Vienna smiled at them, wanting nothing but to squish their adorable fatty cheeks. 
“Wait, you were the scary woman earlier!” 
Exclaimed the little child that ran from her earlier and they looked at him confused. 
Vienna grinned at them, “I am not a witch, children, but I can be scary if I want to.” 
Suddenly the kids gulped and looked at her frighteningly. 
Raziel gave her a look, “Vienna…”
“Oops, I apologize, just want to mess a little hehe.”
Duke Raziel then pointed at Fedel, “and your playmate Fedel is here.” 
At this, the children’s attention instantly turned to the green haired tall man behind the duke who gulped, as if bracing for the worst. 
“We missed you, Fedel!” They all swarmed up on Fedel’s knees and one jumped on his back for a piggy back ride.
“Hello…kids.” He said nervously. 
“Yey! I have grown up now. Can you teach me how to use a sword now?” Said another little furball. 
Fedel shook his head, “Nope, still not big enough, kid.”
“When I grow old, I want to protect the duke too!” 
“That’s a nice dream, kiddo.” 
Fedel then kneeled down to let down the child riding his back and a little girl grabbed his hair.
“It is so green. It’s like a moss!” She giggled and another child argued. 
“No, it looks like grass from the meadows.”
Fedel cringed in pain, sitting still and struggling as the children played with his hair and was now in chaos.
He turned to Raziel for help,  “Master! 
Avelina, who was silent, nudged Vienna from the side and whispered, “This is fun. I wish I have something that could capture this moment.”
“I heard that, princess!” Yelled Fedel defensively and Avelina childishly stuck her tongue out at him. 
As Fedel called for his master again, Raziel just shrugged, seemingly enjoying this as Mr. Martini yelped, “Oh! I was cooking dinner! Forgive me for asking this late but… have you and your company eaten already, your grace?”
Raziel shook his head, “We still haven’t.”
Mr. Martini grinned at that. “That’s good! Please wait for a moment, I’ll prepare the table.”
Titus was on alert and instantly offered to help Mr. Martini, which he was thankful for.  
Just then, a loud sound of a baby crying from a baby crib sounded, breaking their attention. 
Mr. Martini was about to run to the crib but Raziel stepped in.
“I’ll handle it. You can go prepare dinner.”
“Thank you, your grace!” And Mr. Martini disappeared into the kitchen, along with Titus following him. 
As Fedel was preoccupied with the children and Avelina laughing at his situation, Duchess Vienna couldn’t help herself take her eyes away from Raziel who was so different today…
Vienna didn’t expect him to react so kindly like this to the children…he seemed to have a great bond with them…
And as he gently carried the child in his arms with such a careful gesture and fed it with a bottle of milk, he looked relaxed and at peace…
Raziel sensed her staring quietly for a while now and he met her gaze, “Vienna?” 
Vienna shook her head to wake up from a trance, “Yes, your grace?” 
“Are you alright?” He asked, “Or do you need anything? Do you not like this place?” 
She shook her head at his sudden questions, “No, I love it here. It’s chaotic but…the children are adorable.” She said and motioned to the baby, “I didn’t know you are good at handling them…” 
At this point, she even forgot that she was angry at him earlier..
He just shrugged, “They're such harmless and…innocent little creatures. There’s no harm in being gentle with them.” He said, as Fedel kept on calling for his name for help to get away from the children teasing him but he just ignored it. 
Raziel noticed Vienna’s darting eyes from the baby and to him. “Can I…carry him?” 
Raziel nodded, “Careful, he might wake up.”
Vienna bit her lip as Raziel slowly handed her the sleeping baby. He held the bottle for her while Vienna looked at the small creature in front of her.
This has been the first time she carried a baby…as far as she can remember…
All her life, she was always aggressive. She’s the youngest as her brother Auden is older than her so she never experienced carrying a child… 
This is rather a new and scary experience, knowing that a small creature is at the tip of your finger. One wrong move and you’ll kill it.
“You look like a happy family, your grace!” Mr. Martini suddenly came out from the kitchen, holding a bowl of vegetables. 
“Do you have any plans of having a child someday?” He added, and Vienna could hear a strangled noise in Duke Raziel’s throat. 
Vienna smirked at how speechless he was and Avelina came in to answer for them. 
“Of course…the duke needs an heir. Right, your grace?”
Duke Raziel glanced at Lady Vienna, “Right.”
Mr. Martini Laughed hearitly, patting Duke Raizel’s shoulders, “Then you need to do it soon, your grace. I want to see it before I die!” 
“How about I make you die?” Duke Raziel’s low voice threatened and that made Mr. Martini imediately withdraw his hand from his shoulders. Raziel smirked and walked outside.  “Just call me when the dinner’s ready. I’ll be outside.”
Vienna watched as he left and she looked down, looking at the baby in her arms. She bit her lip, ondering on the duke’s words before slowly putting the baby bakc on his crib. 
Minutes later, the dinner was alreayd prepared and they all ate, with the children poking on Fedel’s head, and some children asking for Titus's sword. 
“Wow, are you really Titus the one we heard in the books? Titus the great knight?” A little boy aske,d his eyes sparkling. 
Titus blinked, a bit curious. He’s not even aware of how popular he is, and hearing a book called Titus the great knight and all about himself feels weird. He’s not used to being in the spotlight.  “What kind of legends?”
“They say you killed a dragon! A large one! and oh, the feared beast from the nearby borders!”
Titus raised his eyerbows, “Those stories are a bit exaggerated, chidren….” 
“You’re more interesting than the duke!” One commented, and the whole table went silent. Vienna couldn’t help but laugh at Duke Raziel’s reaction. He was glaring at the child right now. But oh so innocent, the child was completely oblivious at this fact. 
Avelina chuckled nervously, saving the day again, “C’mon, a duke is on another level. Well Titus the great knight and holds a great reputation in saving the kingdom but don’t compare them, kids.”
The girl tilted her head to the side, “Why not?” 
Avelina just petted her head, “You’ll know when you get older dear.” 
As dinner ended in a smooth flow and the night trasngressed, Mr. Martini had put the kids to sleep. He also prepared three rooms, one room for Vienna and Duke Raziel, one room for Avelina, and one room for Fedel and Titus, much to their bickering. 
Vienna instantly sat on the soft mattress, her face burried deep in the blankets. “Ahh, after days in the forest! This is good!”
She stopped, realizing she’s alone with the duke after so many days….
“Wh-where-s Valen?” She awkwardly asked. 
“Fedel tied him in the stables.” Duke  Raziel answered as he sat on the edge. Silence followed and he cleared his throat, “How are the children?” He suddenly asked. 
Vienna sat upright to face him, “Good…adorable actually. Why did you ask?”
He shrugged, “Do you want us to have one too?”
It was too good to be true to hear that. Vienna’s mouth dropped on the floor, surprised at his bold question, “Wh-what did you just ask me?”
He bit his lower lip, nibbling on it and gulped, “I said, you want us to have-”
Vienna’s eyes widened and she covered her ears in embrassment, “Alright! Geez, I heard it quite well, you don’t have to repeat… I was asking if you really know what you are questioning me.”
She grabbed a pillow and threw it on the duke, but Raziel was quick to catch in his hands. He smirked, “Why? Aren’t we married?”
She sighed, “Yeah, but isn’t it too soon? We have matters to settle. Finding the Strongest mage and-” 
“It will happen someday, Vienna. It will..” He said in a low voice, the hint of amusement was nowhere. It almost seemed that he was so serious and wanted to have an heir now…and the thought somehow scared Vienna a bit. 
“I know…but let’s just enjoy each other’s company for a while…” Her cheeks reddened saying this. 
“Are you just saying that because you’re afraid that our future children might steal my attention from you?” 
She almost choked at the word “Future children.” Geez, what did Raziel eat to be so brazen like this? 
She thought of a powerful retort to fight back but then Raziel changed the topic as he leaned on the door.  “We’ll stay here for a while if you’d like.”