The autumn air outside was crisp and refreshing, carrying the faint, salty tang of the sea mixed with the rich scents of roasted sugar, fried dough, and spiced apple cider drifting from the plaza.
The harbor district was bursting with festive life—colorful banners of gold and emerald fluttered from every lamppost, and street performers drew cheering crowds at every corner.
Lyra clung tightly to Helio's neck, her head turning every way as her wide green eyes drank in the dizzying colors and sights.
"Look, Dada! Big flag!" she pointed excitedly at a sweeping crimson drape hanging from an archway. "And doggie!"
"I see it, sweetie," Helio chuckled, holding her securely as they navigated the bustling street toward the grand entrance of the Traveling Carnival. "Keep your hands inside, okay?"
At the center of the harbor square stood the wooden ticket arch, surrounded by towering, striped silk tents that seemed to reach straight into the clear blue sky. In the distance, the cheerful, rhythmic melody of an accordion band played alongside the distant, joyous screams of children riding the carousel.
Helio stepped into the ticket line, resting Lyra comfortably on his arm. The queue moved at a leisurely pace, giving the toddler plenty of time to babble at the colorful posters advertising juggling acts, trained beasts, and sweet treats.
"Dada," Lyra tugged gently on his shirt collar, her voice surprisingly solemn as she leaned closer to his ear. "Buy three tickets?"
Helio blinked, turning his head to look at her. "Three?"
"One for Dada, one for Lyra..." She held up two chubby fingers, then struggled for a moment before managing to extend a third. "...and one for Mama! When Mama comes back from messy place, she ride horse too!"
A quiet, helpless smile tugged at Helio's lips, a soft ache blooming in his chest alongside an immense wave of pride. Even with the promise of bright lights and games right in front of her, Aefia was never far from the little girl's mind.
"You are entirely right, little princess," Helio whispered softly, reaching up to gently boop her nose. "We will buy three tickets. One for each of us, so the moment Mama walks through the door with your matching hair clip, we can bring her right back here to ride the carousel."
"Yay! Mama ride carousel!" Lyra squealed, clapping her hands together so enthusiastically that a few townsfolk in line turned to smile at the sweet sight.
When they finally reached the wooden counter, Helio slid a few silver coins across the desk. "Three adult passes and two toddler wristbands, please."
"Planning a full family day, sir?" the ticket vendor asked kindly, stamping the parchment passes with purple ink.
"Part of it today," Helio answered, taking the tickets and securing them safely into his coat pocket, right beside his heart—just as Aefia had stored Lyra's drawing. "And the rest as soon as my wife gets home."
With the purple wristband safely fastened around Lyra's tiny wrist, Helio carried her past the grand archway and into the warm, roaring heart of the carnival, where the laughter of the crowd washed over them like a gentle wave.
The carnival was a whirlwind of light, laughter, and dazzling wonder for the eighteen-month-old.
Helio carried Lyra through the vibrant maze of striped tents, letting her marvel at every attraction. They started at the puppet theater, where Lyra sat perched high on Helio's shoulders, gasping in wide-eyed shock every time the wooden knight accidentally dropped his foam sword.
Afterward, Helio paid a copper coin at a ring-toss stall, expertly landing a hoop over a wooden peg to win Lyra a fluffy, stuffed yellow duckling that she instantly squeezed against her chest with a fierce, possessive hug.
By midday, the autumn sun sat warm and bright overhead. Helio guided them toward a quiet stone bench beneath the shade of a gilded archway, taking a well-deserved rest.
He sat down, while Lyra sat happily beside him on the wooden slats, swinging her tiny shoes back and forth as she concentrated intently on chewing a round, pink berry-flavored hard candy on a stick.
"Good?" Helio asked, watching her with a soft smile as he wiped a stray drop of melted sugar from her chin with his thumb.
Lyra nodded vigorously, her chubby cheeks puffed out. "Very good, Dada! Sweet!"
Before Helio could answer, a loud, resounding blare of brass horns echoed across the harbor plaza, instantly silencing the lively chatter of the carnival goers.
The crowds near the main thoroughfare began to part, a collective murmur rising through the air as royal guards in polished silver armor marched into formation, lining the cobblestone avenue. High above the plaza, a herald stepped onto a raised stone dais, unrolling a heavy parchment banner trimmed with imperial gold thread.
"Make way!" the herald's voice shouted. "Clear the imperial avenue for His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Henry of Smod, the Dowager Empress, and the High Imperial Family!"
The crowd gasped and cheered, surging toward the edges of the road to catch a glimpse of the continental rulers.
Lyra's ears perked up instantly at the loud horns and flashing silver banners. She dropped her candy stick onto its paper wrapper, scrambling onto her knees on the bench and reaching her small arms out toward Helio with an urgent, bouncing enthusiasm.
"Dada! Dada! Look! Big shiny!" she babbled, pointing her chubby finger toward the grand procession. "Up, Dada! Up!"
"Alright, alright, hold on," Helio laughed, scooping her up onto his hip so she wouldn't get jostled by the gathering crowd. He stepped closer to the edge of the avenue, letting Lyra rest against his shoulder so she had a clear view above the heads of the townsfolk.
A grand, open-topped imperial carriage crafted from white marble-wood and drawn by six majestic armored steeds rolled slowly down the avenue.
Stepping down first was the newly crowned Emperor—Henry. At eighteen years old, he carried himself with a stiff, solemn dignity, looking every bit the proper ruler, though a faint hint of youthful nervousness flickered in his violet eyes as he adjusted his heavy golden shoulder pauldrons.
Beside him, stepping out with effortless, terrifying grace, was the Dowager Empress. Her violet gaze was as sharp and discerning as ever, sweeping over the cheering crowds with a cool, regal composure that instantly commanded respect.
Slowly, the rest of the imperial family descended from the secondary carriages.
First was Prince George walking hand-in-hand with his elegant wife while his two young children waved energetically at the cheering townsfolk. Right behind him was Prince Lewis carrying his toddler son on his arm while his wife smiled warmly at the court scribes following in their wake.
Lyra's green eyes were wide as saucers as she watched the grand spectacle. The glittering jewels, the flowing velvet capes, and the sparkling crowns looked straight out of the bedtime stories Aefia told her.
"Dada, look! Pretty lady!" Lyra squeaked in a hushed, awe-struck whisper, tugging on Helio's collar and pointing her small, chubby finger directly at the Dowager Empress. "Grandma?"
Helio almost choked on his own breath, quickly shifting Lyra in his arms to gently lower her hand. "Shh, Lyra, sweetie, don't point—"
Before Helio could finish pulling her finger down, the Dowager Empress's sharp, violet gaze naturally tracked the small, pointed finger through the sea of commoners.
Her eyes locked onto the toddler perched on Helio's hip.
The Dowager Empress froze mid-step.
Her violet eyes narrowed slightly, taking in the unmistakable sight: a little girl with long, silky black hair, luminous green eyes, and a face that was practically a copy of Aefia's.
A subtle, profound shift softened the Dowager Empress's usually terrifying expression. The sharp, unyielding edge in her eyes melted into a quiet, unmistakable flicker of grandmotherly warmth.
Without a word to the surrounding royal guards or court officials, the Dowager Empress lifted a single hand, pausing the imperial entourage mid-procession.
Emperor Henry blinked in confusion, stopping beside her. "Mother? Is something the matter?"
"Excuse me for a moment, Henry," the Dowager Empress said smoothly, her voice cool and unbothered as she turned on her heel, leaving her sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren standing on the carpeted path.
The crowd gasped in hushed shock as the formidable Dowager Empress of Smod stepped off the imperial carpet, her heavy velvet cloak sweeping over the cobblestones as she walked straight toward the commoner viewing area.
Helio's eyes widened slightly, though he maintained his relaxed, noble composure, adjusting his grip on Lyra as his mother-in-law approached.
The crowd parted instantly, bowing their heads in deep reverence as the matriarch of the Empire stopped right in front of them.
The Dowager Empress looked up at Helio, a rare, faint smirk playing on her lips. "Helio. I see you have abandoned ducal duties for carnival treats."
"Your Imperial Majesty," Helio greeted with a respectful, easy smile, inclining his head slightly. "Some duties are far more demanding than managing a duchy."
The Dowager Empress's gaze shifted down to the little girl resting on his arm.
Lyra didn't shrink back or hide her face.
Instead, she stared right back into the Empress's violet eyes with bold, curious green ones, her chubby hands clutching her yellow stuffed duckling against her frilly pink dress.
"And who might this be?" the Empress murmured, her voice dropping into an unusually gentle, low tone as she stepped a fraction closer, looking at her granddaughter for the very first time.
Before Helio could even open his mouth to offer a proper formal introduction, the eighteen-month-old on his arm puffed out her chubby cheeks, took a tiny, dramatic breath, and decided to handle state diplomacy herself.
"I am Princess Lyra!" the toddler declared loudly, her sweet voice ringing out clear over the hushed, stunned crowd. She squeezed her yellow stuffed duckling tightly against her frilly pink skirt and gestured proudly toward Helio with her free hand. "Of King Helio and Queen Sofia of Housedom!"
Helio let out a muffled, embarrassed cough, his face instantly turning a light shade of crimson as he covered his mouth with his knuckles. "I am sorry, Your Majesty. But she is still a baby and she fails to realize jokes stay at home. Please forgive her."
Lyra wasn't finished. She leaned forward slightly from Helio's hip, her luminous green eyes shining with absolute, unwavering confidence as she looked the ruler of the Smod Empire dead in the eye.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Queen of the Empire!" she babbled with profound, comical sophistication, repeating the grand greetings Aefia had jokingly rehearsed with her during their afternoon tea games.
A soft, collective gasp rippled through the surrounding crowd of commoners, followed by the sight of Emperor Henry hastily marching over, his jaw practically hitting the cobblestones. Behind him, Prince George and Prince Lewis exchanged looks of utter, wide-eyed disbelief.
The Dowager Empress, however, did not scold the child. Instead, she let out a low, melodious laugh—a sound so rare and genuinely warm that her imperial guards almost dropped their halberds in shock.
"Is that so?" the Dowager Empress hummed, her violet eyes twinkling with genuine delight. "Queen Sofia of Housedom? It seems my daughter has granted herself quite the promotion in her retirement."
Lyra patted Helio's shoulder, wriggling her feet with sudden determination. "Dada, down! Let me down!"
"Alright, alright," Helio murmured, a fond, helpless smile replacing his initial embarrassment as he gently lowered his daughter until her tiny white butterfly flats touched the smooth cobblestones.
The moment her feet hit the ground, she carefully tucked her plush yellow duckling under one arm, reached down with both of her chubby hands, and gathered the edges of her pastel-pink frilly skirt.
She took a small, careful step back, crossed one tiny foot behind the other, and bent her knees into a surprisingly precise, surprisingly elegant court curtsy. She dipped low, her silky black hair falling over her shoulders, before lifting her head back up with a bright, toothy grin.
"Well now," the Dowager Empress murmured softly, stepping forward and slowly dropping down onto her knees—completely disregarding the dust on her regal, velvet dress, much to the absolute horror of her royal attendants.
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Princess Lyra," the Empress spoke, her voice lower and softer than anyone in the empire had heard in nearly fourty years. She reached out with a gloved hand, gently brushing a stray lock of black hair away from the toddler's forehead. "You carry your mother's grace... and your father's flair for grand titles."
Lyra beamed, holding up her stuffed duckling proudly. "This is Duckie! Duckie likes the shiny crown!"
"Does he?" The Empress offered a rare, genuine smile, her violet eyes softening completely. "Then I shall have the imperial goldsmith fashion a tiny crown for Duckie as well."
Emperor Henry stepped up beside his mother, his youthful, regal posture faltering the moment he looked down at his tiny niece. His violet eyes widened as he crouched beside the Dowager Empress, a hesitant, warm smile breaking across his face.
"She really is Aefia's daughter," Henry murmured softly, reaching out a finger that Lyra instantly grabbed with her tiny, sticky hand.
Prince George and Prince Lewis approached right behind him, their royal composure completely dissolving into quiet wonder. George chuckled warmly, while Lewis leaned down to eye level with a soft grin. "Look at her," Lewis whispered. "She has Aefia's exact eyes when she is relaxed."
Lyra, thoroughly enjoying her rapidly expanding audience, gripped her stuffed duckling tighter under one arm, gathered her pastel-pink frilly skirt with her free hand, and stomped her little feet in a energetic circle right on the cobblestones. She twirled around with a loud, breathless giggle, showing off the red butterfly flats and speaking about the butterfly.
The three princes laughed heartily, utterly charmed by the toddler's fearless performance.
Because Aefia was the former Crown Princess whose sacrifices and peerless military prowess had saved and reshaped the Smod Empire, there was no question in anyone's mind—Lyra was pure royal blood, a cherished princess of the imperial house regardless of what simple title her parents claimed in their southern quietude.
The Dowager Empress slowly stood up, smoothing down the velvet of her dress without taking her eyes off the child. Then, her violet gaze shifted back up to Helio, the light teasing in her expression giving way to a quiet, perceptive gravity.
"She is magnificent, Helio," the Empress said softly, before her voice dropped into a lower, more serious tone that only he could hear over the surrounding cheer.
Then her eyes sweot over the surroundings, a frown settling over her face.
"Though I notice her mother is absent from this little outing. Where is Aefia?"