Lucius met Her Royal Highness

The breeze whispered through the trees as the sun rose brightly. Themis, the king, and the Princess visited Ariadne's tower. The busy princess, looking around the place, received a warm welcome from all the magicians, but she didn't notice because she was busy exploring the tower.

"Your Highness," Priest Damayanti greeted the approaching King. Themis smiled in response. When Ayira turned to face the priest, she spotted a shy child watching her from behind him.

"You went to the tower with her royal highness," Damayanti said, glancing at Ayira, who was staring at the boy behind him.

"Lucius, this is Her Royal Highness, Ayira," Damayanti began, kneeling in front of the shy child hiding behind him when he noticed that the princess kept staring at the shy Lucius.

"Hi!" Ayira smiled as she approached him.

"I'm not bad. Let's be friends," remarked Ayira, before offering her hand.

The small boy, who was the same age as the princess, glanced at her shyly. Then he looked at her royal highness' hands, and he reluctantly reached out and held Ayira's hand, causing Damayanti and Themis to giggle as they both witnessed the two befriend each other.

"Go on, play," Themis encouraged his child and Lucius.

"Do you have a place where we can play?" Ayira questioned the frail-looking child. Lucius then pointed to a door in the left wing of the tower.

Ayira smiled at her father before bringing Lucius to the location he pointed out while holding his hand. While they walk away, Themis and Priest Damayanti gaze at them with admiration.

"What brings you here, Your Highness?" Damayanti inquired as the two children entered the room.

"I told you to drop the formalities," Themis remarked, smiling. The two then began walking towards Damayanti's office so that they could talk privately.

"I went to Yorath last time with Alec. Where one of your mages spotted a man carrying the same sword as Dillon," stated Themis as they entered Damayanti's office.

"You went to Yorath with one mage?" Damayanti asked in disbelief.

"Do you understand how dangerous it is, Your Highness," he grumbled. The priest's protective nature began to appear.

"I'm fine, look," Themis responded, moving his hand to demonstrate to Damayanti that he was alive and well.

Damayanti sighed and plopped down on one of his office couches. Looking stressed at the recalcitrant king. Themis chuckled as he saw the priest becoming agitated again because of him, and he sat on one of the priest's couches, facing him.

"It's not funny, Themis," Damayanti remarked seriously, as he noticed the king smiling at him.

"I never said it was funny," Themis remarked slyly, causing the priest to touch his head in stress.

"I wish the princess didn't get your attitude." He muttered, while Themis grinned and said "You never know" before looking away, causing Damayanti to sigh again.

"Have you met him?" Damayanti asked, referring to the man who carries the same sword as Dillon. Themis looks at him with a trace of disappointment.

"No," he muttered.

"I see"

"But I met a child!" The king's mood shifted. From dull to sparkling.

"He's the same age as Ayira and Lucius," he said, grinning. He passionately recounted his interaction with the child. Damayanti stared at the king, attentively.

"The three could be friends."

"How about I go pick up that child, and you teach him magic or sword skills?" he asked excitedly, leaning towards Damayanti.

"We don't teach sword combat here," Damayanti responded, making Themis make an "Ow" sound, upset.

"And, Themis, you don't go around picking up kids whenever you want; that's illegal, and you're a king, you should know that," Damayanti said, recalling how Themis would pick up children he saw and bring them to his daughter, Ayira.

"I just want my daughter to have friends," Themis explains with sadness.

"There's the right way to do it," Damayanti said, making Themis sigh.

The king, Themis, was sometimes childlike. He also admires children and their charming nature. Damayanti, the priest, was bothered by his fondness for children. As the king occasionally visits the Tower with someone else's child, or when a child's family reports a missing child, he knows the child was in Themis' place.

Themis was Damayanti's cause of headache.

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After entering the room, Ayira was astonished to see Lucius' playground. Ayira's gaze moved up and down to the towering bookshelf within the room. She then looks at Lucius, who walks farther away and sits in a chair.

"Is this your playroom?" she said, smiling awkwardly at Lucius, who looked at her with a blank expression and nodded in answer, leaving Ayira unsure of something. In her opinion, how could an eight-year-old play and enjoy reading books?

"Are you sure?" she asked, making things clear and certain. Lucius nodded again in response.

Ayira started walking towards him. Accepting that this will be their playtime. She began to sit in one of the seats next to Lucius, while Lucius handed her a book that was on the table. Ayira examines the book he is presenting and takes it. Still baffled.

"That's my favorite book," he said nervously. Lucius handed Ayira his favorite book, and her eyes sparkled with delight. However, she instantly remembered that she did not like reading books.

Ayira opened the book, tried to read, and did not ask Lucius if there were any dolls in the room for her to play with. Trying not to upset Lucius' feelings, she forces herself to read the book.

The two began to read books, making the room very quiet. Later on, Ayira yawns in boredom, causing Lucius to turn in her direction.

"Are you sleepy?" inquired the frail Lucius. Ayira looked at him, rubbing her eyes due to drowsiness.

"You don't like reading, do you?" Lucius asked, prompting Ayira to stop scratching her eyes. Lucius smiled placidly before looking at the book he was carrying.

"People suddenly felt drowsy because they did not like what they were doing. They were bored." He went on to say. Ayira shyly looks aside after Lucius looks at her. "Are you bored?" he inquired, smiling. Ayira simply pouts in response. Making Lucius chuckle.

"You're a princess, you should love reading. Books give you knowledge of everything" he went on to say. Ayira looked at him suspiciously.

"You're not a kid, aren't you?" she asked, leaning towards the surprised Lucius. She tried to examine Lucius' face. Suspecting Lucius simply seemed younger, but he was truly old like Damayanti.

"You sound like Priest Damayanti," she muttered. She moved away and folded her arms.

"I'm not...old," Lucius responded, looking down and shy.

Ayira stared at him again and poked his face, causing him to look back at her.

"Father said you are a Holy Saint and can do anything, like God," she exclaimed, eagerly. Lucius' ears turn red. He was flushed. 

"What if..." she paused and looked directly at Lucius, who was anxiously looking at her.

"You make me a genius!" she said, raising her arms in the air. Lucius paused a second and burst out laughed, causing Ayira to lower her arms and gaze at him, bewildered with a hint of sadness on her face.

"You can't do that?" she said, disbelief. Lucius notices the princess' sad expression.

"I know something that will make you intelligent," he remarked, delighted. Ayira's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Lucius grabs the book he was reading and hands it to Ayira, who is stunned silence. 

"Reading makes you smart," he said casually. Attempts to cheer up Ayira, but the outcome is the opposite.

Ayira pouted while crossing her arms, confusing Lucius. For him, that is the only way to become smart. Read, study, and learn.

"Sorry," Lucius replied, disappointed. He was disappointed because he couldn't make the princess smile and be smart.

"It's fine," she said, still pouting with her eyes closed.

Lucius stood from his seat and walked towards one of the shelves. Ayira opened her eyes slightly to look at what Lucius was doing. Is he getting another book?

Ayira hurriedly closed her eyes as Lucius began walking in her direction.

He murmured, "Here."

When Ayira opened her eyes, she was astonished to see Lucius attempting to hand over the wooden peg leg doll to her. She was delighted and she sat properly.

"It's Lulu, my friend," he muttered as Ayira accepted it.

"You can have Lulu and never be sad again," he said as he sat down.

Lulu was Lucius' sole doll, which he always held. Lulu made Lucius feel less alone. Because he was the only child in the tower, the majority of the people were preoccupied with learning magic and protecting Absalom. So Lucius spent most of his time alone with either Lulu or his books.

Damayanti and Themis arrive at the library, also known as Lucius Playroom.

"Are you guys done playing?" Themis inquired. Ayira nodded in answer and ran into her father's arms. Themis smiled and carried Ayira on his arm.

"We're going," Themis said, staring at Damayanti, who simply smiled at him.

The two walked out of the room. Damayanti notices the doll the princess is holding. He looks at Lucius and walks towards him.

"Is that Lulu?" he questioned, and the child nodded in response. Damayanti smiled and patted Lucius' head.

"Do you enjoy playing with Her Royal Highness?" he inquired, smiling. Lucius nodded in response.

"Is she coming back?" questioned the frail Lucius. Hoping to see her Royal Highness again.

"I'll go tell the king to visit more with her royal highness," Damayanti answered, making Lucius' eyes gleam with enthusiasm.