章 3: (3) First Step

Ten months had passed since Meadow was born. She was finally getting to have more freedom to roam around the estate. She had been crawling for about a month and was practicing to talk in her free time.

She was practicing words like mama, papa, and Leo-- since big brother was a bit too much for her at this moment. Not forgetting about Oswald, Meadow was practicing a very special word to call him. She grinned wickedly, excited for the moment she would use it.

Other than talking Meadow had also recently started practicing walking when she was left alone. She was cursing how difficult it was to just stand up in the feeble baby body. After finally gaining her balance enough to stand, she would try to take a step. It was harder than she thought it would be.

Over the past ten months, Meadow had learned a decent amount about this world, mostly through her nanny, Margaret, telling her stories. According to the stories, the Lark family is a relatively new noble family in the Grandeur Kingdom.

The Lark family was originally a family of traveling merchants, before they bought their title with the consent of the King and Queen. Meadow's grandfather was the first in the family to inherit the title, before it was passed to her mother and father.

The previous Queen and her grandfather were childhood friends, who supposedly promised to have their children wed one day. But her mother fell in love with a mercenary and the Queen's son, now the current king, was wed to someone else.

Meadow felt that she could finally understand why her grandfather never came to visit her again. He must have been against the marriage and therefore the children born of this marriage mean nothing to him. However, she could not help but curse her grandfather for ignoring his grandchildren for something so petty.

Her favorite story she heard from Nanny Marg was about magic. The Lark family specializes in plant magic. The family's green hair and green eyes are symbols for the use of plant magic. Her father on the other hand was not able to use magic, but was a strong swordsman with aura.

Meadow was excited to see this magic with her own eyes and was even more excited to learn that she might be able to use it. She was pretty sure that things like magic and auras did not exist in her past life.

Margaret could see Meadow's eyes sparkling as she mentioned magic and she continued to explain. "About half of the population of humans are able to use magic and typically only of one element. I, for instance, can use water magic, but it is not that strong compared to other water magic users."

Margaret said as she created a ball of water in her hand. Meadow was shaking in excitement seeing this water appear from thin air.

"The other elements are fire, air, earth, light, and darkness. Your family is special since it is the only humans known to use plant magic beyond elves, sprites, and dryads. Light and dark magic are also very rare elements found in humans. The elements can also take another form for some users. The royal family is known for their color changing fire and some rare cases are able to use lightning. Then for water magic some rare users are able to use ice magic."

The nanny sometimes would pause when telling these stories because she would question herself why she was going into such details for a baby. But the way Meadow's blue eyes sparkled, the nanny stopped questioning and just continued telling stories.

"For people with wind magic the really strong users are capable of flying. The greatest earth mage in history was also able to mess with gravity. The strongest light mage was capable of healing almost any wound and disease. However, most people that are capable of using magic are only able to use weak magic."

Nanny continued to explain magic. As she went into the details of the few in our family who are able to use it. All of the Larks except her father are able to plant magic. Margaret and her granddaughter, Harriet, are able to use some water magic. Hornsby, Rosco, and Nate could use some earth magic. Harry could use some wind, which is why he is capable of moving so fast. York could use very weak light magic, meaning he could do some flashes of light or create some sparkles. Graham was also a water mage and the strongest next to the Lark family in terms of power.

Meadow was excited for the day she would be able to ask to see everyone's magic. She was also hopeful that she would be able to use magic like the rest of her family. She thought that this would make it easier for her to become stronger.

Besides learning from Nanny, her dad would also come and visit her and tell her stories of where he went on adventures as a mercenary. However his stories were incoherent most of the time usually cut short, when Mathew, Graham, or Hornsby would come looking for him. Her father had a knack for avoiding his duties to come and visit her, as her mother once complained.

She recalled how Hank brought Nate and Marco to visit again. Nate and Marco commented again how they kept picturing Meadow as a monster baby when Captain Hayes bragged how she looked like him. They both agree that she looked nothing like him except for maybe the blue eyes.

However, bringing it up again made meadow remember her father holding her up to all the guards and demanding them praise her cuteness. Shaking her head to stop herself from recalling the trauma, Meadow focuses herself on her current task.

It was late one evening right before dinner. Meadow decided to try to practice her walking again. Checking to make sure that now one is around, she gets up and struggles to take her first couple of steps.

'This is so exhausting. Why is something that should be so easy, so hard? Curse these cute chubby legs.'

Step after step, Meadow stops to rest when she reaches a chair. That is when Meadow hears a gasp in the doorway. She turns her head to see Nanny Margaret where her hand clasped over her mouth. Meadow looks at her pleadingly, but knows it is too late.

"Wait right there. I'll be right back."

Margaret says excitedly rushing out of the room. Followed by her voice that is shouting in the hallway.

"My Lord and Lady come quickly. I think the little miss is going to take her first steps."

Meadow's face paled as she remembered the way her family reacted when she first started to crawl. As well as, how she had purposely forced herself to forget the embarrassment. Now, she had a feeling that this was going to be worse and more embarrassing.

Hearing a large group of footsteps approaching, Meadow mentally prepared herself. 'It's a bit sooner than I hoped, but let's get this over with now. The sooner the better.'

Her mother and father charge into the room followed by Margaret and her two brothers. Some servants gathered in the doorway to see what the commotion was about.

Her father comes up right Meadow who is holding onto the chair. He crotches down two feet away with arms stretched wide open. Her mother takes a stance behind her father.

"Come to papa!"

"You can do it Meadow."

"Come to mamma!"

"Little miss, you can do it. We believe in you"

Meadow wanted to go run and hide due to everyone's cheering and pleading for her to move. Determined to hurry this situation along, Meadow turns her body around to prepare to take her first step toward her father. She takes her first step letting go of the chair. Everyone goes silent except for the few gasps of amazement escaping here and there.

"That's it my princess! You're making papa so proud."

"Way to go Meadow."

"You go this Little Miss."

The cheering started up again. 'Ugh… this is so humiliating. I bet they would cheer me on for just breathing.Why can't I move faster?' Meadow thought as the cheering got louder and the crowd in the doorway grew.

"Psh, I can do that." Oswald mumbled quietly.

Finally taking her last step, she reaches her father who swings her up above his head.

"My little princess is so amazing, and growing up too fast."

"Papa!"

Her father stops swinging her around and looks down at Meadow and then to his wife.

"Did you hear it or was it just me? Did she just say Papa?"

"Papa!"

"... This is the best day of my life… My little princess just called me Papa! Her first words are Papa!"

Her father cradles her close and starts to weep in joy.

"I am a little disappointed, but so proud of our little girl."

"Mama!"

Meadow stretches out her arms calling for her mom. Her mother smiles sweetly at her baby girl as her dad passes her to her mom.

"Our little princess is so brilliant."

Meadow was thinking she could kill two birds with one stone. Pretty much put on a big show calling everybody's names so they won't make as big deal when she says her first words later. 'Let's just get this embarrassment over now.'

"Mother, does she know me too?"

Leopold tugs on his mothers dress so she will squat down. Then Leopold points to himself.

"Meadow, do you know my name?"

"Le--o!"

Meadow shouts happily waving her arms at him. Leo's eyes looked at Meadow even more lovingly.

"That right, I am Leo."

Oswald, feeling left out, walks up to the other side of his mother. He didn't really see what the big deal was about Meadow walking since he does it all the time; however, he did want to see if his sister knew him.

"You know me?"

Oswald asked trying not to seem too interested. There was a long pause as the family looked at Meadow in anticipation. Meadow scrunched up her tiny face as if she was thinking about it really hard. Then Meadow's eyes sparkled like she remembered and grinned at Oswald.

"Ugly!"

Meadow said super clear. It was the word she had practiced the most for this very moment. Meadow giggled in delight as she watched her brother's hopeful face fill with disappointment. Everybody else just looked at each other and started to laugh.

Her brother's face turned red with embarrassment as all the people tried to hold back their laughter. He was fighting back tears as the suppressed laughter filled the room. Meadow giggled on quite pleased with herself and felt like all her prior embarrassment was worth it for this moment.