Two kids, one with black hair and green eyes, and the other with blonde hair and black eyes. You read that right. Blonde hair and black eyes. Well, not completely black eyes, as the black colour wasn’t the same as mine. My child with Mommy Vyvyan had pure black eyes, but there was some blue inside that black, so it was closer to navy. When the child with blonde hair opened her eyes to look at me, I thought I saw Vyvyan.
My child with Vyvyan was far too similar to Vyvyan herself… From her eye shape, the slightly wavy hair and even face shape. I didn’t think even Lucia would believe it was her child if it didn’t come from her body.
The other child had a pair of eyes identical to her father and mother. She was basically a replica of Lucia. However, her black hair reminded me of myself. I believe her black hair would make her no less beautiful than Elizabeth. My two kids didn’t resemble twins when placed next to each other.
I don’t know if it was my imagination… Oh, I almost forgot. Both of them were girls if it wasn’t already obvious. I don’t know if my mind was read or what, but they were both girls. They’d become replicas of their mothers when they grew up, supposedly. There was no doubt in my mind they’d be very pretty girls.
That night was a sleepless night for the Imperial Palace, as everybody was excited. They weren’t all excited just to flatter me. It’d be pointless for the maids to flatter me. I wasn’t responsible for their promotions. They were just excited, because of the two new lives. After all, they were the first kids to be born in the palace. Furthermore, they were both very cute – though the maids couldn’t see them, since Vyvyan said that the two kids weren’t to interact with too many people in the first week to avoid someone switching the children for sinister purposes. I, however, suspected Vyvyan was worried her child would be suspected.
Mommy Elizabeth came over specifically to see the two children. Nier didn’t come, for she was asleep. Mommy Elizabeth’s expression was ambivalent if I had to describe it. Elizabeth knew the whole story, but she didn’t look as though she had sympathy or hatred. To the contrary, I seemed to notice envy from her… Perhaps she felt envious seeing new children. She was probably envious of Vyvyan, since she’d get to see the children grow up, I guess.
I was shocked by Mommy Elizabeth’s gentle and warm gaze when she carried the children. Honestly, I never thought that she’d be able to show that sort of gaze. In no way was it the type of gaze I’d imagine she could show. Her gaze didn’t look that warm and gentle even when she hugged me in the past. It was as though her tenderness bloomed when she held the children. I was bemused when I saw her reaction.
Mommy Elizabeth practically didn’t want to leave. Mommy Vyvyan had to kick her out. Mommy Elizabeth fell asleep with the kids. The two of them only opened their eyes for a short while after being born. They smiled when they looked at me, and they reached for me with their tiny hands.
‘Do they know I’m their father?’
Everybody had left. Mommy Vyvyan left after sorting out their hygiene. She said elven infants weren’t as physically weak as humans; they supposedly used their mana to protect themselves for some time after leaving their egg. That was particularly true for my two girls. Their protective mana would last a long time, as their mana for protecting themselves was supplied by Mommy Vyvyan. As such, they didn’t need any more attention.
I sat on a chair by the side, smiling as I watched Lucia, who was sitting up on the bed holding the kids. The two of them rested on their mom’s chest and began to take their first breaths in this world. Lucia supported them with her hands. She wore a blissful and gentle smile. She occasionally kissed on their cheeks. In a soft voice, she mumbled, “Good girls… Good girls… His Highness’… My kids… My kids…”
I was somewhat concerned, but it didn’t seem as though she was concerned that one of the kids didn’t resemble her.
“What’s wrong, Your Highness?”
She noticed me looking at her. She looked up at me with, but maintained her hand posture to support the kids.
“Nothing…” I replied with a smile.
“Take a look at your children, Your Highness. Empress Elizabeth and Her Highness were looking at them the entire time, while you never took a good look at them. Look at them. Look at how cute they are. Look, this girl’s eyes are basically my eyes…”
My heart stopped. I saw Lucia look at the blonde girl in her arms with a gentle smile. Smiling, she said, “Look at this girl. She is so similar to Queen Vyvyan. She truly is a child of the Galadriel tribe. She must’ve inherited Queen Vyvyan’s genes from you. She will grow up to be a girl as pretty as Queen Vyvyan.”
“I think so…” I awkwardly smiled, and then got up to walk over to Lucia.
The two kids looked up at Lucia, who revealed a smile to them. Lucia held the two in her arms tightly then kissed them on their foreheads. She giggled: “Your father is looking at you, girls. Let your father hold you. Your Highness. Your Highness. Look at them. Look at them…”
Lucia placed the two onto the bed. The two of them lay on their backs and looked at me puzzled but with smiles. They reached their hands out to me to try to grab my face.
I couldn’t hold back my smile when I saw their smiles. I leaned in and gave them a kiss on their faces: “I love you girls. I love you girls.”
They pat me on my face with their hands then giggled. I held their tiny hands and kissed them on their faces. I told them I loved them in a soft tone. They smiled at me. They then exchanged glances with each other, and then pat my face as though the two of them planned it. They distinctly laughed again.
I smiled and kissed them. I touched their faces and stroked their smooth hands. I was careful, for I was afraid I’d hurt them. Lucia watched us and puffed her cheeks as if she was jealous.
“Mm…” Lucia gently leaned over next to the children and looked at me eagerly. I smiled, and then gave her a kiss on her face: “I love you, too, Lucia. I love you, too.”
“I love you, too, Your Highness… I love you, too… I really… really… Feel so blissful…, because I became your wife… and your children’s mother… I feel so blissful when I look at you and our children now.”
I stroked Lucia’s head and replied in a soft voice: “Our life of bliss has just started. We have to accompany our children on their journey. That is what is most blissful…”