Cassiopeia | General Kirigan x OC

Chapter 20

The meeting was running longer than the general had anticipated. With a glance at the clock on the wall, Aleksander noted that Cassi's lessons had ended and Ivan would be bringing her to him any moment.

Amina had wanted some 'girl's time' with Genya and Zoya so Kirigan was tasked with taking care of his daughter for a little while.

The door opening sent a gust of air through the room. Aleksander barely had to look up to know it was Ivan and his daughter. The general nodded in appreciation and Ivan returned the gesture before departing.

The door hadn't even shut and Cassiopeia had already begun causing mischief. From the corner of his eye, Aleksander saw the top of his daughter's head appear over the edge of the table; her eyes barely level with the top. In the blink of his eyes, she had sneaked behind a guard that now looked like he was about to pass out. Aleksander raised an eyebrow at her in warning knowing she was lowering the guy's heart rate. She giggled and disappeared under the table again.

"It seems General Kirigan, your instructors don't pay close enough attention to their students. It looks to me like one of them has snuck away," the King spoke.

Aleksander fought the urge to roll his eyes, "My instructors are excellent at their jobs, and are careful to pay attention to all their students."

"Then perhaps you care to explain why there is a child running around the room."

He almost throttled him. The general knew the king knew perfectly well who the child was but he seemed to carry resentment toward his daughter since she was young. It seemed it was because she had once lowered his heart rate, making him pass out when the old man was making Amina uncomfortable.

The 5-year-old suddenly appeared at Aleksander's side, looking around at the king and his men. The general reached over the side of his chair and scooped up the smaller Grisha. "This little monster," he explained as he placed Cassi in his lap, "belongs to me."

She looked up at their father and giggled, "hi daddy."

Aleksander looked down at her, "hello my little star," he answered and kissed her hair.

Cassi leaned forward on his lap and looked at the map of Ravka spread across the table. "What's that?"

"That's a map, my darling."

"What are all those markings on it?"

"Nothing you need to worry about just yet."

"Why not?"

"Because that's for me to handle, you just worry about being a kid alright?"

She nodded happily and the strange markings on the map were put from her mind as Aleksander gave her some paper and a pen to doodle with while he carried on with the meeting.

Late that same night, Aleksander sat at his desk sifting through the endless reports he had to read through. He was halfway through a report on a recon mission when his attention was pulled away from it by Cassi's voice calling out for him.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm not tired yet," she pouted.

"What do you want to do then?" he asked softly, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Can I stay with Uncle Ivan today?"

And then she gave him those damn puppy dog eyes.

He sighed, already knowing he lost.

"Alright. But make sure to take your toothbrush and clothes for tomorrow" he reminded.

It was such a normal occurrence for the girl to stay with he uncles or aunts that she just got ready with them the next morning and came down to breakfast.

She gave him a kiss on the cheek before the general dropped her off at Ivan's room. The man was absolutely delighted to see Cassiopeia.