Enid looked at her hesitantly. It had been a while since she held a baby; the last was a cousin’s newborn, and that little wrinkled thing didn’t look as cute as Anastasia. She reminded her of a little lioness with a fuzzy blonde mane and little chubby arms and legs that flailed.

“Hello, little one,” she said. “You’re even more beautiful than they say.”

When Anastasia reached for her with little grabby hands, finally Enid decides it’s better to pick the excited baby up. For is pleasantly chunky, she was so light. Or, she could because the maid’s strength that built over years of manual labor.

Of course she smelled milk and something else soft—maybe a hint of rose. She stood with her hip shifted as she stroked the soft skin of her rosy cheeks. Nico came over quickly and hugged at her side. She looked and could she see his silver eyes peering up at his sister.

“The baby’s awake?”

“Mhmmm.”

He gave her a big that showed all his teeth. “I knew that she’d like you already.”

Enid laughed, “She’s a baby, Nico. She likes anyone who will hold her properly.”

𓆙_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

The nursery’s dining wasn’t huge but it was full of busyness and the soft light of the late morning. Filtered through pale curtains, casting golden rays across the low, long table. The chairs were made for children, of smooth wood, soft padding, and carved animal legs that reminded Enid of something out of a fairytale.

Enid stood by the sideboard, watching Ines set down a basket of warm rolls from the kitchen and a silver pot of tea. She’d set a small plate of soft fruits between the children’s seats. She’d walked in holding Anastasia with one hand and holding Nico’s with the other. She seated him and he quickly settled in, swinging his legs eagerly underneath the table. He had his stuffed gryphon—one she’s sure now is his favorite—tucked beside his plate like a dinner guest. He looked at Enid with wide, expectant eyes.

Baby Anastasia, barely six months old, nestled in an oak high chair with padded sides, strapped in by think, silk bands. She screeched at the clink of the teapot and smacked her hands on the tray in front of her.

“Would you like to have some fruit today, little lioness?” A squeal in response prompted Enid to drop some figs and grapes on Nico’s plate. For Anastasia, she set out pears to prepare. Enid smashed apart the pears with the back of a spoon while the baby squealed loudly in anticipation.

Then, she poured some of the jasmine tea and mixed in a bit of honey and milk.

“Thank you,” Nico blew off the tear and he sipped it. “She’s loud today,” 

Enid smiled. “She has opinions, clearly. She’s probably telling me to come faster with her food.”

She placed fruit on the tray in front of the baby before she asked Nico, “Do you like the jasmine tea?”

He nodded seriously. “It tastes like flowers; I like flowers.”

Anastasia smashed her hands into fruit, flinging a piece of smashed pear from her trat, squarely on Nico’s sleeve.

“Ah, Ana!” Nico groaned.

Enid laughed softly before she cleaned off the food with a napkin.

“She’s just sharing,” she said, wiping the baby’s face. “That’s what good siblings do.”

Nico blinked. “Even if it’s sticky?”

“Especially if it’s sticky. Plus, Anastasia seems to like pears a lot, so think it as a gift. Right, little lioness?”

Anastasia gave an approving babble in response and slapped her tray again.

“See? That’s how much she likes her big brother.”

He liked hearing big brother.

The baby blinekd up at her with wide, intutive eyes. For a second, she grew quiet—which was incredible, really. Her mouth purses slightly—then, she smiled a mostly gummy one, with the exception of her two bottom teeth and reached for Enid’s fingers.

Enid stared. They had the same smile—her and Nico. He gave her the same on this morning.

Anatasia’s finger curled around hers. Soft. Warm. Trusting. She let her thumb gently stroke the baby’s sticky hand.

“You’re really the perfect baby, aren’t up?” she whispered. “Tiny and loud.”

She thinks back to the Duchess again. She didn’t know much about her, aside from her being the flower of society. She proposed marriage to the Duke after meeting him during the hunting compettiton, and not long after their marriage, she became pregnant with Nico.

But her death was what began the story—you couldn’t set a childcare story with a romance between a widow and a nanny…that nanny won’t be her, though. Her temporary position will be the cloest she’ll get to the main story.

“She likes you,” Nico said, suddenly in between bites of a fruit, honey and soft bread. “Ana doesn’t like most people. Not even Ines sometimes.”

Ines, seated at the far end, blushes but nods. “She’s very fussy when she’s not happy.”

Enid turns to Nico.“Do you like me?”

He considers her words thoughtfully.

“You smell nice. Sometimes you hum when you don’t know you’re doing it, like you did a few minutes ago. It makes the room feel better.”

Enid felt her throat tighten.

“I’ll take this as a yes.”

But for now, this was nice, if you exclude the Duke from the equation.