The dream of three

“Daddy!” A young and cheerful voice echoed through the grand hallway of the palace. An exhausted-looking man stood at the end of the hallway, too deep in his thoughts to realize that someone had arrived. The middle-aged man had his eyes rested on a huge oil painting of a lady, whose eyes were as mesmerizing as the black marble of its frame. He clutched his golden robes as his fingers ran through the soft texture of the painting, feeling its every fiber. The lady in the painting gave him a dazzling smile, and he smiled sadly back at her.
“Daddy?” A small but delicate face popped out from nowhere, giving the man a shock.
“My, when did our little princess started giving me sudden heart attacks?” The man turned to face the doll-like girl, giving her a soft glare. The little princess made him a face, saying simply, “Daddy always deserves to be scared by his little princess, for not accompanying her when she’s bored.” The emperor only gave her a long sigh. The princess was still a little annoyed by her father’s absence when she was bored, but could not understand why her father was always so busy.