Chapter 66: Father's granddaughter.
Kein's POV
"Come along now, Vivienne. Cease your crying... Rose will visit us soon enough so no need to be down." It was merely a few minutes since we've parted and Cecilia's maid was escorting us out of the palace.
Kazari... the maid curtsies while giving a faint smile seeing our figures go by with a message to be safe on our journey home. "I bid you both a safe journey to your estate, Commander."
"Thank you." I tell her while carrying the still crying blonde child within my arms and I groan in pain.
"Wahhh!!! Mommy!!!"
Polite this little rascal was a few minutes ago but now she can't stop crying calling out to her 'mommy'.
She even began to squiggle around trying to escape once more but gave up when I decided to give her the good old disappointed look.
The fear of Asian children.
And now this child will know the meaning of it.
"Vivienne. If you don't behave I won't take you home with me. I'll leave you here. Do you want that?" I taunt the girl, not really planning to leave her but just... to make her stop crying at me because it's getting a bit out of hand.
Vivienne's ears perked up a little bit and now she has a small pout on her face refusing to look me in the eye. "Nwo..."
The tone of her sad voice immediately made me guilty of what I did. "Agh. I'm getting soft. If you stop crying we'll fly on Vanilla's back." I told her in order to coax her mood and it seemed to have worked.
"Pwegasus?!" (Vivienne) was back to her happy mood once I mentioned that we'll ride Vanilla to the sky today but... I'm not sure if this is up to code with the military rule book on how to ride a Pegasus.
"Since you're not really trained to keep your eyes open while flying... we'll fly at a slow speed home so your eyes can take in the wind." I poked her nose and we both went out to fetch Vanilla who was parked at the side while servants curtsied in my direction.
Vanilla neighs at our presence and even sniffed Vivienne to know she was safe. "There there, Vanilla. We're alright and it looks like we'll be going home now. You can rest in the stables once we get to the estate." I placed Vivienne on top of the saddle before I hopped on over behind her holding the leash tightly in my hands.
"Vwanilla!" (Vivienne) hugged Vanilla's mane before she neighs happily looking behind and licked the little girl's plumpy cheeks.
"Hehehe! Mama! Mama!" she calls onto my attention pointing at the side of her face that was now full of saliva. I sighed, patting her head, taking a handkerchief out of my [Storage Ring].
"Vanilla, you know that doesn't wash out but at least she's happy." I tell my Pegasus who neighbors happily at my comment. I couldn't help but smile, taking the handkerchief in my hands, wiping the saliva off of Vivienne's face.
"Mmph!" she pouts uncomfortably at my wiping but once it was all that her face was saliva free and I held onto Vanilla's leash kicking her thigh gently. "Tsk tsk."
Vanilla heard my command and spread her wings.
"Up."
I ordered and soon her wings flapped and now we were flying. Vivienne was a bit shocked but I made sure that my free arm was holding her tightly for her to not fall off. I could see her trying her best to open her eyes but being inexperienced she squinted trying her best to get the feel of the scenery.
I kicked Vanilla's thigh once more and it got her attention. "Fly slow this time girl. I want her to enjoy her first flight." I instructed looking over at the trembling girl who was hugging my chest plate.
Vanilla looks back understanding my order and soon she picks up the wind going at a slow pace. "Vivienne. It's okay now you can look without hurting your eyes."
Her blonde hair flowed through with the wind, bright blue curious eyes opened to see a whole new other perspective of the city. I looked down below with her and saw so many of the townsfolk preparing for the festival.
And it reminded me that I'll be out of town right after.
"That crossdressing prince better be here by then." I muttered to myself carefully, thankful that Vivienne was too distracted pointing at the people that looked like ants.
"Whoah! Woah! Waoh! Mama pwetty!" she turned to me for a reaction and I stifled a laugh.
"Yes it is. Now let's get home and- oh how will I explain to father about this-" I facepalmed mid air of our flight realizing that father might misunderstand Vivienne like the others as my secret love child or something.
"Ughhh... I'm getting tired of explaining this to everyone." I groaned trying my best to enjoy the slow flight back home while Vivienne was too amazed of the whole ride. Seeing her face full of shock and curiosity made the whole ride back home bearable at least, she's not cryin anymore.
.-.-.-.-.-.
Vanilla took the fastest course home and with only half an hour we were back at my estate. Out in the sky, we could see the big house that I grew up in. I'm half scared and half excited for my father to meet Vivienne but I'm sure it'll be fine. "We're home now."
Vanilla lands gracefully on the stone path in front of our house, the sounds of her hooves stomping could be heard.
"Mama!" (Vivienne) was really adamant on exploring the place, she raised her arms together asking for an upsie.
I suppose after a few days of being with me, I'm getting sucked into the whole mother figure thing. I'm actually liking it a little, perhaps it even reminds me of my life back then with- my original Vivienne.
Though my Vivienne from before was not this chaotic.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm here..." I tried my best not to smile too widely as I brought down Vivienne from the saddle and let her run around the front of the estate that had a lot of colorful flowers, pruned green bushes and a running fountain.
"Just don't run too fast or else you'll trip and hurt yourself!" I shouted in warning to which she stops running wildly and just walks fast looking at everything that's outside the estate.
I held Vanilla by the leash and heard the door opening and to his perfect timing, our family's butler came out bowing his head in my direction. "You are home, milady. I am pleased that you are safe in one piece. Your father has been waiting for you inside."
"Alfred. I'm home." I replied back with a smile.
He walks forward reaching out to Vanilla to grab her leash to lead her into the stables but stops when he looks down at his legs to see a little blonde girl clinging onto his legs like a little Koala.
"Oh... a child." His deep handsome sounding voice sounded uncertain on how to deal with Vivienne but he didn't look uncomfortable with her clinging to his legs. I didn't step in for now because I trust Alfred enough to know he won't hurt the little girl.
Alfred bends over to try and take Vivienne away from his pants but nothing. She was committed to not letting go. I could even see the wrinkled marks onto his black pants, I found that quite hilarious.
"Milady I see you have brought a small copy of you back home. Should I add another set of plates at the dinner table later?" (Alfred) turns to me with a serious look.
"That would be lovely. I don't believe we have a small child chair we could use for her?" I ask if we had any of them.
He tried to walk forward but Vivienne was still at his leg. "We have none but we can use pillows as her support, milady."
"I would like to have the chef prepare a sweet beverage as well. Something cold and would relax me enough to get me to sleep after the tiring mission as well for Vivienne." I rolled my neck a bit and heard the knots cracking satisfyingly. That certainly hit the spot.
"Vivienne?" (Alfred) mutters her name and turns back to the little one who continues to clinging happily once she hears her name.
"Hehehe!"
"I don't quite understand but she likes clinging onto things." I tell him and he just awkwardly shifts his leg in a more comfortable position. Although I find the whole ordeal funny it's definitely getting out of hand. "Vivienne let the nice butler go so he could feed Vanilla into her stables. You can meet my father in the meantime."
"Fatah?" (Vivienne) tries to word it out but it came out as some new adorable word she came up with.
"My father, yes so come here please." I offered her my hand, the moment I did she immediately let go and grabbed a hold of it not wanting to let go.
Alfred bows his regards, taking Vanilla's leash going to the direction of the stables.
I opened the door to my home, seeing the halls full of works of arts painted by Baron Hill's wife. Some of my works have also been hung up, from the time of my childhood. The first works I ever made when I was still stuck in the horrible home of my aunt.
Vivienne's eyes were wandering around the paintings as we walked bye, her steps becoming a little slow. I decided to match her pace, and tell her some of the history of some of the works here. "Here Vivienne. This is... my father's late wife. She's really pretty, isn't she?"
"Pwetty." She swung our hands together as we continued to walk, only stopping when my father's office was in view.
"Let's knock first." I knocked three times into the door and waited for the voice of Baron Hills to tell me to enter.
"Ah come in."
I looked down on Vivienne who was still holding my hand while I opened the door. I could see my ever hard working father with half of his whole hair almost turned silver, burying his head in a lot of paperwork it seems.
"Father, I'm home. I see that you're safe from your expedition with the trades in the south." We both walked inside as Vivienne tried to raise her head a little, glancing a peak at the old man.
"Kein. I hope you don't mind but I picked up some of your paperwork today. They have been piling up ever since you got assigned to that mission to escort the princess. How are you faring?" (Baron Hills) puts down the papers and finally faces us.
"I know that you and the princess had some history but- oh?"
He looks over curiously to Vivienne, standing up in his chair. My father came face to face with me. "Goodness me she's a carbon copy of you."
"That's what everyone has been telling me actually." I replied back laughing but it does feel tiring to hear because this little girl and I aren't really related but-
"Silver eyes..." (Baron Hills) stares at me before coughing. "Anything you want to tell me, daughter of mine? Did you elope with a shrine maiden-"
"Father, be careful of your words!" I quickly bent down to cover Vivienne's ears. "I did not do such a thing! I know she's only two but that's a short time for me to get-" I didn't even have the strength to continue.
Once father just decided to continue being silent waiting for me to explain, I removed my hands off Vivienne's ears. "This is Vivienne. We found her abandoned at a village, we asked everyone that might still be there but no one seems to know or claim her. I decided that... she'll be staying with us for a while."
I did think of sending her to the orphanage but... I'm not sure if that's a good move since she's already so attached to us.
It was the same for Rose and I.
"Oh. I see, I am rather proud of you seeing that the mission went well and you seem to have saved a soul in need." (Baron Hills) kneels down to face Vivienne. The blonde girl being afraid of strangers she hasn't met yet hides behind my legs.
"Mama..." she looks up at me, afraid of Baron Hills.
I couldn't help myself from patting her head protectively telling her that it'll be alright. Baron Hills is a kind person and even more so as a father figure that I respect. "It's okay Vivienne you can call Baron Hills grandpa if you want."
"It appears she even calls you something adorable as mama." Father laughed at my nickname and I covered half of my face to hide my embarrassment.
Baron Hills stops teasing me however when the little girl tugs on his sleeves. "Hehehe! Gwanpa! Gwanpa!" (Vivienne) shouts a few more times, earning a stunned old man his state. He seemed to be happy being called grandpa.
He never asked me for grandchildren… but I guess deep inside he wanted one badly.
"Hmm... is she staying with us permanently or temporarily?" (Baron Hills) carefully picks up Vivienne from the ground. The little girl seemed to be trusting father enough that she let go of my hand.
"I was thinking of temporarily but-"
"Kein that won't do. She would certainly be a fine addition to the family as my granddaughter. Do think it over because if you don't. I will disown you." (Baron Hills) smiles, raising Vivienne for an upsie to which she clearly enjoys because she was laughing so heartily with the old man.
My body shivered at the thought of father disowning me for such a thing. "F-Father don't jest-"
"I'm not jesting." he tells me with a serious look before returning to his happy demeanor when looking at Vivienne.
This is a new side of father I've never seen before and well- it was scary how not even five minutes he became attached to Vivienne claiming her to be the new granddaughter of the Hills family.
Well... I can't say the same for me because I have claimed her several times to be my responsibility. "Oh~! Vivienne, would you like for grandpa to give you some cake? Let your mother deal with the paperwork. I'm taking a break with my new granddaughter." He hugs Vivienne not too tightly and the old man sets her down onto the ground.
"Cwake?" she asks, still having problems pronouncing things.
Baron Hills nods in reply to her little questions. "Yes cake. Now I should have the chefs prepare something good for you." after telling that to my 'daughter' happily.
He turns to me with a serious face and instructs, "Kein finish those stack of papers. I already did what I could and now I'll be going out with Vivienne. Alfred will fetch you for dinner good luck with work." (Baron Hills) checks his watch and leads little Vivienne out of the office leaving me with a stack of papers to sign and read.
"Ugh... looks like I won't be getting any sleep tonight."
.-.-.-.-.
Later when Kein fell asleep while doing her paperwork…
"Mama-!" (Vivienne) was holding a plate of cake but noticed that her mother was sleeping so soundly at the wooden chair with no blankets or anything.
It seems that she was no longer in her armor and was just wearing her casual clothing.
"Mama…" the girl called out in distress, fearing that her mother would catch a cold. For a girl to be aging about four years old she was quite perceptive and smart.
She looks around and notices a small coffee table at the side.
"Mm… hmm…" (Vivienne) puts down the cake and runs around the vacant rooms trying to find a blanket of sorts.
"Oh!" She yells out in victory once she finds a clean white blanket in one of the guest rooms of the estate. "Hmph!" She drags it over towards Baron Hill's office where Kein was working.
The white blanket was far too long and heavy so she couldn't really carry it all and half of the blanket slid down onto the floor.
Vivienne found the same office room as before and saw her Mama sleeping so soundly. "Mama-" she whispers to herself looking so determined to keep her mom safe.
She finds another chair, puts the blanket on top of it and pushes it towards Kein's chair.
"Hnghhh…" with a few struggling sounds soon she had the two chairs placed together. Once she knew the deed was done, it was now her turn to climb up the chair and grab the blanket at the sides.
"Humph!" She places the blanket around Kein who has her head buried into the table feeling too tired to even notice what was happening but certainly she felt more comfortable in her sleep once the blanket was covering her body.
Vivienne decided to keep watch over her mama for tonight. Once her mama is awake she'll give mama the cake she brought over the table.
"Gwoodnight… Moma." (Vivienne) sits down on the chair and leans to Kein's body on the side, soon she can't help but fall asleep.
Truly she has been missing this very presence.
She was glad she found it again.
Thank you to my patreun!
Platymage
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