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All Reynold wanted for his birthday was to spend time with his adorable little niece. He thought of the chubby round cheeks and pudgy hands of the empire’s only little princess, she was mischief incarnate, his compatriot in chaos, the vengeance dealt to the thieving dragon emperor who had stolen his sister. Yes, little Judith was the one person the emperor never stood a chance against. He had seen his brother-in-law argue and fail against Penelope, but the man could never say anything or look angry in the face of his daughter. Not that anyone but Penelope could anyway.
His sister was the only one who could control the little hellion he’d trained, the hell spawn husband she’d chosen, and the whole of the imperial court as an extension. Often bringing two of the three to tears, mostly the courtiers who piqued the Emperor’s anger, or the Emperor himself, rarely so, Judith when she’d been particularly naughty. The courtiers often preferred their metaphorical tears of blood from her scolding rather than the literal blood bath that the Emperor would unleash should he be left to deal with the court on his own, which he had been before he’d married Penelope.
“Unca!” The little princess said happily as he’d finally made it to her playroom.
“Your highness!” He said happily as he lifted the little girl that ran into his arms. He spun around, letting the upper half of her body fall through as she laughed.
“Happy Birfday!” She said when they had stopped spinning, still in his arms. “Come pway wif me!”
Reynold nodded. “That’s why I’m here.” He agreed easily.
“I wanna pway wif daddy and Win-win.” She decided.
“Why do we need them?” He asked. “I’m plenty fun all by myself.”
“No!” Princess Judith said stubbornly. “I wanna pway wif them!” She looked at him with big red eyes starting to water, her lower lip stuck out ready to cry.
“Yes, yes, let’s go get them, shall we?” He said immediately as he took off down the hall with his niece in his arms.
Emperor and mage secured, they all sat down around the little table that was in the playroom as they had a little tea party. “More tea, daddy?” She asked as she poured the sweet tea into the little porcelain child sized tea cups that Penelope had given her the day before.
“I would love some more, Princess.” The Emperor sipped the tea unabashed. There was a knock on the door as the maids entered with a few parcels.
“Here are the items you asked for, Princess.” The maids said deferentially as they bowed.
Judith grinned. “Fank you!” She said. “Please call mommy!”
“As you wish.”
When it was just the four of them again, Judith got up and ran to the parcels. “Dress up time!” She declared as she opened the packages and revealed… maids dresses, large ones.
“For daddy, Unca, and Win-win.” She said.
They all shared the same looks of horror as they tried to deny it. But alas, the power of her eyes and her tears was too much for them and they all gave in within a minute.
“Ahh, pwetty!” She said happily clapping as she gave them certain things to hold. For the Emperor, she gave him a bouquet of flowers, for the Marquis, it was jewelry for him to wear, and for Reynold himself, a box filled with chocolates. “Mommy will be so happy. Maybe no more crying?” She said thoughtfully.
“Penelope has been crying?” He asked sharply.
The emperor looked at him, face serious. “Don’t jump to conclusions when your fancifully empty brain will no doubt lead you. Ask her yourself.” He said as he tugged at the ribbon on their neck or whatever it was. Just as he’d said that, Penelope walked in, slightly red eyed.
“Baby…” She paused as she took them in and burst into laughter. Marquis Verdandi crouched down and his face. Reynold grumpily opened the box of chocolate only for more than half of it to tumble down.
The emperor walked towards her and handed her the flowers, unmindful of the shameful clothes they’d been forced to wear. He pulled her in close and Judith ran to them and hugged her as well. “No more sad, mommy. No more cry!” She demanded.
“Yes, yes Judy. Though it’ll be hard. You’ll always be there to make me laugh right?” She said as she burst into another fit of laughter at the sight of them. “I’m impressed she got all of you to do it.”
“Can you blame us? There’s no saying no to her. I don’t know how you do it.” Reynold said as he pulled at the dress in disdain.
“Easily.”
The emperor stroked her head. “Are you feeling better now?”
“Yes, though I suppose you know my emotions will be all over the place for the next few months just like it was with Judy.” Penelope replied as she leaned into his hand.
“Huh?” Reynold asked looking between the two. “Just like with Judy?” He thought back to when Penelope was moody and could only think of one that related to his niece. “Are you pregnant again, Penelope?”
“Your majesty.” The emperor reminded him firmly.
“Are you pregnant again, your majesty?” Reynold amended begrudgingly.
Penelope smiled at him. “Yes, I am.”
Reynold cheered. “Did you hear that, Judy?” He called out to the little girl who was now happily in her mother’s arms. “You’re going to be a big sister!”
“Big sister?”
“Yes, there’ll be a baby in a few months?”
“Like my dolly?”
“Like that but soft and squishy and someone you can play with.” Reynold told her.
Judith cheered along with him. “Hooray, baby!” Judith cheered and Reynold joined her, taking her from the Empress’ arms as they danced about the room. He could see the Marquis flee from the commotion as he used his magic to hide himself, his clothing in hand but he didn’t care.
The emperor and empress made their way to the door, the empress had the emperor’s own clothes in her arms while he had merely draped his mantle over the dress. Before Penelope was fully out the door she paused and turned back. “Oh and happy birthday, Reynold.”
And then the door shut closed but not before he heard the emperor say, “Happy Valentine’s Day, my love. Is that right?”
“It is.”
But he paid it no mind. He’d forgotten, in the whole commotion of Judith’s dress stunt and the announcement of a new niece or nephew, that it was his birthday today. What a wonderful day. He couldn’t wait to rub it into father and Derrick’s faces that he knew this before they did.