"Sa..... Sak- Sakura. Wake up my small treasure."
"Mn~"
A small grumble of a whine left the lips of a small child that can be mistaken for an angel. Her hair a silvery blond that when the sun shines upon it, it becomes a shining light. Her skin a porcelain white that makes people question if it is a living person that stands before them or one of the gods messengers.
Her eyes that flutter open in annoyance displayed two mesmerizing eyes that drowns people in their depth. Yet brings fear when being looked deeply by those eyes. It gives people the sense of all their secrets being displayed to her.
"Don't wanna~"
A low chuckle followed after her whining, she glances up and stared in a daze.
'Shit! I almost had a heart attack! Why he so enchanting this early in the morning.'
She squinted her eyes as she looks at the blinding smile her father gave to her. His usual perfectly combed hair was in a bed headed mess that looked as appealing or even more than his usual combed back hair.
It made his appearance look younger, more innocent and youthful, not like the usual stern CEO look that hid many things. His eyes smiled while seeing his daughter's dazed half asleep appearance and chuckled when she squinted away and burrowed her face into the pillow.
"My tiny treasure. You haven't eaten anything last night. Your stomach must be protesting for some food. We can't have those lazy bones take control."
He gently put one arm under her and used the other as support when he lifts her up to cradle in his arms. He takes her to the connected bathroom so she can freshen up.
A knock sounded on an opposite connected door to the bathroom. Mihkael gave a response and the door opens. A man with a pretty shade of blue hair enters and his eyes that held a crystal light blue that looked like a jewel makes a person fall in love at sight.
His usual cold appearance reminds a person of a glacier but when he smiles it melts away that freezing appearance and makes a person mesmerized by his contradicting looks.
He sent that enchanting smile to the young child being held by the imposing yet handsome man who was the complete opposite of the beautiful blue haired man.
His flared reddish hair looked like a deep fire that burns in the dark. His eyes a ruby red that has hints reddish purple and silver.
'Ah~ paradise for my eyes.'
After waking up a bit more from her sleep she quickly got used to the godly looks of both men who raises her for about half of her life here.
"It is time to head for breakfast."
He readily held her while Mihkael got himself a bit cleaned up. They all headed in the room where Sakura and Mihkael slept in and held no reserve since it was only them three.
"I was given one of Adaline's dresses. Luckily the clothes need no adjustments."
Raphael placed Sakura down in the bed and she sat there watching him heading for the closet and removing a light bronze colored dress. The design woven with stitches of small designs that dont stick out too much, but still gives a lasting impression. The dress seem to be easy to move in, most definitely designed for the energetic and active Adaline who loves to move around.
It reminded Sakura of a cozy cabin in the woods type theme with how calm and lukewarm it appeared. She remembered Adaline told her of the dress that she liked the best because it reminded her of Sakura's eyes in a way. Especially with the threads made of black and silver that are clear yet harmonizes well with the dress.
Sakura raised an eyebrow and felt the dress reminds her more of an unsuspected woods cabin where something always goes wrong. But she liked the feel of it.
'Thankfully it doesn't come with any killers or monsters hiding to hunt down the cabin occupants.'
Sakura watched how Raphael walked toward her. A foreboding sensation came and she narrowed her eyes in worry.
'It can't be...'
"Your highness. Let me help you prepare."
'Fuck! It is!!'
Her eyes widen in horror when she watches this fine specimen of a man walk closer to her with the dress all loosen up to put on her.
"No!"
She quickly digs under the covers and conceals herself from the man and the dress he is holding.
"Sakura!"
Raphael voice held confusion and he tried to remove the covers but she held them in dead grip.
"Your highness! You need to get ready."
"No! I don't need help! I'll dress myself up."
"Your highness. It is hard to wear this dress on your own."
"Papa is getting dressed just fine without help, so so can I!"
"Raphael. Help me with this stupid buttons. They are to frustrating to fasten."
Mihkael kept messing with the buttons in his wrists and they seem to trouble him. He hasn't even button up the shirt and wanted to start with the cuffs believing it would be the easiest ones, only to end up stumped in that part.
"..."
'Your not helping my case father!'
She hears a sigh and can sense Raphael's presence lessen from her side. She waited a while and lifts the covers a bit and sees Raphael helping her father with the shirt which was causing him trouble.
Sakura's father was wearing a black type of medieval style shirt. Rather than lace being used to fasten the shirt, buttons replaced it. Her fathers well sculptured body peaked through the unbutton shirt and if any other women saw his appearance would be tempted to try and feel his muscular body.
'Too bad for them. Those broad shoulders and well defined abs are my places of pillows when I feel like taking a nap.'
"Honestly Mihk. Your already in your 30s and can't even do this."
"Hey! I change on my own all the time, except when there are those stupid celebrations."
"Your words Mihk!"
"Ah sorry. Sakura my precious gem. Forget the bad word I said. But anyways. It's just this blasted buttons won't go in!"
Raphael sighs and helps Mihkael button up his cuffs and while at it helped with buttoning his shirt up as well.
"Hehehe~"
A chill ran through both men's back and they swiftly looked at where they heard the strange laugh. Only to see a covered Sakura.
"...why did I get the chills just now?"
"I have no idea. But I rather not know."
'That was a close one. And bad Sakura! That's your dad and Papa Raphael! But I should use this chance!'
Sakura quickly grabs the dress Raphael left on top of the bed beside her spot. Under the covers she removed the nightgown and puts on the dress as best as she can with little space.
By the end of her having the dress on. She just needed to tie up the laces on the back but she knew she wouldn't be able to complete that task.
While being distracted by her objective of tying up the back of her dress, Raphael lifts up the cover and witnesses a struggling Sakura who already wore the dress.
"Ah!"
"Well goodness Sakura!"
She got scared thinking he will scold her but contrary to her worries, Raphael helps her in a sitting position and praising her for a job well done.
"Oh how well done your highness! You were able to wear a dress without one mistake."
He gushed over her with joy and pride. She flushed in shy embarrassment and was sheepish seeing how proud he seems to be at seeing her get herself in a dress without accidentally putting her head through a sleeve or wear it backwards or upside down.
'Ah! I'm not a baby who doesn't know how to dress myself.'
She screamed internally and was flustered by how much he was praising her.
"Of course she would be able to do something like this. Remember Raphael, she is a protege who passes all children her age or above in intelligence. She is even smarter that I ever was at her age."
Mihkael didn't make the situation any better with how much he was boasting in how smart she was. She covered her face and hoped this men will just stop with the over exaggerated praising they keep giving her.
'Is this some type of punishing game!? Are they finding fun teasing me to death!?'
She abandoned the idea of tying up the lace in her back and just covered her face while burying it into the pillow.
Both men noticed her shy display and chuckled at her adorable actions. Raphael went ahead and started to finish up and readjusted the dress so the mini corset covered her back while he finished lacing it up. He didn't make it too tight, nor too loose. Just about right for a child her age.
"Now we should go and eat."
Raphael lifted Sakura up after finishing the last touches by combing her hair and doing a simple Celtic knot braid. She was impressed with how meticulous he was and loved how the back looked.
'It's cute. It gives me the medieval sense.'
Mihkael lifts her up and Carrie's her out of the room. From outside she noticed two guards and she waved at them while just watching them follow them to the dining area.
The only response they gave her was a nod and proceeding to follow behind a three of them to their destination.
'Quite the hardworking and simple knights.'
She quickly noticed that both men where royal knights who she hasn't seen. So she can quickly concur they were those of the noble lineage squads who she hasn't really met yet.
'.... thinking about knights. Where is my devotee of a knight who said he would stay by my side.'
She realized something she forgot to check on yesterday and worry consumed her little heart.
"Papa!"
"Yes my precious gem?"
"...Where is my personal knight. Kano?"
She noticed her father nicknamed for her hasn't stopped for a while now, she was even more surprised she did so while in the presents of outsiders.
"...That is not important. Forget about him and let's get a new knight for you. Ok?"
He tried to dodge the question, but she can see he was frowning at the name of Kano.
'What the hell happened? Why is he acting like this?'
"A new one? No! I want him! Where is he?"
"My precious jewel. The treasure of our empire. It is best to get a different knight. One who actually will stay beside you and protect you with his life."
"Papa. Where is Kano?"
Her little expression lost the usual naive sense of a child and she looked at him seriously. She never really showed this side to him or the others much. But she didn't like how he belittled her need to know where Kano is.
Mihkael stops in his steps and glances behind, signaling the knights to get out of ear shot and sight. The knights comply and move away and Mihkael then turn his full attention to his child. He can see that his adorable and innocent child has really become serious and wanted to find the position of that knight who endangered her life.
"My precious child. That man has endangered your life. He did not do his job and all the other guards either. All are being punished for leaving you guys with only two other people who are being punished for leaving your side as well. They didn't do their job of protecting the empires heiress nor the precious daughter of the great mage of this empire. So they are imprisoned in the dungeon till they are taken to the palace and have their punishments decided for them."
"!!!"
'What!? This isn't what I expected it to go! Shit! My plan really backfired on me.'
"You can't papa! Please take them out! They tried their best to save both me and Adaline. Especially Rey and Seva! They both left us hidden to buy time by becoming bait! Please papa! Don't punish them."
"No. They have to be punished for their actions."
"But papa!"
"Especially Kano. He told the guards a lie which caused this all to happen in the first place!"
"Lie?"
"...Just forget about Kano and I'll have another knight prepared for you. Understand Sakura?"
He was serious since he finally said her name rather than one of the many nicknames he has for her.
'No! It was my fault he and everyone of them ended up acting in that fashion. I can't let them be punished for my decisions.'
"Kano isn't a liar. He most definitely thought of my safety when he did it all."
"Sakura!"
She flinched when he rose his voice and he gave her a stern look.
"He told the knights about a present that the dwarf emperor never once gave you. That lead to many things, especially the plan of leaving both you and Adaline behind! He endangered your lives and..."
Mihkael stopped himself from telling her they suspect him of being a traitor since that was the only way they can explain how he knew of the ambush. That they suspect he planned it all to have them unprotected and easier to take. Right now this is a critical investigation, he can't listen to her whims because now they have to check if there are other traitors in their empire.
"Papa!"
He return to his thoughts when he heard his daughter's small yell. He looks at her and a complex looked marred her face. As if she was struggling with what to tell him. But then she shut her eyes and quickly looked straight at him, as if resolved to say what she needed to tell.
"I was the one who told Kano I had a detecting device given by the dwarf emperor. I was the one who lied to him and lead this all to happen!"
A/N:
Dun dun dun!!!! How will this go I wonder! Well till the next chapter hehehe.