the snacks for the Duke and his friends.
...
Duke Edmund, Sir Pierre and Sir Troy remained in the garden while Eleanor and Charles head towards Charles room.
"Please prepare his snack" Eleanor instructed the maid to prepare an easy for the stomach but delicious fruit snack and the maid politely replied.
Eleanor put Charles in his bed "Charles mother will protect you. You are the reason why I'm here again so please protect yourself too. I know your kind and you love me very much but now let me give you enough love to pay my debt from before."
Charles an innocent baby not being able to understand her mother's words just stayed in his lying position but Charles know that her mother loves her very much and she will be always be there for him.
Eleanor removed Charles clothes and shoes and changed it to something more comfortable.
She already fed him some snack and let the kid slowly fall asleep.
~Chapter End