Realm of Light

Blessing (2)

A thing! Did I just got referred to as a 'thing'?

Three men entered the room, my father and two unknown men. From the way, the one who just spoke is dressed, and the beautiful face he has can only be part of the Royal members. Maybe then I shouldn't get my father in more trouble than we already are in, considering I'm not supposed to be here. 

The royal man is much lighter than my father; his tone is fair similar to the less fortunate's, contrasting with his ebony eyes and hair. Next to him, another man clothed more casually with a simple suit like Valor is standing. He too is darker like my father, a nice caramel skin complimented by the suit's turquoise colour; his eyes, contrary to the two men, were blue.

Valor comes and picks me up while the tan man picks up the book.

"I beg you to accept my most sincere apologies, your highness. I couldn't-" Valor stops mid-sentence when the gorgeous man raises his hand.

"This is unacceptable! This child drawing in the kingdom's economy register!" The royal man seems really scary when he is mad.

My father drops on his knees while holding me highly.

"Your highness, please spare our miserable life! I will take full responsibility to spare my wife and only daughter's life!" Damn it, father, don't be so dramatic. It's not like he said he'll kill us or something. Then something clicks in my head. Did Valor called the man 'highness'? As in the king of Saffom.

"The punishment for such disregard shall be death!" I guess it doesn't matter; land or realm leaders are untreatable.

The blue eyes man, whom position is still unknown to me, looks at the book and frowns. Not good!

"How bad is it, treasurer Rayborn?" Now I know his name is Rayborn, but what's a treasurer? The king looks very intimidating, mostly because I'm almost on the grounds, and he stands there, at least when he's not screaming, he almost seems nice.

"Viscount Marchetti, who wrote this?" The treasurer asks.

"What do you mean?" The king asks, Valor looks just as confused as the king, but I guess he doesn't really dare to speak right now.

"There is no drawing in this book, only calculations, but while the viscount's handwriting is clear and neat this, is the writing of a child." Does this man do it on purpose? I was on the desk with the book- ugh, I won't even bother explaining.

"Let me see." Demand the king. "Indeed, this is the writing of a child and not drawings." He takes his eyes off the book to look at me. "This child can do mathematics?"

After that, the room fell silent. Valor doesn't know what to say because he does not know I can do mathematics, especially that it is unique for a three years old girl. Yes, I precise 'girl' because I had to be reborn in a misogynistic land, where women are seen as inferior to men.

With my cutest smile and puppy eyes, I look back at the men and say, "Selah loves mathematics! She wants to be just like father!" Ah! Try resisting that!

I see the king is utterly in awe, the treasurer though he seems half-convinced of my act.

"Then I think you would be able to finish the page we interrupted you?" I knew the man wasn't convinced, but I have to prove him wrong, or death is awaiting us.

"Treasurer Ray-" I cut Valor.

"Yes, Selah would love to do mathematics!" This father of mine really needs to shush, or we will be killed.

In the meantime, my father gets back up, and I reach out to the treasurer Rayborn to get my hands on the book. "Give, give me!" I demand. From the corner of my eyes, I see the king, in total awe, confronted to my angelique face.

"Give me the child!" Suddenly the scary expression of the king disappeared; he really is mesmerized by my appearance. He looks like a man really excited to hold a baby.

I have to say even I was surprised when I saw my appearance in the mirror for the first time. I don't know what I was expecting, but considering my mother and father's beauty, I could only be this beautiful.

Just like my parents, I have caramel skin and jet black hair. Only I have silver eyes.

My father hands me to the king, and clearly, that man has never taken a baby in his hands before. With both of his arms extended, holding me from under my armpits, I could feel like a parasite if he didn't look at me with such interest in his eyes. 

"You weigh a ton." a- huh! "What do they feed you? You have such chubby cheeks." Hello, gallantry, leave my weight alone! Why do you care anyway?

He goes sit down on the chair behind the desk and sits me on his lap. I open the book to the last page while the king stares at me. I look back at him with interrogation in my eyes. What does he want? "Well, hurry then, don't be shy, finish this book." A please would kill him, huh?

Well, anyway, I can't really write anything without a quill and ink. Am I allowed to ask something from the king here? Even if I could, I don't have the words to ask, it's something to understand a language, but to speak it, that's a whole different story. I think I remember the word feather.

"Fea-feather!" I whine, stretching my arms towards the quill.

"Treasurer Rayborn, what is she saying?" The king asks, almost panicking. I guess it's not the right word.

Ugh! I don't have time for this. I try to get up, but he's restraining me with his arm quite firmly. I slap his hand, and he immediately takes it off, allowing me to stand up on his lap and taking the quill I so desperately need. I go back, sitting on his lap, only to see the dismayed face of my father and the treasurer.

That's when I realize; I just slapped the king.