125 Chapter 124: The loving prince

"Son? Are you in there?" Came a sweet voice from the other side. 

The Shagird turned to him expectantly. 

"Sir, can I?" He asked nervously.

Lloyd nodded, waving at him dismissively. In the blink of an eye, the being disappeared into thin air, just like he had appeared a while ago. The Kelpie turned towards the door with a warm smile. 

"Yes, mother. Come in." He said, walking back towards the large window. 

He sat on the windowsill and looked out at the garden two stories down his room. It was the perfect pose for his mother to find him in. The door to his room opened slowly, and a beautiful head popped in, her green eyes quickly surveying the room before coming in. 

"Were you talking to someone?" The woman asked, raising her brows. 

"No mother." Lloyd replied with a huge smile, "I was just pondering upon things."

At that, the woman laughed, running towards him. She enveloped him in a warm hug. Lloyd hugged her back happily, taking in the familiarity of her scent. He had missed her like crazy in the past few days. He didn't care what the Shagird said, this woman was and always will be his mother- and nothing could change that, he thought to himself. She had always been a great queen but more than that, she was the best mother that anyone could wish for. 

"Oh, Lloyd! I've missed you so much!" She exclaimed, stepping back from the embrace.

"I did too, mother," Lloyd said, squeezing her hands. 

Although it had only been a few weeks since he had left for the academy, for his mother, it might have felt like ages. Even during his long search for Elize, he had always made it a point to come back home at least once a week. His mother was way too attached to him for him to stay away from her longer than that. She was quick to oppose when his father had suggested that he take up the post in the institution, citing various ridiculous reasons. But she had to give in eventually, seeing how determined Lloyd was to go to the place. 

She looked him up and down with a frown. Sighing in a disappointed manner, she asked, "You've grown so thin. Aren't the servants doing a good job?"

Lloyd chuckled at the question. His mother was being overtly fussy again. 

"It's all in your head mother. I'm perfectly fine." He replied, patting her head as if she were a little child.

The woman swatted his hand away, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Why do you look so worried?" She asked, grabbing his chin. 

Lloyd sighed. His mother always had a good eye at spotting things when it came to him. He could never hide anything from her. She was way too observant for even an experienced liar like him. 

"Do I?" Lloyd asked, pouting. 

His mother nodded. Turning his head to the sides, she observed his expressions. Lloyd smiled at her actions. Her worried expression lightened his heart. 

Lloyd laughed. 

"Haha. It's hard to keep things from you, Evelyn." He said, shaking his head in defeat. 

Before she could ask anything more, an excited squeal came from the direction of the door. Both the mother and the son turned towards the voice, with huge smiles. There was only one person in the palace who would scream like that. 

"Brother! you have come at last!" A little boy screamed in excitement, running towards him with his small arms wide open. 

Lloyd quickly ran towards him, scooping him up in his arms halfway through. The child squealed in laughter. His younger brother was only twenty years old. A Kelpie that young was equivalent to a human child of seven or eight years of age. Since he was the second prince and the youngest of the only heirs of the kingdom, his younger brother was a bit too spoiled by everyone in the palace. He was very attached to his older brother and stuck to him most of the time- much like how a snail stuck on to a glass surface. Lloyd himself was quite attached to the kid, reminding him of his brother from his past life. That one too was exactly like the small prince- naughty to the core yet highly respectful of his older brother. 

"Hey, you little monster," Lloyd said, pulling the little one's cheek. "How have you been?" He asked with a wink.

"Boring." The little prince answered with a shrug. "The elven guards follow me everywhere that I go. I haven't been outside the palace for at least a month since you've been gone." He complained, scrunching his face in irritation. 

"That's because you're a prince." His mother Evelyn said, steeping in, "Princes should always be protected. If something happens to you, then it will be a huge loss to the empire." 

The little prince huffed. 

"But I'm not even the crown prince," he complained, crossing his little hands over his chest.

Lloyd looked at the adorable kid in front of him. His brother resembled his father more than his mother, except for the emerald green eyes. 

"But you're more important Leith. Because you're my favorite person on earth." Lloyd said, patting his head.

"Tch! Tell that to the pixies. They're so mean to me." Leith complained with a frown. 

Lloyd turned to his mother and raised his brows in question. She quickly nodded, with a warm smile. The dragon prince turned towards his younger brother and took hold of his small hand. 

"Come, take me to the pixies." He said, with a mischievous smile, "I'll fry them in dragon fire and feed them to you."

Leith laughed out happily at the offer. He quickly nodded in agreement and dragged the older prince towards the door excitedly. 

"Lloyd! Make sure to greet your father before you go back!" Evelyn shouted behind him. 

"I will mother! Don't worry." Lloyd replied with a wave, before finally getting out of the room with his little brother.