Mother to the Love Interest

Chapter 12 - Dinner with the Emperor Part 2

"Are you all blind now? Your prince is hungry. Quickly give him his milk!", the Emperor's booming voice filled the once quiet room.

The servants quickly dispersed to obey his command. While they were busy running back to her quarters, Ophelia only watched the interactions between the Emperor and her burrito all the while filling up her empty stomach.

Instead of ignoring the pitiful Peter, the Emperor placed his fork down and gently pick him up into his arms to coax him. Their interactions were smooth and without any awkwardness in between. Now that Ophelia had noticed it. Both father and son seemed to be very well accustomed to one another.

Not like they never before. But during the times the Emperor made contact with Peter both sides seemed to be in a war against one another. Of course, it was a one-sided war that was mostly in favour of the baby. With the teasing, she wasn't quite sure whether the Emperor felt a sense of kinship towards the baby.

He had numerous concubines and although they were no rumours of him favouring any of them it doesn't mean he doesn't. He was a man capable of anything. A simple rumour wouldn't stand in his way. Especially if the previous Emperor was well known for his lustful towards his concubines and any woman he comes across with. The number of his children were just crazy. This doesn't include his children that weren't acknowledged by the Royal family.

If they were to add up together...

Well, let's not talk about something that is beyond her help.

If rumours about the apple doesn't fall far away from the tree were to surface, perhaps history will once again repeat.

Ophelia's sight never left the father and son while her fork spoons more food into her mouth. The father and son must have felt the stare because they were both looked up towards her. Even when they did, Ophelia only continues on eating.

Seeing how the mother barely cared for her own child, the two furrowed their eyebrows in displeasure. Ophelia almost chokes on her food when she realized how alike they were of one another. If only Peter hadn't inherited her crimson eyes, he would look exactly like the Emperor. Just miniature and wearing diapers.

The two of them held their gaze on her. They were expecting her to at least fuss around Peter but, instead of winning him back, her hand that momentarily halted continue back on the task at hand. Filling up her stomach.

He was already taking care of Burrito. What else did he expect her to do?

She knew that her actions were an embarrassment to her teachers. They could lose their hair (if they had any) if they saw her right now. She was breaking every rule of etiquette right in front of the most powerful man in the continent.

As soon as she realized that, she cough to remind herself she was eating with the Emperor who could easily kill her off if he wants.

"Now, Peter. Let's not disturb the Emperor while he's eating", Ophelia reached out to take the burrito from the Emperor but the man held Peter closer to him.

"It's alright."

Well, that was surprising.

During situations like this, Ophelia would have shrugged and let the other person be. Peter had also made no noise of rejection and he was still within her plain sight. She sees no other reasons to refuse his wishes. Also, she sees nothing on the table to could hold her baby hostage against her. She hopes.

But, it was the Emperor she's fighting Peter for. The least she could do is to act like a caring mother not knowing that both father and son saw how she prefer the food on her plate than anything else.