The morning sun painted a golden hue over the landscape as Themis, accompanied by Princess Ayira, visited Ariadne's Tower. Amidst the bustling activity of the tower, Ayira, absorbed in exploration, barely noticed the warm greetings extended by the magicians.
"Your Highness," Priest Damayanti greeted Themis as he approached. Themis returned the smile before Ayira's attention was caught by a shy figure standing behind the priest.
"You've come to the tower with Her Royal Highness," Damayanti remarked, noticing Ayira's curious gaze fixed on the boy.
"This is Lucius, Ayira," Damayanti introduced, kneeling down to the shy child who was hiding behind him, sensing the princess's interest.
"Hi!" Ayira greeted with a bright smile as she approached him. "I'm not mean. Let's be friends," she declared, extending her hand towards him.
With a shy glance, Lucius hesitantly reached out and held Ayira's hand, prompting giggles from both Themis and Damayanti as they watched the two youngsters forge a friendship.
"Go on, enjoy yourselves," Themis encouraged the children as they walked away hand in hand, heading towards a door indicated by Lucius.
As Ayira and Lucius disappeared into the room, Themis and Priest Damayanti exchanged admiring glances.
"What brings you here, Your Highness?" Damayanti inquired as they began to walk towards his office for privacy.
"I thought I told you to drop the formalities," Themis replied with a smile, leading the way.
"I went to Yorath with Alec last time, where one of your mages spotted a man wielding the same sword as Dillon," Themis explained as they entered Damayanti's office.
"You went with just one mage?" Damayanti asked incredulously.
"Do you realize how risky that is, Your Highness?" he chided, his protective instincts surfacing.
"I'm fine, look," Themis reassured, gesturing with his hand to demonstrate his well-being to Damayanti.
Damayanti let out a heavy sigh and sank into one of the couches in his office, clearly feeling stressed by the king's stubbornness. Themis couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the priest getting worked up once again because of him. With a playful grin, Themis settled into another couch, facing Damayanti.
"It's not funny, Themis," Damayanti remarked sternly, noticing the king's amusement.
"I never said it was funny," Themis retorted with a sly smile, causing Damayanti to massage his temples in frustration.
"I wish the princess didn't inherit your attitude," he muttered, to which Themis simply grinned and replied, "You never know," before diverting his gaze, prompting another sigh from Damayanti.
"Have you encountered him?" Damayanti inquired, referring to the man wielding Dillon's sword. Themis's expression shifted slightly, a hint of disappointment flickering across his face.
"No," he muttered.
"I see."
"But I did meet a child!" The king's demeanor brightened instantly, his eyes sparkling as he recounted his interaction with the young boy. Damayanti listened intently, observing the king's enthusiasm.
"The three of them could become friends."
"What if I fetch the child, and you could teach him magic or swordsmanship?" Themis suggested eagerly, leaning in towards Damayanti.
"We don't instruct sword fighting here," Damayanti reminded him, prompting Themis to emit a disappointed "Ow" sound.
"And, Themis, you can't just go around picking up children whenever you please; that's illegal, and as a king, you should know better," Damayanti admonished, recalling instances where Themis would bring random children to his daughter, Ayira.
"I only want my daughter to have companions," Themis confessed with a tinge of sadness.
"There are proper ways to do that," Damayanti asserted firmly, causing Themis to let out a resigned sigh.
King Themis could be rather childlike at times, often admiring the innocence and charm of children. Damayanti found himself troubled by the king's fondness for children, knowing well the occasional complications that arose from it. Whether it was Themis bringing someone else's child to the tower or dealing with reports of missing children who had somehow ended up in the king's care, he was indeed a source of headaches for Damayanti.
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Ayira couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled by the sight of Lucius's playroom, which seemed more like a library to her. Her gaze wandered up and down the towering bookshelves, wondering how an eight-year-old could find joy in reading books.
"Is this your playroom?" she asked, trying to break the silence and understand the situation. Lucius responded with a nod, leaving Ayira still uncertain about the setup.
"Are you sure?" she pressed, seeking confirmation. Again, Lucius nodded, his expression remaining neutral.
Accepting the situation, Ayira made her way over to Lucius, deciding to join him in whatever activity he had in mind. As she settled into a chair next to him, Lucius handed her a book from the table. Ayira took the book, her confusion growing. She wasn't particularly fond of reading.
"That's my favorite book," Lucius mentioned nervously, causing Ayira's eyes to widen in surprise. She hadn't expected that.
Trying to be considerate of Lucius's feelings, Ayira opened the book and attempted to read, despite her lack of interest. The room fell into a quiet rhythm as the two of them immersed themselves in their books.
However, after a while, Ayira couldn't suppress a yawn, betraying her boredom. Lucius noticed and turned his attention towards her.
"Are you sleepy?" he asked gently. Ayira rubbed her eyes tiredly, admitting her fatigue.
"You don't like reading, do you?" Lucius questioned, his tone understanding. Ayira paused, ceasing her eye-rubbing motion, before offering a sheepish smile.
Lucius returned the smile calmly before redirecting his focus to his own book, leaving Ayira to ponder over her newfound friend's unique interests.
"People suddenly felt drowsy because they did not like what they were doing. They were bored," Lucius remarked, observing the signs of weariness around them. Ayira shyly averted her gaze when Lucius looked at her.
"Are you bored?" he inquired, his smile gentle. Ayira responded with a simple pout, prompting Lucius to chuckle softly.
"You're a princess, you should love reading. Books give you knowledge of everything," he continued, his tone earnest. Ayira regarded him with suspicion.
"You're not a kid, aren't you?" she questioned, leaning in to examine Lucius's face closely. Though he appeared youthful, she wondered if there was more to him, perhaps like Priest Damayanti.
"You sound like Priest Damayanti," she muttered, withdrawing and crossing her arms.
"I'm not... old," Lucius responded, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Ayira stared at him intently before poking his cheek, causing him to meet her gaze.
"Father said you are a Holy Saint and can do anything, like God," she exclaimed eagerly, prompting Lucius's ears to turn red with embarrassment.
"What if..." Ayira paused dramatically, locking eyes with Lucius, who watched her anxiously.
"You make me a genius!" she declared, raising her arms in excitement. Lucius couldn't help but burst into laughter at her request, leaving Ayira puzzled and slightly saddened by his response.
"You can't do that?" she asked in disbelief, noticing the princess's crestfallen expression.
"I know something that will make you intelligent," Lucius responded cheerfully, eager to lift Ayira's spirits.
Ayira's eyes sparkled with anticipation as Lucius handed her the book he had been reading. However, her reaction was unexpected.
"Reading makes you smart," he said casually, hoping to cheer her up. But instead, Ayira pouted and crossed her arms, leaving Lucius confused. To him, reading was the pathway to intelligence.
"Sorry," Lucius apologized, feeling disappointed that he couldn't make Ayira smile and feel clever.
"It's fine," Ayira replied, still pouting with her eyes closed, her disappointment evident.
Lucius rose from his seat and made his way to one of the shelves, prompting Ayira to peek at what he was doing. Was he fetching another book?
Quickly closing her eyes, Ayira waited as Lucius approached her. She felt something being placed in her hands.
"Here," he murmured.
Opening her eyes, Ayira was pleasantly surprised to find Lucius offering her a wooden peg leg doll. Her face lit up with joy as she accepted it, sitting up straighter.
"It's Lulu, my friend," he explained softly as Ayira took the doll.
"You can have Lulu and never be sad again," he added before settling back into his seat.
Lulu was Lucius's only doll, a constant companion that made him feel less lonely in the tower. Being the sole child amidst busy adults preoccupied with magic and protecting Absalom, Lucius often found solace in Lulu and his books.
Damayanti and Themis entered the library, also known as Lucius's playroom.
"Are you two finished playing?" Themis inquired. Ayira nodded enthusiastically and ran into her father's arms. Themis smiled and lifted Ayira onto his arm.
"We're leaving," he announced, glancing at Damayanti, who simply smiled back.
As they exited the room, Damayanti noticed the doll in Ayira's hands. He approached Lucius with a smile.
"Is that Lulu?" he asked, receiving a nod from the child. Damayanti patted Lucius's head fondly.
"Do you enjoy playing with Her Royal Highness?" he inquired warmly. Lucius nodded eagerly in response.
"Will she come back?" he asked hopefully, his eyes shining with anticipation.
"I'll speak to the king about arranging more visits with Her Royal Highness," Damayanti assured him, eliciting a bright smile from Lucius.