I won't fall for the queen who burned my world-Chapter 304: Please babysit Kaelith

Lunch was, as ever, a warzone.

Not in the sense of blood and swords though a breadstick or two had been known to cause injury but in the wild, jostling, utterly unmanageable sense of so many personalities.

The table was laid out in decadent glory, with bowls of spiced vegetables, platters of sweetbreads, and no fewer than three different kinds of roasted meat. Silverware glinted; crystal decanters shimmered with wine. In short, it was everything a royal banquet ought to be.

But the assembled crowd was anything but royal.

Lara was half-reclined, trying to feed Aliyah while also instructing her on proper fruit-flinging technique. Sarisa was valiantly attempting to keep her daughter’s sticky fingers from grabbing her sleeves.

Veylira and Raveth, fresh from whatever romantic mischief they’d been up to all morning, had their heads together, whispering and occasionally bursting into laughter, their affection for each other obvious and embarrassing in equal measure.

Elysia, radiant and relaxed, kept one arm loosely wrapped around Kaelith, who sat in her lap with all the casual arrogance of a tiny empress.

Malvoria took her seat beside Elysia and surveyed her family—a chaos of horns, wings, and wild hearts. It was, she reflected, both her greatest achievement and her greatest headache.

She waited until everyone was halfway through their first course—a strategic move, as it was the only time people’s mouths were full enough to reduce their capacity for argument. Then, as nonchalant as she could manage, Malvoria cleared her throat.

"I have a favor to ask."

All eyes turned to her, some curious, some wary.

She forged ahead. "Elysia and I are taking tomorrow off. We’re going out—just the two of us. A proper day together. And I... well, we—need someone to look after Kaelith."

A hush fell, broken only by the sound of Aliyah thumping a spoon on the table.

Malvoria waited. And waited.

No one spoke.

She tried again. "Just for one day. She’ll have her nap, her snacks, her dragon, all her favorite—"

"No," Lara said, shaking her head so emphatically her braid whipped Sarisa in the face.

"Absolutely not," Sarisa agreed. "You know she bit me the last time I tried to stop her from climbing the tapestries."

"I have... urgent strategy meetings," Veylira said, face perfectly serious but eyes sparkling with mischief.

Raveth tried to look apologetic. "The library needs reorganizing, and last time Kaelith ’helped,’ it took three mages to undo the damage."

Even the castle cat, sunning itself by the hearth, seemed to shake its head.

Malvoria’s mouth fell open in outrage. "She’s one child! She’s not that difficult!"

Elysia snorted. "You’re her mother, you have bias."

Lara pointed her fork accusingly. "Last week, she put my boots on the roof. The. Roof. How did she even get up there? She can’t fly!"

"She tried to ride Smoulder," Sarisa offered, deadpan.

Malvoria blinked. "The dragon?"

"She bribed him with honey bread," Raveth said. "And then she drew a mustache on his snout with ash."

Kaelith, overhearing her name and sensing a story, puffed out her chest and announced, "Mine dragon! Fly!" before giggling into her cup.

Malvoria set her jaw. "Fine. I’ll pay you. Handsomely. I’ll double your salary for the week. Triple!"

Lara gasped, hand to heart in mock horror. "Attempted bribery! Is this what the monarchy has come to?"

Sarisa leaned over to Aliyah, stage-whispering, "Never babysit for royalty. It’s not worth the risk."

Veylira patted Malvoria’s arm. "You couldn’t pay me enough to chase that child for a day."

Kaelith, suddenly aware that something was being discussed about her, looked up at Malvoria with soulful eyes. "Mama? No go?"

Malvoria’s resolve nearly cracked. "You’re not in trouble, darling. Mama and I just want a day alone. Just for us. Like we used to, before you—"

Kaelith’s eyes grew enormous. Her lip wobbled. "No, Mama! Go with!" she wailed, voice trembling with the betrayal of a thousand generations.

Elysia shot Malvoria a look: You did this.

Malvoria knelt beside Kaelith, doing her best to explain. "We’ll be back by bedtime. We just want to spend some time together. Just us."

Kaelith, not fooled, pressed her face into Elysia’s shoulder and let out a loud, pitiful sob.

"Yah!" she wailed. "No leave I !"

Aliyah, in perfect sympathy, began to whimper. Sarisa bounced her gently, shushing her, but Aliyah was not to be denied—her tiny voice joined Kaelith’s, creating a duet of distress that echoed down the hall.

Raveth covered her ears. "This is why I joined the army."

Lara, abandoning any pretense of dignity, stuffed her napkin in her mouth to muffle her laughter.

Veylira sighed. "All I want is peace and a cup of tea."

Malvoria straightened, exasperated, and addressed the room: "Surely, one of you can handle her for a single day! Name your price! I’ll do anything!"

Lara waggled her brows. "Anything?"

Malvoria glared. "Within reason."

Sarisa shook her head. "Sorry, Malvoria. Tomorrow is the temple blessing for Aliyah. It’s all hands on deck."

Raveth grinned, unrepentant. "I have a dueling lesson with the palace pages. Last time Kaelith joined, half the boys quit."

Veylira was scrolling through a calendar of entirely fabricated royal obligations. "So much to do, so little time."

Malvoria’s shoulders slumped. She turned to Elysia, hoping for help.

Elysia mouthed, "Told you so."

Kaelith, meanwhile, was putting on the greatest show of wounded dignity that Malvoria had ever witnessed. She pressed both palms to her cheeks, mouth open in a perfect "O," eyes glistening. "No want Mama go. Kaelith sad. Alone. No cake."

The room was on the verge of dissolving into laughter and chaos, everyone talking over one another—excuses, jokes, more stories of Kaelith’s mischievous conquests—when a new voice cut through the din.

It was deep, warm, and undeniably familiar.

"I can do it," the voice said. "I love my granddaughter."

The room went silent as a door swung open, and King Thalor—Elysia’s father, looking travel-worn and regal, with the sort of smile that could melt glaciers—strode into the dining hall.

Kaelith immediately forgot her sorrow, sliding off Elysia’s lap and barreling across the floor with a triumphant "Grandpa!"

Thalor scooped her up, spinning her in a slow, loving arc, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I’ve been waiting all week for this. We’ll have cake and stories and dragon rides—everything your mamas forbid."

Malvoria blinked, stunned. "Thalor... are you sure? She’s—"

He laughed, the sound as bright as spring. "She’s my granddaughter. I survived Elysia’s childhood, didn’t I? Besides, I’ve heard Kaelith’s the best trouble this castle has seen in centuries. It’ll be an honor."

Elysia leapt from her seat, hurrying to embrace her father, her face flushed with joy and relief. "I didn’t know you’d arrived!"

"I like to keep my entrances dramatic," Thalor said, eyes twinkling.

Kaelith hugged him tighter, grinning over his shoulder at Malvoria, all traces of betrayal forgotten. "Grandpa stay?"

Thalor nodded. "All day. We’ll have a grand adventure."

Malvoria, feeling the impossible pressure of the last fifteen minutes dissolve, let out a shaky breath and smiled at Elysia. "It looks like our day is saved."

Elysia slipped her hand into Malvoria’s. "I told you, fate has a soft spot for love stories."

The room, now full of laughter and renewed energy, bustled with Thalor’s stories and Kaelith’s delighted babble as the crisis like so many in their lives was solved by family stepping in.

Malvoria met Thalor’s eyes, gratitude burning in her chest. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Thalor just winked, bouncing Kaelith on his knee. "Any time, my dear. Any time."