Page 16 of My Eternal Light
“Portia, get the warriors to organize supplies and sleeping arrangements. You kids follow me!” he said, shaking his head at the crowd. “These poor babies are hungry. Let us get them to the sitting area.” He looked around. “Aleks, Oron, you can be shocked later. Grab some pillows and blankets.”
Cord spun and when he raised his hands the end tables in the antechamber lowered to the ground and merged together to form long tables that could be sat at from the floor. The soft notes of wind chimes seemed to float on the air and no less than three kettles whistled at once.
“Badass! I freaking love squires!” Meryn threw both her arms in the air.
More than one child turned to her. “Yello!”
Meryn blinked. “Whoa. That was cool!”
Pip bounced back and forth from foot to foot frantically. “They’re hungry Meryn, like really hungry.”
Ryuu placed a gentle hand on Pip’s shoulder and stepped forward before snapping his fingers. The low tables now looked like they had blankets as a skirted edge. “Kotatsu. They’re heated tables from my country.” He bowed to Cord. “I meant no disrespect.”
Cord waved off his concern. “I need to add that to my own repertoire.”
Ryuu turned back to the children. “If you were to sit with your feet under the table, you can pull the blanket up around your shoulders,” he explained.
Cody first, then Cana dove for the tables. Soon the others joined them moaning in delight at the warmth.
One of the older girls wiped at her eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever been warm.”
The queen, Cas, Amelia, Anne and Aralea sat at different tables each cradling an infant. Warm bottles and cloth diapers had been waiting for them when they arrived. The babies were now getting rocked and burped. Aiden shared what they had learned about the children while everyone got settled.
Oron sat just taking in each child’s face. It hadn’t escaped anyone’s attention that the children had shied away from him.
Darian made it obvious that he wanted to sit next to his brother. “Kids, this is the one who I was telling you about. My big brother, who saved my life from the bad men.”
Cody’s eyes widened. “You fought the bad men?”
Oron ducked his head. “I was about ten…”
“Our age!” one of the girls exclaimed, pointing to her brothers and sisters. “We’re ten.”
Oron looked up, his expression hopeful. The children were speaking to him. “One evening, I heard my father and uncles,” he took a deep breath and continued. “The bad men. They were getting ready to go to House Alina,” he pointed to Darian. “Their plan was to kill everyone and blame House Liordan. I stumbled into the hall trying to run away and was caught. They threw me in the cellar, and I frantically searched all night for a way to get out. I finally was able to break down the door. I ran directly to House Alina and to the back of the house where I had been spending my days.” He smiled at Darian. “You see House Alina had just been blessed with a baby boy and I used to go over there to play with him in the garden. I snuck into the nursery and grabbed the baby and ran to the palace to tell the guards what was happening.”
When he was silent for a minute the queen continued. “His honor and bravery saved the last remaining member of House Alina. After that I adopted both boys and have loved them ever since.”
“The end,” Meryn added. Then stuffed a brownie in her mouth, causing the kids to laugh.
Aeron looked satisfied. “They never won, not really.”
Meryn pointed to Oron. “Dey ned to beed on ur twee,” she mumbled, mouth full of her dessert.
Oron stared.
“Wha?” she asked.
Cody leaned forward. “I don’t think he understood what you said because you were eating dirt.”
Meryn chewed quickly and swallowed. “It’s not dirt. It’s chocolate, the best substance on earth, next to coffee.”
Pip at her side nodded furiously. “I wasn’t sure at first, but gods in heaven, she’s right.”
Cana licked her lips.
“Ryuu can the kiddos have chocolate?”
Ryuu smiled. “Eventually.” He looked out over the children. “You all have had a very… restrictive diet. You will be denied nothing, we just need to work you up to some of the robust foods my denka enjoys.”