The sound of knocking at the door made Arsen stop his work. He raised his eyebrows in confusion and told whoever it was to come in. His expression was even more confused when he saw Reiga entering.
Usually, when they were not in work mode, Reiga would enter the room after knocking on the door without waiting answer. It seemed like there was someone else at the door for him to be so polite.
"Your Majesty."
Reiga bowed respectfully with his hands on his chest. He had just returned from inspecting the training of other knights on the orders of his king.
"What?" Arsen asked as he signed the last document in his hand. Although he did not look at him, but he gave his full attention to Reiga.
"Queen and Prince Arion have come to visit you." Reiga's answer made Arsen look up from the document in his hand.
He breathed a small sigh of relief. It meant he could rest for a moment.
"Let them in."
Reiga opened the door wide and smiled happily at his queen and prince as he let them in. Seeing the cute baby Arion recharged Reiga's energy.
Natalie looked into the room with a cheerful smile, "We're coming, Arsen!"
Arion in her arms remained calm as he waved his small hand in greeting. Although he was actually pointing at Natalie, trying to tell his father that something was wrong with her.
'I hope he understands my gesture to the queen.'
Arsen frowned when he saw Natalie's slightly red and swollen eyes. But he didn't say anything because Reiga was still there. He will ask later.
"Are you still busy?" Natalie asked when she saw that Arsen's desk was quite clean. It was a sight she rarely saw these days.
Even Arion stared at the desk in wonder and amazement, because he usually sees his father's desk, which is very full.
'This is the first time I've seen it empty. Looks like he's working very hard.'
"No. I've finished most of the documents." Arsen replied after putting the last document in his hand. He would have Reiga clean it up later.
Natalie hummed happily, "That's great! Time for a break!"
Reiga quickly assessed the situation, "I will order the servants to serve tea and snacks immediately, Your Majesty."
Of course, he noticed his queen's red eyes, but he said nothing out of respect. He knew the couple would have a sensitive conversation, so he made an excuse to leave them alone.
Natalie smiled at Reiga after she sat comfortably on the couch in the room, "Thank you, Reiga. Nova was supposed to be on her way here."
"I'll look into it, Your Majesty," Reiga replied with a happy smile as he waved at the little prince who was staring at him with his big red eyes.
'It seems that he realized that something was wrong. That's why he hurried away.'
Arion couldn't help but be grateful for that. His mother did indeed need some quiet time right now.
Arsen stopped Reiga before he could leave, "Bring the twins here after they finish their lesson."
"As you wish, Your Majesty," Reiga said while bowing respectfully and then left, leaving the royal couple alone with their babies.
Arsen stood up from his chair. He stretched his stiff body after sitting for hours without getting up. When the stiffness in his body was gone, he approached Natalie and sat down next to her.
"What are you doing today?" Arsen asked, stroking Arion's round cheek in exchange for a greeting. Arion pushed his father's hand slightly away from his cheek.
Arion stopped himself from scowling, 'Why do people always touch my cheeks?'
Natalie blinked slightly, "Oh, it's nothing. I'm just taking Arion to Uncle Chris."
Arsen frowned in confusion, "Is there a problem?" He asked a little worried. Is that why her eyes are swollen and red like she's been crying?
Natalie just smiled and shook her head slightly, "It's nothing. Just a little worry."
"What worries?" Arsen asked calmly. He knew that his wife was hiding something. He felt that Natalie was sometimes too agitated or worried. But when he asked if something was wrong, Natalie always smiled and said she was fine.
Natalie bit her lip before hesitantly answering, "Nothing serious. It's just..."
She paused, hesitant to say it. Arsen, who noticed her hesitation, immediately held her hand for support.
Natalie smiled lovingly at him and returned his grasp, "Arion doesn't cry much, so I was worried. Uncle said there was nothing wrong with Arion, so I didn't tell you anything. I didn't want you to worry as well."
After that, they both fell silent. Natalie lowered her head, not daring to look at Arsen. Even after what Chris had said, she still felt it was her fault.
Arion, who knew Natalie's thoughts, looked at her sadly, 'I made her sad again, didn't I? I should have tried harder to pretend to cry, even if it was difficult. At least she won't worry too much.'
Arsen sighed, "I noticed that too."
Natalie looked at her husband in surprise, "Really?"
Arsen raised his eyebrows at his wife's disbelieving look, "Even though I rarely see Arion, it doesn't mean I never noticed it." Arsen said without sounding offended. Instead, the expression on Natalie's face amused him.
Arsen gently looked at Arion, "I thought Arion was just a quiet baby. I rarely hear his voice either." He said calmly, not mentioning that he first thought it was because Arion was afraid of him.
Natalie rested her cheek on Arion's white hair, "Hana even realized something was wrong, so I ended up taking him to Uncle." She said quietly, but was also embarrassed. She was a mother, but she had ignored it all the time. Thinking that everything would be fine.
"I see," Arsen replied briefly. He was not very good at comforting someone, even if it was his wife. Usually, he just said what was on his mind bluntly. And that was what he did now.
"Arion probably just hasn't opened up to us yet." Arsen's statement made the pair of mother and son look at him. Both of them had a curious look in their twin red eyes.
"How do you know that? He's still a baby." Natalie asked curiously at her husband's answer.
Arion also looked curious, 'What does that mean, not open yet? I'm just a baby, you know. I can't even talk yet.'
Arsen shrugged indifferently, "Who knows." He replied mysteriously, ignoring the frowns on the faces of his wife and son.
"Don't talk in half measures." Natalie scolded with a frown.
Arsen was like that sometimes, suddenly acting mysterious. She had to reprimand him first so that he would say it directly instead of confusing her.
Arsen just waved his hand, "Sorry. I just said it out of instinct." He said indifferently, which didn't help Natalie and Arion's confusion.
"Instinct?" Natalie asked confused. This sentence didn't help her confusion, it just added to her burden of thought. She almost wondered if Arsen was seriously trying to comfort her or not.
Even Arion looked confused, 'Instinct again? They both look like.'
Arsen didn't say anything. He just had a small smile that looked mysterious to Natalie. She finally relaxed her shoulders and gave up trying to understand what her husband meant.
Arsen hugged Natalie's shoulders and laid his head on her head, "All we have to do now is take good care of Arion and make him believe in us."
Natalie blinked a few times before she let out a small laugh, "You're right."
"With a mother like you, it will happen in no time," Arsen said as he kissed Natalie's head. Arion frowned but did not protest. He felt that his mother really needed it.
'I will hold back just this once.'
Natalie smiled as she lightly pinched Arsen's cheek, "It's not just me. You love Arion very much as well."
Arion stared blankly, 'Love, huh...'
The word had always been foreign to him. He never understood people who said love so easily.
Arsen chuckled softly, "I love you all." He said sweetly while kissing the cheek of his wife who laughed happily.
"The twins too." She added with a loving smile.
Arsen smiled softly at the thought of them, "Of course they are too." He said quietly. There was no way he would forget his favorite pair of twins.
For a king, his priority is his kingdom. He doesn't need to love his kingdom because he only fulfills his duties.
But he loved his people as he loved his family. They were the reason for Arsen's happiness. Well, except for the nobles
'I once wanted to be loved by someone. But...' Arion's thoughts were cut off as he felt his heart being squeezed until it felt tight.
In his past life, even his parents had never said that word to him, their own son. If he could not even get love from his real parents, where could he get it?
What is love? Why did his old parents never give him love? Will he be happy with love, or will he suffer more? Then why did his new parents say that word so easily? He still didn't understand.
Arion sighed sadly, 'I'm not even sure I understand the concept of love itself.'