The officials saluted Larisa as they passed by her while she gave a small curtsey to each of them before she entered the library.
"Greetings your Majesty, may majesty live a long life," said Larisa as she was about to go down onto her knees but a steady and strong hand held her upper hands and helped her to stand straight.
The king let go of Larisa as he sighed, "I told you that you don't have to use this formalities with me, just call me father."
Larisa looked up at the King's tired face and gave him the biggest smile she could summon, "Father."
"You have really grown up, in the brink of an eye it is your coming of age ceremony today."
Larisa helped the king to the chair to sit down seeing how tired he looked and stood beside the table to pour him a cup of water, he probably didn't even drink a cup of water since he came. Though she rarely sees her Father since he is always busy with matters of state, Larisa still knew his habits to some extent. To him, the kingdom comes first and everyone else is second placement including himself.
Seeing as how he looks as if he may fall at any given moment, he must have not slept much before he started dealing with state affairs.
She offered the cup of water, "Father should drink some water first then I will have someone to go and bring some food for you."
The king answered as he took the cup of water, "no need for that, someone has already been sent to do that."
He drank the cup of water after speaking. He could feel his throat thanking him for the hydration. He had been so busy with the files and then the officials that all he felt was tiredness and subconsciously ignored the slight coarseness in his throat.
He put down the cup and turned to the standing Larisa, "What are you doing standing there, come and sit beside me."
Larisa sat beside him after some contemplation. The chair was designed to faction as both a chair and bed since the king rarely went back to his room to sleep so it was long enough for five people to sit and still not feel cramped.
"How have you been in these months, you look thinner than the last time I saw you."
This concern was familiar yet a stranger to Larisa, maybe it was because it was only ever shown to her a few times a year that she easily forgets that it is there.
"I'm alright Father. You are the one who doesn't look too good."
The king chuckled, "I really don't look good, do I?"
"It feels like yesterday when you were just a baby, you were such a naughty child you know? Your mother was worried that you would not be able to find a husband with such a troublesome temperament, if she could see how calm and mature you have become she would be very happy and relieved."
Larisa gave reassuring smile, "I am sure she is watching us from above,"
"I hope Akira has been taking good care of you, if you have any grievance don't hold it in and tell me right away, Father will do everything in his power to get you justice."
"There is no one who can dare offend me when you are still here Father and Consort Ari treats me very well."
"That's good then, today is your coming of age ceremony, is there anything you would like as a present and also since you are turning 15 you will be old enough to live in your own palace, have you chosen which palace you want to live in?"
"Will you really give me anything that I ask for no matter what?" Larisa asked for confirmation.
"Of course, no matter how ridiculous it is I will give it to you."
Larisa sat up straighter, "Then, I would like to choose Orchid palace."
The king paused and observed his daughter. She must really miss her mother a lot.
"You can have it."
Larisa's eyes widened a bit, was it that easy? "Can I really have it?"
The king thought it amusing how her eyes widened like a kid. He caressed her hair with a smile,
"Of cause you can."
"But Father, what if the officials object to it," Larisa's smile started to droop.
The King proceeded to raffle her hair, "I will handle them if they ask but i am sure they will be too busy to be bothered about it."
Larisa pushes his hand away, "Father! You are ruining my hair. It took so long to get it ready."
"Alright, alright I am sorry," The king said with a laugh. Clearly he wasn't remorseful at all.
Larisa made a humph sound and crossed her arms while looking the other way, the King just laughed even more.
The king sighed and said in melancholy, "It's good to see that you haven't changed much otherwise I would have felt like I failed as a father and didn't take care of you well."
"You didn't fail me at all." Larisa put down her arms before she corrected herself and comforted her father yet scolding herself in her head, how could she have lost composure like that, so un-lady like
A servant boy came at this moment to report that the food had been put at the table in the dining hall,
"Isa, let's go and eat before the food turns cold."
Isa, she hasn't heard that nickname in a long time
She declined with a smile, "Maybe another time Father, I have already eaten and it will be noon soon. The guests must have started to arrive. What kind of host would I be if I am not there to welcome them?"
"Alright then, my Isa has grown up, she wants to go and mingle with other ladies and doesn't want to stick to her old man anymore," The king said with pretend sadness.
Larisa consoled him, "That's not true, I will definitely eat with you another day."
The king opened a drawer and took out a ring of keys and gave them to her, "Here, the keys for Orchid palace."
Larisa thanked him as she took them and left happily.