The room, with its elegant furnishings and delicate décor, provided a backdrop that accentuated the purity of the moment. White marble walls exuded a timeless charm, while intricate tapestries hung from the walls, depicting scenes from the Enferno Duchy's rich history. The grand doors and beautiful windows allowed streams of soft light to filter in, creating an ethereal ambiance. Helia's every movement seemed to add to the enchantment of the scene, her tender care and affection palpable in the air.
Halios felt the warmth of her gaze upon him, her attention a comforting balm to his soul. He observed as she approached, her steps graceful and purposeful. The praise she bestowed upon him for his early accomplishment of sitting with assistance filled him with a sense of accomplishment.
As the sun hung low in the evening sky, casting its golden glow across the land, Helia carefully dressed young Halios in a soft blue baby pajama. Despite the tender age of four months, he displayed a precociousness that brought a smile to Helia's face. He wobbled as he sat, his attempts at balance both amusing and endearing. With a delighted giggle, Halios tumbled backward onto the cradle, his sparkling eyes filled with curiosity and innocence. The sight was nothing short of heart-stealing, a sentiment that engulfed Helia's heart.
"You're a little genius, you know that? Most babies take six months to sit with help, but you're achieving such feats at just four months,"
she cooed, her voice a soothing melody that wrapped around him like a gentle embrace, with an affectionate smile, marveling at Halios's developmental progress.
The radiant smile that curved her lips mirrored his own happiness. Halios was determined to seize this moment, to deepen the connection he shared with Helia. As she lifted him out of the cradle and placed him on a plush baby rug she had thoughtfully prepared, he unleashed his secret arsenal of charms. His chubby fingers reached out, his eyes sparkling as he babbled and giggled, fully aware of the magic his innocent gestures held. The room echoed with the sweet symphony of his laughter, a testament to the power of his intentions.
Chapter 6: Baby Antics
With the room's warm glow embracing them, Helia's attention remained fully on him. His antics seemed to cast a spell, wrapping her heart in a cocoon of affection. Halios reveled in the joy that shone in her eyes, the laughter that bubbled from her lips. Every coo, every toothless grin, every moment he engaged with her, was a deliberate attempt to weave a bond that was unbreakable.
As evening hues deepened and the sun's glow mellowed, the room seemed to hold its breath, cocooned in a sacred connection. Helios, though trapped within a tiny body, possessed the wisdom of ages, the understanding that life's greatest treasures rested in the bonds we formed. In that moment, he wasn't just trying to steal her heart with his innocent charms; he was striving to bridge the gap between two souls, to rewrite his destiny and create a love that transcended the boundaries of time and circumstance.
With gentle hands, Helia lifted him from the cradle, cradling him in her arms as she placed him on a soft baby rug she had meticulously prepared in the center of the room. The room itself spanned between 200 to 250 square feet, a modern-day master bedroom generously allocated to an abandoned child. Helios mentally scoffed, his thoughts echoing that the room's size seemed rather extravagant for one without a family.
In the hushed whispers that fluttered through the castle's corridors, rumors of Halios's abandonment swirled like leaves in the wind. The Duchess's slumber remained unbroken, and the Duke's detachment from the child was evident. A cloud of uncertainty hung over the young child's fate.
One fateful day, as Helia stepped out of the room, a fellow maid crossed her path with a grave expression etched upon her face. Without hesitation, the maid delivered the troubling news of the Duke's recent actions, an event that had transpired earlier that day.
Unbeknownst to Helia, Halios was wide awake, attentively eavesdropping on the conversation taking place outside the room.
The maid Helia encountered was Clarissa, one of the six attendants, including Merinda, who had been assigned to care for the unconscious duchess. Clarissa shared that the head maid had requested the duke for additional guards to be stationed outside the little master's room. Money for new baby clothes was also sought, as it came to light that the clothes Halios had been wearing for the past four months were the same ones the duchess had purchased the moment she learned of her pregnancy. The situation had evidently driven the duke to frustration and agitation. Evidently, the duke's emotions boiled over, and in a fit of rage, he attempted to strangle the head maid. Mel's timely intervention, employing magic, was the only thing that prevented a potentially tragic outcome.
The atmosphere grew charged with tension as a fiery exchange ensued. The air practically crackled with the intensity of the duke's anger, his emotions so palpable that they seemed to materialize in the room. In a voice laced with fury, he vehemently proclaimed that the current instance would stand as an ultimatum – no one would dare utter the name of the infant bastard in his presence again. The force behind his words was undeniable, a clear declaration that this topic had been sealed and would not be revisited.
His declaration hanging heavily in the air, the duke made a dramatic exit from the duchess's room, his departure marking an impactful punctuation to the confrontation. The echoes of his footsteps resonated long after he had vanished, leaving an emptiness that lingered ever since, a reminder of his seething rage and his unresolved feelings regarding the child.
Upon hearing the account from Clarissa, Helia's heart ached at the revelation that the duke would label his own son in such derogatory terms. Clarissa speculated that the young master had, in essence, been forsaken by the duke, and helping him offered no gain. As she departed, she urged Helia to abandon Halios as well.
As the days stretched into weeks, a growing unease settled within Halios. The realization that he had been abandoned once again, even in this new life, weighed heavily on his heart. The recent events involving the duke had cast a shadow of uncertainty over his existence. Helia, his only source of comfort and companionship, had stood by him during these trying times. But even in her presence, he couldn't shake the fear that she might leave him as well.
In the quiet moments when Helia tended to him, Halios observed her every move. His keen perception picked up on the occasional sigh she suppressed, the fleeting glimpses of concern that flickered in her eyes. He yearned for her company, aching to hold onto the bond they had formed. His mind swirled with the thought that losing her, his sole connection to the world, would thrust him into a devastating solitude.
As the one-month mark approached since the tumultuous incident with the duke, Halios felt the weight of time bearing down on him. He knew that Helia's dedication to him was driven by compassion and a sense of duty, rather than any obligation. Yet, selfishly, he desired to weave a web of charm around her heart, to use the tricks of a cute baby to ensure her continued presence by his side.
In this daunting reality where he was a child in body but carried the consciousness of an adult, Halios was determined to break free from the cycle of abandonment that had haunted him across lifetimes. He clung to Helia as a lifeline, his heart a tumultuous blend of yearning, fear, and the desperate hope that he could rewrite his story and forge a connection that would withstand the tests of time.
**Echoes of a loneliness**