After breakfast, the old couple has to dismiss themselves to go with their respective activities. Eli had to go first to meet Desmond and Lainie.
With that, only Leon, Little Han, and Baobao remained in the chamber.
Little Han looked at his father blinking his eyes innocently while Leon looked at him calmly while he helped the little guy finish his breakfast.
"Daddi, play?" Little Han tilted his head as he asked his father curiously. It was not a long time since his Dad took him and mommy out to play outside, and so Little Han thinks that Leon also took him to the secret chamber to play around.
Leon's heart instantly broke as he saw Little Han's excited yet clueless expression. He too wanted to spend time with his son. Because he can only be a one-year-old once in his life. Soon he will wake up and have found that Little Han was already a grown-up.
He wanted to explain that he cannot be with him to play, but seeing the same crystal blue eyes staring back at him so excitedly, Leon was lost for words.
"Sorry little one… but daddy can not leave you to play…" Leon's hand was trembling as he reached out and gently rubbed Little Han's head.
"Awieee…" Little Han uttered sadly, but he did not whine nor threw tantrums. Instead, he hung his head low and obediently let his Daddy rub his head as he tried holding his breath to stop his eyes from warming up to cry.
These days, his mommy and daddy would only come when it is dark outside.
Daddy does not let him help in the kitchen like they used to.
Mommy comes home very late he was already too sleepy to listen to her piano playing.
There's only him, Rosea, and Baobao. Wisey is still sleeping in an egg.
Today might be another day without them yet again…
*sniff* *sniff*
*hic* *hic*
Even if Little Han tried to hold back his crying, his eyes were too hot not to let the tears flow. With muffled sniffles, he tried to explain, "Owkay… Johan… miss daddi… hic! Johan miss mommi, Johan miss sisi… hic!"
"Johan owkay… Johan play with Baobao… hic,"
At this point, Little Han was now pitifully crying as he tried to rub away his tears with his nose and cheeks reddening.
Leon's eyes also reddened upon seeing his little son get heartbroken because of their absence. Eli and he knew how much they were missing out on Little Han's growth.
However, it was only this time when he saw the sadness on Little Han's face that he realized how big the impact of their absence was on their son. He felt like his heart was being crushed into pieces when he heard Little Han's pitiful cries.
"It's ok… it's ok… Daddy is here…" Without thinking, he stood up and took Little Han in his arms. He tried to comfort his son with his trembling arms.
Little Han could only nuzzle closer to Leon's neck, clinging to it like he was highly dependent on his father's arms.
Leon closed his eyes in pain, as he felt helpless over the situation. He gently soothed Little Han's back as he comfort him tenderly.
Baobao also looked sadly at the father and son, he also could not help but become sad over how this supposedly warm and lively family of four become so different like this.
As a panda who had lived in the wild, he knew that seasons change no matter how bad he wanted the springtime to end. Over his years living outside, he knew how to accept that constant change.
But, he did not know that it would be this hard to accept that seasons might also change in the warm family to whom he was already used too.
He was so used to watching them smile, he was so used to listening to their music, their giggles and laughter.
Their cries were something he would never want to hear. But what could he do? He only knew how to wield his strength to ward off the enemy and to lend his fur in case they needed his warmth.
But it is clear that what his little master needed the most was his parents.
No, he knew that his master and Prince master were hurting too.
That they need each other.
And so, Baobao decided to mind link with Eli.
"Master… You may want to go back to the chamber… Little Master and Prince Master are not in a good condition…"
In the practice room where Eli was listening to Desmond's playing, she suddenly stood up and informed Desmond and Lainie to continue what they do.
She rushed to a secret spot and immediately accessed the chamber.
There she saw Leon and Little Han's haunting figures. Even from afar, Eli could already figure out what really happened, for the father and son looked as if they were comforting each other.
Eli took a deep breath and calmly stepped forward. Seeing that the two were already in an emotional state she had to remain calm to support the two of them.
When she was already in front of the two, she stretched out her hands and embraced the two them.
She just took them in her arms without saying another word, two people who had red blood hair was in her arms.
Soon after staying like that for a good few minutes, she could feel their breathing gradually turn calm and steady. After a bit more time, the two lifted their heads up and looked at Eli.
Eli gave them a gentle smile. She looked at Leon while she took Little Han in her arms. No longer feeling the need to know why she saw them in that situation, Eli asked Leon, "Where are you heading to this morning?"
"I'll be on the barracks inspecting the new equipment that has been ordered for the Blades and the rest of the knights," Leon answered calmly.
"I cannot expose Little Han to my students yet, although Lainie surely knew that we already have a son. Letting Little Han in the practice room might pose some risk from the passerby." Eli pondered.
"But I think, he would be ok in the Blade's barracks, what do you think?" Eli continued, but this time she was a little bit unsure. But for now, they could see that leaving Little Han without at least one of them around might not be a good moment.
"In the barracks, well I think it's good. But I still have to make Baobao and one of the Blades guard him. Barracks were filled with heavy equipment and weapons, he must not wander around without supervision lest he might get hurt." Leon paused and genuinely considered Eli's suggestion.
"Alright, let's try doing this than in the meantime. I'll also try to re-arrange my schedule with Lainie and Desmond so that I can also keep Little Han company when you are out in the barracks." Eli nodded in agreement.
Arranging their schedules in the morning was crucial for Little Han. Fortunately, Queen Tehila has already given her consent to look after Little Han during the afternoon.
The two of them hoped that this idea would work. Looking at Little Han who was still feeling a bit gloomy because he bawled himself out, Eli and Leon could not bare to dismiss the fact that their child needs them at this moment.
Though they have their own responsibilities in society, they were parents too.
And even if it is hard, they had to think of a way to give Little Han what he needs.
After agreeing to the arrangement, Eli kissed them sweetly before proceeding back to her workroom.
Leon then took a look at Little Han and said,
"Have you heard your mommy earlier? Daddi can't play with you but I will bring you my office. You will see many big brothers there, you can play with Uncle Olivier too."
Leon softly coaxed Little Han to start changing his gloomy mood. As soon as he explained where they will be going, Little Han's eyes started to twinkle in excitement.
"Daddi….owffish!" Little Han repeated.
Leon rubbed his son's head and replied, "Yes, I will take you to my office. But Little Han, you have to promise Daddy that you would not wander around without Baobao and the big brothers. Because Daddy's office is a little dangerous. If you get hurt, mommy will cry, do you like that?"
"Non non! No like mommy cry cry!" Little Han vehemently shook his head at the thought of seeing his mommi cry.
"Alright, will Johann promise daddy that he will stay with Baobao and big brothers, and behave obediently in daddy's office?" Leon used a gentle voice before holding out his pinky finger initiating a pinky promise with Little Han.
"Johann behave!" He linked his chubby little pinky with Leon's and looked at him with a determined look, "Pwomise!"
