Ayira

"Father… Father"

A small girl, perhaps eight years old, attempted to wake up her sleeping father. He gently opens his eyes. A guy in his 30s, looking pretty with stunning blue eyes and golden blond hair that makes him look majestic.

He glances at his beaming daughter, who is carrying a flower.

"Father, look what I got." The joyful girl proudly displayed the Daisy she had just picked up. Her father watched her with fondness.

"Do you like this flower?" he asked, smiling. Her daughter said 'Yes' and smiled at him. He cracked a smile as his daughter responded.

"Your mama also likes Daisy," he continued, recalling her days with his wife.

"Is Mama pretty?" the curious small child asks.

"Of course," he said, carrying his toddler to his lap. "She's pretty, just like you," he states, softly pinching the cheek of his lovely daughter, who wondered about her mother.

"Or much prettier than you?" he teased his daughter, who pouted in response. The man chuckled, admiring his child's cuteness.

She said "Father" in a sad and reluctant tone. Her father's smile disappeared, and he looked at her with concern.

"What is it, my princess?" he inquired, alarmed. The girl looks at him as he waits for her response.

"About Mother, you said she went to a faraway land," she remarked, causing her father to gaze at her with worry imprinted on his face. When his daughter cast another glance, he brushed it off and smiled at her.

"Where is the far-away-land?" she asked. Her father then gestured as if he was thinking before asking the princess if she missed her mother. Attempting to change the topic. The princess nodded in response.

"I also want to play with Mother," she pouted, wanting to see and play with her mother.

"So you don't want to play with me?" his father teased, pouting. Trying to cheer up the unhappy princess. The princess chuckled at him when she noticed him pouting like her.

"Father looks like a duck," she laughed, which made her father laugh as well.

It'd been eight years since Casimir attempted to assassinate the newly-born Princess. The palace was under the control of King Themis' cousin, Christos, and people were confused about learning of the missing royal families. They were also perplexed as to why the royal families fled following the birth of the princess.

King Themis and his daughter reside in an isolated area near Absalom, protecting and securing the princess' safety with the assistance of the priest Damayanti. Themis is such a wonderful father to Ayira; even though he misses her highness, he shows neither sadness nor weakness towards the princess. Despite his feelings of depression. He did not abandon the princess, as he used to. He mentally strengthened himself for the princess.

"Your Highness" A man appeared, disrupting the lovely time between His Highness and the princess.

"Ayira, go play. Papa has something to do." He carefully set Ayira down and approached the man who appeared to be a disciple of the Tower of Ariadne, which has the best magicians in town.

He gestures for the guy to follow him as they enter a chamber that appears to be His Highness's office.

"Any news?" he inquired.