FIDGET, BATRISHAN PRINCE OF DARKNESS

Sweet Childhood and Royal Invitation

Two years later

Geneva sat at the dining table, drinking a cup of warm coffee. The sun was shining through the windows as Carmen served breakfast.

"Mistress Geneva, hasn't the little master woken up yet?" Carmen asked as she placed the trays full of beignets, hot chocolate, berry salads, and orange juice on the table.

"Goodness, Carmen, you're right," Geneva said as she put down her cup and got up from the table. "I haven't noticed. The sweetheart must have overslept."

She got up the stairs until she reached the floor where the bedchambers were reigning. Once she went down the hallway and reached the door that was closest to the window, she knocked on it.

"Fidget, sweetie?" Geneva called. "Are you awake?"

Not a single response. Quietly, the young mother opened the door and stepped inside the bedroom.

It was quite a nice room. On one side, there was furniture with drawers where the young Fitzgerald kept his smallest properties in them; a vase with poppies and roses decorated the furniture. Next to it stood a white, mahogany closet where he obviously kept all of his clothes. On the other side stood a small desk where he drew or practiced reading and writing when Geneva, Hernan (if he was home from the battlefield), or Carmen was tutoring him. Next to it was a cute little chest in which the small Batrishan always put away his toys once he was done playing with them. Near the windows covered with their white curtains were a few bookshelves holding storybooks that Geneva or Carmen would read to the little thing in case the latter couldn't sleep.

Finally, a large red canopy bed with its curtains draw shut stood at the other end of the room. Geneva quietly walked towards it and slightly pulled the curtains open. There, bundled in the heavy, yet warm silk blankets was the cute little Batrishan that Geneva loved and raised. She sighed in adoration at the sight of the small, bat-like creature sleeping with its small eyes closed, strands of messy black hair slightly shielding them from any possible light, and bat ears bending down like those of a pouting puppy.

"Aren't you adorable as always?" Geneva said sweetly. Using her index character, she gently rubbed her son's little nose. After a few rubbings, his eyes managed to struggle themselves open. He was initially annoyed at first, but when his golden eyes with small hints of red in his irises caught sight of his mother, happiness was on his face.

"Mama," he said in a small voice, reaching out for Geneva. She picked him up and cuddled him in her arms. He barely turned two-years-old a few months ago and he was still small enough to be carried by Geneva. The latter watched with love and adoration as Fidget hugged her tightly, looking like a small ball of dark cuteness that cuddled in its mother's arms.

"Did you sleep well, Fidget?" Geneva asked, caressing the small Batrishan's hair as she carried him out of his bedroom and downstairs back to the dining room.

"I dreamed Papa came back," Fidget said. "I sat in bed all night, waiting for him to come back."

That explains a lot, Geneva thought. Since Hernan was an important captain and leading figure in Aldorada's military, he was quite absent while going on the battlefield. But since he was such an efficient leader, it only took Hernan a week or two to lead the troupes to victory and he'd send a letter in advance to let his wife and son know that he'd be returning. Whenever Hernan came back, he'd instantly spend his free time with his family, especially with Fitzgerald. Recently, Hernan's last letter announced another victory for Aldorada and he'd be returning home very soon. And of course, the way Fidget understood things; it meant that his Papa would be returning home in less than a second.

"He'll be back, Fidget," Geneva said as she placed Fidget on his small chair in front of the dining table. She didn't need to hand him his favorite blue napkin or tell him that he should eat the healthier parts of breakfast first: he was only one-and-a-half when he finally managed to properly put a napkin on his lap and eat the berry salad first…all by himself. This made Geneva proud of having such a talented child.

Carmen came back from the kitchen due to having to reheat the hot chocolate. "Good morning, Little Master," she said with a smile.

"Morning, Auntie Carmen," the small child smiled. Over the course of the years, as Carmen nursed the young Batrishan, Hernan and Geneva weren't against their son calling her 'Auntie Carmen'. "How's Jerome?"

"Jerome is doing pretty well, thank you." Carmen nodded as she poured the hot chocolate in a small cup meant for the child. As for Jerome, he was the stable boy of the Denada Cortés family and Carmen's grouchy, yet sympathetic older brother. It was pretty funny for everyone when Fidget's first full sentence was: "Jerome eats horse poop" because Jerome accidently got his face into a pile of horse poop on that day.

"Mistress Geneva, any news from Master Hernan yet?" Carmen turned towards Geneva, who was watching Fidget eat his breakfast quietly.

"Like I've said before Carmen, the letter I got about six days ago said that he would be back by anytime," Geneva sighed.

"I just want to know in advance, that's all, Mistress Geneva," Carmen said politely. "I keep planning to make a delicious feast whenever I receive the news of his upcoming return, and every day I end up with leftovers of several dishes gone cold!"

Before Geneva could answer, the sounds of a carriage horse neighing were heard from outside. The women and the Batrishan raised their heads in surprise.

"It must be Papa!" Fidget squealed. He quickly rubbed his mouth with his napkin and jumped off his chair in order to run for the front door. But Geneva, protective as she was, managed to grab him before he could go any further.

"Hep-hep-hep!" she said as she lifted her son up so that he could look her in the eyes. "Fidget, you don't who it is. Besides, you haven't taken a bath yet."

"You're sure you're not just saying that because you haven't let anybody from outside the property see him?" Carmen remarked.

Geneva didn't argue, for she knew Carmen was right. Ever since the death of her first son William and Melchior's warning about her adopted son's possible future, she and Hernan did take a few precautions. Since they were worried that most of the common folk in Aldorada would badly react to the notion of having a Batrishan, a non-human creature, being raised by a military captain and his wife, they kept Fitzgerald within the Denada Cortés estate until they were certain that he was ready to see the outside world.

Before anything could be done, Jerome came in, followed by a royal messenger.

"Mistress, a message from the Master," Jerome said through grunts. "He's in Aldorada and he's been promoted by Queen Florencia. He's now Commander Denada Cortés."

"Commander? How wonderful!" Geneva exclaimed as she hugged Fidget in her arms. "Did you hear that, Fidget? Papa's a commander now!"

"When are we seeing Papa?" Fidget asked.

"Is this the Batrishan that Commander Denada Cortés found at St Alejandro's Chapel?" the royal messenger asked suddenly. Geneva looked to see the messenger giving them an uneasy look, especially towards Fidget. Feeling like he wasn't being liked, Fidget sunk his face in fear in his mother's chest.

"Yes, this is our son, Fitzgerald," Geneva said sternly. "Why? I hope you aren't being judgmental just because he doesn't look human…"

"No! No, of course not, Lady Denada Cortés!" the messenger stammered. He pulled out an envelope with the royal insignia from his leather satchel and handed it to Geneva. "There's a letter from your husband along with a letter from the Queen herself for you. Good day!" He bowed before excusing himself immediately from the mansion. Jerome escorted him out.

"How rude of him!" Carmen said as she cleared the dishes. "Insulting the little master like that!"

"But the funny man didn't call me a mean name," Fidget said as he sat on Geneva's lap while she opened the envelope and read the letters.

"No, Fitzgerald, but the way he looked at you is the same way Jerome looks at pigs when they're out of the barn after a summer rain."

"Oh. That wasn't a nice day. You yelled at him when he entered the kitchen with his dirty boots on."

Carmen chuckled. Seriously, this child could be naïve.

"I can't believe you Hernan!" Geneva exclaimed out loud, making Fitzgerald and Carmen look at her in surprise.

"What's wrong, Mama?" Fidget asked.

"It's your father," Geneva grumbled. "He's at the royal palace dealing with a few more businesses before he sees us this afternoon. But that's not all. The Queen sent us an invitation for a royal party tonight to celebrate another Aldoradian victory."

"Don't worry, Mistress Geneva," Carmen said. "I'll take good care of the Little Master while you and Master Hernan are at the party. Right, Fidget?"

"You'll teach me how to play chess?" Fidget asked with cute eyes.

"Of course," Carmen laughed.

"I'm afraid that Fidget won't be learning chess tonight," Geneva grumbled as she tossed the letters on the table, which surprised the small Fidget, since he'd never seen his mother that upset. "Queen Florencia also invited Fidget."

Carmen nearly dropped her tray full of dirty dishes. "The Queen wants to…but the Little Master is still young! Only grown-ups will surround him! Plus, remember how the messenger reacted when he saw Fidget?"

"I don't wanna go, Mama!" Fidget whined, as he hugged Geneva tightly. "What if they don't like me?"

"I know how you feel," Geneva said as she hugged her son. "But a queen's orders must be followed no matter what. Don't worry, your Papa and I will always be there for you if someone tries to harm you. Besides, you might meet children of your age."

This got Fidget's attention. After all, although he did get along well with the staff in his home and treated them as part of the family, Fidget never met actual children. And with Hernan and Geneva's protective nature, he never got out of the lands that his parents owned. Maybe the royal party could be his one shot at socializing with people of his age and social rank.

"I'll try, Mama," Fidget said quietly.

Geneva smiled and placed a small kiss on her son's forehead. "You'll do great, Fitzgerald," she said encouragingly. "I know you'll do great things in the future."