Food was served soon after Arsen and Natalie joined the twins. One of the servants, who had bathed Arion this morning, served him a bottle of warm milk.
While Natalie tending to him first, Arsen and the twins began to quietly enjoy their lunch. It was the first time Arion had seen the twins so quiet.
After making sure the milk wasn't too hot, Natalie fed it to Arion, who sucked it down quickly.
'I just realized I'm starving.'
She patted his back, "Slow down, dear. You'll choke on it. No one is going to take it away from you."
Arion began to suck it slowly, which was rewarded with praise from his mother.
"Good boy. My baby must be very hungry. I missed your drinking schedule too much."
Arion blinked at her, 'It's not your fault.'
"Why does Arion only drink milk? Mom said it was time for Arion to lunch." Hana's question made Natalie turn her attention away from Arion.
She gave her daughter a puzzled look, "Isn't Arion eating now?"
"Just milk?" Eric asked confused. He didn't know that just drinking milk could fill him up. Especially when the bottle is so small.
Hana looked agitated, "Why? Are we short of food? Arion can take mine!"
Now she understood the meaning of her question, "That's not it, dear. Babies can only drink milk."
"Why?"
Natalie chuckled, "Look at Arion's belly, it's so small, isn't it? It can't hold food like yours."
Eric and Hana stared at Arion's belly so seriously that it made their little brother move uncomfortably. Natalie laughed at their seriousness as she patted her baby's back to make him comfortable.
Arion started to break out in a cold sweat, 'Please don't look at me like that. Your look is like you want to punch a hole in my stomach. Let me enjoy my milk in peace.'
Natalie's voice immediately broke the twin's gaze, "Besides, Arion still has no teeth. So he won't be able to chew his food."
Hana stared at him with wide eyes, trying to peer into Arion's mouth as he still sucked on his milk. She stood up slightly from her chair before being pulled back down by Eric.
"Imagine if Arion had to swallow his food whole. He could choke." Natalie said, hoping her explanation wasn't too much for the twins.
They both nodded in understanding. This could be bad. Choking was annoying.
"So that's why Arion can only drink milk." Hana said relieved.
"What about water? Or juice? What about porridge? Arion can't eat that either?" Eric asked seriously. He felt sorry for his little brother, but he didn't want to give him food that could make him sick.
Natalie shook her head, "Not at all, dear. Babies can only drink milk."
They both leaned back languidly in their chairs, disappointed that they couldn't save their little brother from suffering as a baby.
Arion looked at them confused, 'Why do they look disappointed? It's not like they're the ones stuck with the milk.'
Seeing them languish made Natalie feel bad. Before Arion was born, they had always talked excitedly about what they would do after their baby brother was born. Now that they knew they would have to wait again, they couldn't help but be disappointed.
Natalie tried to comfort them, "Don't be sad. When Arion is bigger, you will be able to eat cake together."
"How big?"
"Just wait and see."
Eric frowned, "It must be boring to just drink milk."
"The life of a baby is so gloomy." Hana nodded seriously. Her words sounded like the world was about to collapse.
Natalie looked at her in surprise, "Where did you learn those words?"
Her daughter just smiled broadly without answering her question. Natalie continued to stare at her so intently that Hana could feel the cold sweat on her neck.
Arsen interrupted his wife's intense gaze, "Has Arion finished his milk?"
Hana looked at her father brightly, feeling saved from her mother's interrogation. Arsen, who knew the contents of his daughter's mind, just snorted in amusement. He knew the answer to his wife's question, but chose to remain silent.
"Oh! I didn't realize. Well done, baby." She praised him while giving Arion a peck on the cheek.
'It's just milk.'
"Give him to me. Eat it with the children." Natalie nodded and prepared to hand Arion over to him.
"Daddy's done?" Hana asked as she looked at her father's empty plate.
"You chatted longer than I expected." Arsen's reply was met with a small laugh from Hana. They were so distracted that they forgot about Arsen, who had been silent since the beginning of lunch.
Natalie began to put Arion into Arsen's arms. She instructed him, who looked tense.
"Support his head and back. Don't be too stiff. Just relax. There you go." Natalie said, pleased with Arsen's efforts.
'Am I wrong or does his face look tense?'
Arion observed his father's face, which although it looked expressionless, but on closer inspection there were deep wrinkles on his forehead.
Eric looked at his father who was holding Arion, "Carrying a baby is complicated."
"Daddy never held a baby before? What about us back then?" Hana's question was answered by her father with silence. He looked away from her.
"It's been a long time since I last held a baby." Arsen answered in a low tone, but could still be heard by everyone.
Natalie snorted in amusement, "Don't overdo it. You're just a little rusty."
He ignored her amused tone as he tried to sit up without shaking Arion, "Eat up. I won't drop him."
"You're not that bad!" Natalie said irritated. Arsen underestimated himself too much in baby care and went overboard.
Arion glanced at his father. His sharp golden eyes looked at Arion several times before turning his attention back to the rest of his family. But his piercing gaze made him a little nervous.
'I feel a little intimidated.'
Unaware of his nervousness, Arsen looked at the twins who were still playing around, "Finish your meal."
"Yes, Dad."
When Arsen patted him gently on the back, his nervousness disappeared. Arion began to feel comfortable in the arms of his new father, who looked intimidating but seemed gentle with his family. Quite different from the father figure he knew.
'This is quite comfortable.'
After the twins finished eating, Hana entertained Arion by making funny faces as Eric watched the two of them quietly. But Arion just looked at her in confusion.
'What exactly are you trying to do?'
When Hana looked disappointed, Arion felt bad. So he moved his hand to reach out to them. Hana smiled brightly at him and gave her finger for Arion to hold. Eric smiled slightly at the interaction between the two of them.
"Is Dad going back to work after this?" Eric asked curiously.
Arsen patted Eric's head, "After I make sure you take a nap."
"Not Mom?" Hana asked confused. Usually, it was their mother who made sure they took a nap because their father was very busy with the affairs of the kingdom.
Eric nudged her hand, "Did you forget? Mom needs to rest a lot. She shouldn't even move much yet."
The twins looked at Natalie with an accusing look, which was met with a nervous laugh from her. She could not deny their accusations.
"Sorry, Mom was wrong. You guys can visit Mom and Arion after your nap, okay?"
"Okay." Hana replied without protest. She knew that her mother must be exhausted, even if she looked energetic now. Besides, her mother had a baby to take care of.
Both are happy that their mother still makes time for them when she should be resting. Even their father could spare some of his busy time to take care of the twins. They didn't lack for their parental attention, so they didn't mind.
Arion looked at them guiltily, 'Now I feel like I'm usurping their mother. Even though I'm just an intruder in this family.'
Natalie looked at her husband unconvinced, "You don't mind, Arsen?"
"Who dares to argue with me?" He asked defiantly. After all, he is still a king. His word is still absolute.
"Reiga."
Arion looked at them curiously, 'Who is this Reiga? He dares a king?'
Arsen snorted mockingly, "Don't worry about him. Rest with Arion. I'll take care of Eric and Hana."
She chuckled, "All right, I understand."
Natalie knelt down in front of the twins, kissed their foreheads and cheeks, then hugged them warmly, "Be good, and don't trouble your nanny, okay?"
"Yes, Mom!" They both replied simultaneously as they returned her hug.
They released the embrace and turned to ask Arsen to look down, which he did immediately. They said goodbye to Arion who tried to keep his eyes open.
"Bye, Arion!"
"Goodbye, little brother."
Arsen stood up again and handed Arion to Natalie, "I'll take them off now. Sleep well."
He kissed his youngest son gently on the forehead, "You too, Arion."
Arion didn't pay much attention to him as he was busy rubbing his eyes, 'I'm sleepy.'
Natalie smiled gently and kissed Arsen's cheek, "Strive in your work, my king."
Their voices faded as Arion yawned widely, unable to contain his drowsiness. He didn't realize his father and siblings were gone as his consciousness slipped away.
'Being a baby is hard.'