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Rykard was furiously eating from his plate, completely ignoring Rennala holding a full spoon next to his ear. She sighed and put the back on the plate, only to have to yank it off Rykard’s mouth a second later as the baby slurped his fruit paste like a starving beast.
She put it in her mouth and watched the other kid in the room as she waited for Rykard to finish.
Radahn was close to six years old, but he was almost the size of his father already. He was currently on his back, lying on the carpet and playing with his toy horses.
Two out of five of her kids were here. The problem was that Ranni was one of the three missing. Blaidd would follow her anywhere and the young sensible Iji would too, which was the only reason she hadn’t already looked for the trio.
Even knowing Iji was with them, Rennala was still growing restless by the second.
“Radagon,” she called.
Silence.
“Radagon!”
More silence.
“RADAGON!” Rennala roared, making Rykard jump for a second. Radahn was already used to it.
Radagon leaned out of his office door, his long red hair almost reaching the floor. His forehead and arms were stained with ink and he looked tired.
“Yes?”
“You know where Ranni and the boys are?”
“No,” he thought about it for a second. “I think Ranni avoids me.”
“Nonsense, she loves you. She’s just been a little rebellious lately. Listen-”
“It’s not proper. Ranni is the chosen Empyrean and she is to succeed Queen Marika when the time comes. We should teach her more about the Gorden Order. The Queen says-”
“Marika has no power in my house, love,” Rennala’s tone sharpened. “If Ranni wants to listen to the Two Fingers, she can. But we will not be forcing her.”
“But the Golden Order-”
“Has no say here. Radagon, please, can you put these two to sleep?” she pointed at the children.
Rykard had finished his meal and was now trying to fit the whole silver plate in his mouth. Radahn was moving his toy horses in the air, but his eyes moved back and forth, following his parents’ argument.
“This letter is important… The Queen-”
“Fine, fine!” Rennala cut him off. “Marika expects your answer, yes, I know. But remember, you no longer serve her, love.”
Radagon just stared at her for a second, then retreated back to his office.
“Radahn?” Rennala turned her attention to him.
He raised his head to look at her.
“Put Rykard to sleep, please. And then go to bed yourself. It’s getting late.”
“Yes, mother.”
An idea popped into her head.
“And if you’re both sleeping, we’ll go to the manor tomorrow and ride a bit. What do you think?”
Radahn’s eyes brightened and he jumped to his feet.
“Really?!”
“Yes. I heard we got a new foal yesterday as well. Maybe you’ll get to name him?” she teased. “But only if you manage to put Rykard to sleep!”
“Oooooh! I will, I will!” Radahn said and he grabbed the baby and headed to the crip.
“Carefully!” Rennala scolded and left the room, only stopping at Radagon's now closed door. “Check on them if I’m late.”
“I’ll go in a few minutes,” he replied behind the door.
The Ranni-Blaidd-Iji trio wasn’t easy to go unnoticed in the Academy, and Rennala soon found someone that had seen them. Following the trail of dishevelled sorcerers, apparently the trio had been chasing each other through the halls, Rennala spotted them through a window, running around in the plaza at the main gate.
She opened it and leaned on the window sill, to watch them for a bit.
Ranni was still in her student robe, although her hat was gone, and she had tied her hair half-up to keep them from getting in her way. More than a couple of her red curly strands of hair had slipped off at this point but she was so focused on escaping Blaidd and avoiding Iji that she didn't even noticed them.
Blaidd was close behind her, his brown cape flowing as he tried to catch her. His face still looked like a pup, round with big fluffy cheeks that he had banned Rennala from pinching. That had never stopped her from sneaking a pinch or two when he had his guard down.
Iji was only a few years older than Ranni but he already had surpassed Rennala in height and still had a ways to go. Being a Troll, he didn’t care for the cold and only wore a cape, more as a status symbol than anything else.
Ranni and Blaidd were chasing each other with a panicked Iji circling them and trying to stop Ranni from jumping on (and potentially off) the railing.
Twice she headed towards the railing and twice Iji's body blocked her, almost causing her to be caught by Blaidd.
The third time Iji blocked her, Ranni kept going straight at him without slowing down. Iji stood his ground and the child jumped, stepped on the hollow of his belly and tried to use him as a step to flip and land behind Blaidd.
Tried. Her ten-year-old human body didn’t have the athleticism and agility of the Albinaurics she was trying to mimic.
Instead of curving and flipping over Blaidd, she launched herself straight as a spear at him, crushing into his chest and sending them both rolling on the floor.
Rennala figured they had enough. She floated out of the window and slowly moved towards her children but soon stopped and hovered above them as Iji walked towards them wearing his serious face.
They didn’t notice her.
After making sure the children were unharmed, Iji picked Ranni by the waist and threw her over his shoulder, ignoring her cries of protest.
“Iji, put me down! Down!” she commanded.
“I will not,” he replied and turned to the other whimpering kid. “Blaidd, can you—”
“IIIIJIIIIIIIII!!!” Ranni was not done. “Put-me-down-put-me-down-put-me-down! We’re still playing! IJI!”
“No. If you hurt yourself, or Blaidd, Queen Rennala will scold us,” he said in a serious, pretend grown-up tone.
Ranni slowed down with her squirming.
“But it counts as tagging meeee… Blaidd won and I didn’t get a chance to chase…” she pouted.
“You could have let me catch you sooner,” Blaidd noted as he got up, his hand rubbing his chest.
“Be faster!”
Ranni stuck her tongue out, only getting a soft growl as an answer.
Seeing Blaidd on his feet, Iji moved towards the gate, still holding a now silently pouting Ranni on his shoulder.
Rennala watched them as they walked inside, wondering why she was ever worried. Iji was almost too sensible for his age and had assumed the big brother role the moment he entered the family. With his size and cautiousness, Rennala had nothing to worry about Ranni and Blaidd, as long as Iji was with them.
Moments later, as if to prove her wrong, a ruckus emerged from the gate.
“TAG, YOU’RE IT!”
“HEY! NOT FAIR!”
“RANNI!! BLAIDD, DON’T— OOOOH, COME BACK HERE YOU TWO!”
The unstoppable child rushed out the gates laughing, with Blaidd and Iji on her trail. Blaidd did his best to look annoyed, despite his lips curling in his awkward smile. Ice shed from Iji's shoulder as he rushed behind them, this time properly angry.
“RANNI! Stop it or I’m telling Queen Rennala about the books you took from the library!” the Troll threatened.
That made her slow down to call his bluff, which in turn allowed Blaidd to quickly tag her and jump away. Annoyed, Ranni leapt behind him and gave chase.
“No, you won’t! Liar!” she argued as she tried to catch her brother.
“Yes, I will! I’ll tell her!” Iji was falling behind. His big steps covered more ground, but his movements were slow. Painfully slow.
“Y- You! You guys!” he stopped. “If you don’t stop! I’ll go back to the smithy! And never talk to you again!” he yelled. Iji couldn’t cry, but his voice was trembling.
Both Ranni and Blaidd stopped dead in their tracks, shocked, their eyes watering at the thought.
The situation had gone too far. Scolding herself for not intervening earlier, Rennala quickly landed between them.
“Hey, no one is going to the smithy,” she assured them. “Come here.”
Ranni and Blaidd ran to hug her, but Iji stayed back.
“Iji… Baby, you didn’t mean that, right?”
“No, I- I did.” Iji tried to look taller and tougher. “If- if they get hurt- I don’t want- want them to get hurt…”
Rennala paused. Despite his appearance and mindfulness, Iji was still a child. A child she was able to place a lot of trust on, but still a child. She turned to the kids clinging to her robe.
“You two. I want you to promise that you’ll listen to Iji,” she said in a stern voice. “You need to promise to Iji, me and the Moon that you’ll be good.”
“I promise…” Blaidd was the first to talk.
“Me too…” Ranni squirmed and looked at the floor as she talked.
“Ranni… Iji is your friend. You wouldn’t break a promise to your friend, would you?” Rennala pressed her.
“I wouldn’t! Never!” Ranni perked up to defy the accusation. “Iji, I promise I’ll be good! I promise!”
“You promise you won’t run next to the railing anymore?”
“I won’t- I won’t if you tell me not to!” Ranni answered.
Rennala hid a chuckle at her kid’s avoidance and offered a hand to Iji. Reluctantly, he took it and they all walked together inside.
After she put Ranni and Blaidd to bed, assuring Iji that he did a great job and apologising that she wasn’t there earlier, Rennala went to hers and Radagon’s room to check on Radahn and the baby. But it seemed she didn’t need to worry.
Her husband was there and the children were asleep in their beds. Radagon had fallen asleep leaning on Rykard’s crib, a couple letters dropped on the floor in front of him. His hair had fallen next to the baby, which had gripped it tight as it slept.