Chapter 412 - Playful Children (2) (unedited)

After eating lunch, the couples let their children play at the palace gardens because the inside of the palace is still quite busy with the preparations for the banquet tonight.

"Be good to your cousins and little aunt and uncle, okay." Alicia said to Alphonse and Aerith. "I know how rough you two play, but because they are younger than the both of you play nice."

"Yes, mother." Alphonse, Leonhart, and Aerith replied in unison.

"Do not worry your majesty, we know what to do." Aliyah replied with a big smile.

"That is correct." Deimos replied. "We have been playing with them for a long time now."

The twins Aliyah and Deimos have been going back and fort to their home in South Atlantia and to the capital of Grandcrest because of their father Dimitri's work. Dimitri have made a good job as the grand duke of South Atlantia, but he cannot leave his old task of being by Regaleon's side. He has promised Regaleon's mother that he would look after him until death has taken him, and so he goes back to Grandcrest quarterly to help Regaleon with his work. He stayed loyal as the emperor's most trusted man.

"Thank you, Aliyah, Deimos." Alicia patted both their heads. "Take care of little Thalia, okay? She is the youngest of you here."

"Yes!" All the children replied in unison.

After that, the five children ran towards the direction of the palace garden.

"The children had grown so fast." Anatalia walked towards Alicia. "I am afraid that with just a blink of an eye they will grow more, and they will leave our side."

"Yes, you are correct." Alicia replied. "But I wish them to stay like this for a while longer."

Alicia's face showed a sad smile. She was looking at her twins thinking of the future.

"What are you thinking, my love?" Regaleon put his arms around his wife's waist.

"It is nothing." Alicia smiled to her husband.

"I know you are thinking about something." Regaleon replied. "I know you. We have been together for so long now."

"Well, it is just that… I am afraid of Alphonse's future." Alicia let out a sigh. "You know what kind of burden he is tasked upon his little shoulder since before he was born. I am just afraid… afraid of pushing him in such a path. What if the path he takes is full of danger? What if he experiences many difficulties and cannot handle all of them? I am afraid that…" She became silent at the last word.

"Hush now my love." Regaleon comforted his worried wife. "We are helping him in all ways possible. We are preparing him for the road ahead. He is our son, Lili. I am confident that he can overcome any difficulties that comes his way."

"I know Leon. We have done our best to teach him to become stronger." Alicia looked at the children playing on the garden and had a smile on her face. "We have given him both love and strict guidance. I just wish that is enough for his road ahead."

"I am confident he would overcome everything that comes his way in the future." Regaleon kissed the top of his wife's head affectionately. "We raised our children to become strong and we showered them with all our love."

The imperial couple joined their family in having tea at the garden gazebo.

**

"Got you, hahaha…" Leonhart who was it, caught Aliyah.

"Hahaha, you are quite fast Hart." Aliyah giggled.

"Even though he is still young, my brother is quite agile." Aerith looked like a proud mother. "He is practicing sword as such a young age with Al."

"Wow really?" Aliyah replied with delight. "Ahh, I am so jealous. Deimos has been starting to train with the sword since he was eight, but my mother does not want me to learn until I am twelve." She pouted her lips.

"Why would you want to learn the sword?" Aerith asked with confusion. "You are a girl. You should be focusing on your magic skills. I am learning to be a great mage. My mother and grandmother are helping me with it." She smiled proudly.

"It is because she is such a tomboy." Deimos replied nonchalantly. "That is why mother does not want her to learn until she turns twelve. She wants Aliyah to be more graceful as a girl of royalty should be."

"HEY! I am not a tomboy!" Aliyah punched her twin brother by his arm.

"Aww…" Deimos playfully acted in pain. "See what I mean. Mother is afraid that she will not get a suitor when she grows boyish even more."

"HEY! I am confident with my looks. Hmph." Aliyah hummed in irritation. "I like swords and fighting and that must make me boyish, but I also have a crush you know on a boy."

"What, really?" Aerith looked thrilled when she heard such gossip. "Tell me, tell me."

"N-No, I won't tell." Aliyah blushed red. "It is a secret…"

"It is a knight directly under our father." Deimos said nonchalantly.

"HEY!" Aliyah punched her twin brother yet again.

"Ouch…" Deimos flinched in pain. "If you act like that, then no one will ever like you." Aliyah was fuming with anger at her twin brother.

"Hahahaha…" The other children laughed at the scene.

"Well I also have a crush on a knight." Aerith blushed thinking about her crush. "Well he is still an apprentice, but I believe he will be knighted in no time." She smiled innocently.

"I think we all know who that is, right?" Alphonse replied and the children all nodded.

"A-Am I that obvious?" Aerith blushed and felt embarrassed. "What will I do if he finds out?"

"I guess he won't for now sis." Leonhart replied. "He seems like more focused on his job and the apprenticeship. The exams are just around the corner for the knightage."

"You are right." Aerith sighed. "Well, I do not have any plans confessing. He will just think it childish love. I am planning on confessing when I get older."

"Yeah, me too." Aliyah replied. "How about you boys, you have crushes?"

"Hah, crushes are for girls." Leonhart scoffed. "I just want to train hard on the sword and become as cool as brother and father." He was holding an imaginary sword and made poses.

"Hart is right, crushes are childish." Deimos replied. "I plan on studying hard and help father in the future."

"Ahhhh… you guys are such a kill joy." Aliyah replied. "What about you Thalia, you have a crush?"

"U-Um…" Thalia said shyly. "W-What is a crush? Is it something you eat?"

"Ahhh, she is such a cutie." Aerith was smitten with the doll like Thalia that she cannot resist but hug her. "You do not need to think about crushes. Just be cute the way you are."

"O-Okay." Thalia smiled cutely like an angel.

All the while, Alphonse has his eyes looking at Thalia unknowingly.

"How about you, Al?" Aliyah asked.

"W-What?!" Alphonse was startled that he was on the spotlight all of a sudden.

"You have any crushes, puppy love, the sorts?" Aliyah asked.

"W-Well… I haven't had such emotions before." Alphonse replied shyly.

"It is because brother has a huge responsibility ahead." Leonhart said with such adoration for his big brother. "He is the reincarnation of the Almighty One after all. He is meant to do great things in the future." He said with a proud expression.

The information that Alphonse is the reincarnation of the Almighty One is no secret within their family. The ȧduŀts know what burden the little boy has and the children knows what power Alphonse possess.

"I still have a long way to go. I am still far away from the expectations the ȧduŀts have in me." Alphonse replied awkwardly. "I am confident with my magic skills, but I still need to improve with my sword skills. Philip sill beats me when we practice."

"Of course, he will. He is still older than you." Aerith said. "I know you are worrying about the expectations of the ȧduŀts. But do not forget that you have us. We have your back, Al. Right?" She asked the other children present.

"Yes!" The children replied in a heartbeat.

"We are here for you." Aliyah replied.

"We have your back." Deimos said.

"I will always be there to back you up brother." Leonhart replied with confidence.

"And I will become your support and will always stay by your side." Aerith replied. "And Thalia is also here to help. Right, Thalia."

"Y-Yes." Thalia replied shyly. "I will do anything in my power to support the heir to the throne."

"No need to be so formal. Hahaha." Aliyah said and all the children laughed.

"We are family, and we are here by your side. For better or for worse." Aerith said with confidence.

"Thank you all." Alphonse felt shy and blushed, but deep inside his heart swelled with warmth and love. 

This little group of children are the hope of the future. They still do not have any idea of the future that will come, but they are sure that their bond with each other will overcome any hardships and difficulties to come.