Chapter 475 Three Years Later
Sophie smiled when she heard Nicholas' words. She could see how much the man doted on her children, even ones that were not his. She felt grateful for his graciousness for accepting them all and not even making any difference in how he treated the children.
How long had Leland gone? Sometimes, Sophie tried to ask Max to find news about Leland - to see if he heard anything from among the lycan communities. There was nothing.
She didn't want to ask Nicholas because she was embarrassed. Since she knew how he felt about her, Sophie wanted to respect his feelings by not discussing another man with him. While on Nicholas' side, he didn't want to bring up the topic of Leland whenever he was with Sophie because he didn't want her to feel more hurt than she already did.
Where did Leland go with Eloise and their child? Nicholas was often wondering. He had sent spies to find more information, but other than the situation in Armeria, they couldn't bring anything worthy to report.
Since he couldn't find the info he wanted even after months of trying, Nicholas finally decided to move on and focus on what he could control. Sophie's and their children's safety was now most important to him.
He was relieved and happy his mother convinced Sophie to take up residence in the queen's palace. It would be easier for everyone. And one day, when things were good between them, and Sophie was willing to take him back, he would ask her to marry him in a public wedding and throw the biggest and best celebration in the kingdom, one that she deserved.
"You're daydreaming." Sophie's comment moved Nicholas from his reverie. The man turned to her and blinked several times. Sophie pointed at Leia whose eyes were wide open in Nicholas' arms and staring at the man angrily. Sophie whispered, "Leia is hungry."
"Oh.... I am sorry," Nicholas chuckled. He looked down to the baby in his arms and kissed her hair. "You should have made a sound."
"She actually did," Sophie commented. "You were deep in thought. That's how I got to realize she was awake and hungry. Please give her to me. I will nurse her in the carriage."
"Oh..." Nicholas nodded. He gave Leia back to Sophie and noticed a little white pup near Sophie's thigh was yawning with her eyes closed. Anne was still sleeping. "I will wait on Anne while you nurse Leia."
"Thanks," said Sophie. She took Leia in her arms and got up. Her every movement was graceful, and she looked charming. The king was never tired of seeing her around him.
Nicholas looked at Sophie's back view as she walked toward the carriage parked not far from their picnic location with her hungry baby. His chest was filled with warmth to the brim. Sophie was so beautiful and charming. She just looked more attractive as days went by.
After she gave birth to Leia, she quickly shed her remaining weight, which Nicholas suspected was due to her stress, and now she almost looked like her old self again.
The queen noticed Nicholas' dreamy eyes when he watched Sophie and could only sigh. How long would this last, she was wondering.
***
Three years later.
Sophie was all smiles. Today Anne and Jack would turn five, and as it was custom with all lycan children, by this age, they would gain the ability to shift into their human forms. Sophie couldn't wait for this day to come. She had enjoyed watching Leia grow from a baby to a toddler and witnessing all her growth progress as a human.
The little girl was so beautiful, so charming, and she talked a lot. Sophie enjoyed communicating with her about whatever. The teachers at the royal palace all agreed that Leia was really smart and was filled with curiosity. Being the only little girl in the royal family, she was the darling of everyone.
At 3.5 years old, her beauty stood out, and everyone thought she would grow up to be even more beautiful than her mother, Sophie. Leia inherited Sophie's looks. She had Sophie's soft hair with pink streaks. Her eyes were mesmerizing blue, and her really beautiful face had freckles on her cheeks that made her look naughty.
Now, Sophie couldn't wait to see what her older daughter would look like after Anne transformed into a human. At this point, Anne and Jack already looked very different. Jack was huge and burly, and almost as biggest as Jan and Luciel when they transformed into their wolf forms, while Anne was small, cute, and frail, only half of Jack's size.
"After dinner, we will stay together by the fireplace and wait until you both turn five and transform," Sophie informed the pups after she combed their furs gently and kissed their heads. "I can't wait to see you both in your human forms."
Leia, who was standing beside Sophie, pursed her lips. She was the only one who was born human among her siblings, and she was jealous to see Jan and Luciel could transform into wolves as they pleased, and now Anne and Jack could transform into humans. She had asked her mother when was her turn but Sophie informed her that she couldn't.
This made Leia upset for days, but then she got over it. However, now that the day came for Anne and Jack to shift, she was reminded again that she was not special like her siblings. This made her pout.
"Let's go to dinner, grandma and His Majesty must be waiting for us already," said Sophie. She got up and walked to the door. Anne and Jack followed her while Leia walked between them.
When Sophie and her children arrived in the dining room, she could see the queen and Nicholas were waiting for them with a glass of wine in their hands. Luciel and Jan came later, looking tired and bored. They just finished their study and immediately went to the dining room.
"Such a big day today," said Sophie excitedly. "I already prepare so many nice clothes for Jack and Anne. I hope they will fit."
Nicholas smiled. She looked at the two pups with adoration and nodded. "I can't wait too. They must look beautiful."
Jack bared his fangs and rolled his eyes when he heard Nicholas' words. The king immediately corrected his comment and said, "No, I mean, Anne must look beautiful and Jack handsome."
Then he winked at the boy. Jack scoffed.
Nicholas wanted to laugh out loud, but he held back. Even after four years together, Jack still managed to keep showing his animosity toward Nicholas. Fortunately, Nicholas was not bothered by it because he knew that secretly Jack liked him but, for some reason, felt the need to keep acting like he didn't like the king.
Maybe it was Jack's way of showing his loyalty to his biological father? Nicholas didn't know, and to him, it didn't matter.
Sophie only laughed at the two's interaction. She had gotten used to the animosity shown by Jack to Nicholas, and she had stopped worrying about it. She also realized that it had now become some sort of a running joke between Nicholas and Jack. The boy would pretend to hate him and everything he did, and Nicholas would pretend to notice it.
"How is school?" Sophie asked the older boys who looked tired and uninspired.
"Bad," Jan replied, on Luciel's behalf. "This week, we have examinations. We need to study more."
"Well... I am sorry to hear that," said Sophie. "But education is very important for young people. I would do anything when I was your age to be allowed to school."
"Yeah, I don't mind school," said Luciel, pursing his lips. "But we have private teachers. It's boring to see the same teachers every day for four years in a row. I want to see other people and meet children my age. I wish we are allowed to go to school outside the palace."
Sophie and Nicholas exchanged glances. Both parents knew this was not ideal for children their age to study with private teachers. They needed to have more friends and study with their peers, so they could hone their social skills, and learned from the world.
However, after what happened to their family over the years, and the fact that someone could pose as fake Catherine to get close to them for months, Sophie and Nicholas was worried about the children's safety. They wanted to keep the boys close to them at all times.
So, sending them to school was not something they could choose.
Maybe... they could hold some parties and invite children from outside to meet the boys? That was something that they could do, right?
"Tell you what," Nicholas suddenly said. "We will think about that. Maybe after Anne and Jack transform, they could also go to school with you two."
Sophie was surprised to hear his words.
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