Master of Minds, Master of Me

Eight years later

“Mom! Why aren’t they here yet? I thought they were going to pick us up at ten.”

I look down at Cecilia with a smile.

“It’s only 9:55. You know how punctual Theodore is.”

“Hey, Ceci! This is like your first sleepover ever. You don’t have to be that eager to get rid of us,” Felix yells while walking toward us in the garden along with Cedric.

“I just miss Aunt Jane. We haven’t seen them for a long time.”

I watch Felix and the twins talking to each other. Felix is acting dramatically as always, pretending to be hurt by Cecilia’s words.

Our twins just turned seven, and our lives have changed drastically after they came into our lives. In a good way, of course. My pregnancy wasn’t the easiest one, and Doctor Freyland said another pregnancy would be too much for my body. But I’m happy with our little family.

We got our share of traveling around the world with Felix. The King wasn’t that pleased about it, but he understood our need to live alone for a while before binding our lives to the Palace.

Having the twins has been a true blessing. Both of them have Felix’s shiny blond hair. Cecilia has my brown eyes, and Cedric has Felix’s blue eyes. So Cedric basically is just a mini version of Felix. Or more like Felix before the illusion mana took control of his body. His black hair and purple eyes really stayed for good. And I still love them. After all these years, I’m just as weak for him as I was back then.

After a while, we hear a shout in the distance.

“Guys! We are here!”

A blue-haired girl with a bright smile runs toward us. Her name is Lily, and behind her follows the rest of the Mist clan.

Yes, I think of them as a clan. They already have four children. The youngest, who is just five months old, is apparently sleeping in Theodore’s arms.

“Aunt Jane!” Cecilia darts forward and hugs her.

“Jesus, you really have grown since we last saw each other. Excited for our sleepover?”

“Yes! I can’t wait! Can I sleep next to you?”

“No.” Theodore’s familiar grumpy tone fills the air. “I was already kicked out of bed last night, so I won’t be kicked out again.”

“Kicked out?” Felix asks, amused. “Did Jane finally get enough of you?”

“I wish that were the case. Then I could just force myself back there. But all four of our leeches decided they wanted to sleep next to mommy. So my destiny was to sleep on the couch.”

“Come on, Theo. It was just one night. And you, of all people, should understand that I’m just delightful sleeping company.” She turns to face us. “So are you mentally prepared for tomorrow?”

Felix and I look at each other, and I turn back to Jane.

“Yes, we are. I think all these years have been more than enough to prepare us for tomorrow. And I have to admit, I might even be a little excited.”

Felix’s hands suddenly come from behind me, hugging me.

“And I’m excited that I finally get to call you my Queen, for real.”

“And I’m excited to have a sleepover! Can we go already?” Cecilia joins in.

“Ceci! Your dad is just as fun company as they are,” Felix says.

She just rolls her eyes.

“I’m so thankful you’re taking care of Cecilia and Cedric for us. I know you already have your hands full with your own children, so I hope ours aren’t too much to bear.”

“Oh, please. Nothing is too much in our little chaos. And our Lily has been more than excited too.”

I move my gaze to Lily, the blue-haired girl who ran toward us eagerly, who is six years old. She stands there shyly, looking at Cedric. She has been smitten with our Cedric for quite some time now. I spot the extremely displeased look on Theodore’s face. He isn’t enjoying his daughter’s little crush at all.

“So, do you guys have some plans already made?” I ask.

“Yes. We actually made a huge playground in the Tower yard,” Jane answers.

“A playground?”

“Yes. I was going nuts when all of them kept causing chaos inside the Tower, so now they can cause chaos outside the Tower. It finished just yesterday, so we can go test it today. And there are some very climbable trees too, so something fun for me as well.”

“Trees?” Felix asks.

“Yeah, I’m like the best when it comes to climbing.”

“The best? I highly doubt it.”

“Oh? You think you’re better than me?”

Oh God. Not again. Felix and Jane have a habit of engaging in weird competitions. I already know where this is going.

“Of course I’m better than you! I’m much taller and more muscular, so I would beat you in a heartbeat.”

“Our mom is way better!” Jarred bursts out, their second youngest child. At the same time, he accidentally sets one of our flowerbeds on fire.

Cecilia immediately uses her water magic to stop it, rolling her eyes.

It’s a familiar sight. Jarred has always been a rather wild one, and his emotions really control his fire magic. Cecilia has taken on the role of watching over him, walking behind him, and suffocating every fire he makes.

I think they are all rather cute together. Their oldest one, Nora, is seven, like Cecilia and Cedric. She is the calmest of them all.

“You are so wrong,” Felix keeps taunting.

“Okay, how about a bet?” Jane suggests and points to a tree in the distance. “The one who reaches that tree and climbs to the top first is the best.”

“You’re so on!”

“Lady Mist, do you realize you gave birth just a few months ago?” Theodore interrupts.

“Like I care! I could beat him while still pregnant.” She faces Felix. “But no magic!”

“Oh, please. I need no magic to beat you.”

It doesn’t take long before they start running toward the tree, all the children running after them, cheering them on.

Theodore and I let out a heavy sigh at the same time. He’s still holding their baby. Our gatherings are always like this: Felix and Jane end up doing something stupid, and Theodore and I are left to watch since we’re both much calmer than they are. I’ve gotten used to being around Theodore. When he became a father, he didn’t seem so scary anymore. And we’ve moved to a first-name basis as well.

“So who do you think will win?” I ask.

“Jane, obviously.”

“Really?”

“Felix should win. It doesn’t matter that Jane might be better at climbing. Felix is just faster at running.”

“So why would Jane win then?”

“Because there were no rules about cheating. She will most definitely cheat.”

Shortly after, we hear a huge commotion in the distance. Jane is sitting smugly on top of the tree. We can’t hear what they’re saying, but there’s an awful lot of yelling. Soon they walk back toward us, Jane looking smug and Felix… not so much.

“Lo! She cheated! You know I would’ve definitely won, right?”

I look at Theodore and spot a faint smile on his face. I guess he was right.

“There were no rules against telling a little lie,” Jane argues.

“I was already climbing when she suddenly told me that Ceci had fallen and hurt her ankle. So I jumped down to help and found out it was just a lie!”

I try to suppress my laughter. “Well, next time you race, remember to make better rules.”

“I would think that not cheating was a pretty obvious rule!”

I hug him and kiss his cheek.

“Don’t worry about it. Isn’t it enough that I know you would have won?”

He kisses me back with a bright smile.

“Goddammit, you really are too cute sometimes.”

The baby in Theodore’s arms wakes up and starts crying softly, but it doesn’t take long before he settles comfortably against Theodore’s chest, just watching what is happening. When I first saw Theodore, I would never guessed to see him holding a baby so naturally.

“So, do you think you’ll add even more children to your little clan? Or is four enough?” Felix asks.

“After two, I said no more. Then, after three, I said no more again. So I won’t say anything anymore. I don’t trust my words anymore.” Jane explains.

“What made you change your mind every time?”

“My ovaries. I mean, just seeing shirtless Theodore while holding a baby made them explode. So basically, I’m just a victim here.”

“I do understand the feeling. Seeing Felix holding our twins really was the best thing ever.”

“Oh, I’m a bit jealous of the twins. I can’t see Theodore with two babies. Theo, is there any kind of magic or potion that could help make twins?”

“No. And if you keep dreaming of more children, we’ll need to make a custom-sized bed to fit us all. I won’t tolerate the couch anymore.”

“Theo! That’s a great idea! A bigger bed would be amazing.”

“It was a joke, Lady Mist.”

She smirks. “But I thought you didn’t do jokes?”

“A momentary relapse.”

Jane turns to the children playing in the garden.

“Okay! I think we should go so Felix and Lorelia can get a little relationship time.”

They all gather around Theodore.

“Thanks once again. We owe you. You’re free to use us as babysitters anytime in return.”

“Careful what you wish for. I make no promises that Jarred won’t blow up the Palace. Enjoy your last day as Crown Prince and Crown Princess Consort. See you tomorrow at the coronation!”

A magic circle appears, and soon they’re gone. Felix immediately pulls me into a hug.

“So, what does my future Queen want to do? Want to go outside the Palace?”

“Hmm… I think I want to do nothing.”

“Nothing?” Felix looks puzzled. “What do you mean, nothing?”

“After tomorrow, our lives are going to be much more hectic. So I’d rather just spend the day with you lazily. Just enjoy the peace and quiet. Especially now that the kids are gone. So I suggest we go back to our room, slip under the sheets, and spend the whole day there.”

He smirks.

“If you want to do nothing, I assure you that if we slip under the sheets, there’s definitely going to be something.”

“Well, if that something includes you shoving your dick into my pussy, I definitely wouldn’t mind.”

“Woah. My pretty flower surely has a filthy mouth. Whatever happened to the shy flower who struggled to even say ‘pussy’ out loud?”

I turn toward the Palace and shrug.

“Don’t know. You probably suffocated her to death with your choking.”

“Goddammit, I’m so turned on right now.”

“You do realize you say that no matter what I do?”

“It’s not my fault that everything you do is so fucking arousing. Oh, and by the way…”

I look at him walking beside me.

“Yes?”

“Those boobs look very heavy to walk with… can I hold them for you?”

I roll my eyes. “God, you’re hopeless. You’re already 33 years old. Did you ever plan to grow up?” I try to sound stern, but fail miserably.

He clutches his chest dramatically.

“Woah, straight to my heart. Your mean words might kill me someday.”

“No, they won’t.”

“Well, at least my dick definitely just died.” He leans closer, grinning. “Can I bury it in your pussy?”

“Felix!” I burst out. “We’re outside! You can’t just talk like that in public!”

He really is utterly hopeless.

Suddenly, he scoops me up into his arms, and I yelp in surprise.

“I might repeat myself, but goddammit, I love you being all defiant like that. I’m so turned on right now.”

“I wonder what people would think if they knew their future King is a pervert.”

“Well, if they saw how you look naked and bound to my bed, tears sliding and body shaking, they’d definitely understand me.”

I wrap my arms around his shoulders and kiss him.

I really love how hopeless he is.