Chapter 12

                                    

                                          


                          
"Has his majesty and her highness fallen asleep?" Felix asked Athanasia.
                          
Athanasia being Athanasia double checked by pulling Claude's hair without trying to wake up her elder sister who was cuddling against their father. "Y-Yes" Athanasia nervously replied. 
                          
"This is quite unusual...He doesn't like being seen when he's defenseless. It appears that the princess' song was very effective." Felix said calmly, forgetting about the first princess.
                          
'You heard me sing too!! And I bet that's not even true!! I bet Ria sees him defenseless all the time!!' Athanasia thought to herself. 'So embarrassing!!' Athanasia thought as she covered her face.
                          
"Princess." Felix said. "What is it?" Athanasia asked. "I was at fault yesterday. I shouldn't act selfishly without getting your permission. I was wrong." Felix said.
                          
'You didn't have to apologize for that...' Athanasia thought deeply. 
                          
"I just...I just thought that the princess would be happy if I did." Felix said.
                          
'One would normally think that way. And I was the one who said I wanted to see Diana in the first place. From their perspective, if a child who didn't even know what their own mother looked like said that....I feel guilty. I threw a tantrum and pushed my sister.' Athanasia thought.
                          
"Ah, Athy is also sorry for throwing a fit at you yesterday..." Athanasia said.
                          
"Don't worry about it." Felix said. "To be honest, I too at an early age, although not as early as you and Princess Asteria, lost my mother. My mother was his majesty's nanny. In fact, both his majesty and I were breastfed by my mother." Felix said.
                          
'That's why Claude is so lenient with Felix. Be lenient with me too!!' Athanasia thought.
                          
"When I was young, to be honest, I was a little angry with my mother. She always spent more time with his majesty than she did with me. So when my mother passed away, at first I would say I didn't miss her at all. And to be honest, I've never really missed my mother. When she was alive, I spent very little time with her and because of that I never really felt her absent. But one day, very much by chance. The embroidery on a handkerchief that I always carry around...What I mean to say is...My mother had personally embroidered my name on this handkerchief, and one day, I was suddenly fixated on it." Felix said remembering how he had felt back then.
                          
"And to my disbelief I was even crying. The mother that I had resented so much up to then. The person I thought as simply an image was actually someone I truly missed. Even though we didn't have any memories together, she was still my one and only mother." Felix said.
                          
'Is it okay for me to hear such a personal story...Mother...Mother....The concept is foreign to me...I was an orphan in my previous life..But...If I was really Athanasia...not even knowing my mother's face to grow up, treated unkindly and abandoned in the Ruby palace to have finally met the father she yearned for if I was that princess.' Athanasia thought very hard.
                          
"So, this is really really a secret, but...When I said I didn't want to see mommy yesterday, Athy was lying." Athanasia said.
                          
"Is that so?" Felix said.
                          
"But I wasn't lying when I said I didn't have to see mommy. I have papa and big sister Ria, don't I. Even though I don't have a mama, because I can sing the "Bye Bye" song with papa and Ria, Athy won't cry." Athanasia said.
                          
'This jerk. To then go and only favor Jennette. And in the end even kill Athanasia!! What will happen to big sister Ria in the end?' Athanasia thought.
                          
"Does Princess Athanasia have a wish?" Felix asked her.
                          
"A wish?" Athanasia questioned.
                          
"Something you think that if it happens...It would be nice." Felix said.
                          
'You don't need to ask twice!! My wish is obvious!!' Athanasia thought. "At 18...!" Athanasia said.
                          
"Hm?" Felix said, confused.
                          
"That papa likes Athy more and more and more!! As much as Athy likes papa! This much!! So so so much!! As much as Ria!!" Athanasia said.
                          
'My wish is that Claude doesn't kill me when I turn 18! So that when I'm 10 or 18! He won't want to kill me!' Athanasia thought.
                          
Felix laughed at Athanasia's childish thoughts and looked at her. She was somewhat pouting and averting her eyes. "That wish will come true, I promise." Felix said.
                          


                          
A/n: Sorry this chapter is very short and that I didn't post last week. I was busy with catching up on school and etc.  I am also sorry that Asteria didn't really have much time during this chapter but I wanted this chapter to mainly be Athanasia. I hope you all enjoyed today's chapter!! 
                          
Word count: 776