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Chapter Text

Childbirth is the most painful, most difficult thing a woman will ever endure… and Maximilian Calypse had to do it in a cold, dark, cramped prison cell.  

She didn’t know who had taken her prisoner, but she knew that they were exceptionally good at hiding. She had been locked away for a little over three years.  

She didn’t know she was pregnant and neither did the guards but when her pregnancy was confirmed by one of the captor’s mages she was no longer subjected to physical punishment. They may be evil, but they were not so cruel as to harm a woman who was with child.  

Maximilian also knew that her husband would rescue her. Yes, it had been an excruciatingly long time since she had seen him but her faith in him never wavered. She had to believe that he would come for her and for their child. Besides her son, that small flicker of hope was probably the only thing that had kept her sane over the past three years.  

Surprisingly, Maxi did not have to fight with her captors to keep her son after he was born. They never tried to take him from her, probably because they had no idea how to handle a newborn. Though Maxi didn’t know much more than they did, her maternal instincts had served her well thus far.  

It broke her heart that Riftan had missed so many of their son’s milestones. Maxi talked to him about his father so much that his first word had been a garbled version of “Dada.” For someone so young he was very well spoken and highly aware of his surroundings. He had taken his first steps at just six months old, and he could now walk perfectly on his own. Maxi was beyond proud that her son was so strong, just like his father. And he looked just like him, a mini Riftan with bronze skin and hair black as ebony. The only thing he had gotten from her was her silvery blue eyes.  

Her baby was the most beautiful thing in the world, and she would do anything to keep him healthy and safe. Even if it cost Maxi her life, she would do so without hesitation, and not just because she was naturally reckless, now she was driven by a mother’s instinct to protect her child no matter what.  

And if Riftan didn’t come soon she may very well lose her life. Every day, since the day he was born Maxi transferred a little bit of her mana to her son. She knew the rations they received weren’t enough for a growing baby, so her mana helped him grow and kept him strong and healthy.  

The prison rations had gotten smaller and smaller lately and certainly weren’t enough for one person let alone two. Recently she had been giving her entire ration to her son so he could fill his belly. A lack of food and the daily use of her mana wore her out and she found herself lying in bed more and more throughout the day but she somehow managed to always find just enough energy to play with her son.  

It was almost noon and she had not yet risen from her small, tattered cot. She felt very weak and prayed and prayed that Riftan would come for them soon. As part of their morning routine Maxi sat her son in her lap and held her hand out to her son. He placed his tiny hand in hers. The two sat very still as a small trail of mana flowed from her palm to his. While she looked drowsy and sickly, he looked lively and more awake after the transfer. She worried as she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep this up on little to no food. She was naturally thin, but a lack of food had caused her to not only quickly lose the small amount of extra weight she had gained during her pregnancy, but she figured she now weighed less than she ever had in her life. Please hurry Riftan, she thought as she soon drifted back to sleep.  

Her son, like his parents, was very observant and knew that something, though he didn’t know what, was wrong with his Mommy. He had never met his father, but he knew from the many stories his mother had shared with him how brave and strong he was. His mother had described his father’s appearance to him many times so that when he did come for them, he would recognize Riftan immediately. Like his mother, he had faith and hope that his father would rescue them. He had to hope because it was all he had ever known; his mother had never once lost faith so neither would he. He hoped that wherever his father was that he would hurry because Mommy was getting worse every day.  

--—— 

Fate was on their side as that very morning the Remdragon Knights had finally tracked down Lady Maximilian’s captors. Riftan single-handedly slaughtered most of the men in the abandoned fortress meaning they would have to look for Maximilian as there was no one left alive to tell them where she was being held. They split up and began earnestly searching for the lady. 

-——- 

A dark haired Remdragon Knight made quick work of the men standing guard at the entrance to the fortress’s dungeon as he continued his search for Lady Maximilian. If the men continued to stand guard when they attacked, then there must be someone important down here. He prayed her ladyship was close by and unharmed.  

Maxi’s son was a light sleeper just like his mother. The sound of a brief scuffle had awoken him from his midday nap. His mother was unwell and hardly stirred as the noise grew louder and louder.  

“My lady?! Where are you?” a voice called out.  

The young knight passed in front of her cell and froze at what he saw. Lady Maxi looked terribly ill as she stirred from her slumber while leaning her back against the cold stone behind her. The lady’s health was of great concern but that’s not what had stopped him in his tracks. A child, a miniature carbon copy of the Lord Calypse, sat upright upon the lady’s lap and stared at the young knight.  

“Gabel? Is it really you?” Maxi asked weakly, unsure if she was dreaming or perhaps hallucinating due to a lack of nutrients.  

Gabel quickly snapped out of his shocked daze and used the keys he’d grabbed on his way into the dungeon to open the cell door.  

The small child crawled out of his mother’s lap, climbed down off the cot, and approached the young man entering the prison cell. He could tell based on his mother’s reaction to this man that he could trust him.  

Without hesitation he asked the knight, “Mommy is very sick. Can you help me find my Daddy? He will help her get better.”  

———- 

Riftan was growing more and more worried as the seconds turned to minutes and the minutes turned to hours as they continued searching for Maxi without success.  

“Commander!” he heard Gabel call from a distance, “Come quick!”  

He and the other knights began heading towards the sound of Gabel’s voice but soon stopped in their tracks.  

Standing next to the young Remdragon knight was a child who looked shockingly like a very small version of Riftan. The boy’s face lit up when he saw the man, he knew was his father, even though he had never seen him.  

“Daddy!” the boy cried happily. The boy ran as fast as his tiny legs would carry him straight towards the Commander.  

For a moment Riftan was stunned. He was paralyzed by a maelstrom of emotions, joy, regret, and anger surged within him. He shook it off as best he could and bent down to greet the small boy, slowly running towards him. He carefully scooped the child up into his arms. He was a little nervous having never held a child before, but some paternal instinct deep within him guided him as he moved his hands to provide the child with support in his embrace.  

The child did in fact look just like him, but his eyes are what caught Riftan’s attention. They were pale silvery blue just like his wife’s. Their son had Maxi’s eyes. He carefully embraced the child in his arms. Riftan’s heart melted as the boy clung tightly to him and buried his face in his father’s shoulder.  

The other knights were too stunned to speak, even Hebaron who usually had some sly remarks to tease Riftan, remained silent.  

After hugging his father for a while, the boy leaned back in his embrace and eagerly looked up at him.  

“I knew you would find us! I never doubted you, not even for a second,” he beamed. “Mommy never doubted you either.” 

Riftan thought his heart would burst right then and there at the unwavering the faith his son had in him. His face broke into a warm smile as he looked down at the precious child in his arms. He gently ran his fingers through his son’s black hair. It was so soft, like touching a cloud. He rested his hand on the child’s head and looked into his eyes. Riftan’s face grew more serious before he spoke.  

“Where is your Mommy?”  

The boy frowned and his face grew serious like his father’s before he answered solemnly, “Mommy is in our cell.” 

The child’s voice raised an octave as he pleaded with worry, “She’s sick! So sick she couldn’t get out of bed today! Please Daddy, you have to save her!” 

Seeing his son so distraught with worry over his mother’s health broke Riftan’s heart with a pain like he had never felt before. The pain of a father whose child was distressed.  

“I will, son.” His voice was gentler than he ever thought possible. “I promise.”  

————- 

The knights hurried quickly to the dungeon and made their way to the lady’s cell.  

Riftan, with his son still in his arms, was the first to reach her. She had fallen asleep again and he was worried that she had not stirred at the sound of them entering the dungeon considering he knew she was a light sleeper.  

“Mommy! MOMMY! Wake up! Daddy’s here to rescue us!”  

She stretched stiffly and wiped the sleep out of her eyes. Maxi slowly opened her eyes, as her slumber was brought to an end by her child’s outburst.  

A short gasp escaped from her lips at the sight before her. Her husband was kneeling beside her cot with their son in his arms. Even in her exhausted state she found the energy to smile brightly at them. She had never seen a more beautiful sight. 

“I’ve dreamed of this moment so many times, I can’t believe you’re really here.”  

“It’s true Maxi, I’m here.” 

“It’s true Mommy!” the child exclaimed happily. “You were right, Daddy saved us. Now we can go home, and you can get all better!” 

Her eyes sparkled at the joy in her son’s voice. She had never seen him so happy. Having only known the four walls of this cell until now he had no source of joy in his life besides the tales, she had told him about his father’s expeditions.  

The boy reached out his hand and both his mother and father reached for it. Their son’s tiny hand was sandwiched between two palms that were much larger than his own. For the first time ever at that moment they were a whole family, the three of them united at last. The couple and small child sat like that for a long time, basking in the blissful joy of being together.  

Eventually, Ruth broke the peaceful silence, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, “You’ve provided him with your mana haven’t you, my lady? That’s why he is remarkably healthy for a child who was forced to grow up in such a horrid environment. You haven’t been eating well, if at all. That’s why you are so sick.” 

“I had to,” she spoke just above a whisper. Her next words were nearly incoherent as her emotions, especially the fear of what could have been, overwhelmed her, “He wouldn’t have survived if I hadn’t…” 

The rest of her words were lost to a fit of heart wrenching sobs. Riftan wrapped his arm around his wife’s weak frame and pulled her into his chest. He held her tightly as she trembled and wailed at the pain and suffering, she and her child had endured. Riftan buried his face in her hair and clenched his eyes shut as his emotions boiled within him. His body shook as he was equally filled with sorrow at what his sweet wife had suffered through alone as well as rage having not made her captors’ deaths longer and more painful.  

She shook violently, trembling against him as waves of sobs racked through her body. Her son hated seeing his mother cry so he hugged her as best he could with his small arms. He leaned his head on her shoulder and cried with her. The other knights who loved their lady dearly were equally heartbroken at what she had suffered through. Yulysion, who absolutely adored her ladyship, was openly crying and sniveling, not even trying to hide his sorrow.  

It suddenly occurred to Riftan that she had not used a name when referring to their son. Perhaps telling him their child’s name would help lift her spirits if only for a moment.  

“What is his name?” he asked quietly. 

Maxi, upon hearing his question, did her best to calm down. Her sobs dissipated and she occasionally hiccupped as she tried to take deep breaths. Once she was calm enough to talk, she spoke while continuing to lean heavily against Riftan’s chest for support and comfort.  

“You’ll have to name him.” Maxi said so softly that he almost didn’t hear her.  

“W-what?” Riftan replied.  

“He’s two years old. You missed so much already,” her voice nearly broke again with deep sorrow. “The very least I could do was allow you to name your first-born son.” 

Heavy tears began to roll down his cheeks. He didn’t give a damn if his men saw him cry. They were tears of absolute sorrow mixed with unbridled joy as he realized he had missed many of his son’s milestones, but Maxi had somehow managed to save him one of the most important moments in a father’s life, the honor of naming his child, his precious son.  

Riftan thought for a moment, staring down at the beautiful child in his arms. His child. Their child.  

“Andrew,” Riftan said. “It means strong and brave. He survived the first two years of his life in this wretched place which required a great deal of strength.” 

“Andrew,” Maxi said with a bright smile. “I love it. Our brave, strong little boy.”  

Riftan asked Elliot to carry his son while he carried Maxi out of the dungeon. Hebaron protested that he should have been asked to carry the heir of Anatol but a sharp look from the lord and lady quickly silenced him.  

“I can walk!” the child protested. 

Sounds like someone I know, Riftan thought as he gave Maxi a slightly amused look.  

She raised an eyebrow at her husband and gave him a tiny smirk as if to say, no, I didn’t teach him that.  

Riftan chuckled to himself as he reluctantly released his son to Elliot’s care. He knew Andrew was in safe hands with Sir Elliot.

Riftan carefully lifted Maxi into his arms. His heart ached at how light she was. Her small frame had always been light as a feather to him, but he could tell by her weight alone that she hadn’t gotten enough to eat as of late.  

She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes basking in the safe feeling she always felt when he held her close. After months and months of strain and worry, her tense muscles slowly began to relax, and she soon found herself on the brink of consciousness as the knights began to file out of the cell.  

Before she drifted off to sleep in her husband’s arms, she heard Riftan speak. She could hear his smile as he spoke with a tender joy that could only come from the love of a father, “Thank you Maximilian, for the best gift you have ever given me. Thank you for keeping him safe. I will do everything in my power to be the best father I can be for him. Lord knows neither you nor I had good fathers. Our son will be loved by us, by the knights, the servants, and the people of Anatol. I promise he will never want for anything. Thank you for my son, our son. Our beautiful Andrew.”

Chapter Text

It was around two in the morning when Riftan finally finished his council meeting. Who would have thought that plans to expand the orphanage and other organizations funded by charity would be such a complex matter?  

He walked quickly to his chambers eager to slide under the covers of his comfortable bed and pull his beautiful wife into his embrace.  

When he opened the doors to their bedchamber, Maximilian was nowhere to be found. The sheets on her side of the bed had been thrown across the middle of the bed like she had been asleep and had suddenly hurried quickly out of the bed.  

Andrew.  

Their son must have been having a restless night. Riftan closed the doors to their chambers and made his way down the hall to their son’s room. For a while, Andrew had slept on a small bed in their room as Maxi and Andrew had grown used to sleeping in the same room together and weren’t comfortable being apart but eventually once they finally settled down in Anatol, Riftan and Maxi decided Andrew should have his own room. 

Riftan slowly turned the doorknob to his son’s room trying to be careful and not to make the door hinges creak and wake his son. He poked his head into the room and what he saw warmed his heart more than words could ever properly express. 

Maximilian sat with Andrew in her lap in a rocking chair on the far side of the room surrounded by dim candlelight.  

Andrew liked to have a little bit of light in his room because when he would wake in the night he would quickly be reminded of where he was and that he was safe and not in that awful prison cell which had been void of any light in the evening.  

The soft light gave her a halo around her dark red curls. She smiled down at their son who had laid his head against her chest, unaware that her husband was watching them. Riftan could see his son’s droopy eyes blink slowly as he fought the urge to fall asleep in his mother’s arms. With the last of his strength, he stretched up his little arm to play with the ends of strings that hung from the front of her nightgown.  

Riftan leaned against the door frame. How long he stood there, he didn’t know and honestly, he didn’t care. He could have stood there for the rest of his days and been a happy man, watching his wife lull their son to sleep.  

Riftan thought this moment couldn’t be more perfect but Maximilian as usual surpassed his expectations.  

She began to sing their son a lullaby.  

Baby mine, don't you cry  

Baby mine, dry your eyes  

Rest your head close to my heart  

Never to part  

Baby of mine  

Her sweet voice relaxed not only her son but her husband as well who desperately fought the urge to sigh, fearing he might alert them or worse startle his son.  

Maxi slowly stood up from the rocking chair and carefully walked over to her son’s crib. She gently laid him down and then pulled a small blue blanket up to his chin.  

Riftan couldn’t resist walking over and standing next to his wife wanting to see the peaceful look on his son’s face as he slept soundly. Riftan gently placed his hand on Maxi’s waist trying not to startle her too badly, but she still jumped slightly in surprise before quickly relaxing once she realized who it was. She smiled warmly at him before she leaned her head against him as they stared down at their son.  

Riftan wasn’t sure what came over him, but he found himself beginning to sing the next verse of the song. 

If they knew sweet little you  

They'd end up loving you too  

All those same people who scold you  

What they'd give just for the right to hold you  

Maxi couldn’t resist joining in and the couple sang the third verse of the song together for their son. Maximilian’s soft soprano voice and Riftan’s deep bass voice blended together beautifully. As they finished the song Andrew opened his mouth wide and let out an adorable sleepy yawn as he stretched his small arms and legs as far as he could before relaxing and dropping his little limbs with a flop. Soon the gentle snores of their baby boy could be heard by his parents.  

Maxi and Riftan stared down at their perfect child for a little while longer before silently making their way out of the nursery. They walked side by side back to their room, arms draped around each other. They each silently prayed that their child would hopefully sleep soundly through the rest of the morning.  

The fire in the fireplace was small but still warm when they entered their room and climbed into bed. Riftan pulled his little wife close to him as they settled under the covers of their massive bed. Maxi rested her head comfortably on his broad chest and listened to the steady soothing beat of his heart.  

“Riftan?” Maxi asked quietly. 

“Yes?” Riftan answered. 

She paused for a moment before asking what had been on her mind since they left the nursery.  

“How did you know the words to the lullaby?” she asked curiously.  

“It’s not the first time I’ve heard you sing that song to lull our child to sleep,” he said with an amused tone. She didn’t have to look at him to know he was smiling as he revealed his secret.  

“I’ve heard you sing it to him many times. I love watching your gentle voice soothe our son to sleep. Tonight, I don’t know, I was caught up in the moment and couldn’t help it.” 

By now Riftan’s cheeks were a deep shade of red.  

“You have a nice voice, Riftan,” Maxi said sweetly. 

He didn’t respond. He simply shut his eyes and hugged her tighter against him. After a long pause Riftan asked Maxi something that piqued his curiosity.  

“Why did you get up in the middle of the night? Why not let the servants care for him?” 

Maxi curled tighter against him, burying her face in his chest, the same way she always did when he asked her something she didn’t want to answer. He gently rubbed her back, wordlessly asking her to be honest with him. 

She sighed softly before lifting her head to look him in the eye as she spoke. 

“I’m still not used to relying on others when it comes to caring for him,” she spoke so softly it was almost a whisper, as though she were embarrassed. “We were on our own for so long…sometimes I just can’t help it…I was the only one who could protect him and…I…I..”

By now Maxi was on the verge of tears as the awful memories of her time in captivity with her son came flooding back. She loved their son and cherished the time they had spent together but their living conditions had been absolute hell. She couldn’t help feeling very protective of him even if she knew she had dozens of servants available to help her at all hours of the night. 

Riftan felt as though his heart was being torn apart. He embraced his wife tightly as she wept. She clung to him, and he let her cry. Better to let her let it out than try to calm her down which would only result in her bottling and burying her emotions.  

Her cries eventually became soft sniffles as she wore herself out. She was admittedly very tired. She had had a full day of duties to attend to on top of the fact that she had been up most of the night.  

“Maxi, look at me,” Riftan called to her softly. 

Maxi once again slowly lifted her head to meet her husband’s gaze. His heart broke again as he saw the tear streaks that stained her cheeks. He cradled her face in his hands and gently wiped away her tears. He lifted his head up a little further and kissed the top of her head.  

Unsure how to change the subject, Riftan simply said what was on his mind.  

“The first thing our son ever said to me was that he never doubted that I would come and save him, to save both of you,” as Riftan spoke his voice cracked slightly as he recalled the bittersweet memory.  

“I told him every morning,” she said with a weak smile, her eyes still watery. “I never let him lose faith in you.” 

“And that’s what I need from you now Maxi,” Riftan said firmly. “I need that unwavering faith that you had then, to give you peace here and now. You need to trust that nothing in this world will ever harm you or our son, not while I still draw breath. I won’t let anything hurt you again.”  

“I know we’re safe,” Maxi replied, though she didn’t sound confident.  

“I know you’re used to doing everything on your own,” Riftan continued. "but we have servants working around the clock so that you don’t make yourself sick working all day and then staying up all night with him.” 

Maxi was silent for a long time. She closed her eyes as his words sunk in. Riftan worried that when she opened her eyes again, he would see sorrow or even resentment but to his relief there was nothing but warmth and love in her eyes when she looked at him again. She had understood that he wasn’t trying to tell her to spend less time with their son, not at all, he simply didn’t want her to overwork herself as she tended to do. 

“You’re right,” she said, her voice sounding almost relieved. “I have been overdoing it. Sometimes I still forget that I‘m not doing this on my own anymore. It will take more time for me to adjust but I will try to be conscious of it and I will ask Ludis to remind me to rest.” 

“Thank you, Maxi,” Riftan said as he wiped the last of her tears from her face.  

Maxi sighed contently as she once again rested her head against his chest.  

There was a prolonged period of silence and if Riftan didn’t know better he would have thought she had fallen asleep, but he could tell by the way she was breathing that she was still awake.  

“Trouble falling asleep, love?” Riftan asked, his voice deeper than usual because he was tired, they both were.  

“Yes,” she groaned.  

“Would it help if I sang you a lullaby?” 

Maximilian slowly looked up at him, her expression clearly hopeful but her eyes held a small glimmer of disbelief. Sure he would sing for their son, caught up in the moment, as he had said he had been, but for her? 

Riftan smiled at the hopeful look on his wife’s face. He took one of her small hands in his, brought it to his lips and kissed it tenderly, never dropping her gaze. He caressed the back of her hand and spoke with a softness in his tone he used only with her, “Anything for my wife and mother of my child.” 

She beamed at him and craned her neck until her lips were a breath away from his. He leaned upward, closing the distance between them, brushing his lips against hers in a slow, sweet kiss. 

Maxi eventually broke the kiss, and once again buried her face in her husband’s muscular chest. She listened to the steady beat of his heart along with the low soothing notes of the song he sang to her and by the end of the second verse, Maximilian was sound asleep.

Chapter Text

One sunny afternoon, Andrew, was practicing with his little training sword. He was trying to imitate the moves made by the Remdragon Knights with little success. He was well spoken and always polite, but he also had his father’s short temper. He grew frustrated as he struggled to grasp a particularly difficult maneuver and he cursed.  

The knights grew quiet at the boy’s sudden outburst. Riftan raised an eyebrow at his son who quickly looked down avoiding his father’s gaze.  

“Andrew Maximus Calypse,” Riftan said calmly, “You’ve been spending too much time with Sir Hebaron.” 

Andrews’s head shot up. He loved training time with Uncle Herb. He worried his father might banish him from spending time with his second favorite Remdragon Knight, the first of course being his dad. Besides, his father had it all wrong.  

“I…” the boy began but Riftan wasn’t finished. 

“From now on you will be training with Sir Uslin…” 

“But Dad Uncle Herb didn’t teach me…” 

“…and I will find someone else to cover your horseback riding lessons…”  

“Dad, I learned it from Mom!” 

A collective gasp could be heard from the men standing in the training grounds. They had heard the lady swear when she argued with Riftan during the Second War expedition but hadn’t heard her lose her temper since as of late, and certainly not in front of her son.  

“This is a tale I’m dying to hear,” Sir Nirta chuckled thinking she’d sworn after burning her hand on a pot of hot tea or some other tale related to Maximilian’s clumsiness. “What happened kid?” 

“It happened while we were still in the dungeons,” he began. The knights flinched remembering the awful condition they had found the lady in when they rescued her. “I was crying, upset that mom had to give up her food just so I could eat. I could tell she was hungry, but she insisted that I eat. I didn’t quite understand what was happening, but I knew she was getting weaker and sicker and there was nothing I could do to help her. She sat with me next to the bars of our cell and tried to calm me down, but nothing helped. I was so upset and no matter what she did she couldn’t console me. I guess one of the guards got annoyed because he came over to our cell and yelled at me to be quiet, but I didn't listen.”  

He paused, trying to remember what happened next. It was a vivid memory but parts of it were fuzzy because he was so young when it had happened.  

“I think mom got up to get me another blanket or something. When she moved away the guard shoved his hand through the bars and hit me as he yelled at me to shut it.” 

Riftan may have looked calm on the outside but on the inside, he was livid. Even though his son now stood before him perfectly happy and healthy, the thought of anyone harming Andrew made him see red. Anyone who dared to hurt his wife, or his son would meet a painful bloody end, courtesy of his sword.  

“What happened next?” Yulysion asked quietly.  

A wide smug grin stretched across the young boy’s face. “The guard raised his hand to strike me again but all of the sudden this bright light hit his chest and he flew halfway down the hall! I turned to see where the light came from, and I saw Mom standing with her palms outstretched towards the bars. I had never seen her so furious. She had used small amounts of her mana to help me grow strong, but I had never seen her use it as a weapon before. She looked deadly but at the same time beautiful in a way. Her mana flowed through and around her making the dark room glow brightly. She looked like an angel… an enraged angel armed with hellfire. She was so pissed I thought she might start to breathe fire at any moment. She marched up to the bars of our cell and started screaming at the guard. If the bars hadn’t been there, I think she would have strangled him with her bare hands. She yelled every foul word she could think of and on that day, I learned every curse word under the sun.” 

The yard was quiet for a while as the men pondered the young boy’s story.  

“Well damn.” Gabel said, breaking the silence. “Hell hath no fury like a protective mother.”  

“Especially one armed with dangerous magic,” Garrow added.  

“Remind me to never get on our lady’s bad side,” Yulysion said nervously.  

Andrew looked at his father who hadn’t spoken since he started to tell his tale. Riftan was torn; on the one hand he was still furious that harm had befallen his child but now he felt fiercely proud of his wife for kicking that guard’s ass to protect their son. He had no doubt she looked every bit as beautiful as his son described as she used everything, she had to ensure that the guard thought twice before coming near them again. He took a deep breath trying to relax before addressing his son.  

Andrew saw the unspoken question in his father’s eyes and answered before Riftan could speak.  

“No, mom didn’t get punished for hurting the guard. I guess he was too embarrassed to report that he got his ass, oops, I mean his butt whooped by a woman. Mom hadn’t used that much mana in a while, and it wore her out. She slept more often in the days following the incident but eventually she regained her strength which wasn’t much considering we weren’t given much to eat. A few months later you arrived, and we’ve never been healthier or happier.” 

Riftan walked over to his son, knelt down and pulled the boy into his arms. The boy hugged his father earnestly in return.  

“Thank you for keeping your promise to make mom feel better and for getting us out of the dungeons.”  

Riftan’s heart broke as his son thanked him for his safety, something no child should ever have to thank their parents for.  

He kept Andrew in his arms but leaned back so he could look at his son face-to-face. He placed both hands on either side of the boy's face ensuring he had the child’s undivided attention.  

“You never have to thank me for keeping you safe,” Riftan said. “As your father it is my job to shield you and your mother from any harm. I am proud of you for doing what you thought was right to help your mother get better but know that we will always put your health first, son, even at our own expense. I swear to you I will never let something like that happen again. All you need to do now is focus on enjoying being a kid because before you know it, you’ll be an adult and sometimes being a grown up is not as fun as it sounds.”  

Riftan thought for a moment and realized he and Maxi were probably living vicariously through their son. Neither he nor Maxi got to enjoy their childhoods, both marred with violence and loneliness. He was determined his son would enjoy being a kid and though he let him train he didn’t want him to grow up too fast, though that seemed to be happening right before his eyes whether he liked it or not.  

“So… does this mean I can still train with Uncle Herb?!” 

Riftan had to fight off an eye roll in front of his son at the ridiculous title Sir Nirta had given himself. He looked up at the sky as if he were taking his time to ponder the boy’s question when he really just wanted to make his son squirm a little with anticipation.  

Riftan let out a long sigh before he looked down at the boy. Andrew stared up at him with a hopeful twinkle in his eyes that Riftan hoped would never dim.  

“I suppose you can continue your lessons with Sir Heb- ” 

Before he could finish Andrew lunged forward and threw his arms around his father’s neck hugging him and thanking him. It was moments like these that Riftan would never take for granted. Riftan hugged his son in return before releasing the boy who was eager to get back to practicing his swordsmanship.  

He smiled proudly as the boy swung his little sword. He was getting better each day, but Riftan prayed his son would never have to use it. He would vanquish every monster on the continent if it kept his son out of danger. He would go to the ends of the earth to keep Andrew safe, and he knew Maxi would do the same.  

He smiled as he recalled Andrew’s tale of how ferociously his wife had defended and protected their son. 

Thank you Maximilian Riftan thought to himself for doing everything you could to keep our boy safe. I know you would give your life for him, if necessary, as would I. I pray that day never comes. I couldn’t be prouder or more grateful to have such a fierce, devoted, kind woman be the mother of my child. He can be a handful and I sometimes feel like I have no idea what I am doing, or I am scared out of my mind that I will do something wrong but with you by my side I know he is going to be okay. You have made me the happiest man in the world. Now that you are with child again, I cannot wait to see how the love of our family will multiply even more in the years to come. 

Chapter Text

Maximilian Calypse burst into tears of joy before the maester even had a chance to speak. She could tell from the look on his face that he would confirm what she already knew. She had felt unwell lately, always nauseous in the morning, the same way she had been before they had confirmed her pregnancy with her son. 

She wept because she had begun to worry that she would never conceive again. Months and months of malnutrition and mana depletion had taken a severe toll on her body. She and Riftan had been trying for a little over a year, but she had been unable to get pregnant.  

She wanted to run out of the infirmary and tell everyone the good news. She wanted to scream it from the castle rooftops that she had been blessed with another baby. She wanted to tell Riftan immediately but she needed to tell him privately and she knew that he was very busy today so she would have to wait until after dinner.  

It was currently around ten in the morning. She groaned impatiently; this was going to be a very long day.  

———— 

Riftan noticed Maxi had been quieter than usual at dinner. She was still shy at times, preferring to listen rather than contribute to the tall tales told around the dining table. But tonight, she was silent. Was she unwell? She didn’t look ill, quite the opposite in fact, she had a certain glow to her that he had never seen before. When he asked her if anything was wrong, she brushed off his question assuring him she was fine. He knew her well enough to tell that she was keeping something from him. Perhaps it was a private matter she didn’t wish to discuss in front of his knights. He would ask again later in the privacy of their bedchamber; for now, he put his arm around her and held her close to him as they continued to enjoy their meal and listen to the lively tales that were told throughout the evening.  

———— 

After putting Andrew to bed, the couple retired to their room for the evening. She knew that Riftan could tell that something was off. She should tell him now before he starts imagining the worst.  

“I wasn’t entirely truthful earlier,” she said as she stood next to their bed. “I visited the maester this morning.”  

Riftan, who was in the middle of removing his shirt, quickly threw the rest of it off and in two large strides he was standing directly in front of his petite wife.  

“What did he say?” Riftan asked worriedly. She could tell he was already growing concerned for her from the way his shoulders tensed, and his brow furrowed deeply.  

“He confirmed what I had already suspected,” she said calmly. “He said that the nausea I have been experiencing in the mornings should go away in a few months.”  

“A FEW MONTHS?!” Riftan shouted. “Why the hell would he not give you something immediately for whatever ails you!? I am going to hire a new maester first thing in the morning and- “

“That won’t be necessary,” Maxi said before biting her lip trying her hardest to fight back a smile.  

“Why not?” he said icily.  

All right, this has gone far enough, she thought. I better give him an answer before he decides to have our current maester flogged for incompetence.  

Instead of answering him directly she grabbed her husband’s left hand and gently placed it on her flat stomach. She looked up at him and grinned, unable to hold back the joyful smile she had hidden all day. She blinked rapidly, trying to fight off tears so that she could see her husband’s face clearly.  

Riftan had become still as a statue when she placed his massive hand on her abdomen.  

Maxi watched as his breath sped up just a little as he began to process what she was trying to tell him.  

“W-what…” he was suddenly unable to speak, unable to think.  

“It’s true.” her voice was light and sweet. 

“What is? I need to hear you say it, Maximilian.” he said firmly. His voice was coarse, barely above a whisper as though he were afraid that if he raised his voice, it might shatter his hopes. His eyes bore into hers with wild desperation. He needed her to verbally confirm the joyous news so that he knew he wasn’t just dreaming or misunderstood her.  

She beamed at him. “I am with child.” she said softly.  

His brow furrowed even deeper, he shut his eyes tightly and his bottom lip trembled as he tried and ultimately failed to fight off the tears that fell from his eyes as the level of joy he felt in his heart consumed him and overwhelmed him.  

Maxi was stunned, she had never seen him like this. He reached forward using his free hand which shook slightly, gently cupping her cheek before he leaned down and placed a soft feather light kiss upon her lips.  

Tears continued to fall from eyes as he kissed her repeatedly. Eventually she could no longer tell if her cheeks were wet from her own tears or his.  

Riftan paused and breathed deeply, trying to reign in his emotions with little success. He dropped to his knees, kneeling before her in awe. He carefully wrapped his arms around her tiny waist as though she were made of glass. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her stomach where their baby would grow. He rested his head on her belly and held her close while Maxi ran her fingers through his hair. His tears fell less frequently but his body still trembled.  

She had expected him to react joyously, but the sheer intensity of his reaction surprised her. It took her a while to figure out why he had reacted this way and when she did it broke her heart. Riftan was crying because for him, it was like she was telling him she was pregnant for the very first time since he wasn’t there when she found out she was with child while in captivity. This was the first time she was able to tell him that she was carrying a precious miracle created by their love. She hoped that his tears were only of sheer joy, none of pity as he dwelled on the fact that she had done this all alone when she had carried their son.  

“Thank you, Maxi.” he said, his voice cracking occasionally, “Thank you for this precious child. Our little miracle.”  

He raised his head to look up at her. Both their cheeks were stained with tears. He cleared his throat before speaking again, this time in a more firm and serious tone. 

“It breaks my heart more than words can say that I wasn’t there for you when you carried our first born but I swear to you Maximilian that this time I will be right here every step of the way. I will be there for you in every way that I couldn’t be before. Our children will be the most loved and cherished angels on the whole continent. I vow to protect you and our children with everything that I am, even give my life if need be. I love you and Andrew and this precious miracle inside of you with all that I am, and I will do anything to keep you and our children healthy, safe, and happy.” 

Maxi dropped to her knees and embraced him. They held each other for a long time until Maximilian’s legs began to shake a little, not used to holding herself up like this for so long.  

Riftan easily lifted his wife into his arms and gently laid her on the bed. Ludis had turned down the sheets earlier that evening, so Riftan simply pulled them up along with the comforter to cover Maxi’s small frame. As soon as he finished tucking her in, he joined her under the covers.  

Rather than pulling her towards him, Riftan moved over towards Maxi’s side of the bed. Laying on his side he put his right arm under her pillow and placed his left hand on her belly.  

Maxi sighed happily but Riftan could hear something more behind it.  

“What’s wrong?” Riftan asked quietly. 

Maxi paused for a moment trying to think of the best way to explain her concern without sounding ungrateful. 

“I appreciate the level of care and support you want to give me,” she said as firmly as she could. “I really do but…please do not start treating me as though I am a fragile piece of glass that could shatter in an instant. While I realize that I do not and should not have to do this on my own, I am more capable than you would like to admit. I did, after all, carry and raise our son on my own.”  

“You were fighting to survive,” he said softly, sounding distant as the memories of her captivity still haunted him. “You did everything you could to ensure that our son would have a chance to live. You did what was necessary and with no support but not this time. This time you have dozens of people who care about you and want to be there for you.” 

“I know but you all don’t need to walk like you’re on eggshells around me either.” Maxi replied. “There is in fact a difference between being pregnant and being helpless. I am grateful that so many are willing to help but I refuse to be coddled.” 

Riftan could see she was not backing down. He remembered how he smothered her after he rescued her from her father. Despite his best intentions he had done more harm than good. He would not make that mistake again. Besides, she was much healthier now. It had been almost two years since she and Andrew had been rescued from captivity. Whether her ability to survive had been on her own or out of some desperate will to survive, she was strong, stronger than she looked. He would simply have to resist the urge to take care of every little thing for her.  

“Alright,” he finally relented with a heavy sigh. “I make no promises, but I will do my best not to stifle you… on one condition.” 

Maxi raised an eyebrow at him skeptically. 

“What?” she asked nervously, fearing he would bargain with her to give up practicing magic for the duration of her pregnancy or insist she triple what she was eating.  

He smiled warmly at her which quickly put her fears and concerns to rest.  

“My one condition is this,” Riftan said with a happy grin, “when our child is born, you will name them. You gave me the honor of naming our first child, now I want you to name our next little miracle.” 

Maximilian beamed at him before snuggling into his broad chest. She closed her eyes and let the sound of his steady heartbeat lull her to sleep. She could handle that, she thought to herself as she drifted on the edge of consciousness. Would their child be a knight like their father or perhaps a wizard like her? Regardless of who their baby grew up to be, she knew they would be relentlessly loved and cherished.  

Her baby.  

Their baby.  

The next little Calypse.

Chapter Text

Andrew didn’t get much sleep last night but the same could be said for anyone in the castle.  

The staff had been in a flurry when the news spread that Lady Calypse had gone into labor. Ludis had been an absolute saint. She had done her best to soothe her lady with reassuring words while ordering other servants to fetch towels, hot water, and other essentials.  

Traditionally when the lady of the house went into labor the servants and midwives were the only ones allowed in her chambers, while the lord of the house remained elsewhere.  

His father had broken that archaic tradition without hesitation, claiming Hell would freeze over before he was separated from his wife while she was in pain and miss the birth of his child.  

No one dared argue, as the lord looked ready to snap if anyone objected.  

Andrew, however, had been told to wait outside with the rest of the Remdragon Knights. His mother’s labor had continued through the night and eventually the young boy had dozed off while leaning against Sir Gabel’s shoulder as they sat on the cold marble floor in the hall. His slumber had not lasted long though as his mother’s painful cries had woken him with a start.  

As dawn broke her cries grew louder and her shouts were easily heard from the other side of their chamber door. His mother gave a final loud cry that sounded like a cross between a sob, a cough, and a scream. Andrew covered his ears as best he could to try to block out the sound of her pain. For a moment all was silent until another sharp cry pierced through the air. It was a cry like none he had ever heard before and it took him a moment to realize it was the cry of a baby, a loud wail from his little brother or sister.  

It seemed like forever, waiting and waiting for the large wooden doors leading to his parents' chambers to open. He paced, unable to stay still. Finally, the doors opened slightly, and Ludis poked her head out. She looked utterly exhausted. She had dark circles under her eyes and pieces of her hair stuck out from her usually neat headpiece, but she was grinning from ear to ear.  

“Lady Maximilian is alright, and the baby is completely healthy,” she said in a tired but cheerful voice. “It was a long labor, but both are doing very well.”  

Andrew ran forward and hurriedly squeezed himself between her skirt and the doorframe, unable to hold his patience any longer. The knights behind him tried to ask Ludis if it was a boy or a girl as she stepped out, closing the door behind her. She gave them a gentle smile and told them to be patient as they would know soon enough but for now, they should let the family have some time alone.  

The midwives who had assisted with the birth had moved to the foyer to offer the family a little privacy but stayed close in case they were needed. They had looked over the baby to make sure the child was perfectly healthy, changed the bed sheets, and helped the lady change into a clean cotton dress, which fit her loosely like one of her nightgowns.  

Andrew had run straight for his parent's bed and froze at the edge of the bed as he beheld the sight before him. His mother was half sitting up and half laying back, propped up by dozens of pillows. His father sat next to her almost curled around her tiny frame, with one arm wrapped around her shoulders and the other supporting Maxi’s arms which were bent before her cradling the baby wrapped in a blanket in her arms. Andrew saw the tear streaks on both his parents’ faces, but he knew they were not sad because they were beaming at the little bundle in his mother’s arms.  

Andrew stepped a little closer to the bed and a button on his nightshirt scraped against the wooden bed frame, shattering the tranquil silence that had fallen over the room. Maxi jumped at the noise and Riftan tensed as every instinct screamed at him to put himself between his vulnerable wife and child and the intruder. Before he moved, he looked and relaxed as he saw that it was Andrew approaching the left side of their bed.  

Andrew froze once again, his face flushed with embarrassment as he prayed the noise had not woken the baby whom he assumed was sleeping because they were noticeably quiet.  

“It’s alright Andrew,” Riftan called out to his son. He moved his arm from behind his wife and leaned over to help his son climb onto the bed.  

Andrew sat with his legs stretched out straight as he faced his parents.  

“Andrew,” his mother said softly. “I’d like you to meet your baby sister.”  

Maxi adjusted the baby cradled against her so that her son could see the baby in her arms.  

Andrew couldn’t see very much because the baby was wrapped in a thick blanket but eventually, he could see her face peeping out from the top of the bundle. He saw an unmistakable red tuft of hair on the top of her small head. The baby dosed peacefully and snored softly.  

“Can I hold her?” Andrew asked hopefully.  

“Of course,” Maxi said, as she smiled at him.  

Riftan grabbed a pillow from among the dozens that were now lined up against the headboard and placed it in Andrew’s lap. His son laid his arms out on top of the pillow with palms facing up.  

Riftan took the baby from Maxi’s arms and gently placed her in her brother’s arms.  

“Hello…” Andrew said quietly as he stared down at her. He had paused, unsure of what to call her. He glanced up at his parents who smiled back at him.  

“Victoria,” Riftan said. “Your mother named her Victoria.” 

Andrew smiled back at them before returning his gaze to his baby sister. Her skin was fair like their mother’s and even had a few of her freckles dusted across her face.  

“Hello Victoria,” he said quietly.  

Moving from her mother’s arms to a pillow, though gentle, had disturbed her sleep and she began to wiggle slightly in her brother’s arms. She let out a sleepy yawn before slowly opening her eyes.  

Eyes as dark as ebony stared up at him. Victoria had inherited their father’s eyes. 

Andrew laughed, unable to contain the joy, happiness, and pride he felt to be a big brother.  

His laughter amused Victoria and she gurgled and cooed and gave him a wide toothless smile in return.  

He wrapped his arms around her holding his sister a little tighter.  

“I can’t wait to play with you,” he said quietly. “and train with you and be your best friend.”  

He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead before leaning back just slightly keeping their faces close together.  

“I love you,” he whispered as though he were sharing a special secret between just the two of them.  

Maxi choked back a sob at the beautiful moment unfolding before her. She felt Riftan squeeze her shoulder and could tell by the way he took in a shaky breath that he was just as touched by their son as she was.  

The family of four sat there for what could have been hours or days, it didn’t really matter. What mattered was the love they shared together as a family and the already unshakable bond between Andrew and his best friend, his sister, Victoria Odelle Calypse. 

Chapter Text

Andrew wasn’t afraid of anything…well, almost anything.   

If he were honest, thunderstorms terrified him. Even though it had nothing to do with his time in captivity, sudden flashes of light and loud booms of thunder that shook the room if it was close enough sent his mind reeling back to a time when he had only known darkness and he was too weak to protect himself and his mother.   

If he had been within the thick sturdy stone walls of their home, he would have done his best to simply try to go back to sleep and think nothing of it. Unfortunately, he wasn’t home. Andrew, his parents, his baby sister, and a few Remdragon Knights for additional security, had gone on a short camping trip.   

He shared a tent with his baby sister who was equally distressed by the loud storm. She began to cry, and Andrew quickly made his way over to her crib to try to soothe her worries, as well as his own. He picked her up out of her crib and held her close. He hugged her tightly because she was afraid, but also because he was afraid too and he wanted to hold on to someone.   

A bright flash of light and an earth-shaking boom of thunder left the young Calypse children startled and shaken. It did not take Andrew more than half a second to decide what to do next. He grabbed his sister’s favorite blanket from her crib and ran through the flap which divided his “room” from his parent’s room within their large tent.   

His parents were sound asleep when he entered their room. They were light sleepers and storms like this would typically keep them up, but they had worn themselves out after a full day of keeping up with their children’s activities.   

Another flash of lightning pierced through the sky, scaring the baby in Andrew’s arms who cried out in surprise and fear. The sound of her loud cry so close to them immediately woke Riftan and Maxi who both sat up in bed. Their eyes darted around, ensuring there was no immediate danger before eventually settling their gazes on their son holding his baby sister in his arms.   

“Andrew?” Maxi called to him, unable to hide the worry in her voice. “Dear, what’s the matter?”  

“I’m sorry to wake you but the storm…I…um, we can’t sleep,” he said quietly, hating how weak his voice sounded right now especially in front of his father who he knew was fearless.   

“Would you like to sleep with us tonight?” she asked gently. She intentionally left out any mention of his obvious fear knowing he would want to appear as brave as he could to his father.   

“I think Victoria would sleep better if we slept in here,” he said with as much confidence as he could muster, trying to pin all of this on his sister so that he wouldn’t appear afraid. “She would miss me if I went back to my room, so I better stay too.”   

“She would miss you,” said a deep baritone voice that immediately made Andrew stand up straight and yet feel relaxed at the same time.  

“Y-yes sir,” the boy replied.   

“Come on up,” his mother said warmly.   

Andrew walked over to his mother’s side of the bed and handed his sister off to her. Maxi laid her daughter between her and her husband before moving away from them just slightly to make room for their son to lay between them. Andrew climbed into their bed and lay between his mother and his sister.   

His father’s long arms wrapped around them pulling them close. Maxi sang an old Roem lullaby to her children to help them calm down. Before long, the small family was sound asleep as the storm raged around them.   

Riftan woke up sometime in the early hours of the morning with the storm still raging and thrashing around their large tent. Just as he was about to fall back asleep, he heard the faint sound of crying coming from across the bed. He instantly recognized his son’s voice and worried if the storm had upset him again.   

“Son,” Riftan whispered, trying not to wake his wife and daughter, “what’s wrong?”  

The cries quieted as the child tried to hold in his emotions, attempting to put on a brave face for his father, his hero.   

“I-I am okay-y,” Andrew choked out as he tried to hold in another sob.   

Riftan reached over and placed his hand on his son’s head. He gently rubbed Andrew’s head in an effort to console the boy.   

“Andrew,” Riftan said in a slightly firmer tone, “what’s bothering you?”  

The small boy began to tremble as he was still trying as hard as he could not to cry in front of his father. Riftan reached over and easily picked up the boy and laid him on his chest. He said a silent prayer of thanks that his wife and daughter had remained sound asleep. He wrapped his arms around his son and gave him a firm reassuring hug. That hug snapped the last tread of the child’s already thin resolve who began weeping in his father’s arms.   

“I am sorry I was afraid,” the boy choked out between sobs. “I don’t know why but it reminds me of our prison cell, and I hate it. I hate it that I couldn’t do more to protect mom and- “his words trailed off as his body was overwhelmed by another wave of sobs.   

Riftan waited until the boy's cries had quieted down, and his body relaxed a little so that he knew his son would be able to pay attention.   

“I’m sorry too, son,” Riftan said, a thick layer of regret laced in his usually calm tone. “I’m sorry the storm reminds you of that terrible place. I’m sorry that you were put in that position in the first place. And I’m sorry I couldn’t rescue you and your mother sooner. It is a regret I will carry for the rest of my days.”  

There was a long silence before the boy spoke again. Riftan had to strain to hear the child’s quiet voice above the loud storm that continued to rage outside their tent.   

“I know Dad, but I still feel sorry for being afraid,” the boy said softly, as though he were guilty. “I know I shouldn’t be afraid. At this rate I know I’ll never be as brave as you. You aren’t afraid of anything, you’ve never been afraid- “  

“That’s not true, Andrew,” Riftan interrupted. “I have been afraid before and there are still things in this world that make me afraid.”  

Another long moment of silence stretched between the father and son as Andrew tried to process Riftan’s words. 

“What!” he exclaimed. “Impossible! Nothing scares you! You’re fearless! And one day I hope I can be half as fearless as you!”  

Riftan couldn’t fight the smile that graced his lips as his son admitted to him that he, Riftan, was a role model for his son. His brows furrowed as he realized his tendency to mask his emotions had left an unhealthy standard for his son to try to match. He didn’t want Andrew to bottle his emotions, Riftan knew from personal experience that it would not end well if he tried.   

“I hope I can always be there to provide you with wisdom and guidance son,” Riftan began. “But I think I may have set the bar too high. I have fears but I don’t show them because I have to remain steadfast so that my comrades will remain calm. I don’t let my emotions overwhelm me, but it doesn’t mean that they’re not there. It’s perfectly normal to be afraid but what you don’t want is for those fears to consume you. To do that you need to do your best to stay calm and focus on what grounds you.”  

Riftan helped his son practice taking deep breaths and focus on what helped him stay calm. Andrew thought of home and the secure feeling he felt when he was surrounded by his family. The young boy seemed to relax a little after that.  

Riftan thought his son was almost asleep when the young child asked, “Dad, what made you scared?”   

Riftan took a deep breath trying to think of the best way to explain his fear to a small child. After a long pause, Riftan answered his son’s question.   

“I was scared that I would not make it in time to rescue you and your mother,” Riftan admitted. “I was afraid I would be too late. I cannot be everywhere at once and I’m afraid one day you or your sister or your mother might get hurt because I wasn’t quick enough to protect you.”  

Andrew’s jaw dropped and his eyes grew wide. He could hardly believe that his father, a man who had taken down the fierce dragon Sector without hesitation, had just admitted to being afraid.   

“Really, Dad?” he asked, just to make sure he had understood him correctly.   

“Yes,” Riftan said calmly. “Nothing is more important to me than keeping our family safe. It’s okay to be afraid son, as long as you don’t let the fear overwhelm you. Try to stay calm like I showed you earlier.”  

“Okay Dad,” Andrew said quietly.   

“It’s okay to be scared.” Riftan reassured him, easily detecting his son’s embarrassment. Andrew’s face was pressed up against his chest and he could feel his son’s face heating up. Though it was dark, he would bet that Andrew’s cheeks were a bright pink. He would deny it, but the boy was easily flustered just like his mother. “If you are ever truly scared son, come tell me, okay? We will always be here for you. I won’t let anything hurt you, Andrew. I promise.”   

“Mom can protect me too,” Andrew pointed out, almost boasting; he was proud that his mother was strong too.   

Riftan smiled an almost bittersweet smile. He was proud of the strong, capable wizard his wife had become but it didn’t mean he still didn’t worry every time she put herself in harm's way. He knew she had fought like hell when she was held captive. She had done what any mother would do, do everything she could to protect and nurture her child. Riftan would never be able to put to words how in awe he was of her determination and bravery. She had grown more independent since her captivity, which Riftan understood to an extent, but it never stopped him from worrying about her. He didn’t know if he would ever stop worrying.   

“She is afraid too,” the boy continued, unaware his father was lost in thought. Andrew’s statement brought him back to the present.  

“What do you mean?” Riftan asked worriedly. He had worked so hard to make sure their family was safe. If Maximilian’s fear was obvious to their son, then he must have missed something.  

“Of course, Dad,” Andrew replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. “She worries about our safety too, especially yours.”  

Riftan chuckled at his son’s words. Here he was worrying about his wife’s occasional recklessness while he was admittedly just as reckless himself, if not more so.   

As though she could sense them talking about her, Maxi groaned in her sleep as she stirred slightly beneath the blankets. Riftan reached out his hand to gently rub her shoulder to calm her. She instantly relaxed under his soothing touch and settled back down holding their daughter a little tighter against her as she slept.   

He returned his hand back on his son’s back and gently rubbed the child’s back. Andrew fought in vain to keep his eyes open. His head lay on his father’s firm chest and his steady heartbeat soothed the last of the young boy’s fears.  

“Good night,” Andrew said with a sleepy yawn.   

“Good night,” Riftan echoed.  

The boy wiggled slightly trying to get more comfortable. Riftan rolled onto his side, still holding his son. He shared part of his pillow with Andrew and his son snuggled against him not wanting to let go. Feeling them shift Maxi moved closer and nestled against her son’s back.   

For the first time that night, Andrew felt completely safe, lying between his parents and sister. He knew they would do anything to protect him, and they would keep him safe.   

“I love you Daddy,” Andrew whispered right before he fell into a deep sleep.   

Riftan felt his heart skip a beat at his son’s sincere words. It wasn’t the first time his son had told him he loved him, but he couldn’t help the way his heart would nearly burst with joy whenever he heard Andrew say those three simple but powerful words.   

Riftan took a moment to look at his beautiful family. His wife’s beauty could surpass that of any of heaven’s angels. She was beautiful, brave, kind, and stubborn as hell. She had given him two perfect children whom he loved more than anything in this world. He thanked the heavens every morning and night for blessing someone so undeserving with the priceless blessings of his wonderful family.   

“I love you too, Andrew.” 

Chapter Text

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh-!”  

Andrew’s scream was cut short as he crashed into the water.   

His father had thrown him up in the air and her son made a loud splash as his small body landed in the lake.  

They had been out all morning, playing and laughing joyously without a care in the world.  

“Again! Again!” Andrew cried.   

He squealed as his father picked him up and threw him into the air. The boy screamed with glee as he landed in the lake once more.   

Maxi chuckled as her son found doing the same thing over and over so entertaining. She sat in the shade with her baby girl as she watched her husband and son play in the water.   

“My lady,” Elliot said as he approached the lady and her daughter. “I would be happy to watch over Lady Victoria if you would like to go for a swim.”  

“Thank you but I’m just fine right here.” she replied sweetly.  

“Please, my lady, I insist.” Elliot persisted. “Go enjoy some time with the rest of your family. I promise to take good care of the little lady.”  

Had it been anyone else she probably would have hesitated, but she trusted Elliot and she knew her daughter would be properly looked after.   

She shivered as she felt goosebumps rise on her skin as she waded into the water. Her swimwear felt tight against her skin as it got wet.   

By now Riftan and Andrew were engaged in an epic war, a splash war.   

She watched her son's valiant attempts to splash his father, but they were futile. Riftan was so much bigger than him and when he splashed his son, the small boy was soaked every time. She was momentarily distracted as she watched the lake water slowly slide down her husband’s sculpted back. Nothing she hadn’t seen before of course but she was still sometimes in awe of the fact that she was married to such a gorgeous man.   

Maxi had entered the lake behind them, and neither father nor son had paid attention to her quiet approach. She snuck up behind her husband and right as he was about to splash Andrew, Maxi splashed her husband. She used a bit of her magic to create a semi large wave. What was the use of water affinity if not to help support your son in a splash war against his father?   

The young boy burst into a fit of laughter at the sight of the stunned expression on his father’s face. Andrew’s laughter was infectious, and Maxi soon found herself nearly doubled over with laughter. Riftan’s muscles were tense having just had lake water thrown on him unexpectedly. He slowly turned around to face his attacker.   

The shocked look on his face only made her laugh harder. She began gasping for air as she tried to catch her breath. Any man who saw the dark look on her husband’s face would have been cowering in fear by now, but she could recognize the subtle hints of joy on his face that he couldn’t hide from her. The way he frowned at her and yet the corners of his lips were slightly curved as he desperately fought the urge to smile back at her. Or the way his eyes glared but held a small hint of playfulness behind them.   

For a moment she wondered if the dark look in his eyes was from the surprise of her splashing him or if it was a look of desire as she knew her swimwear was cruelly clinging to her body like a second skin. Probably a bit of both, she mused.   

“Dad! Dad!” the young boy yelled excitedly, “Throw Mommy!”  

His dark eyes locked onto her silvery blue ones. Maximilian froze mid-laugh and her smile faded quickly, meanwhile a wicked grin spread across Riftan’s face.   

“N-no. No. No!” she cried as he practically charged at her.   

Maxi tried to swim away but he was too quick.   

She screamed as she felt his massive arms wrap around her. She knew there was no escaping his embrace, but she tried anyway. She whined as she wiggled against him. She twisted until her head was level with his as he lifted her out of the water.   

“Careful Maxi,” Riftan growled against her ear. She froze as she felt his bare chest rumble against her back. Her mine became fuzzy, and her legs felt like jelly.   

Riftan shifted her in his arms until she was facing him. He lifted her up until she was in the air above him. He held her up by her hips and tipped her forward so that her head was just above his. She closed her eyes and sighed as he placed a sweet kiss on her forehead, but her peace of mind was shattered when she opened her eyes again and saw a predatory look on her husband’s face.   

“Later,” he said in a husky voice that sent a chill down her spine. Goosebumps reappeared on her skin, and it had nothing to do with the cool breeze brushing over her wet body. It wasn’t a question or even a statement, it was a promise.   

He gave a quick wink before launching her into the air. She squealed with surprise and delight as her body flew through the air before landing in the lake.   

Maxi crashed into the water with a loud splash. She held her breath, not ready to come up just yet. The water wasn’t clear and easily hid her body under the surface. She used her magic to see her surroundings and silently swam back over to her husband.   

She had been under for a while and Andrew and Riftan started to get a little concerned when Maxi didn’t resurface.   

“Maxi?!” Riftan yelled, growing more worried by the second.  

“Mommy!?” Andrew yelled, growing anxious upon hearing the worry in his father’s tone.  

Hearing her husband and son’s cries Maximilian decided she had been under long enough and launched herself out of the water bringing a powerful wave with her as she leapt at her husband.   

The force of the wave was strong enough to knock Riftan off his feet and the pair crashed into the water’s surface. The couple quickly resurfaced, not wanting to cause their son any further distress. Maxi laughed as she had once again surprised her husband, which was a rare claim.   

She laughed joyously as her husband once again had a stunned look on his face.   

Maximilian was a beautiful woman but when she laughed, she looked absolutely breathtaking. He couldn’t resist reaching for her waist, pulling her close against him before planting a short but sweet kiss on her lips.   

They broke the kiss and smiled warmly at one another before looking over at their son. Maxi and Riftan both chuckled at the grossed-out expression on their son’s face.   

“You’ll understand one day kid,” Hebaron hollered from the shore.   

“No!” Andrew yelled naively before swimming away from his parents.   

Riftan and Maxi laughed again at their son’s dramatic antics. Maxi sighed contently once again and Riftan held her a little closer. She beamed at him, and he smiled back at her.   

“Cheater,” he mumbled quietly.  

Maximilian’s mouth fell open.  

“What?!” she hollered with a playful glint in her eyes.   

“You heard me.” Riftan replied. “You used magic, that’s cheating.”  

“Is not!” she retorted. “I had to use any advantage I could because you’re so much bigger than me!”  

He smirked at her, and she grinned back at him.   

“Want a rematch?” she challenged.   

He let her go and turned around as though he was about to walk back to the shore.   

“No, we should start getting ready for dinner and-“   

He turned around swiftly and splashed her. He caught her off guard and she was completely drenched from the wave of water that slammed into her.   

When she recovered, she glared playfully at her husband and quickly splashed him back. The two were soon engaged in an epic water war of their own. Yelling and laughing, loving every moment of their battle. They fought until it was time for supper and the pair finally settled down for the evening.   

Later that night during their meal, Riftan’s hand wandered a little too high up Maximilian’s thigh underneath the picnic table. She swatted his hand away and shot him a look before smirking slightly and leaning over to whisper, “Later” before swiftly kissing his cheek and returning to her meal as though nothing had happened.   

Riftan grinned and put his hand around her waist as he pulled her a bit closer to his side and kissed the top of her head.   

‘Looking forward to it, my lady’ he thought with a devilish grin.   

———  

Bright rays of the sunlight flooded the tent with warmth and light far too early the next morning. Last night, while the knights watched over their children, Maxi and Riftan had retreated to a secluded tent on the far side of the lake for a night alone.   

Maxi groaned and buried her face in her husband’s chest trying to hide from the sunrise. Riftan hugged her gently and kissed the top of her head sweetly. He rose from their bed and quickly threw on some loose pants which hung low on his waist before grabbing the breakfast they had packed the day before. With his other arm he bent down over the bed and scooped up his little wife, blanket, and all. She squealed with surprise and delight as she hugged the blanket closer to her. The cool morning air sent a chill down her body as they departed from the warmth of the tent.   

They sat on the shore of the lake, grazing on their breakfast as Maxi sat across Riftan’s lap still bundled up in their blanket. They stole kisses from one another every now and then as they watched the sun rise higher and higher into the sky. They had told the knights they would be back in time for lunch but for now they simply enjoyed the tranquility of the morning and the peace they felt holding each other close.   

“Thank you,” they said at the same time before smiling at one another.   

That ‘thank you’ spoke for so many things. Thank you for our children, thank you for all you do for our family, thank you for cherishing me especially when I felt I didn’t deserve it, thank you for never being afraid to be yourself, thank you for loving me unconditionally, thank you for always being by my side.  

After breakfast, the couple dozed off on the shore of the beautiful lake. They would no doubt have another afternoon full of fun activities with their beloved children who they loved dearly, but for now they simply held their spouse in their arms and slept as the gentle waves from the lake crashed softly against the shore.  

Chapter Text

Riftan could count on one hand the number of times he had truly felt helpless…this was one of those rare times. 

His precious, energetic son Andrew had fallen ill a few days ago and instead of overcoming what everyone had assumed was a common cold, he had progressively gotten worse as the days wore on.  

Maxi and Ruth had scoured numerous books trying to find the proper diagnosis, but nothing had turned up yet.  

His fever would spike throughout the day and when night fell his body was racked with intense chills. He had no appetite, which worried his parents greatly as he usually had a large appetite as he was a growing boy. He barely ate and when he did eat, he couldn’t keep it down. It left him with barely any energy to get out of bed, in his room which he hadn’t left for a week. His breathing had become labored and when he tried to take a deep breath it sounded like a rattle in his chest, soon followed by a nasty hacking cough and wheezing.  

Between the two of them, Maxi and Riftan had gotten a combined six hours of sleep in the last three days. They could rest when this was over, they didn’t need sleep they told themselves they just needed answers.  

Riftan wished there were something he could say to comfort his distressed wife, but he didn’t have any more answers than she did. At night they held each other as their minds raced trying to figure out how to help their son get better. The worry had them on edge and they found themselves unable to stay still for long, as they checked on Andrew every few hours even though he had multiple staff members looking after him around the clock.  

One evening Riftan had come back to their room late after a meeting had dragged on in the council room. He hoped that he would find his wife sound asleep as he knew she must be beyond exhausted. He slowly opened the door trying not to make a sound and disturb her. He began to walk into the room when he froze. His wife was on her knees. She was kneeling beside their bed facing away from the door, her head bowed, and her hands clasped together.  

She was praying for their son. Maxi was weeping as she begged for the healing and full recovery of their precious boy. She was crying so hard she wasn’t speaking in full sentences, and Riftan felt as though his heart was being shredded, piece by agonizing piece, at the sight of her despairing and helpless.

“Please!” she wailed, her voice slightly hoarse, “save— I can’t—— help—— take it——….”  

Riftan quickly made his way over to her, and knelt beside her. He gently placed his hand on her back, and she jumped slightly at the unexpected touch. She looked up at him, too upset to care if her hair was a wreck, her cheeks were puffy, and her eyes partially swollen from her tears.  

She slowly reached up her hand and moved her thumb across his cheek just under his eye. It took him a moment or two to realize she was wiping away a tear he didn’t know had fallen from his eye.  

Maximilian’s beautiful face contorted in pain as her body was once again wracked with sobs. He pulled her against him in a fierce hug as she wept in his arms.  

“Riftan,” she choked out between her cries, “w-what are we going t-to do?!”  

She clung to him, and he clung to her. They were each other’s lifeline and support. Riftan held her tighter and tried to take a few deep breaths to keep his own emotions from overwhelming him.  

“I don’t know,” he said truthfully. “But we will find something.” 

For once even Riftan didn’t believe his own words. He hoped they would have a breakthrough, but he didn’t sound confident. He said a prayer as well, silently begging any deity who would listen for mercy and answers.  

The young parents held one another and wept until they ran out of tears and had to find the strength to crawl into bed and collapse out of sheer exhaustion.  

Riftan and Maxi were still asleep when the sun came up, though they were not asleep for long. A loud bang startled them awake and they both shot up in bed to see about the noise.  

Ruth had barged in, throwing the door open not caring for etiquette and waking the lord and lady. Were this any other time he would have expected Riftan to have his head on a platter within the hour, but Ruth knew this simply couldn’t wait.  

“I’m sorry to barge in,” the mage said quickly. “But this couldn’t wait.” 

Maxi paled and feared the worst, that their son had been taken by this terrible illness.  

Seeing that the lady was on the verge of hysterics Ruth continued.  

“Your son is all right, well, as all right as he can be given his current condition. Anyway, I was reading a new set of books we had delivered to the castle yesterday, the ones by Mage Eros who specializes in more rare illness- “ 

“Damnit Ruth,” Riftan seethed through gritted teeth, “get to the point.” 

“I think I’ve found an accurate diagnosis,” Ruth said, smiling brightly at the couple as he knew this would hopefully provide them with relief. “There isn’t much known about it as it is a newly discovered illness, but their treatment seems promising for the most part.” 

“What is it,” Maxi asked fearfully. “What’s caused Andrew to become so sick?”  

“It is an illness called Pneumonia, my lady.” Ruth said quietly, debating for a moment if now was the right time to explain the illness.  

“It mainly affects the lungs,” he continued, “which become infected making it hard to breathe.”  

“What caused it?” Riftan asked, wondering if there was something he should have seen coming or could have done differently.  

“Hard to tell,” the mage said wearily. “The book said it is caused by bacteria or a virus so it could be anything. We can sort that out later, right now, my lady, I need your help putting together the ingredients to create a treatment for Andrew. The sooner we create a treatment the sooner he gets better, and his condition will stop getting worse.” 

Maxi, dressed in a long nightgown, leapt out of bed, and ran over to the desk grabbing a cloak that hung on the back of her chair. She threw it on and briskly walked towards the door where Ruth stood. She had a brightness in her eyes and a skip in her step that Ruth hadn’t seen in over a week.  

She quickly turned on her heels and raced over to Riftan side of the bed. Maxi leaned over the bed and gave him a short but sweet kiss before beaming at him joyfully. She turned around a walked out of their room grabbing Ruth’s arm, practically dragging him along with her as they hurried to the his tower to grab the necessary ingredients.  

Riftan watched, amused by the sight of his tiny wife pulling his old friend down the hall, completely at her mercy. A wide grin spread across his face at how she had flown around their room moments ago with renewed energy and a bright spark of hope.  

He offered some quiet words of thanks for their answered prayers before getting up and heading down the hall to tell his son the good news. His heart warmed as he anticipated his son’s soft smile when he hears that he will feel better soon and that everything was going to be okay.  

Riftan entered his son’s room. By now the morning rays of the sunlight bathed the room in a golden warmth. It was a warmth he hadn’t bothered to feel in the last week, but now it felt almost reassuring.  

He walked over to Andrew’s bedside and looked down at the small boy who was still fast asleep. With his eyes closed, Riftan felt as though he were looking at a younger version of himself.  

He reached down and brushed some of the dark hair that had fallen in front of his son’s eyes. He carefully caressed the boy’s head, trying not to wake him, as he knew his son needed as much rest as he could get. 

“You’re going to be just fine, son.” Riftan said in a soft, quiet voice. He spoke gently, trying to keep his voice low but also because a small part of him feared that it was too good to be true, after so many worrisome days and restless nights.  

Riftan once again gave a silent prayer of thanks for sending his family the answers they needed. His son, his daughter, his wife, they were the most important people in his life and this week had reminded him how delicate life is and how grateful he should be for the time he has with each of them.  

The boy smiled in his sleep, not waking but sensing a comforting presence. Riftan smiled back at the boy even though his son could not see him.  

“You’re going to feel better very soon, Andrew.” Riftan said quietly. “I promise.”

Chapter Text

If you had told Riftan Calypse eleven years ago that one of his favorite memories would be made in a cramped, loud arts festival in the sweltering heat of midsummer he would not have believed you. And yet, there he was sitting in the front row with his family watching a lively musical performance at Anatol’s annual summer arts festival. 

A special stage had been constructed for this particular performance. The stage was surrounded with viewing areas on all four sides with the stage in the center. Looking down at the stage meant that there was never a bad place to sit. Even so, Andrew had insisted that they arrive early to get good seats.  

There were acrobats, dancers, stunning costumes, and energetic music throughout the performance. Riftan didn’t pay much attention to the story, but he found immense joy in seeing how happy his wife and son were as they watched the show. Little Victoria sat in her mother’s lap giggling gleefully as she watched the bright colors of the dancers’ costumes move around on the stage. Maxi and Andrew sat on the edge of their seats the entire time, completely captivated by the performance with a look of awe gracing their faces the entire time.  

Towards the end of the show a few of the performers asked that all the children come down to help kick off the celebration finale. Andrew was out of his seat before they finished giving the announcement.  

“Come with me mom! Please!” he cried gleefully. He grabbed the sleeve of her dress and tugged impatiently as he tried to get her to join him.  

Some of the younger kids who were too shy to go on their own often pulled one of their parents along with them so they would feel less intimidated. Andrew was a very brave boy but huge crowds like this made him a little uneasy, plus he didn’t want his little sister to miss all the fun.  

Andrew pleaded and pulled harder on her arm and Maxi couldn’t say no to his sweet request. She adjusted her young daughter who now sat comfortably against her left side as her young son took her right hand and pulled her into the crowd of children rushing down to the stage.  

Each participant was handed a small noise maker that had small beads inside that they could shake as they danced to the final song. The other kids along with some of their parents or nannies lined up around the stage and the music started. Following the guidance from the performers the kids began to shake their noise makers as they walked and danced around in a circle around the rectangular platform that held the stage, almost like a loosely choreographed conga line.  

The audience clapped along to the lovely beat as lively music played. The performers sang and danced on the platform, waving ribbons and streamers as they moved about. Riftan wasn’t paying attention to the performance anymore, he was transfixed by the sight of his family, the three people he loved more than anything in this world, swaying, and laughing as they made their way around the stage. Riftan would have paid any price to make time slow down so he could enjoy this perfect moment forever.  

He watched as Andrew danced along to the rhythm of the music as best he could, not quite on the beat but he didn’t mind, he was just having fun in the moment. Victoria was completely captivated by the little noise maker she had been given and waved it around wildly, squealing with laughter as the small instrument brought her endless joy.  

And then there was his Maxi. Great heavens she was so beautiful. His wife swayed to the music with their daughter on her hip as she followed their son in the line. Her movement had caused her hair which had been put up on this sweltering summer day to come loose and now it swung behind her as her body moved gracefully. What really struck at his heart was her smile. It was blinding, so full of love and happiness as she danced with their children. Her eyes crinkled slightly as she laughed with joy as they moved around the stage. She was glowing, the way only a mother can when she sees that her children are immeasurably happy.  

Andrew suddenly broke the line and came running towards his father. The young boy had a joyful smile on his face that Riftan thought could easily rival the bright sun.  

“Come on Dad!” the boy yelled as he tried to speak above the music and other noise. Riftan didn’t care much for dancing, but he couldn’t refuse his son’s request. He didn’t give a damn if his men, who were also attending the show, and would likely tease him for weeks about his. He only cared about the opinions of three people, and he was about to join them.  

Taking his son’s hand, they hurried to catch up with Maxi and Victoria. His son rejoined the line and Riftan slid in line behind Maxi and followed her. He reached out over Maxi’s shoulder and caressed his daughter’s rosy cheeks, which were bright pink from her excessive laughter. The girl cooed at her father’s gentle touch and then raised her noise maker as if she were showing him her trophy.  

Maxi witnessed the cute exchange and beamed at them. She couldn’t resist leaning over and kissing her daughter on the cheek. The child squealed at all the attention she was receiving which caused her parents to chuckle.  

They watched as Andrew continued to dance in front of them as they made their way around the stage. It was good to see him doing something so carefree. Usually, he tried to be serious like the Remdragon Knights he aspired to be. In Riftan and Maximilian’s opinion, sometimes he took his sword training and other lessons too seriously, so it was nice to see him so relaxed.  

The music swelled as the song came to an end and the line slowed down to a stop as they all looked towards the stage to see the very end of the show. Andrew ran over to his father who swiftly scooped him up with one arm. He placed his other hand on Maxi’s waist and pulled her close as they faced the stage to watch the end of the performance together. Maxi leaned her back against Riftan’s chest and he kissed the top of her head. She wasn’t facing him, but he could see that the tips of her ears were bright pink. They had been married for years and yet he still found ways to make her blush which made him beyond happy.  

The audience roared with cheers and applause when the song ended. Riftan simply hugged his family a little tighter, savoring this blissful moment for as long as he could. He sent a silent prayer of thanks to the heavens for the three precious blessings he now held in his arms.  

The rest of the afternoon was filled with fun activities. There were rides, shows, and games that children of all ages could enjoy. Andrew liked the ring toss where you could win little prizes while little Victoria enjoyed the puppet show.   

By the end of the day, Andrew and Victoria were completely exhausted, so much so that they fell asleep as their parents carried them back to the carriage which would take them back to the castle. After a short ride back to their home, the couple took their young children to their rooms. The children were so tired that they didn't stir one bit.  

Once they had tucked in their precious children, the couple walked hand in hand back to their room. They quickly changed into their nighttime attire before sinking beneath the soft covers of their large bed. Maxi groaned. She felt totally relaxed as though she were laying on a fluffy cloud. It had been a fun but very exhausting day.  

She blinked sleepily as she looked over at her husband. She was surprised to see a bright smile on his face as he stared off into the distance, his mind far away. Curious to know what was making him smile, one of his rare genuine smiles, she moved closer to him. She pressed her body against him, laying her head on his chest. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her that always made her feel safe and loved.  

“What are you smiling about?” she asked, unable to contain her curiosity any longer. 

His arms squeezed her a little tighter, hugging her from the side before he answered.  

“Just thinking about all the fun we had together as a family today.” he said quietly, His voice sounding slightly distant as though he was still transfixed by the priceless memories of all the joy they had shared that afternoon.  

Maxi closed her eyes and hummed contently in agreement. She hugged his side tightly before looking up at him once more.  

His brow was slightly furrowed as he looked down at her.  

“What is it?” she inquired. 

“Are you sure we can’t have a festival every day?” he asked as he raised an eyebrow at her.  

Try as she might, Maxi couldn’t help but chuckle at his question. He had once asked her a similar question after her first spring festival in Anatol. She knew he wanted to have one every day if it kept her and their children as happy as they were today.  

“I’m sure,” Maxi said with a gentle smile, “as much as our children would love that idea, part of what made today’s memories so special is their rarity. Of course, we want them to be joyful and full of laughter every day but special events like today’s festival because they only happen a few times a year make it all the more precious and priceless. Though it was a lovely thought.” 

She felt the rise and fall of his chest as he took a deep breath.  

“Today was…” he began before pausing to try to find the right words. “I honestly cannot begin to properly put it into words, Maxi. Truly.” 

He moved his hand to the side of her face, making sure he had her attention before he spoke again. 

“I will never take a single day, a single moment of my life for granted.” he said in a gentle but serious tone. “You have blessed us with two perfect, precious children. Sometimes I feel as though I am living someone else’s life because mine feels too good to be true.” 

Maximilian’s eyes became glossy at her husband’s sweet and sincere words.  

“I thank the heavens every day and every night for you and for our children.” she said softly, her voice shaking slightly with emotion.  

Maxi and Riftan held one another a little tighter as they pondered the day’s events and all the many things they were grateful for. 

In a few months, the annual fall festival will be celebrated in Anatol. Another day of fun together as a family. The couple fell asleep holding each other close with soft smiles on their lips as they dreamed of all the memories they looked forward to making together as a family.  

Chapter Text

There were a few things Andrew Calypse knew with absolute certainty. 

One, both his parents loved him and his sister. 

Two, Hebaron found immense joy in teasing his parents, even if he got in trouble for it. Every time.  

And three, no one threatened, insulted, or humiliated his baby sister. EVER. 

Unfortunately, some stupid prick tried to challenge one of these certainties.  

Lord Erron had arrived earlier that same morning. He was some pompous snobby lord from a kingdom to the east. He had arrived with wagon upon wagon of personal items. If Andrew hadn’t known better, he would have thought the man was moving into their castle.  

Riftan, Andrew and the knights had cringed internally at the haughty lord’s obvious obsession with material wealth.  

Lord Erron had been somewhat rude but otherwise civil. It was clear the man had been spoiled all his life. Andrew and Victoria had everything they had ever needed or wanted but they weren’t spoiled. Sometimes their parents would wait until the holidays or birthdays to buy them the toy they had been pining for. The Calypse children understood the importance of patience and manners, but the same could not be said for their guest.  

There are manners and then there are unspoken rules. Rules like never insult your host family at the dinner table. Apparently, this crude guest did not believe rules, spoken or unspoken, applied to him.  

He had made a fuss about the knights dining with them. He thought the status of a knight to be beneath him, even if he was in the presence of the knights who had saved the continent, twice.  

Riftan quickly shut him down, stating that his brothers in arms had always dined with his family and that wasn’t going to change simply because their guest thought them to be inferior, which Riftan firmly stated that they weren’t.  

Their guest was silent for a while but soon drawled out other complaints. This man loved to point out things that displeased him, much to the annoyance of those around him.  

“This decor is sub par.” he said in a loud nasally, voice. “At my house we have curtains made of the finest silks and our chandelier is made of solid gold.” 

“While I’m sure they look lovely in your home,” Maxi said calmly with a tight smile. “We prefer our castle to be a bit homier. And it’s more practical with small children, easier to replace or mend” 

The Lord huffed a laugh as though he thought her reasoning to be ridiculous.  

Riftan was about to interject but Maxi shot him a warning look, pleading with him to remain civil in front of their company.  

As the dinner continued the tension rose until it was nearly palpable. The Lord just didn’t know when to shut up. Sooner or later Riftan would be at his whit's end, and he would snap the man in half.  

In the twenty-five minutes they had been eating, Lord Erron had managed to insult his knights, his home, even his cats. Apparently, the cats had wandered into the guest’s chambers and toppled over a few expensive vases he had brought with him.  

Riftan apologized and offered to pay him for the damages. He also made a mental note to give Roy, Laura, and Ron an extra treat for terrorizing their rude guest. 

The Lord looked over at little Victoria, who was sitting by her mother happily eating her second helping of sweet potatoes. She laughed loudly, almost squealing whenever the knights would wink or make a silly face in her direction. The young girl was a little messy and had spilled some food onto the table. Victoria didn’t mind one bit about the mess she had created and continued to eat happily.  

“I would never let my son marry such a gluttonous girl,” the Lord said with a disgusted sneer on his face. “At this rate she will have to have her clothes tailored before the age of five because she will be so chubby. What a pig.” 

The room immediately fell silent. All talking, eating, and drinking had ceased. Andrew could have sworn the temperature of the room had dropped a few degrees, as though death itself was hovering over the dining table, waiting.  

If looks could kill, the nine pairs of eyes glaring daggers at Lord Erron would have killed him before he even finished his crass insult. Yulision, Gabel, Hebaron, Garrow, Uslin, Ruth, Riftan, Maxi, and Andrew stared icily at the Lord.  

Andrew briefly glanced over at his father. Riftan’s eyes weren’t deadly, no, they were downright predatory.  

This guest had knowingly, or perhaps unknowingly considering how stupid he was, insulted and offended the daughter of the lord of the house. And now he would face not only the full wrath of her overprotective father but also her mother, her brother, a mage, and an entire garrison of highly skilled knights.  

Riftan let the pathetic man suffer in silence a little while longer until he was squirming slightly in his seat.  

Lord Calypse opened his mouth, prepped to tear apart the man who dared speak to his princess that way, but someone beat him to it.  

“No one talks to her like that.” Andrew bit out almost spitting. He was so mad that his hands hurt at how hard he was holding his utensils. He spoke slowly, trying his best to imitate the way his father spoke when he was really angry.   

When Andrew was her age the only person, he could rely on was his mom. The guards of their cell were mean and wouldn’t allow them to eat more than was necessary to survive and even then, his mother had given him some of her food when the rations weren’t enough. The last thing he wanted was for his sister to feel guilty for enjoying something he didn’t even have access to at her age. He didn’t have an older sibling looking out for him when he and his mom were in trouble so that’s why he needed to be the best big brother he could be to Victoria and that meant protecting her and defending her.  

The Lord sat stunned for a moment, processing the fact that he had just been told off by a very angry six-year-old.  

Instead of apologizing, Lord Erron dug his grave even further when he snapped back at the young boy who had stood up for his sister. 

“Hush boy,” the Lord spat, “I am merely concerned for your sister’s health. You should only concern yourself with your own problems, like how you try too hard to be like your father.” 

He dared to chuckle at his own words and took a large sip of wine from his cup before continuing. 

“You’ll never be half the man your father is,” the Lord spoke quietly now leaning over towards the boy as though they were having a private conversation, but the complete silence in the room allowed his words to be heard clearly by everyone present, “not that there is much to live up to anyway, with his bastard blood-.”  

“GET OUT!” Maximilian shouted as she swiftly stood up from her chair. Her nostrils flared and eyes blazed with a fierce molten fire. Her body shook as she restrained herself from marching over to her guest’s chair and slapping him, hard.  

“I beg your pardon my lady?!” the Lord exclaimed as he looked at her utterly bewildered, as though she had grown a second head.  

“Get out of our house,” she spoke in a dark tone that made it clear this was not a request, it was an order.  

“But madam you do not have the authority to- “Lord Erron began. 

“I believe Lady Calypse,” boomed a deep authoritative voice from the far end of the dining table, “gave you an order. You are in my house and in this house my wife is my equal in every way. You will listen to her as you would me.”  

Maxi, who was still boiling with rage, blushed slightly at her husband’s praise. He very rarely addressed her by her title as Lady Calypse, but when he did, he said it as though she held the highest authority in the land. 

“But I’ve only just arrived!” cried Lord Erron. 

“You lost the privilege of the rest of your stay the second you began insulting my family,” Lord Calypse growled. “My children are too young to bear witness to gruesome violence which is the only reason why I haven’t already torn you apart. Although something tells me my wife would have beaten me to it. Had I known you were such filth I never would have allowed you to step foot on our land. Rest assured you will never be welcome here again. Leave at once.” 

“What?!” the spoiled lord cried, “No customary parting gift!? I- “ 

Riftan interrupted him, again. 

“Then consider this your parting gift Lord Erron: you are leaving with your head still attached to the rest of your body.” The lord of the house spoke with a deadly calm finality in his tone that told Lord Erron that if he spoke another word, Lord Calypse’s generous gift would be quickly revoked.  

Lord Erron turned to leave when a firm hand landed upon his shoulder. 

“Before you leave, apologize to Lord and Lady Calypse and their children,” said Uslin.  

“No,” said Maxi, surprising everyone, “Any apology from him would mean nothing since it would be forced and ungenuine.” 

“My-,” the lord quickly caught himself from saying something snarky. He had better save his breath because if he didn’t it might very well be his last. He departed from the dining hall quickly and by some miracle he did so without another word. 

Silence remained heavy over the dining hall after Lord Erron departed.  

“My lady,” Sir Yulysion asked worriedly, “are you alright?” 

Before answering, Lady Maximilian gently picked up her daughter from her highchair and held her close. She was still shaking with unbridled fury that had hardly diminished even after the lord had left the room.  

“No,” she replied quietly. Her voice cracked with a variety of strong emotions, mostly sadness and rage.  

Andrew leaned over in his chair next to his mother and wrapped his arms around the upper part of her legs trying to hug her. Maxi reached a hand down and put it on his shoulder pulling him close while using her other arm to continue holding her daughter. Still her body trembled as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her.  

Strong arms wrapped around her waist pulling her against a firm chest with a familiar wintery scent. She leaned against her husband as she felt her emotions peak and silent tears began to fall upon her cheeks.  

“I’m so sorry Maxi.” Riftan said sadly. 

“Why are y-you apologizing,” she asked quietly, her voice still a little hoarse. “This was not your fault.” 

“I should have shut him up the moment he began insulting our home,” Riftan huffed. “Then maybe it wouldn’t have escalated to this. I failed to protect our precious Victoria.” 

Before Maxi could argue one of the knights chimed in. 

“We all should have done more to keep such awful words from ever reaching you and your family’s ears,” said Sir Garrow. “We should have acted preemptively and removed him from the hall the second he said something against your family.” 

“I failed you, again.” Riftan said so quietly she wasn’t sure she had heard him correctly. “I am so sorry.” 

“Enough,” Maxi said before taking a deep breath to gather her thoughts. “There is nothing we can do about what has passed so there is no use in wallowing in the regret of what could or should have been.” 

“Next time,” she continued, “Riftan and I will do a better job of selecting who we invite to stay and scope out their character. When they first arrive, the children will not dine with us, we will dine with them first and if they are civil and kind enough then the children will join us the following evening. There is little else we can do to prepare and only pray that something like what happened tonight never happens again.” 

“It won’t,” Riftan, Ruth, and the knights promised in unison.  

Andrew was now certain of four certainties. His first three had remained the same but he now added a fourth: 

No matter the challenges, or insults, the Calypse family faced, they had the unyielding support of a lot of people who loved them, people he considered to be his extended family.  

Chapter Text

As Riftan made his way back to the training grounds after lunch, he passed the room he and Maxi had designated as their children’s playroom. Usually, when he walked by this room, he could hear the voices and laughter of his children as they played together. Not today. Today the room was silent. His curiosity got the better of him as he quietly slipped into the room trying hard not to disrupt the oddly quiet moment.   

He walked into a brightly lit room and found his wife and children painting. Maxi painted a lovely image of the mountains of Anatol. Andrew had painted what Riftan assumed was some type of battle. And little Victoria had created a chaotic storm of at least a dozen colors on her little canvas. Maxi had used brushes, but her children had decided that they thought finger painting would be much more fun.   

The trio sat atop a tarp that had been laid out and stretched to all four corners of the room, in order to protect the floor from paint spills. The tarp crinkled under his feet as Riftan walked towards his family. The rustle of the fabric under his heavy boots alerted them to his presence. Maxi and her children stopped working on their pieces and turned their attention to the tall knight standing just a few steps away.   

“Hi Dad!” Andrew called happily. “Mom introduced us to painting.”  

“I see that,” Riftan said warmly.   

The knight stepped forward, closer to his son’s canvas to get a better look at it.   

“You painted a battle?” Riftan asked.   

“Yes!” the boy exclaimed, proud that his father could tell what he was trying to convey. “I was painting the final battle between the Remdragon Knights and Sector, the dragon!”   

Riftan stared at the painting a little while longer. It was messier than his mother’s but now that he knew what he was looking at he had a better understanding of what the shapes were supposed to be. The silver and blue streaks towards the bottom of the canvas were his men and the massive red and black shape above the men was the dragon. Its wings, which were disproportionate triangles, were spread wide and a long thin yellow line was angled down from the dragon’s head towards the knights. It was breathing fire down on them. Riftan cringed internally at the memory of that day. Perhaps the knights had done too good of a job telling Maximilian about the events of the campaign, which she had then conveyed to their son.   

He leaned down and kissed the top of his son’s head, a gesture of pride as he internally beat down the horrors of what he had gone through. As horrible as that time was, he should be proud that his son had painted it and he should feel grateful that he had lived long enough to see paintings of his battles.   

Riftan gave his son’s shoulder a gentle squeeze and offered a warm smile before walking over to his wife. Maxi’s gentle smile chased away the haunting memories of war that had nearly choked him. Her recreation of the Anatol’s mountains was breathtaking, the contrast and depth she had created made the painting feel almost alive. He could tell she had put a lot of heart into this painting, wordlessly expressing her deep love for Anatol, their home.   

“It’s almost as lovely as the artist who created it,” he said with a smirk, knowing his words would turn her cheeks a beautiful shade of red.   

“They weren’t always this nice.” Maxi said with a tight smile, turning her gaze from her husband back to her art, unable to hold his gaze as her cheeks flushed. “I started painting during my time at the Mage Tower. It gave me something to do when my mind couldn’t handle another minute of studying. It made me feel peaceful, almost happy and it kept me busy so I wouldn’t have to think about how much I missed home.”  

How much I missed you.   

Victoria squealed as she spilled a small cup of blue paint onto the floor, which grabbed her parents’ attention and kept them from spiraling into the painful, nauseating feeling from the memories of their forced separation.   

Riftan walked over to his daughter and knelt next to her. He looked back and forth between the canvas and his little girl, trying to determine what she had created.  

“It’s a rainbow, Daddy.” Victoria said proudly.   

Riftan stared at her creation a little while longer. Besides the wide variety of hues thrown across the canvas the image looked nothing like a rainbow, but she was obviously proud of her work and therefore he thought it was beautiful. He smiled at her.   

His daughter smiled back as she reached up and patted her tiny hand against the left side of his forehead. He felt something wet drip across his face as her hand brushed against the side of his face but thought little of it.   

He stood up and turned to face his wife and son. Andrew had walked over to his mother so he could see what she had been working on. Their eyes grew wide as they met Riftan’s gaze. He watched as his wife pursed her lips together in a thin line and her shoulders trembled. Andrew clamped his hand over his mouth and quickly averted his gaze.  

Riftan didn’t understand their odd reactions until he briefly caught his reflection in the adjacent window. His lips twitched as he tried and failed to hold in a laugh. From his hairline, down the left side of his face to the edge of his jaw, his daughter had left a trail of dark blue paint. He now understood what his family had found so amusing. Victoria had made Riftan her human canvas.   

Maxi giggled, unable to help herself. Riftan narrowed his eyes at her as he looked at his wife with a sharp look of determination and a hint of mischief. He bent down, smearing green paint on the top of his finger before swiftly walking toward his wife. He moved too fast for her to escape, and he marked the right side of her face with a streak of green.   

She inhaled sharply, utterly stunned, before grinning at him playfully. She grabbed some red paint and smeared it across Riftan’s forehead. He took a bit of orange paint and swiped it across his son’s face who looked completely baffled having been utterly blindsided.   

Paint flew in untamed chaos and soon the family of four was covered in a rainbow of color. Maxi and Victoria had yellow paint in their hair, Andrew had purple splotches on his boots, and Riftan had a jagged pattern of red and green across the back of his shirt.   

Their children found it to be hilarious and burst into a fit of giggles. Their children’s laughter was contagious and Maxi and Riftan soon found themselves laughing merrily at the ridiculous sight.   

There came a knock at the door just before Ruth stepped into the room.   

“The knights were wondering why you haven’t returned to the training grounds,” said Ruth as his eyes wandered, inspecting the mess. “I see you were…busy.”   

“If by that you mean spending time with my family then yes, I was busy,” Riftan countered.   

Ruth huffed. If there was one person in the world who was more uptight than the Commander, it would be Ruth. He never seemed to know how to have fun, not that the Commander was anything less than fierce and battle hardened, more than worthy of his titles, but his children had shown him that it was okay to let his guard down for a moment and have a little fun.  

“Children?” Riftan called, with a heavy layer of mischief in his voice.   

“Yes?” the young children answered curiously.   

Riftan’s gaze remained locked on his old friend. The smirk on his face slowly melted away leaving a stone-cold expression, an unnatural mask of a calm composure he used on the battlefield.   

Ruth paled.   

“I believe Ruth would love to be your next canvas.” Riftan said coolly. “Have at it, and…make the biggest mess you can.”  

Andrew and Victoria’s eyes widened with excitement as wicked grins spread across their faces. Maxi and Riftan weren’t sure who screamed louder, the children as they charged forward or the mage as he braced for impact.   

Chapter Text

Victoria was running as fast as she could through the dark forest in the middle of the night.

She could faintly hear her mother screaming somewhere far behind her to keep going.

Her legs ached. Her lungs burned. Her vision was blurry from her tears. Low branches scratched her arms and cheeks, stinging and slowing her down as she fled. She continued to push her already tired muscles forward as she tried to escape.

But she wasn’t fast enough.

Someone shoved her to the ground and she landed hard against the cold earth. Large hands grabbed her and held her as she squirmed and wiggled in vain trying to escape. She cried and screamed as loud as she could. The muscular arms tightened around her tiny body and she whimpered in pain.

Someone called her name but it felt so far away.

“Let me go!” she yelled over and over.

The voice that called her name sounded much closer but she was too distraught to recognize it. She continued to fight with what energy she had left against her captor, scratching and kicking anything she could reach.

The man holding her tight, held her out at arms length and shook her.

“Nooo!” she continued to cry almost hysterically.

Her captor raised one of his hands as though he were about to strike her to shut her up.

She tensed and closed her eyes tightly bracing for the harsh blow, but it never came.

She opened her eyes and gasped. She wasn’t in the forest...she was in her bed in her room.

Her eyes hadn’t adjusted to the darkness but the bright full moon allowed her to see the outline of a massive figure moving above her bed. She started to scoot away to the far side of her bed when a soothing voice called to her.

“You’re safe Victoria,” her father’s deep, comforting voice called to her. “I’m here. No one will harm you.”

“Daddy?” the young child asked meekly, still confused. She couldn’t see him very well in the dark room but she immediately felt a little more calm knowing she was not alone.

Riftan lit a small candle on the table standing next to her bed hoping the light would provide her a little bit of comfort.

“They were trying to take me away,” Victoria cried as she hugged her knees to her chest. “The same bad men who took Mommy away before. They found us and I tried to run away. I really tried…”

Her words trailed off as she began to sob. Her tiny body shook and her tears rolled down her cheeks making the edge of her bed sheet damp.

“You were having a bad dream,” Riftan said softly as he sat down on the edge of her bed before leaning over and taking his child into his arms. She clung to him immediately, burying her face in his shoulder as she continued to cry.

“The men who took Mommy are all gone,” Riftan said in a cool, even tone. “They can’t hurt you. Ruth has put powerful spells on your room and your brother’s so no one can take you away from us.”

“But…but what if- “ she tried to object but her emotions quickly overwhelmed her as she cried harder.

He gently grabbed her shoulders and pulled her off his chest, sitting her in his lap. He reached up and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

“Victoria,” her father spoke with a kind but firm voice, a serious tone that told her she needed to listen carefully. “I promise, as long as Mommy and I are living we will never, ever let anyone take you away. No one will ever hurt you. No evil men or big scary monsters. No one. We will always keep you safe and loved. Okay?”

The young girl sniffled and still shook a little from the scary images from her night terror that flashed through her mind. She slowly raised her head to met her father’s gaze. His eyes were full of love and concern. He was holding her in his big strong arms and she knew she was going to be alright.

Daddy was the strongest person she knew and she knew he was good at keeping his promises. If he promised to keep her safe then she knew she had no reason to be afraid.

“Okay Daddy,” she said as she gave him a weak smile before she leaned forward and snuggled her face against his chest.

The pair sat there for a while in silence as Riftan rubbed her back as she began to calm down and forget the horrible things her imagination had created.

“I was so scared,” Victoria whispered.

Riftan hugged his daughter a little tighter. He released a long sigh before he spoke again.

“I was scared too,” he admitted quietly.

“What?” the young lady asked, now very confused.

“I heard you screaming and I thought you had gotten hurt,” his voice cracked slightly as he recalled the terror that had gripped his heart when he heard her blood curtailing screams. “I was worried and came to check on you.”

“I’m okay Daddy,” she said sweetly, almost as though she were now the one trying to comfort him instead of the other way around. “Like you said, it was just a bad dream and you said you won’t let anything hurt me.”

Riftan lowered his head as he leaned forward, pressing a small kiss to the top of his daughter’s forehead.

“Precisely,” he said softly.

He held her close and rocked back and forth until she was once again sound asleep. He carefully tucked her back into bed and decided to leave the candle burning in case she got scared again during the night.

He began to leave her room when he felt his foot brush against something soft on the floor. He glanced down and saw his daughter’s favorite plush toy, a blue dog with a red silk ribbon tied around its neck, laying face down on the floor. During her nightmare the poor creature must have been kicked off the bed as Victoria tried to fight off her attackers in her sleep.

Riftan bent down and picked up the toy before turning back to face his daughter. He stepped closer to her bed and slowly lifted her arm before tucking the small toy into her embrace. As soon as he let go of her arm, he watched as she immediately hugged the plush dog tight against her chest. Riftan saw the edges of her lips curl into a small peaceful smile.

He smiled warmly at her, grateful for how peaceful she looked as she slept as he closed the door to her room. As he turned to return to his room his smile dropped into a frown, deep in thought, as he began to walk back towards his bedchamber.

Maxi could tell he was upset by the way he stiffly slid under the covers next to her in their bed.

“What’s wrong?” she asked worriedly.

“Victoria is fine,” he said gently. “A little shaken but she will be alright. It was just a bad dream.”

Knowing his wife all too well, he knew she would want more details. He sighed heavily before continuing.

“She dreamed the men that had taken you were trying to take her,” he said darkly, his voice carrying an obvious tone of concern and pain.

Maxi flinched hard as she sat up her body already in motion as she reacted on pure maternal instinct. She attempted to swiftly throw off the covers and run to their daughter’s room, but Riftan slid his arms around his wife and held her close, stopping her from leaving their bed.

“She’s okay,” he said. “I stayed with her until she calmed down and fell asleep in my arms. She’s snuggled around her favorite toy and I left a candle lit in her room in case she gets scared again.”

Maxi nodded and laid back down, but he could feel that she was tense as she rested her head against his chest.

“She’s fine Maxi,” Riftan said in a serious tone.”I swear to you I won’t let anyone hurt them.”

“I will gut anyone who tries to harm her or Andrew.” Maxi growled against his chest.

“And I will be right there with you,” he said reassuringly. He squeezed her body in a brief hug as she lay against him.

“Between the fierce reputation of the Remdragon Knights and your status as a powerful mage and war hero,” Riftan said proudly. “Most people will think twice before they even consider coming after our family.”

Maxi wrapped her arms around her husband and hugged him tightly. He was trying to distract her with compliments so her mind wouldn’t wander back to those dark memories of her time in captivity, and it was working. She couldn’t help the small smile that formed on her lips at his praise as she buried her face in his shoulder. Her wild curly hair hid most of her face but he didn’t need to look at her to know that she was slightly flushed at his words.

He leaned over and placed a lingering kiss on the side of her head before laying his head back on his pillow and closing his eyes.

No one would ever hurt the Calypse children. Their parents, the knights, the mages, and the fortified walls of the castle would protect them. Having that peace of mind knowing that no harm would ever befall his family, Riftan relaxed, holding his beautiful powerful wife in his arms as he drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

Hebaron had always assumed he would die in battle. A glorious and honorable end for a knight. 

But now, as he slowly made his way through the castle heading towards the Commander’s office he knew for certain that his end would be much more painful than any battle he would ever face.

Looking back he should have tried to keep the whole thing quiet, gone to Ruth for help and prayed that the lord and lady never found out but he was so distraught that he wasn’t thinking about how to save his own ass nor did he truly care at the time. He truthfully needed all the help he could get. 

He knocked on the door nervously, already breaking into a cold sweat before he was invited in by the light, soft voice of the Lady of Anatol. He stepped into the room and gave Maximillian a tight smile and gave a quick nod to the Commander. The couple appeared to have just finished enjoying a light lunch by themselves. Maxi smiled warmly at him but the Commander’s eyes narrowed as he could tell from Hebaron’s uneasy stance that something wasn’t right.

“How are you Sir Hebaron?” Maxi asked politely.

“I am alright my lady,” the knight said, wincing at how high his voice sounded. “Thank you for asking.”

“Where are the children?” she asked.

“Oh, uh, we were um, playing hide and seek my lady.” Hebaron said as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck and did everything he could to avoid the Commander’s gaze. 

“How fun!” Maxi said cheerfully. “Where were they hiding?”

Maxi was smiling happily at her friend but the Commander’s posture had become more stiff the longer Hebaron stood stiffly in the doorway. 

Hebaron looked up at the ceiling unable to look them in the eye as he scrambled desperately to think of an answer that would not end with his death in this very room.  

“Well my lady,” Hebaron said, his voice tight and uneven. “That’s why I'm here.”

Hebaron felt his blood drain from his face as he dared to look over at the Commander who was now glaring at him and seemed to already know what the knight was about to say. 

“I uhh,” the knight sputtered. “I cannot find them, my lady. We started the game earlier this morning and I have searched for hours but I never found them. I was hoping you might know of a spell that could help locate them.” 

Maxi’s smile faltered and then slowly faded from her lips. 

“What perimeter did you set?” she asked quietly, her voice still light as though she was in shock. 

“Perimeter?” the burly knight asked.

“Didn’t you tell them to stay between the first and third floor so they know what’s off limits?” she said, her voice becoming heavier and more firm.

 Hebaron’s silence spoke volumes.

“You at l-least told them to not leave the c-castle grounds?” she asked, her stutter returned as her nerves rose by the second. 

“No,” Hebaron said, his voice barely above a whisper as his throat had gone dry. “I asked at least a dozen men to help me look for them but we searched for hours and have found no trace of them.” 

Hebaron paused for a moment, debating whether he should add to the parents' worries but he assumed that they had also begun to consider the worst possible outcome. 

“If they wondered outside the castle grounds there is a possibility of kidnapping an-“ 

Hebaron was cut off as he was thrown back against a wall as a large calloused hand wrapped tightly around his throat. He had been so lost in his own mind, drowning in worry for these children whom he cared for deeply and had failed them, that he hadn’t noticed the Commander coming towards him until he had the wind knocked out of him. 

Murder. There was no better way to describe the darkness in Riftan’s eyes as he stared at Hebaron. 

“I SWEAR,” Riftan bellowed. “IF ANY HARM HAS COME TO MY CHILDREN…”

Riftan didn’t finish his threat; he couldn't. He was so furious that words failed him. He fumed, and scowled and tightened his fierce grip on Hebaron’s throat who was finding it more and more difficult to breathe. 

Maxi was quickly at his side placing her hand on her husband’s chest in an attempt to placate him. She had an almost supernatural ability to calm him with a single touch even when he seemed to be far beyond her reach. Riftan slowly tore his gaze away from his comrade and looked down at his wife. 

“You can deal with him after we’ve found our children,” Maxi said in a firm but urgent tone. “We are wasting time. 

“Please,” Maxi instructed, “go to Andrew’s room and get one of his favorite toys. I’ll go to Victoria’s room and do the same.” 

She turned to Hebaron. He expected to see rage in her gaze but while there was certainly anger behind her eyes her face was taught with determination. A lady on a mission.

“Hurry to the library,” she ordered, “and tell Ruth to start gathering ingredients for a tracking spell. We’ll meet you there as soon as we’ve grabbed the necessary items from their rooms.”

Without waiting another second Maxi shoved past them, out the door and began running down the hall towards her daughter’s room. The two men followed quickly behind her and before long two knights and two mages were gathered in the library preparing a tracking spell for the Calypse children. 

Maxi had grabbed her daughter’s favorite doll and Riftan had snatched one of his son’s wooden practice swords. Maxi and Ruth placed the sentimental items in a small circle of salt, sage, and crushed jasmine. The circle was surrounded by eight small unlit white candles. Next to the items was a map of the entire city of Anatol and its surrounding countryside. 

Ruth ignited one of the candles. Maxi took out her dagger, one she had used on expeditions and now kept with her out of habit. She swiftly sliced her palm and held her hand above the flame and muttered a spell in a language Riftan and Hebaron had never heard. A single drop of blood from her hand fell onto the flame which roared to life and suddenly the other seven candles ignited and burned equally as bright. 

Riftan grabbed a cloth and began wrapping Maximilian’s hand. Maxi saw the confusion in Riftan’s eyes, and she gave him a soft smile before she began to explain. 

“Blood calls to blood,” she said as she looked back at the candles waiting for the bright light to dim, “we should know their location soon.” 

The candle light began to dim and then as quickly as they had ignited,  the flames vanished, as though they were blown out by an invisible force. The small amount of smoke they had produced swirled overhead until it became a single round mass of dark air. It hovered from a moment before wafting over the map, back and forth, searching. 

Maxi, Riftan, Hebaron, and Ruth held their breath. Maxi now clung to her husband, trembling with anticipation. 

The smoke ceased its movement and floated above an area that appeared to be farmland not far from the castle. 

Maxi released the breath she had been holding. They weren’t in the woods where they might’ve faced horrible monsters. Or worse, discovering that they weren’t in Anatol at all. 

Still she was worried. Her children might be considered trespassers or mistaken as thieves. 

She prayed whoever owned that farm was kind and understanding. 

“Let’s bring them home,” Riftan said in a firm but reassuring voice as he gently squeezed Maxi’s side with the arm he had wrapped around her. 

Hebaron and the couple, along with a handful of other knights to help with the search, quickly saddled and mounted their horses. They rode quickly towards the farm the spell had pointed to. 

They came upon a modest home in what appeared to be a grape farm for making wine. There was a woman on the front step of the home, mending some clothes as she enjoyed the fresh fall air. 

She stood to greet her unexpected guests and bowed low as she recognized the two riders in the front. 

“My lord, my lady,” she said with her head still bowed, “My name is Rose Galanthius. What brings you to my family’s humble farm?”

“Our apologies for arriving without notice,” said Gabel. “However, it is extremely urgent.”

Upon hearing this the woman’s head snapped up and her face filled with worry. What could be so urgent that the lord and lady themselves had ridden out unannounced and what in heaven's name did it have to do with her or her farm. 

“If my husband, myself or my sons,” the woman began, “have acted poorly in your eyes, I assure you it was not intentional- “ 

“We’re looking for our children,” Maxi blurted out, impatiently.

“Your children?!” Rose exclaimed. 

“They were playing hide and seek and wandered far from the castle,” Riftan said coolly. “We believe they have hidden somewhere in your vineyards.”

“Please allow me and my family to help you look for them,” Rose pleaded. 

“Your help would be greatly appreciated,” Maxi said with a small smile. 

Rose used the dinner bell to call for her husband and sons who were out in the field harvesting grapes. She quickly explained the situation to her family. Maxi described the children’s appearance to the family and told them the names of her children. Alas the men had seen no sign of the children in the fields that morning. 

Maxi, Riftan, the Remdragon knights, Rose and her family began searching for Victoria and Andrew. They called their names and looked all over the fields with no luck. They gathered again in front of the farmhouse and pondered over their next strategy. 

While the group argued and debated, Sir Elliot walked over to the side of the house and lifted the door to a wine cellar that went deep in the ground under the house.

“Andrew! Victoria!” Elliot called.

“Oi Elliot,” Gabel yelled. “now’s not the time-“

“Shhhhhhhh!” Elliot whispered suddenly.

The group became very quiet, until the only sound that could be heard was the rustle of the leaves on the oak trees behind the house. 

Elliot called out into the darkness once more and this time the darkness responded, not loud enough that words could be understood but it confirmed that someone was down there. 

The family quickly found some extra candles and the group made their way down into the cellar. 

They continued to call out to the Calypse children. Finally, in the back corner of the room they came upon the children curled up on a small pile of soft blankets. Andrew was awake but looked groggy as though he had just woken up. His young sister slept soundly next to him on a small pile of blankets. 

Maxi cried out, dropped her candle and rushed forward. She nearly collapsed onto the ground as she threw her arms around her children hugging them tightly as she cried with relief. 

“Mom?” Andrew asked, clearly confused. 

“We were so worried! What are you doing down here?” she scolded. 

“I promise I’ll explain but can we go outside, it’s so dark down here.” Andrew said. 

“Of course, sweetheart,” Maxi smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. 

Maxi picked up Victoria who was still sleeping soundly and Riftan took his son's hand and led him out of the cellar. Once everyone had exited the cellar all eyes were on Andrew Calypse. 

He shifted on his feet as though he were ashamed or embarrassed. Victoria squirmed as she slowly began to wake from her nap.

“You aren’t in any trouble son, but we were all very worried when we couldn’t find you and your sister. Please don’t wander off without me, your mother or at least one of the knights, '' Riftan said calmly. His gentle tone, no matter how many times he had used it to address Andrew, unnerved his men. Andrew nodded slowly, still unable to meet his father’s gaze. “Tell us how you ended up in the cellar, son.”

“We were playing hide and seek,” Andrew said, “and Victoria said she wanted to stay together and hide so we had to find a place that was big enough for both of us. No one said we couldn’t leave the castle so we snuck past the guards and ran for the vineyard. We couldn’t find any good places to hide but then I found the cellar and thought it would be a perfect place for us to hide. We went down below and found a comfortable place to lay down and wait. Victoria took her usual mid morning nap and I guess I fell asleep too because I didn’t wake up until I heard Sir Elliot shouting.”

“Why was there a pile of blankets in the cellar?” Uslin asked.

“When mama and papa fight this is where papa sleeps until mama allows him back into the house,” one of the young boys admitted. 

“George hold your tongue!” Rose scolded. Her face was redder than a tomato.

“We are sorry for worrying you Mommy,” Victoria cooed sweetly. 

Maxi held her daughter tightly and placed a hand on Andrew’s head as he clung to her side. 

“All that matters is you are safe and unharmed.” Maxi said reassuringly. “Next time we will need to create some ground rules such as don’t leave the castle grounds.” 

“Okay Mommy,” the children said in unison. 

The children hugged their mother and then removed themselves from her embrace so they could run and hug their father. Riftan scooped up his children in his arms and began to walk back towards the horses. Maxi and the other knights began to do the same when someone spoke up. 

“Please,” Rose said, “let us offer you some of our best wine, after all it was our cellar that played a role in your heartache!”

Hebaron brightened immediately. After the day he had had he needed a drink, or four for that matter. Riftan put his children down so they could run ahead and join their mother while he seemed to be hanging back to check on the horses. Sir Hebaron began following the two families and the other knights back towards the cellar when he felt a large hand grab the back of his tunic collar. 

…Oh shit. 

Chapter Text

“Andrew started it!” Victoria yelled.

“No I didn’t!” Andrew hollered back. “She started it”

“No I didn’t!”

“Yes you did!”

“No!”

“Yep.”

“NO!”

Maximilian groaned as she rubbed her temples slowly. At this rate she would have a headache long before her children’s apparent screaming match came to an end.

The pair had come running into the library trying  to be the first to tattle on the other. 

“At this point,” Maxi said in a loud voice, trying to speak over her quarreling children.”It doesn't matter who started it, I’m finishing it.”

Maximilian always spoke with kindness to those around her, especially her children. However, the children, though heavily immersed in their own individual rage, could hear the tension in her voice telling them that her patience was wearing thin. The two Calypse children grew silent. 

“Now,” she said gently, greatful the yelling had stopped. “Why don’t you both tell me what happened? Andrew, you go first.” 

Her son stood up straight, squaring his shoulders as best he could before pleading his case to his mother. 

“I was playing by myself and then Victoria walked in,” the young boy said. “She asked if we could play and I said yes but then she started to change the story. I wanted to play knights and dragons and things were fine at first but then she started talking about mermaids and fairies. She ruined it! Those things have no place on the battlefield! We couldn’t agree and started arguing.” 

He huffed out a heavy sigh as he finished telling his side of the story. He looked over at his sister who appeared restfallen. He wanted to feel better seeing that he had made her sad but he just felt a queasy knot in his stomach as he watched her fight back her tears.

“Victoria,” Maxi called to her sweetly, “can you tell me what happened?”

“I…um,” she began softly. “I thought maybe the mermaids could charm the enemy with a pretty song so the soldiers could sneak behind enemy lines without getting hurt. The fairies could help the mages find ingredients for potions they needed to help the men who got hurt before the mermaids arrived.”

Andrew now looked at his sister, absolutely stunned. That’s actually quite brilliant, he thought. His was a game of war, and hers was a strategy of stealth. He studied hard, even though he’d much rather be on the training grounds with his father and the knights. He knew the history and tactics of battles he had read about. He knew that while victory over the enemy was the main objective, it was equally important to minimize the number of personal casualties. His sister wasn’t trying to add some girly fantasy to his battle plans, she was trying to save his men. 

“Hmm,” Andrew huffed, not sure what to say but not wanting to admit that she was right. He began looking around the room, doing anything to avoid their gazes. 

Maxi looked between her children. Andrew had crossed his arms and frowned. She knew that look, it was the same look his father got when he was being too stubborn to apologize even when he knew he was wrong. Victoria sniffled and shook slightly as she tried to fight back tears.

“Well if you can’t come to an agreement then I suppose I’ll just have to separate you,” their mother said calmly. 

Andrew’s eyes went wide. Sure, he didn’t always agree with his sister but at the end of the day she was his best friend. He’d much rather play with her than play by himself. They didn’t always see eye to eye but he’d compromise if it meant they wouldn’t both be sent to their rooms alone. 

“You will play by yourselves in-“

“No!” the children hollered in unison.

Andrew looked over at his sister. She had an almost wild look in her eye, and he knew then that she didn’t want to be alone either. 

He turned to fully face his little sister. 

“The mermaids and fairies can help,” he said, without even a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“Really?!” Victoria cried happily, her eyes shining with joy. 

Andrew gave her a half smile. 

“Really, Tori.”

Victoria ran to her big brother and threw her little arms around him. He gently hugged her back, unable to hold back the genuine smile that spread across his face. 

Maximilian beamed at her children who had finally made peace, for now. 

Lack of communication, she mused. Seems to be a struggle for all the Calypses. 

“Alright,” she said softly, “you two run along. You better hurry, the knights and mermaids will need all the help they can get to defeat the dragon.”

The young children looked at each other, looked at their mother and then looked at each other again before racing out of the library. 

A small smile tugged on Maximilian’s lips. She knew how much they loved each other’s company and that resolving to separate them would only push them closer together. Hopefully, at least for the rest of the afternoon, her two children had made their peace and could play together happily. 

…

…two hours later…

“MOM!”

Like peace between kingdoms, it appears peace between siblings never lasts forever. 

Chapter Text

Of all the people Riftan had taught how to ride a horse, his daughter Victoria was proving to be the most challenging of all. 

Her mother Maxi had been nervous, not just on the horse but around him in general as they were still getting to know one another. Maxi preferred short walks to long rides on horseback but did well with either and never complained. 

His son Andrew had been almost the complete opposite, eager to learn and did his best to master everything as fast as he could. Though his energetic spirit got him ahead of himself sometimes, he appeared to be natural on a horse just like his father. 

And then there was Victoria. Little Victoria preferred a quiet day in the library reading stories or drawing or playing house with the maids. She liked being outside but didn’t yearn for it the way her brother and parents did. Maxi and Riftan agreed she needed to learn to ride. 

Since she was little, Riftan had gotten her a small chestnut pony. The girl had named the creature Brownie. Talon looked like a giant next to little Brownie with the top of the little pony’s head barely reaching the top of the war horse’s back. 

It wasn’t that Victoria was a bad rider in fact she was doing better than Maxi did on her first day but Riftan could tell the child’s heart wasn’t in it which meant whatever he taught her today, she would likely forget by their next lesson. 

He had tried leading her pony, letting her follow Talon and even letting her take the lead and had Talon follow Brownie but none of it seemed to excite her. Finally he decided the best way to keep her interested would be to ask her. 

“Victoria,” he asked gently, as he pulled Talon to a slow stop and Brownie halted as well. “I can tell this is boring you but it’s important that you learn so what can I do to make this better?” 

Victoria thought for a moment and scrunched her nose, in a way that Riftan realized made her look just like Maximilian when she was thinking long and hard about something. He smiled at how similar Victoria and Maxi were, right down to their mannerisms. They both loved reading and could quickly spin a tale out of proportion. Riftan was thankful that both his children had inherited their mother’s intelligence but he worried of the many dangers that could befall them out in this big unfair world. Try as he might, he couldn't protect them forever so he wanted them to have a firm foundation in a variety of skill sets just in case. Skills sets like horseback riding. 

Victoria Calypse looked up into her father’s dark eyes, her own onyx eyes, just like his, staring back at him. Riftan didn’t think his eyes sparkled but somehow his daughter’s did especially when she was excited. She gave him a big toothy grin but said nothing. 

He smiled warmly at her, he didn’t even try to fight it, he could never hold back his emotions when it came to his children. 

“What is it?” he asked curiously, “what are you thinking about?”

“Let’s make a story Daddy!” the child said excitedly. 

Riftan’s brow furrowed slightly, no understanding. 

Seeing her father’s confusion she clarified. “It’s not interesting cause it’s just training, the same thing over and over, it gets old.” she said before her face broke out into a wide grin. “If we turn it into a story it makes it more fun!” 

“Okay…so what’s our story then?” Riftan asked hesitantly, unsure of where his daughter’s wild imagination might run off to, but happy that he was finally getting somewhere with her interest. 

Victoria’s grin grew until it stretched from ear to ear. She gripped Brownie’s reins tighter and she sat up straighter in the saddle. 

“Okay!” she said gleefully, “so to practice walking, we’re going through the forest hunting a monster.”

“A monster?” Riftan asked worriedly, not liking the fact that his precious daughter even thought about monsters. 

“Yeah, not a big scary one like the ones you’ve fought Daddy,” she said sweetly. “I don’t think Brownie’s ready for one of those yet.”

“Anyway,” Victoria continued, “we are making our way through the forest but it spotted us and is now on the run so now we need to go faster.”

She urged Brownie forward at a faster pace. Riftan did the same with Talon. 

As she bounced slightly on her pony’s back her voice sounded a little choppy. 

“Oh no!,” she shouted, “we’ve lost sight of it, better stop and get our bearings!” 

She pulled back on the reins slowing down her small pony to a full stop. Riftan stopped as well and watched with an amused smile as her dark red curls whipped around behind her as Victoria pretended to look for the “monster.”

“There!” she whispered loudly pointing towards the large meadow just beyond the trees. She kept her voice down, as if she were worried that yelling might alert the creature. 

She kicked the pony’s sides and urged Brownie forward, and continued to encourage him to move faster and faster until he was almost at a full gallop as she made her way across the meadow. 

Riftan moved Talon at more of a canter speed as his horse didn’t have to run as fast to keep up with the little pony. He rode with Victoria across the meadow and the two came to a stop at the top of a hill when she once again slowed down her pony to another stop. 

“What happened?” Riftan asked, a little embarrassed to admit to himself that he invested in this “hunting” story she had created. 

“It’s gone.” she replied simply as though the answer were obvious. 

“Gone?! What ha-“ 

Riftan didn’t finish asking about the location of the “monster” as the familiar cry of a horse rang out in the forest. A moment later Maxi and Andrew burst through the tree line and came riding up the hill. 

“What are you up to out here?” Maxi asked, slightly breathless from Rem’s quick gallop. 

“Training,” Riftan said simply. “We covered a lot of things actually, walking, trot, stopping, and galloping.”

“Really!?” Maxi asked proudly, beaming at her daughter, who happily returned a bright smile to her mom. 

“It was fun once we made it into a game Mommy,” the young girl said joyfully. 

“What kind of game?” Andrew asked curiously. There was a hint of jealousy in his tone at the thought of his sister playing a game with their dad without him.

“We practiced the riding techniques by pretending we were hunting down a monster!” Victoria exclaimed.

“Oh my goodness!” said Maxi, trying and failing to hide the bright, amused smile on her face. “Did you catch it?

“No, it got away.” Victoria said sadly, pouting slightly in disappointment. 

“May I ask what you were hunting?” Maxi inquired, trying to change the topic away from the “failed hunt” to lift her daughter’s spirits.

“A bee!” Victoria shouted before shuddering at the thought of the creature as though the name alone made her uneasy. 

“A bee?” Maxi, Andrew and Riftan asked together. 

“Yep!” said Victoria, “We had to start with a small monster since Brownie’s not big enough to face the big bad monster’s yet.”

“I don’t think a-“ Andrew started before his mother interrupted him.

“Oh how creative my little angel,” Maxi exclaimed, silently warning her son with a stern look, to not be discouraging. The young man gave Victoria reassuring smiles. 

“Nice work, sis!” said Andrew.

“Well done,” said Riftan, “it was an honor to go hunting with you this afternoon.”

Riftan bowed his head slightly to his daughter who beamed and blushed from the praise she was receiving from her family. 

A calm silence fell over them before Andrew, being restless as usual, interjected, “Hey, since you can ride faster now, I’ll race you back to the stables!”

“Okay!” Victoria yelled excitedly. 

The two took off and their parents followed, close enough to provide help if needed but enough room to give their children some space. 

Maxi couldn’t resist this golden opportunity to tease her husband.

“So the Great Bee Hunt, huh?” she said, unable to hold in the laugh laced in her words as she spoke, “Good heavens, what will Hebaron say when he hears he missed all the fun?!”

Riftan gave her a warning look, don’t you dare.

Maxi chuckled before speaking again, “I’m kidding, I won’t tell a soul you spent the morning hunting imaginary bees with our daughter. I think the story is actually kind of sweet.”

Riftan’s face darkened for a moment.

“At first when she said that we were hunting monsters I was afraid she meant a real one.” Riftan said sadly. “It made my heart ache to think our little girl was already thinking about having to fight monsters one day. I was relieved when she said it wasn’t a monster at all.”

“Hey,” Maxi said, with a laugh still dancing in her voice. “Bees are dangerous! I’m not surprised a six year old would find them monstrous.”

Riftan nodded, understanding his child’s logic now seeing it from Victoria’s point of view, through the mundane fears of a child. 

“But real or not,” Maxi said calmly. “She may have to face a monster or two someday.”

She watched Riftan tense, his knuckles growing almost white with how hard he gripped the reins and his jaw clenching so hard she thought he would surely break a tooth. 

“Try as we might, my love,” Maxi continued. “We can’t always be there, we will certainly always support them but they will grow up one day and will face the world head on with all its beauty and flaws and dangers. All we can do, is do our best to prepare them for it.”

Riftan took some deep breaths, feeling his muscles in his upper back relax ever so slightly, something only Maxi could do just by speaking. 

“We will do our best to prepare them,” Riftan echoed, with a firm resolve in his tone. 

“Our best is all we can do,” Maxi said as they approached the castle gates, looking ahead as their children raced towards the stables, startling a few workers who had been in the way. “the rest is up to them.” 

Chapter Text

Andrew and Victoria had struggled to keep a secret for several days. It wasn’t a bad secret or even a dangerous one, quite the opposite in fact. They had to keep a secret that they were very excited about. And if that wasn’t challenging enough as it was, they had to keep it from none than their father who seemed to have a sixth sense for knowing when something wasn’t quite right in regards to his family. 

It was the middle of the summer and Father’s Day was finally here. Andrew, Victoria and Maxi had worked together with the servants and kitchen staff to try to surprise him. Even some of the Remdragon Knights had joined in and tried to keep the Commander occupied as his family snuck about as they prepared for the big day. 

Riftan was almost at his wits end. Every time he had tried to leave his office, Hebaron or Gabel would bring up another matter that they believed needed to be addressed immediately. Most of these matters could have been seen about later in the week but the knights had been adamant that he would see about these matters right then and there. 

A soft knock could be heard upon the sturdy oak door of his office and Rudis’s soft voice asked for permission to enter the room. The young maid leaned her head in. 

“I wanted to inform you that dinner is ready,” she said sweetly. 

The men got up and began moving towards the door but stopped when they noticed Rudis had not moved out of the way so they could open the door. 

“My Lord,” she spoke gently as she bowed her head. “Your family has requested that you join them in the castle garden this evening.” 

The young woman couldn’t help the edges of her lips from curling as she fought the urge to smile. She bowed quickly and removed herself from their path before she lost her composure. 

Riftan stood still for a moment, processing the odd request. Normally his family dined with him and the knights every evening. What was it about tonight that was so special? He looked back and forth between Gabel and Hebaron who did their best to act indifferent. 

The men walked out together moving in silence as Riftan tried to mull over why they would need him in the garden. 

“Have a nice evening, Commander,” Hebaron called out over his shoulder just moments after the men had parted ways, heading in different directions within the castle. Having known him for so long, Riftan easily noticed the hint of mischief in the burly knight’s voice. 

Gabel quickly grabbed the knight's arm and pulled him away before he had a chance to say anything else. Riftan could hear Gabel muttering something about “working hard” and “ruining it” which left him even more puzzled. 

He walked quickly eager to see what was so important and secretive that everyone seemed to know about it except him. He reached the archway that led into the beautiful garden his wife had created and he paused. The quaint garden normally shrouded in darkness at this late hour was bathed in soft light from hundreds of candles that had been placed throughout the garden. 

He quietly made his way through the garden, a rare sense of calmness washing over him as he made his way through the serene space. The soft hum of cicadas could be heard throughout the small garden. He made his way towards the center of the garden where the old oak tree stood and he froze. 

His wife and his two young children sat upon a massive blanket at the base of the tree. They had four large baskets set to the side. Maxi leaned over adjusting the final touches of the goblets, plates, and napkins set out upon the blanket while the children fidgeted as they sat on the blanket with obvious excitement. 

“Where is Daddy?” Victoria whined impatiently.

“He will be here any moment,” Maxi said in a calm, soothing voice. 

“Do you think we actually pulled it off?” Andrew asked excitedly.

“I hope so,” Maxi said, hardly containing her own excitement. 

“I don’t know,” Andrew said worriedly, “nothing surprises Dad.”

Riftan chuckled quietly at his son’s statement before stepping out of the shadows where he had observed his family from afar.

“Then consider this a first,” he called out to them, unable to hold back a bright grin as he watched his children’s faces light up when they saw him. 

“Dad!” they cried as they lept to their feet and raced over to him. 

He bent down and scooped them up in his arms. They hugged him as tight as they could and he hugged them back warmly. 

Maxi felt tears of joy threaten to fall as she watched the beautiful scene unfold in front of her. 

Riftan walked over and set his children down on the blanket before sitting down next to his wife. He wrapped an arm around her slender waist and pulled her closer to his side. 

“What’s all this about?” Riftan asked curiously.

Maxi beamed up at him before turning her head to look at their children. Riftan followed her gaze and now looked at Andrew and Victoria’s joyful faces. Maximilian nodded, silently giving her children permission to speak. 

“Surprise!” the young Calypses squealed. “Happy Father’s Day!”

The bright smiles on the children’s faces were infectious and he couldn’t help beaming back at them. 

“I helped the kitchen staff pack all your favorite things for our picnic,” Andrew said proudly. 

“And I helped set out the candles!” Victoria shouted, not wanting to feel left out. 

Riftan tore his gaze away from his children as he felt Maxi shift in his embrace. He looked down at her and was surprised to see her looking up at him with a nervous expression. 

“I know we could have had a more lavish meal in the dining hall,” she said quietly. “But we wanted to celebrate together, just the four of us.” 

Riftan sat in silence for a moment, stunned and touched by this sweet gesture his family had created just for him. 

Maxi mistook his silence for disappointment and began rambling.

“I’m sorry it’s just finger food but it would be hard for the children to use them while sitting on the ground. If you’d rather-“

Riftan promptly cut her off with a swift, sweet kiss. 

“Thank you,” he said in a rare gentle voice he only used with his family. He turned to face their children. “It’s perfect.” 

The children squealed with delight and attempted to tackle their father in another big hug. 

The family happily dined together under the stars, bathed in the light of hundreds of candles. The children had written sweet notes and crafted little gifts for their father. He promised to cherish these gifts and he meant every word. 

“Where’s your gift for Dad, Mommy?” Victoria asked curiously. 

Maxi blushed and Riftan was about to explain to his daughter that Maxi didn’t have to get him anything when Maxi spoke first. 

“Oh don’t worry,” Maxi said, excitement evident in her voice. “I left my gift in our room. I’ll give it to him later.”

Maxi nearly squealed when Riftan squeezed her waist tightly. Andrew and Victoria looked at each other then back at their parents with confused expressions on their faces but soon let it go, quickly getting distracted by something else. 

“Firefly!” Victoria hollered excitedly, as she pointed her little finger at the small bugs giving off light as they flew around the garden.  

The children stood up quickly and started to  run out into the grass. 

“Wait!” Maxi cried. She quickly began looking through one of the baskets before pulling out two glass jars and handing one to each of her children. Andrew and Victoria grabbed the jars and sprinted through the garden. 

Soon the sound of joyful laughter and squeals of delight could be heard throughout the garden as the children chased and caught lightning bugs. 

Riftan took a deep relaxed breath as he leaned against the sturdy trunk of the oak tree. Maxi nestled herself against his chest, though her eyes were still very much alert as she watched their children play. 

Riftan lazily rubbed her back as he could feel her muscles tense with worry each time she witnessed Andrew and Victoria nearly trip over some roots from bushes nearby. The couple held each other as they sat in comfortable silence watching their children play. 

Eventually the young Calypses wore themselves out and their parents took them to bed. They left the blanket, plates and goblets behind knowing the servants would take care of it as soon as they had departed from the garden. 

Maxi and Riftan tucked their children in for the night. The children gave their dad extra hugs in honor of this special day. 

Riftan paused outside their bedchamber, lost in thought as he pondered over the wonderful evening he had experience with his little family. Maxi, who noticed her husband's eyes were far away, gently caressed his cheek. He blinked slowly coming back to reality before turning his head slightly to kiss the palm of her hand.

“Thank you,” he breathed out softly. “Thank you for this perfect night.”

She beamed up at him, proud that she and the children and the staff had managed to pull this off and was thrilled that he had thoroughly enjoyed his evening. 

“Happy Father’s Day, Riftan,” she whispered as the rose on her tip toes and craned her neck so she could give him a quick kiss. 

He bent down, eyes closed, trying to follow her lips and continue their kiss but he stopped and opened his eyes when he felt her slender finger press against his lips. 

Maxi looked at her husband with hunger in her eyes and a devilish smirk on her face. 

“This perfect night isn’t over yet,” she said quietly as her smirk spread into a wicked grin. 

He quickly grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up, tossing her across his shoulder. She giggled with surprise and delight as he carried her into their room. 

This perfect night was indeed far from over, on the contrary it had only just begun…

Chapter Text

“My Lady,” Ruth implored for what must have been the tenth time just in the last hour, “please, hire a proper sitter. You of all people understand how busy I am with my work. I certainly care for your children but I am severely under qualified to provide proper care for them for that long.”

Maxi paused, laying down her coat she had selected to go riding. It was a cool autumn morning and she and Riftan were going to spend the day together, just the two of them. She absolutely adored her children but was looking forward to some time alone with her husband. 

“The knights are training, and Rudis and the other maids are helping in the kitchen since the chef is ill.” Maxi said matter of factly. “You are practically family, Ruth. I would rather trust them to your care than hire an unknown stranger to watch over them.”

“But I-“ Ruth began.

Maxi cut him off with a stern look which held a sharp ferocity that could rival her husband’s. Ruth relented. 

“How will I keep the children preoccupied?” the mage asked as he nervously rubbed the back of his next. 

Maxi smiled warmly at her old friend as she grabbed her coat and headed for the door. 

“Easy,” she said in a calm reassuring tone, “give them something to do.”

“Like what?!” he shouted louder than he intended, his nerves already getting the better of him.

“I have complete faith that you will be able to figure it out.” she responded over her shoulder as she left the library. 

Ruth once again stood alone in the library. His sanctuary. He cringed at the thought of not one but two young children running wild in this space in just a few short hours. He could already feel a headache from the stress beginning to form behind his temples. 

——

The doors to the library were flung open as Andrew and Victoria burst into the room.

“Hello Ruth!” Victoria squealed happily.

“Hi Ruth.” Andrew said cheerily. 

Before Ruth could respond, Victoria chimed in.

“What are you doing?” she asked curiously.

Ruth couldn’t help offering her a small smile. She was just as curious and hungry for knowledge as her mother. She might make a fine mage someday, if her father ever let her study at the Tower… never mind. 

“I’m repairing and enhancing the device that protects the walls of the castle.” he replied as simply as he could so they could understand. 

“Why?” she asked innocently.

“Because things can always be improved upon as we learn how to make them stronger and more effective,” he responded patiently.

“Why?” she asked again.

“Because when a threat becomes more dangerous we need to make our defenses stronger,” he replied.

“Why?” she asked a third time.

“Because that's how the world works.” he said trying to end the conversation before she asked what the threats were and Riftan killed him for scaring his children. 

Victoria paused, staying silent for a while as she thought over everything he had said.

“Okay,” she said finally. 

“Why do you need a device when the best knights in the whole continent are protecting our home?” Andrew asked as he squared his shoulders and stood as tall as he could. “When I’m a knight I’ll slay all the monsters so you’ll never have to fix another magical device ever again!” 

Ruth looked at the child who dreamed of being a knight like his father. He had his father’s stubbornness to never back down and his mother’s strong will. He would make a fine knight but he couldn’t save Anantol, not by himself at least.

“The Remdragon Knights are a renowned force but they cannot be everywhere at once.” Ruth replied. “Sometimes they are called to serve on campaigns which means we don't have as many men to protect your home. Devices like these help make up for our lack of numbers if we were ever attacked while the knights were away on a mission.” 

“Hmm,” Andrew huffed, not entirely convinced but satisfied with the answer he was given.

“Can we help you with your device?” Victoria offered sweetly.

“No, no I simply-“ Ruth began but paused. 

Give them something to do, Maxi had said.

A smug smile spread across his face as he realized how he could keep the children busy and hopefully out of trouble. 

“Actually,” Ruth said in a strangely upbeat tone that unnerved the children a little, “there is something you can do.” 

“Really?!” the children cried happily. They were thrilled that they would be able to brag to their parents that they helped work on the device to protect their family and their home.

“Firstly,” Ruth began, “I need a few more books to continue my work.”

He gave the children a couple book titles and their authors. The children bolted towards the shelves and began searching for the books he needed. Anatol’s library was huge and it would take them a while to find what he needed.

A couple hours later a sharp cry pierced through the room’s tranquil silence. 

“Found them!” they squealed triumphantly. 

Ruth chuckled inwardly. He knew where the books had been all along but the children didn’t. His task had kept the children preoccupied and gave them a chance to explore the library without potentially damaging it. 

“Thank you,” the mage said warmly, as he placed the books they had brought him next to the large stacks of books surrounding him. 

“What’s next!?” Andrew asked excitedly.

“For our next task, we will need the assistance of two Remdragon knights,” Ruth said plainly.

The eyes of the children grew as wide as bread saucers. 

“Are we going to slay a monster and use its power to make the device stronger?!” Andrew exclaimed excitedly.

Ruth cracked a sly grin without looking up from his work. 

“No,” he said a little too calmly. “We are going outside the castle grounds and your parents would have my head on a silver platter by dinner if they knew I had taken you outside the castle without additional protection.”

“No they-'' Victoria began before stopping as she met Ruth’s eyes. Ruth was being serious. Her parents cherished her and her brother more than anything. Friend or not, Ruth was as good as dead if her father found a single scratch on her when he returned home. 

Ruth gave a tired sigh before closing his book. 

“I would understand if you would rather stay here and-“ 

“NO!” Andrew and Victoria shouted. 

“Alright,” Ruth said tiredly as he pulled on his warm cloak. “Grab your coats and meet me in the stable in ten minutes.”

—-

Ruth, Andrew, Victoria and two Remdragon knights rode outside of the castle grounds, into the forest, towards a nearby stream. 

“This should be fine,” Ruth said as he slowed his horse to a full stop by the stream and began to dismount. 

Andrew and a Remdragon knight assisted Victoria with dismounting from her pony. 

The children quickly hurried over to where Ruth was tying the reins of his horse to a nearby branch. 

“What’s our next task?!” they asked enthusiastically.

“I need you to retrieve stones from the riverbed.” Ruth said as he dug through his satchel. Ruth eventually withdrew his hand from his bag and opened his palm to reveal a small smooth black stone. 

“Look for stones like this. About this size, made smooth by the stream. It does not have to be this dark color, the size and texture is what you should try to search for.”

The children took turns holding the stone to get familiar with the feel and weight of it. Eager to get to work the children rushed towards the river bed.

“Wait!” Ruth shouted. “Remove your cloaks first so you don’t get them wet and muddy.” 

Ruth had to hold himself back from rolling his eyes. The children were so eager and determined to start their task immediately that they almost ruined their cloaks. 

The children set down their cloaks on the upper bank of the river and hurried down to the water’s edge. 

They searched along the shallow end of the river and along the shore, not caring if their boots were ruined. Each time Victoria bent down to inspect a rock she had found, the hem of her dress was caked with more and more sand and mud.

They each found about six stones each matching Ruth’s description. They each needed to find a few more before they could go back to the castle. 

Andrew wadded into the water a bit to look for more stones. Victoria carelessly discarded a stone by tossing it over her shoulder. It hit the water with a loud thud and created a splash. 

“Hey! Watch it!” Andrew shouted, partially drenched by the splash. He swiftly moved his hand across the water ensuring his sister was equally soaked.

Victoria tensed not expecting to be doused with cold water. She slowly turned and glared at her brother. The small girl let out a loud scream and charged at her brother. She pushed as hard as she could, trying to knock him over into the water. Their voices grew louder and louder as they pushed against each other, water sloshing wildly, as they tried to shove the other into the stream. 

“Hey!” Ruth shouted. “That’s enough! If I have to explain to your parents how you got sick under my care while running around in soaked clothes I promise I will never take you on another excursion outside the castle grounds again. Any time you are left in my care you will copy out words from the dictionary!” 

The siblings immediately let go of one another. They knew Ruth did not make threats lightly and he would hold to his word if they continued to misbehave. 

“Sorry Ruth,” they mumbled with their heads bowed, though they didn't sound sincere in the slightest.

Ruth huffed, exhausted and exasperated. 

“Alright come on,” he said. “Let’s head back. The stones you’ve collected should be enough, I was simply hoping to gather some extras for the future, but no matter.”

The knights helped the children out of the Riverbank and gathered their cloaks. 

“When we return to the castle, change into some clean, dry clothes,” Ruth called out over his shoulder as he steered his horse back towards the castle. “Then get some supper to eat before you return to the library. I should have everything set up to finish repairing the device by the time you are done.” 

“You’ll be able to fix it all in one day!?” Victoria asked, amazed. 

“Thanks to your help,” Ruth said proudly. 

Andrew and Victoria looked at each other and grinned with glee. They urged their horses forward racing towards home, excited to see how their hard work would pay off. 

——-

Ruth knew the children were on their way long before they burst into the library based on the sound of loud footsteps racing towards the entrance to his sanctuary. 

“Hurry!” Victoria cried as she and her brother raced over to where Ruth sat. “We need to finish before Mother and Father get back so we can show them what we worked on!”

Ruth stood slowly picking up the device from the table. He set it in the center of a pentagram that had been drawn in the middle of the room.

“Grab the stones and place them on the edge of the circle outlining the pentagram.” Ruth instructed.

The children quickly took the stones they had gathered and placed them around the pentagram. When they had finished Ruth walked around the circle pouring special brightly colored powders over the stones in a variety of orders and amounts. His technique didn’t make any sense to the children but they trusted that there was some logic behind his methods. 

“Please bring me five candles, one for each point on the pentagram,” Ruth asked.

They brought him the candles and placed them around the circle. 

“Step back,” he instructed. 

The children went and hid behind furniture on the far side of the room, as their father had thoroughly warned them of the dangers of Ruth’s experiments. However, they couldn’t help their curiosity and eagerly peered from behind the armchair that shielded them. 

Ruth gave a small, amused smile at their antics. He lazily waved his hand over the sigil in front of him and the candles immediately ignited with bright flames. 

“De pulvere in pulverem da nobis fortitudinem.”
Ruth chanted over and over.

The children watched in amazement as the stones crumbled to dust before their eyes. It appeared as though a small breeze blew the remains of the stones towards the device. More and more gathered until it was completely covered in dirt. The dirt suddenly hardened encasing the device. 

Ruth stopped chanting. The silence was so deafening they could almost hear a slight ringing in the air. 

“Dimittas,” the mage said. He had spoken so quietly the children weren’t entirely sure he had spoken at all. 

The stone casing around the device cracked and instead of falling away, the dirt seemed to soften again and seep into the crevices of the device. Once all the dirt had been absorbed, the flames of the candles were extinguished by another wave of Ruth’s hand. 

“Ruth?” Victoria asked. She was still standing slightly behind the large chair as though she feared the device might explode. 

“Yes?” he replied. 

“Why did the stones make it stronger?” she inquired. 

“Of the four elements mages use,” he explained, “earth is the sturdiest of all the elements and the least unpredictable. It holds its form and is not easily broken. It represents grounding and steadfastness. We need that strength to reinforce the strength of our walls.” 

“Oh,” she said simply.

“Hmmm,” Andrew muttered, still not entirely convinced that it couldn’t have been solved with more knights.

A sudden flurry of activity could be heard outside. The Lord and Lady were returning!

Andrew and Victoria beamed with excitement. They both ran, stride for stride, out of the library to greet their parents and tell them about what they had accomplished today. 

I couldn’t have done it without you, Ruth thought with a small proud smile as he returned to his books, pondering over all they had accomplished.

Chapter Text

Maxi was awoken not by the bright morning sunlight streaming through her window, nor the shouts of her children playing a game, but by a smell, a delicious mouthwatering smell. 

Bacon. Citrus. Cinnamon. 

Her eyes opened as the sweet odor wafted through the room. It was coming from the other side of her bedchamber door. She looked to her left and realized that Riftan was no longer in bed with her. 

She heard hushed voices on the other side of the door. She immediately recognized the voices of her husband and her two young children who were trying their best to be quiet as they stood on the other side of the door. 

She saw the door knob begin to turn and she quickly laid back down and shut her eyes pretending to be asleep. Her curiosity however got the best of her and she peeped through her lashes without fully opening her eyes. 

Her children as quickly and quietly as they could, made their way over to her side of the large bed. She heard rather than saw her husband carry in a large tray, as the plates and other dishes set upon it rattled slightly as he walked. 

For a moment the room was silent as the children waited for permission to wake their mother. Maxi had to fight the urge to smile at her children who were beaming at her with unbridled excitement. 

Their precious smiles grew wider and Maxi assumed Riftan must have given Andrew and Victoria some silent signal letting them know it was okay to wake her. 

“Mom,” the children called softly.

“Mom,” they said, a bit louder this time.

Maxi continued to play opossum. 

“Mom!” they nearly shouted, their patience wearing thin. 

Maxi’s eyes fluttered open slowly and she stretched lazily as though she were just waking from a lovely dream. She smiled warmly at her children and turned slightly to smile at her husband who was still holding the large tray. 

Riftan started to speak but Victoria beat him to it. 

“Happy Mother’s Day!” the young girl exclaimed. “We made you breakfast in bed.”

“The cooks actually did most of the work,” Andrew admitted, “but we helped.” 

“Happy Mother’s Day Maxi.” Riftan said as he set the tray down in front of her. He removed the lids which had covered the food keeping it warm. 

A small feast had been placed before her. Eggs, bacon, fruit and pastries of all sorts were laid out before her. Surely it would take her at least a week to eat all of this.

She beamed at her family who had started her day in the best way possible. Though she normally dreaded being the center of attention, today she would happily let her family spoil her seeing as it made them happy to do so. 

“This is wonderful,” Maxi said brightly. “Thank you so much. It’s more than I could ever eat. Do you think you could help me enjoy this delicious feast?” 

“Yes!” the children cried out. They had been so busy trying to help make her breakfast that they hadn’t eaten yet and were quite hungry. 

Andrew climbed on the bed and Riftan scooped up his daughter in his arms as she was still too short to climb up herself, before he sat on the bed next to his wife. 

The family ate, talked, joked and laughed for the rest of the morning. The children were so full that they both took a nap right on their parents’ bed. Riftan and Maxi sat in comfortable silence, holding each other as Andrew and Victoria slept. 

Rudis and one other maidservant came in around noon to remove the tray. The commotion woke the children who sat up slightly startled. Rudis apologized but Maxi brushed it off, saying it was time for them to wake up and not sleep the day away. 

“Andrew?” Riftan asked.

“Yes Dad?” he answered. 

“Don’t you and your sister have something for your mother?” Riftan asked. 

“Yes!” Andrew said happily, “I’ll be right back!”

He practically leapt off the bed and ran out of the room, heading down the hall towards the direction of his room. 

He came back with two small canvases. He carried them backwards so as to not ruin the surprise. 

“We painted these for you Mommy!” Victoria squealed excitedly. 

Andrew walked over to the bed and set the canvases face down before moving to the other side to climb back onto the bed. 

Maxi carefully flipped over the canvases. 

“That one’s mine!” Victoria said excitedly. 

Her daughter pointed to the canvas on the left. She had painted what Maxi assumed was supposed to be her three cats, represented by the three patches of white, brown, and black, on the canvas. The small shapes did not match the anatomy of the felines but the colors were nearly spot on. 

“What’s this blue shape here?” Maxi asked as she pointed to a small round shape near the bottom of the canvas. 

“They’re playing with some yarn.” Victoria said cheerfully. 

Maxi smiled at her daughter proudly before turning her gaze to the second canvas. 

Bright blues and greens took up most of the frame. There was a small patch of red, yellow and purple across the bottom of the canvas. Flowers maybe. At the top steep triangles jutted out above the mass of blue. Though it lacked some of the finer details she would recognize those mountains anywhere, the mountains of Anatol. The large blue area must be the lake they loved and had spent many warm summer days enjoying together as a family. 

“I love it!” Maxi said as she turned to face her son. 

“They are beautiful!” she said with a smile as she turned to look at Victoria. 

Maxi got up and walked across the room with a canvas in each hand. She set them down on her dresser leaning them against the wall so she could see them every day. 

She turned around to face the bed and saw her children beaming with pride as they had watched their mother put their hard work on display. She knelt down and opened her arms wide in invitation. Andrew scrambled off the bed while Riftan helped Victoria get down. The two children raced across the room and ran straight into their mother’s warm embrace. She kissed the tops of each of their heads and hugged them tight. 

“Thank you,” she whispered. 

After a long hug, the children stepped back while their mother stood up. 

Andrew began glancing around the room as though he were looking for something. 

“What are you looking for, son?” Riftan asked. 

“Where’s your present for Mom?” the young boy asked. 

“I will give your mother my gift later.” he responded plainly. Instead of leaving it at that, allowing the silence to let Maximilian’s mind wander as she wondered what her gift could possibly be, he spoke again. “How about we saddle up the horses and go for a ride around the castle, just the four of us?”

Maxi smiled, it sounded lovely but even though it was Mother’s Day it didn’t mean that Riftan’s daily responsibilities simply went away. Her bright expression became puzzled as her smile faltered and her brows scrunched. 

“Hebaron and Uslin can manage training for one day,” Riftan said reassuringly, noticing the confused look that had crossed her face. 

“If they don’t destroy one another over who has more authority,” Maxi mumbled with an amused chuckle. 

Riftan laughed at his wife’s comment as he got out of bed and stretched before walking over to her. 

“True,” he said with a grin before kissing the top of her head. “but that, like everything else, can wait to be addressed tomorrow. Today is about celebrating you Maxi.”

He raised his arm in front of him, bent and slightly to the side. Maxi smiled and gracefully accepted his arm as her escort. Riftan looked down at his children and smiled. 

“Shall we?” he asked. 

The children shouted with delight and ran ahead of their parents towards the grounds, excited to ride with them and see what other surprises their father had in store. 

————-

Later that evening, after the children had been tucked into bed, Riftan and Maxi sat in their bedchamber facing the large windows which provided a lovely view of the mountains. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, holding hands and enjoying simply being in each other’s presence. 

“Would you like to open my gift?” Riftan asked, breaking the calm silence that had settled between them. 

Maxi gave him a shy smile as curiosity danced in her eyes. 

“Yes,” she replied, almost bashfully. “You really didn’t have to get me anything. You have given me so many beautiful dresses and jewels I couldn’t possibly need anymore.”

As she spoke, Riftan stood and made his way over to the bedside table on his side of the bed. He opened the drawer and rummaged around for a moment before he found what he had been looking for. He returned to his seat and handed her a small box.

She lifted the lid and gasped. Inside the little box, laid out on a small cloth of black silk, was a dainty necklace with four beautiful gems on a delicate golden chain. There were two small stones in the center and two slightly larger stones on either side. One of the large stones was a red garnet and on the other end, a dark blue sapphire. Between the two larger stones sat a small topaz and a tiny emerald. 

She stood and stepped closer to the fireplace wanting to see how the gems sparkled and shined under its soft light. The stones glistened as they rested in her palm. 

She gave Riftan a bright smile. Her face was flush with happiness, and her breathing became a little heavy as she tried not to cry. This beautiful necklace represented her loved ones, 
the birthstones of each member of the Calypse family. Andrew’s orange topaz and Victoria’s green emerald in the center with Maximilian’s garnet and Riftan’s sapphire beside them. 

“Would you mind holding my hair back while I put it on?” she asked sweetly.

Riftan stood and quickly made his way over to her and stood behind her. He gently lifted her crimson curls off of her shoulders, as he watched her slender fingers fiddle with the delicate clasp on the golden chain until it locked into place. He slowly released her hair, relishing the wonderful feeling of her curls slipping through his fingers. 

She turned around so he could see it properly. 
The necklace fit perfectly, resting slightly above her chest. The stones stood out against her pale skin in a way that enhanced her beauty without drawing too much attention. 

He couldn’t help the smile that graced his lips as he witnessed his lovely wife wearing a necklace that represented the people he loved more than anything. 

“It’s beautiful Riftan,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you. This was the perfect gift.”

He could tell from the look in her eyes and her posture that there was something she wasn’t telling him. 

“What’s wrong Maxi?” he asked, obvious concern laced in his tone.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Maxi said happily. 

She paused for a moment before speaking again. 

“I was simply wondering if the necklace could be modified,” this time she spoke hesitantly, much more nervous than before but there was also a hint of excitement in her voice.

“Modify it?” Riftan asked, now quite confused. “You said it was perfect, I don’t understand.”

“It is perfect and lovely,” she said in a gentle voice trying to calm his obvious nerves. “I was wondering if I could add another stone later if I needed to.”

She looked down at the necklace as she spoke, brushing her fingertips against the large beautiful stones that represented her family. 

“Add another stone?” Riftan said, now completely at a loss. “Why would you need- “

Maxi raised her gaze to meet his eyes and she gave him a warm knowing smile. Maxi had asked them to help her eat the meal they had prepared for her and yet he noticed that she ate more than she usually did. Come to think of it, he also hadn’t heard her complain about her monthly bleeding lately. 

His eyes grew wide and his brows rose creating deep lines on his forehead as his jaw went slightly slack and his mouth suddenly felt very dry. Maximilian’s knowing smile widened into a grin. 

“Truly?” he whispered almost cautiously. 

Maxi chuckled at how nervous he looked. He had faced death countless times and had never faltered and yet here before her, he looked utterly and completely vulnerable. 

“Yes,” she said. “In about seven months, we will need to add another beautiful stone to this lovely gift.”

In one moment Riftan was staring at her with a look of awe on his face and the next he had his hands on her waist as he lifted her off the floor. Maxi giggled as he spun her around in circles beaming at her with pride, love and joy shining in his eyes.

Riftan eventually set her down but did not let her go, holding her close in his strong embrace. He eventually stepped back and as he did he moved one hand to caress her stomach. His other hand moved to cradle her jaw. Her gaze had dropped to watch his hand that rested upon her belly. He tipped her head back so he could see her face. Her silver blue eyes, glossy with unshed happy tears met his dark onyx eyes. Maxi smiled brightly at him and let out a noise that sounded like a sob and a laugh all at once. Riftan beamed at her before leaning down to capture her lips in a sweet yet fierce kiss. Even as their lips met, they couldn’t stop smiling. 

“I love you.” Riftan said, his voice sounding far away as though he were slightly in a daze. 

Maxi’s gaze once again dropped to her stomach. She gently placed her hand over Riftan’s which hadn’t moved from her belly. 

“We love you too,” Maxi replied as she raised her head to meet his gaze once more. 

Boy or girl? Warrior or mage? Whoever they were Maxi and Riftan couldn’t wait to meet them. They would be cherished and celebrated and occasionally spoiled. But most importantly they would be loved, loved by their parents, their brother, their sister, the knights and their people. 
Loved fiercely, boldly and unconditionally. Loved always. 

NOTE: A garnet (Maxi) represents friendship and passion. A sapphire (Riftan) represents truth and loyalty (perfect, because he hates liars). An orange topaz (Andrew) represents courage and loyalty. An (Victoria) emerald represents elegance and compassion. The next addition to their family will be born in December, the blue topaz birthstone, symbolizing wisdom and peace. 

Happy Mother's Day to our soon to be mom of three! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and have a wonderful Mother's Day. Special gratitude and thanks to all the moms (and motherly figures) in our lives

Chapter Text

As the warm summer sun set behind the mountains, the knight and young boy took a moment to rest on the hilltop. 

They had spent most of the day repairing part of a livestock fence that they had “accidentally” destroyed while getting into a bit of trouble. 

The boy asked why skilled workers had not been hired to do the work seeing as they could probably do the job better. 

While the knight agreed that he and the boy weren’t the most qualified, when you make a mess, you have to be the one to clean it up.

“You worked hard today,” Sir Hebaron said proudly as he wiped the last of the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. 

“We both did,” Andrew huffed, still slightly out of breath.

A wide grin spread across the burly knight’s face. 

Without a word he scooped up the child and started walking away from the farm. 

“Hey! Put me down!” Andrew protested. 

“Not a chance.” Hebaron replied with a chuckle. “We need to get there before dark.”

“Where?” Andrew asked curiously. “Home is the opposite way.”

“Patience little lord,” he teased. “You’ll see soon enough.”

———-

They arrived at dusk to a large deep pond.

“I still don’t understand what we’re doing.” Andrew quipped, still laid across the knight’s large shoulder. 

Without a word Hebaron put the boy down and began to remove his boots. 

Still confused, Andrew copied the knight, removing his own shoes. The moment dragged on and Hebaron remained silent. The young boy’s impatience began to flare. 

“What now?!” Andrew blurted out, his patience at its peak. 

“Now,” Hebaron said with a wicked grin, “we can cool off.”

He swiftly scooped up the boy again and launched him into the air. 

The boy’s scream was cut short as his body hit the water with a loud splash. His clothes were immediately soaked, but what did it matter if they were already drenched in sweat. 

Hebaron gave a hearty laugh as he charged into the pond. He allowed the water to sooth his aching muscles and relax his overheated skin. 

The knight let out a content sigh as he closed his eyes. The moment didn’t last. He was soon doused with a large splash of water. His eyes flew open and he saw a very angry miniature version of his commander glaring at him a few feet away. 

The knight simply raised an eyebrow at the boy and began to turn away pretending to be unbothered before quickly pivoting and moving his hand across the water to splash his attacker. 

The two were soon in the throes of battle. Splashing, kicking, yelling and occasional cursing rang out in the early hours of the night. 

The hour grew late and the knight decided it was time to head home.

“Time to get back,” Hebaron said as he began to make his way to the shallow end of the pond. 

“Just a little longer!” Andrew protested. 

“The moon is getting higher by the minute. We’ve already stayed longer than we should have,” said the knight with his back still facing the boy.

Hebaron heard a large splash behind him. And then nothing. 

Thinking the boy was simply messing with him, without turning around he said, “No time for games, we need to get moving.” 

The silence stretched on, unwavering and uncomfortable. 

Hebaron finally turned and saw that Andrew was nowhere to be seen. The water of the pond sat still and calm as though no one had disturbed it.

“This isn’t funny Andrew.” Hebaron said through gritted teeth, his nerves now on edge.

Still nothing. No “gotcha!” No splash. Just cold unnerving silence. 

“Andrew!” Hebaron shouted urgently.

His eyes darted across the water looking for any sign of the young boy. His chest heaved as it became more and more difficult to breathe. Hebaron felt his heart clench in his chest with worry, not just because Andrew was the lord and lady’s child but because Hebaron loved him. They all did. He would do anything to protect this family and right now he was failing all of them. 

A small sputter of bubbles broke the calm surface of the water. Hebaron didn’t hesitate. He dove back into the water swimming as fast as he could towards where he had seen that small sign of life beneath the water. 

The clouds, which had covered the full moon, cleared away and allowed the knight to see somewhat of what was before him. It wasn’t clear but what he could see nearly made him scream. A massive water snake, the size of a vanity, had wrapped itself around Andrew’s helpless body, squeezing him. The snake’s dark scales glistened under the harsh moonlight as it slowly twisted its body around its prey. The boy's eyes were wide with fear and his face was contorted in pain as he desperately tried to hold his breath. His little hands tried to pull the snake away but to no avail, alas his struggles only appeared to make the snake clutch him tighter. 

The knight shook his head vigorously as he tried to overcome the shock of the dreadful scene before him. Rage rushed through his veins as his blood boiled. He let out a yell which was muffled by the water as he swam deeper towards the boy and the serpent. He grabbed the throat of the snake and pulled both the snake and the boy to the surface. Andrew gasped for air as they broke the surface but the snake would not release its hold. Hebaron dragged the snake, with Andrew in tow, to the shore. The snake writhed as it struggled, needing water to breathe. Hebaron yanked the dagger free from his belt and drove it into the snake’s throat over and over. The snake soon went limp and no longer moved. Hebaron quickly discarded the dagger and began to untangle the snake from around Andrew. 

Remarkably the boy seemed mostly unharmed, shaken up no doubt, but besides a few scratches he seemed fine. The knight embraced the child, holding Andrew’s head against his chest. 

“You’re okay,” Hebaron repeated over and over. Whether he said it to reassure himself or the boy, he wasn’t sure. 

After taking a moment to catch their breath, Hebaron went to the water’s edge and began to try to rinse off the dirt and blood from his hands and face. Andrew joined him and tried to wipe off the muddy sand he had been dragged through. Not a word was said between them as they washed the blood from their clothes and tried to process what they had just endured.

The pair slowly began to make their way back to the castle.

The knight let out a heavy sigh, breaking the silence between them. 

“I’m a dead man,” Hebaron groaned as he buried his head in his hand.

“How so?” Andrew asked, confused by the knight’s words. 

“It was my duty to look after you and I failed.” Hebaron said. “You could have been seriously hurt or worse and it would have been all my fault.”

“Dad will forgive you,” Andrew said cheerily, trying to keep the knight’s spirits up. “He always does…eventually.”

Andrew then added quietly almost under his breath, “You’re like a brother to him.”

Hebaron stopped in his tracks. Unable to move.

“What did you say?” he asked quietly.

“You and Dad are brothers,” Andrew said, louder this time.

“No we’re not.” Hebaron said, brushing off the boy’s words. 

“You fought beside him and have stood by him for years!” Andrew argued.

“That doesn’t make us brothers,” Hebaron said flatly. 

“Well then,” Andrew asked seriously, “what makes someone a brother?”

“A brother watches your back,” Hebaron said. “He encourages you, protects you, teases you to no end, and sets you straight when you’re too angry to see reason.”

Andrew was silent for a long time, thinking over everything the knight had said. 

“Aren’t you all of those things when it comes to my father?”

Hebaron stood there stunned by the small child’s words. A small smile which widened into a grin stretched across the knight’s face. 

“Even though he may not always show it, don't you know that Dad would watch your back and do the same for you?” Andrew continued still trying to prove his point.

Hebaron reached out and ruffled the child’s messy hair. 

“You’ve made your point,” he said with a laugh in the back of his throat. 

They continued on their walk and eventually reached the castle. The Commander and the Lady stood with lanterns waiting for their return. 

“Where on earth have you been?!” Maximilian scolded as she drowned them with questions. “We’ve been worried sick! Why are your clothes damp?”

“I’m alright Mother.” Andrew groaned tiredly as she looked at him with worry and anger in her eyes. “Can we please discuss this tomorrow? We’re exhausted.”

As much as the troubled parents desperately wanted answers, they could see how utterly tired their son was. It would be better to ask in the morning when they are both more alert. 

“We will discuss this first thing in the morning in my office,” Riftan said a little too calmly.

The quiet calm tone of the Commander’s voice caused both the knight and boy to flinch. 

Hebaron began to make his way to his quarters while Maximilian and Riftan started to take their son to his room. The knight turned when he thought he heard the boy call out to him.

“What?” he shouted down the long corridor.

Andrew turned around and shouted with a happy wave, “Goodnight Uncle Hebaron!” 

Chapter Text

“Dad!!” 

“Dad!” 

“DAD!!!”

Riftan tensed as he heard his children shouting as they raced down the hall towards the council room. The doors flung open and collided with  the wall with such force that the hinges rattled. 

The children bent over for a moment catching their breath. A tense silence nearly choked the room. The children knew better than to interrupt the counsel meeting, unless it was an absolute emergency. 

Having somewhat collected themselves the children stood and flinched back slightly as they were met with dozens of pairs of eyes staring at them intently. 

“What is it?” Riftan asked, trying his best to keep his tone as even as he could so they wouldn’t notice the tension he felt already rising in his chest. 

“Mom,” Andrew panted out, still a bit winded.

“The baby!” Victoria nearly sobbed.

“They’re being attacked!” they shrieked. 

For a moment no one dared to breathe. 

Those few seconds seemed to stretch on forever. 

“Well…come on!” Victoria shouted, quickly losing her patience. She turned towards the door, and her brother followed closely behind her. 

The young girl’s shout seemed to knock some sense into everyone who had fallen into a worried trance. Truly it was shocking that anyone would dare attack the lady, in her condition, in her own home. No one could believe it. No one wanted to believe it. Victoria’s call to action however had brought them out of their brief daze.

Riftan swiftly made his way to the other side of the room ready to follow Andrew and Victoria. Hebaron and the other knights also moved towards the door. 

The group moved quickly through the halls of the castle. Not a word was spoken as fear and uncertainty hung in the air like a thick fog. 

The children didn’t even bother to knock as they entered their parents’ room. 

“Mom!” they shouted as they ran over to Maxi who slept soundly in a large chair close to the fireplace. The fire bathed the room in warm light but the tranquility brought little comfort to the knights and the children. 

She looked peaceful, tucked beneath a soft quilt Rudis and the other maidservants had made for her. Even under the large blanket one could clearly see her large swollen belly. The maester’s believed Maxi would give birth in the following month.

As they barged into the room, Riftan already had his sword drawn, ready to defend his wife and unborn child. He had positioned himself slightly behind her chair shielding her from a potential attack from behind while his men gathered in front of her and the children. Though she looked relaxed he was still on edge. His shoulders and back were tense as he tightened his grip on his sword eager to cut down anything that tried to get close to her.

Maxi groaned and stretched lazily as she stirred from her nap. Her eyes fluttered open and she jumped slightly in her seat as she saw her children and half a dozen knights staring at her intently. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked quietly. “Has something happened?”

“Mom,” Victoria nearly shouted, “you said you were hurt so we ran to get help as fast as we could.” 

“What?” Maxi asked, rubbing her tired eyes as though trying to shake off the last of her sleep. 

Maxi cleared her throat with a small cough as everyone continued to stare at her as though she were made of glass. She glanced at her son with a questioning look hoping he would provide her some clarity. 

Andrew scrunched his brow and stepped forward as he slowly placed his hand on his mother’s knee. 

“You said you were being kicked,” Andrew said, his voice raising almost an octave out of worry for his mother. “Victoria and I couldn’t see or find the threat and we didn’t know what else to do so we ran and got Dad. We knew he’d be able to protect you from this ghost!” 

The room once again filled with tense silence. 

Maxi pursed her lips and covered her mouth with her hand but could not stop a giggle from tumbling out of her lips. 

Upon seeing the concern and worry remain in her children’s eyes, she quickly composed herself. She reached out a hand for each of them to take. Victoria and Andrew eagerly reached up and clasped her hands. 

“My loves,” she said warmly. “You rushed out in a panic and did not allow me to fully explain.”

Riftan looked over his shoulder at her with the same confused curiosity as the children.

Maxi looked over at her husband and offered him a small reassuring smile before returning her gaze to her children. 

“When I said they’re kicking,” she said with a grin, “I meant the baby, not a ghost. The surprised look on my face was not out of fear or confusion but joy and excitement.”

“But as we left we heard you cry out.” Victoria said, blinking rapidly to hold back more tears. 

Maxi squeezed her daughter’s hand reassuringly. 

“Sometimes it does hurt a little but it is completely normal.” Maxi said. “Carrying a baby is not easy. It is a wonderful blessing but it can come with aches and pains sometimes but that’s alright. Kicks mean the baby is growing strong.”

She squeezed their hands once more to reassure them. 

“They will need to be strong in order to keep up with the two of you,” she added lightheartedly, hoping to bring a smile to their faces. 

The children stared at her, then glanced at each other and then back at her. Relieved smiles broke out on their sweet faces as they lunged forward to embrace their mother as best they could around her large stomach. 

Maxi was too big to lean forward and embrace them so she rubbed their backs. She whispered her thanks for looking out for her and their little brother or sister. 

The sound of armor clanking slightly, told Maxi that her husband now stood behind her. He walked up beside her chair and kneeled next to her. After removing his gauntlet, he placed his left hand on Maxi’s stomach. 

Maxi jumped slightly as the baby kicked in response. Maxi couldn’t help but laugh. Victoria had been the same way when Maxi was carrying her, attuned to her father’s presence and touch. It seemed the next addition to their little family was no different. 

She winced as the baby kicked harder this time. A small whimper tumbled from her lips.

“Shhhh,” Riftan soothed as he gently rubbed her belly trying to calm their baby. 

Remarkably the baby seemed to relax which baffled the men and children. Maxi however looked amused but also annoyed.

“How is it that I’m carrying them but they only listen to you?!” she whined with a fake bitter tone. 

Riftan smirked at his wife before he leaned over close to her ear. He spoke too quietly for the children or the men to hear. Whatever he said was not meant for them to hear as Maxi nearly squealed and blushed a deep shade of red before trying and failing to shove him away.

Her embarrassment seemed to break the last of the tension that had suffocated the room moments ago. 

“We are glad to see it was simply a misunderstanding, my Lady.” Elliot said politely.

“Yes,” Garrow added, “the children gave us quite a fright.”

The knights looked at the children who shrunk back. They had understandably overreacted which had led to near panic. 

“Sorry,” they mumbled, heads bowed. 

Maxi reached out and ruffled her son’s dark hair while Riftan pulled Victoria into a reassuring hug. 

“Even though I wasn’t hurt, thank you for looking out for me and the baby,” Maxi said proudly. “You did exactly what you’re supposed to do when you don’t know how to handle a situation, you went and found your dad.” 

The children beamed happily at their parents before embracing them. 

The rest of the Remdragon knights filed out of the room to give the family some time alone. Maxi could have sworn she heard the sound of money exchanging hands on the other side of the door. No doubt they were placing more bets on the gender of the next member of her family. 

She didn’t pay them any mind. Let them have their fun. Boy or girl, all she cared about was the health of her precious child. She gave a silent prayer of thanks and placed her hand on her stomach. She couldn’t help the wide grin spreading across her face as she imagined what amazing adventures they would have together as a family. Based on their strong kicks, the baby was just as excited to get here. 

‘Not much longer,’ she thought. ‘We love you already and we can’t wait to meet you.’

Chapter Text

Today should have been a very happy day. For the most part, it was. It was the first day of the winter festival celebrating the end of harvest season and beginning of the holiday celebrations. Vendors from far and wide traveled to Anatol to sell their goods or trinkets. The city streets were packed and full of excitement for the young Calypse children. 

Andrew and Victoria stayed close to their mother as they wandered among the large crowds. Andrew quietly observed the chaotic hustle and bustle around them while Victoria squealed loudly at anything and everything that caught her eye, especially if it was shiny. 

Riftan and the knights weren’t far behind, close enough to protect them if necessary but far enough that the children felt free to wander a bit. 

They came across a stall where someone sold small animals as pets. Victoria quickly became fascinated by a fluffy rabbit. There was no doubt if she batted her lashes enough at her father, that rabbit would be coming home with them. Riftan and the knights had been held up around the corner, breaking up a small squabble that had broken out between some rival vendors. 

Suddenly the cage holding the rabbit sprang open and the rabbit got out. The small creature lept from the cage and raced down a nearby alleyway. The children chased after it and Maxi quickly followed after her children. Riftan would have scolded her for engaging in such rigorous activities but someone had to keep an eye on the kids. Increasing her pace to keep up with her children wouldn’t harm the baby, in fact it felt good to get some exercise. Truthfully, she had an uneasy feeling about the whole thing. After all, once the rabbit was free, why didn't it run into the open courtyard? Why did it choose a cramped, dark alley? She should have alerted her husband that the children had run off; though she was sure that within a minute or two he would come looking for them once he realized they had vanished. 

The children pursued the rabbit down a maze of back alleys. 

“Victoria! Andrew!” Maxi shouted. She pushed herself faster as she raced to catch up with them, though she was slightly slower these days due to her large baby bump. The children rounded the corner in front of her out of sight.

When she came around the corner she would have screamed at the sight before her if someone hadn’t clamped their hand over her mouth, silencing her. Each of her children were on their knees, frozen in fear as they each had a large blade held against their throats. The man behind her quickly tied her wrists with a special binding that made her want to crawl out of her own skin. As soon as it touched her wrist its enhanced properties clamped down on her mana, cutting her off from her ability to protect herself with magic. Maxi flinched as she felt cold steel press against her throat. 

“Nice to finally meet you, my Lady,” a slimy voice drawled so close to her ear she couldn’t help but cringe. He had used her proper title but his mocking tone revealed that he held no respect for the Calypse family. She scrunched her nose and tried to restrain herself from gagging as the man likely hadn’t bathed in over a week and reeked. 

“You have a debt to pay.” the man sneered bitterly as he slowly removed his hand which had been clamped over her lips. She didn’t dare to scream knowing her children would pay the price for her outburst. “You see despite your husband’s best efforts to provide for the people of Anatol, helping those in need with generous charity, some people still fall through the cracks, people like me and my family.” 

“Last winter,” the man continued, “I lost my only daughter. She died in my arms, cold and hungry. And there was nothing I could do to help her.”

“I’m truly sorry for your loss,” Maxi said quietly, trying to hide her nerves and appear calm for her children’s sake. “I’m sorry that the charity centers were not able to provide your fami-“

“NOT ABLE?!” the man roared. “They refused because they have been stealing donations and lining their pockets! They don’t have the money to help others because they are keeping it for themselves!”

“Have you brought this up with-“

“Of course I did but they were paid off to keep silent!” The man was nearly spitting due to the intensity of his rage. “This corruption and treachery runs deeper than either of us can fathom. And because of that, because you have been so blissfully unaware of what is happening to the people right in front of you, my child is dead.”

Victoria let out a sharp screech as the large man pinning her down yanked her hair when she squirmed in his grasp. Andrew tried to protest but was struck across the face and Maxi cried out in worry. Seeing her brother hurt enraged Victoria and she began to scream and kick with all her might. The child’s captor quickly gagged her to shut her up and avoid drawing unwanted attention. 

“I understand that you are rightfully furious with the system that failed you,” Maxi said as gently as she could behind her seething rage. “And again, I am terribly sorry for your loss but my children are not to blame for this atrocity.”

“Please let us go and we will go straight to my husband and will address this immediately.” her voice became more desperate as each word tumbled from her lips. “While we will never be able to ever amend the pain you have suffered, and continue to suffer, help me ensure that she will be the last child who is lost due to such malicious greedious actions. I cannot help make that happen if you don’t let us go.”

“I have nothing left,” the man muttered so quietly Maxi had to strain to hear him. His voice sounded hollow and far away as though he were lost in his thoughts. “She was all I had left and now she’s gone. I don’t want to make things better, all I want now is to see you suffer the way I have.”

“But it’s not the fault of my children!” Maxi begged, “They are innocent. Please let them go!” 

“My child didn’t get a second chance when she was failed by the cruelty of this world,” he bellowed. “Why should your children be any different!?”

“And before you threaten me claiming your brute of a husband will tear me limb from limb for laying a hand on your little angels,” he sneered. “I’m afraid the knights are a bit busy at the moment. The strangest occurrences are happening in the market as we speak. As soon as they end a fight between vendors, another quickly breaks out, how convenient.” 

Maxi tensed. Her mind raced, the fights in the market, even releasing the rabbit, had been a part of their plan to separate her family and keep them that way. He had her restrained and her children in his clutches. It would take nothing short of a miracle to escape this ordeal unscathed. Her eyes watered at the sight of her children still pinned down before her, unable to help them. 

“Don’t look so distraught my Lady,” the man cooed mockingly as he briefly removed the dagger from her throat to point towards her children. Maxi caught a brief glimpse of the man’s face, though she wished she hadn’t. His eyes looked hollow, empty and cold. A madman was holding her captive. There would be no reasoning, no bargaining, no hope. “After all you have more than two choices.”

“What?” Maxi asked blankly, not comprehending his words. 

He tightened his already painful grip on her shoulders as he pivoted her body to the left, towards Andrew. The boy, despite the danger, tried to put on a brave face for his mother and sister. But his eyes, his eyes showed just how terrified he truly was, nearly watering at the thought of never seeing his family again. 

“Your son,” the vile man sneered. 

The man shifted Maxi in his grasp again, now facing little Victoria who continued to cry through her gag. She continuously wiggled in the arms of her captor, trying desperately to get away. Her child’s tear stained cheeks tore painfully at Maximilian’s heart. 

“Your daughter,” her captor spat annoyed at how much of a handful the girl had been.

“Or,” the man began as he lowered his hand. Maxi gasped so harshly as she realized what came next that her breath caught in her throat causing her to cough harshly. The heartless man that held her now pointed his cold dagger at her large baby bump. He didn’t need to explain the third part of her choice. Carve out the life growing inside of her, probably killing her in the process. Leaving her children and her husband alone to mourn.

She released a shaky breath as she suddenly felt dizzy, almost faint from the stress of their dire circumstances. 

“We are also running out of time, Maximilian,” the man threatened with a sickening joy in his tone. “Your wretched husband and his men will be here soon in a failed attempt to save you.”

The man suddenly tightened his grip on her, his crusty fingernails digging into the small bit of exposed skin just above the neckline of her dress. Maxi didn’t flinch or even react to the pain, she was numb from what this horrid man was making her do. 

“If you don't choose soon,” he warned darkly, “we’ll simply kill you and your children and leave your bodies to be found long after we’ve vanished from the alley.” 

Her captor released a psychotic and gleeful laugh.

“How much would it break him to lose all four of you in the same day all because you couldn’t make a choice,” he said coldly with a wild unhinged grin on his face. 

Maxi writhed in his arms, eyes shut tight trying to wake herself from this hellish nightmare. This couldn’t be happening. She thought of Riftan and how broken he had been when they had reunited after her years of study at the World Tower, how cold and shut off he was. She never doubted her husband’s almost inhuman strength of will but even she doubted that he would survive losing his entire family. 

The faint clanking of heavy armor could be heard in the distance. The Remdragon Knights were close, but not close enough. Maxi choked out a sob at the thought of the soul shattering devastation on her husband’s face when he arrived too late.  

“Time’s up.” 

TO BE CONTINUED…

Chapter Text

Maxi groaned tiredly as she awoke in her large, empty bed. Rudis, who had been quietly stoking the fire, rushed out of the room. A few moments later Riftan appeared. He swiftly made his way over to her side of the bed and carefully sat on the edge of the bed.

Maxi sat up as she tried to recall the last thing she could remember about her attack. Surely it hadn’t all been a dream. 

“The children are safe, shaken up but otherwise alright,” Riftan said in an unusually quiet voice as he placed his hand on her large belly. “The maester said the baby is fine.”

Maxi couldn’t help but flinch slightly. So it wasn’t just some terrible nightmare. A mad man sought justice for the death of his daughter by threatening the lives of her family. 

“I need to see them,” Maxi said quietly, almost pleading. 

Riftan gave his wife a small understanding nod before lifting her into his arms. Maxi didn’t protest, she knew Riftan wanted to hold her close just as much as she wanted to be held, to know this was real. 

The children slept soundly in their beds and Maxi gave a silent prayer of thanks that they appeared to be having pleasant dreams. Once she had seen with her own eyes that her children were alright, she and her husband returned to their room. 

“How did we…” she trailed off trying to recall the last thing that happened as Riftan sat her down on the edge of their large bed before sitting beside her. 

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Riftan asked as he gently tucked a lock of her curls behind Maxi’s ear.

“He told me to choose which of our children wouldn’t be coming home and would die by their hand,” she choked out. She shuddered and Riftan pulled her into a fierce hug. She sobbed as the reality of what happened finally came crashing down on her. She could have lost everything and just the thought of that nearly broke her. Eventually her sobbs subsided and she collected herself as best she could. 

“I shut my eyes trying to wake from what had to be a horrible nightmare,” she spoke barely above a whisper as though fearing speaking it any louder would make it more real. “The last thing I remember is that vile man tightening his grip on my throat while the children screamed in terror. And then…then there was nothing, a slight ringing sound but nothing after.”  

By the end of her recollection she was crying again. Riftan held her close as she wept, as the reality of what had happened to them came crashing down on her.

“The men who had captured you were already on the ground when we finally caught up with you in the alley. We were already headed towards you when there was a blinding burst of pure energy exploding from the alleyway. When we arrived the children were already beside you. They were leaning over you, holding you as though they were trying to shield you from further harm.” Riftan’s voice cracked as he recalled the memory. “It was the children who stopped the attack. Your bindings restricted your magic but your attackers did not think to try to dampen the children’s abilities, which they were unaware of. Magic is more powerful when triggered by strong emotions and in such a dire life critical circumstance the children unleashed their mana to save you and each other.”

Maxi remained quiet, trying to remember anything else about the attack but she couldn’t so she continued to listen patiently. 

“The impact of the release of their mana to protect themselves was a little too strong. They lost control and in trying to protect you by throwing back your captors, you were thrown back as well and hit your head and fell unconscious. When we arrived, the men who had restrained the children were badly hurt and out cold. They are currently awaiting a trial and corporal punishment. The children were beyond exhausted, having used most of their mana but they sat with you all the way home and only left your side so that the maester could check them for injuries.”

“And the other man?” Maxi asked quietly. 

Riftan looked troubled as though he still wasn’t sure what to make of the encounter. 

“He was dazed but still conscious and angry. He wouldn’t stop shouting and screaming about how we killed his daughter. It took two knights just to hold him down as he began flailing and acting irrationally. They were able to restrain him and we brought you straight home. The children were healed for their minor injuries and the maester said they will be fine. He said you needed lots of rest and so the staff and I took turns so that one of us would be here when you woke up.” 

The room became silent once more with the occasional exception of the crackle of the small fire warming the room. 

“What is it?” Maxi asked curiously. Her husband's brows were slightly scrunched and his eyes looked far away which told her he had more to say but he wasn’t sure if he should. 

“I don’t wish to overwhelm you,” Riftan said, trying to gauge how tired she was even though she had just woken up. 

“Tell me,” she said encouragingly. She placed her hands on his as she sat up a bit more, knowing full well that she would not be able to fall asleep again anytime soon. 

“The children told me that your attacker believed that he was turned away from the charity centers due to greed and corruption. We investigated and questioned all levels of the organization and found nothing.”

“Why would they tell the truth and risk being caught in such a scandal?” Maxi countered. 

“Maxi,” Riftan said gently, “we checked with the medical ward. His daughter didn’t die of starvation, she died of typhus. According to the healers, despite their best efforts the disease had spread beyond their ability to help.” 

“Then why did he say that we were to blame?” she asked. 

“The same reason he thought the charity center was to blame for the loss of his child,” Riftan said solemnly. “The man had gone mad with grief. In his mourning he created an elaborate story to help himself cope with the loss of his child and was so convinced by it that he was able to sway others into believing it as well.”

Maxi released a shaky breath. She had felt an overwhelming amount of emotions during her encounter with that man in the alley. Fear, anger, and empathy had been the most prominent. Having heard what actually happened, she still felt angry that her family had been targeted but now she mostly felt sorrow and even pity. If she had experienced the same loss, with no family left, losing the only child you have would drive just about anyone mad. 

“Where is he now?” she asked.

“He’s in a holding cell. He was starving and is unfit for travel but once he is, he will be transferred to an institution that can hopefully provide him with the help he needs to process his grief. For his own safety and the safety of others, he doesn’t need to be an active part of society. He will likely never regain enough of his sanity to stand trial for his crimes but at least he won’t be able to hurt himself or anyone else.” 

Maxi slowly nodded. She leaned against Riftan who slowly scooped her up in his arms before placing her in his lap. He held her close, reassuring her as well as himself that she was safe. 

Part of her still wanted her revenge for threatening her children but a deeper maternal part of her understood that this man could not suffer more than he already has. He has lost his family and his sanity. Perhaps he acted with such violence because he yearned for death, for a blissful release, but did not want to damn his soul by claiming his own life. He would spend the rest of his days apart from society, slowly waiting for the day that his suffering would end, and that was punishment enough. 

No doubt it would take a while for her family to move on from this attack. She would have nightmares, they all would. She dreaded the long nights ahead but she was grateful that they were safe. The nightmares would pass, eventually. They always did. As long as she had her family, for them to support her as she supported them, then everything would be alright in the end.  

Chapter Text

It’s their fault she’s gone. 

It’s their fault she suffered. 

It’s their fault I’m alone. 

The same three phrases had repeated in Grayson’s head over and over for hours, maybe days, he wasn’t sure. He did not know how long he had been in this strange prison. An asylum, one of the maester’s had called it in passing. It was the most uncomfortable experience he had ever had. Someone was always watching. When he woke, when he ate, and when he slept. Hell, he was fairly certain they monitored him while he bathed. The guards claimed it was to make sure he didn’t hurt himself or others. Even when he could not see that someone was watching him, he could feel them. 

The maesters, the counseling, the scheduled excerise, it was supposed to help. But it wasn’t. His isolation only made it worse. There were those who were always there, watching, but they did not care to speak to him or perhaps it was simply not allowed. When they did speak, he could hear the condemnation tucked beneath their cold instructions. His room was bleak. There was a small bed, if you could call it that. It was a mattress on the floor, as a bedframed was deemed too dangerous. It was more comfortable than the heap of rubbish he had slept on while living on the streets when his life fell apart but now he couldn’t sleep at all. Four pale walls surrounded him and a small narrow window high above to allow in a sliver of sunlight, not even enough to provide warmth or hope. He asked for someone to be assigned to share his room but the priestesses in charge said that due to his violent tendencies he would remain in isolation. 

Where had it all gone wrong? He had the perfect plan and it should have worked. He had accounted for everything, well, almost everything. He knew that in order to succeed he had to dampen the Lady’s powers. Even heavily pregnant, he knew she would fight like hell for her children as any parent would. So he had found an underground dealer and acquired the necessary tools to keep her restrained. But the children, their power, never in a dozen lifetimes would he have expected power like that at such a young age. 

…

In an instant everything had gone utterly and horribly wrong.

He had the Lady and her children restrained and had been generous enough to offer her a choice. Who would live and who would pay for the death of his beloved daughter, Isabella. 

Lady Maximilian trembled in his arms, out of fear for the lives of her children and the life of the baby in her womb. He tried not to look at the young Calypse girl because she reminded him too much of his own daughter. She was fiesty and headstrong just like his little girl had been. Instead he focused on the boy, full of so much rage, and fiercely protective of his sister. 

Maximilian shifted in his arms, a feeble attempt to escape. Grayson tightened his grip on her arm and pressed the small blade closer to her belly. He looked at her, her eyes shut tight, and lower lip trembling. 

He was about to make the choice for her when a shout dragged his attention away from her. He looked back at the men who were supposed to be restraining the children only to find them both standing a few paces back holding their arms as though in pain. 

“Why did you let go, you fools!” Grayson shouted furiously. 

At first, neither man offered a reply, as though they were in shock, still trying to figure out exactly what had occurred. One of the men, Matthew, who had held Andrew, cleared his throat but moved no closer to the children. 

“They, um,” Matthew muttered, almost timidly, “they overheated?” 

He said this more like a question than a statement, as though he still couldn’t decide how to explain what had happened.

It was then that Grayson looked back at the children. They stood still as stone, eyes shut, concentrating. The longer he looked the more he realized they were…glowing? No, not the children themselves, but the air around them. The air buzzed, almost crackling with energy as the light grew bigger and brighter by the second.

“Don’t you touch her!” they screamed.

Without warning the light around them brightened to the point of blinding the eyes of anyone who tried to look for too long. And then with a loud, pained shout, the children released their mana showering the alleyway with unyielding light. 

Grayson heard someone scream, whether it was his own voice or someone else, he couldn’t tell. He had never heard the sound of dragon fire destroying everything in its wake but he imagined this is probably what it sounded like. This kind of wild destruction that left your ears ringing for days. 

His back collided with the large crates stacked on the right side of the alley as he was thrown through the air. He felt something slam into him and he tried to shove it off fearing he would be crushed. When the light faded he saw Maximilian laying on the ground in front of him. The shallow but steady rise and fall of her chest told him she was still alive. She must have been what crashed into him during the explosion. The lady must have hit her head after he shoved her as she appeared to be unconscious. 

He watched as though in a daze as the children ran forward dropping to the ground by her side. They were shouting something at her but his ears were still ringing too badly to hear them. The children looked dazed and utterly exhausted and soon they lay fast asleep from mana depletion. 

As the ringing in his ears finally began to fade he took a moment and looked around as he lay in the shards of wood that had shattered behind him. He saw that their mana destroyed everything in its path, with dark scortch marks stretching more than halfway down the alleyway. 

Grayson released an uneasy breath. He tried to shift his weight to roll onto his side, all in vain. The clanking of armor grew closer, louder and louder as the seconds passed by. 

He glanced at the men who had helped him attempt to take his revenge. They hadn’t moved since the explosion and there was a slight odor wafting from their direction, a horrid stench of burned flesh. They had been closest to the explosion. For the briefest of moments he took pity on them. Despite having lost his faith years ago, he prayed they weren’t dead, not for his sake or for the sake of the mission but for the sake of the children. It was an accident. They were trying to protect each other as well as their mother but he was certain they didn’t intend to take the lives of others. They were far too young to carry that burden. 

Loud urgent shouts drew him out of his thoughts. Several angry male voices echoed through the alleyway as the Remdragon knights arrived. Grayson’s eyes grew wide and his body twitched trying to move away as he gazed upon the man leading the knights. 

Death itself didn’t scare him but the look on the Commander’s face certainly did. The Lord of Anatol was an imposing figure but what truly frightened Grayson was the cruel truth that he recognized that same anger and rage in himself. The unbridled fury he had felt when the world turned its back on his daughter. He knew that feeling of bloodlust all too well and he saw it now burning in the Commander’s eyes. 

The Lord looked as dangerous as the monsters he had sworn to destroy. It was all a lie of course. An act. The Lord and Lady don’t give a shit about their people, if they did then Isabella would still be alive. 

Grayson watched as Riftan’s eyes drifted from his children to his wife’s still form, laying sprawled out on the ground. Color drained from his face as he briefly stopped in his tracks. He stood there for half a moment, his chest heaving as though what he saw before him made it impossible to breathe. 

Grayson had just enough time to blink before the Commander was towering over him. The man before him appeared more than willing to burn down hell for his family, to slowly destroy anyone who harmed them or even intended harm towards them. Grayson understood that blinding rage all too well. 

Riftan swiftly lifted Grayson off the ground by the edge of his tattered shirt collar, his arms visibly shaking with rage. If Grayson had a sliver of sanity left, he would have flinched but he didn’t. He even smiled, the wild proud smile of a madman. 

“You will beg for death for hurting my family.” Riftan seethed. 

Grayson tilted his head back and laughed, a deep belly laugh. After a few moments he collected himself and stared back at the man whose eyes were nearly glowing with hate.

“I have been begging for death for some time now.” Grayson sighed pitifully. “It refused to allow me to join my daughter on the other side so, I realized I must have some purpose to fulfill in this world.”

Grayson attempted to plunge his dagger into Riftan’s throat but he missed, by a lot. It was a sloppy blow, easily dodged. 

Riftan didn’t appear fazed even in the slightest. 

“I will…” Riftan began.

“FATHER!” the children cried out. 

Riftan tore his gaze away from Grayson and looked over at his children who were now starting to sit up, awoken by the comotion. 

“Victoria! Andrew!” Riftan yelled, his voice a painful blend of relief, worry, and surprise. 

Riftan released Grayson who came crashing to the ground. The Commander raced forward, dropping his sword and crashing onto his knees next to his wife. He swiftly embraced his children who both clung to him, confused and exhausted. The children quickly hid behind their father, putting as much space between themselves and Grayson as they could. Riftan carefully, with a tenderness unbefitting of a man his size, brought his wife into his arms. Grayson watched with growing disgust as Riftan cradled Lady Maximilian, placing a protective hand over her large belly and gently rocking them both. 

“MAXI!” Riftan screamed with a pain that Grayson knew reached down to the very core of the man before him. The Commander shouted her name over and over hoping she could hear him. 

The longer Grayson stared the angrier he became. He couldn’t help remembering how he held his daughter in a very similar way, rocking her as she died in his arms, tears in both their eyes wanting more than anything to not be forced to say goodbye. He gripped the small blade he had held to the lady’s throat moments ago and willed himself to move. 

He staggered to his feet swaying slightly from the pounding in his head. 

“This is all your fault!” he bellowed, with an unjust rage rushing through his veins driving him forward. Riftan held Maxi tighter against him trying to shield as much of her body as he could with his own. 

“Don’t take another fucking step.” Riftan said quietly. He said it so calmly that Grayson actually paused before shaking his head violently and continuing to move forward. 

He was so focused on the family on the ground in front of him that he never saw the knights coming at him on his left. 

Two huge knights tackled him to the ground and pinned him down. 

Feeling so helpless and powerless like the day his little Bella died filled him with a fury like no other. 

Grayson shouted and faught back with all his might. He yelled so ferociously that spit flew from his mouth. He heard the knights curse as they struggled to hold him yet he could not escape their grasp. He managed to raise himself up enough to hold Riftan’s gaze. 

“It’s your fault! It’s your fault she’s dead! It’s all your fault!” He screamed at him over and over, ignoring the tears rolling down his cheeks as he writhed against the strength of the knights holding him. 

Riftan was certainly confused by the man’s accusations and wanted to know more but his main priority was ensuring his wife and children were alright. 

“Place him in a holding cell until we can investigate further.” Riftan ordered. “Gabel, Elliot, help me bring the children back to the castle. I need them to be seen by the maester immediately.”

Two knights rushed forward and quickly lifted the children into their arms and immediately departed. Riftan, carrying his wife in his arms, turned and began to follow them out.

“Kill me!!” Grayson cried as his voice cracked from overuse.  

“Not yet,” Riftan said in a chilling voice, without so much as a sideways glance in the madman’s direction, before he continued out of the alley.
…

It’s their fault she’s gone. 

It’s their fault she suffered. 

It’s their fault I’m alone. 

Grayson not only failed to avenge his daughter, he would likely die in this asylum before he ever had another chance to seek justice for her. 

It’s their fault she’s gone. 

It’s their fault she suffered. 

It’s their fault I’m alone.

Grayson wept quietly as he rocked himself back and forth in the corner of the room, occasionally bumping the back of his head against the cold stone wall. 

It’s their fault she’s gone. 

It’s their fault she suffered. 

It’s their fault I’m alone.

I failed you, my Isabella. I failed myself. I’m so sorry sweetheart. It’s…it’s my fault.

It’s my fault you’re gone. 

It’s my fault you suffered. 

It’s my fault I’m all alone. 

Chapter Text

Riftan and Maxi sat together by the warm dwindling fire in their chambers. 

Maxi worked on a small craft for the baby’s room and Riftan inspected his armor but was often distracted by the cats who sought his attention. 

It was a peaceful but chilly day and Maxi had asked that he stay inside and rest. Riftan of course couldn’t refuse her and had enjoyed a relaxing afternoon spending time with his wife, happily tending to her every need as she was heavy with child, due to arrive any day now. 

A small knock at the door broke the tranquil silence that had fallen over the room. 

Maxi smiled warmly knowing that the soft knocks could only be from two people, her son or her daughter. 

“Come in,” Maxi calls sweetly. 

The door opens slowly and their gazes drop to see a tiny figure step into the room. 

“Hello Victoria,” her mother said. “What have you been up to?”

“Andrew and I have been playing games in the garden.” the little girl said cheerily. “He’s still outside but I needed to come inside for a moment.” 

The girl stood a few paces away from her parents holding her hands behind her back, clearly hiding something. 

Maxi glanced over to Riftan who was gazing fondly at their daughter with pride. Proud of her curious and adventurous mind. Let her be curious and carefree for as long as she can. He had been forced to grow up quickly working in the smith shop and he wanted his children to cherish their childhoods, one he had never had. 

“Did you find anything interesting in the garden?” Riftan asked, watching the child shift from foot to foot with excitement. 

“I did!” Victoria squealed gleefully. 

She raced forward towards her mother and held out her little hand proudly. Maxi held out her hands to receive the small gift that her daughter had brought. 

Several small hard pebbles in a variety of hues of red and brown and gray fell into Maxi’s hands as her daughter let go of the items she had found. 

“They’re beautiful,” Maxi said as she smiled warmly at her daughter. “I’ll add it to my collection.”

Victoria squealed with glee. She was proud beyond words that her mother cherished each of the treasures she had brought to her. 

Riftan sat quietly, as he watched the precious moment unfold before him. He couldn’t help the quiet smile that slowly formed on his lips. 

Victoria had brought Maxi lots of treasures as of late. Last week she brought her mother a tiny handful of flowers, and the week before she brought her acorns from the oak tree.

She’s just like you Maxi. 

Riftan leaned back in his chair as he thought back to when Maxi was a young girl, lonely but content collecting different colored pebbles and stones as she wandered around the gardens of the Duke’s estate. He frowned as he relented how quickly that happy little girl became withdrawn due to her father’s cruelty that the rest of the world was left unaware of for many years. 

He was drawn out of his thoughts as he teetered on the edge of darker memories, by another happy yelp from his beloved child. 

Victoria quieted down when she felt her father’s eyes watching her intently. She turned and gave him a bright smile that could rival the very sun and stars. 

Riftan smiled back at her before clearing his throat.  

“And where’s my gift, sunflower?” Riftan asked teasingly. 

Victoria immediately bowed her head as she knew she was a deep shade of red. She adored when her father called her his sunflower. She had only recently gathered the courage to ask him why he called her that. He said it was because she was like the sun, bright and happy but also sweet like a flower, therefore he chose to call her his sunflower. 

“I um I just, I mean I was…” the young girl said bashfully, still staring down at the floor. She fell silent for a while, staring down at her boots deep in thought.

Suddenly her dark eyes flew up to meet his own. His daughter’s eyes sparkled with glee. Riftan simply tilted his head, curious as to what was racing through her mind. 

Victoria stepped forward timidly, taking small quiet steps before finally standing beside his chair. She reached up, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and pulled slightly, silently telling him to lean down. He did as she asked and leaned down so that their faces were level. She stepped closer and Riftan expected her to whisper her idea in his ear. 

“Close your eyes,” Victoria said innocently. 

A bit on an odd request but he nonetheless complied with her demand and shut his eyes. A moment later his eyes flew open, wide with surprise as his daughter had not in fact told him a secret. She had instead planted a tiny kiss on his cheek. Riftan brought his hand to his cheek where she had just kissed him. He looked down at his little girl. He was still a bit in shock, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. She had nothing to give him and yet she had found a way to give him the most precious gift. He smiled at her as he closed his eyes once more and pressed his hand more firmly against his cheek as though he were trying to push the gift she had given him further into himself so he could keep it safe. 

Victoria let out yet another happy squeal as she leaned forward to hug her father’s legs which was all she could reach as he was sitting down. Riftan hugged her back tenderly. 

“Thank you Victoria,” Riftan whispered, “I will treasure it always.” 

The pair hugged a moment longer before Victoria became restless with the relentless energy of a child and began to squirm in his arms. Riftan ruffled her curly locks before telling her to continue exploring with her brother. Victoria quickly rushed out the door to continue exploring. 

Riftan and Maxi continued to stare at the warm fire and a comfortable silence fell over the room once more. 

“Not that there’s any competition,” Maxi said cheekily, “but I do believe you got the better gift.”

Riftan simply chuckled to himself at her teasing but otherwise kept quiet. He thought about how similar his wife and daughter were. They were kind, selfless, beautiful, brave and could, at times, be more stubborn than mules. And they were his, his family, and he loved them more than anything in this world. 

——

About a week had passed since Victoria had given him his surprise gift. She was running late to lunch but with good reason. She had finally found the perfect gift for her father. 

She burst into the dining hall which was surprisingly quiet. The Remdragon knights had been dismissed and were already practicing in the training grounds. Her mother and father sat together and her brother was nowhere in sight, likely working on his sparring in the grounds with Uncle Heb and the other knights. 

Victoria raced over to her parent’s end of the table and stood next to her father. 

“Hold out your hand!” Victoria shouted, barely containing her excitement.

Riftan did as she asked and held out his hand for her. 

He felt something hard, smooth and cold land in his palm. When Victoria pulled her hand away she revealed a smooth white stone, slightly dirty having been recently pulled from the ground. Looking at the stone in her husband’s hand, it reminded Maxi of the white mana stone Ruth had given her when she started learning magic many years ago. 

Victoria nervously played with her hair while looking up at her father with anticipation. 

“Do you like it, Father?” Victoria asked, worry creeping into her voice as Riftan had remained silent. “I know Mother and Andrew and I have mana stones to help us channel our magic and I know you don’t use magic, at least, not in the way we do but…but I didn’t want you to feel left out so I looked all morning to find you the perfect stone, your own honorary mana stone.”

“I…I um,” Riftan was truly at a loss for words as his eyes shined with unshed tears of gratitude. His daughter had done her very best to ensure that he felt included. The young boy inside him who had been alone for many years rejoiced at this simple but thoughtful gift. 

“I love it, Victoria,” Riftan said fondly. “I will always keep it with me wherever I go, to remind that even if we may be far apart physically sometimes, I will hold you and your brother and you mother close to my heart and this stone will remind me that I am never alone.”

“Yayyy!” Victoria shouted happily, jumping up and down with excitement and pride before she leapt forward into her father’s embrace.

“You’ll never be alone again.” she muttered into his shirt as she hugged him, “We will always be with you Father.” 

Riftan and Victoria continued to embrace as the light snowfall began to drift down on the winter air outside. Maxi smiled at them as she began to quietly hum a sweet lullaby, gently caressing her large bump and pondered what other happy and exciting surprises the holidays might bring…

Chapter Text

Though it was bitter cold outside, the castle was warm and bright, bustling with activity as the staff not only prepared for the holiday season but also for the next addition to the Calypse family. Many of the knights had placed bets on whether it would be a boy or a girl. It was now two weeks before Christmas and Maxi was due any day now. Riftan wanted to insist that she rest more but Maxi wouldn’t dare miss their annual family Christmas traditions.

They baked Christmas cookies together, and thanks to the children, left quite a mess for the servants to deal with, though Andrew and Victoria at least tried to clean up after themselves. They helped decorate the Christmas tree in the Great Hall. Maxi unpacked the ornaments, often reminiscing over the many homemade ones created by the children. Her favorite was the little reindeer they had fashioned out of small twigs. Riftan would lift the children up to help them reach the perfect branch way up high to hang their ornaments. There was a heavy snowfall the night before and the children begged to go out and build a snowman before dark. 

Building a snowman quickly dissolved into a snowball war, full of joyous laughter, shrills, and shouts. Even some of the knights who were gathered near the training grounds joined in. 

Victoria and Andrew were able to land a few on their mother after giving up throwing them at the knights who were far too fast. 

“Mother isn’t very good at dodging the snowballs,” Victoria innocently pointed out, not intending to insult Maxi, simply making an observation.

Riftan waited for Maxi to respond, but grew concerned when she didn’t reply, in fact she appeared to be frozen in place as though she were rooted to the ground. 

“Maxi?” Riftan asked worriedly, hair rising on the back of his neck as each second of silence from his wife stretched on. 

He placed a loving hand on her shoulder which seemed to bring her back to reality as she jumped slightly at his touch as though her mind had kept her far away. 

When she turned to look at him, he saw shock, worry, and something he couldn’t quite place, behind her eyes.

“What is it?” Riftan asked, his voice tight with concern and barely audible even to his own ears. 

Maxi looked down and took a deep breath before holding Riftan’s gaze once more. She was beaming now with a warmth he’d only seen once before.

“It looks like Christmas came a bit early,” she said quietly, trying to keep the moment private for as long as she could. 

Riftan simply scrunched his brows and tilted his head slightly in utter confusion. 

Maxi gave a small huff of a sigh and pursed her lips, ultimately failing to hold back the bright smile that spread across her face. 

“The baby’s coming,” Maxi said gently. 

“Shit,” Riftan cursed out of shock and worry for his wife. 

“Shit,” Andrew swore as he started to panic, remembering how painful it had been for his mother to give birth to his sister. 

“Shit,” Victoria echoed happily, not knowing what she’s saying. A sharp look from her father and brother silently tell her that she shouldn’t say it again. 

Maxi was torn between laughing and crying at her current predicament. Here she stood in the snow utterly exhausted, now asked by fate or the gods whichever was to be believed, to undertake the most soul draining task to ever ask of a woman. 

She began to turn back towards the castle, eager to be in the warmth of her bedchambers, when she felt a large hand gently grab her arm. She remained silent, offering her husband a soft, tired smile as he lifted her into his arms and carried her back home. 

The delivery of Maximilian and Riftan’s third child was a bit of a whirlwind event. The servants and midwives moved quickly to prepare everything needed for the labor. No one dared suggest that Lord Calypse leave the room, remembering all too well his reaction when someone had done so during the birth of his daughter. 

Maxi screamed until her throat was sore and she squeezed Riftan’s hand with such force that she saw him wince. 

“One more big push my lady!” the midwife shouted encouragingly. 

“I-I can’t-t,” Maxi gasped, her face slick with sweat and a few of her curls stuck to her skin. 

“Yes, you can,” Riftan said quietly. “You are stronger than you realize. I know you can do this Maxi.” 

Despite her exhaustion, she beamed at her husband’s sweet words. 

She took a few short breaths and then put everything she had into this last push. 

The room went completely silent, holding its breath in anticipation. The silence was quickly broken by a small but sharp cry piercing the air. 

“It’s a boy!” the midwife exclaimed joyously.

The midwife and servants quickly cleaned up the baby and handed him to his mother. 

Tears of joy fell from her eyes as she held her son in her arms. She glanced over at her husband who had also shed a few tears and had a wide proud smile upon his face. He leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on the baby’s forehead and then did the same to his beloved wife. 

Maxi looked down at her son, bundled warmly in a soft blanket staring up at her with big dark brown eyes, just like his father and sister. But unlike his father, the boy had inherited her fiery red hair, a color she had once hated on herself but now she adored the dark shade of crimson curls atop her son’s head. He was unlike either of his siblings, who looked like mirror images of their parents. The boy had his father’s nose and his mother’s ears. Her freckles and Riftan’s smile. Her third born child was a beautiful blend of features inherited from his mother and father. 

“Hello, my sweet son.” Maxi cooed softly. 

After the couple spent a few moments bonding with their son, Maxi asked Rudis to help her change into a clean comfortable dress before bringing the children in. 

Their small feet pattered against the stone floor as they raced towards their parent’s bed. 

The children fell in love with their brother as quickly as their parents had. They took turns holding him and beamed proudly at their parents whenever their baby brother smiled at them. 

The knights, along with a few scribes present to document the birth, met the newest addition to the Calypse family a few hours later. 

“What’s his name, my lady?” Ulyseon asked politely.

“Hadrian,” Maxi said as a bright, proud smile stretched across her face.

One of the scribes had the audacity to scoff at her reply. 

“Is there a problem, Sir…?” Maxi trailed off, unfamiliar with the young scribe. The others standing in the room had quickly parted so she could see who dared laugh at her newborn son.

“Pardon me my Lady,” the scribe said, sounding anything but sincere as he continued to chuckle to himself, “it’s just that his name is so different from that of his siblings.”

“He has an old soul,” Maxi said plainly, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“He’s only two hours old,” the scribe muttered under his breath.

Maxi heard him and her loving blue eyes quickly became like ice as they settled on the scrawny man standing before her. 

The scribe nearly took a step back. The tiny woman before him had just given birth and yet there was no doubt in his mind that if he didn’t shut his mouth she would be his reckoning. 

“Forgive me my Lady, my Lord,” he said quickly, almost scared, “I was out of line.”

Behind her cold facade, Maxi desperately held back a cruel smile as she witnessed the man before her nearly start to sweat with nervousness as he began to realize the gravity and consequences of his unkept tongue. 

“You carried him for nine long months and have every right to choose whatever name you desire. I-I should never question a mother’s wisdom,” he added nervously as he clumsily dropped his writing utensils. He bowed his head, unable to continue holding her fierce gaze. 

“Get out,” Riftan snapped darkly. He had nearly interceded but his wife had held her own and nearly had the man cowering in a corner with just a look. Riftan knew that look all too well and suppressed a shudder at the mere memory of the intense fury in her typically bright and cheerful face. 

The young man tripped, thanks to Hebaron’s boot that had miraculously been placed in just the right spot, as he had turned and practically fled from the room. 

… 

Two weeks later the family gathered together by the Christmas tree as a light snowfall began just beyond the window. Maxi sang an old Roem lullaby to sooth her fussy newborn. It was the same song she had sung to Andrew and Victoria who soon began to sing along upon hearing the familiar tune. 

“Merry Christmas Maxi,” Riftan said as his wife finished the song as he embraced her from the side. 

“Merry Christmas Riftan,” Maxi replied as she leaned against him. 

“Merry Christmas Victoria,” Andrew said happily.

“Merry Christmas Andrew,” Victoria echoed cheerily. 

“And a Merry Christmas to you too,” Maxi said sweetly looking down at the precious baby in her arms, “Hadrian Roem Calypse.” 

Chapter Text

The last of the winter's chill had passed and spring was on its way, which meant the season for hunting monsters was also fast approaching. 

The Remdragon Knights of Anatol were busy preparing their provisions and gear for the time they would spend out in the wild, destroying any beast that posed a potential threat to their land. The knights were eager to begin the hunt, having spent so much of the cold harsh winter indoors. The training grounds where they had gathered were loud and chaotic as it usually is when preparing for a raid. 

Victoria could feel the excitement though she didn't understand what the commotion was all about. She wandered into the grounds, having snuck away from her mother and brother, after her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She carefully avoided the large hooves of the horses and the massive carts that rolled by with supplies, as she crept closer to the knights gathered around a small table. 

"It should take less than two weeks," Riftan said, her father's deep voice easily heard over the hustle and bustle of the yard. "Try not to be too reckless and we'll be home in no more than seven days."

As he said this he looked directly at Sir Hebaron Nirta who was one of the only knights with the nerve to scoff at the Commander's remark. 

Victoria crept closer and gave a small tug on the hem of her father's cloak. 

Riftan turned around and was rather surprised to see his young daughter standing behind him all by herself. 

"Hello Victoria," Riftan said warmly as he gave her a small smile. "What are you doing out here? Where are your mother and brother?" 

"I snuck away because I wanted to know what you were up to." Victoria said cheerily. "Are we going somewhere, Father?" 

Hebaron practically barked out a laugh at her statement. 

"Perhaps you will join us some day, my lady," Hebaron teased, knowing full well Riftan would rather face another dragon, before allowing his precious daughter on a dangerous monster raid. "We are preparing for the first monster hunt of the season, which is far too dangerous for you I'm afraid."

"Why is it dangerous?" she asked, trying to understand. 

"Monsters are very dangerous, Lady Victoria," Hebaron said with a very serious look on his face. She was too young to hear that based on the tone of his voice that he was teasing slightly. "Even highly trained knights such as myself have to be very careful on monster hunts. Trolls are vicious creatures that can attack at any moment. It's a perilous task and-"

He paused for dramatic effect, as the small child looked up at him wide eyed, hanging on his every word.

"And what?!" She asked as she nervously grabbed the outer layer of her dress in tight fists. 

Hebaron knelt down in front of her as Riftan turned to walk away rather annoyed with the knight's dramatics. 

"And some of us might not come back!" Hebaron nearly whispered to her as he made a pained face and clutched at his heart, as though to show her the pain of an injury inflicted by those horrid creatures. 

Victoria gasped and whirled around desperately looking for her father. He was walking towards the stables to check on Talon and she ran after him. 

"Nooo!" she wailed as she latched herself onto his leg hoping to weigh him down, "You can't go! I won't let you! You can't die, Father!" 

Riftan froze and slowly looked down at his small child who had thrown herself at him. She looked up at him, her dark eyes glossy with unshed tears. He quickly knelt down and embraced her and she clung to him never wanting to let go. 

"I'll be alright Victoria," Riftan said calmly, "Who told you I was going to die?" 

"Uncle H-Hebaron said-d," she choked out, failing to hold back her sobs, "y-you might not c-come back!"

"He's just trying to scare you," Riftan said with a sigh, as he glared at the red headed knight who would pay dearly for frightening his daughter. "You must understand that I-"

Suddenly there was a large crash on the other side of the yard. Riftan's brows scrunched in annoyance. He gently removed his daughter's vice grip from his cloak and smoothed out her dress, since she had run so fast to chase him down.

"I'm sorry Victoria," Riftan said, "but I have to attend to the rest of my men. Your mother will be able to finish explaining." 

With that he turned on his heels and walked away. Normally he would drop all responsibilities when it came to his family, but the knights couldn't delay. The longer they waited, the more the monsters could gather and the larger the threat it would pose to his family and his land. And their safety came first above all else. 

...

Maxi and Andrew found Victoria later that afternoon in the gardens, still crying.

"What's wrong Victoria?" Andrew asked worriedly. 

"I'm worried Father will die!" Victoria cried as she ran towards their mother. Maxi immediately knelt to embrace and hold her daughter close. 

"What?! What are you talking about?" Andrew asked, now utterly confused. 

"Father is going on a dangerous monster hunt and won't come back," the young Calypse wept as her tears dampened her mother's dress.

Andrew would have laughed at the absurd idea, if he wasn't concerned at how genuinely upset it had made his little sister. As much as they teased one another and sometimes fought, he hated to see her cry. He stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

"Father is the bravest strongest knight on the continent," Andrew said. "He defeated a dragon, so a few old trolls will be an easy triumph." 

"But why does he have to go?" Victoria argued. "Why can't he stay home and have the other knights go in his place?"

Maxi reached down and wiped away her daughter's tears. She raised Victoria's chin so she could look her in the eye. 

"He cannot ask them to do something he is not willing to do himself." Maxi said in a grim but sweet tone. "He only delegates more serious expeditions, such as dividing the knights, when sending reinforcements for war. A simple hunt, while dangerous, is not as deadly as Sir Hebaron says."

"Exactly," Andrew agrees, "like remember the time he told us that unless we left a candle lit all night the monsters hiding under our beds would steal us away? We stayed awake for two days keeping the candles lit, but it turned out he was just messing with us, trying to scare us."

A small smile formed on Victoria's lips, and a slight blush graced her cheeks as she remembered how silly she felt when she discovered the tall tale wasn't true. She held back a shudder when she also remembered how furious her father had been with Uncle Hebaron for scaring them. 

"You see?" Maxi said reassuringly. "There's nothing to fear. Your Father is very brave and strong. And nothing will stop him from coming home to us." 

Victoria nodded and hugged her mother once more, but deep down her worry remained, leaving a heavy uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her mother and brother had said not to worry, so she knew she shouldn't but still that cold fear would not go away.

...

As the sunrise tore across the sky the Remdragon Knights departed from Anatol. The sooner they departed the sooner they could return. If Riftan were being truthful he also knew that Victoria was still fast asleep in her bed, and would not protest their departure. He knew that he could not bring himself to leave if he saw her cry for him. 

When Victoria awoke, she was heartbroken to hear from one of the maidservants who assisted her with dressing, that her father had already departed for the hunt. She did her best to hold in her sobbs until the maids had left the room. Once the servants had departed she burst into tears and flung herself onto her bed. She reached for her beloved stuffed animal, the one with a pink ribbon, and held it in a death grip as her tears spilled onto its soft fur.

Before leaving her room she grabbed a doll her father had given her for her last birthday. It was her favorite because, the doll's blue dress matched a blue dress she had herself so she could match with her doll if she liked. 

Victoria rushed through the halls of the castle and ran until she reached the front door. She wasn't strong enough to open the massive door. There was no one nearby to assist her so she sat herself on the floor behind the door, but not so close that if the door opened it would hit her. She smoothed out her dress, gently placed her doll in her lap, and waited expectantly. 

She waited and she waited and she waited some more. She counted the tiles on the floor to pass the time, then she made, unmade, and remade the bows adorning her dress, then she had an imaginary tea party with her doll. The day stretched on and still her father did not return. Victoria's stomach grumbled and she was about to give up for the time being and find some lunch to eat when, she saw the handle of the door slowly begin to turn. 

She sat up straight and hugged her doll close with joyful anticipation. A broad smile stretched across her face as the door swung open, as she hoped to see her father standing on the other side. She imagined for a moment the surprise and then the joy on his face upon seeing her waiting for him. He would drop to his knees, open his arms to her and she would run into his embrace. He'd kiss her forehead and hold her close. He would apologize for leaving, ask her to forgive him, and promise to never ever leave her again. That lovely fantasy was shattered when her gaze lowered slightly to see a stout middle aged man carrying a large heavy sack over his shoulder. 

The man looked rather surprised to see the young lady sitting on the floor waiting for someone. He stood in the doorway for a moment swaying with the weight of his heavy sack, hoping she would move.

"Pardon me, my lady," the man said politely, "but I need to get by to deliver these potatoes to the chef in the kitchens." 

Victoria's mouth twisted into a mixture of a pout and frown but she got up and moved out of his way. As soon as the man had passed her she immediately returned to her spot on the floor. 

"May I ask who you are waiting for?" the man asked.

"My father," she said plainly. "He'll be back soon." 

"Oh, alright then," the man said as utter confusion laced his tone, "Well, good day, my lady."

And with that the man turned and walked further into the castle to complete his task. Victoria watched the man until he was out of sight, and then turned with a tired sigh and once again faced the massive door.

And she waited and waited and waited some more.

...

Maxi approached the front door of the castle and looked down to see her daughter sitting motionless as she stared intently at the front door. Maxi frowned, concerned at how scared her daughter was for her father. While it was sweet that Victoria was worried for Riftan, it did not need to consume her every waking thought for the whole week. 

"Will you help me in the kitchens, Victoria?" Maxi asked her daughter who had refused to move from her spot in front of the door for the entire morning. "We need to start preparing the pot roast. Your father will be home soon, and we should have his favorite meal waiting for him. He and the knights will be quite hungry when they return." 

"How soon?" the child asked, looking over her shoulder at her mother. 

"Very soon." Maxi said warmly as she held out a hand to her stubborn child. "Come, your brother has already gotten a head start I'm afraid, but with your help I think we can prepare faster than he can."

Maxi smiled as she watched the competitive spirit in her daughter ignite as her eyes lit up. Victoria scrambled to her feet, still clutching her doll. She grabbed her mother's hand and practically dragged Maxi towards the kitchens. 

"Come on Mother!" Victoria insisted, "We're already behind."

Together Maxi, her children, and the chefs peeled potatoes, diced carrots, and mixed spices. The chefs said they would begin preparing the meat and fresh vegetables closer to the Lord's arrival. They helped prepare rolls of bread, sauces, and a few desserts. 

The following day Maxi kept the children busy with a variety of enjoyable crafts including painting, drawing, and coloring. 

The week flew by in a blur and soon the trumpets blared announcing the return of Lord Calypse. The children raced ahead of their mother down the stairs and out into the courtyard. They yelled with joy and excitement upon seeing their father leading the knights into the castle grounds. Riftan dismounted and quickly made his way over to his family. Andrew and Victoria leapt into his arms and he held them tightly as they embraced him. Her mother approached. As her father leaned down and kissed her mother tenderly, Victoria looked over her father's armor intently. She searched for any sign of injury and was overjoyed that she found none. 

She was happy that he was home safe and sound, but her heart trembled with the fear of all the terrible things that could have happened to him. That fear overwhelmed her and she began to cry. Riftan, Andrew, and Maxi looked at her bewildered. 

"What's wrong, Sunflower?" Riftan asked softly, as he gently wiped away the tears that continued to spill from her eyes. 

"I'm glad you're okay," she cried. "But please Father, promise me you will never do that again!" 

"Sweetheart," Riftan said, his voice gentle yet firm, "the knights and I have to hunt monsters to keep you safe. If we don't hunt them their numbers will grow and they would be too strong for us to stop them. They would invade the land and many people would get hurt or worse. You could get hurt and I will never allow that to happen, that is why we must continue to hunt."

"No!" Victoria yelled in an angry tone that startled her family. "You cannot hunt again. I forbid it!"

She leaned forward and buried her face in his neck and clung to him as she continued to weep loudly. 

Riftan stood there for a moment utterly bewildered. No one had ever cried for him like this before, not even Maxi when he left for his first hunt after returning to Anatol all those years ago. Riftan and Maxi shared a look of concern not knowing how else to comfort their child. 

...

Victoria rolled over for the eighth time in the last half hour. She knew she was tired and needed sleep but she couldn't force herself to doze off again. Then there was the matter of the nightmares, recurring ones about her father becoming gravely injured or worse while on a hunt. Each time she dreamed about it the monsters became larger, more numerous, and more lethal. Perhaps it wasn't that she couldn't sleep, perhaps deep down her mind was protecting her heart from shattering, again. 

She decided to get up and seeing as it was well before dawn, there was no need to get dressed. She crept past the guards outside her chambers and was headed towards the kitchens for a glass of water when, she heard the unmistakable winny of a horse coming from the courtyard. She hurried to the window overlooking the yard and her heart plummeted into her stomach at the sight of the knights, in dim torchlight, preparing to leave for another hunt. Without a moment to waste Victoria ran as fast as her small legs would carry her through the halls, down the stairs, and out the door into the courtyard.

She panicked as she heard the creak of the castle gates as they rose to allow the men and horses to depart. She weaved faster, through the servants who had brought supplies for the knights, determined to get to her father in time. 

As she darted through the masses she heard her mother's sweet voice rise above the chaos of the yard to bid Riftan farewell. She glanced over towards her mother who was waving to Riftan, and saw Uncle Hebaron standing beside her. He had been chosen to stay behind and protect her family while her father was away. Victoria cringed at the thought of how stupid it was for the company of men to leave behind one of their most skilled and experienced knights. If even a small part of her nightmares were to come true, well, they were going to need him.

Before she could finish making her way through the crowd her father gave the order to depart with haste. In truth, he had spotted his young daughter weaving through the servants and stable boys, and knew he needed to leave before it was too late. Too late to depart because she would throw a fit about him leaving, and he would put it off for another week because he couldn't stand to see her so upset. 

"Onward!" He ordered with newfound urgency and the horses picked up speed as they crossed  underneath the iron gates. 

Victoria pushed herself to run even faster, and burst through the last of the crowd and kept running. She dodged a couple of the knights who tried to stop her; she would have to thank Uncle Hebaron later, for teaching her that trick. She ran out of the castle gates in determined pursuit of the knights. She called after him but he never looked back at her. She refused to give up and kept moving with haste. She would find a way to catch up and stop Talon in his tracks, she had too, or this time her father wouldn't return to her alive. 

But she was so focused on chasing after her father, that she failed to pay attention to the ground in front of her. Not that she could see very far in the dark or through her tears. She tripped on a large rock and her momentum sent her flying forward. She crashed into the ground and the dirt below her stained her white nightgown. For a moment she felt nothing, numb from the shock of her fall, but when she pulled up the hem of her gown, she saw small cuts and bruises on her legs. But as she pulled her skirt higher she saw a large nasty cut on her knee. Once she saw the blood her shock vanished and the sting of her injuries burned terribly. She hadn't stopped crying for her father before or after her fall, but now as she curled into a ball as she held her leg, she released an ear splitting scream. Pain from her injuries, and pain from the heartbreaking realization that now she would never be able to catch up to her father. 

Riftan pulled sharply on Talon's reigns bringing his horse to an abrupt halt. The men behind him also stopped as they looked back worriedly towards the small child, whom they all cared for dearly, screaming in the middle of the road clutching her leg. 

Without thinking, Riftan's body moved. He quickly dismounted and ran towards his daughter. His stomach rolled at the sight of her nightgown, which was stained with dirt and blood. He swiftly scooped her up into his arms and placed her on a small bench just outside the castle walls. She clung to him as she cried, begging him over and over not to leave her. 

"Ruth!" Riftan bellowed. "Get your ass over here! NOW." 

The mage rushed over with a swiftness Victoria had never seen from the typically lazy bookworm. Did he care for her that much to run over to her aid, or was he that scared of her father? Perhaps a bit of both. 

"Heal her," Riftan ordered. 

The mage knelt before the small lady. The dim light of pure mana began to glow from his palms as he worked to heal Victoria's injuries. 

Not long after the mage had started healing her, Victoria's mother came running towards her, and threw her arms around her daughter. She comforted her child and scolded her recklessness all in the same breath. 

Ruth muttered something about Victoria and Maxi being just alike, to which Maxi brushed him off telling him to just focus on healing her child. 

"Why were you chasing after your father?" Maxi asked. "We told you after he returned from the last hunt that this is an unfortunate necessity." 

Victoria's gaze had remained locked on her father as though she feared that if she looked away even for a moment he would vanish. 

"My nightmares told me over and over that this time, Father won't come home." Victoria cried and she burst into another fit of sobs. 

Maxi and Riftan exchanged a worried look. They knew their daughter had been worried about her father's hunt, but recurring nightmares? She was more distraught than they had initially realized. 

Riftan knelt before his daughter as he took her small hands in his. 

"Victoria," Riftan said smoothly before pausing with a heavy sigh, trying to find the right words, "you have every right to be scared. I'm scared too."

Victoria's head which had been hung low with  embarrassment shot up in disbelief. 

"But Father you slayed a dragon, nothing scares you!" Victoria protested. 

Riftan chuckled at his daughter's praise. 

"There aren't many things in this world that scare me," Riftan said, "but the thought of a monster hurting you or anyone in our family scares me very much. Which is why I must assist my comrades in the hunt, so I know that nothing will harm you, so I won't have to be afraid."

"You'd do anything to keep us safe, wouldn't you?" Riftan continued. 

Victoria cocked her head to the side, confused. What a bizarre question. Of course, without hesitation. She may hate it when her brother teased her, or when her mother made her practice more ladylike crafts, but she would give her life for any of them in a heartbeat. 

"Of course I would," Victoria said as though it were the most obvious thing in the whole world, "because I love you."

"Your mother and I love you even more," Riftan said, "and because we love you we want to keep you safe, but to do that we sometimes have to do things that are dangerous." 

Victoria twiddled her little thumbs, mulling over her father's words. She gave a small nod indicating that she was starting to understand his reasoning. 

"Victoria, I need you to do something for me while I'm away," Riftan asked, "Can I trust you with this special mission?"

Victoria sat up straight on the bench, eyes sparkling as she looked up at her father. She nodded vehemently. 

"I need you to be brave," Riftan said, then he leaned forward as though telling her a secret, but did not lower his voice so Maxi could still hear him, "Your mother is more afraid than she lets on, so I need you to be very brave for me so that she doesn't worry herself sick, okay?"

Victoria glanced at her mother out of the corner of her eye. Maxi looked up at the stars, avoiding her daughter's gaze and sniffled as she wiped a nonexistent tear from her face. The child sat up even straighter, almost rigid with newfound determination. If Victoria couldn't stop her father from hunting monsters, a task she now understood to be unavoidably necessary, she could at least protect her mother by being brave and strong. She looked back at her father with an intent glint in her eyes. 

"I will, Father," Victoria answered. "I promise to be strong and brave for you and for Mother."

The child reached over and grabbed her mother's hand, giving it a tight squeeze, a comforting gesture. 

"Father will be alright, Mother." Victoria said gently, "We need to be brave now, okay?"

"Okay," Maxi whispered as she squeezed her daughter's hand in return. 

"Alright then," Riftan said as he rose to his feet, but not before placing a swift kiss on his daughter's forehead. "I'll leave you to your work, Victoria, and I expect a full report when I return at the week's end."

He crossed his right arm over his chest, a formal gesture of respect between knights when they parted ways. The rest of the knights copied his gesture in bidding the young lady farewell, and best of luck with her assignment. 

Victoria copied the gesture in response, not getting the arm placement quite right but close enough. 

Victoria smiled proudly as her father got back in Talon's saddle and began to make his way out of the city with the rest of the knights. 

This isn't goodbye, Victoria thought fondly as she watched the knights pass beyond the city walls, it is simply see you later. 

...

EPILOGUE 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

Breat- OUCH!

Well that settled it, even breathing fucking hurts. 

Sir Hebaron Nirta gasped for breath as he lay sprawled on the ground, utterly exhausted from the Commander's cruel training regiment made esspecially for him...more like torture. 

"Again," Riftan ordered.

"But I-" Hebaron protested. 

"You scared my daughter, Nirta," Riftan said coldly. "But you haven't even begun to understand the meaning of the word fear."

The Commander walked over to his comrade and hoisted him onto his feet without releasing his grip on the man's shoulders. 

"So allow me to show you," Riftan said darkly. 

Hebaron gulped nervously. He hadn't seen that dark glint in the Commander's eye since the night he nearly went to war after rescuing Lady Maximilian from her father. Now he knew for certain that he was going to die today.

Chapter Text

The Calypse family quietly joined the gathering in the church. Knights and townsfolk alike filed down the aisle in silence as the organist played a somber melody. 

Riftan and Maxi helped the children light a candle, scattered among the hundreds spread out across the altar. Their youngest child was in his nursery and was under Rudis’ care. A funeral was no place for a newborn, but Victoria and Andrew, though they were young, were old enough to attend and should pay their respects. 

The cleric spoke of Melric’s various deeds and accomplishments throughout his life. Maxi had considered him a friend and knowledgeable mentor, and yet there were things about his early life that she was hearing about for the first time. Granted, the mage had been rather private and mostly discussed his work. The clergy standing behind the pulpit spent most of their time talking about how Melric had helped the community, highlighting examples of various people the mage had impacted during his time in Anatol.

The children sat quietly throughout the duration of the service. They understood, to a degree, the finality of death, though they still did not understand how it worked or its timing.

As the service concluded, those who were gathered sang a few hymns, mostly about the beauty of the world The Creator had made, as Melric had been so fond of nature. 

They processed out of the church and followed the wagon to the port to have his body sent back to his home country to be buried with his family. Those who were gathered at the dock made their way back to the reception hall in the church. They hosted a small lunch where people shared stories of Melric’s kind heart and selfless nature. 

Andrew and Victoria stayed close to their mother while they enjoyed the warm cakes and fresh fruit offered for those who had come to celebrate the life and memory of a kind man. 

“Why do people die?” Andrew asked suddenly, genuinely curious, as he wanted to better understand the seriousness of the service. 

Maxi was silent for a moment, debating the best way to explain this delicate topic to her young child in a way that would help him better understand the situation without scaring him.

“He had lived a long, peaceful life.” Maxi said. “In his last days, he mostly slept and read books or made little crafts but was confined to his small home because he didn’t have the energy to go out around town like he used to. He was comfortable but wasn’t living up to the same quality of life that he had before.”

Victoria, who had been listening intently, suddenly stiffened and clutched her mother’s arm tightly. She looked up at Maxi as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. 

“Is Ruth going to die?!” the young Calypse wailed in despair.

Maxi pursed her lips to keep a small laugh from escaping her throat, though she heard a few knights behind her chuckle at the child’s outburst. 

"No, Victoria, Ruth is just fine.” Maxi said calmly yet firmly. “He acts that way by choice, not necessity, though he might argue otherwise."

“He hardly ever leaves the library,” Andrew argued. “He’s always tired and says he feels sickly.”

“No, dear,” Maxi said sweetly. “You misunderstood. Ruth says he is exhausted because he is tired of being around the knights all the time, whom he finds brash and brutish. He says he is sick because he’s usually being dramatic when Sir Hebaron gets on his last nerve.”

Andrew huffed in disbelief. 

“Just because you believe that the Remdragon Knights are the best thing that ever was,” says Maxi, “doesn’t mean everyone else does or has to think that way.” 

Victoria tugged on the skirt of Maxi’s dress, silently asking her mother to come down to her level. Maxi smiled warmly and handed her small plate to the nearest maidservant before kneeling in front of her daughter. Victoria stretched out her little arms and hugged her mother as tight as she could. She grabbed handfuls of the fabric of her mother’s dress in her fists and leaned in close as she buried her face in the crook of her mother’s neck. Andrew reached out and gently patted his sister’s back, having sensed her distress. 

“Are you and Father going to live forever?” the young girl asked worriedly, on the verge of tears.

Maxi thought for another long while. She needed to be honest with her daughter, but she also did not want to break her heart or dwell on such things for too long. Maxi embraced her daughter and pulled her son into the hug as well. 

“No,” Maxi said gently as she held her children in her arms, “but if we do our best to take care of ourselves and each other, then we should all be around for a very long time.” 

The children hugged her back tightly, and Maxi held them close. She savored this moment in their embrace. It wouldn’t last forever; nothing would, but it was small moments like these—holding her children close and seeing them grow—that filled her heart with unshaken peace and unbreakable joy. 

“I won’t always be here,” she said quietly, “but never doubt that my love for you both will always be with you.”

The distant ring of the church bells beyond the reception hall echoed through the room as though applauding her vow. The children held her a bit tighter as they found comfort in knowing that even if their mother and father wouldn’t always be here physically, they would be in their hearts, loving them from afar until they meet again. 

Chapter Text

The air was cool and crisp as the first hints of fall crept into Anatol. Some vendors sold pumpkins to keep monsters at bay; others sold spiced ciders and other warm beverages to stave off the encroaching cold weather. 

Halloween had arrived at last, and the Calypse children were practically bursting with excitement to go out and trick or treat with their parents. Andrew had his costume picked out months in advance. He was going to be, to no one’s surprise, a Remdragon Knight. He had asked the forge master to craft him miniature versions of the knight’s armor with the official crest and lapels. The boy’s eagerness and high spirits were nearly palpable, and the craftsman happily obliged. 

Victoria was far more indecisive. At first, she wanted to be a water mage, then a horse, then a princess, and finally, a few days before the holiday, she settled on a warrior princess with magic powers. She filled a small leather pouch with smooth rocks to use as her mana stones. Rudis and Maxi helped design her warrior dress. It was an odd combination consisting of fake corset leather for the armor and a fluffy pink skirt for the gown with yards of tulle. 

Maxi wanted to pair with Hadrian, so she and Rudis fashioned an outfit that made him look like an adorable puff pastry. Maxi was dressed in plain clothes and a chef’s hat and apron. She was the cook, and he was her newest creation. 

Maxi and the children gathered in the crowded foyer. The halls were adorned with pumpkins and fallen foliage. The relaxing scents of cinnamon and baked apples drifted from the kitchens. The candlelight, which often provided comfort in the dark halls at night, appeared to cast unnaturally long shadows upon the stone walls. There was undoubtedly an eerie feeling in the air. 

Most of the knights had gathered with them. Hebaron lost a bet with Victoria, and now the entire legion was adorned with silver lapels that read “Princess Protection.” 

Truthfully, the knights hadn’t made much of a fuss about it. They adored Lady Victoria and were happy to be a part of the festivities, in addition to getting themselves out of their nightly patrol duties.

“Why do you look so smug? It’s just a costume.” Uslin asked Hebaron, who strutted around, his chin high and chest puffed out. 

“Is that any way to speak to your commanding officer, boy?” Hebaron barked. 

“Commanding what!?” Gabel blanched. “On whose authority? What idiot put you in charge?” 

“I did,” said Hebaron plainly.

“That explains it,” said Uslin. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hebaron said, crossing his arms defiantly. 

“Exactly what you think it means,” grumbled Ruth, who had somehow reluctantly been dragged into this mess. 

“What about the Commander?" Yulysion asked. 

“What about him?” asked Gabel. “He didn’t get roped into the bet.”

“No, not that,” said the young knight. “I wondered if the Commander might wear a fancy hat or some sort of costume like the rest of his family.”

“The Commander will absolutely wear the fanciest, most outlandish hat there ever was,” said Elliot, “when elephants learn to fly.”

“Maybe he’ll be a royal guard,” said Garrow. “He’s certainly grumpy enough.”

That earned a low chuckle from the knights; even Maxi couldn’t help but smile a little. 

“Or maybe a ghost!” said Yulision. 

“No, he’s scary enough,” said Hebaron, “he doesn’t need any-“

“Do you truly think it’s wise to finish that statement, Nirta?” rumbled a low voice directly behind him. 

“Ahhh!” the burly knight hollered as he nearly lept in the air in surprise. 

The room tore itself apart with laughter that echoed loudly off the cold stone walls. 

“Remind me to increase your vigilance training,” Riftan muttered. “You are still terribly unaware of your surroundings.”
Without allowing the man a moment to defend himself, Riftan stepped away and walked over to his little family. 

“Father!” the children cried, racing forward to embrace him. 

“Are you going to defend your brother and sister from the monsters that roam the streets on All Hallows’ Eve?” Riftan asked, recognizing the knight's armor his son wore. 

“Of course! No spirits or spooks will get past me," Andrew said, drawing his little sword from his side and demonstrating a few defensive stances.

Riftan smiled warmly at Andrew, though it secretly brought a tinge of pain to his heart to see his son in armor. 

“Are you going to a ball or to battle?” Riftan asked as he turned to look over his daughter’s costume. 

“Probably both,” she said with a gleeful, toothy grin, practically bouncing on her toes.

“Very impressive, your Highness,” he said with a small bow. 

Maxi slowly approached them, bouncing her baby on her hip, who had grown a bit fussy. Riftan pulled Hadrian into his arms and then held him above his head. He carefully tossed the baby mere centimeters from his grasp, but Hadrian loved it, squealing and cooing with joy. 
Riftan handed his son back to his lovely wife. 

“I never thought I would hear myself calling a pastry adorable, but this family has taught me to never question or anticipate the unexpected,” Riftan said with a low chuckle.

“Isn’t he the sweetest?” Maxi asked, unable to resist the urge to pinch her baby’s cheeks. 

Riftan leaned down and stole a kiss from Maxi’s cheek. Maxi had really gotten into the role and covered part of her face in powder and sugar to look as though she had just finished baking. 

“Actually, I think you might be the sweetest, Maxi,” Riftan said after licking his lips, which had been coated in some sugary substance. 

“It’s cinnamon and a pinch of sugar, just like the dusting on your favorite dessert,” Maxi said proudly.

“Those pastries are good,” Riftan said with a fond smile, “but they aren’t my favorite.”

Maxi’s eyes went wide. Her mouth was agape.

“What?!” she exclaimed. “You said that—I can’t believe—what is it then??”

“You don’t remember my favorite dessert?” Riftan asked. 

“No!” she whined. 

Riftan dropped his gaze to the floor and slowly raised his eyes towards hers, taking in every beautiful curve and dip of her body. Riftan’s jaw tightened. He held her gaze with a sinful hunger in his eyes as he raised a single eyebrow. 

Maxi clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle a squeal as her face turned as red as her hair. She pulled a dishrag from her apron pocket and began lashing it at him. She did as much damage to him as she would have done with a feather pillow. He chuckled and pulled her against him, kissing the top of her head that wasn’t hidden beneath her chef’s hat. 

“My sweet lady,” he mumbled. 

Maxi groaned against his chest. 

“Come on! Let’s go!” Andrew said impatiently. 

“Wait!” cried Victoria. “What about Father?! He needs a costume!”

“I’ll be a happy man who is enjoying the night watching his family have fun,” Riftan said reassuringly. 

“No, no, no!” said Victoria, stomping her little slippered foot. “You need to be something you’re not. Wait right here, I have an idea.”

Without another word, she took off, racing down the halls towards her room. She ran back into the hall a few moments later, slightly breathless. 

In her hands, she clutched a large velvet bag. 

“If I am a warrior princess, then if you want, you could be our king,” she said happily. 

“King Calypse,” said Hebaron, “I quite like the sound of that. Of course, I’ll be the general of his armies.”

“No, you’ll be the cup bearer,” Uslin chuckled.

“What?!” the redheaded knight shouted. 

“Enough!” Victoria yelled above the loud voices. “Let Father swear his oath as king so we can start trick or treating!” 

Victoria waved her hand, motioning for her brother to stand beside her. 

“Kneel,” she commanded. 

Riftan kneeled before his children. 
His son placed the tip of his sword on Riftan’s right shoulder. 

Victoria spoke as her brother raised his sword above their father’s head and laid it on his other shoulder. 

“Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of the kingdom of Anatol and any future realms and territories belonging to or pertaining to them in accordance with their respective laws and customs? 

Riftan didn’t answer for a moment, completely stunned by the words pouring from the mouth of his young daughter. She had definitely been spending too much time in the library. 

Maxi cleared her throat, shaking him out of his daze. 

“I solemnly promise to do so.” 

“Will you, in your power, bring law, justice, and mercy to be executed in all your judgments?”

“I will.”

“Will you act in service to your countrymen as you would your own family? To shield, guide, and lead those of all ages, nationalities, and customs to the best of your ability.”

“I swear I will.”

Victoria nodded to her brother, who removed the sword from atop their father’s shoulder. 

“Bow your head.”

Riftan did as he was instructed. 
He couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the crown that his daughter carefully pulled from the soft bag. His cheeks burned and were likely an unflattering shade of pink. In her hands, Victoria held the most bejeweled, sparkliest crown she owned. She placed her prized possession on his head and then stood back for a moment to admire it. 

“Rise.”

He stood but kept his eyes on his daughter, who was beaming up at him with love and pride.

“God save King Calypse!” Victoria shouted.

“God save the King!” Maxi and Andrew answered. 

“God save the King!” the knights cheered.

“God save the King!” the servants chorused, joining in the fun. 

“Power’s already gone to the captain’s head; look at him, proud as a princeling,” Hebaron mumbled. 

Rifton’s gaze snapped over to his subordinate. It took everything in Sir Nirta not to flinch back. Even with a prissy, sparkly pink crown on his head, Riftan’s aura was as ferocious as it had always been. 

“I have a generous habit of regularly tolerating your faults, mistakes, and insubordination,” Riftan said coldly as the crown upon his head glittered in the soft candlelight. “But not tonight. If you act foolish or let your guard down around my family, I will break you.”

Hebaron said nothing; he just kept his head bowed, unable to hold Riftan’s cold gaze. 

“If you address me or my daughter, as anything less than “Your Grace,” I will have your head on a pike before dawn,” Riftan said darkly.

If Sir Hebaron were completely honest with himself, he would have admitted that he was afraid. In truth, he couldn’t tell if the king was simply joking or actually threatening to behead him. 

“Of course, Your Grace,” he answered quickly, “as you wish.”

And with that, the family of five and a legion of very nervous knights stepped out into the cool fall air for a bit of Halloween fun.

Chapter Text

Victoria groaned impatiently. If Rudis fiddled with the bows on her dress one more time, she would rip them off. She didn’t mind getting dressed up, even if the high collar got on her very last nerve, but she dreaded knowing that she would have to sit in it for hours on end. 
 
“Are you almost ready?!” her brother shouted from the other side of her bedroom door. 
 
“Almost done,” Rudis said quietly, more to herself than to the loud little lord. 
 
The woman carefully clasped a small strand of pearls around Victoria’s neck. 
 
“Done,” she said proudly as she gave Victoria a hand mirror so that she could take a closer look at the small bit of makeup the maidservant had provided her. Rudis had said she was too young, but Victoria insisted, stating that if her mother was going to wear it, then she would too. 
 
Victoria smiled proudly and thanked Rudis for taking the time to help her, knowing she had already spent a considerable amount of time getting her mother ready. 
 
She happily skipped over to the door to greet her brother. She couldn’t help but giggle when she saw him. He looked quite dashing in their family colors, dark blue and silver, but the maids had tried and failed to tame his unruly hair. It looked a little silly to her, partly tamed and partly unkept. 
 
Andrew scoffed. 
 
“You look just as silly with all those ribbons and bows,” Andrew teased.
 
Victoria merely made a disgusted face in response. 
 
Ever the gentleman, Andrew, offered his arm to his little sister and escorted her to the foyer, where their parents were waiting for them with the artist who would paint their family portrait. 
 
Victoria’s eyes grew wide when she saw her parents. Her father wore perfectly tailored pants, a shirt, and an overcoat. His sword was strapped to his side, and the worn sword ornament Maxi had given him over a decade ago clashed against his dark coat. 
 
Her mother looked like a heavenly vision. She wore a floor-length gown of whitish silver with small blue accents. She wore earrings Riftan had bought her during a trip to the capital many years ago. Looking down at her own dress, Victoria realized she was wearing a very similar dress, just a less extravagant version because she was so young. 
 
As her parents took their seats, Victoria saw the sunlight reflect on something shiny hanging from her mother and father’s necks. As she moved closer, she recognized the small coins of slightly different size and color. Her parents only wore them when they were on expeditions—something about good luck her mother had mentioned. Victoria supposed they wore them today because they wanted them to be a part of their portrait because it was something special to both of them. Her mother had not been able to tell her why her coin was burned on one side but said she might tell her some day, when she’s older. 
 
Her mother and father sat side by side, and the children stood on either side of them. Andrew stood next to his mother, Victoria stood beside her father, and little Hadrian sat comfortably in Maxi’s lap. The baby was content as he fiddled with the intricate lace and fringe along the bodice of his mother’s dress and likely wouldn’t fuss. 
 
Behind them was a large tapestry of a beautiful oak tree, almost identical to the one in the castle gardens, with a dark, starry background. In the top left corner was the crest of the Remdragon Knights, and in the opposite corner was the crest of the Roem family, her mother’s heritage. Victoria wondered why she didn’t have the Croix crest placed on the tapestry instead, but she assumed her mother was simply proud of her once-royal lineage. 
 
In the beginning, the children tried their best to behave, knowing their task was serious, but they soon became bored of standing still and watching the artist slowly create his masterpiece. The children began to fidget, rubbing their shoes against the tile and swinging their arms. 
 
Maxi cleared her throat. It was an unspoken warning for them to behave. The children froze, and for a while they remained still before they quickly became restless once more. The seconds felt like minutes, and the minutes felt like hours. Would they have to stand here all day? For forever? 
 
“Try to be still, please.” Maxi said stiffly, trying to remain as motionless as possible.
 
The children looked down, shamed by the slight scolding tone they heard on the edge of her voice. 
 
“Sorry,” Victoria said shyly, shifting her feet to stand slightly behind her father as though he were a shield. 
 
"Sorry, Mother,” Andrew said sheepishly.
 
Riftan sighed heavily. 
 
“I can agree that this isn’t the most exciting event we’ve experienced as a family,” their father admitted. “But you need to stay still so the artist can do his part.”
 
“But we’re bored,” Andrew whined. 
 
“Hmmm, what if we tell you a story to pass the time?” Maxi offered.
 
The children beamed at her excitedly and immediately became still, listening intently as their mother always had great stories to tell of her daring expeditions with their father and the knights. 
 
Maxi looked over at her husband and gave him a proud grin. 
 
“I always tell you stories. Why don’t you ask your father for a story this time?” Maxi said gleefully.
 
The children gasped, and their eyes twinkled with joy and anticipation as their attention quickly turned from Maxi to Riftan. 
 
“What story would you like to hear?” He asked, unsure where to begin. 
 
“Tell us about when you faced the Dragon Sektor!” Andrew said. 
 
“No,” Victoria whined, “we’ve heard that one before.”
 
“Any great story worth telling is worth telling twice.” Andrew countered. 
 
“How about when you first fell in love with Mother?” Victoria cooed while batting her eyelashes dreamily. 
 
Andrew rolled his eyes at his sister, already a hopeless romantic. 
 
“I want an adventure story, not a sappy romance!” Andrew groaned. 
 
The children became silent, trying to think of a story they could both agree on. 
 
“Tell us about the first monster you ever faced!” Victoria exclaimed. “You never told us that story.” 
 
“Oooooo! Yes! Yes, please, father!” Andrew encouraged. 
 
Riftam briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. They thought he was trying to remember what kind of monster he fought, but in truth, he was a bit nervous to tell the story—a story he hadn’t even told his beloved wife. 
 
“Well, a long time ago,” Riftan began, “when I was just a boy, not much older than you, Andrew, I encountered my very first monster and-.”
 
“What?! My age?!” The young boy exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief. 
 
“Yes,” Riftan said slowly, as though struggling to recall an old memory that he truthfully remembered as clear as day. “I was headed home after work-“
 
“Work?” Victoria interrupted. “Why on earth did you have to work at our age?”
 
“That is a story for another time,” Riftan said coolly. “Now if you want to hear the rest of the story, I think you ought to stop asking so many questions.”
 
The children immediately clamped their mouths shut and stood tall, eager to hear more. 
 
“As I was heading down the road, I passed by the home of a dear friend who I often saw playing outside. They were a bit younger than me, and we truthfully didn’t know one another all that well, but seeing them happy and carefree always made me smile after a long, hard day at the forge.”
 
Riftan became quite lost in thought, reflecting on the many times he had witnessed a very young Maxi playing with her dog or collecting shiny stones in the yard. 
 
Maxi cleared her throat, and Riftan blinked harshly, having been pulled from his memories.
 
“As I walked by their yard, I heard them scream.” Riftan continued. “Without thinking, I climbed over the wall that surrounded the grounds of the estate. I saw my friend’s dog in the clutches of a nasty lizard monster as long as Andrew is tall. It was a terrible creature with long, tallon-like claws and dark black and green scales. It had sharp teeth like a drake, and its eyes were a sickening yellow.” 
 
The children’s eyes grew wide with worry; Andrew clenched his fists, and Victoria clutched the hem of her father’s coat. 
 
“The poor hound was probably already dead and had done their duty to protect their master, my young friend. It was the first time I’d seen a monster up close, seeing how powerful, dangerous, and unpredictable they were,” Riftan said, sounding equally sad and grateful. “But that wasn’t even the scariest part.”
 
“What could possibly be worse!?” Victoria wailed as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. 
 
“My friend... they...” Riftan hesitated, as though it were truly painful for him to recall this part of the story. 
 
Maxi reached over, laid her hand on Riftan’s hand, and squeezed it encouragingly. Riftan squeezed her hand in return, silently thanking her, before they both returned to their rigid poses. 
 
“My fearless little friend charged at the monster who had killed their dog, armed with nothing more than a large stick, and began to hit it wildly with an anger that I had never seen in them before,” Riftan said. “They yelled over and over for the beast to let go of their pet, and eventually the monster did, but it now had a new target.” 
 
Riftan swallowed heavily and took a deep breath before continuing. 
 
“The monster lunged at my friend, tackling them to the ground, and sank its teeth into their arm,” Riftan said bitterly, as though mad at himself, which he was, absolutely furious for not acting sooner. “I ran forward and pulled the monster off of them and used my small dagger to strike at anything I could reach. I hacked at its throat until it stopped wiggling and went still.” 
 
The room was silent; even the brush strokes of the painter had grown quiet, as the artist was just as invested in the story as the rest of the family. 
 
“I threw the lizard off to the side and ran to see about my friend." Riftan continued. “My friend was silent—not even a small cry from the pain from their monster bite. They were probably in shock, seeing what was probably their first monster, witnessing it murder a beloved pet, and having the beast viciously attack them. I reassured them over and over again that they were going to be okay. I was probably also trying to remind myself of that fact as well. I sucked the venom out as best I could and tore my sleeve to bandage their wound. I wanted to do more to help them, but their lazy servants finally came running to assist my friend long after the comotion had passed, and I had to leave.”
 
“Leave?!” Andrew shouted. “What for? Your friend’s family should have at least thanked you.”
 
“I didn’t need their thanks,” Riftan said calmly. “You do things for friends without the expectation of thanks.”
 
Riftan turned his gaze to Maxi, whose bright eyes locked on to his as her lips curled into a small, knowing smile. 
 
“You simply do it because you care about them,” he concluded. 
 
The room fell into a peaceful silence as the children and parents alike reflected on the tale. 
 
“That should just about do it!” The artist proclaimed happily. 
 
“It’s over?!” the children rejoiced. 
 
“They say time passes rather quickly when you’re having fun,” the artist said. 
 
“I don’t know about fun,” Andrew argued, “but the story was amazing! You should tell stories more often, Father!”
 
“Yes! Please do!” Victoria agreed wholeheartedly. “Tell us another!”
 
“Maybe some other time.” Riftan said smoothly, “Wouldn’t you rather go for a quick ride around the grounds before it gets dark?”
 
The children brightened at the idea, having been cooped up inside all day. They eagerly raced down the hall to change out of their uncomfortable, fancy clothes and into their riding attire. 
 
“I wonder what became of my young friend.” Riftan said lightly, with a hint of sarcasm, as he escorted Maxi and their youngest child to the nursery. 
 
“I’d like to think out there somewhere doing wonderfully, blessed with a happy home, dear friends, and a beautiful family.” Maxi said, her voice was equally light and teasing. 
 
“And what makes you think that?” Riftan asked, as he planted a tender kiss on her forehead after she had placed their son in his cradle. 
 
Maxi looked up at her handsome, fearless husband and smiled warmly at him, gratitude shining in her eyes. 
 
“I’m not sure,” she said softly. “Just a feeling.” 

Chapter Text

I trust her ladyship completely, Ruth thought to himself as he stood in front of an instructional board, except when it comes to self-preservation and forcing me to do things that are beyond my comfort and expertise.

He slowly turned to face his singular pupil, who continued to stare at him wide-eyed and utterly confused. 

Instead of hiring a proper tutor for the young lady, Maxi insisted that Victoria study under his guidance. 

Her ladyship had tried to argue that he had done a wonderful job teaching her magic, and what better way to learn than from someone Victoria already knows and trusts? 

He had thanked her for her praise and noted that she was a formidable mage, but he had taught her when she was an adult, mature, and eager to learn. Victoria was restless, like her father, and a dreamer, like her mother. Ruth didn't foresee this ending in a productive way. 

But when her ladyship wanted her way, there was nothing stopping her, and so here he stood before the little lady, desperately trying to keep her attentive and on task. 

It was far more challenging than when they had started, as Victoria had been curious and excited to learn the basics of magic, assuming she would begin her training with mana, as her mother and brother had done. 

However, she quickly realized that this would not be an enjoyable experience; in fact, she would dare to claim that she was downright miserable. 

Ruth said that he was tasked with teaching Victoria basic skills, more specifically, addressing the subject she dreaded above all others: mathematics.

Victoria had argued that, as a mage, she would learn as she went along in her training, not in a traditional classroom setting. 

"No school," she pouted, crossing her little arms. "I wanna learn mana now, math later."

"In order to understand the intricacies of magic, you must first understand the basics of arithmetic in order to properly calculate and draw the runes," Ruth explained. 

Victoria raised her eyebrows and nodded slowly as though she understood, but Ruth could still see the confusion in her eyes.

Rather than arguing with her, which as a child of Riftan and Maximilian was nearly impossible, he decided to jump right into the lesson and write out some basic rules of addition and subtraction along with some practice problems for her to solve in her little notebook.

He turned to the board and began writing and explaining the fundamental rules of addition and subtraction. When he turned back to see if she was understanding, he found her staring out the window longingly. He quickly recognized that far-off look on her face; it was the same one Maxi had gotten when she was lost in her own thoughts, daydreaming of missions or worrying about Riftan. Judging by the proud smile that had crept onto the child's face, she was likely fantasizing about slaying a drake or a dragon. 

Ruth strode over to Victoria and lightly tapped his boney knuckles against the wooden desk, trying not to startle her. She jumped anyway. 

She turned and looked up at him, the far-off look in her eyes slowly receding as she gazed at him in confusion, as though she had forgotten he was there.

"Please, my lady," Ruth implored, concerned that they were already off to a rough start, "try to stay on task and absorb what I am telling you."

She looked down and stared intently at her paper with her notes. Satisfied, Ruth returned to the board in front. He pivoted slightly to glance back at her and smiled proudly as he saw she was still on task, looking over her work. She may not understand it fully, but reading over her notes should help her understand.

He turned back to the board and began writing out a few more examples.

He whirled around when he heard an odd noise behind him. 

Now it was his turn to be perplexed. He witnessed the small child, who had picked up her notes and was sniffing the paper. Her eyes were closed, as though she were concentrating. A fond warmth formed in the base of Ruth's heart at the sight. Perhaps she finds comfort in the sweet scent of old paper, as he and Maxi did. 

That whisper of contentment turned to horror as he watched the child swiftly crumple the paper and pop it into her mouth. 

"Lady Victoria! That is not food! Please spit that out! If you are hungry, we can take a break, and you can get a snack from the kitchens," the mage said nervously.

Victoria looked back at him and blinked owlishly. 

"I na hungi," she said around a mouthful of paper.

"Then why on earth would you eat your notes?!" he chided as he quickly strided over to her, ready to use force to remove the foreign object from her lips.

"Yoo sa absor it," she said with a cough as she tried and failed to swallow the worksheet.

Ruth gave her a swift pat on the back, causing her to expel the paper from her mouth. He took a cloth, picked it up from where it had plopped onto the floor, and quickly disposed of the item in a waste basket. He looked back at the child, who stared at him expectantly. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, releasing a tired sigh.

He took her notebook and wrote out ten problems of simple math based on what he had taught her and what she already knew. 

He placed the book back on her desk.

"Don't eat this, please," he said sternly. "I am going to read for a while. Work on this at your own pace and let me know when you are done."

He turned and left the child to her own devices. He presumed that perhaps he was hovering, and she didn't want him breathing down her neck with all these rules. Maybe she learned better on her own. Some learned better from hearing the instructions and formulas; others learned from seeing examples worked out on the board. Perhaps Victoria's learning style was something different; perhaps she learned best by doing. 

Ruth settled into a comfortable chair by the fire and began reading. He was more than a few chapters into his novel when he decided to check on her. She should have finished by now, so what was taking so long? He stepped over to her quietly so as not to disturb her concentration. 

Ruth was forced to do a double take of her page. He looked over her shoulder and saw that she was not in fact working on her assignment, but that she was drawing a picture. What had first caught his eye was the color. It was a rainbow of hues on her page, and yet he had only provided her with a quill and black ink. Where did the color come from?! Perhaps Maxi had taught her daughter simple harmless enchantments like changing the color of ink.

"That is not your assignment, my lady." Ruth said dryly.

Victoria remained silent, choosing to ignore him as she continued drawing.

"Seeing as you've drawn all over your work, I will have to provide you with another worksheet," the mage grumbled as he moved back over to his workstation to start another assignment for her.

He was nearly done when he heard the ear-splitting sound of the legs of a chair scraping against the tile floor and then the unmistakable pitter-patter of small feet.

He looked up and saw that Victoria was no longer in her chair. He glanced around quickly and saw that she was nowhere in the room, but the doors to the library had been flung wide open.

"HEY!" Ruth shouted as he shot to his feet as he hurried towards the door, "COME BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!"

But Victoria did not stop. She didn't even turn around to acknowledge that she had heard him speak. 

"You will be in big trouble when your father hears about your misbehavior!" Ruth scolded.

High-pitched peels of laughter and a few squeals echoed down the halls. 

Okay, I'll admit that was an empty threat, Ruth chidded himself. The Lord would just as soon cut off his own arm than see his daughter unhappy. In fact, Ruth would probably be severely punished for causing the child to flee. 

"We'll try again tomorrow," he grumbled as he closed the doors to his sanctuary behind him. 

He sauntered over to Victoria's desk to put away her paper and writing utensils. As he cleaned up, he took a closer look at the drawing she had left behind. 

Ruth clutched at his chest as he felt his heart dissolving at the adorable image in front of him.

Victoria had drawn a picture of Ruth and herself, dressed in mage's robes, holding hands. There was a colorful ball drawn over where each empty hand should have been. A spell. They were using pure mana in a spell of some sort. It didn't look like a battle, based on the bright smiles plastered across their faces. Perhaps she had drawn Ruth teaching her to use mana, as she had asked at the beginning of their lesson. He couldn't help but smile as he followed the gaze of the drawing of himself, who looked down at Victoria with unmistakable pride. 

"Never doubt that I am proud of you, Victoria," Ruth mumbled. "You will make a fine mage someday."

                           ----

The following day, as the sun set gently behind the mountains, Ruth was making his way through the corridors of the castle. Riftan had requested that he bring some of his plans for an improved defensive mechanism for their next monster raid. 

As he made his way down the hall towards the war room, he passed by Victoria's room. The door was open, and he caught a glimpse of her studying something very intently. She was so absorbed in her work that she failed to notice that Ruth had walked by. 

Ruth paused and stood in the doorway for a moment. 

Shouldn't she be in bed? What is she working on?

He stepped a bit closer and saw that she had a large book open in front of her. Ruth felt his jaw go slack. 

Wait. Is she...studying? 

Ruth felt a bit dizzy and elated all at once. 

That's not possible. She detests any form of studying. Then again, this is the child of Maximilian. She certainly inherited her mother's inhuman stubbornness, and perhaps the work she left behind in the library plagued her because she left it unfinished. 

Ruth was truly touched by his niece's newfound studious tenacity. He moved to stand behind her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

"I've always been proud of you, Victoria," he said with an unnatural layer of sweetness in his tone that he himself did not recognize, "and seeing you not give up on your work makes me so happy. If you keep up your studies with this much determination, you'll be a skilled mage in no time. However, it is getting late, and you should rest so that..."

Ruth's voice trailed off as his face grew pale.

"M-my lady," he gasped. "What have you done?!"

Ruth had stood close enough to see what she was working on and saw, to his horror, that she had scribbled upon one of his most beloved ancient texts. 

Upon closer inspection, he saw that she had drawn piles and piles of gold coins and other treasures in the margins of the page. In the center of the page was the image of a ferocious dragon that knights and mages had fought against many ages ago. Some even surmised that the deadly dragon Sektor was a direct descendant of this beast. The dragon on the page roared angrily as it perched on a mountaintop in the midst of a powerful thunderstorm, ready to devour the knights in the valley below. 

"He looked so grumpy," she said simply. "I thought since dragons love treasure, riches would cheer him up."

Ruth was beyond baffled. He stood, mouth agape, probably looking like a fish out of water.

He reached around her and pointed to the small gray creature Victoria had doodled in the bottom right corner of the page. 

"And what is that?" Ruth asked numbly. 

"The treasure didn't make him happy," Victoria said plainly, as though it were obvious. "Then I figured out that he was angry because he was sad. He lives in the mountains all alone. So, I drew this little rabbit. I wanted him to have a friend."

Ruth was quiet for a while. Then he released a long, heavy sigh.

Note to self: Before we begin our next lesson, I need to speak with her about  vandalism.

Chapter Text

The last of winter’s chill swept through the training grounds in a cool breeze just before daybreak.
 
A few of the knights were somewhat groggy having stayed up entirely too late last night, but most were arguably excited for training having spent most of the winter cooped up in the castle walking the quiet halls on patrols. Not that they minded. They adored Andrew and baby Victoria, but training for monster hunts was much more attuned to their skill sets as seasoned, experienced warriors. 
 
At least they had been able to sleep a few minutes longer than normal this week. Since it was just training, there was no need to bother with putting on multiple layers of armor. 
 
Riftan stepped out into the yard and looked over at his men. He was pleased that they were quite eager to get started. There was a lot that needed to be accomplished today, and he would use their eager adrenaline for as long as it would last. 
 
He opened his mouth, about to start giving orders, when he spotted a pair of very small boots behind a group of knights who had clumped together. 
 
He stepped closer to the group and raised a finger to his lips, warning them to remain silent. The men quietly stepped aside, revealing a small boy with tan skin and hair as black as coal. The boy’s back turned to Riftan as he gazed up in awe at the knights who had stood behind him. The men around him were massive, their muscles were firm, and their faces held stern focus and renowned wisdom. 
 
Riftan approached quietly and then swiftly scooped the boy up in his arms. 
 
“Gotcha!” Riftan shouted, his voice a hush whisper in the boy’s ear.
 
The child squealed with surprise and delight as he was suddenly lifted off the ground and pulled into a strong, familiar embrace. 
 
“Good morning, Father!” Andrew said happily.
 
"Morning, Andrew,” Riftan said with a joyous smile on his face. “Come to observe another day of training?” 
 
Long ago, the men had been shocked at how quickly the Lord’s cold demeanor had changed whenever her ladyship appeared in the training grounds. Now it was normal. They all loved the little lord and appreciated the cheerfulness he brought to a grueling day of training. 
 
"No, sir,” said Andrew. “I don’t want to watch; I want to train.”
 
Riftan’s eyes grew wide with surprise. A very small part of him flinched at the thought of his son picking up a sword and facing the violence of the world outside the walls of Anatol. However, for the most part, he found himself practically beaming with pride at the thought of training his son and spending more time with him. 
 
“Of course, son,” Riftan said. 
 
Andrew threw his small arms around his father’s neck in a quick embrace before letting go so that Riftan could put him down. 
 
Riftan walked hurriedly to the supply trunks, where they kept the training swords for the young squires. He rummaged through the trunk for a moment and finally found a long wooden dagger that would suffice as the boy’s sword for now, until he could have a proper one made.
 
He returned to the men and handed the dagger to his son. Andrew grinned at his father with unmistakable joy and excitement. Riftan gave the boy a small, proud smile in return before his face fell into a neutral, authoritative expression, the look of the Commander. 
 
“Fall in!” he barked.
 
The men quickly fell in line, ordering themselves from shortest to tallest. Poor Andrew was significantly shorter than even the youngest squires, so he stood at the front of the line. 
 
Riftan demonstrated a few strikes on the manakin for the men to practice. 
 
Andrew stepped forward and copied his father’s movements quite well; however, due to his size, he was unable to reach the higher points that he needed to strike. 
 
Next, they worked through some warm-ups. They ran laps, did some stretches, and lifted some heavy kegs. Andrew fell behind during the laps as his stride was small, but he never gave up and kept running. Instead of lifting the kegs, he lifted smaller stones that, to him, were still quite heavy. 
 
“Alright, that’s enough.” Riftan said. “Pair up for sparring practice.”
 
Andrew put down the stone he had been lifting and picked up his dagger as he looked around for someone to pair up with. He looked left and right, back and forth, but, alas, everyone had already found a partner. Ulyseon and Garrow. Uslin and Gabel. Elliot and one of the newer squires. Andrew certainly didn’t hold it against them or feel left out; it wasn't intentional. The knights just didn't think to look down and had partnered with whomever they normally sparred with. 
 
Riftan saw that his son didn’t have a partner and frowned in frustration. As the boy’s father, he would gladly spar with him, but as the Commander he couldn’t; he had to watch over the training and keep an eye on all of the men, not just his son. 
 
His son needed to meet new people. And, though he didn’t think the other knights would see it this way, he didn't want anyone to assume that Andrew received any special treatment from him as his son. He wanted his son to rise through the ranks on his own talent and merit, not because he went easy on him, which, as the boy’s father, he was more than tempted to do. 
 
Andrew, confused and slightly disappointed, began to walk towards the bench built along the back wall. He would sit this one out, and hopefully in the next round someone would switch with him. 
 
As he started to walk away, he felt a large hand tap him on the shoulder. He turned and saw the biggest knight he’d ever seen, even bigger than his father. The man had broad shoulders, fiery red hair, and a carefree smile that looked almost out of place on such an imposing figure. It was none other than Sir Hebaron Nirta.
 
“Would you like to pair up with me, young lord?” Hebaron asked. 
 
Andrew nodded excitedly, thrilled to have a partner to practice with. 
 
“With the exception of your father,” the knight continued, “I am undefeated when it comes to sparring, and so no one usually wants to practice with me because they know I’ll win. Just another reason to train with me, since I’m the best.”
 
Andrew remained silent, listening to his words as they stepped a few paces away from one another and then turned to face their opponent. 
 
“Is today your first time on the training grounds?” Hebaron rambled. “Not to worry, I’ll teach you little by little as we go along. It’s an honor to train and duel with the Commander’s son.”
 
He talks too much, Andrew thought, realizing why Ruth always seemed to have a headache after spending extended bouts of time with the knights. 
 
The pair raise their swords, Andrew’s dagger of wood and Hebaron’s sword made of steel. Riftan gave the signal to begin. 
 
The knight and the boy parry back and forth. Hebaron shouted, giving advice and instructions as they dueled. 
 
“Keep your stance wide. It helps maintain your balance.”
 
“Hold your elbows closer to your body.”
 
“Keep your eyes on your opponent’s sword, not their feet.”
 
Andrew does his best to follow the knight’s guidance and was even able to hold his own for a moment. 
 
Pride bloomed in the boy’s chest, and he briefly glanced over towards his father to see if he was watching him duel Sir Nirta. That was a terrible mistake. Because he wasn’t paying attention, he wasn’t holding his sword in a very firm grip, which would have allowed him to block a strike from Hebaron’s sword. 
 
Hebaron’s steel sword sliced through Andrew’s sword, cutting it in two, sending splinters of wood flying in all directions. 
 
The knights around them stopped their duels, and the Commander turned to face them, watching to see how Andrew would react and if he needed to intercede. 
 
Andrew stood still, utterly stunned. He could hardly believe his eyes as he held up the hilt attached to the splintered remains of his dagger.
 
Hebron was equally surprised. As he looked down at the child, he saw the boy had begun to shake slightly. Hebron began to bend down to offer words of comfort to the young lad, but then Andrew looked up at him.
 
He saw the sorrow in the boy’s face grow cold and indifferent. He wasn’t upset about the dagger; he was furious because he felt embarrassed.
 
The boy quickly yanked out another dagger he had hidden beneath his belt. He looked up at the knight, his silver-blue eyes filled with anger as he gave a shout of rage and surged forward. 
 
He ran towards the knight and then dove to the left. He used the brunt of his dagger hilt to jab at the knight’s legs. The burly knight was merely a spectator, unable to react, utterly shocked by the child’s speed. Andrew then pivoted and ran back towards the knight and leapt, slamming his shoulder into Hebaron’s back. Nirta, already on his knees, fell face-forward into the dirt. He would have attempted to catch himself, but the child had grabbed his arms, pinning them behind him. Andrew bent Hebaron’s arms so high that the sheer pain of the maneuver caused him to drop his sword. 
 
“I yield!” He cried out through gritted teeth, blinking hard to keep large beads of sweat from falling into his eyes. 
 
Andrew released his grip on Hebaron’s arms and stepped around the man, still lying face down in the mud. 
 
Hebaron raised his head slowly and looked up at the boy. He didn’t see a child looking down at him. Sure, the boy was no more than five, but there was a cold aura surrounding him that made him appear much older. Hebaron recognized it immediately; it was the same aura Riftan had when he defeated someone who had truly pissed him off. 
 
“It’s your first day! How do you know how to do that?” The burly knight blurted out, his breath coming out in huffs as the boy had nearly knocked the wind out of him.
 
“You’re a slow learner,” Andrew said calmly.
 
“Pardon?!” Hebron shouted. 
 
“I’ve watched Uslin knock you over with that same maneuver three times, and you never learn to anticipate it,” the boy replied.
 
A harsh, amused laugh broke the silence of the grounds. The knights turned, and to their shock and terror, they saw the Commander nearly doubled over in laughter. 
 
Oddly enough, the Commander’s laughter was contagious, and soon all the knights, with the exception of the tall, stoic blonde and the redhead still sprawled out on the ground, were howling with laughter.
 
Uslin, who seemingly never broke his calm, passive composure, gave Andrew a stiff, approving nod. The child beamed, knowing from stories his mother had told him of training with the almost standoffish knight, that it was his highest form of praise. 
 
Hebaron had been undefeated. Even when partnered with Uslin, who would knock him down, he always got back up, far too stubborn to stand down, and would eventually win, usually out of sheer unyielding determination and spite. But now he lay on the ground, brought down by a child, and was too stunned to stand. He had yielded, and Andrew had won.
 
Hebaron realized that the boy would never go down without a fight and would never back down, regardless of the size of his opponent. He had a determined and selfless spirit, just like the Commander. The edge of Hebaron’s mouth curled into a small smile at the thought of Andrew being a captain or a commander someday. At this rate, he would one day be a great leader of a powerful legion of knights. 
 
Andrew extended a hand to the knight, offering to help Hebaron up. While the man was surprised at the boy’s gesture, knowing that he physically couldn’t help him stand, he was nonetheless grateful for the offer. He took the boy's hand. Andrew tried with all his might to help the large knight up, but halfway up, they both tumbled to the ground, laughing at the failed attempt to stand. Riftan and others watched and smiled at their ridiculous antics as the pair eventually got up. 
 
“Where did that second dagger come from?” Ulyseon asked the boy.
 
“Mother told me a story about how she was on a mountain with you and Garrow and how you all were attacked,” Andrew said quietly. “She lost the dagger Father had given her while fighting the monster, and had she not had her magic, she would have been defenseless. But she warned me to never rely solely on magic because it can wear you down. That’s why I carry a second dagger. She wanted me to always be prepared.”  
 
As he said this, he stared down at the hilt of his broken wooden dagger.
 
Seeing that the child was still a bit upset about the wooden dagger, Hebaron placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
 
“Don't worry lad, I'll make a new one for you,” the knight said. 
 
Andrew looked up at Hebaron and nodded happily, once again trusting the knight.
 
The boy giggled happily as Hebaron lifted him up on his shoulders and hailed him as the champion, to which everyone in the training yard cheered.
 
“Alright, enough chatter!” shouted Hebaron. “I’m starving. Let’s eat!”
 
Everyone cheered again and crowded around Hebaron, who was still carrying Andrew, cheering as they walked towards the dining hall. The knights and squires chanted as they walked beside the boy and the knight.
 
“Let’s hear it for Andrew Calypse! Best in sparring in the whole legion!” they shouted.
 
“Wait?!” Hebron said, “Now hold on just a moment. Why is-”
 
“You were number one until this morning.” Uslin said, nearly smug with satisfaction at the overly confident knight being disgruntled and humbled by a child. “Andrew beat you. You lost that claim fair and square.”
 
As they sat down to eat, some of the knights asked if Andrew had learned from watching them practice on the training grounds and if there were certain combat styles he preferred to emulate. 
 
"Here, Andrew, my treat!” Hebron bellowed as he handed the boy a large draft of beer. 
 
“He’s hardly 5?! He can’t drink that!” Garrow protested. 
 
“Didn’t stop me," Hebron laughed, “and look at how big and strong I am now.”
 
“I’m sure the Commander would be thrilled if his son turned out to be just like you.” Uslin grumbled. 
 
“I’m sure he would,” Hebron boasted. “I bet he-”
 
Hebaron’s words died in his throat as he saw the Commander glaring at him. Normally, the knight would ignore Riftan’s cold stares, but there was a deadly protectiveness in the eyes of his superior that caused Hebaron to flinch and quickly move the tankard away from the boy before he could so much as take a sip. 
 
                           -----
 
Early the following morning, Hebaron stood down the hall from the Calypse family's chambers, waiting. He asked the maid servants to wake up young Andrew so he could finish his desired task before training began. 
 
A very confused and groggy young lord stepped out of his chambers and walked quietly beside the knight as they made their way out of the castle and into the forest that stretched into the western side of Anatrol. 
 
Hebaron had sworn, on his life, twice, to the boy’s father that he would protect Andrew at all costs while they went out on their early morning excursion. 
 
“Where are we going?” Andrew asked quietly, still half asleep, “And why are we going into the forest?”
 
Hebaron remained silent as he continued to trudge through the woods until he stopped at the base of a large tree. 
 
“I promised that I would make you a new sword, didn’t I?” Hebaron said.
 
“This,” the knight continued as he rested a large hand on the rough tree bark, “is a Quebracho tree. The strongest wood there is, unbreakable. So, next time we spar, even if you get distracted, even a steel sword won’t splinter it, at least not the first few times.”
 
“I won't get distracted,” Andrew said stubbornly. 
 
Hebaron merely smiled at the boy, ruffling Andrew’s hair before bending down to grab a branch that had fallen when the tree was injured by a severe storm. Hebaron pulled out a whittling tool he had ‘borrowed’ from the smithy and began to carve out the sword for the young lord. 
 
The morning bled into the early afternoon. The task had taken much longer than he thought, but Hebaron prayed that because he was making something for the Commander’s son, that the Lord would not punish him too severely for missing training. Just as the pair could no longer ignore the loud rumble of their stomachs, Hebaron finished carving the small sword. Andrew turned the sword over in his hands, inspecting the craftsmanship, which was remarkably sturdy and smooth. 
 
Andrew carefully put down the weapon and moved closer to Hebaron, who was still sitting on the old stump where he had crafted the sword. Andrew hugged the knight, thanking him over and over for his gift, and promised to take good care of it. 
 
In the days, weeks, and months that followed, Andrew continued to train with Hebaron and other Remdragon knights, growing closer and developing camaraderie and friendship as the boy continued to develop his swordsmanship. He was well on his way to becoming a strong, brave knight, one he knew his father would be proud of. 

Chapter Text

When Andrew was feeling doubtful or unsure of himself, there was always one person he could turn to for reassurance and guidance. Sure, he could ask his mother, father, Ruth, or any of the knights, but sometimes he needed to hear from someone who wasn’t directly related to him or particularly close to his immediate family. He needed to talk to his grandmother.

 
His grandmother wasn’t his actual grandparent, of course; they had both died long before he was even born. No, the woman who was like a grandmother to him and his sister was Miss Lasia. She was a spinster; she never married or had children of her own. She was short and stout and had long pepper salt hair confined to two tight braids. She was quite old but still as sharp as steel. She had worked in the kitchens in the castle for her entire adult life. Even the newly hired chefs knew better than to cross her. Maxi had befriended her when she arrived in Anatol, and now her children have as well. Maxi had even gone as far as to offer her a decent pension for retirement so she could rest, but Miss Lasia had refused. Cooking was her passion; it kept her joints moving and her mind alert. Making things for others was how she showed her love, and Miss Lasia, as old as she was, still had a lot of love to give. 
 

Today Andrew needed some of Miss Lasia’s kind words of encouragement. He wasn’t progressing in his skills fast enough. He wanted so badly to be a knight, but he felt that, at his current rate, he would be a very old man before he rose to the rank of commander like his father. 

 
He walked quickly into the large but cozy kitchen beneath the castle. It was a sprawling space, brimming with the warmth and aroma of culinary delights. Stone walls lined with wooden shelves bore an array of copper pots, iron skillets, and ceramic bowls, each one a testament to years of faithful service. The hearth, a grand stone structure, dominated one wall, its flames dancing merrily and casting a comforting glow across the room. Sturdy wooden tables, scarred from decades of chopping and kneading, stood in neat rows, their surfaces dusted with flour and scattered with an assortment of fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices.

A massive oak pantry stood at the far end, its shelves stocked with jars of preserves, sacks of flour, and baskets of dried herbs. The air was thick with the scent of baking bread, mingling with the earthy aroma of simmering stews and the sharp tang of freshly chopped garlic and onions. Kettles hung from hooks above the counters, their polished surfaces gleaming in the firelight.

“What’s with the sour look, my dear?” Miss Lasia asked sweetly without even turning to face him as she bent over the counter, reaching for more flour. After months of insisting, they had finally convinced Miss Lasia to call them something other than my lord and my lady. Sure, it was proper, but it never seemed right coming from her. 

 
"Oh, nothing, Miss Lasia,” Andrew said, trying and failing to raise the pitch of his tone so he didn’t sound so sad. “What are you making?”

 
Miss Lasia remained silent, vigorously kneading dough in her hands. Andrew knew that she wouldn’t answer him until he was honest with her, and she could smell a fib a kilometer away. 

 
“I’ll be older than dirt before I achieve my dream of becoming the commander of a legion of knights.” Andrew said dryly.

 
“Is that so?” Lasia answered but said nothing else as she put the bread on a baking sheet and laid it in the oven. 

 
She asked him to help her slice vegetables to add to the stew to help him get his mind off of what was bothering him; however, Andrew was so caught up and frustrated with his worries that many of the pieces he chopped were sent flying due to the sheer force of his knife. Lasia stopped his task before he lost a finger. 

 
“I’ll never be as great as Father,” Andrew mumbled as he whisked a dozen or so eggs for a chocolate cake Lasia wanted to bake. It was Maxi and Hadrian’s favorite dessert. 

 
“Comparison is a slippery slope,” Miss Lasia said firmly. “There’s no use to it; it won’t add an hour to your life... might take an hour with all that worrying, though.” 
 

The more he stirred, the more irritated he became. Like the whisk, he felt like he wasn’t getting anywhere; he was just going in circles, around and around. 

 
“It’s not fair! I’m nearly as old as my father was when he joined the mercenaries! But they won’t let me join them on a simple monster hunt!” Andrew snapped, his anger finally getting the better of him. He lost control of the tool in his hands, and the bowl toppled over, and soon the front of his shirt was coated with the violently whisked yolks. 

 
Andrew froze. It was one thing to break his own belongings in his anger, but to let his rage waste ingredients and make a mess in Miss Lasia’s sacred space felt horribly wrong. He kept his gaze cast downward, not daring to look Miss Lasia in the eye. He could handle seeing her anger, frustration, or even sorrow, but her disappointment would crush him. 

 
He felt the gentle touch of a large rag, wiping the excess yokes from his shirt. 

 
“Don’t worry about yolks or your shirt, Andrew,” she said softly. “I’ll have Rudis wash it up for you. For now, change into one of the spare shirts we keep for our new members of the kitchen staff, who are also prone to more frequent accidents.” 

 
Andrew did as he was told and changed into a simple cotton shirt. They sat by the hearth for a moment, stoking the fire. Even in late spring, the kitchens often grew cold because they were practically underground.

 
“So, they won’t allow you to join the hunt this year, hmm?” Lasia asked. “I’m sorry to say that I have to agree with your father’s decision. You’re too young, and that is not something you can change overnight, I’m afraid.”
 

Andrew looked at the old woman with even more sorrow in his eyes than before. She was usually on his side. He’d come to her seeking comfort and kind words, not more discouragement. He practically hung his head in defeat. 

 
Miss Lasia patted his shoulder gently and stood from her seat on the edge of the hearth. 
 

“Come,” she said, and without waiting, she walked further into the kitchen. 

 
With his only other option being to sit and wallow in his own misery, he got up and followed her. 

 
She turned suddenly, and he nearly lost his balance as he halted quickly so as not to run into her. She crouched in front of the oven, where she had placed the bread pan no more than an hour ago. He kneeled next to her and looked into the domed oven. 

 
Miss Lasia made a contempt-clicking sound with her tongue. “The bread hasn’t risen yet.” 
 

Andrew gave her a confused look. She had made it hundreds of times before; surely she hadn’t forgotten how patient you had to be with baking bread. 

 
“Miss Lasia,” Andrew said. “We have to wait for the yeast to make the bread rise. We have to be patient; it takes time. If you eat it now, it might make you ill.”

 
“But I’m hungry,” the old woman nearly whined. “I want it now!” 

 
Andrew was baffled by her strange behavior but continued to try to help her see reason. 

 
“The yeast takes time to make the dough rise; if we take it out now, it will be flat, grainy, and probably uneatable. If you’re hungry, we could make a simple snack while we wait.”

 
Miss Lasia stopped her fussing and offered him a gentle, knowing look. 

 
Andrew stood there for a moment, contemplating everything that had just occurred. He pursed his lips slowly as he realized what she had done. 

 
“I need to be patient because I can’t make time move any faster. I would be putting myself and others in danger if I joined the hunt now because I’m too young,” Andrew said quietly. “If I feel restless, I should focus my energy on other skills in the meantime, like my studies or practicing with my mana.” 

 
Miss Lasia said nothing but offered him a small smile as her eyes shone with pride. She grabbed a rag, threw it across her shoulder, and set to work on her next task. 

 
Not wanting to disturb her further or risk making any more messes, he started to depart from the kitchen. 

 
“Your time will come,” Miss Lasia said sweetly. “For now, hone your skills, and... don’t forget to have a bit of fun every now and then. Before you know it, you’ll be paying taxes like the rest of us old folk.”
 

She chuckled to herself at that last remark. Andrew frowned. He didn’t understand taxes, but he knew they weren’t enjoyable. He had overheard his father grumble about them once or twice. 

 
"Thanks, Miss Lasia!” Andrew said, his voice now genuinely cheerful. 

 
"Anytime, my dear,” the old woman said sweetly as she kneaded another ball of dough.

 
You’ll be a brave knight and an even braver leader, Lord Andrew, she thought. Just wait a bit longer, my dearest, and you’ll see. You will be the greatest of us all. 

Chapter Text

The journey from the prison camp back to Anatol was slow. Purposely slow. Rather than rushing down shortcuts through the forest and setting up halfway decent camps, the Remdragon Knights took the main roads, stopping in towns with inns so that her Ladyship and her son would have a warm, comfortable place to rest and restore their strength. When, on occasion, the company passed through a small village that held an inn built with only a couple rooms, the Lord, Lady, and their son would stay in the inn, and the knights would set up camp just beyond the border of the village. The knights, of course, made no comment or jest towards the commander about staying abed with his family. Riftan would be long in his grave before he was separated from them for even a night. 

 
He spared no expense, paying for warm, hearty meals prepared by the innkeepers family, stews and quail, warm bread, and the occasional cobbler. He bought them new clothes to replace their thread-bare rags that were torn and soiled. At their first stop, he hired a healer to look over both of them to ensure they would be alright for travel or if they would need to stay and rest in one place for a while. Ruth and the healer both assured the commander that the lady and young lord required warm meals and rest but would be alright to travel. Riftan was hesitant. He would have stayed in that village for six months had it not been for Maxi’s insistence that they begin the journey home. She was rightfully homesick; they all were, and she was eager for her son to see his home and birthright. And so they journeyed on.
 
One evening, still a few days' ride from Anatol, Riftan sat with the knights discussing matters by the hearth in the dining hall in the inn. He had left Maxi and Andrew upstairs to nap as they often did in the afternoons, still regaining their strength. A rosy color had at last begun to bloom on Maxi’s cheeks again, and Andrew smiled more and more each day. The room held its breath as a high-pitched wail—the cry of a child in terror—pierced the air. In the blink of an eye, Riftan was on his feet and already halfway to the stairs. Poor Yulision, who was bringing back six pints of ale to the table for the men, was nearly trampled by the commander’s rushed stride. Riftan rushed up the stairs, taking them two or three at a time, and hurried down the hall to his family’s room. The knight he had posted outside their bedroom while he was away would face a harsh lashing for leaving them unguarded, even if it was only to quickly relieve himself. 
 
Riftan burst into the room, sword drawn, with the cry of his wife’s name a breath away from his lips. What he saw, however, melted his heart rather than shatter it. Maxi sat with her legs crossed and their son lying further down the bed, surrounded by a giant mound of pillows with only his foot and a tuft of hair visible among a sea of cushions. They were both laughing merrily, but Maxi quieted at Riftan’s abrupt entrance. She turned to face him, and her thin brows furrowed at the unbridled worry still etched across Riftan’s face. 
 
“I heard him scream,” Riftan said, not caring that worry and fear bled through his voice. He had every damn right to be worried after what his family had suffered. 
 
Maxi’s expression quickly shifted from worry to amusement as she smiled warmly at her husband. Only then did he sheath his sword and come to sit beside her.
 
“We were playing,” she explained, placing a gentle hand on Riftan’s arm, thrilled that his tense muscles relaxed under her touch. “Andrew wanted to see how high we could stack the pillows. We got fairly high, but then the Great Tower of Geese Feathered Cushions toppled over on our son. He cried out, startled but unharmed, and as you saw when you entered, we were quite amused by the ordeal.”
 
Riftan leaned forward, and Maxi let go of his arm as he shifted the pillows and lifted his little son into his arms. He placed Andrew in his lap and held him tenderly. 
 
The commander must have still had a look of concern in his eyes because his son took his father’s massive hand and squeezed it as hard as he could, trying to reassure him.
 
“I’m alright, Father,” the boy said quietly. “I’m sorry for scaring you. I didn’t mean to.”
 
Riftan held his son tightly against him, careful not to crush him. 
 
“I know you didn’t, son,” Riftan said softly. “You didn’t scare me; I was scared that someone was trying to hurt you and your mother. But I am grateful beyond measure that you are both alright.”
 
Andrew returned his father’s embrace, his small arms not even reaching beyond the edges of his father’s broad chest, but the effort was nonetheless appreciated.
 
“Don’t worry, Father,” said Andrew, “if I was ever in any danger and you were out taking care of other responsibilities, Mother would unalive them with her magic.”
 
Riftan looked over at Maxi, whose gaze was locked on their son. There was a darkness behind her eyes that he had never seen before. The dark, unyielding strength of a mother, who would gladly defend her child to her last breath,. 
 
“I have no doubt she would,” Riftan said, his tone laced with both pride and concern. 
 
                           ———
 
The last few days' ride were thankfully uneventful. It was early spring, and the monsters had not yet awoken from their deep winter slumber. 
 
Riftan, Maxi, Andrew, and the Remdragon Knights crested the grassy hill, leaving the last of the forest behind them. In the distance lay their beloved city, Anatol, and atop a sheer rock face, their home, Castle Calypse, stood proud against the setting sun. 
 
They quickly made their way to the gates of the city, eager to get home. The surrounding meadows were in full bloom as they hurried past. 
 
The air grew sweeter, filled with the delicate fragrance of blossoming flowers. The meadows surrounding the path were a riot of color, an artist’s palette brought to life. Daisies dotted the landscape like scattered pearls, their white petals opening wide to the sun. Tulips, in shades of red, yellow, and pink, stood tall and proud, their elegant forms swaying gently in the breeze.
 
Poppies added splashes of crimson, their delicate petals fluttering like silken banners. Gardenias, with their creamy white blooms and intoxicating scent, created patches of heady perfume that lingered in the air. The grass, a lush emerald carpet, seemed almost to ripple as a gentle wind whispered through the blades.

Riftan wanted to stop and collect a bundle of flowers for Maxi, remembering how happy the simple gesture had made her all those years ago, but it could wait; for now, they wanted to hurry home. He could come back tomorrow. 
 
Birdsongs filled the air, a cacophony of melodies as larks, finches, and sparrows celebrated the season. Bees buzzed industriously from flower to flower, their tiny bodies dusted with pollen. Butterflies flitted about, their wings shimmering in the sunlight. The sky overhead was a brilliant blue, unmarred by clouds, and the warmth of the sun was a gentle caress on the skin.
 
The trees, too, had shed their winter starkness. Their branches were now adorned with fresh green leaves, and here and there, blossoms peeked out, promising fruit in the months to come. The willows by the river’s edge dipped their long, graceful tendrils into the water, creating ripples that sparkled in the sunlight.
 
They passed through the city quickly, and though Andrew had many questions, he kept them to himself. They were almost home. There would be time for questions later. 
 
The season was not agreeable with all of the knights, especially the large, burly man with red hair who rode close to Andrew’s father. He’d sneezed half a dozen times since they’d passed the city gates. 
 
“Allergic to flowers, Nirta?” one of the knights jest. 
 
“Not flowers, the damn pollen,” Hebaron scowled. 
 
“Watch your tongue in front of her ladyship and the young lord,” Gabel snapped. 
 
"Apologies, my lady and my lord,” Hebaron said with an unapologetic grin. 
 
Andrew looked at the knight curiously but said nothing. 
 
“How would you like to stay in that lavish inn tonight, my lord?” Elliot teased the young Calypse while pointing up to the castle. 
 
“That’s no inn,” the boy said plainly, “that’s my home.”
 
The knights looked at the boy in stunned silence. Even if Maxi had told him that they were to live in a castle, how could he have known it was this castle?
 
“How did you recognize Calypse Castle?” Riftan asked, proud and intrigued by his son’s brilliant mind. 
 
“The same way I recognized you when we were rescued,” Andrew said. “Mother and I had nothing to keep ourselves entertained other than tell stories. Well…she told the stories, and I listened, as I was too young to have many stories to tell. She told me about you and our home and the knights, so I would know you even if I had never seen you.”
 
“You told plenty of stories,” Maxi corrected gently. “Stories about how you dream of being a brave knight like your father.”
 
Andrew turned to face his father and smiled brightly at him. Riftan smiled back, but Maxi could see the cold fear behind his eyes as the thought of his son facing war greatly unsettled him. She reached for his hand, which tightly gripped the reins, and brushed her thumb over his gloved hand. She felt him lower his head, slightly resting his chin atop her head for a moment in silent thanks before moving onto the castle.
 
Before they could eat, they were all in need of bathing. Riftan had a warm bath drawn for them and was delighted more than he thought possible to be a part of the mundane task of helping bathe his son. It devolved into a brief soapy splash war, but Riftan could not have cared less for any rugs or finer fabrics that were likely ruined in the process. 
 
They gathered for dinner with the knights. Maxi wore her hair down and had changed into a simple dress without frills or lacing. She was too tired to dress in anything fancy tonight. Riftan had half a mind to ask that their food be brought to their room, but Andrew wanted to be with as many people as possible, and neither of his parents could deny him. They sat together, and the servants brought out dish after dish, many of which Maxi recognized as her favorites. Roasted venison, pork, quail, butter beans, fresh eggs, sweet bread, roasted potatoes, carrots, squash, four different gravies, and seven different cheeses. As well as plenty of ale for the knights. 
 
“Will we have dessert?” Andrew asked cheerfully, as most of the knights leaned back in their seats as they rubbed their stuffed bellies and were more than a little tempted to loosen their belts.
 
Maxi couldn’t help the small smile on the curve of her lip as she looked down at her son. He had undoubtedly inherited her sweet tooth.
 
The servants brought forth a small spread of treats. Almond cream tart. Mulberry pie. Rice pudding. Triple-berry cobbler. Between bites, the young lord tried to answer as many questions as he could, as many of the knights asked about the boy’s experiences in captivity. 
 
If the men weren’t hardened by the carnage of monster raids and other forms of combat, the stories of the child’s time living in near squalor would have turned any man's stomach. The lad’s eyes were soon drooping from some combination of traveling that morning and a feast of rich foods, and Riftan could hardly bring himself to sit through another tale of how his wife and son were mistreated.
 
“There will be plenty of time for stories tomorrow,” Riftan said with a gruff finality, with the intent of dissuading any further questions from the knights, who clearly enjoyed stories as much as the town crier. “It is time for someone to get some much-needed rest.”
 
He looked down at his young son, who looked rather unhappy at the thought of going to bed at such an early hour. Riftan looked at his wife, who looked far more exhausted than their son. She reached out and stroked Andrew’s back. Riftan watched in amazement as the child quickly slumped against his mother’s side and was nearly asleep in her lap in mere moments.
 
He looked at Maxi with wonder. There was a torrent of sadness in her eyes, for there was a painful sorrow behind her reasons for easing him to sleep so quickly. She had wanted him to sleep soundly during the night in prison and quickly in case any of the guards ever gave into their darker, more carnal urges or fantasies while she was their prisoner. Thank the gods they never did, or she would never have been able to face her husband again. Riftan felt ice seeping into his very bones at the depth of pain in her eyes as she sat lost in thought, but she soon shook herself from it and gave him a grateful smile. That smile hurt more than any tears. It was a smile of thanks because she was alive; she had survived a horror worse than that of her father. 
 
Maxi cleared her throat and brought Riftan back from the brink of spiraling into his own regretful memories.
 
“Let us to bed,” Maxi agreed as she rose from her seat with her son in her arms. 
 
Riftan followed and a chorus of rest well little lord, and pleasant sleep my lady, as they departed from the dining hall. 
 
The little family climbed the stairs to their private chambers and readied themselves for bed. Andrew had no tailored clothes or sleepwear of his own, so for now he wore what had been the plain cotton sleep shirt and pants that had belonged to Rudis’s nephew. Andrew lay between them, already sound asleep. There had been no suggestion or even a thought that he would sleep anywhere else. Riftan held them close, as he had every night since he had been reunited with them, as they all fell into a restful, dreamless sleep. 
 
                         ———
 
Riftan awoke just before dawn. His wife was sound asleep, still exhausted from their long journey, but he was surprised to find that his son was wide awake and staring up at him expectantly. 
 
Riftan brushed his fingers through his son’s soft black hair, if only to remind himself that this was all real. Maxi was home and safe, and they had been blessed with a beautiful son.
 
Riftan brought a single finger to his lips, hoping that the child would understand the need for quiet while the boy’s mother continued to rest. The child blinked at him owlishly but remained silent. 
 
With careful movements, Riftan slid out of bed, and pulled on a shirt, taking care not to disturb Maxi. He scooped Andrew up in his arms, wrapped a blanket around the boy to ward off the morning chill, and quietly left the room.
 
“Where are we going, Father?” Andrew whispered, eyes wide with curiosity.
 
Riftan smiled. “I thought it might be nice to show you around your new home before everyone else wakes up.”
 
They descended the stairs, and Riftan set Andrew down and led the way through the castle. The flickering light from the torches cast long shadows along the stone walls. 
 
“This is where we hold feasts and celebrations,” Riftan explained, his voice low as they stepped into the grand banquet hall. “It’s been a while since we had a proper one, but I’m sure we will soon.”
 
Andrew’s eyes were wide with wonder as he took in the high ceilings, the long tables, and the grand fireplace at the far end of the hall. They were soon approached by an elderly man with a kind face and a stooped posture.
 
“Ah, Lord Riftan. Up early, I see,” the servant greeted with a respectful bow.
 
“This is Sir Moren,” Riftan said, introducing the old man to his son. “He took care of the castle while I was away during the dragon campaign.”
 
Sir Moren’s eyes softened as he looked at Andrew. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, young master.”
 
“Hello,” Andrew said politely, still taking in the grandeur of the hall.
 
Riftan gave Sir Moren a nod of thanks and continued the tour. Next, they entered the library. Shelves upon shelves of books lined the walls, the smell of parchment and ink filling the air.
 
“This is the library,” Riftan said, keeping his voice hushed. “If I am ever looking for your mother, this is the best place to start. She spent a lot of time here before you were born.”
 
Before Andrew could ask any questions, Riftan noticed a familiar figure hunched over a desk at the far end. Ruth was awake, surrounded by scrolls and books. Had he slept at all the night before? 
 
“We should move on,” Riftan said quickly, steering Andrew away before Ruth could spot them, not wanting his son anywhere near Ruth’s magic yet.
 
They made their way to the kitchen next. The warmth from the ovens and the smell of freshly baked bread greeted them as they entered. A plump woman with a cheerful demeanor was busy kneading dough.
 
“This is Miss Lasia, one of our chefs. She made that delicious almond cream tart you devoured last night,” Riftan said with a grateful smile.
 
Miss Lasia wiped her hands on her apron and beamed at Andrew. “Good morning, young master. Welcome home.”
 
“Thank you,” Andrew replied, smiling shyly.
 
Riftan continued to guide his son through the castle, taking him to the training grounds next. Several knights were already up and sparring, the clanging of swords ringing through the air.
 
“Father, are they fighting!?” Andrew asked, his eyes wide with concern.
 
“They’re training,” Riftan explained. “Preparing themselves for battle.”
 
He introduced Andrew to some of the knights who weren’t busy. Uslin, with his stern face softened by a rare smile, greeted the boy. Elliot, always the gentle one, ruffled Andrew’s hair, and Gabel gave him a playful wink.
 
They avoided Hebaron, who was nursing a hangover from the previous night’s celebrations. Riftan made a mental note to speak with him later.
 
Finally, they made their way to the garden. The morning sun was just beginning to rise, casting a golden glow over the blooming flowers. They walked to a large oak tree in the center of the garden.
 
“This tree has been here for generations,” Riftan said. “It’s a symbol of strength, endurance, and a bit of mystery. Its legacy and history are beloved by the people of Anatol.”
 
“It’s beautiful,” said Andrew, looking up at the towering oak with awe before turning to face Riftan. “The castle is beautiful, Father.”
 
Riftan smiled as his heart swelled with pride. “Your mother decorated much of this castle. She has a gift for making things beautiful.”
 
As they continued to stroll through the garden, Riftan told Andrew about the history of the castle, how he had earned it and his title through his campaigns, and how Maxi had transformed it into a warm and welcoming home.
 
They sat down for a bit beneath the cool shade of the tree, enjoying the peaceful late morning. Just then, Maxi appeared, carrying a large basket.
 
“I thought you might be hungry,” she said with a smile, setting the basket down beside them before taking a seat in the soft grass. Together, they ate a simple meal of fresh bread, cheese, and fruits.
 
As they finished their meal, Andrew grew restless. “Can we see the city today, Mother?”
 
Maxi chuckled and shook her head. “There’s still much more of the castle to see. We can explore the city tomorrow.”
 
Andrew pouted slightly but nodded, his excitement undimmed. He was eager to see everything his new home had to offer.
 
After breakfast, they continued their tour. Riftan showed Andrew the grand hall, the guest chambers, and the stables where their horses were kept. They visited the armory, where rows of weapons gleamed in the morning light, and visited one of the towers, which offered a breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside.
 
Everywhere they went, Andrew’s eyes were wide with wonder, taking in the sights and listening intently to his father’s stories.
 
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, they made their way back to the garden. Andrew was full of questions, and Riftan answered them all with patience and pride.
 
Maxi watched them with a smile, feeling a deep sense of contentment. Despite their suffering, despite all they had been through, they were safe, and they were together. At last, they were finally home.
 

Chapter Text

Riftan, Maxi, and Andrew prepared to leave for the day’s excursion before daybreak. The castle gates creaked open, and they rode out into the world beyond. Andrew sat atop Talon, carefully held by his father, his eyes wide with anticipation. Beside them, Maxi rode her beautiful white mare, Rem. The castle sat upon the hill as they departed to go into the city below Andrew could see a vast expanse of rolling hills, forests, and rivers beyond the high walls. They rode out as the sun began to rise beyond the mountains to the east. 

As they rode, Andrew’s gaze darted from one sight to another just beyond the walls. The mountains in the distance seemed to stretch into the heavens, their peaks capped with the last remnants of snow from winter. A winding river cut through the landscape, its waters shimmering under the sunlight. Birds soared overhead, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers. Andrew’s small hands gripped the reins tightly as he looked up at his father with awe.

“Is all of this ours, Father?” he asked, his voice filled with amazement.

Riftan smiled down at him, pride swelling in his chest as his son looked out over the land with awestruck wonder. “Yes. This is our home, and it’s our duty to protect it.”

As they continued, the cobbled streets buzzed as people bustled about as the city awoke with the dawn. Andrew’s eyes grew even wider as they entered the town, where people hurried about their daily routines. He had never seen so many people in one place before. There were men unloading crates from a cart, women carrying baskets of goods, vendors shouting through the market, the occasional stray goat that had lept from its pen darted into the street as children were running and laughing, and shopkeepers tending to their stalls.

“Look, Andrew,” Maxi said gently, pointing towards a bakery where the smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the air. “This is where we get our bread. Would you like to try some?”

Andrew nodded eagerly as his stomach rumbled. The boy had been too excited to eat breakfast that morning, and neither of his parents had been able to convince him otherwise, but now he was famished. Riftan dismounted, lifting him off the horse and setting him on the ground. They approached the bakery, where the baker, a plump man with flour-dusted hands, greeted them warmly.

“Good morning, my Lord, my Lady,” the baker said with a smile and a bow. “And who might this young lad be?”

“This is our son, Andrew,” Maxi replied, her voice filled with pride. Andrew smiled at the man and politely held out his little hand for the man to shake. The jolly man came around the counter, bent down, and shook the boy’s hand.

The baker’s eyes twinkled as he handed Andrew a warm loaf of bread. “Welcome to Anatol, young master. I hope you enjoy our town.”

Andrew took a bite of the bread, his eyes lighting up at the taste. “It’s delicious! Thank you very much, sir!” he exclaimed.

“Come by any time, and I’ll make you a fresh loaf, if you’d like,” said the baker, humbled and delighted by the young boy’s manners. Such a young thing, and yet the baker knew his parents were already full of pride for their boy.

They continued their journey through the town, visiting various shops and landmarks. At the blacksmith’s forge, Andrew watched in fascination as a burly man hammered away at a glowing piece of metal, sparks flying with every strike. 

“Father,” Andrew asked as his gaze wandered over the various shields, spears, and blades the man had crafted, “do you think he could make me a sword like yours?”

Riftan, whose face held a near scowl because of the less than pleasant memories he’d had in a forge not too dissimilar to this one, shook his head as though brushing away a bad memory. He offered his son a grim smile, proud to see his son’s passion but fearful of what danger that passion might lead him to some day. 

“When you’re ready, we can start by practicing with a wooden training sword.” Riftan said gently, not wanting to completely crush the boy’s spirit. “Once you’ve mastered a wooden sword, then we can consider crafting you a true blade.”

“Thank you, Father!” Andrew yelled excitedly as he raced forward and hugged his father’s leg with all his might. 

Riftan beamed at the child. He bent down and scooped the boy up into his arms as they headed out of the forge to their next destination. 

They met up with Maxi in the bookshop. She had picked out a small, leather-bound journal for Andrew and encouraged him to write down his thoughts and adventures. 

“Are there any books about magic I should read to get started on my studies of mana?” Andrew asked. 

Maxi and Riftan both shared a nervous look before turning to face their son. 

“Is there anything else you’d like to read instead?” Maxi asked. “While I applaud your eagerness, you need to rest and take a bit of time to enjoy the freedom that should come with your age. There will be plenty of time to study magic if you’d like once we’ve both recovered, but I don’t want you rushing into this because you are scared or feel the need to protect yourself because of where and how you have lived. It is the responsibility of your father and I to protect you.” 

“I want to learn to be strong like you, but if you say I am not ready, then I can wait,” Andrew said with a profound amount of patience.

They stopped by the seaport, where ships swayed gently in the water, their sails billowing in the breeze. Merchants hurried to unload their wares from the crowded harbor as orders were shouted to raise and lower sails.

Andrew clung to his mother. A small part of her regretted telling him that it was ships much like these that had taken her from her husband. She certainly did not regret being honest with her child; however, she wished she could rid him of the fear that it had instilled in him.

“Andrew?” she asked, kneeling down beside her child, who eyed the ships wearily, “do you remember the promise I told you each night while we waited for your father to save us?”

Andrew at last tore his gaze from the harbor. 

“You said that no man or monster could keep Father from us and that we just needed to be patient. We needed to be strong for him as he is for us,” he said in a small voice. 

“And did your father keep that promise to save us?” Maxi asked.

Andrew looked to his father. “Yes, he did,” he said, his voice so full of gratitude that it shattered Riftan’s heart. 

The Lord Commander kneeled before his wife and son. 

“I kept that promise, a promise I will keep until my last days,” Riftan said. “And now I would make a promise of my own if you’d allow it?”

The boy nodded, his bright eyes wide and eager. 

“Andrew Maximus Calypse,” Riftan said, taking the child’s small hand in his, “I vow to you that until you are grown and ready to take your place in the broader world, that nothing will separate you from me. No ships will take you away, and no monsters will harm you or haunt your dreams. Your mother and I will give our lives for you if need be to keep you safe because we love you. I promise you are, and will be, safe.”

Andrew surged forward and threw his arms around his father’s neck, hugging him as best he could. 

He did not thank his father, for he knew he didn’t need to. But he could still try to share the love his father spoke of by embracing him. 

After that, Andrew walked through the harbor and the warf with his parents without fear.

As it neared midday, they walked together through a quieter part of the city with little shops and a few inns. 

“This town is so big,” Andrew said in awe as he reflected on all they had seen. “I didn’t know there were so many people in the world.”

Riftan chuckled. “This is just a small part of it, my son. There’s much more to see beyond these walls. But for now, Anatol is your world.”

As the sun reached its peak, they found a quiet spot near the town square to have lunch. They settled at a small table outside a quaint inn, where the innkeeper served them a hearty meal of roasted meat, fresh vegetables, and warm bread. As they ate, Riftan reminisced about the first time he and Maxi had come to Anatol together after the dragon campaign.

“We were both so young, and everything was new to us. The people were wary of me at first; even your mother was weary of me, I think, but she brought light into this place. She made it a home for me and for our people, who happily embraced the warmth and care she provided them.”

Maxi blushed slightly at his praise but smiled as she listened to Riftan’s story. Andrew, too, was captivated by his father’s words, imagining the town as it must have been back then.

After lunch, they rode out to the nearby countryside. Rolling hills dotted with wildflowers stretched out before them, and the distant sound of a waterfall could be heard. They stopped by a small stream, where Andrew ran towards the water’s edge, tossing stones in the water and making tiny splashes that delighted him.

As they rested by the stream, Andrew turned to his father, his eyes filled with curiosity. “Father, when can I learn to ride a horse on my own?”

Riftan smiled at his son’s eagerness. “Soon. In fact, I think it’s time we get you a pony of your own.”

Andrew’s eyes widened in surprise. “A pony? For me?”

“Yes, for you,” Riftan replied, ruffling his son’s hair. “You’ll need to start with a smaller horse before you can ride one like mine. We’ll find a good pony for you, and I’ll teach you how to ride properly.”

Andrew’s face lit up with excitement. “Thank you, Father! I’ll take good care of it, I promise!”

As the afternoon wore on, they made their way back to the castle. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows over the landscape. Andrew was quiet on the ride back, his mind filled with all the new sights and experiences of the day. He also thought upon list after list of names for his future steed. Valor? Titan? Shadow? He couldn’t decide. Perhaps he would settle on a name once he saw the horse. As he continued to ponder, his eyes grew heavy. By the time they reached the castle gates, he was nearly falling asleep in the saddle.

Maxi smiled as she watched her son’s eyes droop. “It seems today has worn him out.”

Riftan nodded, gently lifting Andrew off the horse and carrying him inside. “It’s been a big day for him. And for us.”

As they tucked Andrew into their bed that night, Riftan and Maxi exchanged a look of contentment. Despite all the hardships they had faced, they had found each other again. Their family was safe, and their home was once again filled with warmth and love.

As they settled into bed with their son between them, Riftan held Maxi close, whispering softly, hoping to not wake their son, “I pray I will never know another night without you in my arms.”

“The gods have made us suffer through enough strife; for what purpose I don’t know,” she whispered back. “I pray they are satisfied with their games and will let us be at peace with our son. I have no intention of ever sleeping again without you beside me, to hold me close and remind me even when I wake in the night that I’m not still in that awful place. And I will hold you, to remind you of the same, that I am here and safe. You will hold me in your arms as I will hold you in mine, and nothing will take me from you again.”

Riftan leaned over their son and placed a tender kiss on Maxi’s forehead. Before he pulled away, Maxi placed a kiss on his cheek before swiftly shifting herself to tuck her body against her son, who slept soundly. Riftan chuckled, knowing she had moved away quickly in the hopes that she had not set in motion something that could not happen in the presence of a small child. He slid down and placed himself on the other side of his son as he rested his head on his pillow. 

He would never tire of the image before him. His beautiful wife, bathed in soft firelight, held their precious son as he held both of them in his arms.

He kissed the crown of his son’s head and then slowly closed his eyes. 

And as the small fire crackled in the hearth to stave off the cool night air, the Calypses held each other, and their beloved son between them, as they drifted into a peaceful dreamless sleep. 

Chapter Text

The children were overjoyed that Aunt Agnes was coming to visit. Agnes always had something fun up her sleeve; no two adventures with her were ever the same. Sure, they’d gotten in trouble a handful of times, but the wild stories and unforgettable memories were well worth the risk. 
 
They waited anxiously at the top of the stairs leading into the front courtyard, listening for the horns to sound, announcing the arrival of the princess. 
 
At last, the instruments blared loud and clear as a small troupe of swift horses and their riders made their way through the gate. Riding in the front, a tall, beautiful blonde charged into the courtyard, waving happily to her honorary niece and nephew. 
 
“Aunt Agnes!!” the children shouted happily as they raced down the stairs. 
 
“Andrew! Victoria!” Maxi called to them as they reached the bottom of the stairs. They sheepishly glanced back up the stairs and saw their mother giving them a knowing look. They froze. They turned slowly to face the princess, standing up as straight as possible. 
 
“Your highness,” the children bowed and curtsied respectfully. 
 
The children glanced up at her and saw that Agnes was no longer smiling. She silently dismounted from her horse without waiting for assistance from her aid. She walked stiffly over towards Andrew and Victoria, who still bowed before her. She stood a few feet from them and said nothing for a long time. She stood there for so long that Victoria nearly lost her balance. Thankfully, Andrew caught her arm at the last second. 
 
The princess chuckled. That chuckle melted into a full belly laugh as the princess dropped to her knees and opened her arms wide. 
 
“Enough of these silly formalities!” Agnes declared. 
 
The children ran forward and embraced her. 
 
“Welcome back, Aunt Agnes!” said Andrew.
 
“We missed you!” said Victoria.
 
“It’s good to be back! The capital is far too crowded this time of year. I’ve missed you too!” Agnes said. 
 
“How long will you be staying with us,” Maxi asked cheerily as she and Riftan approached their old friend. 
 
“At least a week, maybe more. Depends on how quickly Mago gets on my last nerve,” she teased. 
 
Riftan’s left eye twitched in annoyance. 
 
“You are free to depart at-“ Riftan began before receiving a swift jab in the ribs courtesy of Maximilian and was abruptly silenced. 
 
“Please stay as long as you’d like; I know the children have missed you dearly,” Maxi said sweetly. 
 
“You’re too kind, sweet lady,” said Agnes as she unwrapped herself from the children’s vice grip in order to embrace her fellow mage. 
 
“Andrew, Victoria, would you mind helping me with my things?” The princess asked. 
 
“We can have some of our servants-”
 
“Yes! Absolutely!” Victoria said.
 
“Of course!” Andrew said happily. 
 
She handed them small bags from her saddle and grabbed a larger bag from another horse to carry herself. 
 
“Lead the way,” she said, and the children hurried ahead of her.
 
As Andrew, Victoria, and Agnes scrambled up the stairs and into the castle, Riftan crossed his arms and shook his head, equally amused and annoyed.
 
“What’s wrong?” Maxi asked curiously.
 
“That’s how she sneaks their presents,” he mumbled.
 
“Their what?!” Maxi exclaimed.
 
“Haven’t you noticed they have at least five more toys in their rooms after she leaves?” he asked.
 
Maxi dropped her head and averted her eyes.
 
“Maxi?” Riftan asked gently. 
 
Maxilimilian looked up at him sheepishly. 
 
“I thought it was just a coincidence. I thought you had bought them for the children. Who am I to stop you from spoiling them?” She said quietly.
 
“We’re lenient with them, perhaps more than we should be,” Riftan said as he pulled his wife into his arms, “but the princess spoils them rotten.” 
 
“But we’re still their favorites, right?” Maxi muttered.
 
“We better be!” Riftan laughed. “She may give them extravagant gifts, but years from now they'll remember who taught them how to ride a horse, who never left their side when they were sick, who celebrated every triumph, and who dried their tears every time they were sad.”
 
Maxi smiled up at him before resting her head against his chest. They stood there for a while, remembering all the fond memories they shared with their children.
 
Suddenly, Maxi tensed in his arms before slowly raising her head to meet his gaze.
 
“What if she bought them another horse?!” she panicked.
 
------ 
 
“Here you go!” Agnes practically squealed as she gave another armful of gifts to the children. She seemed almost more excited to give them as they were to receive them. 
 
“WOAH!” said Andrew in utter disbelief. “I’ve wanted this shield for months! How did you know?!” 
 
“I may have asked your mother what you wanted for Christmas and then gone ahead and bought it for you now,” the princess said proudly, more than happy to spoil these beloved children.
 
“But this doll is so expensive!” said Victoria, “It would have taken me twelve weeks of chores to save up for this. How did you afford it?”
 
Agnes smirked and looked over her shoulders as though checking to make sure they were still alone in her room. 
 
“Can I tell you a secret?” she whispered as she bent down to their level. 
 
“Yes!” the children exclaimed, not even trying to keep their voices down.
 
“I’m very rich,” she said quietly.
 
“But you’re not more wealthy than Father,” Victoria said almost matter-of-factly.
 
“Actually…I have a lot more money than your father,” the princess boasted.
 
“NO. WAY.” the children shouted in disbelief.
 
-----— 
 
 
Agnes insisted on taking the children out for a bit of fun that very evening.
 
Riftan almost refused, but the children begged and pleaded to no end, and he finally relented.
 
“You can go on one condition,” he said with an edge in his voice, telling them there was no further room to argue.
 
“And what ridiculous request would that be?” asked the princess while openly rolling her eyes.
 
“You will take at least three Remdragon knights with you for security,” Riftan said firmly, crossing his arms. 
 
“My personal guards aren’t up to the task?” the princess countered.
 
“You have a habit of sneaking away from your guards,” Riftan grumbled. 
 
The princess’s eyes narrowed into thin slits, but she said nothing, knowing he was right. She turned her chin up and pivoted, facing the children as she responded.
 
“Fine, they can come along,” she relented quietly as she winked at them with a wide Cheshire grin.
 
I know that look, Andrew thought, equally nervous and excited. No doubt we’re in for a mountain of trouble....
 
------
 
“Of all the possible schemes I thought of as to how we would sneak away from the guards, climbing out of a second-story window during a fake game of hide and seek was not one of them,” Andrew said in surprise as he miraculously landed on his feet after letting go of the edge of the window sill. 
 
Agnes had gone first and had carefully helped his sister down into the princess’s arms before making his own descent. 
 
"Alright, we have half an hour before they realize something’s wrong, and maybe three hours at most before they find us,” Agnes said confidently. “Let’s wander around for a bit and see what we can find.”
 
They walk through the streets that were oddly a bit empty considering it was a warm summer night. They walked through the markets and had just passed the large fountain in the square when suddenly they heard a beautiful melody drifting through the air a few blocks away. 
 
Curious, they moved closer to the source and came to the back of a large building with the rear door slightly ajar. That small space between the door and its frame provided a glimpse of the grandeur within. People of all ages were dressed in their finest clothes and danced together around the room to lively music. In the center of the crowd was a couple, the young man dressed in a finely tailored shirt, pants, and coat and the lady in a lovely white dress. A short veil pinned to her hair floated behind her as she twirled around the room with her partner, never taking her eyes off him. 
 
“It’s a wedding!” Victoria said excitedly as she rushed forward to join in the festivities.
 
“Victoria!” Andrew scolded as he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back. “We can’t just walk into someone else’s wedding celebration! We weren’t invited.”
 
Agnes picked up Victoria and took Andrew by the hand.
 
"Come, little lord,” Agnes said, her tone full of mirth. “Let’s join in the fun, just for a little bit. We won’t impede or eat the food since we brought nothing to offer, but we can celebrate this happy occasion with your people. After all, the more, the merrier, right?” 
 
She didn’t give him time to respond before dragging him into the ballroom on the other side of the door. 
 
They kept to the edge of the dance floor, observing and occasionally swaying or dancing in place to the music. They applauded with the rest of the crowd whenever the bride kissed her groom or when the couple successfully executed a complicated dance. The children found that they were enjoying themselves by simply watching the people around them, as some of the people looked downright silly in their ‘fancy’ attire. Agnes laughed right along with them as she mumbled something about how absurd high fashion was because it was always changing and one could never keep up with the latest styles. 
 
As the night settled down, the trio made a swift exit out the same door they had come through. The soft candlelight illuminating the room easily reflected off the shiny surface of the knight’s armor as the royal guards had stepped inside to continue their search, and the trio quickly ducked into an alleyway. 
 
“I didn’t see the Remdragon Knights,” Andrew said, rather puzzled. 
 
“They probably split up to cover more ground,” Agnes huffed, annoyed to no end. 
 
“What if Ruth is with them?” Victoria asked quietly. “What if he uses a spell to track us?” 
 
“It is well past his bedtime,” Andrew chuckled. “Odds are, he’s sound asleep on a pile of grain sacks outside the bakery or a bench. He’ll be about as helpful as a lump on a log.”
 
Agnes threw her head back and laughed at the young lord’s more than accurate description of the Remdragon’s mage.
 
“You're probably right,” Agnes said after regaining her composure. “Alright, where to next?”
 
“I’m hungry,” Victoria groaned, clutching her stomach as though she were in immense pain. 
 
“Some of the street vendors should still be open,” Andrew suggested.
 
“No,” the princess said firmly, “tonight is about trying new things. So, I’m going to show you the best tavern in Anatol! It has home-cooked meals, musicians, and dancers. You’ll love it.”
 
“Okay!” the younger Calypse said happily, not entirely sure what she was agreeing to. 
 
“I don’t know,” Andrew said nervously, “If our parents find out we went to a tavern and-”
 
“That’s only if they find out,” Agnes said with a sly grin. “They'll never know if you don’t tell them, which technically isn't lying. I won’t say anything, neither will Victoria, right, dear?”
 
“Tell them what?” Victoria asked, confused, unable to keep up with Agnes’s latest scheme. 
 
“Exactly,” Agnes smiled proudly before turning her attention back to Andrew.
 
“Come now, where's your sense of adventure? Do you think your father hesitated to go off and face the vicious dragon Secktor?” 
 
“Yes,” Andrew said plainly. “He had just married my mother the day before, and the last thing he wanted to do was leave her side without having the chance to get to know her since they were strangers.”
 
“Alright, I walked right into that one,” the princess admitted. “But my point is that even if new things are scary, it doesn’t make them bad. Oftentimes the things that we are the most hesitant about turn out to be more fun than we ever imagined. Everyone loves a decent tavern, and in the future, when you’re on your own campaigns, it will be an invaluable place to gather information. At the very least, you can think of this as practice for future reconnaissance.”
 
Agnes smiled softly as she saw the light in the boy’s eyes brighten at the thought of running his own campaign, carrying on the family name of Calypse with pride.
 
“Alright,” the young boy said, with an edge of excitement in his tone, “lead the way.” 
 
------
 
The children almost instinctively covered their ears upon entering the tavern as the music was quite loud, but eventually they adjusted. At first they were a bit surprised that no one was staring as two young children followed a beautiful woman into the tavern in the early evening, but then it occurred to them that there was no age prescription when it came to taverns. Sure, they technically weren’t quite old enough to drink alcohol, but most patrons couldn’t leave their young children home alone and simply brought them with them, so no one gave Victoria and Andrew more than a second glance. 
 
They sat together in a cramped booth in the corner of the room so the children could watch as the live performers tuned their instruments in preparation for their shows later in the evening. 
 
The children were accustomed to trying new and exciting dishes that their chef created, and while they were familiar with some of the ingredients listed in the dishes on the bar menu, like potatoes and chicken, when it was finally brought to their table, they weren’t so sure about when they were eating. 
 
“It’s like stew but with more broth than anything else,” Agnes explained as the children stared at their meal with uncertainty. 
 
Their hunger quickly overruled their fear, and they soon devoured their simple meal. 
 
“If I finish all of my soup, may I have a big girl drink like you, Aunt Agnes?” Victoria asked sweetly, batting her big dark eyes at her beloved aunt. 
 
“Me too!” Andrew said loudly as he slurped down the last of his broth. 
 
“Absolutely…not,” Agnes giggled as she pulled her drink out of arm's reach of both of the children in case they got any more daring ideas. 
 
“But why not?!” Victoria pouted. 
 
“I’ll be in more than enough trouble as it is for sneaking away with you. If I bring both of you home drunk, I’ll be banished from Anatol and probably from ever seeing you two for the rest of your lives.” Anges said dramatically, but the children both heard a whisper of truth in her tone. 
 
“But you’re a princess,” Andrew argued, “you can come and go as you please.”
 
“You’re correct, to an extent,” said the Princess, “but your parents are well within their rights to make me feel unwelcome if they find it necessary in order to maintain your safety. You are their responsibility to protect, a charge they don’t take lightly. With any luck, I may be able to depart from here without being flayed alive.”
 
There was a long moment of silence between the three of them as the children thought over her words. The longer they dwelled on Agnes’s statement, the more frightened they became at the realization that they might never see her again. 
 
Realizing she’d said too much and that the children were on the verge of panic, she looked around for a way to distract them. 
 
Just then the musicians struck up a tune and began to play a lively song that resounded off the tavern walls.
 
“Come on, let’s dance!” Agnes exclaimed, nearly dragging the children out of their seats and onto the open dance floor in front of the stage.
 
The children’s worries were quickly drowned by the music and soon forgotten as they swayed to the lively rhythms of the melody. They danced together throughout the evening. As they spun and twirled about, they sang songs about dragons, knights, and kings of old. 
 
Their favorite song was in the ancient language, about a valiant knight and his beautiful crimson-headed mage. They sang the chorus loud and off-key but with full hearts as they committed each verse to memory. 
 
Soon the dancing and singing were spilling out of the tavern and into the streets. Thankfully it was early enough in the evening that the rowdy crowd did not disturb those who may have already turned in for the night. 
 
“I think I have time for one more surprise for you before the guards catch up to us,” Agnes said giddily, steering the children away from the jubilant masses. 
 
The children blinked up at her owlishly, waiting with eager anticipation. 
 
“I’m going to teach you one of my favorite spells,” said the princess as her smile broadened to a wild Cheshire grin. 
 
------
 
 
At half past ten, the princess entered the private chambers of the Lord and Lady of Anatol alone, without so much as knocking. 
 
“Agnes?” Maxi asked, not even trying to hide the worry in her voice. “Where are the children?”
 
The only reason Maxi wasn’t absolutely hysterical was Agnes’s calm demeanor. 
 
Agnes continued to stand before them in silence. 
 
“Answer her, Agnes,” Riftan said in a frighteningly calm tone. 
 
Agnes huffed, continuing to remain silent. She simply turned, walked towards the balcony, and opened the doors. 
 
“Come,” she said in a sweet, reassuring voice. “They wanted to surprise you.”
 
Riftan and Maximilian walked out onto the balcony. They stood together against the railing and waited patiently. 
 
Agnes stood in the doorway, arms folded, as she casually leaned against its frame. She gave a high-pitched three-note whistle. The couple looked back at her confused, but she gave no hint as to the surprise, only a knowing smile as she nodded towards the night sky. 
 
A sudden burst of light followed by a resounding boom quickly drew their attention back to the skies. 
Color exploded in a flurry as red hues danced across the dark night sky. Soon another followed to take its place, and another and another. Red, yellow, violet, and green filled the dark starry sky. 
 
They were too far away to see the caster of these spells, but there was no doubt in their minds that it was a very talented mage. 
 
“Ruth is with them in case they wear themselves out,” Agnes said quietly.
 
Maxi gasped and Riftan tensed as they both realized the mages the princess was referring to were their children. 
 
“It’s not as though your family has a terrible habit of overdoing themselves,” the princess scoffed under her breath with heavy sarcasm. 
 
The couple remained silent, mesmerized by the beautiful display their children created in the night sky.
 
“Your family has been blessed with many talents and gifts, Maximilian,” Anges said proudly. “Their future is bright if they possess such prowess at their young age.”
 
A small, proud smile graced Maxi’s lips. She leaned back slightly against her husband, who stood behind her. He wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders and held her close. 
 
“We could have told you that, Agnes,” Maxi mused, now beaming with pride. 
 
The trio continued to stand on the balcony and watch the children’s colorful display as they daydreamed of the bright futures that lay ahead for all of them.

Chapter Text

After many months of planning, the day had finally come. 

It was time for Anatol’s annual winter ball to acknowledge the start of the holiday season. As much as he hated the political drama and uncomfortable clothes that came with such events Riftan would gladly suffer through them, every year if she so desired, to see his wife happy. 

Maximilian had of course in her typical way had also thrown herself into preparations for the ball and had nearly worked herself sick. 

The decorum was splendid. Large wreaths adorned with red bows hung on every door. Garland was draped on every column and banister. Soft candlelight flickered in every window. 

The food prepared by their chef and staff was promised to be delicious. They had spent half the week preparing it and had worked quite late the night before leading up to the ball. 

Riftan tugged on the collar of his dress shirt for probably the twelfth time tonight as he stood outside his chamber doors waiting on his wife so that he could escort her downstairs. She had insisted on helping Rudis get the children ready who were overly excited for their first ball. Their youngest, Hadrian, was already sound asleep in his crib. 

Riftan winced internally at the thought of all the wealthy nobility who would be attending the ball tonight. He never questioned his right to the status he had worked years to earn but even now he felt a bit out of place having grown up as a mercenary. He was a man of few words but hated the idea of enduring small talk with people who mostly considered themselves to be untouchable thanks to the expulsion of their people. He knew that wasn’t the case for everyone but kindness and wealth were very rarely found in the same family. 

The old door hinges creaked loudly as Riftan was pulled from his thoughts. His son and daughter stepped out first. They were dressed in the finest clothes with their house colors. His son looked quite dashing and his young daughter looked adorable. 

His children ran ahead of them down the hall towards music that crept up the stairs. 

As soon as the children rounded the corner out of sight Riftan heard the door swing open once more. He swore he felt his heart skip a beat as his wife stepped out from their chambers. The tiny crystals on her silver dress twinkled like starlight in the soft light from the candles lining the hall. Her hair was down, flowing like a veil behind her, and adorned with two diamond hair pieces shaped like snowflakes. 

Maximilian approached him slowly with a shy smile gracing her lips. She gently held up her hand and caressed his cheek.

“You look very handsome, Riftan.” Maxi said sweetly. 

Riftan blinked once, twice, as though he were just coming to his senses. 

“Am I dead?” he asked bluntly. 

Maxi scoffed. 

“Why on earth would you think that?” she asked as she felt his strong arms wrap around her and pull her against him. 

Riftan closed his eyes as he leaned down and brushed his lips against the top of her cheek in a featherlight kiss. He took a deep breath and his very soul was warmed by the smell of her signature perfume, honey and lavender, the one she knew he loved. 

“Because I’m holding an angel in my arms.” he said quietly as though it was their little secret. 

Maximilian turned a deep shade of red and started to bury her face in his beautifully tailored shirt but Riftan reached up and held her chin, keeping her still. 

“You look so beautiful Maxi.” Riftan said as he stared down at the little goddess whose cheeks were nearly as red as her hair. 

Then Riftan kissed her slow and sweet. If he allowed himself anything more then he would have half a mind to forget the ball and carry his wife back into their chambers. 

He quickly ended the kiss before he got carried away and yet his wife had the audacity to look disappointed. He swiftly took her hands in his and brought them to his lips in a searing kiss, his eyes never leaving hers. 

“Shall we, Lady Calypse?” he asked smoothly. 

Maxi merely smiled coiley as she looped her arm through his so he could escort her. 

“We shall, Lord Calypse.” she said excitedly.

                           ….

The party started off fairly nice. The music was lovely, the food and wine were splendid and everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time. 

Almost every family had commented on how lovely Maximilian looked or how adorable the children were. Riftan tried to convince Maxi that they should have a ball every week. She insisted that despite his vast wealth, they shouldn’t, that their rarity made them more special. Riftan didn’t care. He would pay any price to keep that bright radiant smile on his wife’s face as she twirled around the dance floor with her friends. He relished the sweet way she laid her head against his chest when they danced a slow waltz. 

It was almost a perfect night. That was until some haughty noble, Lord Johnathan Casterly, pulled him aside wanting to speak with him regarding some private business matter that he claimed was urgent and couldn’t wait. The lords stepped away from the lively party and moved to the privacy of Riftan’s office nearby. 

Lord Casterly tried to make small talk which Riftan hated. Almost more than he hated the way the man before him often looked at everyone in the room as though they were beneath him. Lord Casterly came from a very wealthy and respected family. He wasn’t cruel but generations of wealth had caused the inheritors of vast riches to become spoiled and a bit snobbish. 

“Say your peace, or walk away.” Riftan spat heatedly, nearly at his wits end. 

Lord Casterly cleared his throat and stood up to his full height which was still a few inches shy of Lord Calypse. 

“Ah, a man of business.” Lord Casterly smiled proudly, “I can appreciate that.”

Riftan said nothing, merely narrowed his eyes in annoyance. 

“Right,” Lord Casterly continued after clearing his throat once more. “I asked to speak to you in confidence because I have a wonderful proposition for you. I believe, no, I know it would be in our best interests to join our houses.”

“What exactly are you saying?” Riftan asked not quite understanding, or perhaps not wanting to understand what the man was trying to infer.

“I propose we join our houses in a more permanent manner to create greater financial profit and armed forces. My son will marry your daughter and-.”

The lord stopped talking when he was startled by the ear splitting sound of glass shattering. Lord Calypse had gripped his wine glass so tightly that it broke and shattered as it was crushed in his large hand. If the Lord’s hand was bleeding from the broken glass he showed no signs of discomfort. Rather, his face was neutral, hiding the utter shock he felt within. 

“My daughter will have a say in who she chooses to marry.” Riftan said calmly.

“But your own marriage was arranged and it turned out perfectly!” Lord Casterly argued. 

“We were strangers,” Riftan said softly, his voice now sounding far away as though lost in a memory. “and while we did come to love one another it was very difficult not knowing one another at all, what upset her, what made her happy, what she wanted, what she had been through to make her who she was.” 

“Marriage for people of our status isn’t for love, it’s for alliances,” Lord Casterly said bluntly. “You my boy were certainly blessed by the gods to not only be capable of tolerating your wife as most of us do, but you actually respect and care for her as well.”

“I will not have my daughter, or any of my children forced into a loveless political marriage.” Riftan said, crossing his arms in agitation. “A marriage where one merely tolerates their spouse without respect is not healthy.”

“I know falling in love can take time,” Lord Casterly countered, “but why waste her time on several suitors when she can instead focus on getting to know the person she is meant to be with?”

“As I said before, it will be her choice.” Riftan said, the undertone of his voice more gruff than before as his patience was wearing thin. 

“What can I offer that will help you see that this is a wonderful match?” Lord Casterly persisted. 

“You have nothing to offer that would change my mind,” Riftan said flatly. “Your land, your wealth and your military forces are vast but it is nothing more that I cannot already provide her. My children will not need to marry to increase or even maintain their quality of life, not that they are selfish enough to solely rely on material wealth for their own happiness. They will marry whomever they deem worthy because their spouse will make them a better person and not simply for the financial gain they can offer.”

“Even if it benefits both families?” Lord Casterly sputtered. 

“That observation is neither fair nor honest,” Riftan said with a blatant mocking tone. “You are in far dire need of our resources and financial gain than we are in need of yours. I have repeated myself, which is a luxury I do not often afford. I will not do so again. Drop this proposal. And if I even think you are trying to whisper your ideas to my family or my servants tonight, you will immediately be removed from the castle grounds.” 

Lord Casterly was furious but wasn’t brave enough to insult his host, at least not to his face. Casterly’s cheeks burned with rage and his mouth twisted into a deep ugly scowl. Riftan paid him no mind and turned, walking back towards the lively festivities of the party that was now in full swing. 

“Little bitch is probably used goods anyway,” Lord Casterly muttered to himself when he thought the Lord could not hear him. “Just like her mother.”

Riftan flew at the man without thinking, without caring, he simply moved. His fist collided with the man’s jaw with such force that Lord Casterly was unable to scream. The man was hoisted into the air by the collar of his finely tailored shirt. Lord Calypse’s eyes burned with such an overwhelming fury that Johnathan swore the man would start breathing fire at any second. For a moment the lord was terrified that Riftan might actually throw him through the stained glass window, sending him plummeting to his assured death. 

“What. The. FUCK. Did you say?” Riftan bit out, seething with such anger he was practically spitting. 

“I- I umm I…,” Lord Casterly stuttered in fear. 

“I should have your severed head on a pike for saying such egregious falsehoods.” Riftan spat, “They will be nothing left of you when-“

A swift knock came at the door. 

“Father! Father!” Andrew shouted just beyond the door. “Are you in there?”

Riftan took a long deep breath to try to sooth his rage. He slowly returned Lord Castlery to the ground but never softened his vice grip on his collar.

“Just a moment Andrew,” Riftan said with a warm kindness that startled Lord Casterly having nearly met his end by this man mere moments ago.  

“Mother says we cannot begin the feast without a proper toast.” Andrew said plainly, having heard the sternness in his father’s voice warning him not to enter. “Please hurry. We’re starving!” 

With that the young boy’s footsteps could be heard retreating back down the hall. 

Lord Casterly began to interject on his own behalf as the Lord took another deep breath but thought better of it. He simply stood there in shock with his mouth agape like an old fish. 

“Wait here. Don’t touch anything.” The Lord commanded before abruptly departing. 

A few moments or perhaps hours later the office door’s reopened revealing two very large, very angry Remdragon knights. 

Without a word they gruffly grabbed the man by his shoulders and began to escort him towards the outer courtyard where his carriage awaited him. 

“Per the Commander’s request, you are not to return to the festivities and are to leave his lands with great haste,” the large burly redheaded knight explained. “You are no longer welcome in Anatol and should you try to enter you shall face the appropriate consequences.” 

“But I was supposed to stay the night with my family!” the Lord protested. “What about them? What about my luggage!” 

“Your family is welcome to stay for as long as they like and when they choose to return home the Lord will provide them with a carriage and your luggage will return with them,” the stern blonde knight said. “For your actions you have been banned from Anatol but your family, having been innocent of your repulsive schemes for power, are still welcome here.”

The Lord was at a loss for words utterly baffled by the lengths Lord Calypse went after a few albeit distasteful words. He supposed the rumors were true. That man would gladly burn the country, the world even, for his family. 

“Alright Calypse,” Casterly mumbled to himself as he stepped into his carriage, “I don’t understand your deep devotion to your family but if that’s what truly matters to you then I will respect your wishes and relent…for now.” 

Chapter Text

Victoria tried not to show it, but she was bored. 
 
She loved when Anatol had a grand ball. It was a great opportunity to meet people from all over the continent, but eventually she would run out of things to talk about with the grownups, and they would move on to dancing or drinking.
 
She sat by herself at a table on the edge of the dance floor, gazing longingly at the couples dancing gracefully around the room. For the last half hour she had mindlessly fiddled with the silver ribbons on her blue dress. 
 
She wished she could have spent some time in the company of her father’s knights, men she considered to be her unofficial uncles, but they usually got too rowdy at events like this, so she stayed by herself.
 
She spotted her mother’s signature red hair sweeping behind her as she danced with Riftan. They moved in perfect harmony, never missing a step, a twirl, or a dip. The love her parents shared for each other was clear as day on their smiling faces and bright eyes, eyes that never left each other as they made their way around the dance floor. 
 
Victoria couldn’t help the heavy sigh that left her lips. Maybe one day she would be old enough to join them on the dance floor. Maybe someday she would have a romance a tenth as beautiful as her parents. 
 
The song came to an end, and light applause could be heard around the room, praising the lord and lady for their lovely dance. 
 
Maxi and Riftan made their way over to the empty table where their daughter sat. She tried to hide her sour mood and smiled brightly at them. 
 
“That was a lovely dance, Mother.” Victoria said, a little too cheerfully. “It looked like so much fun!”
 
Maximilian smiled warmly at her young daughter but furrowed her brow slightly, noticing that her daughter’s slumped shoulders did not match her sunny voice. 
 
“What’s the matter, my love?” Maximilian asked quietly. 
 
Victoria nervously glanced back and forth between her parents, who stood before her as she quickly averted her gaze to the tablecloth. 
 
“Nothing!” she squeaked out. Her cheeks burned a little with embarrassment at the severe lack of confidence in her voice. 
 
“Oh please!” came a young man’s voice behind her, causing her to jump slightly in her seat. 
 
Andrew, her older brother, stood behind her and looked down at his little sister with amused but concerned eyes. He looked dashing in his nicest coat with silver buttons and pants with a dark blue coat and lapels matching their house colors, the color of the Remdragon Knights. 
 
“You’ve been staring at the people dancing for the last half hour,” the young Calypse said, not in a posh tattle-tale voice, simply a calm, concerned tone. “Why don’t you join them?”
 
Victoria dropped her head ashamed, her curly red hair falling around her, shielding her. She didn’t think she was old enough to dance with the adults, and even if she was, she didn’t know how. 
 
“I can’t,” Victoria said, cringing at how helpless her voice sounded. She fiddled with the intricate lace on the front of her beautiful dress, not daring to look up as she knew her family would look at her with pity. 
 
“Did someone say you couldn’t dance?” Her father’s deep voice called from above her. It was a simple question, but she could hear an edge of gruffness in his voice, as though he were angry that someone might have upset her. 
 
Her head snapped up, eyes wide as she looked at her father. 
 
“No sir!” she nearly shouted. “I just... I mean, I am not old enough to dance yet.”
 
“You don’t have to be a certain age to dance.” Riftan said plainly. 
 
“No one else my age is dancing,” she retorted. 
 
“Because our guests did not bring their children,” said her mother, in a calm, soothing voice that always seemed to help Victoria relax. “You and your brother are the only children attending the ball. You were not required to attend, but you both insisted that you did not want to miss something exciting happening. You are free to dance and do as you like; after all, this is your home.” 
 
Victoria looked over at her brother, who gave her a reassuring smile. She gave him a small smile in return before dropping her gaze to her lap once more. 
 
“I don’t know how,” she said in a quiet voice, so soft that if her family hadn’t been standing right in front of her, they wouldn’t have heard her over the music. 
 
“Don’t know how to?” Maxi asked gently. 
 
“I don’t know how to dance; I like dancing, but I can’t dance like you and Father.” Victoria said shyly, before burying her face in her hands. 
 
She felt large hands gently pull hers away from her face. She didn’t need to look to know who those hands belonged to. She opened her eyes and saw her father kneeling before her chair where she sat. She could see the love he had for her shining in his eyes, the same dark color as her own. He let go of one of her hands and wiped away a tear she hadn’t realized had fallen upon her cheek. Her father smiled softly at her. 
 
“We’ll teach you,” he said, still holding her hands in his. 
 
“Really?” Victoria asked quietly. 
 
“Both of you, if you want.” Maxi added. 
 
Victoria knew that Andrew wasn’t very fond of dancing, but she knew that if she was going to dance with her parents, then there was no chance he would want to be left out. 
 
“Yes!” the children exclaimed. 
 
Andrew, though he was young and still shorter than Maxi, tried his best to offer his arm to his mother in order to escort her onto the dance floor. She smiled brightly at him, took his arm, and walked with him onto the dance floor. 
 
Her father smiled after them before returning his attention to his young daughter. His smile grew as he stood to his full height before bowing slightly. Victoria felt her jaw drop. Her father never bowed to anyone, except the king. She felt like a fairytale princess. 
 
“May I have this dance, sunflower?” Riftan asked smoothly, reaching out a hand for her to take. 
 
Victoria grinned ear to ear as she looked up at her handsome father. 
 
“Yes! I would love to dance, Father!” she exclaimed excitedly. She eagerly took his hand, and he walked her onto the dance floor. 
 
Riftan had to bend down slightly to hold her hands as they faced each other, but he didn’t mind one bit. 
 
“Alright,” Riftan said in a calm, encouraging voice. “When I step back, you step forward.”
 
He took a small step back, and she followed. He stepped to the right, and she mirrored him. 
 
“Now, you step back, and I will step forward.” 
 
She did as she was told, and he followed her. They then stepped to the left together before her father stepped back again, and she followed. 
Riftan taught her a simple four-step waltz, repeating the same pattern over and over. 
 
She beamed at him once she got the hang of it and she didn’t have to stare down at her feet. He smiled warmly at her, happy to see her smiling again. 
 
She glanced over at her mother and brother, who were dancing a few feet away from them. She knew her brother was very smart, but apparently he had two left feet and kept stepping on their mother’s toes. Victoria giggled, but her laughter was cut short when she nearly stumbled, and had her father not been holding her hands, she would have fallen. 
 
Her dress was long but didn’t touch the ground, so she need not worry about tripping. So what had caused her to nearly fall? She looked down and realized that she had stepped on her father’s foot. 
 
She sheepishly looked up at him, cheeks bright red with embarrassment. 
 
“I’m sorry!” she cried out. 
 
The last thing she would have expected was for her father to throw his head back and laugh. But that is exactly what he did. Once he composed himself, he beamed at the beautiful child before him. 
 
“I’m fine, Victoria.” Riftan said in a light, amused tone. 
 
Victoria's eyes grew wide, and she fidgeted nervously. 
 
“You don’t like it when Mother says that,” Victoria says truthfully. 
 
Riftan huffs out another laugh. 
 
“That’s because when she says it, she’s usually not fine,” Riftan says. “But honestly, I am alright. I was not hurt by you accidentally stepping on my foot.”
 
She stared at him intently, trying to figure out if he was being honest with her. He gave her a reassuring smile that he knew always helped her relax, and it did. She smiled back at him and seemingly moved on from her little mistake. The two continued dancing, and Victoria giggled happily as her father randomly raised her hands high before spinning her around.
 
When the song ended, she embraced him by wrapping her arms around his waist, her chin reaching just above his hip. He bent over and scooped her up in his arms and hugged her tight. She threw her arms around his neck and giggled. Maxi and Andrew walked over to them, and Andrew was beaming as he had finally somewhat mastered the steps. 
 
The orchestra began to play a lively tune, entirely different from the slow waltzes they had played throughout the evening. The family of four looked at each other and grinned before taking each other’s hands and dancing in a small circle. They laughed gleefully until their cheeks and stomachs were sore, basking in the love and joy they shared as a family. Victoria smiled brightly, knowing in her heart that she would never sit quietly again. All because her father had taken the time to show her how to dance.

Chapter Text

Riftan sat beneath the sprawling oak tree with his children scattered around him, their laughter ringing through the crisp air. The late afternoon sun filtered through the leaves, casting a golden glow on the grassy hill. He leaned back, his fingers interlaced behind his head, content to let their chatter fill the quiet moments of his day.

Hadrian and Victoria chased each other in playful circles, their shrieks of joy drawing a faint smile to Riftan’s lips. Andrew, his eldest, was sprawled beside him, carefully carving a stick with his small dagger. The boy’s movements were precise, his concentration uncanny for his age. Riftan’s chest swelled with pride as he observed his children, each carrying a piece of both him and Maxi in their habits as well as their looks.

His gaze shifted across the garden to where Maxi stood in the company of a group of mages from the Tower, their lighthearted conversation punctuated by shared laughter. Riftan’s jaw tightened as his eyes settled on a particular mage—a tall, dark-haired man with an easy smile. The mage leaned in, gesturing excitedly, and Maxi’s relaxed demeanor and animated speech stirred a pang in Riftan he couldn’t ignore.

He clenched his fists, the rough bark of the oak digging into his palms. Was it wrong to wish that her ease were reserved for him alone? He hated the thought—hated how small and petty it made him feel—but it lingered, unwelcome and stubborn.

Hadrian, ever the observant one despite his young age, caught Riftan’s tight lip and furrowed brow as he ran circles around the base of the oak. 

“Father, why are you making that face?” the boy asked, plopping down beside him, his breath labored having been chased relentlessly by his big sister.

“What face?” Riftan replied far too cheerfully, attempting to school his expression with a smile that looked altogether odd with his stormy eyes and tight set jaw.

“That face,” Victoria giggled, inclining her head towards him, as she joined her brother on the soft grasses. “You look like you ate something sour.”

Andrew looked up from his carving, his sharp eyes studying his father. “It’s because he’s jealous,” he said matter-of-factly, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

“Jealous?” Riftan scoffed as he straightened his posture defiantly. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Hadrian, taking a good long look at Riftan, gasped as a delightfully adorable peel of laughter tumbled from his mouth. “You are jealous!”

“Hadrian—”

“Yes, Sir Jealousness?” The young boy giggled.

“Wait,” Andrew said with a chuckle. “Victoria, who am I?”

The young Calypse shifted his torso to face toward the direction his mother was standing, balled his fists, furrowed his brow, and scrunched his nose.

“Umm,” said the girl as she looked back and forth between her father and brother. “Oh! Our father!”

The three children roared with laughter, throwing themselves onto the grass, kicking their feet, and clutching their bellies.  

“I’m not jealous,” Riftan said stiffly, but the heat rising to his ears betrayed him.

“I’m sorry, Father,” said Andrew as he wiped tears from his eyes. “It’s just so silly.”

Riftan gave his son a puzzled look.

“Your jealousy,” the boy clarified.

“As I said before, I am not—”

“Is it because Mama’s talking to her friend?” Victoria interrupted, tilting her head as she sat up, her short braids swinging behind her.

Riftan opened his mouth to deny it, but Andrew cut in. “Would you run away with someone just because they were nice and fun to talk to?”

Riftan frowned, taken aback. “Of course not.”

“Are you questioning whether Mother still finds you handsome? You need not trouble yourself. She still blushes when she catches you staring and smiles as she often speaks so lovingly of you.” Victoria proclaimed, believing, as all little girls do, that their fathers are the most handsome man alive and the mothers the most beautiful lady on the earth. 

“Your mother’s beauty is beyond measure,” Riftan said fondly. “When I catch your mother staring, the joy and love in her eyes take my breath away.”

“Is your jealousy helpful to you or Mother?” Hadrian pondered thoughtfully after a moment of silence stretched between them.

“No,” Riftan said plainly, not wanting to admit that it was more often hurtful than helpful.

Andrew shrugged. “Then your absurd jealousy is entirely unfounded.”

The bluntness of his son’s words left Riftan momentarily speechless. He looked at each of his children, their faces earnest and forthright. He released a resigned sigh. 

“You’re all too clever for your own good,” he muttered.

Hadrian and Victoria giggled joyously and wandered off once more to resume their play, but Andrew lingered a moment longer. The boy hesitated, then leaned closer, his voice dropping to a low whisper. “Don’t worry, Father. Mother gets jealous too.”

Riftan blinked, stunned. “Jealous? Of who?”

Andrew’s eyes sparkled with mischief, and a knowing smile spread across his face, but he held his tongue. He stood and jogged after his siblings, leaving Riftan utterly confused.

Moments later, Maxi approached, her auburn curls glowing in the fading sunlight. She held a bundle of herbs in her hands, her expression curious as she took in Riftan’s thoughtful look. “Something bothering you?” she asked, setting down her bundles as he stood to greet her.

He hesitated, then let out a chuckle. 

“The children saw the troubled look on my face and proclaimed that I am indeed jealous,” he mumbled beneath his breath, just loud enough for her to hear.

“Jealous?!” She balked. “Of what?”

Riftan gestured toward the far end of the garden where the last of the mages were departing from the garden. “Your friend. It’s just… you’re so at ease with him. It took you months to talk to me when we married.”

Maxi’s expression softened, and she reached out to take his hand, which easily dwarfed her own. “That was different, Riftan. When I came here, I was terrified. My father’s violence and quick temper were all I’d ever known. But here… here I was loved, welcomed, and cherished. By you, the knights, the people of Anatol, and now our beautiful children.”

Riftan’s chest tightened at her words. “It’s easier for you now. To talk to others, I mean. I’ve noticed.”

“It is,” she said with a curt nod, her voice gentle and warm. “I feel more comfortable being myself and feel safe knowing I have so many people whom I have come to rely on. It helped me grow in my confidence, which I had none of when I first arrived.”

He tilted his head. “Who do you think helped you with that?”

She laughed softly. “Who do you think?”

“Sir Nirta?” he asked gruffly, remembering how the burly knight’s rowdy demeanor startled Maxi at first, but he soon became a friend and got her and the children into more ridiculous mischief than he cared to recall. 

“No,” she said sweetly as she tried to hide a small chuckle beneath her breath.

“Ruth?” Riftan scowled, recalling how quickly the mage and his wife had become quite close.

“Heavens no!” she retorted as she laughed outright, no longer able to conceal her amusement. “He was more of a cross mother hen than a friend at the start, always correcting me and being entirely too honest at times.”

Riftan was silent, racking his brain. Maxi looked up at her husband, who was still deep in thought, and she raised a slender eyebrow as she held his gaze, waiting for him to catch on.

“Me?”

“You,” she said softly. “Even when I was afraid, you were kind. Even when my words often became scrambled, you were so patient with me. When I made a mistake, instead of harming me, you gave me space and talked to me when we were both ready. You showed me I could trust you. So trust that my ease with others is not me drifting from you but a peace I have because of you."

Lord Calypse smiled, a rare sight to his men but more common these days among his loving family. Riftan raised her hand, still clasped in his own, and spun her around, wrapping his arms about her waist, pulling her back flush against his broad chest. “I should have listened to the children. They told me not to worry.”

Maxi smiled. “They’re wise.”

He leaned down, his lips brushing the shell of Maxi’s ear. “That is not all they spoke of,” his voice low, barely above a whisper as though confiding some secret thing to her. He nearly grinned with smug satisfaction as his wife tensed in his embrace and relished the shiver that brushed against him as she quivered in his embrace.

“What more did they have to say?” Maxi asked, her voice equally quiet.

“That you get jealous too,” said Riftan as his tight smile widened into a hidden grin as he continued to stand behind her.

Maxi stiffened, and Riftan did not need to look upon his wife’s face to know that her cheeks were as red as her hair.

“They are too clever for their own good.” Maxi grumbled as she bowed her head in embarrassment.

Riftan laughed as he tenderly kissed the crown of her head.  “Like mother, like children.”

The wind rustled and shook a flurry of leaves like a gentle rain. The children squealed with laughter as they attempted to catch the leaves as they fell through the air. They were soon gathering the leaves to make a decent pile to leap in as their parents watched peacefully as they stood beneath the cool shade of the oak tree, silently lost in their own thoughts.

Chapter Text

Thank you for this adorable chapter prompt @Flyinghigh79! Enjoy!

Riftan had spent the entire morning avoiding his family. While Maxi and the children had been wandering through the market, Riftan had snuck away to do some shopping of his own under the guise of settling some small dispute between shopkeepers. 

The sun hung high in the sky, casting golden rays over Anatol, making the stone walls of the castle glow. A soft breeze carried the scent of wildflowers from the fields, mingling with the crisp, earthy aroma of freshly turned soil from the training grounds. The sounds of knights training became louder as they passed beneath the castle walls. Riftan normally kept a calm facade, but even he was too excited to keep from looking over his shoulder every now and then at the crates being pulled behind them. He did not do it often in the hopes that his children would not notice.

They noticed.

Andrew and Victoria had been relentless in their questioning since they dismounted, and the staff worked quickly to unload the carts of their crates and baskets.

“Why did you keep looking over your shoulder, Father?” Andrew asked suspiciously as they walked through the courtyard.

“You’re acting rather strange. Did you get in trouble with Mama?” Victoria squinted up at him, her lips pursed.

“No. I’m just busy.” He cleared his throat awkwardly and folded his arms. Thank the gods Maxi, who was helping a maidservant look for Hadrian, who had wandered off again, spared him from her own inquiries. She would deny it, but that beautiful, brilliant woman could read him like a damn book, and one soft look from her would have him gladly divulge any secret she desired to hear.

Victoria and Andrew exchanged a knowing look. Their father was a skilled warrior, unreadable to most, but lately, they had started noticing the little tells in his behavior. In truth it was because he only allowed himself to relax around his family. Still, Riftan made a mental note to ask Ruth if he had been secretly teaching his children how to read others’ intentions.

Their guesses, however, were wildly off the mark.

“Are we going on a trip?” Victoria asked suddenly, her eyes lighting up. “You always act like this when you’re planning something big! Are we going to the capital? Or maybe to a summer festival?”

“No, it has to be something else. Maybe a new training regimen? Did you find a famous swordsman to train us?” Andrew crossed his arms, mirroring his father’s stance.

“Or a new pony?” Victoria gasped.

Riftan groaned inwardly, keeping his face blank as their guesses became more extravagant. He wasn’t lying, nor was he being entirely truthful. He would rather face a wyvern than be anything less than entirely honest with his children, even if they were providing incorrect answers to their own questions. But before they could press him further, a loud, high-pitched shriek pierced the air.

“AHHHH!” 

The blood drained from Riftan’s face, and all three of them raced toward the source of the sound—inside the stables where the last of the crates had been unloaded.

They skidded to a halt, with Maxi and the servants coming in fast behind them to find little Hadrian on his back in a pile of hay, flailing his tiny arms while an excited bundle of dark brown fur enthusiastically covered his face in wet kisses. The lidless crate draped in a thin blanket was overturned, and its former occupant joyfully wiggled on top of the toddler.

Hadrian continued his shrieking, but they soon realized he wasn’t crying—he was laughing.

“Stop puppy! Stop!” The little boy gasped between giggles, trying to push the furry attacker away only to have the pup bounce back with renewed energy, unintentionally tickling the boy’s stomach with the quick shift of its tiny paws.

“A dog! You got us a dog!” Victoria squealed as she clapped her hands together. 

Andrew stood for a moment frozen in silence. His mouth hung agape in shock, and his eyes shone with joy and unshed tears of pure, unbridled happiness. 

Maxi turned to Riftan, arms crossed but a smile on her lips. She raised a single, slender brow in an unspoken question.

Riftan let out a defeated sigh, running a hand through his hair. “So much for the surprise.”

Victoria and Andrew dove forward, eagerly scooping up the squirming pup while Hadrian clapped in excitement. The dog, delighted by all the attention, yipped happily and wagged its tail. The sweet creature eagerly kissed their faces whenever they were within reach.

“What’s its name?” Victoria asked as she ran her fingers through the puppy’s soft fur, her eyes wide with delight. 

“He’s your dog to share. Why don't you decide on a name together?” Riftan suggested.

“Fluff!” Hadrian suggested, still lying in the hay, grinning ear to ear. 

“That’s not a real name.” Andrew snorted. 

Hadrian pouted but relented when the puppy gave him another enthusiastic lick, which had the young boy smiling in an instant.

“Princess?” Victoria proposed. 

“You cannot name a boy dog Princess.” Andrew argued. “How would you feel if Mother named you Richard?”

Victoria made a disgusted face as though she’d been forced to eat a raw lemon.

“What about Hunter?” said the eldest child, already envisioning taking the canine on expeditions to track down monsters that roamed in the wild just beyond their borders.

“No,” Victoria and Hadrian said flatly.

The pup wiggled out of their arms and quickly faced the corner where a small pile of hay had shifted. The small creature was still as stone, eyes fixed on the hay as he stood his ground between his family and the straw. The puppy lowered its head and growled at the hay. A harmless squirrel bolted from the fodder and ran out the barn door. Rather than chase after the tree rat, the pup stood guard by the children and waited until the squirrel was long out of sight before relaxing his posture and allowing his stub of a tail to wag happily once more.

Maxi knelt down, gently rubbing the pup’s ears. “How about Bran? It means protector.”

“I like that!” Victoria nodded eagerly.

“It fits,” Andrew agreed.

“Okay!” Hadrian said happily.

Maxi leaned closer to Riftan and whispered, “Since when are you incapable of keeping a secret for more than a day?”

“It wasn’t my intention to keep this a secret for more than a day,” said Riftan. “Hadrian’s curiosity made the surprise known sooner than intended, but that’s alright. I will never take for granted their eagerness to play and explore. Gods know we weren’t afforded the same luxury.”

“Thank you,” Maxi said so quietly he almost did not hear her above the shouts and squeals of the children as they tried and failed to teach Bran how to fetch a little twig.

“For?” Riftan asked.

“For being everything we needed you to be and yet so much more,” she smiled that sweet but thoughtful smile that never failed to melt his heart.

He held her gaze for a single heartbeat before leaning down and kissing the top of her head with reverence and tenderness.

“For them?” He said as a smile brighter than his wife’s stretched across his face as he nodded his head towards their children.

“Always.” 

Chapter Text

“Damnit,” Riftan swore as he wiped the sweat and blood from his brow.

They just keep coming. 

He raised his sword once more to face the onslaught of monsters charging at him and his men. The grotesque beasts howled and gnashed their teeth as they raced towards the knights. They were not ordinary monsters; they were cursed with enhanced abilities that made them faster, stronger, and harder to kill. Their eyes, normally as black as night, were red as blood, signifying their curse. A curse brought about by another dark mage, no doubt. 

Riftan took in a short but calming breath, widening his stance slightly as he braced for impact. The knights were suddenly hit on two sides, by the beasts who were attacking from the front and the ghouls who were springing up from the ground below them.
 
The men shouted in frustration as they were briefly overwhelmed. Riftan kept a level head, unnaturally calm in instances where most men, even those with years of experience, would freeze. 

He tried shouting orders to his men to have them reorganize to avoid being overpowered. The men tried to regroup, but it wasn’t enough. For all their strength, they were outnumbered by even higher odds than their skill could save them. 

Riftan was known to be unstoppable and unshakable, but even he could not properly defend himself when he was isolated and being attacked on all sides. He quickly glanced over at his men, who were fighting for their lives just as hard. 

His mind wandered back to his family. His wife. His beautiful children. How long had it been since he had seen them? Too long. He swore when he saved his wife and son from their imprisonment that he would never miss another moment with his family. Yet here he was, thousands of miles from home because this supernatural army of beasts not only posed a threat to his home and his family but to the entire kingdom. If he didn’t stop them, they would eventually reach Anatol. He would burn down the gates of hell before he let these wretched beasts near those whom he loved most. 

His stance softened for half a moment as he thought of his family, and the beast took that opening. They slammed their bodies into his right leg and soon had him on his knees. Riftan hacked at the beasts as they relentlessly snapped their sharp teeth as close to his throat as they could reach. 

Riftan let out a loud yell of frustration and rage as he tried to get up. Suddenly the beasts were thrown back as though an invisible wall had shoved the animals away from him in all directions. They raked their claws against the invisible force keeping them at bay, growling furiously. 

Riftan rose to his feet. He turned to thank the mage who had pushed away the monsters, but when he turned, he didn’t see a wizard standing before him. He met the gaze of a young man about 18 years of age, dressed in full armor. The man was no doubt a knight, but his arms were outstretched towards the beasts, and his palms glowed brightly with the mana of a powerful spell. 

Riftan’s eyes went wide as he took a better look at the man’s face. It was Andrew. But that wasn’t possible. His son was barely ten years old, and yet there was no denying the dark-haired, silver-eyed knight standing before him was his son. 

“Andrew?!” Riftan shouted over the deafening sounds of battle around them. 

His son simply gave him a smug smirk.

“Now I get to save your ass, old man,” the young knight nearly laughed.

Understanding how this was possible was certainly at the forefront of Riftan’s mind, but it was not his immediate concern.

“Why the hell would you come out here all alone?!” he bellowed. 

Andrew’s smirk widened into a full grin as he slowly shook his head. 

“I’m not alone,” the young man said simply as he nodded his head towards a fight just behind Riftan. 

As he turned, out of the corner of his eye he caught a blur of red. Red hair. 

“Maxi!” he shouted as he started to move towards her without thinking. Andrew grabbed his shoulder, stopping him. 

“Look again,” Andrew said knowingly. 

Riftan watched as the young woman in armor wielded her sword with ease and grace, almost matching Sir Uslin’s fighting style perfectly. She slaughtered the beasts in her path that had been pushed back by Andrew.

“You know she’d never let me leave her behind,” Andrew said, still holding a firm grip on his father’s shoulder. 

If Andrew was older, then so was his daughter. The woman before him was young but appeared tall for her age. 

“Victoria,” he breathed out worriedly.

His children had come to join them in battle. To help. To save him and his men. 

Victoria returned and gave her brother a quick half-embrace before turning to her father with a proud smile before quickly averting her eyes from his sharp gaze.

“Sorry, Father,” she said, “that was too close. We tried to get here sooner, but a bad storm set us back and—"

She was cut off when she was abruptly pulled into a fierce hug from her father.

“Are you hurt?” Riftan mumbled as he held her tightly. A muffled no was her only response.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice sounding no less panicked than before.

Victoria gently removed herself from his embrace. 

“I’m alright, Father,” she said confidently. 

“Where’s your brother?” Riftan asked worriedly.

Andrew and Victoria shared a knowing look before turning their gazes back to their father. 

“He has a knack for healing just like Mother, so he’s with the rear unit helping out and making sure she’s not overdoing it again.” Andrew explained with a proud glint in his eyes. 

“He’s had to put you back together more than a few times,” Victoria teased with an equally proud look on her face.

Riftan could see they were both extremely proud and grateful for their youngest sibling’s talents. 

“Says the woman who broke her arm twice in one day,” Andrew muttered. 

The two began to childishly shove one another while Riftan stood there still trying to comprehend everything he had heard and seen. 

“You two have me worried out of my damn mind,” Riftan said plainly, still reeling with the reality that his children are now somehow so much older than the last time he saw them. “You are both in a world of trouble when we get back, but for now we need to remove this threat before it gets any closer to home.”

Andrew and Victoria had the audacity to laugh at his threat to his face. 

“I think what you’re trying to say is thank you,” Andrew said as he unsheathed his sword with a cocky grin on his face.

“No, I—“ Riftan began.

“You’re welcome,” Victoria cut him off as she raised her right hand, bright with a strong flow of mana ready to be unleashed. 

“Ladies first,” Victoria teased her brother as she gestured towards the battlefield. 

Andrew made a weird face towards his sister in response before the pair took off. Riftan was astonished at how well they fought together. While both of his children were highly skilled in swordsmanship and magic, he found his son preferred to use defensive magic in battle while his daughter favored her sword. He couldn’t help the pride that swelled deep in his chest. The battle was won swiftly with the aid of Andrew and Victoria and their reinforcements.

They were heading back to the camp, and Victoria and Andrew were lagging far behind. The young Calypses were suddenly swallowed by a mysterious thick dark fog. They began shouting, almost screaming, as the strange cloud burned their lungs and eyes, making it impossible to find their way out. Riftan tried to move towards them, but he was rooted to the ground. Riftan shouted until he had nearly lost his voice. His chest felt tight, and his breathing became more and more difficult as if he were trapped with them. His children continued to call for help, their voices softer as their throats burned from dangerous vapors in the air. Riftan wanted to rip his ears from his body so he would no longer have to bear the torture of their screams. His shouts became frustrated screams as he tried to move towards them. Eventually no sound escaped his throat. Only pain. A pain that swallowed him whole. He shut his eyes tightly, trying to clear the tears that were making it hard to see. 

His eyes flew open, vision swirling as he tried to once again come to terms with his location. He sat up quickly in his large bed, gripping the edges of the sheets so tightly his knuckles nearly turned white. Riftan panted quietly as he tried to slow his racing heartbeat. 

The last remaining embers of a warm fire dwindled in the ashes of the fireplace. The moon was nearly full and bathed the room in soft but chilling light. He suppressed a shudder. The small groan from the woman sleeping next to him finally snapped him back to reality. His eyes fell upon his angelic wife with her long crimson locks splayed across her pillow like a veil. Her brows were slightly scrunched with discomfort as Riftan had unintentionally stolen most of the covers when he had awoken with a start. He gently released his vice grip on their bedding and reached over to cover her fully with their shared blankets. 

He didn’t try to go back to sleep, at least not for a while. Instead he pondered his surreal dream. He had been panicked at first but had seen his children hold their own in the face of grave danger. He had to admit that even though the thought of his children one day facing such perils tore at his heart, he felt a sense of peace as well. He knew that in the future he could have some peace in knowing that he and Maxi had done everything they could to prepare themselves for what their futures would bring them, no matter how dangerous and unpredictable that future could be. 

Having caught his breath and regained his senses, he lay back down. Sensing his remaining discomfort, Maxi snuggled closer to him, laying a slender arm across his waist as though she were trying to hug him. Riftan returned her comforting gesture by placing his hand on the small of her back and pulling her thin frame flush against his. 

Riftan eventually fell asleep once more, with a small, proud smile upon his face. Yes, he thought to himself as he drifted into a dreamless sleep, the children would be just fine. All I can do, all we can do, is prepare them as best we can. The rest is up to them, but they’ll be alright. They are Calypses after all.

Chapter Text

Victoria was thrilled that she would begin her first day of training with the knights…well the squires, but it was a start. She had, after months of begging, convinced her father that she should at the very least learn some techniques to defend herself. 


She had been paired up with a squire much bigger than her, and they were both armed with training swords. Victoria was quite nervous with her father watching her every move. She took deep breaths to try to relax her nerves as the spar began. He was bigger, but being small meant she was quicker. She dodged a few strikes, but her overconfidence got the better of her, and she began to struggle to keep up with the young man’s heavy blows. 


The knights watching close by tried to help by shouting words of encouragement and advice. 


“Keep a level head, Tori!”


“Watch your left!”


“Keep your feet grounded!”


Between the shouting and the heat of the midday sun, Victoria lost her focus for just a brief moment, and the squire training with her had struck her across the face with a training sword. 


The blow had startled her more than anything, but she lost her balance and went crashing to the ground. The angle at which she fell, she knocked her head against the ground, causing an immediate deep throbbing pain.  She’d bitten her tongue, hard. She tasted iron in her mouth and tried to roll to her side to spit it out before she swallowed her own blood.


Riftan felt like it had happened in slow motion, and he had been frozen, paralyzed to stop it. Seeing his daughter dazed and bloody caused a pain to tear at Riftan’s heart like none he had ever experienced. Seeing his child hurt, strangled his breath in his throat until his chest burned.


The squire froze in fear and shock. He had just struck a young woman across the face so hard that she was spitting blood. Not only that, he had struck the Lord’s daughter. He no longer worried about his aspirations to join the king's guard as he began to silently pray that he would live to see another day.


He began to reach forward to provide assistance when he heard heavy footsteps quickly approaching from behind. 


The Commander ran over to where Victoria still lay slightly curled onto her side. His heart shattered seeing her injuries up close. He gently lifted his daughter into his arms and began carrying her to the infirmary. He felt his eyes begin to water as his precious daughter whined in pain. 


The men stood by in silence, not daring to say a word or even breathe too loud. 


                           —-

Later in the evening, Riftan sat in his office, trying and failing miserably to get any work done. He kept seeing the accident over and over as he tried to think of what he could have done differently. 


There was only one way to ensure this never happened again. 


His firm expression softened a bit as his wife walked in carrying a small tray. She knew he had been stressed about the incident on the training grounds. She quietly set down the warm tea she had prepared.


Riftan released a heavy sigh, still deep in thought. 


“How is she?” he asked.


“With Ruth’s assistance, she’s completely healed,” Maxi said proudly. ”A bit in shock, but physically she’s alright.”


Silence grew between them.


“She’ll need to start training again soon,” Maxi began, “so this experience does not frighten her from pursuing training at all and…”


Maxi stopped short after noticing a cold darkness that had clouded her husband’s eyes. 


“I know that look,” she said.


“What look?” Riftan said as innocently as he could. He rolled his shoulders and tried to appear as relaxed as possible. 


“It’s the same look you gave me before you practically barred me from practicing magic,” she said firmly. “Look how well that turned out.”


“You went behind my back,” Riftan said quietly. “and practiced anyway.” 


Maxi tensed and kept quiet for a moment, choosing her next words carefully.


“Don’t make our daughter do the same.” Maxi pleaded. “You have no idea how difficult it was for me to learn magic knowing you didn’t stand by my decision. Wouldn’t you feel more at ease knowing you could watch her back rather than worry that she is sneaking around to practice unsupervised?” 


“I’m sorry, Maxi.” Riftan said. “I’m only trying to…” he trailed off before going silent, considering everything she had said.


“You are right; I may not like it, but I’d rather watch her back and keep her safe than risk her hurting herself by trying to do it alone.”


He released a heavy sigh. He didn't sound happy, but content would have to do for now. 


Maxi walked over behind his desk. He turned to face her and leaned forward as she approached him. She lazily wrapped her arms around him, barely reaching halfway around his massive frame.


“As much as we want to,” Maxi said gently, “we cannot protect them from every accident or danger the world throws at them.”


Riftan wrapped his arms around her petite waist and held her close. 


“I know,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “but it won’t make me worry any less.”


“Of course not,” she said sweetly. “We will always worry, but they need to know we will be there for them, even when they are facing the unknown.”


                            ——

Later in the evening, he visited his daughter, who was resting in her room. He tried not to let his heart break again. She looked completely fine as she slept peacefully in her bed, but he couldn’t stop his mind from rushing back to the fresh memories of her sprawled out on the ground mere hours ago.


She stirred as he sat on the edge of her bed. 


It saddened him greatly to see her eyes immediately fill with worry and anxiety. 


“Please, Father, please,” she cried. “It was an accident! Please let me keep training! Even if you say no, I’ll—“


Riftan reached over and gently wiped away the tears of anguish that had fallen from her eyes. 


“I won’t bar you for learning to protect yourself,” he said quietly. 


Her face transformed from sorrow to elation in a matter of seconds. She sat up quickly and embraced him. He held her close in return. 


“Really?!” she exclaimed, still in disbelief. 


He chuckled slightly at her shock before leaning down to plant a kiss on the crown of her head.


“Your mother reminded me of how stubborn the ladies of our house can be when they put their mind to it,” he said proudly. “We agreed you would be safer continuing to practice with us there to guide you, rather than you getting hurt or worse trying to secretly teach yourself.”


Victoria’s bright, joyous smile warmed his heart immensely.


“Thank you, Father!” she squealed as she hugged him tighter. 


“Thank you, Mother,” she muttered under her breath but still loud enough for Riftan to hear, to which he gave a low huff of a laugh.


Not long after that, Riftan tucked her back into bed and headed back to his chambers. Victoria knew she would likely not sleep for the rest of the night as her mind raced with her thoughts at the possibilities of what tomorrow’s adventures would hold. 

*The young squire who sparred with Victoria was fine. He was shaking in his boots the next morning as they stood in formation in the training grounds terrified that Lord Calypse would beat him or worse dismiss him. The Commander seemed to ignore the young man for a few days as though trying to forget. On the fourth day, the young man tried to apologize and much to his shock the Lord waved off the incident, a mere accident, as just that, though the ice in the older man’s gaze silently warned the boy to be more careful in the future.

Chapter Text

The late afternoon sun dipped low in the sky, casting golden slants of light through the tall windows as Riftan walked through the west end of the castle. A soft breeze carried the scent of the nearby gardens, fluttering the curtains like lazy flags. Joyous peals of laughter echoed down the stone hallway. 

Riftan approached the sitting room cautiously, drawn by the giggles of his children and the unmistakable hush of his wife’s mischievous whisper.

He stepped inside and narrowed his eyes.

A low table had been dragged into the center of the room, pillows and blankets haphazardly arranged around it. Cards were being carefully dealt by Andrew, their eldest, with a serious level of concentration as though the child were preparing for a battle instead of an amusing game of cards against his mother and siblings. Maxi and Victoria waited patiently for their cards with near-identical encouraging smiles. The youngest, Hadrian, spent most of his time more fascinated with his bare feet than the game before him.

“Riftan!” Maxi rejoiced with a wide grin, beckoning him further in with a quick wave of her hand. “We were just saying how unfair it is that you always seem to have a war meeting or something else to keep you away from our game night.”

“I don’t—” Riftan started.

“We’ve decided that if you’re brave enough to play, we will work together to defeat you,” Andrew said boldly, hardly looking up from his important task. 

Sure enough, there was a fifth unoccupied pillow between Victoria and Hadrian. They had hoped he could join them and even made a spot for him. He would never have the heart to refuse them anything, even if he wanted to. 

Riftan’s brows rose as he crossed his arms and surveyed the circle of traitors before him.

“I see,” he said slowly, voice gravelly with mock suspicion. “A full conspiracy.”

Victoria, ever his daring and charming daughter, giggled as she patted the empty cushion beside her. “You’re outnumbered, Father. It’s four against one.”

“Four against—what kind of war is this?” Riftan muttered as he took his seat, glancing at Maxi. She looked entirely too pleased with herself, legs curled beneath her and her chin resting on her hand. She raised a single, smug eyebrow.

“I’m afraid that’s what you get for always skipping game night to train your men,” she said sweetly.

“Believe me, love, I’d much rather spend all my time with you and the children if my responsibilities would allow it.” Riftan grunted but couldn’t stop the twitch of a smile from tugging at the corner of his lips as he looked at the eager faces of his offspring. “You all look suspiciously confident.”

“That’s because we have a plan,” Andrew said seriously as he took a seat next to his mother, eyes flicking to Maxi as he gave her a small knowing nod.

Hadrian bounced excitedly in his seat. “Mother told us what to do!”

“Did she now?” Riftan said, turning to Maxi with raised brows. “Treachery in my own home.”

Maxi’s lips quirked. “All is fair in a war of wit and strategy; you should know that well, husband.”

Riftan smirked back at his wife. Even if the children weren’t playing against him, he surely would have easily lost, as he so often became transfixed by the stunning beauty she didn’t seem to know she possessed. And with the children on her side, it would be a near impossible victory, but he would do what he could to succeed. 

And so the game began.

Victoria leaned into her mother’s side and whispered something that made both of them giggle. Riftan raised a single brow, catching only snippets.

“…play the green one if I wink twice…”

“…but hold the king of spades if Andrew scratches behind his left ear.”

Maxi winked four times at her daughter. Gods only knew what that meant. 

Riftan groaned.

And from the first round, it was clear: he didn’t stand a chance.

Andrew played like a soldier at war, eyes sharp, mouth set. Victoria, meanwhile, leaned dramatically into her father’s shoulder just as it was his turn.

“Father,” she said sweetly, climbing halfway onto his lap, “can I braid your hair while you think?”

Riftan gave her a flat look. “I doubt my hair is long enough to braid.”

“I’ll try to tame your eyebrows, then.”

“Saboteur,” he grumbled, but his hands went still as she fiddled with his thick brows, trying to twist them with her tiny fingers.

“Father’s distracted!” Hadrian cried gleefully.

Andrew slammed down a few cards. “We got him!”

“Are you all like this?” Riftan asked, voice gruff with barely concealed amusement. “Is no one loyal to me?”

“We’re loyal,” Victoria said innocently, pressing her cheek to his broad chest. “Just… not during cards.”

Riftan tried to focus. Truly, he did. But Hadrian kept humming off-key, and drumming the table with his tiny fists, and Victoria was now seated completely on his lap, giving commentary on what a terrible hand he had been dealt in the current round.

Meanwhile, Maxi watched the chaos with her chin propped up on her hand, eyes dancing with amusement. Every time she and the children won a round, she gave him that smug little look. The one that always made his heart flip and yearn for nothing more than a private moment alone with his wife.

After the third round of total defeat, Riftan slumped his shoulders as he sank a little further into the cushion and scowled.

“How is it possible,” he muttered, “that I’ve married a woman who cheats at children’s card games?”

Maxi gasped with faux offense. “I don’t cheat. I simply… guide.”

“She told me to look at Andrew’s cards,” Hadrian announced proudly.

“Hadrian!” Maxi scolded in a tone that was far more embarrassed than frustrated.

Riftan stared. “Did he just admit—?”

Hadrian’s face scrunched up with confusion as he beheld his father’s surprise. “Mother said it’s not cheating if you do it for learning!”

“See?” Maxi said quickly. “Child logic. Perfectly valid.”

“She also said to play all my yellow cards because you don’t like yellow,” Hadrian added, waving a handful of yellow cards in the air. “Like this one! See, Father?”

Riftan stared at the exposed cards in disbelief, then looked at the others. “You’ve won before we’ve even begun! Do I even need to be here for this game?”

“Yes!” the children chorused in unison.

“Because we love you!” Hadrian shouted.

Riftan sighed, desperately fighting the smile threatening to take over his face. “I am surrounded by little scoundrels.”

“You’re just mad because we’re winning,” Andrew said smugly, playing another card.

Maxi leaned back, unfolding her leg and nudging Riftan’s foot with her own beneath the table. “Is someone pouting?”

He gave her a long-suffering look. “I’m strategizing.”

“Sure you are.”

“Don’t make me turn this game on its head.”

“You’d need actual points to do that,” Maxi murmured, loud enough for the kids to hear.

“Ooooooo!” Victoria sang.

Andrew flopped dramatically back onto his cushion, nearly rolling onto the floor. “Mother roasted you!”

Riftan rubbed a hand over his face, shaking his head. “You’re all against me.”

Maxi smiled innocently and crossed her arms. “You’re just mad that your opponents have a greater strategy.”

“I’m one man against a whole army.”

“It’s what you deserve, Father,” Andrew said seriously, “considering you made all of us sit through half an hour of math and writing lessons with Ruth.”

Riftan blinked, then tilted his head. “Is this revenge?”

Maxi shrugged one shoulder, lips twitching. “Consider it a humbling exercise.”

Victoria reached into the deck and handed Riftan a card. “Here, you can have this one. It’s a daisy. Maybe it’ll cheer you up.”

“… You’re giving me a flower card?”

She nodded brightly. “It’s pretty. And now you can’t be sad.”

Riftan chuckled, unable to hold the grumpy façade any longer.

At the end of the next round, he tossed down yet another losing hand of cards and muttered, “I surrender.”

Hadrian cheered, throwing his cards into the air like confetti. “We won! We beat Father!”

Riftan’s daughter raised both hands in triumph, nearly smacking her father in the face, and shouted, “Victory!”

Andrew gave a triumphant nod and crossed his arms like a general who had just won the war. “That’s what happens when you understand your enemy.”

Maxi sat up straighter on her pillow, crossing her arms smugly. “Face it, Commander. You’ve been outmaneuvered.”

Riftan watched them all laughing, hands slapping the table, cards fluttering to the floor. His family, glowing with mischief and joy. And him—he was the so-called loser of the game.

But he didn’t feel like one.

He tugged Victoria gently into a better position on his lap and opened his arms wide.

“Well,” he said, stretching a bit, “you may have won the game…”

Maxi paused mid-giggle and turned her head as she moved closer to his welcoming embrace. “Oh?”

Hadrian scrambled into Riftan’s lap, wiggling between Victoria and his father’s arm. 

Andrew plopped down on Riftan’s other knee. Maxi chuckled, rising slowly and sliding into the remaining space on the large pillow, her hand resting lightly over Riftan’s chest as he wrapped his left arm around her. Riftan’s arms closed tightly around them instinctively, protectively.

“…but I,” Riftan said with a mock-dramatic sigh as his wife and children snuggled closer in his embrace to comfort the sorry loser, “am the true victor.”

“On what grounds?” Andrew asked skeptically.

Riftan patted his son’s back. “Because I get to hold and cherish every single one of my conspirators right here.”

His hand swept down Hadrian’s back, tousled Andrew’s hair, and cradled Victoria against his chest. Then he turned and kissed Maxi’s cheek.

“I’ve lost many battles,” he murmured, “but I have never been immediately comforted by my enemies.”

“Because you’ve never been outnumbered and defeated by so many who love you so dearly,” Maxi said, burying her face in his shoulder.

“Nor have I been so thrilled to have surrendered to so many adversaries who each inherited more than their fair share of their mother’s competitive nature,” Riftan muttered as Hadrian giggled again.

Victoria leaned up and kissed his nose. “We love you, Father.”

“I know,” he said, squeezing them all a little tighter. “I love you more.”

Maxi lifted her head and kissed him—soft, slow, lingering—while most of the children tried to act as though it wasn’t happening. As much as he longed to deepen the kiss, he followed her lead and kept it light and sweet. For now. His chest gave a sigh of complete contentment as he yielded control to his tiny wife. 

“Ewwww,” Hadrian groaned, covering his eyes with his little hands.

“Do you have to do that here? Right now?” Andrew complained, though he didn’t try to wiggle out of his father’s arms.

Victoria just giggled and, with a toothy grin, said, “Mother wins again.”