Chapter 11: First Meeting

At this moment, Lev burst into the observation wing. He expected the adorable sight of his baby waking up. But what greeted him was a vast, empty room.

Lev's knees buckled. He almost slumped to the floor, but Aslan, arriving right behind him, caught his arm.

"Aslan, it must have been a dream. There is no child." Lev gripped Aslan's arms, his voice thin and panicked, as if waking from a cruel nightmare.

"No, Langga," Aslan's voice was firm but gentle, cutting through the panic. "She might have gone outside seeing no one in the room."

"Oh, that's right." Lev fumbled with his personal communicator. He accessed the security footage, his fingers flying across the screen. Then he saw her, curled up pitifully in a garden bush, hands over her head. It was a perfect echo of the first time he found her, minus the blood.

He ran out of the room, his movements urgent. Aslan followed, barking orders at the butler who appeared at the sound of the commotion.

"Call the Chirurgeon. Prepare the young lady's room and make some digestible food."

The butler bowed and vanished. His feet felt light, as if the wind would carry him away. He was eager to see the young lady, but her nutrition was the top priority.

Aslan and Lev arrived at the garden, slowing their pace. They carefully approached the bush, as if their very presence could harm the fragile life within.

"Baby..." Lev called, his voice barely a whisper. Aslan unconsciously grasped Lev's arm, his own face tight with expectation.

Gwyneth heard the voice, but it sounded far away. Her heart hammered in her chest. The giant plants, the strange smells, the fear... it was all too much. Her system was completely overloaded. The panic she had pushed down since waking up finally washed over her in a cold wave.

Her body shut down. She had found this bush, a place she thought was hidden from the world, and curled herself into the smallest possible ball, shutting her eyes tightly.

She was curled up, not knowing for how long, when the gentle voice came again.

"Baby..." It was loud but soft, and very near. She had the urge to check, but her body refused to listen. Then another sound, closer still.

"Baby, what are you doing in here? Don't be afraid. You're safe now." Lev was already a short distance away, his heart gripped with so much love and ache he didn't know he was capable of. He thought the child was still traumatized. Waking up in an unfamiliar place must have frightened her. He regretted attending the meeting, knowing he had missed his child awakening.

"Hello, princess, please don't be afraid," Aslan added. His own breathing was shallow. He used the same soft, gentle tone he rarely used for anyone besides Lev. "The bad guys won't be coming here at all. Let's go back to your room and probably get some snacks. You haven't eaten anything for a couple of days now."

This time, Gwyneth was sure the gentle voices were near her and directed at her. She carefully peeked between the gap of her fingers. She saw two Giants looking at her, this time much bigger than the girl in the maid uniform.

Her eyes widened. Startled, she quickly covered them back with her hands. She curled up more tightly, as if the action could make the surroundings disappear. Except it didn't.

A sharp, sudden emotion shot through both Lev and Aslan. The small, peeking face was so adorable it left them breathless. The child's eyes were notable. They were so large and dark, full of innocence and fear.

So dark, it was as if the entire vast universe was held within.

Lev suddenly gripped Aslan's hand, his nails digging in, as if to make himself more grounded and awake. He didn't know the child he had found had the most unique black eyes in the entire Royal Fenrir Empire.

It was rare to find someone in the entire Royal Fenrir Empire with a matching combination of hair and eye color. He, for example, had long black wavy hair with gold eyes, while Aslan had the short brown hair with striking green eyes. This was the first time he had seen someone with such a perfect black combination. The color contrasted with the child's porcelain creamy skin, making her look utterly adorable, like a pure angel.

Besides the child, the only other people with that matching trait were those of the royal bloodline, including the current and last Fenrir of the empire.

He had to force himself not to scoop the child up. He could see her whole body trembling. He looked at Aslan, a silent, helpless plea for guidance.

Aslan sensed his lover's expectation and froze. He had absolutely no idea how to coax a child. He had read countless books and files to better care for her, but now that he was facing her, he didn't know how to start.

The two of them stood frozen, palms sweating, not knowing what to do. Then, in silent agreement, they slowly sank to the ground in a kneeling position, waiting for the child to look up again.

Gwyn, not sensing any movement, carefully opened the gap of her fingers again. She peeked out but immediately covered her face again when she saw the two giant men kneeling in the grass.

This action was repeated a couple of times. A small, private amusement touched the lords' faces. Eventually, the child's body was no longer trembling, but she still refused to change her position or uncover her face.

Lev, sensing the child had calmed down, leaned slowly forward, uttering soft words. "Baby, let's go inside, okay. The ground is rough and cold, and we really need to get your wound checked." He continued, his voice calm, noticing the small cuts on the child's feet. His heart hitched, but he kept his voice steady, not wanting to scare her further.

The child still refused to budge. Aslan, noticing the growing unease on his lover's face, carefully scooped the child up.

The child, startled by the sudden movement, flailed around as if trying to escape, but Aslan held her firmly. He nodded toward his husband, ushering him back to the palace.

"Baby, stay still, you may hurt yourself. Aslan, be careful," Lev said anxiously, gently rubbing the child's back.

Feeling the gentle rub on her back, Gwyn slowly stopped struggling, but her body remained rigid. She still covered her face with her hands.

The couple walked hurriedly toward the palace and into the prepared child's bedroom. The butler, the Grand Chirurgeon, and a couple of servants were already standing there, looking eagerly at the child Aslan was holding.

The two lords merely nodded at them in acknowledgment. Aslan carefully put the child, who was still covering her face, down on the bed.

As soon as she felt the soft surface, like a cat curled up and buried her whole body in the blankets, refusing to look around.