To Love, Once Again

Fwaa~

Stretching out his back with his fingers curled into small fists, Leo was the first to awake in the dim light of the cabin. 

A small child like him often took naps throughout the day, and waking up early came naturally. His wide eyes blink open and shut as he sees his Mama still here, sleeping next to him.

Mama was still here!

She hadn't left!

Giving her a big snuggle by wiggling his body like a worm to get closer to her, he smacks a kiss on her cheek.

The little boy with red morning hair flying everywhere, the one long antenna-like cowlick on his head standing straight up, grins.

So this was what waking up and seeing Mama felt like. Wishing there were more days like this in the future, Leo clutches at his Mama's squire shirt and breathes in her scent.

Counting the buttons on her shirt and playing with them by trying to unbutton them with pudgy fingers, he soon gives up when his fingers are unable to do the job.

Sigh..

And blinks.

Blinks again.

Now that he was awake, he wanted to play! 

Leo wiggles his butt and breaks out of his Mama's hold. His pajamas whisper against the soft sheets as he slithers off the edge of bed.

Then like an excited puppy, he settles his chin on the bed and waits for his Mama to wake up. Until he can't wait anymore. 

With one pudgy finger, and small eyebrows furrowed in concentration, Leo-

Pokes his lovely Mama on the nose. 

Poke.

Poke. Poke.

Seeing her scrunch up her nose, giggling, he moves to her cheek.

Poke.

Much better.

But of course, his repeated poking of his mother's face would wake her up.

Mmmmmrm.

Stretching out her body, Sera looks around with squinting eyes for her baby.

"Leo?"

"Gud mwoning Mama!" he beams at her, showing Sera all of his tiny porcelain teeth.

With the same enthusiasm her son gave her, Sera responds in kind.

"Good morning Leo! Did you have a nice sleep" Sera hugs Leo, leaning off the bed and running her fingers through his soft hair.

"Yea! Leo nods his head, making the cowlick wave back and forth. Stretching out his arms, "I slept thiiiiis much becwuz Mama's here!" he widens his arms and tries to show Mama just how how well he slept. But it was hard, when his arms were so short and couldn't show the ginormous amount he wanted.

"Mama slept thiiiiiis much too!" Sera stretches out her arms and copies Leo's gesture. The mother and son duo stare at each other like adorable idiots, falling into a fit of giggles.

Knock-Knock.

Turning to the door, Leo jumps onto the bed, looking guilty. Getting on the floor without his slippers on was a big no-no. Bea would always scold him if he walked around with his bare feet, saying he could hurt himself.

"Gud mwoning Bea!" Hopping on the bed, he waves to Bea. Behind him, Sera smiles while holding her arms out around Leo to make sure he doesn't accidentally fall off the bed and hurt himself. 

"Good morning!" Holding back the yawn that tries to escape, Sera greets Bea at the door.

Bea smiles, seeing the Prince's hyperactivity because Miss Sera was finally here with him. "A good morning to you my Prince, and m'lady. Breakfast has been prepared for you and Prince Leo" Looking at Miss Sera's clothes, Bea was glad she had the foresight to send for a fresh dress from the castle. "I've also brought a change of clothes for you, my Queen".

"Bea, before that" Sera finally catches Leo in her arms, sets him on her hip, and gets off the bed, taking the clothes from Bea with her free arm.

"Yes, m'lady?"

"Please prepare another setting at the breakfast table. We have a guest coming to eat breakfast with us. And please have the other maids take the morning off."

??? 

Bea acquiesces, though she didn't know who was coming for breakfast. Was it the Elder? Or Icaros? Maybe the Herb Woman, Lois? The King himself was the last person on her list of possible guests. After all, he'd never come to this cottage before. Why would he start coming suddenly now?

Either way, Bea knew she needed to hurry. 

"Yes, m'lady! Right away! I'll have it prepared by the time you finish changing your clothes" As the former Queen's maid, Bea was proud of her maid skills. She'd fulfilled all of her Queen's requests so far. She wasn't going to let the latest one get the better of her.

"The Prince's clothes are in the wardrobe there, my Queen. I'll have to ask you to help him get changed. I must go prepare the breakfast now!"

In a flurry of motion, Bea points to the dark oak wardrobe in the back of the room, sets down a fresh pitcher of water and a towel, and hurries out of the room.

Sera smiles. Bea was a whirling dervish of activity; especially the rare times Sera requested something, eager to serve. 

Picking out a white shirt and pants reminiscent of the outfit Lucien usually wore, Sera dresses her son. She couldn't keep the silly smile off her face as she helps the little boy get dressed. From his waving cowlick, sweet smell, and a round baby tummy, this boy was much too adorable. And to think he was her own son!

Leo insists on helping to dress her in return too. It was a good thing the dress Bea had brought her was one of the simpler cottage dresses with fewer buttons. As Leo bites his cheek in concentration to get each large button buttoned behind her back, Sera looks at him through the mirror in the room.

She had to break the news to Leo. But how? Sera regretted not asking Bea how much Leo knew about his own father. But there was no time now. Lucien would be here soon.

"Leo, I have a surprise for you"

"Shwurprise, Mama?" Little Leo was easily distracted from his concentration on the buttons, looking up with sparkling eyes.

Pasting a large smile on her face to hype her son up, she widens her eyes and says in an excited, dramatic tone:

"Your father's going to come have breakfast with us!"

Her tone reminded Sera of her own Pa on the first day of school.  Sera didn't want to go, but her Pa and Ma had made it sound like such a wonderful place, with their dramatic ooohs and ahhs. She'd eventually given in to them then.

Leo had never met his father. Not that he could ever remember their last meeting as an infant.

"Fwather?"

Cocking his head, he blinks wide eyes up at his Mama.

"What's a fwather, Mama?"

Leo shakes his head in a fast motion, whipping it back and forth.

"I know Mama, an Bea, and maid fwends"

"Leo dwon't need fwather." Sera has to use both her hands and squish Leo's soft dumpling cheeks, cupping his face to keep from rattling his brain because of the repeated shaking.

Uh-Oh.

That didn't sound good.

Knock-knock.

"Th-The King is here?!" Bea's nervous yelp could be heard from behind the door. 

Oh right. Sera had forgotten to tell Bea that Lucien was the guest that was coming.