Yorath

"Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and imagine a door closing," he instructed his daughter, the princess, so she could conceal her aura. The princess then began performing as her father instructed.

Deep breath.

Close your eyes.

The door closes.

"That's right, my princess!" Themis exclaimed eagerly. When the princess achieves it on her first try, he looks proud and delighted and carries the princess and raises her into the air, making Princess Ayira giggle. Priest Damayanti looked at them with dismay from a distance. The king is doing something that causes the priest to become stressed.

"Are you going with her Royal Highness?" Damayanti inquired, worried.

The king plans on going to Yorath with the princess to see the young child who resides there.

"Then let me send 5 mages to go alongside you," Damayanti said, seeing that Themis had already made up his mind.

"No need; I already have Alec," the hard-headed king answered. While preoccupied with admiring the princess,

"Alec is not enough; what about three mages?" Damayanti tries to persuade the king.

"Nope," he said, pinching Ayira's pudgy cheek. "You're so adowable," he said, baby-talking his 8-year-old child. Not paying attention to the stressed-out priest beside him.

"Your Highness!" the displeased priest exclaimed.

"I said we were fine. Alec will accompany me. Only Alec," Themis remarked, glancing at the stressed priest.

Priest Damayanti touches his head and expresses his frustration with the hard-headed king. He then sat down on one of the couches in his office.

"Damayanti, change our hair color!" he said, his blue eyes sparkling as he looked at the priest. Damayanti sighed and began to turn the king and princess' golden hair to black.

"Now, where good" remarked Themis, carrying Ayira on his arm.

"Let's go," he said cheerfully and walked out of the room, leaving Priest Damayanti in disbelief.

"To where, Father?" Ayira inquired.

"Somewhere," he answered, smiling. Making the young princess wonder.

After two days of journey with the assistance of Alec, the mage. The king and princess safely arrive in Yorath. The curious princess continued to gaze around her surroundings as her father carried her around. It was full of scenery, and you could hear birds chirping.

When they were preparing to go up a high slope, Themis and Alec paused their walk as they came across the red-haired child, who was looking at them shocked while holding tree branches in his hand.

"Y-your Highness," he hesitantly murmured. His gaze then focused on the girl the king was carrying. When the king noticed, he placed down the princess, who was perplexed.

"This is Ayira, my daughter," he explained. He introduced his daughter to the child.

"Hello," Ayira called out, and the young boy sheepishly greeted the princess, who was waving her hand.

"Are you visiting our house, your highness?" the red-haired boy inquired, staring at his highness.

"I told you to drop the formalities," he said, lightly touching the child's cheeks.

"What's your name again? I forgot to ask it last time we met" he went on to say. He mumbled, "Zagan".

"Zagan, what a strong name," he said before heading to the little boy's house.

"Hold my daughter's hand, Zagan" he added, while walking with his hand on his back.

Alec then walked to Zagan to get the three branches he was carrying so that the red-haired child could hold her royal highness' hand. In Alec's opinion, the king truly likes this boy. Trying to allow the princess and Zagan to have a nice connection.

Well, Zagan was handsomely built so Alec couldn't disagree with his highness.

Zagan stared at her royal highness with nervousness. Ayira sensed her father was already moving farther away from them. She grabbed Zagan's hand and ran toward his father. While Alec appeared concerned and went to assist the two kids in case they slipped.

"I'm tired!" Ayira exclaimed to her father, who was busy leading the way.

"Father!" she exclaims, still clutching the anxious Zagan's hands. Themis cast a gaze at his exhausted daughter. He stops walking and waits for the two.

"Do you want me to carry you?" he inquired. Ayira nodded, exhausted. Themis then began carrying the princess on his arm, as Zagan looked on, at ease.

The four arrived at the child's front home. Zagan's mother and two uncles remain missing.

"Where is your mother?" they inquired, placing Ayira down.

"Town," Zagan responded, approaching the magician who stood outside the home, standing still. He then asked for the tree branches, which Alec handed over. Zagan began to arrange the branches on the tables in preparation for the upcoming winter.

"Your mom is busy "Themis murmured, contemplating.

"Are you always left alone?" he inquired. Zagan nodded and continued doing his thing.

"Father, who is he?" Ayira asked quietly, grasping his father's garments. Themis looks at the interested princess and kneels in front of her.

"Do you like him?" he teased, whispering in his daughter's ears, making Ayira flustered.

"I'm not," Ayira muttered, sulking. Themis rose and smiled. Her daughter's shyness in front of him due to a boy makes him content.

The king spent his time watching the two children play and sharing laughs. Just looking at them causes Themis to miss Alaunos, Dillon, and his queen, Dera. Seeing the two teasing one another makes him miss her even more, reminding him of the wonderful days when Dera used to tease him.

"Zagan is so playful; he reminds me of her highness," he said, sitting in one of the patio chairs. Alec cast a glance at his Highness, who appeared to be admiring the two from a distance.

"Watching them reminds me of Your Highness and Her Majesty," murmured Alec, standing alongside him. Themis looks at Alec with satisfaction.

"Right! I thought I was the only one who noticed it," Themis responded. Alec then cracked a smile and glanced at his highness, who was also happy.

"Her royal highness becomes a mini you, your highness," Alec said, causing them to chuckle.

"Both are cry babies," Alec added, making Themis stare at him confound.

"I didn't cry that much when I was a child" he opposed, making Alec smile.

After a little teasing. Themis looks back at his daughter, who is heading towards him while Zagan chases her.

"Father! Zagan! Z-zagan!" she exclaimed, frightened. Themis and Alec are worried about her Royal Highness, but Zagan giggles as he chases the princess.

"It's a pet!" Zagan exclaimed, chuckling. Teasing the princess with the bettle in his hand.

"Father," Ayira cried, as she ran to her father's arms.

"Your High-" Alec was interrupted by His Highness's laughter. Themis extended its arm to hug the wailing princess and placed it on his lap.

"Father," she sniffles, still sobbing. Alec becomes concerned about the young boy's behavior towards the princess, whilst the king appears not bothered.

"It's fine, Ayira. Don't cry," he replied, brushing away tears on her cheeks. Themis then looks at the smiling Zagan. He gestured for Zagan to approach, and Zagan did what he asked. After the small lad got close enough. He pinches its cheeks, causing Zagan to say "Ouch!" As he touches it, his cheeks turn reddish from pain.

"I didn't pinch that hard," Themis remarked, sneering. Zagan pouted at his highness's words, causing Themis to giggle before pulling the little child to his arms, hugging him while messing his hair.

The monarch adores the small child for the way he reminds him of his wife, the queen.

"His Highness is here," says someone in the distance as they observe the king having a good time with two children on his arm.

"Don't come close; it isn't the right time," the other one remarked.