A Gift

"This time it's different, father will spend the entire day with you. I will not leave early." 

This sentence brightened up Kaiser's day. It's fine if he didn't have to celebrate his birthday just to have his father's company for a day. Kaiser's eyes widened, he asked, high pitched and excited, "Really?" 

Then he was put down on the ground, his tiny toes reached the ground and he stood straight, Karl replied with a nod as he patted Kaiser's head. "What's your wish today? I will grant it today." he said gently.

Kaiser seemed to be a tall man if he was a grown up, probably because of the 3 inch heels of his shoes but he was at the height of his father's lower half. He playfully tugged Karl's outer jacket, this man is truly gorgeous from head to toe, he said, "Then, could father invite all the people of Landroich in the celebration? I want to have friends!" his next move was.. he hugged Karl's thigh like he was a little koala on a big tree branch. Karl chuckled, "what are you doing?" bending to see his son. 

Kaiser replied, pouting, "father might not want to grant my wish, because they're commoners." 

Karl sighed and ruffled Kaiser's hair, "if it meant to have you friends then we'll invite them all." 

With that said, Kaiser lifted his head up to see his father with a wide smile, "really?" he asked again.

Karl replied, "Really, really."

The invitation was instructed to the imperial guards, announcing to the big platform of the central street of Handun Broch and other cities: where markets, streets and works meet in the central street, it's most likely where the commoners spend their great time. This news is like a miracle to the commoners, in the past decades they were never allowed to go inside the palace unless it was a noble or an imperial guard, or a general who would submit a report. The young maidens jumped out of excitement, loudly planning on what to give for the young duke, some were planning to give food.

"We're being invited by the young duke?" asked Elise to her husband. 

Tobias quickly replied, "Should we attend?" there's hesitation in his eyes but he also wanted to attend to ask permission for immigration. The idea of a personal meeting with the King is not planned but since there's an opportunity, they might as well try. 

At the current time, Tobias Acker is a commoner who Elise fell in love with, he's not poor but an average person who has money to raise himself and her. but in the last 4 years, Tobias fell into poverty, he lacked money badly. Elise could not endure being in the state of poverty, after all she was a daughter of a nobleman who was in the other country, she came in Landroich to wander around, she thought, it was too boring in the small country of Heisenberg, men flocks over me left and right, I'm too showered in the attention I never wanted, along with the boring things in the Manor, with the boring buildings, I'm just fed up.

She asked permission from her father and mother, it was then approved and immigrated to Landroich. While she's at it, she loves the winter, the food and the well ruled country of Landroich. She already loved this country and might even not want to go home. I might as well find my Mr. True love here!

Elise Chambers met her Mr. True love at Helen's Bakery when Helen— the owner of the bakery handed out the change to her payment, yet unexpectedly, a stranger simultaneously picked the change, their hands enveloped at the scene. "ohoo.. I didn't know Mr. Acker is such a romantic one." said Ms. Helen who was standing before the scene, that's when Tobias felt a hand beneath his, at that moment, Elise was stunned, looking at the blonde man who was flustered.

"You silly," scolded Helen, "that's Miss Chambers's change, I'll get your change next. Don't be so impatient." Then she chuckled, she lowered her head to count a change for Tobias. 

Tobias refuted bashfully, "I-I didn't know it was mine! Helen, it's your fault for not saying it was hers." 

Helen replied, not lifting her head up to look at the tomato Tobias, "It's not my fault that you assumed though." 

At this point, Tobias couldn't reply anymore, it's true that he assumed that this was his change and carelessly reached out to get it. "My.. My hand, sir." Elise uttered a voice, and Tobias halted when he heard her voice, in his mind, he cursed a lot and yanked his hand off Elise. 

"I-I-I truly am sorry, Ms.. Ms.." He forgot what her surname is! He quickly took a glance at Helen with a teasing smirk that says 'serves you right', bulging his eyes out and signaling to help him about this, yet Helen shook her head in response. 

"It's Chambers, Elise Chambers, and you..?" Elise spoke again to break the awkward atmosphere, Tobias was once again, flushed and flustered, "I-I'm To-Tobi-a-as A-A-Acker." 

Elise giggled to this stuttering response, Tobias sounded like a breaking radio where you couldn't find the signal to its antenna. 

Elise removed her glove to her right hand and handed it out for a handshake, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Cassette." Tobias looked puzzled at Elise but he shook her hand using his left hand and said, "I-I-It's A-A-Ack-k-ker."

Helen laughed happily, tears forming in her eyes as she laughed, clutching her stomach on the scene. Fucker missed the joke, she thought.

The relationship between Elise and Tobias developed faster than a moon eclipse, yet Tobias never had the courage to ask Elise out, luckily he found a girl who knew how to ask better than a man like him who's flustered than a clumsy maiden could ever get. Tobias is awfully hopeless when it comes to romance, but Elise is a young lady who knows first move when she's passionate. She never misses a day to send a "May I invite you to dinner?" letter. They became lovers later on. They wedded after 10 months of being fresh couples.

Back to the present day, "Yeah let's attend, it's a good opportunity to ask for permission, too."  Elise replied without worrying, her voice is soft and gentle as ever, since Tobias met her at Helen's Bakery. 

Tobias replied, "That's fine? We're considered commoners though?"

Elise responded, "The Chambers family— I mean my family is a successful noble family, it's impossible that the King doesn't know this."

Tobias: "Oh.. is that so, then let's go when they open the gates."

Elise nodded in response, then she lifted up her son with her son, "Elias, do you want to see the grand duke?" she asked playfully, but her son was clueless, his ocean eyes widened, "Is the grand duke kind?" the little kid replied, he's yet to be fluent in speaking, but his words are good enough to understand.

Elise replied, "Yeah, he sure is. it's the Grand Duke's 5th birthday today, what would you give him?" Elise asked again. 

Elias pondered for a while, with his small hand to his chin. Upon this scene of his son, Tobias couldn't help but chuckle.

"I will give him myself!" said confidently by Elias. 

Elise and Tobias were taken aback then laughed at this, why would Elias give himself? thought Tobias, "Elias, why is that?" he asked, seeking for the conclusion to his own thought, as he stared at his son's identical eyes from his, "My gift for the duke is a friend! I'll be his friend!"