The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen

I come back with Aestas just in time.

We storm into Ignis's office and greet him with our smiling expressions. I'm a little shaken after the Queen Dowager's story, but it's not the right time to let it get to me.

The King sits at his desk, scribbling something with his most focused expression. He barely notices our presence, and he just orders the servants to bring refreshments. I'm slowing him down a lot today, but it's also nice to have the chance to see him working.

«You can bring some work with you tonight. I can help you,» I say. Just like I helped him before, especially that night in my family's residence.

«Hm-m,» he hums, leaving the paper he just signed on the side to dry.

«As for us,» I say, turning to Aestas, «shall we play a little? We're big girls and can have fun without your uncle, can't we?»

She giggles at me, and I wonder whether she understands my words.

«Ta-ta wok,» she says.

I let her down and wait for her balance to be a little stable before moving my hands away from her torso. I hold her by the arms, and we take a couple of clumsy steps on the soft carpet in the King's office.

«Ta-ta wa-aok ant.»

«Oh, yes,» I agree. «Your aunt is so useful, isn't she?»

«Anko?»

«He's useful in his own way, I guess.»

«Ankoo,» she screams, and I sigh, dejected. «Anko look. Look Ta-ta...»

Oh, dear, here we are.

«Your uncle is working,» I whisper, and I throw a glance to check the status of his annoyance. I meet a pair of gentle emeralds observing our interactions and games.

Aestas chuckles, all happy to have attracted his attention.

«You're already a drama queen, Tata,» I complain.

And here I wanted to play without making a fuss. Ignis risks falling behind schedule, which means he won't make it in time for dinner. I will fall asleep before he's done, and we won't have the chance to talk.

«Ta-ta wok,» she repeats, ignoring me like I'm made of air.

«Hey!» I moan.

«I'm looking,» Ignis says, still sitting at his enormous, mahogany desk. «My girls are so hard-working today, aren't you?»

«Heh!»

The child in my arms has never been so active. Even the first time I saw her with Ignis, she was calm and playing with his clothes, staring at him and exchanging words. Where does all the energy come from?

«Wok to Anko!»

Oh, so far? Yet, I can't have a choice but help her on the way because she starts marching with so much conviction... This girl will reach far, my word!

«Just a little more,» Ignis says, reaching out to us when we're a few steps from him. Just then, I notice how Aestas isn't as unstable as she looked... Maybe, just maybe...

I let her go, and she moves a few steps on her own. She is happy and joyous, running to her uncle with all her power. But then, the carpet ends and the hard wood hits against her baby shoes. It's the last step, she's almost done it when she trips. Her right foot folds outside, her ankle bends, and she falls on the side.

Ignis catches her before the impact with the floor, but my heart stops all the same. Goodness, it was a single second! Aestas starts crying out loud, desperately, and she hugs Ignis when he picks her up to comfort her.

«Oh, no,» he says, rubbing her back. «Nothing happened, Aestas. It's all fine...»

She cries so desperately that I feel guilty. If I didn't let her go, she wouldn't be so scared now... What if I've caused her trauma, and she doesn't want to walk again?

Oh, jeez, she's so young and delicate!

«Veronica, calm down,» Ignis chuckles.

The screams have decreased in volume, and now Aestas is just sobbing from time to time. She's still glued to my husband, but at least she's not glaring at me. Most likely, she doesn't know I'm the adult responsible for her fall.

This is how Juliet finds us.

Her daughter's face is dripping with tears, and she's shamelessly hugging Ignis with all her strength. When it looks like she's calming down, this little beast comes up with a new reason to complain and continue being pampered by my husband.

Ignis, on his side, is just comforting his niece and worrying for her. He's also doing his best to help me feel less worried about the whole situation.

And, finally, there's me. It's obvious it's my fault if Aestas cried, and I haven't yet erased the guilt from my expression.

I don't want to know what Juliet thinks now.

«I see you've had an adventurous day,» she comments.

«We've started walking, and then we almost fell down,» Ignis explains. «Almost. It's all right now, isn't it, Aestas?»

«Ta-ta no fall. Ta-ta wok.»

The Princess's lips tremble a little.

«You shouldn't call yourself like that,» she says, keeping calm and composed. «Use the word I, Aestas.»

«T... No... No fall. Anko hepp.»

«Your uncle helped?» she says. «How fortunate. Have you thanked him?»

She shakes her head, turning to Ignis and pressing her cheek on his once again.

«This is not how you thank people,» Juliet scolds her.

«Tank ou, anko,» she murmurs. «Ta-ta no hutt.»

«I'm happy you're not hurt,» he replies, pecking her cheek and finally parting from her.

Can I have my part of Ignis now? He's hugged and pampered another woman for so long. I want that too, even if it means working with him for the whole night and reading a mountain of papers in his stead.

The Princess's handmaids collect the child for her, and one holds Aestas, patting her back when she becomes unresting.

Has Aida finished her job by now? She's had little time to examine Juliet's aura, and I have no clue whether it's barely enough. I can't glance at her now, though, because I might get caught. People don't pay any attention to the servants here. Unless they're plotting something, of course.

«Princess...» I say before she can get out and disappear from our reach. «I just wanted to say... It's so nice to play with Aestas. You can bring her to us another time as well.»

«I wouldn't dare to disturb your Majesties' work.»

What work? I'm freed from most duties since I'm pregnant, and Ignis can work while I play with Tata.

«A little break won't do us any ill,» I say instead. «It has been a very nice afternoon, and we had a lot of fun. Am I right, Aestas?»

I better not call her Tata in front of the Princess. She doesn't seem to like that name, and she might change her mind and keep the kid away so that I don't influence her with my countryside manners.

«And wok,» she confirms as if I was the only person in this Palace who can do something as complicated as walking.

«You will walk a lot soon,» I reply. She'll run around in the garden, playing with the maids and the puppies bred in the Palace. In a few more months, our child will run with her as well.

«It's not wise to cause your Majesty an added work,» the Princess points out. «Not in your Majesty's condition. But I can bring Aestas whenever you'd like to meet her. It will be a pleasure.»

I wave at them while they disappear, and I wait for the doors to be closed before turning to the room.

«What is the response?» I ask Aida.

She nods, a sign that those were mother and daughter. I had two theories that could explain Aestas without involving extra-marital affairs.

First was that she had been exchanged after birth with the Princess's real baby. And, second, that the Princess never was pregnant but pretended to be, collecting a child from the outside after the faked delivery.

The Palace had been a busy place that night, either way. No one would have noticed if babies were carried from one side to the other.

«Ignis, are there any people who survived the coup?» I ask him.

A baby and two Royal heads rolling during the same night. Is it a coincidence?

«Why are you interested in that, now? You're too focused on my brother, Ronnie, but trust me: he was a bad person. You shouldn't be so curious.»

«I wasn't thinking about your brother, though. Rather, about the late King. Can I talk to some witnesses from the coup?»

«I have someone better for your curious heart. I've executed most of the participants, but there were a couple who I didn't convict. One is living and working in the Palace, even though under strict surveillance. I couldn't get rid of him just yet.»

«Why?»

«You will find out the reason,» he murmurs, winking. But then, he returns to his documents and forgets about me.

I guess, at this point, that I'm not getting the same treatment as Aestas: no pecks, hugs, and praise for me.