It was one thirty in the morning, sleep was happily drifting upon everyone in the palace. Everyone was happy and asleep, until a loud screeching cry filled the entire castle. Alerting Cole and Vania that Lilly, their daughter, needed tending to.

"We just set her to sleep an hour ago!" said Cole, getting up. "How did she wake up so quickly? I was still dreaming."

"Well, we can't just let Lilly cry like that in the middle of the night," said Vania. "She is still small and is dependable on her parents."

So, both of them went towards the crib, which was right in front of their bed, where they saw and heard Lilly crying as loudly as a hungry wolf, trying to get his prey.

"It's okay, it's okay, my daughter," said Vania, picking Lilly up. "What's wrong, my little Lilly?"

"Are you okay, Princess?" asked Cole, trying to soothe Lilly. "Did something wake you up, Lilly?"

"She must be hungry," said Vania. "Are you hungry?'

Lilly's voice softened once Vania sat down on one of the couches and began feeding her. After a few more minutes, she fell asleep.

"Oh, I hope that Lilly sleeps for the rest of the night," said Vania, setting Lilly down on her crib. "I need a little more rest before the day starts."

"Me, too," said Cole, yawning. "I think she's down for the night."

Cole and Vania went back to their bed and fell asleep. 

For the rest of the night, Lilly did not cry anymore, and she only did when the alarm rang, disturbing her.

"Looks like we've got two alarm clocks from now on," said Cole, picking Lilly up. "Hi, Lilly. Are you hungry?"

While Cole was talking with his daughter, Lilly began eating her right hand, leaving saliva on it.

"She sure seems so," said Vania, getting Lilly from Cole's arms. "I'll just feed her for a few minutes while you can take a shower."

"Okay," said Cole, grabbing his towel. "See you, my two favourite girls."

While Cole began taking a shower, Vania sat down again on the same couch she did the last midnight, and set Lilly down on her lap.

"Looks like you two are having the time of your lives, huh?" said Cole, as he got out, hair half wet. "And Lilly's asleep yet again."

"I guess she just doesn't want any loud noises disturbing her," said Vania, gently rocking Lilly on her arms. "Can you hold her now? I'm just going to take a quick shower."

"I'll gladly take that offer," said Cole.

As soon as the bathroom's door closed, Lilly gave a little sneeze and began crying loudly again.

"Oh, dear, oh, dear," said Cole, beginning to panic. "Don't cry, Lilly. Do you want your pacifier?"

Cole quickly took Lilly's purple pacifier and gave it to Lilly, who began chewing it and she slowly stopped crying.

Ever since Lilly was born, Cole and Vania's lives have really changed. From changing the dirty and smelly diapers to the constant milk puking, and just everything made it twice as hard to rule the Kingdom of Shintaro.

For the rest of the morning, Cole and Vania went on to their regular morning routine for the past two weeks ever since they arrived with the baby.

After taking a quick shower, Vania fed Lilly, then Cole had to make sure that she had to burp, or else she'll puke all of the milk out, he also changed her diaper, and they went to the dining room to finally be able to eat their breakfast. But, of course, when you have a baby, everything you do is work itself.

While they were eating, the couple kept their eyes firmly on Lilly, while they were eating. They had set Lilly down on the centre of the table, so that they could keep an eye on her, and make sure that she was safe in her carrier.

"Honestly, I didn't even know that being a parent and having a newborn baby was this hard," said Cole, as he finished eating his breakfast. "It's like you need to feed her, change her diaper, and all those other things. And I didn't know that a baby could cry like a bat screeching in a cave just because she sneezes."

"I don't think Lilly screeches like a bat," said Vania. "She's just a little bit scared of her little, tiny, sneeze."

"I know," said Cole, placidly while picking Lilly up again. "Hey, Lilly. I see you woke up again."

"She's awake?" asked Vania. "I just put her down for a nap thirty minutes ago."

"Lilly likes to wake up and then fall asleep again," cooed Cole. "Is that right?"

Lilly gave a small giggle and took her father's finger as Cole gave her a small kiss on her forehead.

"Aw," said Vania, seeing what they were doing.

They were enjoying their quiet moment for now. Hailmar had agreed that whenever there was nothing to do, Cole and Vania would have quality time with Lilly. Tending and just enjoying life with her.

"I hope there's nothing to do today," said Cole, gently rocking Lilly in his arms. "Once this little baby was born, I wasn't that interested in doing kingly duties."

"Me neither," said Vania. "But we have to do it."

For the next few hours, there were no royal duties to attend to, so the King and Queen of Shintaro spent those beautiful hours together with their daughter.

Everything was peaceful and calm, but that can not last forever. Soon enough, Hailmar knocked on the door and gave the two a duty to attend to.

"Your Royal Majesties, the Royal Counsellor of the next Kingdom, Mister Herod Abimelech has asked if he could meet with you," said Hailmar. "He says that he is planning on giving a little offer."

"Offer?" wondered Cole to himself. "I wonder what this dude wants from Shintaro."

"When will the meeting begin?" asked Vania. "So that we could begin to get ready to meet this man."

"In ten minutes, Your Highness," said Hailmar, leaving the room.

"Thank you," smiled Vania.

Once Hailmar left the room, and shut it closed, Cole spoke up.

"Don't you think there's something wrong with this guy?" questioned Cole, raising his eyebrows. "I mean, even from his name 'Herod Abi something', I already feel suspicious about him."

"Don't judge him by his name, Cole," said Vania, beginning to get ready. "Anyways, we have got to start getting ready. The babysitter will be here soon to babysit Lilly for the time being when we are in the meeting with the Counsellor."

After five minutes of getting their morning hair ready, choosing out the best robes that they owned, and, of course, they can't forget to give Lilly a little feeding before they go to the meeting.

Three knocks went onto the door, where the person who was supposed to babysit Lilly was ready.

"Okay, so the same things apply," said Vania. "The bottles are near Lilly's cot, if she gets a little cranky give her a sterilised pacifier, which is on that white table, then when she stills gets a little more feisty, you can lay her down in the pram's car seat first. Did you understand all of that?"

"Yes, Your Highness," said the babysitter, nodding along. "I shall follow all of the instructions you have given me."

"Thank you so much," said Cole, smiling.

"Oh, and her toys are in that bin over there!" added Vania, as she and Cole went out. "That will help a little bit when she cries. Even if she can't see the toys yet."

The next few minutes went by so fast, and when they reached the meeting room, it was exactly ten minutes.

"Wow, hello," said Cole, after he saw Herod's face. "One good face over there. Heh."

Herod Abimelech absolutely looked different than any of the other men going to meet with Vania and Cole. He was short, with a very bushy white beard, dark eyes, and he was wearing a long red robe.

"Cole, don't say that," snapped Vania. "It's rude."

"I do not care about that," said Herod. "I am here to give you an offer, yes?"

"Er, yes?" said Cole, confused. "I dunno, really."

"Eh?" said Herod. "The King, our King, my King, has requested something on his behalf."

"Which is..." said Vania.

"Our Kingdom has heard of the birth of your daughter, huh? Princess of Shintaro?" said Herod. "The King of our Kingdom requests that your daughter, whoever she is, shall-"

Author's Note:

Okay, okay, I left a cliffhanger here. Two reasons why: one, it seems interesting to do that and two, I honestly do not know what the offer shall be, or any other complications, still thinking about that.

And, yes, I said in the last chapter I went to travel United Kingdom, London, and I actually did. My spirit is happy, but my wallet, eh.

I had to say goodbye to £300 (three hundred pounds or about three hundred fifty-four and seventy-five cents, in American dollars) since that thing was a two day trip, and one single day costs £150! I absolutely do not know why, but I had to dip in, just a tiny bit, into my childhood savings. Luckily, I've still got money for my flat.

This is my 9th chapter out of 12, and after this, I will create a story out of this idea:

Sorry for the late upload!