Chapter Text
It was Maxi’s favourite time of year. The cold winds had yet to arrive and the summer flowers were in their last days of bloom. Sunlight seeped through the dappled canopy overhead and made the shades of green seem even brighter.
It was also the day two years ago that Riftan had returned from the dead. Her joy had tasted bitter at the time, full of loss and anxiety but he’d overwhelmed her, as he always did. Riftan loved fiercely and with no restraint. There was no corner of Maxi’s being that he would allow to worry or pain to hide.
It took weeks for Maxi to fully realise that he was home for good. And after giving up the command of the Remdragon Knights, Riftan’s priority was now being something he had always wanted: a family.
‘Are you tired? If you tell me where we are going, I shall carry you.’ It turned out that Riftan could not stand not knowing something, especially if it was meant to be a secret.
Maxi squeezed his hand. ‘I told you, it is m-meant to be a surprise.’
He narrowed his eyes as if looking for danger and growled, ‘I do not like surprises.’
‘What about n-nice surprises?’
A few years ago this would have worried her, but now she knew his love language. He protected, he provided, he cared for and to do that he felt like he had to be vigilant. Not knowing something was just another danger, something Maxi was trying to gently cure him of in her own way.
His mouth curled slightly as he squeezed her hand in return, ‘Maxi, you gave me a nice surprise this morning,’ he replied, making her blush furiously.
The woodland path they were following was covered in dense branches and the last buds of summer, but as they rounded the corner, they could just make out the sunny meadow that lay ahead. Laughing, happy voices met their ears and a cheer rose up as if a group of people were playing a game.
Riftan stopped and pulled Maxi close to his side. ‘What is this?’
Maxi licked her lips tentatively, ‘This is your n-name day celebration. It's not much but I...’ she turned to him with her back to the meadow and placed her hands on his chest. ‘Do you n-not like it?’
Riftan let his dark hair fall in front of his eyes and looked away into the forest. ‘I wouldn’t know, I have not had one before.’
This would have sent a tremor through the Old Maxi, but they had worked hard to understand each other better over the last two years. She could now tell by the hint of a blush at the top of his ears that Riftan was so pleased he was embarrassed.
‘Yet you celebrate m-mine and the children’s every year,’ Maxi sighed ruefully, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his neck which is as far as she can reach, ‘My selfless husband.’
His thick arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her off her feet, pressing his lips into her hair and inhaling deeply. ‘This is all I need.’
Maxi smiled, pressing more kisses into his warm cheek. She could tell by the tension in his shoulders that he was anxious to have all that attention placed on himself.
‘We could sit for a while and en-joy the sunshine.’
He hummed his response and carried her to a fallen log, arranging her on his knee as he sat. A thicket of heather partially hid them from sight but they could still see the goings on in the meadow in front of them.
Through their hideyhole they could spy on the whole meadow without being seen. The autumn wind was warm and rustled through the lush field, sending ripples through the long grass and making the wildflowers dance.
The wind carried the sound of laughter, cheering and the children’s excitable voices. Maxi had wanted to keep the party small, immediate family and friends only, but the knights were Riftan’s family. In the end, it had been Hebaron who had whittled it down to only the most senior of knights, the ones who had known Riftan the longest.
It looked like they were playing a game, Maxi couldn’t tell what it was from this distance but Sir Gabel, Garrow, and Ursuline stood to one side, while Ulyseon, Elliot and Magni stood on the other. Hebaron watched from the top of the hill with his thick arms crossed over his chest.
Maxi started violently when the two sides clashed together and began wrestling.
‘Don’t worry, it's just a game.See the ball, there,’ Riftan said, pointing at a red leather ball, clutched in Sir Gabel’s arms. ‘We would play it as squires.’
By Hebaron’s side, the children jumped up and down, cheering on their favourite knights.
‘Ga-rrow! Ur-sul-ine!’ Alexis shouted, stomping like she was doing a little war dance.
While Marius was being more strategic and pulling on Hebaron’s elbow, apparently pointing out any cheating that was going on. ‘Elliot should g-get a point. Sir Ursuline stepped on his hand.’
Even Uly the hound was trying to play, much to the other players annoyance when he snatched the ball with his teeth and began scampering around the meadow, barking madly as the knights began to chase him.
Another dark shape moved through the grasses, watching silently from high on the hill looking over them. Mago was the newest member of the pack and a gift from Riftan to Maxi. Mago’s coat was jet black and glossy, his ears pointed sharply at the top of his head, his paws were as large as her own hands.
The oldest member of the pack, Hebaron the gentle golden giant who now had streaks of white around his muzzle, was sprawled out in the grass with his head laying on Ludis’ pregnant belly. His back leg twitched as she rubbed his tummy and his tongue lolled out his jaws as he dreamt about all the squirrels he was going to chase on the way home.
Ruth the cat had remained with his namesake in the wizard’s tower. Most probably in front of a roaring fire on a feather pillow, away from all the noisy canines and hardwork.
‘They look content.’ Riftan’s hands tightened on her hips, sending a small shiver up her spine. ‘We could leave them to it.’
It could be so easy to give into him but she couldn’t not yet. Not until he’d had all his presents.
Cupping his cheeks, she drew his head back. ‘The children have b-baked you a cake.’
Riftan cocked his eyebrow questioningly.
‘Cook h-helped. Quite a bit, I believe.’
After one last squeeze, Riftan sighed and got to his feet. ‘Lead the way, Maxi.’
Hand in hand, they walked through the meadow until they reached the small party.
The knights and spectators were so engrossed in the game that they didn’t see Riftan and Maxi approach. After standing for a few moments, Maxi let out a loud, ‘Ahem.’
Many faces turned in their direction, there was a beat and then a loud chorus of ‘Surprise!’
Dogs barked, Hebaron leapt from Ludis’ lap and jumped up at Riftan excitedly, slobbering on his robe. The children threw themselves into his arms and he tossed them both into the air, catching them effortlessly.
The knights hung back, chuckling ruefully that they hadn’t been aware of his approach but thumped him on the back, wishing him many happy returns and joking that they could see new strands of grey in his hair.
Once Riftan had set him on the ground once more, Marius turned to Ludis and exclaimed dramatically, ‘Now is it time for cake?’
Ludis sighed, rubbing the side of her pregnant belly. ‘Yes, little master, now that your father is here we can eat your father’s name day cake.’
Marius slapped his hands together, licking his lips as the cake was cut up into slices.
Maxi led Riftan to a red woollen blanket that had been left out for them. He allowed her to fuss over him like a mother hen, watching her indulgently as she folded her own cloak into a pillow for him to rest against and poured him a cup of wine.
Alexis approached his side and handed him a napkin with a slice of cake on. ‘Hello,’ she said before pressing a kiss to his cheek.
‘Thankyou,’ Riftan replied, smiling at Alexis’ antics.
And as if that was a signal, she climbed into his lap and began to eat the slice of cake she’d just given him, happy to use one of the most dangerous knights in the continent as her own personal armchair.
Alexis was just recovering from a cold and found that being close to her father felt much better than any of the healing potions Maxi gave her. In fact, despite all her stubbornness and independence, Alexis had surprised them all by becoming the biggest daddies’ girl Anatol had ever seen.
And Riftan would be the first to say that he didn’t mind one bit.
***
Lofn’s Day
Maxi’s stomach let out a loud protest and she realised it was later than previously thought and that she had missed lunch. Her back was stiff from sitting so long in the hard chair and her hands felt cold. Although much more homier than it had been, the library could still get chilly once the sun had passed overhead.
‘Marius, it is lunch time, pack up your b-books.’
Marius was laying on a low couch with a book propped up on his chest. Only his wild hair and hands were visible behind the leatherbound spine. He didn’t look up but he did hold up a half eaten sandwich.
‘Where did you get that?’ Maxi asked with amusement.
That was when an ornery, waspish voice called from one of the rows of books. ‘That would be me. At Least one of us keeps the children fed.’
Maxi huffed, calling back at Ruth’s bodiless voice. ‘You only serve yourself. If you're t-teaching Marius to be your new apprentice, think again. You’ll not be palming work off on him.’
Pulling a pillow out from under his legs, Maxi knocked his feet off the sofa. ‘Marius, b-bring your book with you. We shall read in the s-sun.’
Without speaking or looking up from his book, Marius followed his mother. They had to cross the courtyard to get to the kitchens, and when Maxi glanced over at the flower garden and the old oak tree, she frowned.
Alexis was supposed to be with Ludis and the sewing circle but their usual spot under the tree was empty.
When they got to the kitchen Cook presented them with a large, overflowing hamper.
Marius lowered his book, eyeing the custard tarts that were peeking out while Maxi let out a pained breath. ‘We will never eat that m-much food.’
The aged cook looked surprised. ‘When his lordship and the little mistress did not come for their lunch, I thought you would be taking it to them to have it together.’
This was curious. Riftan often missed meals when he was called to attend to business, but Alexis, much like Marius, loved her food and never missed the opportunity to eat.
Following the excited shouts and ruckus coming from the training ground, Marius tried to help Maxi carry the heavy basket across the yard. Once inside the stands of the training ground, they found the seats filled with yard hands, labourers, gardeners, squires and knights watching the sands avidly. All cheering and hollering, coins passing between hands as they watched the small group of figures in the centre.
‘Lady Calypse.’
Maxi turned to see Sir Gable approaching them through the stands, pushing and elbowing his way through the rowdy crowd. He easily took the basket from her hands and helped her up the steps into the stands. ‘Sir Riftan has made a space for you.’
‘I brought lunch. I did n-not think there would be so many of you.’
They shuffled their way through, most of the audience made room to let them pass, but when they were too engrossed with what was going on, Sir Gabel used his bulk to shove them out of the way. ‘It was not intentionally, I am sure. Events have gotten away from us.’
Marius leaned around her to ask, ‘What is going on?’
Gable hesitated again. ‘I think Sir Riftan ought to explain it.’
Looking through the stands, she saw Riftan seated at the centre of his knights, and it sent a shiver up her spine. His face was full of thunder and his body was swathed in shadows as if it was reflecting his aura. Alexis sat one row behind her father, watching avidly though oddly not shouting encouragement, but studying their movements as if committing them to memory.
‘I think you s-should. So I have a fair w-warning.’
Sir Gabel visibly winced and looked down at the pommel of his sword as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. ‘A group of the castle’s boys snuck letters into Miss Alexis’ sewing basket-’
Marius appeared at Gabel’s elbow. ‘Were they unkind?’
Gabel blinked at him and then smiled reassuringly. ‘No, quite the opposite. They were letters of Lofn.’
‘I don’t understand,’ Maxi said.
‘Lofn is a local deity. A shapeshifter, I believe. On this day, once a year, young lads send letters to the lasses they would like to start courting. These letters are offerings to Lofn.’
‘Oh gods.’ Maxi felt the blood drain from her face. She could now see why there was a death cloud hanging over Riftan.
‘Ew, where would they send letters to Alexi?’ Marius asked Gable.
‘Your sister is-,’ the knight ran a hand through his short black hair as he looked for the words. ‘Forceful. I can see how she might make an impression on the younger castle boys.’
Maxi’s voice sounded shrill and slightly hysteric to her own ears. ‘She is t-too young to be receiving such letters.’
‘My own sister received her first letter when she was younger than Alexis. Receiving them at eight years old is, I believe, the norm.’ Gable smiled apologetically at Maxi. ‘They are harmless. Lofn is a deity of permission and arranger of marriages. If her offerings are not accepted by the lass then they would stop.’
Maxi gave herself a little shake and looked to the stands once more. ‘How is she taking it?’
‘Better than Riftan.’
After struggling with the crowd, Gabel scooped Marius up into his arms and led the way through the stands to where Riftan and the other knights were sitting. Setting down her basket, Maxi ignored the available seat and immediately tucked herself into his lap. In his arms, it was as if they were in their own little world.
Without looking up from the sand, his arms came around her and pulled her close, tucking her head under his chin. She could feel the tension radiating from him.
‘You missed lunch.’ Maxi found that when he looked at her, his body was emitting indignant rage but his dark eyes were desolate and filled with pain.
‘She’s my little girl.’
‘I know.’ She brushed his hair away from his eyes and kissed his neck. ‘They were in-innocent and don’t need to be treated as anything other than f-fancy.’
Riftan looked pained. ‘They are both growing up so fast and I’ve missed so much of their lives already, I can’t-’
Maxi laid her hand on his chest. ‘She’s not of marrying age yet.’
Riftan caught her fingers and drew her palm to his lips, fixing Maxi with an intent stare. ‘We’ll never send her away.’
‘Never,’ Maxi agreed. ‘She’ll choose who she’ll marry.’
On the other side of Riftan, Hebaron let out a loud snort. ‘She’ll never get married, if he has anything to do with it.’
On the stand behind Hebaron, Sir Ursuline swatted him roughly on the back of the head. ‘I am in agreement. Miss Alexis is too good for any of the castle boys. I suggested that Riftan tie meat to them and make them run through the forest. Let the monsters have them.’
Now that she could see the arena, things made more sense. Three boys appeared to be running through an obstacle course. At the beginning of the circuit was a pyramid of barrels and netting which they had to climb over. The next was a vertical rope climb over a pit of mud. And the next was a gauntlet. Eight squires held sticks and padded shields, the boys had to force their way through while being pushed and shoved, before having to lift a heavy wooden beam and run with it to the beginning of the circuit.
At the side of the area, a pile of six or seven boys lay in an exhausted heap, half dead and panting.
When one of the boys in the arena stumbled, his gangly knees buckling under the weight of his wooden beam, and dropping down into a dead faint, Maxi took Riftan’s chin in hand and turned his face towards her so that there was not a hairsbreadth between them.
‘My love, rememb-ber what I said when you came home.’
Riftan blinked at her sadly. ‘You scolded me.’
‘I also said that I loved you but that I d-did not want your hands to feel like chains. Alexis will always be your little girl but she is also your d-daughter and h-headstrong. Many years from now, when she d-does accept someone’s hand, she should not f-fear her father’s reaction.’
‘I just want to protect her,’ Riftan sighed heavily, pressing his forehead against Maxi’s.
Maxi smiled, pressing herself closer to his chest. ‘She would f-find a way. Would you like to see her suitors in the light of d-day, or have them scurrying about in the middle of the night b-behind your back.’
Beside them Sir Gabel cleared his throat. ‘She speaks the truth, sir. My sisters were constantly sneaking boys into their chambers through the window in the middle of the night.’
‘Enough!’ Almost throwing Maxi off his lap, Riftan jumped to his feet, barking so loud that everyone froze.
The three remaining boys looked at one another, as if not knowing whether this was also part of the trail. So instead of dropping their weights and falling to their knees with exhaustion, they straightened their backs and stared stoically at Riftan.
‘You who remain standing have done well. Youth is not an excuse for weakness. Stand at ease. What are your names and your current positions in the castle?’
One by one, they dropped their burdens.
The first to speak was a good looking blonde boy who could not be more than ten. He bowed low to Riftan, his voice shaking slightly. ‘James Mac, sir, if it pleases you. Stable boy.’
‘Ivan Jefferies, sir. I pull the brewers cart.’
The final boy, who was the last to drop his wooden beam and was the tallest of the three. His hair had been shaved almost to the scalp but Maxi could tell that it was white blonde from the stubble. The boy raised his head, meeting Riftan’s eyes, he spoke with a strong, steady voice. ‘Agron. Blacksmith’s apprentice.’
Riftan leaned forward and gripped the balustrade that separated the stands and the arena. ‘Agron, what?’
‘I don’t have a last name, sir.’
A frown appeared on Riftan’s face. ‘How can you not have a last name?’
‘If you please.’ A lone voice from the crowd shouted and Maxi watched as the Master Blacksmith stepped into the arena, putting his hand on the young boy’s shoulder.
‘Agron is a good lad, a bit rough around the edges and in need of someone to teach him manners but he saved my life when I was set upon by thugs. He’s young, not yet nine if you can believe it by his beanstalk body. My wife and I brought him from the orphanage to live with us and be my apprentice.’
Riftan held up to halt the blacksmith from speaking. ‘You have another son, I believe’
‘I do, your lordship.’
Riftan nodded. ‘Very well. You boys still standing have shown yourselves as diligent and brave. Traits that I would welcome in any of my daughter’s future suitors. You boys will remain with the knights and take on the role as squire’s assistant. Do well, work hard and your worthiness may be tested again. But hear me now!’ his voice rose to a deafening boom, making Maxi flinch. ‘Your letters of Lofn are rejected. And any other letters or gestures from now until I decree will be met with a flogging.’
‘Sir Ulyseon, see that the boys are properly placed.’
After a beat of silence a deafening cheer went up, Riftan stepped on to the sands- a sudden hush fell. Alexis had followed him and had grabbed on to the back of his cloak, raising her voice for all to hear.
‘I want to do the trial.’
Riftan turned to her and eyed her carefully. She returned his gaze with the same intensity.
‘You tested these boys to see if they were strong enough, or worthy enough to be my suitors. Then rewarded them with positions in the Remdragon Knights. In two years, I shall be nine. The same age as Agron. Let me do the trials then, if I pass and prove myself, I should be allowed to be a squire’s apprentice also.’
A muscle worked in Riftan’s jaw as if he was chewing glass. He obviously didn’t like it but he would never out right turn his daughter down. ‘I will make no considerations for you being my daughter. It will be the same trial- no lighter weights, no half measures.’
‘I understand,’ she replied, nodding firmly.
‘And you will have to excel in your lessons as well, you cannot skimp on those lessons in favour of playing knight.’
At that Alexis deflated a little and kicked a stone. ‘Even sewing?’
A smile broke out over Riftan’s handsome face as he fell to his knee and kissed her forehead. ‘Especially sewing.’
***
Not to be undone, wrapping his arms around his neck, Marius draped himself over Riftan’s back like a rag doll. Maxi found herself smiling when Riftan let out a heavy ‘Omph!’ and pretended to be winded by Marius’ light weight.
‘So heavy,’ he groaned theatrically, slumping down over a giggling Alexis still in his lap, as if his arms and legs were made of lead.
The kids laughed and played, trying with all their might to lift Riftan’s massive limbs up. Even his lifeless hand was too much for the both of them. It was only when Marius tried to pull Riftan’s cloak over his head that he caught the little boy around the waist, flipped him easily over his shoulder, and laid him on the grass to tickle him.
Riftan’s face was often harshly beautiful. Its lines were cold marble and cut like ice, but with his children he was butter. He had learned to play again, to laugh so hard his stomach hurt and to be silly, actually silly! To think that the great dragon of the west, former commander of the Remdragon Knights and Wigrew incarnated, would drape himself in a sheet and pretend to be a monster from one of their nursery rhymes or don a red suit for Yule, just for his children’s enjoyment, made Maxi’s heart swell with love.
‘No, papi,’ Marius squealed as he wriggled and kicked, trying to get out of Riftan’s grasp.
When he used the informal Roem term for father, Riftan knew that the little boy had had enough tickling for now, so helped him sit up and brushed the grass out of his curly hair with his fingers.
‘You are the worst kind of hooligan, the kind who can get away with it,’ Riftan said fondly, taking a bite of his cake before offering up the rest to the children sitting on his lap.
Marius cocked his head so that his dark curls spilled to one side. ‘Surely, that is the b-best kind of hoolig-gan.’
On hearing this, Hebaron let out a snort of laughter. ‘He’s got you there commander.’
‘Hebby!’ Alexis squealed as she leaped off Riftan’s lap, seemingly full of energy.
Marius did the same but grabbed both Riftan’s and Maxi’s hand, nearly knocking over her wine, tugging their hands up and down as he hopped in place excitedly. ‘Watch this! Look what we can do.’
Hebaron smiled indulgently, blushing a little when his wife winked at him. Ludis clapped with the rest of the knights when Hebaron knelt on the grass, flexed his massive arms so that the children could grab on and lifted them into the air. They screamed in delight, swinging on his arms like squirrels in a tree.
‘Hebaron the cart horse,’ Sir Gabel called, laughing into his mug of ale as he stretched out on the grass.
‘That’s nothing.’ Ursuline got to his feet and rolled up his sleeves, flashing a handsome smile at Alexis. ‘ Little princess, shall we show them what we practised?’
Dropping gracefully from Hebaron’s arm, Alexis ran full pelt at Ursuline. He ducked to grab her waist and tossed her into the air- she let out an ear piercing shriek of delight- and Ursuline caught her, twirling her head over heels before gently setting her on the ground once again. She stumbled dizzily once before landing on her rump, clutched her stomach, giggling hard.
Gabel cocked an eyebrow lazily. ‘And pray tell what is the benefit of such training?’
Ursuline shrugged looking sheepish. ‘Balance is key to having a good seat on a horse.’
‘And nothing to do with you being a pushover when it comes to the little princess?’
Ursuline said a very rude word in a southern dialect that made Gabel let out a bark of laughter and Maxi blush to the roots of her hair.
Not to be out done by his sister, Marius dashed over to Sir Elliot who was busy digging into a sandwich. ‘Sir Elliot, let me show father-’
Elliot struggled to swallow his mouthful, looking distinctively uneasy. ‘I’m not sure if this is the right time.’
Marius hopped from one foot to the other. ‘It is! It is, p-please Elliot, you said I was good.’
‘And you are, it's just that it should be really kept at the training ground.’
‘Yes, please show us what you have been working on, Sir Elliot,’ Ursuline said drawly.
Dragging a hand through his sandy hair, Elliot sighed as if resigned and got to his feet. He shrugged off his doublet and took out two daggers from his belt.
Maxi let out a little choked noise when he handed both of the deadly weapons to Marius. To her right she felt Riftan visibly tense.
Taking Marius by the shoulders, Sir Elliot turned the little boy to face the tree a fifty yards away and centred his frame. ‘Ready, Sir Marius, just like we practised. On my mark.’
‘Ready, Sir El,’ Marius replied with determination.
‘See the knot on the limb on the right. Aim for the centre.’
Sticking his tongue out of the corner of his mouth, Marius scrunched up his face with concentration, pulled his arm back and then let the dagger fly. It spun through the air and hit the knot a little left of centre.
‘Well hit. Remember, don’t hold your breath when you draw. Now, the branch that looks like the Roem letter y , high on the left.’
With Elliot’s clear and steady instruction, Marius centred himself again and this time his dagger sank into the bark, sending leaves flying.
The knights cheered and Maxi clapped once her heart had settled. To her surprise, Riftan got to his feet and crossed over to Marius, standing at his back as he handed his son one of the daggers from his own belt. Not before growling in Sir Elliot’s direction, ‘If you have time to teach my son something so dangerous as knife throwing, I think you’d prefer to lead more scouting missions, Sir Elliot. I am sure Hebaron can arrange that.’
Hebaron snorted with laughter that he tried to hide.
Riftan crouched down and laid his hand on the boy’s shoulder. ‘Do you see the heart carved into the tree? How close can you get to it without hitting it?’
Maxi saw Marius gulp and he readjusted his hold on the knife several times before concentrating and hurling the knife. It whistled through the air, glinting in the sunshine, then the handle landed with a loud smack against the bark, the blade bouncing off the wood.
The knights still cheered for it would have been a well placed hit if it had landed, but Marius flushed with embarrassment and looked down at his feet. Maxi thought his eyes looked glassy as he sniffed thickly.
Riftan rubbed Marius’s back in a gentle gesture. ‘Not to worry. Even hitting an opponent with the butt of a dagger will slow them down, then we can show them the real steel of our swords.’
‘I s-sup-pose.’
He shared a knowing look with Maxi before he straightened and took Marius’s hand. ‘Are you any good at carving?’
Marius shrugged in response.
Maxi watched as Riftan led Marius up to their tree and pointed out the untidy carving that she had made so many years ago.
With his arms around Marius’ body, Riftan guided the knife in the little boy’s hands as they carved first Alexis’, then Marius’ name underneath their parents.
**
Riftan’s Mage
The months that followed the Remdragon Knights’ return did not improve Riftan’s mood towards Sir Ruth.
To Marius, Riftan was doting and playful but everytime the little boy beamed at the mage or could be seen reading one of the various magical tomes from the library, his mood would darken like a storm cloud and his gaze would narrow dangerously towards Ruth.
But he wasn’t hard-hearted. After he found Alexis and Marius playing a game of mage and the knights, with Marius standing on the table, draped in one of Riftan’s old cloaks, tossing paper stars into the air as Alexis stabbed a pillow with a broom handle, he reluctantly allowed Marius to begin learning magic with Sir Ruth.
But only for two mornings a week, and only if Maxi was there to supervise, and only if Marius didn’t exhaust himself….and a dozen other caveats that Maxi was sure Sir Ruth didn’t bother to listen to.
Marius’s mana was thin and frail at first. Like Maxi’s before him, it would only bloom if Ruth gave it a nudge with his own. But after a few weeks worth of lessons and lots of encouragement from Maxi, Marius was able to create a small ball of light in his hands.
Marius was over the moon with his progress and dedicated as much time as he could, when he was not studying with his tutors or training with the squires, to practising and honing his magic skills. The little boy had been working his mind and his body hard.
When a series of chilly rains took over Anatol and a terrible flu spread around the castle, Sir Ruth took one look at the bags under his eyes and the snot bubble coming out of his nose, and declared, ‘Not a chance! I only just managed to keep my skin the first time one of my students fainted, I won’t chance it again with that overprotective maniac breathing down my neck.’
Riftan had not been happy to hear that Marius had been sent to bed ill. He’d abandoned his meeting with the weavers guild, jogged to the families’ chambers and climbed into Marius’s small bed, wrapping him in his massive arms. That night the four of them built a little nest out of blankets and pillows in the children's room and called for hot pancakes to be brought so they could eat them in bed.
But as the months progressed, Marius grew in skill and he began to dog the library any free moment he had. Riftan seemed resigned to the fact that without any of his rules being breached, he’d have to tolerate Marius’ love of magic.
As the second spring returned, Marius underwent a strange change. When he wasn’t in the library pouring over leather bound books, he would follow Riftan wherever he went as often as he was allowed, and sometimes walked so closely behind that he would tread on the back of Riftan’s boots.
Riftan was on the sands of the training ground and caught a glimpse of Marius laid on a wooden bench, holding a book up to read. He dropped his smile as he turned back to Sir Elliot and Sir Ursuline who he was sparring with.
Sir Elliot rolled his shoulder, checking the leather padding. ‘He is such a young book worm. Obviously he takes after her ladyship.’
‘I am thankful for that,’ Riftan replied.
Ursuline chuckled. ‘I bet, for Miss Alexis is more like you than even you are. I fear for when she is fully grown, how in heaven’s name are we to keep up with her enough to protect her.’
‘You best brush up on your sword skills then,’ Riftan said darkly, raising his practice sword.
Elliot was bigger than Ursuline, but Riftan had known him since he was a lad and knew that the man was lethal to underestimate. He was quick as any cutpurse.
Elliot’s sword swung high, in an overhead movement, followed by a knife to his gut. To his right Ursuline charged directly at Riftan, getting close and slipping under his guard.
It happens in the blink of an eye.
They are good. But neither of them are Riftan Calypse.
At the last moment, Riftan draws the sword up over his head and snaps it down toward Ursuline. His whole body jars on impact and the air whooshes out of his lungs.
Riftan side steps, shouldering Elliot in the stomach and bringing the full strength of his arms down on the man’s wrist. He can’t even cry out in pain, he gets a shoulder to the gut and is lifted off his feet and into the air. Elliot hits the sand hard.
Ursuline coughs, sucking in air like a fish. ‘Damn it! We thought we had you,’
‘You shuffle just before you launch an attack. It's a tell.’
Elliot rolled on his back in the sand. ‘Why did you have to hit so hard?’
Ursuline chuckled and gestured to Riftan with the butt of his sword. ‘At Least this time we managed to land a hit.’
It was then that Riftan tasted blood in his mouth, he spat it out on the sand and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. It was a tiny cut to the inside of his cheek and had already stopped bleeding.
‘That is something I-’ his words were interrupted by a loud gasp, the sound of a small body racing down wooden stairs and feet pounding on sand.
‘You’re hurt!’ Marius exclaimed, sprinting over to him and grasping his hand, pulling Riftan down so that he could inspect the wound.
‘It’s nothing- ouch ,’ Riftan tried to explain but Marius shoved his hand, none too gently, against Riftan’s mouth and chest, and began to recite a healing chant.
It took a few seconds but tendrils of mana began to flow from Marius’s hand and seep into Riftan. Riftan had only known Ruth’s magic. That was warm and yellow like sunshine, but Marius’ was bright green like the first shoots of grass in spring and carried a slight chill like summer rain.
Long after the small cut had healed, Marius pulled back his hand and looked at Riftan expectantly.
‘Is it all b-better?’
Riftan blinked stupidly for a few seconds before nodding, ‘Yes, I am much better. Thank you.’
Marius beamed from his head to his toes, ‘I will be your very own ma-ge and healer, then you will never g-get hurt again.’
Hiding a knowing smirk behind his hand, Sir Elliot held up his thumb to Marius. ‘Your father has wounded me. Could you perhaps fix me as well?’
Riftan growled in response.
Later that night, when the children were fast asleep in their beds, Riftan told Maxi the story.
‘-it was the smallest bit of blood. Less than a drop, I did not need healing in the slightest but he would not be convinced and insisted. He is very protective.’
Riftan looked up from his mug of wine to find Maxi’s shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
‘You think this is funny?’
She hiccupped as she half giggled and half shrieked, ‘Ve-ry.’
‘My own wife thinks I am a joke,’ he scoffed, grabbing her ankle and sliding her across the sofa so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders.
Maxi tried to calm herself, her chin trembling, breaking into a smile and struggling to get her words out. ‘Where d-do you think they h-he learnt it?’
‘You think this is my fault,’ he exclaimed, pulling her closer.
And in response, Maxi could only nod her head and laugh harder.
***
After a sunny afternoon spent eating too many sandwiches and cake, Maxi’s stomach was painfully full. She rested on Riftan’s shoulder as he combed his fingers through her hair absently, enjoying the feel of her curls. She would have liked to lay back in the grass and nap had it not been for the dark clouds that were beginning to roll in.
‘We should pack up, it's going to rain,’ Riftan said.
Overhearing, Alexis let out a little squeak and put her close to Marius.
‘What are you two hooligans conspiring about?’
‘Nothing.’ They both replied at the same time.
Riftan arched his eyebrow in a way that he had perfected over the last three years. It was a quiet warning to the children to put a stop to watchever they were planning.
Bouncing on his heels, Marius clasped his hands around his back. ‘We would like to give you your p-present,’ he said, followed by a rousing chorus from the knights.
‘About time!’
‘I’m sick of waiting.’
‘I thought this was my present?’ Riftan asked, narrowing his eyes and peering towards Maxi. ‘Are there any more surprises?’
She could never hide her guilty face. Her golden eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks in a way that he loved, and her cheeks turned red. He knew that she was remembering the other heated surprise she had given him that morning.
Alexis pulled a red ribbon from her hair and tried to wrap it around his head. ‘Father, put this on.’
‘No, but I shall close my eyes.’ He took it from her hands and gently re-tied it into her dark hair.
Alexis leaned into her father’s hands. ‘That wasn’t part of the plan but it shall have to do.’
‘Yes, it will, Little Princess.’ Smiling fondly, he caught the little girl up in his arms and swung her into the air, making her giggle.
After one of the dogs was sent to retrieve the ball from the hedgerows, the children then directed the knights in the chaotic exercise of packing up the picnic things. Maxi thought that Alexis rather enjoyed making Ulyseon refold the picnic blanket three times, saying that he was doing it wrong.
Hebaron finally saw the strained look appearing on the young knight's forehead. ‘You’re not the leader of the knights yet, missy,’ he chuckled, tapping her on the rump and sending her off to help her brother collect the plates.
The storm clouds were beginning to churn and turn purple as they walked back down the forest trail towards the castle when Marius turned to his father. ‘You will need to c-close your eyes now. We won’t let you t-rip. Promise!’
Rather reluctantly, Riftan did as he was told.
Bidding farewell to the rest of the knights, the children, Hebaron and Ludis, led by Maxi, stirred Riftan onto a small deer trail in the brush.
Maxi did her best to hold back branches out of Riftan’s way but while the children carefully watched his footing, they let him walk into brambles and get taffled in trailing ivy stems.
‘I do hope this surprise is not being led off a cliff.’
Alexi giggled, ‘Silly, papi .’
‘Maxi?’
She slowed her pace to take one of his outstretched hands. ‘I am here, it's not much further.’
Hebaron’s loud, merry voice cut through the sound the forest sounds. ‘We’re saving the cliff for your next name day.’
With his eyes still closed, Riftan smirked and called back to his friend. ‘Hebaron, I hope you didn’t have anything to do with this?’
‘I had absolutely, nothing-’
Alexis chimed in airly, ‘Hebby came up with loads of good ideas and helped a lot.’
‘Then I am not giving you enough work for you to do,’ Riftan replied and Maxi saw that his smile turned wolfish.
Hebaron griped and was only settled when Ludis patted his chest soothingly.
When Maxi pulled down a draped curtain of willow vines, both children gasped out loud in delight, even Ludis hummed in appreciation and Hebaron let out an appraising whistle.
‘Now?’ Riftan asked, becoming annoyed that he couldn’t look.
‘Not yet,’ the children both snapped excitedly, and began pushing him into the perfect position.
Squaring his shoulder to the south, he could hear a light babbling water and a lark singing. Wind rustled through the trees and someone, he suspected Maxi, had strung a wind chime up in one of its branches.
‘Now children, like we practised,’ Ludis began with the children and together they all cried, ‘1,2,3. Surprise!’
Riftan had to blink a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light. They were standing at the edge of a wooden bridge. A slow brook trinkled over stones lazily and robins pecked along its edge. Over the bridge on an island, in the middle of a beam of sunshine cutting through the forest canopy, was a wood cutters cottage.
The small building had a stone chimney built up the side and a fresh thatched roof that made it look cosy and warm. A fire burned inside and the smell of smoke mixed with the scent of loam and ivy. Flowers and medicinal plants grew in window boxes and climbed up the whitewashed walls.
Riftan’s hand went to his chest, gripping the fabric of his shirt as if in pain. ‘What is this place?’
Maxi sensed his churning emotions and took his free hand, pressing herself close to his side. ‘I found it years ago. I had always m-meant to refurbish it. Maybe for a groundsman and his f-family but with everything, I lost t-track of time. This was the only thing that I thought you might like for your n-name day. The knights all pitched in to get it r-ready.’
He looked down at her, his dark eyes wide as they searched her face. ‘A whole house?’
Smiling, she nodded and led him forwards. In a daze, he followed the children through the garden, chasing the butterflies that danced at their feet. Maxi pointed out the warding stones she had made and he noticed that the key was cut into the shape of a heart. Two small hand prints, one red and one purple, had been pressed messily on to the door.
His ears were ringing as the door swung open and he only distantly heard Ludis say to the children, ‘why don’t we let your parents explore and we can go back to the castle. Maybe Cook will make us hotcakes?’
With an excited cry at the prospect of a fresh treat, the children quickly kissed their mother and father’s cheeks and tore out of the house. Followed by Ludis and Hebaron who both wore knowing smiles as they bid them farewell.
Inside was just as cosy. Bees’ wax, the scent of fresh tea and home spun wool made Riftan think that Max has spent long nights here while he was away with his duties. It even felt like her. It was simple yet luxurious. A cast iron stove sat in the middle of the great room next to a soft looking sofa and a small cooking area. The other side of the room seemed to be dedicated to hobbies. There was a wood bench, shelves filled with books and a chest of toys for the children.
Riftan let his hand fall against a set of shiny wood working tools that had yet to be used.
**
What a father should be
The only constant that Riftan had ever had in his life was his sense of purpose. His earliest memory was knowing he needed to care for his mother and try to make her happy. That had been a foolish hope of a young boy who didn’t know any better. The next had been to find the strength to keep his job as a blacksmith’s apprentice. That had been about keeping himself fed.
Then it was Maxi. Always Maxi. Bordering on an obsession to protect, fulfil, live for her in the same way that sucking air into his lungs kept him alive, she gave him purpose.
She was his north star. His meridian.
And the children…gods, the children were meteors, shooting stars straight into his fucking heart and burying themselves so deep he could feel their heartbeats under his skin.
But Riftan was cursed. He was born with brutish strength and muscles made for killing. Men saw him and trembled with fear. For a time, he’d been content with that but his time warring was past. Now he had nightmares about accidentally breaking his children’s bones, snapping their little necks and waking up with blood on his hands.
And worse still, his children looked up at him like he had hung the moon and the stars, yet still he couldn’t be what they wanted him to be.
Maxi and Riftan had been trying to sneak away so they could have some much needed private time when the sound of shrill, angry voices and furniture being knocked over reached their ears.
‘You said I could play with it.’
‘But you b-broke it, Lexi.’
‘I didn’t mean to.’
‘I said n-not to play too rough.’
‘I wasn’t rough.’
‘You broke it.’
‘Did not.’
‘Hey! Don’t push-’
‘Enough!’ Riftan thundered, rounding the door just in front of Maxi.
Riftan had to reign in his temper when he found Marius sprawled on the floor, tears pooling in his eyes and Alexis red faced, looking upset. He crouched down and lifted Marius to his feet. ‘We never fight with our family. Family is to be-’
The two children both replied in mechanical voices, ‘Protected and cherished.’ A lesson that Riftan and Maxi had both tried to ingrain in them.
Maxi pulled Marius into her arms and settled him on her lap, looking between the two of them. ‘What is all this ab-bout, little loves? You don’t normally f-fight.’
Marius rubbed his cheek that was red from where he had hit it on the floor. ‘Alexis b-broke my f-favourite toy.’
‘I didn’t mean to!’ She burst out, turning to her father and grabbing the front of his shirt. ‘It was an accident. Honest.’
‘I t-told you to b-be careful, Lexi. N-now its r-ruined and it's all your f-fault.’
‘It was an accident!’
Riftan prized her hands from his shirt and looked down at Alexis sternly, ‘Did you also push your brother over?’
‘I…I…’ she tried to speak but big bead-like tears were pooling in her eyes and her lip trembled.
Riftan shot a pained look at Maxi, silently asking for help. It was common knowledge to everyone with eyes that Riftan was fearsome and cold to everyone but when it came to his family, especially his children, he was as soft as butter and a complete pushover. One hint of a tear or bruised knee and he would fuss and worry as if they were on death’s door.
Maxi turned to Alexis, ‘Show us the toy.’
Nodding shakily, Alexis fetched a wooden figurine that lay in three pieces in her hands. ‘I just wanted to play knights with it and pretend I was riding a real horse.’
It was a wooden hobby horse that had a set of red leather reins to hold, and it had a hinge to move its head up and down. But years of play had made it somewhat delicate and now it lay in bits.
‘I am sure it’s fixable,’ Riftan said, taking them from Alexis and looking at them carefully.
Instantly the children’s faces lit up. ‘Really, you’ll fix it! Papi , you’ll fix it for me?’ Marius asked joyfully, his eyes as wide as saucers.
He loved his children so much it made his chest ache. ‘I shall try my very best,’ he replied to Marius, then turned his eyes to Alexis, ‘but that does not mean all is forgiven. He did ask you to be careful with it.’
Alexis looked at her feet. ‘I was just pretending it was my own horse, like Marius has Pepper.’
Riftan swallowed uncomfortably. While he would like to give his daughter the world, she was still so little. Marius had inherited Riftan’s build, and because he had already been tall for his age when he had returned from the Northern Campaign, and was tall enough to ride. Alexis however was taking after her mother more and only came to Marius’ shoulder.
‘In a year or so, when you are a bit bigger you can pick your own horse. Maybe Rem will have had a foul by then?’
Alexis looked at her father hopefully, ‘You think so?’
He smiled at her and was about to say that they should all ask Cook for some hotcakes, when Maxi cleared her throat.
‘But you d-did push Marius as well. That w-was not an accident.’
Sucking in a steadying breath, Alexis nodded her head. ‘Yes, I did. And I apologise.’
Maxi tried to look stern, ‘thankyou for owning up to it but it was an unk-kind thing to do. So I think a m-month without any dessert-’
‘A month!’ Alexis and Marius both exclaimed in outrage.
‘A month is a little long, don't you think,’ Riftan began but Maxi shot him a sharp look.
It was only much later, when first light was only just beginning to break, did Maxi realise that Riftan was not in bed. He often worked late in his office and would come to bed after her but the sheets on his side were cold and untouched.
Slipping on her dressing gown and lighting a candle, Maxi went to check his office.
He looked up tiredly when she pushed open the door. Riftan was hunched over his desk, paper was spilling off it and crumpled pieces covered the floor.
‘What k-kept you up so late?’ She asked, crossing the room and setting down the candle.
‘My failings as a father,’ he replied dryly.
Maxi tutted with disgust. ‘You were a better p-parent in one week than I was in five years-’
‘Don’t say that,’ Riftan said sharply. ‘You will always be perfect, Maxi. In all ways.’
Her cheeks heated at the intensity of his words and felt a little giddy as she slid in by his side at the desk. As she did so, she saw that the broken toy was still laid in bits and that dozens of pieces of paper were covered with drawings and scratches of how it should fit together.
‘The great Lord Calyspe, Wigrew reincarnated, can’t even fix his child’s toy,’ he muttered with disgust. ‘My hands only know how to break things.’
Maxi leaned in and brushed the dark hair away from his face, kissing his brow and trying to soothe him. ‘You d-don’t need to have all the answers.’
He leaned into her touch. ‘They expect me to, Maxi.’
Sighing softly, she turned his face towards her and pressed their foreheads together. ‘Then, let us fig-gure it out together.’
**
‘I don’t understand.’
Riftan is quiet and Maxi is getting more nervous with each thing she showed him. ‘It’s a gift for you. You d-do so much for us, we wanted to give something back. Here you can just b-be yourself.’
When he’d been a boy, Riftan was lucky if he had a meal waiting for him after a long day at the forge. Affection was in equally short supply. The place he grew up in was not a home. The hearth was cold and his mother heartbroken for the lover who had used her and left. His step father was a husk just waiting for death.
And now here she stood, his wife, his love, the mother of his children, showing him all the ways in which he was loved.
She pointed to the sofa. ‘The ch-ildren didn’t think you slept enough so they wanted you to have a comfortable place to sit and rest.’
Riftan ran his fingers over the plush fabric as Maxi continued.
‘Sir Ruth said you n-never had time to visit the library so he sent you some books he thought you m-might enjoy. And Sir Hebaron had this workshop b-brought here so you could build toys to your heart's content.’
‘My heart’s content?’ Riftan hummed the words as he approached her, his eyes dark as his hands slipped around her small waist. ‘Tell me, what part was your contribution?’
Maxi blushed furiously. ‘It’s for us, too. A place to be alone and get a-way from the castle. And…’ her throat worked hard as if too embarrassed to speak. ‘ I m-made you something.’
She flushed harder but turned and led him through a backdoor into a small herb garden and down a steep set of stone steps into a narrow valley. At the bottom was a dark pool of clear water and a twinkling waterfall.
‘Sit there,’ she ordered, patting a boulder.
‘Would you have me beg next?’ He said with humour, cocking his eyebrow.
‘P-please,’ she added.
Silently, he sat and watched her keenly with intense dark eyes. Maxi withdrew a small wooden box, the size of her palm, from the pocket in her dress and breathed a word of power into it, placing it at his feet.
He was about to ask what it was when the lid popped open and the sounds of violins, flutes, pan pipes and drums began to echo off the stone walls of the waterfall.
Part of him wanted to marvel at the genius of his wife. How she had managed to capture music within a wooden box with only her magic was beyond him. But he couldn’t, because Maxi was looking down at him through her fiery lashes as her pale fingers unclasp her cloak, letting it fall to the floor, swiftly followed by the green bodice of her dress.
The purple clouds boiled above them and rain fell in fat drops. Her cotton shift turned see through with every splash of water.
The fabric clung to her body. Rounded hips and arse that Riftan loved to hold, heaving breasts that he dreamed about tasting and the apex of her thighs that was his altar of worship, were all revealed to him as the blessed rains fell.
He was transfixed, struck dumb by her beauty as she pulled the clip from her hair, letting it spill down her back as her hips began to swing to the music. She was dancing. Arms flailing in the sky above her, she whirled around and whooped her happiness into the sweet forest air. Foot forward. Back. Spinning with her arms wide, catching rain drops on her tongue. Riftan couldn’t remember the last time she’d looked so care free.
He reached his hand out to grab the hem of her shift but with a laugh, she spun away, hair flying around her. With a smile like the devil, coy and full of promise, music humming in the air, Maxi stepped under the waterfall and let it run down her body.
Arched back, the fabric clung to her like a second skin. Her ribs, navel, breasts, nipples…it was a feast for the eyes and Riftan was starved.
‘I want you naked, Maxi. Now.’ His voice came out barely him, more of a growl.
Maxi bit her lip- what he would do to touch that lip- and peeled off the soaked fabric from her body.
Glorious. Pale, shivering from the cold and from her need, Maxi let Riftan study her.
Gone was the bashful girl. Gone was the embarrassed woman. Here stood his wife, Maxi, in all her glory.
‘Twirl.’
‘ Riftan .’ Her voice came out high and needy.
Riftan tightened his grip on the boulder. ‘Twirl for me.’
Stretching out her arms, Maxi began to turn on the spot.
The music picked up, the tempo and the drum beat turning into a heady mix, with each quickening beat matching Maxi’s until she was spinning like a falling leaf. Arms wide, head back, beautifully naked, she twirled as fast she could until she stumbled, dizzy.
Riftan grabbed her before she fell and swung her into his arms, kissing her hungrily, breathlessly… until he had to place her on the ground less they both fell. When her feet were on the ground again and she smiled up at him dreamily.
‘Would you like your final surp-prise?’
Riftan gritted his teeth and asked for patience. ‘I can't take many more surprises.’
For a moment she didn’t reply, her fingers merely reached up to his face and skimmed over the hard lines of his brow, then his cheeks and then his heated lips. It was as if she was memorising him, committing his face to memory. When she was finally happy that she would never forget an inch of him, she smiled and said in a clear and teasing voice, ‘Well, I haven’t taken my potion today, so give this surprise a little time to arrive.’
‘Speak plainly, wife,’ Riftan growled as her wet body plastered against his burning one.
She wet her lips, rain drops settling on her cheeks. Maxi dropped her voice until it was almost a whisper, ‘I w-want you to give me another baby.’
Riftan was not a lonely little boy anymore. He was a man who had a family and who was loved. In that moment, his heart could not have been any fuller.
‘Anything you desire.’ Wrapping his arms around his wife’s small frame, he lifted her off her feet and pressed a kiss into her wet hair. ‘You are the best gift a man could ever receive.’