Yearning For Familial Love

Chapter Three: Rebirth

[Leo turned Cleo]

Chapter Three: Rebirth

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When I regained consciousness, everything felt off.  I could barely move as I lay. Staring at an unfamiliar stone ceiling. It was immediately obvious I was absurdly tiny. From the walls towered over me that I realized to be the walls of a cradle.

I found myself in a fray of torment bound tightly by a blanket. I still felt cold. While the blanket looks to be soft it feels like sandpaper against my skin. I can tell you that an infant's skin is insanely sensitive. And the urge to move my arms and legs around is intensifying. I began to feel trapped though I couldn't do anything about it.

 My only escape from this seemingly cruel reality was sleep. I began worrying that I would go insane. For a real infant, the simplistic things about their environment are interesting. Ignorance is bliss in this case.

 I almost wish I had lost my memory. At least in the beginning. Fortunately, I seemed to not be able to fall asleep. So at least there's that.

I am grateful for the other infants' cries. I seem to be terrified of crying, no matter how uncomfortable I become. Even knowing there is someone there. Who's whole purpose seems to be my welfare?

The voice in my head tells me. “Nobody is going to come if I become annoying”. If I cry and no one comes, I do not think I will be able to cope. So I keep quiet as my fears continue to grow. What if, instead of tending to me, they become irritated and dump me outside? 

No, it is best to wait; they will come. They always do after the other baby's cry. Before they came to me I ended up falling back asleep.

When I awoke, I found myself cold, hungry, and terrified. In the dead silence of the darkness, my mind began to form images out of the shadows. I started wondering how I'm supposed to guide this so-called hero when I'm a useless infant. 

I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. Seriously, I never considered just how long it takes to grow up. My attempt to distract myself failed. Focusing on memories of the past and even creating my own little stories to pass the time… I was desperate.

I finally gave in, the pain of hunger and fear flooded out and I began crying out in desperation. Managing to hold back the emotions for a moment, I'd Pause to listen. After only a few cries, the room was filled with a gentle glow. And I found myself being cradled by a lady who, I am certain, is not my mother. She appears to be dressed as a maid. With her brown hair and green eyes, she has the face of a tween. She is much too young to be a mother.

"Shh, shh, your Highness, you're okay?" she said weakly. Her tone made it obvious she had very little experience with babies. It had the opposite effect, as I picked up on her fear; it only served to amplify my own.

I continued to cry until she shoved a bottle into my mouth. While I was struggling with the bottle. The awkwardness of how she held me subsided a bit. I could feel her confidence building as her fear dissipated. After a while, she sat down in the nearby rocking chair. 

We gradually found common ground. She eventually repositioned the bottle, which made it much easier for me to drink. This girl's stare is still making me nervous. With that dumb expression on her face, I wonder who my parents are to entrust my life to this girl. She doesn't exactly scream intelligent or responsible. When the bottle was empty, she set it aside and cradled me for quite some time. 

The pain in my stomach grew to the point. Where I felt I could burp. However, instead of air, I spit milk on her. It was immediately evident she wasn't prepared for this outcome. As She squealed, "Ewww, ewww." she started to move me away from her. In the panic, I was certain I was about to meet Yuri again.

She nearly threw me when she stood up. Another maid took me away from her. It was truly impressive that she managed to keep from hurting my neck. The much older maid now cradled me more naturally. Rested me on her shoulder and patted/rubbed my back until I had finished burping.

The new maid exhaled, 
"Lizzy, my incompetent child. I warned you not to forget to burp them. Now you've almost thrown her and stained your uniform." 

Lizzy whimpered,
 "I am sorry, Mother; I will do better next time."

"Yes, you will," she said with a sing-song tone. 

Continuing her soft sing-song voice she said, "Now go get cleaned up; I have got the little ones for now." The old maid ordered.

Rena, the old maid who just saved me. Offer me another bottle. Before burping me again. Then after some embarrassing baby talk, she rocked me to sleep.

Over the next year, my perception of Lizzy shifted dramatically. In the beginning, she was nearly the death of me a few times; however, as time passed, she became the person I considered my adoptive mother… you depend on someone while incapable of doing anything yourself for a year. Then tell me you only see them as a servant.

Haha… (embarrassed) I also started to feel betrayed by Yuri. Because during my first year. I never met anyone related to me. 

Shortly after my first birthday, I regained the ability to speak. Well if you can call it that. Though I'm sure I've pronounced the word correctly every time, but… nuny, yum yum, no, and yes… Seem to be the only words anyone can make out. 

Trying to add More than one word. Together seems to make anything I say come out as gibberish baby talk. It doesn't help that it seems keywords are missing from my vocabulary. Food for example yum yum gets the point across but…

Does Cleo want (unlegible word)? The word sounds like a foreign language. The word from the best I've gathered means food or (to eat). But it's a long and hard-to-pronounce word… 

Every time I hear it I feel the urge to pout in frustration. Why is such a commonly used word so complex?

Every time I hear it. I feel like a doctor just told me an important name of a medicine they're prescribing me. Yet I couldn't even begin to try to say that medicine's name…

On the other hand, I can also sit up and I've even mastered turning my head without falling over while sitting up… crawling is within my grasp but I don't get many opportunities to practice.

Growing little by little I keep learning more and more about my new world, some of which I'd rather not know…

For example, I'm extremely cute… and this is completely new territory. It catches me off guard every time and servants/ guards have no shame! My very presence seems to turn anyone into a fool. As they babble about my Cuteness in their best baby talk voice… 

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[End Of Chapter]