Pherenike - Chapter 75

Leuce was universally adored for her gentle nature, but she occasionally fussed and became irritable.

In those moments, Actor would invariably mimic his daughter, drooping his eyebrows and slightly furrowing his brow while rubbing his nose against her tiny one.

The child’s happiness was easily contagious to the man. Her misfortune became his ailment. Her joy was everything.

When Leuce clapped her hands in sheer delight, he too clapped a few times, fearing the sound might not reach the audience as much as the child wished.

Though he ceased doing so after servants rushed over, thinking the king had summoned them, the princess believed she had gathered the crowd herself and was immensely proud.

Looking towards her mother as if to show off her great feat, then back at her father expecting a pat, much like a dog that had fetched a leather ball for the first time.

Pherenike heard the rare sound of the man laughing openly.

‘Our little Majesty,’ he whispered to the daughter, his voice piercing her ears as clear as water.

‘You are the king who rules the king, Leuce.’

As if the spring sun was melting the frost over cold waters, that tiny child truly seemed to be ruling over her father.

The child, with her mother’s thick hair and an invisible crown, turned back to look at Pherenike. Her gaze was like a dog expecting praise while lifting its head, much like the young wolfhound Deucalion adored in their childhood…

In that moment, Pherenike simultaneously regretted bringing this child into the world and felt an irreversible, faint, and shallow affection.

Another year passed, and Leuce remained as insignificant as a dog or cat to Pherenike. The maternal bond Axiothea spoke of showed no signs of stirring.

The child didn’t feel dear when out of sight, nor particularly affectionate when in view, not like a piece extracted from her own body.

Yet, she became less like a passing dog or cat and more akin to a small animal within a fence.

Being within her fence, she had to ensure the child was fed and watered, and if unseen for too long, she felt obligated to check on her. If the child lay listlessly, she worried something might be amiss, as one might with a cat. It seemed natural to frolic about energetically in front of her. Like how a dog does.

Of course, all care remained the duty of the maids as before, but traditionally, the nobility of Lykke considered leaving children and animals in others’ care while overseeing them as a form of nurturing and protection.

By that standard, Pherenike had assumed the role of Leuce’s mother.

“Now, you truly seem like mother and daughter.”

Ino commented happily, and Pherenike accepted the remark without joy.

At that time, she only visited the princess when she was asleep. Because when awake, the child was overly enthusiastic about her mother.

It was like facing a dog she didn’t quite hate but didn’t really feel like responding. She was reluctant to be confronted

Watching her sleep was better—when the child was most at ease. When she was expecting nothing from her mother and she didn’t have to reciprocate back.

She often awaited nights when Actor was away from the castle. She wanted to observe the child alone without his faint mocking.

That night was one without Actor too. Pherenike walked diligently to the room that was distant from the mother yet close to the father.

“….Didn’t they say he wouldn’t return until tomorrow afternoon?”

“The passes of Galas have closed. Entry was difficult from the start, so he returned with the archers.”

Hearing the guard’s reply, Pherenike frowned displeasingly at the doorway.

Despite the door being open, the man sleeping soundly in his daughter’s bed showed no sign of waking up. The guard mentioned he hadn’t slept for two days.

Pherenike turned back, then somewhat irritably, turned back again and took a small light from the guard.

Silent steps entered the room like a shadow.

The two-year-old princess, now knowing not to let go, was holding tightly to one of her father’s fingers as she slept.

The flickering light played over the face of the man who was leaning towards the princess. The father and daughter’s faces looking towards each other with tender affection.

‘Why do you love children so much?’

‘Because children can’t reject me.’

Leuce loved every animal that came into her sight.

The first creature the little hands took under her care was a cat. A hideous black cat that had been secretly fed by the princess’s young servant, who stole food from the palace kitchen.

That ugly creature marked the beginning. The grim-faced cat that was always walking around with its half-open eyes, was officially granted status and belonging by the princess.

During a visit to the lake near Lykke with her father, she even brought back a puppy that had not yet opened its eyes.

Actor was carrying the child through the forest when they heard faint whimpering sounds.

Actor was able to hear the distant noise through his Orthea, but the child, unaware of such powers, was simply drawn by instinct.

He realized this for the first time.

He followed the sound of what he would have ordinarily ignored when he was alone, and walked in the direction of his daughter’s tiny pointing hand.