Mila was about to be one soon, and her birthday wasn't going to be anything special except she was born near the end of fall. With her mother nearly killing her a few months back. Mila was given a room closer to her father, with Leo's room also close by. Bert had shown up to check up on her; Mila had never seen the family doctor before.

Seeing Henry the Herb Feathered Kakapo, he was keeping her company once more. Mila petted his head and smiled, seeing how nice it was to have a beast alongside as a comrade or friend. Bert watched as Mila didn't mind Henry, who usually wasn't fond of distracting others, but Mila had a different feeling.

[Bert! I want to see her soon!!!] Henry had his little herb feathered tail wagging behind him.

"We have our duties. We don't come and go as we please." Bert smiled, looking over to Henry, who groaned to see Mila more.

"Bied." (Bird) Mila tried to say, but she knew that she was getting better. 'I'm almost there.' Just a bit more practice, and she would get it soon.

"This is Henry." Bert introduced Henry, who started wagging his tail feather again. Knowing that Mila was trying to say his name or species had him happy.

'This is annoying, but it's better than being a silent child.' Mila felt her eyebrow twitch a little with how weird it sounded for her to be an infant again. Trying to learn the words and practice was hard enough. Her mouth was still like a child's, but she would succeed with enough private practice.

"Heni!" (Henry!)

"Since when were you paid to teach her words." Duke Reynard entered Mila’s room, who looked angry at Bert and Henry.

"We were merely just teaching her since she seemed quite willing to learn." Bert bowed, looking to see that Duke Reynard was jealous. "She will learn much faster if one were to keep teaching her words and how to say it." He gave Duke Reynard advice to help Mila start speaking more accurately. "We'll be taking our leave now. Until then, make sure she stays healthy."

"Mm." Duke Reynard had Bert and Henry leave while staying in Mila's room. He went over to Mila while she felt a bead of sweat form again on her head. "Do you even know who I am?" He asked which Mila stood up, ignoring the pain in her leg.

'You bet I know who you are!' Mila didn't think he would ask her when he already knew its answer. "Faher!" (Father!) She said and pointed at him when she said it. Mila tried to stand and fell back onto her bottom with Duke Reynard, who held his head. 'Did I get him mad?' Mila thought this probably got him upset with her misspoken words.

"You silly child." Duke Reynard carried Mila, who was rather shocked to see that he didn't mind her words. "Your birthday is coming soon. I'll be sure to get you a gift." He said and smiled.
***
Duke Reynard had left Mila with Sara and went to his office. Holding the side of his head up, he recalled Lady Sydney's words.

"She's not special, so what makes you think that she will have a happy life. She doesn't even have the birth symbol of the Noble Family. One day, she will die because of you. Her heart will slowly break with the political involvements that she will be used for."

Hearing her words repeat before he had her executed, Duke Reynard wanted to find a man who would treat Mila well in the future. "Trivett." Appearing from smoke, it was Duke Reynard's butler.

"You called." The fellow man with his typical black hair and Tuscan red eyes. A servant to the Noble family from a very young age.

"Find me young fellow men who bear no symbol but are born in the higher status family. Keep this between us only." Duke Reynard said, making sure that Trivett understood.

"I understand." Trivett left soon after with Duke Reynard, unsure if he was making the right choice for Mila.
***
Mila was in her room flipping through the picture books out of boredom. "What are you reading?" The book was taken out of Mila's hand which she looked to see it was none other than her half-siblings. With his brown hair and dark cyan eyes, Darren, second older brother. Vita is the first oldest sister with red hair and pink eyes. Then, Elsie, with her typical black hair and green eyes, second older sister.

"Such a baby would not understand such book." Vita smiled and took the book. "Wouldn't you agree?" She looked to Elsie, who nodded.

Vita handed the book back to Darren, who smiled and ripped the book. Mila stood up, trying to take the book back. "This would be better burnt." Fire erupted from his hand as the book turned into ashes.

Mila was pushed back down as she didn't think they would go that far. Looking down at the book in ashes, she didn't cry but kept staring down at it. "You keep looking at nothing. Such a stupid child being called a child of the Noble Family." Vita pushed Mila down once more. "You don't even cry either."

As much as Mila hated Vita, she wasn't going to let her fate be miserable again. "What are you all doing here?" They all turned to see Leo going toward them all. "If you all wish not to be found destroying things, then leave now, or else I'll have Rey handle you all." Leo had a threatening look that shook the three of them.

"Tsk, let's go. There's no fun here anyway." Vita said, going ahead first with the other two following behind her.

Leo looked down to see the brunt book that Darren had destroyed. Mila looked down sadly to know that they hated her more than anything. She held a small burnt piece of the book. "Hey, if they ever bully you, then I'll always be there. Do not bother to call out to me." Leo had set her down on her bed. "Just call Leo, and I will be there in a whiff."

Leo was about to leave when he heard, "Leo!" Hearing his name, he turned to see Mila giggling and standing towards him.

"You are getting better. Repeat it." Leo smiled, knowing how that may have been her actual first word. He liked how she just said it when it surprised him.

"Leo!" Mila said again and knew that he was pleased to hear her say it. 'He is on my side for sure!' Mila smiled and felt happy that she wasn't alone this lifetime. She sometimes felt as though her father was with her, but at the same time, it didn't feel like he was. "Leo! Leo!" Mila practiced Leo's name the most since it was shorter and easier to say. 'It paid off.'

Later that day, Mila found her doors opening to see a man with typical black hair and Tuscan red eyes. "So, you’re the little lady that Duke Reynard treasures so much over." He said, looking down and about to pet her head.

Mila grabbed his hand, which caught him by surprise. "Butler!" Mila said, knowing, but she had forgotten that an infant would not know of such a word.

"Hmph, you’re quite intelligent. Where did you learn to say such a word?" Trivett said, looking down at her and leaving after petting her head.

'I hope he doesn't know.' Mila thought, feeling a bit afraid.