PeaceMaker

"Don't say things like that!" Theodore blushed, "I'm not that mean."

Dominic looked from Regina to Theodore. "Her back? What happens to her back?" Dominic asked.

Theodore and Regina grew tight lipped. 

The king looked at his oldest and second eldest before looking at his youngest. 

"Dad?" Dominic pressed. 

The king tried to look away, but it was too late, he was already caught in his son's gaze and it didn't look like he was getting away. Dominic looked up at him with sparkling bright eyes, a slight pout on his face, and his puffy cheeks glowing pink. 

"Ugh, why do every one of you have to look this cute when you were younger?" The king muttered as he let out a sigh.

"Daddy doesn't like my face?" Dominic's pout reduced to a face that was close to tears, "I thought Dad said he likes my face…"

"And you thought correctly it's just that-" The king looked down at Dominic again, once again caught in his gaze. 

"Really? Can you tell me then?" Dominic pressed.

The king sighed. This was a lost battle to him. "There's a game that the newly wedded family play after the wedding. Depending on how long they last during the game her back could hurt more or less."

Dominic grinned, "A game! I love games!"

Theodore and Regina let out a laugh.

"Hm," Theodore nodded. "Games are fun."

Dominic grinned. He was looking forward to that game. He wondered about how he was going to play it and looked up at his dad to ask. "But how do you play the game?"

Theodore froze again, looking away from Regina and his father. "See what you've done Regina, where that dirty mind has gotten you?"

Regina's face switched to a scowl. "Excuse me? Who was the one ogling at his fiance for the longest time? If you weren't doing that then this conversation would have never started. Hmph, why're you trying to blame it on me now?"

Theodore's eyes widened and his head swiveled to Regina immediately. "I was not ogling! I was simply looking at her," Theodore blushed. "Look how dirty your mind is! How dare you blame me for something I never did?"

"Hmm," Regina muttered, "you know for a fact that that is incorrect. If we were to enter your brain and search each other's brain for who's the dirtiest, it would never be me. I am a royal lady whose wedding is nowhere in sight and even further away are any candidates for marriage. Why would I be having impure thoughts?"

Theodore looked at Regina with widening eyes, like he was offended. "Y-you…" Theodore began. He was unable to say anything back to that. "Sigghhh… i-if it weren't for your eloquent words and your absolutely stunning face I would have hit you a long time ago at sword practice."

Regina smirked. "Like your sword can even touch me."

Dominic looked from Theodore to Regina and then back. His head tilted to the side. "Why're you trying to change the conversation? Are you planning to keep arguing until the next contestant comes out?"

Theodore and Regina flinched and turned to Dominic immediately. A shiver ran down their spine when they made eye contact with him. His emerald green eyes seemed like they were glowing, staring straight into their eyes and freezing them on the spot. He looked annoyed, he was annoyed. They could tell simply from his eyes. 

"Why're you… huh… word… hmm," Dominic thought for a second as he racked his brain to find the word that would most fit the situation. He remembered Regina using that word before. 'What was it… s...st..? stalk?... What is ittt! What was the word that big sis taught meee! Or.. was it not big sis?...' Dominic thought to himself. His eyes brightened when he finally found it. 

"Why're you trying to stall for time?!" Dominic snapped, pridefully whisper-yelling the sentence at his siblings.

They both froze again at their brother's choice of words. Theodore shot Regina a gaze that was blaming her for his beautiful speech. Regina looked away. He wasn't wrong there. Dominic spent more time with Regina throughout his day. After being thought by the Baron, he would be escorted by Regina who was always 'coincidentally' passing the learning room when his school would end. 

They would spend hours with each other, Regina teaching him additional skills and Dominic constantly observing her from the sidelines, learning everything his little brain could take in. He learned the basics of cooking because Regina had taken that as a hobby learned to read way ahead of the normal age because Regina was always surrounded by books and always reading them to him with him in her lap. 

If there was anyone to 'blame' for his literacy and mental advancements, it would be Regina. She would proudly admit to it any day too. She was proud of her work. 

It wasn't like Theodore didn't try to spend time with Dominic, but rather that he couldn't. As the crown prince, he was always running back and forth from his duties and every time he tried to pick Dominic up from the learning room and walk with him back to his room he would always be late. Regina always got there first. 

He didn't hate that fact though, afterall now he was able to proudly point at his younger brother who was already mentally, physically, and personality-wise ahead of all of his peers. It was something to celebrate, something that Theodore was always happy to talk about. Dominic didn't know that of course, Theodore was always quick to hide that from him. 

The king looked at Dominic, impressed by his choice of words. "Ok there little prince, I'll tell you what type of game it is."

Dominic grinned, his smile blindingly beautiful and white. "Yayy!"

The king chuckled. He called Dominic over and leaned into his ear, whispering. "It's an endurance game."

"Endurance? Something that has to do with exercising and sports?" Dominic asked.

The king nodded. "It's a very tiring game though so you have to wait until you're older to try it with your wife."

Dominic nodded, understanding what his dad was explaining. "Did you try it with mum too?" he asked.

The king flinched, nervous sweat forming on his forehead. He knew what was going to be asked after that question. 

He nodded to answer the first question and Dominic smiled. "Then how many times did you play the game dad?" Dominic asked. 

The king sighed. 'There it is…' 

The king was about to answer when he caught the glances of Regina and Theodore. They were eagerly staring at their father, waiting for his answer. 

The king let out a big sigh before answering. "We played it too many times to count."

Regina gasped and so did Theodore. Dominic glanced at them suspiciously. "Why're you gasping like that?"

Regina and Theodore fixed their composers immediately. 

"Who? Us? Nooo not us," Regina replied in unison with Theodore. 

Dominic grinned. "Okie then!!!"

The king smiled. He turned his head down to Dominic who sat in his lap. "Is that all your questions, son?" He chuckled as he looked at his son.

Dominic thought about it for a moment. "Not as of right now… but I think I will.." Dominic answered with a giggle. "Can I stay on daddy's lap until I do?"

The king made a reluctant face, then a thinking one, and one close to saying no, with each change in his face, Dominic grew more nervous. Finally, he grinned. "Of course!"

Regina rolled her eyes and so did Theodore, the same thought crossing their minds. 'What a baby..' they thought to themselves. 

Dominic giggled, leaning backward unto his father's firm chest. It was always warm when father held him. It was a bit scary though as almost every surface on his chest, arms and thighs were not comfortable to sit on top of. It reminded him of when someone ever so familiar, his mother would hold him. 

His memories of her were hazy. He couldn't remember her face but rather her touch, her long flowing golden hair, and her gentle smile. He could remember her scent. It was ever so subtle and smelled differently at different times of the week. She would smile like flour on Tuesdays, new clothes on Monday, like grass on Thursdays, like a sea on Wednesday, and like flowers on Friday. 

He could remember her touch and the way she cradled him. Holding him so gingerly in her hands, like anything could happen to him if she weren't careful, like he was something fragile she had to protect by keeping close to her chest. She always felt warm, her clothes silky and comfortable. But then her touch would grow hotter, hotter, and hotter until he was unable to stay on her and her hands would catch on fire. 

That was the ending of any dream he had of her. 

Dominic let out a little sigh as he thought of what Regina and Theodore had said. He finally came up with his question. 

He looked up eagerly at his father. "But dad… in that game, Regina said sister Adria's back would hurt for a while."

The king shot Regina a glare to which she chuckled nervously. 

"Hm, yes I remember," The king smiled. "What about it?"

Dominic made a tiny cute 'hmm' before continuing.. He turned to the king with a pout on his face. "Then, will my back hurt too?"