Sandcastles and Scamanders
Luna skipped along the beach, her two young sons close to her side. The sand was warm on her bare feet, and the ocean spray was a wonderful contrast to the heat of the African safari she and Rolf had been on just a day prior.
Her husband brought up the rear now, carrying a red checkered picnic blanket and plastic beach toys in a variety of bright colors.
The family trekked past several other beachgoing families until they reached an empty stretch of sand. There, Luna stopped and looked around.
"Perfect," she declared, smiling down at Lorcan and Lysander. She knelt and looked at each boy in turn. "Do you want to build a sandcastle for the Wonky Borabs?"
The boys gave identical vigorous nods.
"Here are your tools," Rolf said, laying them down in a neat pile. He touched Luna's hand briefly. "Alright if I take a short nap, love?"
"Of course," she said, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "You must be ever so tired after yesterday's safari."
"I don't know how you're not," her husband laughed.
Luna spread her arms wide and twirled around a few times. The skirt of her yellow sundress lifted with the movement.
"Our boys give me all the energy I need," she said simply.
...
Lorcan grabbed a bright green bucket from the pile of toys and held it up. "Bucket first, Mama?"
Luna leaned down and whispered, "Can I tell you a secret, Lorcan?"
"What?" he whispered back at a volume that was still rather loud.
"There's no real order to making a sandcastle. You can do whatever you want, and if you don't like it, you can always start over."
The little boy's eyes widened. "Cool!"
"What's cool?" asked Lysander, who had just wandered over. He was carrying a shell in his hand, and he proudly showed it to Luna. "Look, Mama, I found a shell!"
"That's beautiful, Lysander!" Luna exclaimed, turning the lavender shell over in her hands. "Look how the light catches it and makes it shine."
"What's cool?" Lysander asked again.
"It's a secret!" Lorcan said, sticking his little pink tongue out at his brother.
Lysander's bottom lip began to wobble. Luna, sensing a meltdown, plopped herself down right on the sand and held out her arms. "Come here, Lysander. You too, Lorcan."
The twins complied almost immediately. Lorcan settled under her right arm, while Lysander took her left.
"Let's be kind to each other, alright?" she said, stroking the long, pale blond hair that they had inherited from her. "In a world where you can be anything, be kind."
...
The sandcastle was slowly coming together. There was a first floor of sorts, created by placing several bucketfuls of sand close to each other. There was also a front door made up of a jagged grey shell that Lysander had found.
The boys were having trouble piling more sand on top, however. It kept crumbling down every time they tried.
After a quarter of an hour, Lorcan sat down with a soft thump and crossed his arms. "I give up, Mama."
"That's a silly thing to do," Luna said. "Just think of the marvelous creation you'll never get to enjoy because you gave up!"
"What about magic, Mama?" Lysander said thoughtfully. "Could you use magic to make the sandcastle?"
Luna ruffled his hair gently. "That's a very clever idea, my sweet boy, but that would take all the fun out of it, don't you think?"
Lysander thought for a moment. "I suppose so," he said at last.
Luna smiled. "I think I see your papa waking up over there. Maybe he can help."
...
Rolf suggested that the boys use wetter sand and more water. Luna watched as he patiently helped Lorcan pack down more sand at the base, then aided Lysander in building a turret to go on top.
Soon, there were four turrets, and Luna rejoined her family to help add little details like a stone pattern on the walls and stairs leading up one side of the castle.
She took a step back to survey their work, giggling at the beetle that was crawling over one of the turrets. "Magnificent!" she proclaimed, clapping her hands together.
"Magnificent indeed," her husband echoed, smiling fondly at her. "What do you think, boys?"
"I think it's awesome!" Lorcan exclaimed.
"Me too," Lysander agreed a little more quietly.
It wasn't perfect, Luna knew, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that they had made something all their own simply by working together. It was theirs, and no one could take that away from them.
Word count: 765