#115
Chapter 13
Waaah-! Waaah-!
A loud cry erupted.
Enrique blinked his exhausted eyes. His consciousness faded in and out repeatedly.
He could feel the commotion around him.
Could there be something wrong with the child?
Enrique strained his eyes, trying to clear his blurry vision.
“Your Highness, Your Highness!”
Pol called out anxiously, grasping Enrique’s hand.
“…The child?” Enrique asked in a weak voice. He could see Pol on the verge of tears. Behind him, a wet nurse approached, holding a bundle. A red, wrinkly, ugly baby came into view. The baby’s wet hair, crying loudly, was silver, just like Enrique’s. And…
“Golden eyes…” Enrique murmured in awe. The baby’s eyes, still unable to focus and wandering aimlessly, were also golden like Enrique’s.
“It’s a dominant alpha!” Pol exclaimed with an emotional voice. A small cheer erupted from those around. A dominant alpha was born. That alone was enough reason for people to celebrate.
“Give… give him to me.”
Enrique carefully cradled his second child, who looked just like him. Pol gently supported his arms, fearing that the exhausted Enrique might drop the baby.
Waaah-! Waaah-! Waaah-!
The baby’s cries were truly loud, filling the bedroom. Enrique smiled at the crying baby. Seeing a child that looked exactly like him filled his heart with joy.
“Your Highness, it’s a happy occasion. Why are you crying?” Pol whispered carefully.
Enrique shook his head, wiping away the tears that blurred his vision.
Now he could live with Bayan, who looked just like Anture, and Anture could live with this child who looked just like him. Even after they part, Anture would be reminded of him every time he saw this child. This child would constantly remind Anture not to forget him. Enrique couldn’t express how much comfort that fact gave him.
“I’ll go announce it outside,” Pol said, standing up abruptly after yielding his place to the wet nurse. He then disappeared swiftly out of the bedroom. Although the bedroom door was clearly closed, cheers of joy could be heard from outside.
As Enrique’s delivery approached, the Ruben Empire had dispatched a large delegation. They were there to witness the birth of the child who would succeed the Ruben lineage. They must be ecstatic right now, probably cheering loudly.
Enrique gazed endlessly into the golden eyes that symbolized the same dominance as his own. He thought a child resembling him wouldn’t look pretty, but seeing it in person, it wasn’t like that at all. The moment Enrique’s eyes met the baby’s, he fell in love once again. This love, too, was a bittersweet one with a predetermined farewell.
“Enrique!”
Anture strode into the bedroom. He knelt beside the bed and examined Enrique’s complexion. After confirming he was safe, he sighed in relief and placed a deep kiss on Enrique’s forehead.
“Look at the baby, Anture,” Enrique said in a somewhat proud tone. Anture’s eyes finally fell on the child in Enrique’s arms.
Anture’s breath seemed to stop for a moment. His black eyes widened, and then a gentle smile filled his eyes.
“My goodness, Enrique. The child looks exactly like you. It’s like a miracle.”
Anture said, barely touching just the tips of the baby’s hair, not daring to touch the child directly. Enrique laughed softly, finding his behavior cute.
‘Will you raise him well?’
Enrique barely held back from asking that.
‘Will you love him enough for my share too?’
He held back that question too. He didn’t want to ruin the good atmosphere. But he couldn’t help his eyes from welling up with tears.
“Father sent a name in advance through the envoy. Ruslan if it’s an alpha, Cael if it’s an omega.”
“Then our second child’s name will be Ruslan.”
Enrique said brightly, trying hard to hold back his rising tears. Anture nodded and carefully kissed the baby’s tiny forehead. Seeing that scene, Enrique could imagine it. A child with silver hair and golden eyes running around in the garden, then running to Anture for a hug… And Anture lifting Ruslan high, spinning him around in the air as they played. It was a warm scene that made him smile just imagining it. Only, he wouldn’t be in that picture.
“You did well, Enrique. You don’t know how worried I was.”
Anture whispered tenderly, pressing his lips to Enrique’s forehead. Enrique let out a quiet sigh and rested his head on Anture’s shoulder. He was extremely tired.
Enrique’s second childbirth caused a stir throughout Shamier. Especially the royal palace and the capital were in a festive mood.
On the day Ruslan turned one month old, a grand banquet was held at the palace. It was the day Ruslan would make his first public appearance.
Enrique entered the banquet hall shoulder to shoulder with Anture. Right behind them, Ruslan followed in the arms of his wet nurse. As the three of them appeared, the large banquet hall filled with cheers and applause. Everyone craned their necks to get a glimpse of Ruslan, the dominant alpha.
With the arrival of the main characters, the celebration banquet officially began.
Everyone poured out words of congratulations and blessings. However, there was also a subtly ambiguous atmosphere.
Bayan and Ruslan.
Both were children born to Enrique. The people of Shamier were swallowing their subtle disappointment and regret at the fact that Ruslan, a dominant alpha, had to be sent to Ruben. In contrast, the faces of the envoys from Ruben were blooming with smiles. Ruslan was the first dominant alpha successor to appear in Ruben since the Great Emperor of Ruben.
Enrique rather considered it fortunate that Ruslan was born dominant. Both Bayan and Ruslan were children born between Anture and Enrique. They both had mixed blood of Ruben and Shamier. If Bayan had been born dominant and claimed the dominant successor position in Shamier, Ruben might acquiesce for now, but it could lead to future problems. Currently, Ruben and Shamier had become very solid allies. It was better not to have anything that could crack that relationship.
Ruslan lay in an ornate cradle next to the throne, rolling his golden eyes. The magnificent chandeliers, people who couldn’t take their eyes off him, shining accessories, and various colors – many things were stimulating Ruslan’s curiosity.
While Ruslan was looking around, there was a pair of eyes keenly observing him. It was Bayan. Bayan, who had just turned one not long ago, stared intently at his brother in the cradle from the arms of his wet nurse. Bayan pointed at Ruslan and then turned to point at Enrique. He seemed fascinated by their identical hair and eye color.
“I’ll be back in a moment,” Anture whispered, kissing Enrique’s cheek. When Enrique nodded, he picked up Ruslan from the cradle and headed towards the Ruben envoys. The Ruben envoys surrounded Anture and Ruslan as if they had been waiting. Boisterous laughter began to ring out.
Enrique sat in his chair, sipping his drink while watching Anture. Anture’s face, amidst the envoys, wore a content and satisfied smile. While nodding to the envoys’ chatter, his black eyes never left Ruslan. Enrique could tell because he felt the same way. Anture had fallen in love with Ruslan.
“He can’t close his mouth from happiness,” the King of Shamier whispered in Enrique’s ear, leaning forward on his throne.
“Your face isn’t much different, Father,” Enrique retorted with a smile.
It was true. The King of Shamier kept looking alternately at his grandchildren, constantly breaking into hearty laughter. He couldn’t hide his pleased expression every time he received congratulations.
“Will you be alright?” the King of Shamier whispered softly.
Enrique knew what he meant by asking if he would be alright. Enrique had given birth to a child who would succeed the Ruben lineage as per the agreement. This meant he had perfectly fulfilled the marriage agreement between the two countries. Already more than three years had passed out of the four-year marriage period. When Ruslan becomes strong enough to endure the long journey, that lovable father and son would leave Enrique’s side and head for the far-off imperial palace of Ruben. There, they would put down roots and write a new history for the Ruben Empire.
“Even if I’m not alright, I have to be,” Enrique said quietly after a moment of silence. A look of sympathy appeared on the King’s face as he gazed at Enrique. Enrique smiled faintly, gesturing that he was fine. Then he stood up and blended into the crowd of familiar faces.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
