"yes your majesty I understand, this will stay with the royal family and this lowly one is grateful for your love and care for my child. she will be in your care from now onwards. if she causes any disrespect please forgive her on this lowly one's account" king Augustus bowed again this time Aiden who was amused finally began to laugh
"oh it is so difficult to maintain all high and mighty attitude ah!" he turned to faes who poked him in his stomach glaring
"don't laugh he is my father, if you laugh again I will hit you!" faes pouted showing Aiden her tiny fist. king Augustus who watched the interaction was staring at them his jaw hanging open in shock. when faes poked Aiden and scolded him he knew she was done for much less threatening him! his heart was beating wildly as he watched them
"fine! fine! I apologize, king Augustus, it's kind of a habit, you must have heard that I am used to pranks and amusement but this was serious so I tried to keep it that way but who would have thought that the small meeting would turn this long! oh, why are you sweating?" Aiden noticed Augustus was beginning to sweat and pointed it out intending to tease him.
faes noticed that Aiden was trying to tease her father and glared at him.
"Papa!" she tucked at his shirt trying to stop him but how can she stop Aiden?
"king Augustus we should drop the formalities it's too boring! ah! so Augustus tell me why have you opened your mouth that big even a frog would easily jump in" Aiden crossed his arms smirking at king Augustus who was trying to process his words
"ah! no! UH I mean I was just surprised" Augustus replied as he turned red.
faes noticed her father blushing and shook her head but she can't help but smile watching Aiden have his fun.
"you know that raising a child is difficult and my child isn't even born yet but it's so difficult to take care of them. you know faes always scolds me can you believe it a little tiny thing scolding a big giant dragon king like me!" Aiden continued while Augustus began to turn pale trying to think whether aiden was keeping faes with him to train her genuinely or to take revenge of her doings.
"When did I scolded you? it's you who is always scolding me! humph!" faes huffed when she heard what Aiden said
"really who says that my cooking is not good comparing to theirs?" Aiden turned to faes and asked
"that's because I really cook better dishes than you! and it's you who scold me to train harder every day!" faes retorted
"that is because you are still weak and tiny" aiden told her
"I am not tiny but just young!" faes pouted and aiden smiled
"lets see who is tiny or young" after saying that he picked her up twirling her in the air making her giggle.
"put me down ah!" faes said between giggles as aiden placed her in his arms not paying attention to her blushing face
"see you are tiny I can even lift you with one hand tsk! tsk!" aiden shook his head while clicking his tongue
"hey don't say that its you who is extra big you old man!" faes glared at aiden as he smiled at her
"old man? who did you called an old man?" aiden asked smiling and began to tickle her.
"ah! stop stop fine you win" faes was now laughing in his arms holding his shirt tightly as to not fall. aiden feeling satisfied stopped tickling faes and turned to Augustus who was way to confused by now. he had done it intentionally to assure him that he will take good care of faes and he does not need to worry.
augustus who understood that aiden and faes were really close was now relieved. he was not sure if he should feel worried or relieved after witnessing the interaction between aiden and faes but he knew one thing and that was aiden would take care of faes and wont let her get hurt.
"its almost lunchtime we should part now as faes have to train and you must be busy too. don't worry I will take care of her" aiden assured augustus one last time.
"see you again soon royal father and don't worry I will be fine!" faes waved as she cant bow being in aiden's arms
"thank you for contacting me your majesty me and my family will always be grateful to you and also faes will be in your care from now on. excuse me! faes don't make trouble for king aiden and be a good child alright see you soon baby!" after saying that king augustus ended the call.
"now lets go and eat lunch then you can continue your training baby" aiden smiled at faes who nodded.
faes was not sure how she would interact with the family original faes had but it turned out to be easy all thanks to aiden. he kept his word and didn't told her father where they were or about her powers but he also told him all the things he needed to know.
"thank you!" faes whispered hugging aiden's neck tightly as he carried her to the kitchen. aiden smiled and patted her head.
"now i am famished lets cook something fast and then you go train I will go and watch a movie that was just released" aiden said placing faes down and they began to cook happily.
...
on the other side king augustus was sitting on his desk crying after the call. he had maintained his emotions and expression in front of king aiden and faes but when he ended the call his emotions became jumbled.
all this time they were searching for faes he began to notice what happened with her. he realized that they were treating her as if she was someone unnesessory without realizing it. faes was special ever since she was born. the first royal who didn't have any cultivation since birth, everyone was curious about her powers but she didn't showed any signs of any kind of powers even when she was 9 years old so everyone began to neglet her in some way. 'its all my fault' augustus thought as he remembered the number of times faes complained about her things being stolen and he just let it go and bought her new things.
when he saw how faes and king aiden interacted he realised that he didn't have that kind of relation with any of his child. he have never played with them or tickled them carried them in his arms. faes was still a kid but his other two children alexander and nia were about to have their coming of age ceremony yet they didn't complain ever. he realized that he wasn't even close to them either as they never shared anything with him. he never heard them telling about their day or any new experience. alex was crown prince and a cultivator but he never asked for pills to help his cultivation and nia was an ice mage but she never showed him any of her skills.
augustus realized that except his wife none of his children were open to him. king augustus thought that even his wife was close to the children but when he replayed the days they spent together he found that the children were not close to their mother either. he always trains alex but he doesn't know what alex likes and dislikes. his wife trains their daughter but nia never shared how her day went with them. all of them ate the supper together but they never talk like a family. when faes was with them she always chatted about her day but they barely listened.
they all gave her lots of gifts valuable, nonvaluable and all kind of things girls like but they never asked her what she wanted. her room was pink colored and most other clothes and jewels were pink too when she was here. she used to play whole day or read books. they all thought that she was happy as faes always talked to them excitedly and with smile. when he saw her smile, laugh and joke with aiden today he realised that faes does not like being dolled up. she only did so because they got those things for her. faes looked better in what she was wearing today and she also looked truly happy. her laugh was genuine and not awkward like how it used to be and her eyes shined when aiden twirled her. 'no wonder she called him papa and agreed to be his daughter' king augustus was happy for faes as she found herself a better father than him but he was also sad that he didnt had a good father and child relation with any of them.
after calming down king augustus decided that he will be a better father to all three of his children starting now.