"Did we already cover everything?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. We are just going to wait for the envoys to arrive and welcome them properly in our kingdom."
"I see. Good job as always, Young Duke Dresvil."
"It was nothing, Your Majesty."
King Galia stares at the man who is busy piling the documents on the table. Young Duke Clementine Dresvil is the son of his closest confidant in this kingdom, Duke Harrison Dresvil. He is so efficient with his work. He never leaves the Royal Palace without double-checking if his work is already finished or not.
King Galia also admires his intelligence which helps their kingdom to improve a lot over the past years. He has great insight into the things around them and knows when to perfectly grab an opportunity. The young duke also has a huge knowledge of their neighboring kingdoms. Just like this time, it was thanks to the young duke's efforts and hard work that they will be having a friendly alliance with the Lastoval Kingdom.
"Young duke, how are your daughter these days?" King Galia suddenly asked.
"She is doing fine, Your Majesty." Clementine instantly replied. "She's still the same energetic and lovable little girl that you saw years ago."
"I didn't mention a name, but you gave me a quick response." King Galia said. "You have two daughters now, am I right?"
Clementine paused for a moment before he continue doing his task. He did not immediately give the king a response. King Galia did not rush him and just watch his royal advisor finish piling the documents on the table. After that, he carefully placed all of it inside the drawer.
"King Galia, I will always care for both of my daughters. But I'm not going to deny that Penelope will always occupy the biggest part of my heart than Emilia." Clementine replied.
Clementine is treating Emilia with care and gentleness. Although she hasn't changed her family name yet because of his father, Emilia is still the daughter of the woman he married for the second time. That child is too quiet and shy. Taking care of her is not a hard task. He knows that Emilia will not suffer now that she becomes his stepdaughter.
But Penelope is different. She is his blood child. Penelope is the symbol of his love for Melissa, the woman he loves the most until now. Penelope will always weigh a lot in his heart more than anything else.
For Clementine, Penelope is his greatest treasure. She is the little girl he wants to take care of until the very end. He wants to give her everything in this world that can make her happy. Clementine also cannot bear it to see her crying or sad. For him, Penelope deserves to receive all the best things he can offer.
If there's someone who can understand him the most, it will be King Galia. The king of their kingdom also lost his beloved queen after giving birth to their son. The little prince is now their king's most important person. The little prince is someone that King Galia will protect at any cost.
But still, they have a huge difference in treating their children. Clementine's way of treating his daughter is completely different from how King Galia treats his son. But Clementine cannot blame the king for it. Both of them are just new at being parents and they have different ways of showing how they care for their children.
"You should bring your daughter here sometimes. I bet my son Astria will like to have a playmate like Penelope who has the same age as him." King Galia suggested.
"Your Majesty, as much as I respect you as our king, I don't have any plans of involving my daughter in the messy world of politics." Clementine replied before looking at the king with a sharp look in his eyes.
"How scary." King Galia snickered. "My intentions are pure this time. I just really want my son to have a playmate. That's all."
"The little prince can be friends not only with my daughter but also with other nobles' children in our kingdom."
"You have a point there." King Galia answered with a nod. "But you're my friend, Clementine. I also want our children to be good friends just like us."
Clementine did not reply again. Pairing two children with different genders at a very young age can have a lot of meanings in their society. With the statuses of their children, the nobles can see their friendship as a sign of an early engagement. When that happens, the royal council can make a fuss about it and make Penelope as the future Crown Princess.
If it's the other nobles, they will probably jump in joy that their daughter is chosen to be the Crown Princess of their kingdom. But Clementine is different. He is set to give an easy and comfortable life to his daughter. He does not want to force Penelope into an arranged marriage at a very young age. Not only that, but Clementine wants her to be away from the disturbing world of politics.
In his eyes, Penelope should not be put in a position where thousands of eyes are watching her every word and movement. He wants her to be free in doing the things she wants to do and achieve in the future. And besides, Clementine doesn't want to kill Penelope's bright personality just because he forced her to do something that she doesn't want to happen in her life.
"So what do you say? Once we finished our negotiation with the Lastoval Kingdom, you can bring your daughter to the Royal Palace to play." King Galia asked once again.
"Your Majesty, my daughter and I will go on a vacation together for a month. If you will permit it, I don't want you to call me unless it is very urgent." Clementine said in a steady voice.
"Heh. You are such a fool for your daughter, Royal Adviser Clementine Dresvil. It really makes me want to meet your beloved daughter so badly."
Clementine ignores the king once again. After being friends with him since childhood and being his Royal Adviser for almost eight years now, he already knows how to deal with him. Instead, he checks his pocket watch to see what time is it already. Clementine raised a brow seeing that the important guests that they are waiting today are already late by almost thirty minutes.
"The envoys from the Lastoval Kingdom are already late." Clementine said.
"You're right. Did something happen to them while they're on their way here?" King Galia asked with furrowed eyebrows.
Before Clementine can respond to his question, they suddenly heard a loud knock coming from the door. When King Galia gives his permission, the door bursts open revealing the royal butler. He's panting a little and a thin layer of sweat is covering his forehead.
"What is happening, Butler Ben?" King Galia asked the butler with a raised brow.
"Pardon me for my insolence, Your Majesty. But I have an urgent news for His Majesty and for Young Duke Dresvil."
"What is it?" Clementine asked.
"The envoys from the Lastoval Kingdom have arrived." The royal butler replied. "And..."
"And what?"
"And Young Miss Penelope Dresvil is also with them."
Clementine immediately stands up from his seat and gives the butler a sharp look.
"Where are they?"
"They're in the receiving room in front of the throne room—"
Before Butler Ben can finish his report, Clementine is already running in the palace's hall. He ignores the surprised looks from the servants and guards who see him running in urgency. He also ignores King Galia who is calling his name from behind. His feet quickly bring him to the place that the butler mentioned just now.
There are a lot of questions running inside his head now. Why is Penelope with the envoys from the Lastoval Kingdom? Isn't she supposed to be with Amanda in the plaza today? Did something bad happen earlier? Is Penelope safe right now?
When Clementine arrives in the receiving room, he hastily opens the huge doors making some of the people inside jump in surprised. Clementine did not put them in his eyes and scans the whole room until he sees Penelope sitting on a huge sofa. Lisa is sitting next to her and looks like she's comforting his daughter. When Penelope looks up and sees his face, Clementine can see how her eyes become misty in an instant.
"Daddy!" Penelope calls him as she quickly gets down from the sofa and rushes towards him.
Clementine automatically lowered his body and waits for his daughter to hug him. The instant he wraps his arms around her small body, Penelope suddenly cries so loud that it echoes inside the whole room. Clementine didn't know what happened, but he quickly tries to calm down his daughter. Penelope keeps on calling him while crying so miserably in his arms.
"Penelope, it's okay now. Daddy's already here. You're safe now." Clementine said in a soft voice while gently rubbing his hand on her back in a circular motion.