Chapter 3: birthday number 3
Today was Cale's third birthday.
When he woke up, he immediately noticed something unusual—Ameri wasn't in bed with him as she was every morning. It was strange because his sister always woke up early, and in the process, she would wake him up too. But today, she wasn't there. With a resigned sigh, Cale got up, went to the bathroom, and quickly dressed before heading to the dining room.
On his way, he stopped in front of a family portrait hanging in one of the hallways. In the painting, his father and mother held hands, smiling with a warmth that seemed to transcend the canvas. Cale stood there for a few minutes, silently contemplating the image before continuing down the long hallway, his steps soft against the pristine red carpet, until he reached the dining room door.
When he opened it, the sight before him filled his heart with love and happiness.
In front of him, his father and Ameri stood waiting for him. Behind them, all the household servants welcomed him with warm smiles, holding banners that read "Happy Birthday!" On the table, all his favorite dishes were carefully arranged with great effort and care. Unable to contain his excitement, Cale ran toward his father and hugged him tightly. Then, he turned to Ameri, planted a big kiss on her cheek, and wrapped her in a tight embrace.
Afterward, he went around greeting each servant, smiling gratefully at everyone for being there. The staff couldn't help but feel touched—this little young master was not only adorable but also polite and kind, filling them with joy.
After breakfast, it was time for gifts.
His father handed him a small pouch filled with money.
"For anything you'd like to buy, my son," Henri said with a warm smile.
Then it was Ameri's turn. With a proud smile, she handed him a neatly wrapped white box with a red ribbon. Inside was a beautiful violin.
"Thank you, sister! I love it!" Cale said, his eyes shining as he admired the violin. Without waiting a second longer, he hugged Ameri tightly and covered her cheeks with kisses.
"Dad, can you hire me a violin teacher?" Cale asked, looking up at his father with hopeful eyes.
Henri nodded, pleased.
"Of course, son."
After enjoying the moment with his family, Cale gathered his gifts and went up to his room with Ameri. Once inside, he carefully placed the violin on his desk. Then, he took his sister's hand, and together they ran outside to the garden, laughing all the way.
One Week Earlier…
Henri had called Ameri for a discussion about her brother's upcoming birthday.
"Ameri, you know your brother's birthday is next week, right?" Henri asked.
"Yes, Papa, but…" Ameri frowned, her face filled with worry. "I don't know what to get Cale."
Henri looked at her with fondness.
"I was thinking we could go pick something out together. Something you believe he would truly like."
Ameri nodded. With excitement, she ran to her room, took out a red dress from her wardrobe, and put it on. When she returned, her father was already waiting for her at the entrance, dressed in one of his elegant suits, his usual glasses resting on his nose. Holding her hand, they stepped into the carriage.
When they arrived at the shopping district, Ameri pondered what Cale would like. Their first stop was a toy store, but nothing seemed to fit. She knew her brother wasn't particularly fond of toys—he much preferred playing outside with her. As they left the shop, Ameri noticed a music store across the street. Remembering how Cale often hummed melodies when he was relaxed, she decided to take a look.
Inside, the store was filled with a variety of musical instruments. Ameri approached the counter and spoke to the shopkeeper.
"Excuse me, I want to buy a gift for my little brother. Could you recommend an instrument for him?"
The shopkeeper smiled and bowed respectfully.
"Good morning, Lord Azazel and Lady Azazel. It is an honor to have you here." Then, turning his gaze back to Ameri, he asked, "Lady Azazel, how old is your brother?"
"He'll be turning three in a week."
The shopkeeper nodded enthusiastically.
"Perfect. I have two instruments that I think he would love. The first is a piano, a keyboard instrument. The second is a violin, a string instrument. Both are ideal for someone of your family's background, and with a little practice, he could master them well. Would you like to hear how they sound?"
Without waiting for an answer, the shopkeeper played a short version of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star on the piano and then on the violin. When he finished, he looked at Ameri with curiosity.
"Well, Lady Azazel? Which one did you like more?"
Ameri smiled, feeling she had already made her decision.
"I liked both, but I think my brother would love the violin more."
"An excellent choice, Lady Azazel. What kind of violin would you like?"
"The best one, of course!" Ameri answered with a determined smile.
The shopkeeper nodded enthusiastically and carefully opened an elegant case. Inside was a finely crafted violin.
"This violin has been personally approved by Poro Amduscias, one of the Thirteen Crowns."
Henri raised an eyebrow in surprise. He knew that Poro Amduscias was extremely selective with instruments and rarely gave his approval. However, seeing the determination in Ameri's eyes, Henri had no doubts and purchased the instrument—even though it was quite expensive. Seeing his two children happy made everything worthwhile.
The shopkeeper carefully wrapped the box in white paper with a red ribbon and handed it to Henri with a respectful bow.
"Thank you very much for your purchase, Lord and Lady Azazel."
Ameri beamed with excitement.
"I just know my brother is going to love it!"
Back to the Present…
"Thank you, sister, I love it," Cale said, admiring the violin inside the box.
With a big smile, he hugged Ameri again, covering her cheeks with kisses. Then, he turned to his father with a hopeful expression.
"Can you hire me a teacher, Papa?"
Henri nodded.
"Of course, son."
After lunch, Cale took his gifts and headed to his room with Ameri. Once inside, he carefully placed the violin on his desk. Then, with a playful grin, he grabbed his sister's hand, and together they ran outside to the garden, laughing and ready to enjoy the rest of the day.