Chapter 390: Have a fair chance

The following morning, Crown Prince Ciaran was taking a leisurely stroll through the palace gardens with his infant daughter in his arms. Aurelia was wrapped snugly in a warm blanket, with only a small portion of her face visible. He held her carefully against his chest, occasionally glancing down to check that she was comfortable as he walked along the garden path.

"Your Royal Highness," the palace valet greeted him with a respectful bow. "Prince August arrived late last night. A woman accompanied him."

Ciaran raised his eyebrows slightly at the news. August had returned to the capital sooner than he had expected, and the presence of a woman with him made the report all the more interesting.

"If August has brought a woman to the palace, then she must be an important guest," Ciaran remarked. "Make sure the maids attend to her needs and see that she is made comfortable."

"As you wish, Your Royal Highness." The valet bowed again before turning towards the palace to carry out his instructions.

Ciaran looked down at Aurelia, who suddenly made movements in his arms. "Let’s take you to your mother, my princess," he whispered and went toward the Crown Princess’ chamber.

Aurelia began crying as Ciaran walked through the palace corridor. He stopped at once and adjusted the blanket around her before gently rocking her in his arms.

"Shh... shhh... Papa is right here," he murmured, patting her back as he tried to soothe her. "What’s wrong, little one? Papa is here."

Despite his efforts, Aurelia continued to cry, her tiny face scrunching up as her cries grew louder. Ciaran looked down at her with concern, unsure what else to do.

"Your Royal Highness, perhaps it’s time for the Princess’s feeding," the maidservant accompanying him reminded him gently.

"Oh, yes. Her milk," Ciaran replied, as though he had only just remembered. He glanced at his daughter and carefully secured her in his arms before resuming his walk towards his wife’s chambers.

He had wanted Angelina to rest for as long as possible after the recent birth.

When he entered Angelina’s chambers, he was surprised to find her already awake and looking refreshed after a bath. She was dressed comfortably, and her damp hair had been neatly arranged away from her face.

"Angelina?" Ciaran said, pausing near the doorway. "You’re already up?" Before he could speak further, Aurelia’s loud cry filled the room. He was quick to pass his daughter into his wife’s arms, who settled on the bed.

"My sleep broke early today," Angelina stated. "Besides, I am well now. These past few days, I have only been resting and sleeping as long as I could." She looked down at their daughter, who had calmed down.

"I’ll dry your hair," Ciaran offered.

A maidservant hurried to the cupboard to fetch a clean towel, but Ciaran took it from her and dismissed the attendants. Once they had left, he sat beside Angelina on the bed and gently gathered a section of her damp hair into the towel. He patted it dry carefully, making sure not to pull at her locks while she held Aurelia in her arms.

"In a few days, Aurelia will be a month old," Angelina remarked, looking affectionately at their daughter.

"Yes, and we’ll hold a celebration for her," Ciaran replied. "It’s also when we’re supposed to introduce her to the common people and let them see the face of their first princess in four generations."

Angelina nodded, but after a brief pause, she brought up something that had been on her mind.

"We should try for a son soon."

Ciaran stopped drying her hair and turned to look at her, his expression filled with surprise.

"Are you serious?" he asked. "Childbirth isn’t easy, Angelina. We’re not going to think about having another child for at least two or three years."

"But—"

"And since when did you start believing that a child’s gender determines everything about the throne?" Ciaran interrupted, though his voice remained gentle. He set the towel aside for a moment and looked at Aurelia, who was resting peacefully against her mother’s chest. "Our daughter is a blessing to us. I want to spend these next few years watching her grow, learning her little habits, and being there for her. We don’t need to rush into having another child."

Angelina lowered her eyes, her fingers gently brushing the blanket around Aurelia.

"It’s just that I don’t want your position at court to be affected," she admitted. "You know how some nobles think. They may consider a daughter insufficient and use it as an excuse to question your position or pressure the King."

Ciaran shook his head firmly. "That won’t happen. Our daughter will be an example to everyone in this kingdom that a woman can be just as capable as a man. I want her to grow up knowing that her worth has nothing to do with whether she was born a boy or a girl."

He glanced at Aurelia, who lay peacefully in Angelina’s arms, unaware of the future her father was already planning for her.

"As for the court, I intend to change the way people think. I’ve been discussing the matter with Father. We want to place greater emphasis on girls’ education and encourage women to participate in other fields where they have the ability and interest to excel."

Angelina looked at him with surprise. She had known that Ciaran cared about such matters, but she hadn’t realized he had already begun discussing practical changes with the King.

"Father liked the idea," Ciaran continued. "Some of his closest ministers have supported it as well. Of course, changing people’s thinking won’t happen overnight, but we have to begin somewhere. If girls are given the same opportunities to learn and develop their abilities, they will have a fair chance to prove what they can do."

He reached for Angelina’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I don’t want Aurelia to grow up in a kingdom where people question her abilities simply because she’s a girl. I want her to have the freedom to choose her own path, and I want other girls to have that same opportunity. We cannot expect society to change if those of us in the royal family continue to follow the same old beliefs."