"Lucas?!" Penelope shrieked, breaking away from Anastacius.
"What?! Don't shout at me! Peanut won't stop crying!" Lucas said defensively, holding Jennette out for Penelope to take. The brunette hurriedly took her crying babe before rocking her gently and soothing her cries.
"Why did she cry in the first place?! I fed her before I left!" Penelope exclaimed, Lucas looked at the brunette with an irritated face before looking away.
"Well I don't know?! Do I look like a baby reader of sorts?!" Lucas replied back.
"Why are you shouting?!" Penelope shot, glaring at the black-haired magician, unaware of the people staring at them with wide eyed looks.
"You started it!" Lucas huffed before taking a look at the now giggling babe, "See? She just wants her mother!"
"Wait. What the actual fuck?" Claude said confusedly, jeweled eyes wide with shock.
Penelope froze when she realized that people other than her daughter and Lucas exists.
"Oh. Oh Fuck." Penelope cussed.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to cuss with the baby present!" Lucas gritted out, glaring at both Penelope and Claude.
"Well, I'm sorry?! I kinda forgot they were here!" Penelope huffed, rolling her eyes while cradling the babe close to her.
The baby let out soft coos instead of crying after hearing the noise.
[Host, you're in the Palace. Of course they'd be here.] Tongtong supplied, albeit uselessly.
"Ugh. I already said I forgot." Penelope muttered before kissing Jennette's nose and handing her back to Lucas.
"Wait. Why are you handing her back to me?!" The magician cried, but taking Jennette from the older brunette nonetheless.
"Well you're his brother?" Penelope said in a matter of fact tone.
"Yes and that stupid Emperor is her father, so why aren't you handing her to him?" Lucas snarked that made Penelope facepalm.
"Lucas. They don't know a shit yet."
"Oh."
"Yes. Oh."
"Okay enough!" Diana interrupted, hands on her hips, and brows scrunched together. It seems as though the blonde already had enough of Penelope and Lucas's bullshit.
"Penny. Please. If you would be so kind, explain everything. Now." Penelope said with a closed eye smile that nearly scared Penelope. Nearly.
"Fine."
———
"So you mean to tell me, my bastard of a father took you somewhere isolated? And placed a spell on the place for us not to be able to find you?" Claude asked, Penelope nodded her head before leaning on Anastacius's shoulder.
"And you got back to Obelia two months ago but chose not to inform us because you were recovering?" Diana clarified, lips in a tight line.
"Yeah, sorry. I was not in the right state to deal with questions and anything, so I made everyone keep it as a secret." Penelope said, her reply ending with a grimace.
"It's alright, Penny. We understand." Diana said with a reassuring smile.
Penelope sat up straight and looked at Anastacius who was oddly quiet throughout the conversation.
"Your Majesty?" Penelope called, Anastacius looked up and met her gaze.
"Can I hold her?" He asked in a soft voice, Penelope was taken aback and so she only blinked.
"Pardon?"
"Of course you can! My arms are already aching, thank you very much!" Lucas said way too enthusiastically as he all but shoved Jennette to Anastacius in a gentle way.
"She's such a gorgeous baby, Claude. Look at her!" Diana cooed, changing seats to sit beside Anastacius.
Penelope saw the way Anastacius looked at their daughter, eyes filled with nothing but sincere adoration. They look at Jennette as if the babe hung the moon and stars, they look at her as if she's the most precious being to have ever walked the earth.
And to Penelope, she is indeed the most precious.
"My darling daughter." If Penelope were normal, she wouldn't be able to hear those words uttered by Anastacius.
But she did, and to her, it's worth everything.
———
"Ba!" Jennette babbled happily, as she is currently being carried by her Uncle Claude.
Penelope wanted to snort at the scene since she can vividly remember how Claude regarded Jennette with his cold eyes in the manhwa.
It has exactly been a year and a half since she's been kidnapped by the previous emperor and now Jennette has reached her eighth month.
Her baby is growing as each day passes.
"Claude, be careful! Don't raise her too high, she might puke." Diana said softly, her pink eyes shining as she watched her husband and niece interact.
The wedding between the former dancer and the Prince was beautiful, Penelope cried a few tears. It's because that she wasn't present at their first wedding that she demanded them to be wed again.
"Ya. Are you two done with my daughter? I still need to feed her, you know." Penelope said, crossing her arms.
"She's not hungry." Claude replied immediately, not wanting to let Jennette go yet.
"You'll have your own baby in a few months you goof, now give me mine." Penelope snarked, reaching for Jennette.
"Your Mom's a menace." Claude whispered to Jennette, though Penelope doubts it's a whisper at all.
"No, you."
"Claude, Jennette must be hungry already. Give her to Penny." Diana tutted, a palm placed on her growing belly.
"Have you decided on a name yet?" Penelope asked, the couple both shook their heads.
"Not yet, we still don't know what the gender is." Diana replied softly.
"I'm sure it's a girl, you should name her Athanasia." Penelope stated, kissing her baby's forehead before walking away leaving the two dazzled.
"Did you have fun with your Ice Uncle today, peanut?" Penelope asked, looking at Jennette softly.
The baby just continued babbling incoherently as if she understood the question.
"Shall we go to your Dad, hm?" Penelope said, beelining towards Anastacius's office.
"Da!" Jennette babbled happily, clapping her hands. Penelope sighed fondly before booping her nose.
"I always knew you'd be a Daddy's girl, love." Penelope chuckled, stopping in front of a door and waiting for the knight to open it.
Penelope nodded her head and muttered a thanks before entering the room.
"Hey you." Penelope greeted the man seated behind the desk, said man looked up as a handsome smile graced his face.
"Hello to you as well." Anastacius greeted, placing his pen down before standing up and hugging his girls close.
"How's my baby doing?" Anastacius asked, Penelope shrugged before sitting down on the sofa.
"She only played with Claude, because Claude is stingy." Penelope replied, stretching her arms as she stood up again to fetch Jenny's baby bottle.
"I was asking about you, love. But I'll take that too." Anastacius replied, rubbing Jennette's back gently as she lies pliant on his arms.
"Me? But you said baby." Penelope asked confusedly, pointing at herself.
Anastacius chuckled before giving her a smile, "You're my baby before our baby, Penelope."
Damn, Penelope would marry this man in a heartbeat.
———
A/N: I know I disappeared for months and I came back only with a short update, but I'll make it up to you guys. I swear. My mind was just clouded with a lot of things that I totally forgot that I have a story to finish. And also mental breakdowns, I had a lot of them. Anyways, have a good day and stay safe!