Silent Yearning

The day Kiara reincarnated as Princess Sky of the Emerald Empire, each day was a battlefield. Ever since she was born, her father, the Emperor, didn't visit her, and the maids didn't take a single care toward her. She could only rely on herself.

"How can a toddler take care of herself?" she said to herself, thinking that she would die again.

Weeks passed, and no one still fed or changed her clothes, but Sky did it herself. She shed not a single tear. "I've been here before; I'm used to this," she said to herself, looking at the moonlight. As the cold wind blew, a shadow appeared in front of Sky.

She didn't scream or cry; she just waited to see what would happen. It was the shadow of a woman who came to her bedside. Sky's eyes felt heavy as she fell asleep. In the morning, she was stunned by what she saw. Her room was not filled with dust or webs; it was all clean. Her clothes were clean, and she had toys to play with.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Sky saw a woman, not dressed as a maid but more like a noblewoman. She took Sky up to her bed and gave her a bottle of milk.

"Hello, my Princess. You must be confused about what's happening around you, right?" the woman calmly said.

"How could a baby like me be confused about the surroundings?" Sky said to herself.

"I am Jiya. I will be your nanny and personal maid starting today, my Princess," Jiya said, smiling sweetly at the princess.

Sky found solace in Jiya's presence, and over time, Jiya grew increasingly attached to her charge.

With all the other maids transferred to the main palace, Jiya and the princess were left alone in their secluded quarters.

Jiya became Sky's primary caregiver, using her own funds to provide for the princess's every want and need. Yet, despite Jiya's efforts, Sky showed little interest in toys or outdoor activities. Her gaze was often fixed on the radiant sky above and the serene garden below, where her father, the Emperor, would often appear, cradling Sky's stepsister, Bethany.

Observing Sky's unwavering focus on the Emperor and Bethany, Jiya couldn't help but wonder if the princess was too mature for her tender age or if her aloofness stemmed from the absence of love in her life. Sky's demeanor differed greatly from that of other infants; she rarely cried, smiled, or expressed any emotion, leaving Jiya with a heavy heart.

One evening, a visitor arrived at the princess's chambers, and Jiya welcomed him, hoping for news from the Emperor.

"Did the Emperor...?" Jiya inquired, her voice tinged with hope.

"I'm afraid not. It seems the princess will have to wait a while longer," Ice Veerde, the Emperor's Right-hand man and captain of the Crimson Blood Knights, replied with a sense of disbelief.

As the night passed and the morning dawned, Jiya lovingly tended to Sky, feeding her milk as she had done for the past three years. Sky, now three and one-eighth years old, sat outside in the garden, absorbed in a book. Her eyes followed the Emperor and Bethany as they strolled through the garden, sharing a tea time.

Watching Sky's longing gaze, Jiya couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. As Sky placed a small towel on the ground and set out a cupcake and a bottle of water, she murmured to herself, "If only I could be like Bethany, would you look at me with that smile, F-f Emperor...?" Sitting alone, Sky imagined herself by her father's side, yearning for the love and attention she craved.

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