Iria joined her brother and cousin who were chatting along with Valerie, Ophelia, and the Empress. Little Gervas fell asleep a while ago and his mother just returned after making him sleep in their chamber. Just like Ansel, a nanny was with him.
Once Iria took a seat right beside Andres, the latter quickly wrapped his left arm around her shoulder.
"Where is Arin?" the Crown Prince jokingly asked. "Did he leave you alone again?"
The Qalagon Queen frowned and shoved her cousin's hand away, but before she could say anything, Arin sat beside her.
"You always tease my wife around, Andres," Arin Helev dryly pointed out. "I'm disappointed."
"Don't always be so overprotective," Andres Francia sighed. With a playful yet victorious smile on his face, he added, "She is your wife but she's my cousin too."
Arin Helev simply snorted and shifted his attention to Iria, much to the annoyance of the Cedore Crown Prince.
He won't change!
"By the way, why is the King of Jerivia not coming?" Andres asked Arin as he glanced around the hall. Only a handful of guests were in the hall now.
"His wedding is just weeks away," the Qalagon King replied. "He can't travel due to the preparations but he sent a gift for Ansel."
"Wedding?" Andres gave a thought and said, "He is marrying the Princess of Roviel, right? Is it an alliance marriage?"
Arin shook his head. "Though it might also qualify as an alliance marriage, they love each other. When the Princess of Roviel went to Jerivia a year ago, she fell in love with King Trevor and she has never stopped bothering him since then. Maybe Trevor finally give in."
Iria let out a chuckle when she hear her husband. "Whatever, it is good for Jerivia. Roviel will surely make a reliable ally and it will help King Trevor in his ongoing reform."
The ever-playful Crown Prince nodded and said, "It's good that Arin finally finished his reform. I also help him a lot during that and it was such a hassle."
"I don't recall you lending any help," Orius Alewine spoke up and Andres looked at him with disbelief.
"How can you do that to me, Orius?!" the Crown Prince snarled.
Didn't they always team up while playing around?!
"I'm only speaking the truth," Orius simply stated in his usual calm voice and he made everyone laugh, including Empress Amina who was quietly listening to their conversation.
"You shouldn't lie thoughtlessly," the Empress reprimanded her son yet there was a smile on her face.
Andres glanced at his wife who said, "I agree with mother."
Displeasure rushed through the Crown Prince and he gulped down the cup of wine. Then he hardly placed the cup on the table, making everyone laugh in secret.
"We plan to stay for a few more days," Valerie said to Iria who promptly nodded with excitement.
"That will be great," the Qalagon Queen remarked. "That way, Ansel and Gervas will be able to spend more time together."
"That's what I think too," Orius promptly said. "Qalagon is quite far from Cedore and the cousins won't get to see each other often. I don't want them to be so distant once they grow up."
"Why don't you just come and live here?" Arin suggested with a little smile though he already knew what the response would be. But...
Orius didn't even get to respond as Emperor Kalos appeared and took a seat beside Empress Amina.
"Did you just ask my most trusted and capable military official to leave my empire?" Kalos Francia said in an evidently displeased tone. He looked at Orius and said, "I will never allow that."
"I'm well aware of that, Your Majesty," Arin sighed and added, "I know you're already upset enough that I took your niece from you."
His words made the Emperor laugh. "It's good you know that."
Arin Helev only frowned while Iria let out a chuckle. However, they were instantly interrupted by a couple.
"Sophie," Arin Helev muttered with a smile as he turned around. "You're leaving?"
Sophie nodded. "It's getting late and Ansel is already asleep too."
"Alright," the King said and shifted his attention to Antony who was standing beside Sophie. "Are you seeing her off?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will return after that," the guard replied but the King showed him a dismissive gesture.
"It's already late," Arin Helev said. "You don't have to return anymore."
"But -"
"Just do as I said. Elian can manage things here."
Antony shifted his gaze to the Queen who nodded at him as a means to tell him that it was okay to let Elian take over. Then the guard bowed his head. "I understand."
With that, the couple bid goodbye to the King and Queen and left the hall.
Arin Helev briefly glanced at his stepmother, Morin, Athena and Aziel who were still chatting at another table. He slightly smiled at the happy sight and shifted his attention to the ongoing chat with Iria's family.
The lively chat went on for almost half an hour before everyone retreated to their respective chambers.
Arin and Iria were also standing near the door of their chamber, staring at their 1-year-old son who was peacefully sleeping on the small bed prepared for him. The nanny left a while ago when the couple showed up.
"I can't believe that Ansel is one year old now," the Queen said to her husband who stood beside her with his right arm wrapped around her waist. "It feels like just yesterday that I gave birth to him."
"I still remember how nervous and happy I felt when I first hold him," Arin Helev said with a little smile on his face. "Being a father gives me so much joy but it's also a huge responsibility."
"I know how hard you try," Iria quickly said. "You always spare time for him no matter how busy you are. Though my father was a great father, that's one of the things he could never do for me."
The King still maintained his smile and looked at his wife. "Once Ansel grows up, I hope he can be like you, My Queen."
"But I wish for him to be like you," Iria argued and met Arin's gaze. "A good king who is admired by his people and a king who rules with mercy. I hope he can follow in your footsteps."
"Then he can take after both of us," Arin Helev said with a light chuckle and Iria nodded.
When the Queen's attention was back to her son, the King made her turn to him and he pulled her closer. "Forget about Ansel. I think he needs a sibling now." He leaned closer to her ear and whispered, "But I want a Princess this time. A daughter who looks just like you."
"You might be a king, Your Majesty," Iria dryly said and added, "But that's beyond your authority. Being able to conceive a child is already a blessing. Don't be picky."
Arin chuckled and shook his head in amusement. "I'm okay with anything, Your Majesty," he said. "I'm only stating my wish."
Maintaining her silence for a while, Iria looked up at Arin and said, "You know what, many people said that the alliance marriage went wrong just because we fall in love with each other in contrast to the plan. But I think that's not true."
Arin nodded in agreement and Iria continued, "It's been three years and I realized that my life is only alive after meeting you. So, at least for me, the alliance marriage didn't go wrong."
"The same goes for me too," Arin Helev responded with a genuine smile on his face. Then he planted a kiss on the crown of her head and it was followed by all over her face and lastly, he cupped her face and captured her lips.
"For me, that alliance marriage presented me the most precious treasure and that's you. I love you more than I love myself, Iria, and it will always be that way."
She smiled as she fully trusted what he said. She didn't feel any doubt at all. Maybe because he never gave her a reason to not trust him. And to attain this amazing love that always made her feel at home, all the things she went through to stand beside him right now were more than worth it.
------ THE END -----
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