Chapter Text
“Sejuleu Aren and a few knights will be arriving any day now,” Riftan told Maxi as he gently brushed Arian’s dark hair in their bedchambers. He hesitated before saying anything further, his demeanor slightly uneasy.
Maxi watched him with curiosity through the mirror as she pinned up her own hair. “What is the purpose of his visit again?” While she had heard that the knights would be visiting, she was never given a reason as to why. She wasn’t certain that Riftan himself even knew the reason as he had been on edge since they received the letter that informed them of an impromptu visit to Anatol.
“He didn’t give me details,” he said. “But I do not want Triton or Arian wandering the castle alone while they are here.” Maxi guessed that their children was the reason for his obvious unease.
“I am surprised King Reuben has honored our wishes to keep the identity of your heirs a secret. If one of the knights were to see them—”
“It’s not that,” Riftan said before sighing heavily. He began to braid Arian’s hair as she paid no attention to their conversation. She was too focused on the wooden toy dragon she held, making it fly through the air. “Well, it’s partly that. Our children would be a target for our enemies if anyone were to begin talking about them. Mainly, I do not trust Aren. He made several outrageous proposals in the past, and I do not want him to bring that danger to Anatol. I will greet them alone when they arrive as I do not trust his motives.”
“I’ll keep the children entertained in their rooms,” Maxi agreed. She often worried about the existence of Triton and Arian getting out. Perhaps they were a bit overprotective, but they refused to let anything happen to their children. Though the dark mages had been hunted down and exterminated, there were still other potential threats. Monsters could regroup at any time and begin a hunt for them, targeting their children first rather than Riftan or Maxi directly. After all, they were responsible for the destruction of their god in one way or another. Then her father, senile and wasting away as he was, was still after Riftan. Mercenaries were often found on their lands and threats delivered to them from all over the continent. It was dangerous. Maxi walked over to smooth Arian’s dress and gave her a kiss as Riftan finished tying off her braid. Their children were the most precious thing in their lives now. They would do nothing to risk their wellbeing.
~
“You’ll never catch me, Triton!” Arian shrieked as she ran through the halls with Triton a few paces behind her. Maxi smiled at their playfulness. Triton was almost two times faster than Arian, but he liked to let his little sister believe she had the upper hand for a while before he caught her. Maxi chased after them to ensure they didn’t interfere with anyone else’s work or disappear across the grounds. While she had been informed that Sejuleu Aren’s arrival had been delayed by a few hours due to the spring rains, she didn’t want to take any risks of leaving them alone in the castle. After all, the roads could clear up faster than anyone expected and bring their visitors to them that much sooner.
It was almost time for their game to end so they could begin preparing for an early dinner. Arian turned a corner with Triton a few steps behind her and Maxi picked up her pace. If she let them out of her sight for longer than a second, they could disappear as they had a tendency to do so. Playing hide and seek was their favorite game, after all.
When she turned the corner, she ran face first into a wall of armor. She would have fallen back if not for the arms that immediately steadied her. It was Riftan. He appeared to have been deep in conversation with Sir Sejeleu and, to her surprise, Sir Kuahel Leon. Triton stood by Riftan’s side, holding on to a part of his father’s armor while Arian was boldly inspecting their visitors from where she stood.
“Lady Calypse,” Sir Sejeleu said with surprise. “I was hoping to catch a glimpse of you during my stay.” She exchanged greetings before he looked down at the children with confusion. They bore such a close resemblance to Riftan and Maxi that their lineage must have been obvious. Still, Sir Sejeleu lifted a brow. “And who are these lovely children?”
“I’m Arian!” Their outspoken daughter announced, holding her hand toward the knight. Riftan picked her up before Sir Sejeleu could grab her hand in greeting.
“These are my children,” Riftan said, his tone guarded. “Lady Arian,” he corrected. “And Lord Triton.” Triton, not as bold as his sister, still offered a polite greeting, slightly hiding behind Riftan’s leg.
Both of the knight’s eyes widened at the introduction. The shock was clear to read and while Sir Sejeleu seemed to recover first, Sir Kuahel’s gaze slid to Maxi. He unabashedly studied her form. “You look exactly the same from when we last spoke,” he said. “I wouldn’t have imagined you carried two children since then.”
Embarrassed and unsure what to say, Maxi looked at Riftan who appeared to be biting his tongue for their children’s sake. “What he means is that you look as lovely as ever, Lady Calypse,” Sir Sejeleu said with a charming smile. “News had not reached us of any Calypse heirs, so I apologize for a lack of congratulatory gift.”
“We asked King Reuben to keep the news quiet,” Riftan said. “I do not want threats seeking them out as a vendetta against me.”
“Of course,” Sejeleu said with a serious expression. “We will not utter a word about this to anyone. How old are they?”
“I’m two,” Arian said, pausing her struggles to get free from her father’s grip to hold up the correct number of fingers. Maxi reached up to smooth her daughter’s unruly dark hair escaping from her braid and Arian immediately reached out for her mother to carry her instead. Riftan relented and once Arian was safe in Maxi’s arms, she began to play with her mother’s earrings, the newcomers already forgotten.
“Why is the knowledge of their age important to you?” Riftan asked, his tone dark.
“I was merely curious! I feel like it was not too long ago that we last saw each other.”
Riftan looked ready to argue, but Maxi interrupted. “What brings you two to our home?”
Sejeleu slapped the knight beside him on the back. “I have come to beg Calypse to take Sir Kuahel Leon here into the ranks of the Remdragon knights and the House of Calypse.”
Sir Kuahel’s face reddened as Maxi’s confusion was evident. “You wish to join the Remdragon knights?” She was about to ask about the Temple knights when she realized that he no longer wore the typical vesture of a paladin.
Riftan touched her back, pulling her attention to him. “Perhaps you should take the children upstairs.” It was clear that something had happened that needed further discussion, but Maxi would pry Riftan later for the details. Especially if Sir Kuahel were to join the Remdragon knights.
She offered a smile to the knights before accepting a kiss on the cheek from Riftan. Triton grabbed her hand before they made their way upstairs. As Riftan did not want their children to be anywhere near the visiting knights, Triton and Arian would be having an early dinner in their chambers and then put to bed early.
Of course, despite trying not to dwell on the true nature of the knight’s visit, Arian asked an abundance of questions about them. Maxi tried to distract her with tales of the campaigns they had served together, but it always led back to her questioning, why are they here now?
~
Maxi entered the dining hall and took her seat beside Riftan. He smiled down at her. “You are so beautiful, Maxi.”
Though he told her that many times before, the words still made her blush. “Thank you for putting the children to bed so I could get ready for dinner,” she told him softly. “They always do much better being lulled to sleep by your voice.”
“I think they are just bored by my stories,” he said on a laugh. “I heard you told them of our campaign adventures.” She nodded and was about to respond when the knights’ conversation caught her attention.
“I suppose you now understand what I am talking about, don’t you, Leon?” Hebaron jested. “If I were a Temple knight, I would have broken my sacraments within the first year of service.” He laughed boisterously, as did a few of the knights around him.
Maxi leaned close to Riftan, hiding her mouth as she whispered to him. “Was he expelled from his order?”
Riftan nodded, lowering his voice. “It appears the Holy Sword himself was tempted by a woman. Not that I could blame him. I would have risked everything to be with you. As you know.”
“Riftan,” Maxi laughed and playfully pushed away from him. He draped his arm across the back of her chair to pull her closer.
“You are worth an eternity in hell. Trust me.” He kissed her before he turned his attention to Sir Sejeleu who began to speak from beside him. Maxi smiled at her husband’s unwavering attentiveness and glanced up to see Kuahel Leon staring at them.
Hebaron also seemed to notice as he threw something at the other knight. “Oi, does that bring back memories of your first night as a man?”
“Hebaron, enough,” Ursuline muttered in annoyance. “You are such a brute.” As they began to argue, Maxi turned her attention to her food and ignored them. It wasn’t until later that night when they were in bed and drowsing off to sleep that Maxi looked over her shoulder at Riftan.
“Shouldn’t the lady be here in Anatol with him?”
He looked at her. “What lady?”
“The one Kuahel Leon left the Temple knights for.”
He hugged her bare body close to his and brought his face beside her cheek. “She was not the sort of lady that would tie herself to him.”
“What do you mean?”
“He paid for the interaction,” Riftan said, clearly wanting to be done with the conversation, but Maxi was curious.
“You said in the past that Temple knights produced bastard offspring. Why would Kuahel Leon lose his position in the order if it’s a common occurrence?”
“The man exiled himself. Now hush, Maxi,” he said before he kissed the back of her neck. “Or shall I tell you one of Arian’s favorite stories to lull you to sleep?”
She giggled into the pillow. “Perhaps.”
With a dramatic sigh, he began to tell her the tale of dragons and mages that Arian begged to hear every night. Comfortable in his arms, she eventually drifted off to sleep.
~
“Leon,” Riftan said the following morning after Sejeleu Aren had departed. He felt cornered into accepting the previous paladin into his order, but eventually did so that the Bolosè knight owed him a favor in the future. He now stood at the training grounds where Hebaron was running the men through some drills. “You’re with me today.” He walked toward the stables without looking back to see if Leon followed after him. It wasn’t until he reached Talon that he looked up to see the knight staring at him as he awaited further direction. “Get your horse. We’re going to take a tour of Anatol.”
Leon surprisingly complied, though he did so with a clenched jaw. The other man said nothing as they rode out, Riftan pointing out different areas of Anatol. When they were on a quiet road, Kuahel finally turned to him. “Why did you accept me into your order? You never held any respect for me, as is obvious by your endless threats to stay away from your wife.”
Riftan thought it over. “I respect you, Leon. I just didn’t appreciate your endless need to drag my wife into danger every time it suited you. I respect you even more now for your honesty.” He looked over at the knight beside him. “Years ago, I beat my wife’s father. The man deserved it. Obviously, he didn’t think so. He wanted to take me to trial and take everything from me. I wasn’t going to let him do that. I planned on taking Maxi and running to another kingdom. I would have started over in any other order that would have taken me in. I would have even reverted back to my mercenary days just so my family would not have to live in the slums. Instead, my wife chose to save my hide by leaving to Nornui. It was a painful decision, but necessary. Your situation reminded me of my past. If I appealed to another order, I would have liked to think they’d accept me, but you cannot be too sure. Either way, I know how humbling it must have been to leave your position with the Temple knights, and I wanted to be a new start for you.” They rode in silence for a bit before Riftan smirked. “Besides, now you have to do what I command or else you will be expelled.”
Leon shook his head with a small smile. It was a curious move. Riftan had only ever seen the man incredibly serious before. Now he almost moved like an entirely different person. He seemed more human than the cold and stoic paladin exterior that once weighed heavily upon him. “I will be forever grateful for your hospitality, then.”
“You say that now, but you’ve seen what my men are like. They’ll only get worse the more you get to know them.”
“I don’t know how they could,” Leon said with a disbelieving snort.
“Let me know if they get to be too much. I’ll try to reel them in, but I cannot make any promises.” He looked ahead again. “We’ll try to tour the lands every morning so you can memorize every inch. It’s a requirement of my knights. If you are dispatched to a certain area, you’ll need to know the quickest route to take and the exact area you are needed.”
“I remember when Anatol was nothing but a mud puddle,” Leon remarked, looking around. “When the rumors spread of the land’s abundance, it was hard to believe a mercenary like you was able to accomplish such things.” Riftan looked at him, but Leon seemed lost in his own thoughts. “Did you know that Temple knights are not granted any lands as they are denied any possessions?” Riftan knew this, but he said nothing. “When I left, all I had left was this horse. All the years spent dedicated to the order and I have nothing to show for it while you have everything.”
“You can have everything,” Riftan said after a moment. It was odd having such a moment with a man he spent most of his life despising. “Most of my knights were awarded lands, but they either forfeited them, sold them, or gave them to family so that they could stay here. You’ll be granted land just as well and you can decide what to do with it. You can have anything you want now, including a wife.”
Leon looked at Riftan then, almost as if he were measuring the man atop his horse. “I don’t know if that’s possible.”
~
Joining the Remdragon knights was an odd experience. He had been a commander for decades and sworn as a paladin since he was a child. Making one decision took everything away from him. He was weak, no different than the loud and unruly knights who sat beside him at the table in Calypse castle.
“Idsilla!” Everyone looked up at Maximillian’s voice and watched as she ran across the room to embrace a woman who entered with a knight.
The knights beside him chuckled and stood as one to pat the newcomer knight on the shoulder, offering their congratulations and welcoming him back. From context, he gathered that the pair had married and were just returning from their wedding tour.
“Ulyseon,” Riftan greeted with a nod and a slight smile. Leon remembered the man before he had even been appointed as a knight. Strange how quickly time passed.
“You must tell us how your tour went!” Maximillian said, pulling Idsilla to a chair near her own. Ulyseon followed behind, his ears reddening as the knights hooted and whistled. Maximillian shot them a glare. “Hush! I’m only inquiring about the scenery and kingdoms they visited.”
Kuahel suppressed a smile at seeing the small woman reprimand her husband’s knights. While he had ignored the feeling in the past, he had always been charmed by her strength and wit. He had no doubts as to Calypse’s affection for his wife. He watched with pure envy as the man draped an arm across the back of Maximilian’s chair as he leaned forward to hear about the Rovars’ trip. Calypse twirled a lock of her hair around his finger and his other hand held one of hers. She excitedly asked questions which caused her face to slightly pinken with excitement. She was actually quite adorable.
Their children dined with them this night, sitting beside Calypse. They were remarkably well behaved and quietly listened in to their mother’s conversation. Before though, they had participated in the conversations around them and it was clear that despite being so young, they were already receiving a high education.
Moving his eyes from the children, he felt Ulyseon’s gaze on him more than once, but the knight was smart enough to keep his mouth shut for the moment as his bride talked to Maximilian. He was grateful as he had no answers for the questions the Remdragon knights had.
~
It was odd seeing Calypse as a father figure. While they were taking a break from training one afternoon, Leon was sitting in the shade to get some reprieve from the harsh Anatol sun though it was still spring when he heard childish giggles nearby. He looked up to see Arian running along the outer edge of the field. Calypse watched his daughter as Hebaron was explaining something to him. Clearly, he wasn’t paying much attention to the knight as when Arian fell, Calypse took off running in her direction.
“Are you all right?” As he was sitting the closest to their location, he heard Calypse ask his daughter with heavy concern in his voice. Kuahel braced himself for the child’s screaming, but surprisingly, she only dusted herself off before looking down.
“I hurt my knees,” Arian said with annoyance.
Calypse hoisted her onto the fence and lifted her dress to examine the wound she mentioned. It was obvious that she skinned her knees. He poured water on the wounds before pressing a kiss to each pink wound. Kuahel suppressed the urge to grimace.
He lifted her into his arms. “Let’s get you home so mama can properly heal you.”
Arian pushed her upper body away from her father to point. “There’s the butterfly!” It was clear she had been chasing the thing before she fell. Instead of walking toward the castle, Riftan followed after the butterfly. It was hard to imagine the feared commander of the Remdragon knights being so gentle with his daughter.
~
“You are different now that you are a father,” Kuahel commented when they returned from their ride one morning.
“And you are different now that you slept with a woman,” Calypse quipped, not bothering to look back at him as he unsaddled his horse. It was true. Kuahel felt that he was different since he decided to leave the path of a Temple knight. He felt less restrained, more present. “As I tell all of my knights, no talking about women or your adventures around my children. And definitely do not have a line of women knocking at the castle doors with your offspring in their arms.”
Kuahel scoffed. It was only one time that he slept with a woman. While he knew that his reasoning was temptation and envy for what could never be his, he couldn’t imagine such affairs leading to children. It had not even been as pleasurable as he had been led to believe. “Becoming a father is not my goal.”
Calypse finally looked back at him. “Still, you were a monk for years. If you need guidance on how to prevent pregnancy, ask Hebaron. The man is well versed in such things.”
Was Riftan Calypse giving him intimacy advice? Surely he had made it to hell. He felt his face redden before the sounds of children’s chatter reached them.
“Papa, look what I made you!” Arian called out as she ran ahead of her mother and brother. Kuahel walked to the other side of his horse so they wouldn’t be able to see him and pretended to tend to his horse so that he would not blatantly stare at the family.
“They saw the charm I was making for your belt and wanted to give you one of their own,” Maximillian said in her clear voice. “That way you have a protection on behalf of all of us.”
Kuahel looked over his horse’s saddle to see Calypse kneeling down to take something from each of his children. He enveloped them in a hug and offered them whispered words that he couldn’t quite make out. When he stood, he gave Maximillian a lingering kiss.
“I’ll give you mine later,” she said when they parted. As their kids ran ahead of them, Calypse was able to give her a suggestive look that made her blush as he ran his hand down from her shoulders to her lower back.
“I’m certain you will,” he said. Kuahel watched them leave the stables with envy at the casual touches Riftan Calypse was able to mark upon his wife in broad daylight.
~
He had too much to drink.
The Remdragon knights practically drowned themselves in ale every night and hardly seemed affected. While Kuahel didn’t have as much as the rest of the knights, he wanted to blame being drunk on his actions now.
He quietly made his way down the hall and saw the door he was looking slightly ajar. He knew it must have been for their children who slept just a short distance away, in case they called out during the night. Kuahel would use it to his advantage. With a sick feeling telling him what he was doing was wrong, he still crouched in the doorway to peer inside.
The room was lit only by a fire. Maximilian stood before it, her chemise practically transparent in the orange glow, exposing her shadowy figure beneath the thin fabric. Calypse came up behind her then, bending to trail kisses down her neck. She gave a sort of groggy laugh that made Kuahel’s stomach clench in response.
“Riftan,” she said, breathless. He began pushing her in the direction of their bed, passionately kissing her mouth. Before the back of her knees could hit the bed, Calypse’s hands went to the straps of her chemise and dropped it down her body.
Kuahel felt his pulse quicken as he watched her lay out on the bed, bare, leaving her legs dangling off the edge. Her body was perfect. Everything about her looked like how the goddesses in stories of old were described. Calypse kneeled, picking up each of her legs to place them over his shoulders. He pulled her closer by her waist and placed his mouth on the most intimate part of his wife.
Maximilian’s reactions were instantaneous. She moaned and writhed, pulling Calypse’s hair as her back arched off the bed. Kuahel watched with fascination, feeling himself harden at the sight. Eventually, her legs began to shake and she moaned as she pushed away from Riftan. Her husband stood and after he removed his trousers, Maximilian stopped him. She pushed him onto the bed and climbed on his lap, easily pushing his erect member inside of her.
Although he only experienced it once before, it was definitely not as pleasurable as the way it looked before him now. Calypse’s eyes were heavy as he watched his wife move up and down atop him. He had a hand on her bottom, helping her movements. His neck was strained and his face red as his other hand wandered up his wife’s body. In a swift motion, he managed to flip them so he was on top and Maximilian’s legs were wrapped around his waist. She trembled, barely able to keep her eyes open with Calypse’s harsh pace.
From what Kuahel remembered, the whole event was rather stiff, sweaty, and awkward. The two before him now didn’t appear to have any hesitancies or awkwardness between them. No, Calypse’s gaze was more vulnerable than he had ever seen before. He looked at his wife with pure love and adoration. The touches they placed upon each other were intentional and sensual. After they reached the peak of their pleasure, they lay side by side for a moment, panting.
“I’ve been thinking about that all day,” Calypse said as he turned to his wife. She gave a weak laugh, pushing her hair aside. He gave her a kiss before rising and heading to the wash basin. Kuahel watched as he wrung out the cloth and gently wiped between his wife’s legs. He was certain any advice Hebaron could provide him wouldn’t cover any of this genuine tenderness.
He shifted his stance and Calypse’s gaze flew to the slightly ajar door. Kuahel knew that he couldn’t see him from the darkness, but he stilled and held his breath.
“What is it?” Maximilian asked, drawing the covers over herself.
Calypse pulled on his trousers from where he had discarded them. “It’s nothing. Let me check on the children before I get into bed.” He handed his wife her chemise and Kuahel took the moment to quietly flee.
~
All knowledge of courtesy and manners left Kuahel’s mind when Maximilian visited the training grounds the next morning to see Calypse off. A few of the knights would be riding out to take care of a goblin nest. Not a particularly dangerous job, but the commander insisted on leading the men to handle the matter. Unfortunately, Kuahel was not chosen for the mission.
“Be safe, papa,” Arian said from the safety of his arms after offering him a kiss on the cheek. After he set her down, she immediately ran to Hebaron who swooped her into his arms and threw her into the air above him. She squealed with laughter and Calypse scowled at the knight but said nothing as Arian ran down the line of knights to offer her farewells as well as some flowers she had picked.
Calypse bent to hug his son who held him a beat too long. It was clear his son was nervous for his departure. He spoke to him for a moment as Maximilian watched their daughter. As if sensing his gaze, she turned to look at Kuahel. He had some trouble tearing his gaze away from her after what he had seen the night prior. She gave him an odd look and bent down to grab Arian’s hand when she ran back to her. When she did so, like an adolescent boy, Kuahel felt his gaze fall to the low neck of her dress.
“I’ll miss you,” she said, accepting a kiss from her husband.
“I’ll return soon,” he promised. When he turned toward his horse, he saw Kuahel staring and paused for a second. It was so imperceptible, but Kuahel caught the motion. Still, he swung up onto his horse and departed without another glance back. Rather embarrassingly, Kuahel didn’t move despite the knights around him beginning to disperse.
“Can we go to the infirmary now?” Arian asked her mother. Triton stared after his father’s horse with a rather sad expression that made Kuahel feel upset on his behalf. It was obvious that Calypse was their entire world. Perhaps they were still too young to understand that their father was practically invincible to such lesser monsters. Well, maybe not Arian who didn’t look as devastated. He didn’t hear Maximilian’s answer, but he watched them walk away in the direction of the infirmary.
“Leon, move it,” Ursuline told him as he walked by. “We still have training even though the commander is gone.”
~
Maxi watched through the window as Triton and Arian played in the garden. Sir Ursuline accompanied them as he just completed the knight’s training, but she felt too anxious to keep her eyes from them for too long.
“Lady Calypse,” she looked up in surprise to see Kuahel Leon standing in the doorway.
“Sir Kuahel,” She nervously flicked her eyes out the window again before walking over to the cabinet filled with their herbal remedies. “Do you have a wound for me to treat?”
“No,” he said plainly, his bright eyes upon her.
“Then how can I assist you today?” She quirked her brow in confusion as he entered the infirmary and looked out the window toward her children.
“I saw your son concerned for his father earlier.”
Maxi looked out the window to see Triton chasing Arian in circles around Ursuline. “He’s quite a sensitive soul. I think he can sense my trepidation whenever Riftan has to go away. Hebaron has also told him a number of horror stories that may have frightened Triton about campaigns and hunts. Now he worries every time that he won’t come back.”
“I never imagined Calypse to be a father,” Kuahel said. “It’s hard to fathom anyone worried for the great dragon slayer.”
“He’s human, you know.” She remembered a time where Kuahel insinuated that Riftan was too similar to a monster than a man. “He’s a good father, one our children could never live without.”
“That much is obvious,” he said, his mouth twisting into a smile that she had never seen upon his face before. It made her uncomfortable.
“Did you need my assistance with something?”
“I wanted to extend my gratitude. While Calypse is the one who made the decision to allow me to join his order, he could have turned me away at your word. I’m certain that you must still harbor ill feelings from the time we were surveying the monster city.”
“Oh.” She hadn’t expected him to approach her for that. As a matter of fact, it appeared as if he did his best to avoid her more often than not. “I would never have voiced a complaint over something that happened years ago. I understand that you had nowhere else to go, so you are more than welcome here. The Remdragon knights are a great order.”
“They are… different than the Temple knights, but welcoming in their own way, I suppose.”
“If it’s not too forward of me to ask, why did you leave your order? Riftan tells me that members of the clergy often engage in affairs that go against their vows, yet they never leave.”
He tilted his head as he thought about his answer. “I was tired of hiding.”
She was about to respond when Triton and Arian came running into the infirmary with Ursuline in tow. He held a small bundle of colorful flowers, no doubt gifted to him by Arian, that were a contrast to his stony demeanor. He paused when he saw the former paladin conversing with her.
“Hello,” Arian said to Kuahel, hugging Maxi’s leg. As they had not properly interacted before, Triton was suspicious and chose to stay close to Ursuline, grabbing the knight’s free hand.
“What are you doing here?” Ursuline asked rather defensively. His tone made Triton nervously take a step back. Used to the boy’s trepidation, Ursuline bent to pick him up so he could carry him one armed. As the knight’s were much taller and stronger than Maxi, they were able to carry Triton with an ease that she envied.
“Conversing with our order’s mage,” Kuahel answered.
“I don’t remember you being injured during training.”
“You’re the new knight!” Arian said, interrupting the conversation. “Mama told me that you fought together in a campaign.”
Kuahel smiled again. “We did. Are you studying to be a mage like your mother?” He gestured to the pockets of her dress overflowing with herbs and flowers.
“Let’s not encourage that line of questioning just yet,” Maxi interrupted before Arian could answer. “Was there anything else I could assist you with, Sir Kuahel?” He stared at her for a moment then he shook his head and said his farewells before leaving.
After a long moment, Ursuline walked over to her desk. “I know the commander allowed him into our order, but there’s something about him I don’t trust.”
“He is different,” Maxi ventured.
“He looks sad,” Arian surprisingly cut in as she ran to Ursuline and lifted her arms. “Can you take us to the stables?” She excitedly jumped up and down until Ursuline scooped her into his other arm. He gave Maxi an inquiring look and she nodded. Since Riftan was gone, she knew she had a long night ahead of her. Despite a knight being posted outside their chambers, the children would be awake and afraid knowing that that their father wasn’t in the castle. They had fallen into a habit of falling asleep in Maxi’s bed though they fought sleep at every moment which left her exhausted. She was more than happy for the knights to tire out Triton and Arian early.
“We’ll be having dinner in my chambers, so you can keep them entertained until then,” Maxi said, walking over to ruffle Triton’s hair and give Arian a kiss. She was grateful for the knights and their obvious love and care for her children. While Riftan was away, it afforded her time to get things done without relying on his presence.
~
Kuahel looked at the head of the table where Calypse and Maximilian typically sat. The chairs were empty and the room was quieter with a number of the knights out on the hunt. Ursuline entered the hall and took a seat between Garrow and Gabel. Kuahel didn’t think Ursuline realized that he had a row of flowers tucked into the neck of his armor. They were no doubt placed by Arian Calypse.
“If you two ever decide on having children, know that they are a handful,” he told Ulyseon and Idsilla who sat further down the table. Several of the knights laughed in response.
“It was only an afternoon with them. How hard could it be to watch such tiny humans?” Gabel jested.
Ursuline glared at him. “Perfect. You’re on guard duty for them tonight.”
Gabel rolled his eyes, but didn’t seem all that bothered. Kuahel raised a brow. “You guard the Calypse children?” He hadn’t noticed anyone watching over them before.
“Only when the commander is away from the castle,” Gabel answered before taking a swig of his ale.
Ursuline studied him curiously. “Don’t worry, the privilege will never fall to you as the commander has a select few that he allows near his family.”
Kuahel wasn’t certain how he felt about that. He felt a want to get close to a family that wasn’t his own and he didn’t know why. The Calypse family just intrigued him to no end.
~
“Papa!” Both Triton and Arian yelled in unison as they saw the knights riding in. Maxi smiled and followed after her two children at a much leisurely pace. While he wasn’t gone as long as he had predicted, it had felt like too long since Riftan had last been home. The knights on horseback headed toward the stables and Riftan made his way toward his family. The faintest of smiles touched his lips when he stopped before them.
“You’re home!” Arian said.
“Did you get hurt? Are you all right?” Triton questioned, immediately lifting his arms so Riftan could carry him. They were used to his questions of worry, but still, Riftan hugged him close and reassured him that everyone was fine. He lifted Arian with his other arm and did the same. Maxi stood on the tips of her toes so she could reach up for a kiss to welcome him home.
“We missed you,” she said.
“Is that so?” Riftan asked with a playful tone. “Well, I imagine not as much as I missed all three of you.” This had become a game between them. They would all vie for the top reason why they were one to miss the other more. As their children began to list the reasons why they missed their father the most, Maxi smiled as they walked inside the castle. This was the only thing she ever wanted: her family together.
~
“Do you see the bear?” Triton asked later that night after dinner as he traced a figure in the stars with his finger. Riftan crouched beside him, dressed in a loose tunic and trousers. His hair was still slicked back from his recent bath and Maxi did her best to avert her eyes so she wouldn’t be obvious in the need she had for her husband. Instead, she held Arian as they looked up into the night sky.
“Who taught you that one, Triton?” Maxi asked.
“Ruth is teaching me,” he said proudly.
“He’s turning you into the smartest knight’s son there will ever be,” Riftan joked. He turned his attention from the stars to Maxi who had just set Arian down so she could sit next to Triton to trace other shapes in the sky.
Maxi caught his eyes and offered a suggestive smile. Riftan’s gaze immediately heated, but he said nothing to her as he answered a question Triton had just asked him. She felt some consolation knowing that the two of them would not be sleeping much that night based on the look he gave her.
~
“Papa, don’t move!” Arian yelled.
“I was just looking for your mother,” Riftan tried to reason with his daughter. Though he had spent every night with Maxi since he returned, he still longed to see her. Just her presence alone was a comforting balm.
Hebaron clicked his tongue as he continued to stare in mockery at seeing his commander patiently trying on the flower crowns his daughter made. “Our Lady Arian is most particular with her designs.”
Riftan refrained from rolling his eyes at the knight as Arian straightened the flower crown on his head. She tilted her head to the side as she examined him from where he sat. “Perfect! Your turn, Hebaron.” Riftan straightened his back and bit back a smile at seeing the lumbering knight across from him widen his eyes.
“Me, my lady? I think my face is fine enough without the decoration of such blooms.” Arian began to pout and Riftan shot the man a glare. “But it would be a privilege to wear one of your crowns.” He kneeled and Arian ran to him with a yellow flower crown. After he stood, several other knights joined them and paused when they noticed Arian’s arms filled with flower crowns.
“You’re next!” Arian yelled at Ursuline before he could back away. Riftan ran a hand over his mouth as he watched Elliot, Gabel, and Ruth look fearful as they knew they would be the next ones to be graced with a flower crown. Kuahel was the only one who was confused.
Since they were not allowed to attend the festival, Riftan would bring bits and pieces of it to the castle so they could feel the joy that Maxi felt whenever they attended. Clearly, they had just finished with the flower crown making part of their morning and, as always, wanted the knights to participate as well. Though the knights liked to resist every step of the way, Riftan knew that they truly didn’t mind. Most of them would do anything for his children.
“Sir Kuahel?” Arian asked just as Maxi approached with Triton. “Would you like one as well?” It was the first time he had ever seen his daughter ask for someone’s permission before bending them to her will. Triton grabbed Riftan’s hand and stayed by his side rather than joining his sister. His son was a shy one. He didn’t like newcomers all that much, and rather preferred to be around those he trusted. Of course, they all knew he’d be brave to protect his sister from any harm as they found out the previous year when they got lost in a the nearby woods.
“I would hate to be left out,” Kuahel answered Arian with, surprisingly, not an ounce of the typical dryness that had come to be expected of him. He bent on his knee so that she could place a crown atop his head. Riftan saw Maxi bite her lip to no doubt hide a smile.
Riftan cleared his throat as Arian searched for her next victim. “Arian, what do you say we continue with our celebrations?”
“But I still have crowns!”
“We can save those for those that we see later. Let’s head to the gardens.”
~
The festival was a joy to attend, just as it always had been. Though Maxi wished that their children could attend alongside them, she knew the risks that would pose. She enjoyed their private celebrations on the castle grounds just as much, but she could just imagine the look on Triton and Arian’s face if they saw the festival in all its glory.
When they were getting ready to leave, Maxi felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see a young woman standing behind her, carrying a child in her arms that looked to be only a few months old. She had light red hair and pale blue eyes that studied her curiously.
“Are you Lady Calypse?” Immediately on guard, Riftan pulled Maxi a few steps back. The girl was confused for a moment before she shook her head. “I mean you no harm! I come seeking the Remdragon knights. I know they reside here in Anatol and I wanted a lady’s help with my predicament.”
“What has happened?” Maxi asked, pulling away from Riftan.
“The father of this child is one of your knights.”