* * *

The next day.

"Please Your Highness, take good care of my son," I heard Dad say, looking at Rahu. We are now at the foyer as dad was sending me off. I told dad he could go and see where Rahu and I were going to start living but he declined, saying that if he came, it would be difficult for him to let me go. I helplessly sighed at that but I do understand dad because he only had me ever since I could remember. And I know for a fact that he was against me and Rahu living together since the beginning and that if I had never gotten pregnant, he would have never agreed with this arrangement.

"Of course, Father. I will not let him near potential danger." Rahu replied, puffing his chest proudly declaring his promise.

"I am putting my trust in you... As for you, try not to be too stubborn and cause trouble to his highness," Dad said, facing me this time around which I immediately responded with a pout.

"Dad~ I'm not that stubborn," I pouted because I wasn't. I was a good and obedient child growing up. How can dad say this now!? But then again, there are indeed times that I was stubborn and willful but Rahu should know that already.

"Hmm, sure you're not... Anyway, go now before I change my mind," Dad replied, rolling his eyes playfully before raising his hand to shoo us away. I pouted again because dad seemed like he was eager to give me away but I knew he's already on the edge of crying, that's why he's hurrying us to leave.

"I love you, Daddy. I'll come and visit every weekend," I said and caressed his hand since I'm still in a wheelchair and cannot hug him as I please. I know that I was only moving away in a place a few minutes away from dad's house and I could or he could visit me anytime but this is the first time I'm leaving home so I understand why dad's being so emotional.

"Yeah, yeah... go now... I still need to open the cafe," I could hear dad's voice crack but I ignored it and nodded. I know for sure he wouldn't want me seeing him cry since he's always been like that. He's such a crybaby.

"Let's go?" I whispered Rahu with a bright smile and he only responded with a soft nod before he finally led us out and to our service but before I entered the car, I faced dad again who was still watching in our direction already with a red nose and teary eyes.

"Oh and just so you know, I don't mind you finding a boyfriend. I think it's time for you to find your happiness, dad. Just make sure to let me meet him first before ever deciding on anything." I expressed and wink at the end before at last getting inside the car. Dad's still young because he had gotten pregnant at 17 so most of the time when people look at us, we looked like brothers instead of father and son. I know for a fact that he has a constant customer who visited dad's cafe every day for the last 10 years. I also know that this man had been courting dad for the longest time but he rejected him because he had me.

I admit at first, I didn't want dad to have a lover because I was afraid he would get married and have another child but as I grew up I realized that dad was never going to do that to me. I had been selfish but I want dad to be happy, and so he shouldn't feel burdened now that I'm finally moving away from his nest. It’s time for dad to have someone that would take care of him that is not me. Someone who will make him happy in ways that I couldn't. Just like how I am with Rahu.

"What are you thinking, my Queen?" Rahu suddenly asked, kissing the back of my ear after seeing me smile at my thought. We're already in the car sitting next to each other when Rahu noticed my smile.

"Hmm? I was thinking about you," I bluntly replied and gazed at Rahu's affectionate eyes.

"Really? I am happy. I should give you a present for making me this happy." Rahu said again and it only made me giggle. If every time I make him happy he would give me gifts then I'd probably be buried by it by now.

"You don't need to buy me gifts. Having you is enough for me."

"I insist... besides, I've already prepared it..." Rahu said, causing me to quickly pull away from him and look at him in surprise.

"Then doesn't this mean you're giving me gifts anyway whether I make you happy or not," I said, raising one of my eyebrows.

"That's not true. You always make me happy even if you don't say anything," Rahu said and pulled me into his lap, making sure I wasn't hurting my injured leg before slipping his warm palms inside my clothes and caressing my stomach. I blushed at the sudden act but I liked his touch so I let Rahu be.

"What kind of surprise did you prepare for me?" I asked curiously.

"Well, you're about to find out later when we arrive," Rahu said with an ambiguous smile which I frowned upon but later decided that I should wait since I'm going to find out anyway when we arrive at our destination.

"Fine. It better not disappoint me," I said with a pout, crossing my arms against my chest while still in his lap making Rahu chuckle.

"I hope so, my Queen," Rahu affectionately said before kissing my ear. I blushed at the act especially since one of his hands is still caressing my stomach. I tried to ignore it but the longer he did it the more it made me calm and relaxed so in the end, I fell asleep leaning on Rahu's shoulder without knowing. And when I woke up I was already alone in a massive king-sized bed. I looked around wondering where Rahu was but when I was about to call him, I noticed something moved under the sheets against my feet.

"Kyaaa!" I squealed terrified, pulling my leg close to me when I felt something rough and wet slide against my skin. I was ready to jump off of the bed when finally the moving thing showed itself to me and I froze staring at it with wide eyes.

'N-No way! A white tiger cub that looked like a mini version of Mahbub!'

"Oh my gosh! So cute!" I exclaimed, instantly forgetting my fear. I remembered Rahu saying that Mahbub couldn't be transported in the country because he was already old and instead he was going to get me a different one but I didn't expect he would get me a white tiger cub. I heard it's very rare. The chances are 1 out of 10,000 births and both parents should have the genes to make it possible. I reached out my hand on the cub and my heart melted when the big baby sniffed my hand and later licked while purring. I was a little cautious still because even if it's a cub, it's still a tiger but knowing that Rahu left it beside me alone, the cub is probably domesticated. I just wondered how since he's still a baby.

"Wait. Don't tell me Rahu took you away from your Mommy and Daddy," I muttered softly, seeing the little thing walking towards me and as if begging me to touch his fur so I did. I stroked its back a bit and eventually after a couple of minutes, I was able to put him on my lap. My heart melted again but at the same time felt sad because a baby cub should be with its parents until they're adult enough to survive on its own.

"You're so cute and I like you but, I might ask Rahu to put you back since I don't want you to be away from your Mommy. I'm sure she'll be sad right now because I know that would I feel if my baby was taken from me," I said and hugged the fluffy thing. Eventually, I lifted the tiger cub in my hands and got off of the bed. It's heavy but not too overwhelming.

I trailed out of the bedroom and even though Rahu wasn't there when I woke up, I knew that he'd probably be in his study if not with me.

"Is he in there?" Reaching Rahu's study, I asked the guards guarding the door after they greeted me very politely like I was already the Queen of their country.

"Yes, your highness," one of the guards replied. Even though I'm a little shy about receiving such a title, I've already given up correcting them a long time ago so I only nodded before they opened the door for me.

"Rahu?" I called before I could see him talking to Baltes with a serious expression; however, as soon as he saw me, their conversation halted as he looked at me and in an instant a smile appeared on his lips before he stood, leaving his loyal subject taking a step back.

"Ah, were you talking about something important??" I asked, feeling a little guilty that I had interrupted his work. But since the guards didn't say anything about Rahu being busy, I thought he was just doing some paperwork for Mizrahill.

"Oh no, my Love. It was nothing serious," Rahu said and quickly dismissed Baltes. He briefly nodded at me as a sign of respect before he soon headed out at Rahu's order.

"Are you sure? It looked like you were talking about something serious," I said while swaying the tiger cub in my arms all this time.

"Yes I am sure and I see you making friends with the cub already. Did you like it?" Rahu said and I see that he was changing the topic but then again, Rahu was probably just talking about work so I didn't need to push on the previous topic and instead I squinted my eyes at him, making Rahu all confused.

"Did you just take this poor little thing from his Mommy and Daddy just to give it to me??" I said, hugging the poor tiger cub as if protecting it from Rahu, making Rahu chuckle as he reached out to me brushing my cheek.

"No, my Queen. This one is an orphan. Her mom died giving birth to her while her dad didn't want to do anything with her so the animal center had been taking care of her all this time so she is highly domesticated," Rahu explained while urging to the couch for us to sit on and as soon as I heard him, I felt even worse for the cub. Having its mom die giving birth to it was sadder that I wasn't able to say anything as I just felt like I needed to comfort the little baby.

"She's still 9 months old and smaller than her peers so for now she won't be staying with us 24/7 since she needed professionals to take good care of him but she's yours, my love. When she grows up a little and learns not to hurt people, you can keep him for good," Rahu added and I look at Rahu with teary eyes because I don't know, it felt like I'd become this cub's mom all of a sudden.

"You can name her too if you want," Rahu said again with a doting smile as his thumb reached to dry my eyes.

"I-I'll definitely take good care of her like she's my own daughter. Thank you so much, Rahu." I said and leaned closer to give Rahu a kiss. Our kiss lasted seconds and when he separated, both of us whispered our 'I love yous' in unison which made both of us giggle at each other.

"I'll think of a good name for sure," I said and Rahu just nodded, kissing my forehead this time.

* * *

End of Chapter Twenty-Six.