Childhood Joys
Akkarin paused in his trek, glancing back at the three children following him. Lorlen and Orson pulled a sled behind them, arguing about something. Arguing was commonplace for the two of them, so Akkarin did not pay them much mind. Though the brothers were fiercely defensive of one another and did play well together, they also disagreed more than Akkarin remembered ever disagreeing with his own brothers. Of course, Akkarin had done his best to avoid his brothers when he was a child, and Lorlen and Orson seemed to enjoy being close to each other, even when they were fighting. After some debate, Akkarin and Sonea had decided to ignore the arguing, and they only intervened in the brothers' fights if they became overly physical.
Rya walked beside Orson, her shorter legs struggling a bit more in the fluffy snow though she never complained, for she hated being left out of anything her older brothers were doing. She would interject a comment from time to time and though Akkarin could not hear them, he suspected most were in support of whatever Orson was saying. Though both boys were introverts by nature, Lorlen was far more so than his twin, often seeking time by himself, while Orson was more willing to play with Rya. Orson and Rya had developed a special bond because of this, and Akkarin had found, somewhat to his surprise, that when battle lines were drawn, it was just as often Lorlen and Orson against Rya and Eoghan as Lorlen and Eoghan against Orson and Rya.
"How much farther, Dad?" Lorlen called.
"Just a few more minutes," Akkarin told him, slowing his steps slightly so he could walk beside the children. "I promised to take you to the best hill at the University, and I want to make sure to fulfill that promise."
"Did you use to sled here, Daddy?" Rya questioned.
"A long time ago," Akkarin told her.
"Like when Agios Miklavz lived?"
"Not quite that long," Akkarin amended. Rya chatted happily with him for the last few minutes of their walk while the boys continued mostly in silence. When they finally crested the hill that was Akkarin's goal, he parked the sled he was holding at the top, putting it sideways so it wouldn't slide down before they were ready. The boys joined him a moment later with their sled, and Rya appeared a few seconds after that.
"Is this it?" Lorlen questioned, and Akkarin smiled slightly at the excitement in the young boy's voice. Lorlen was his serious child and the least likely to show enthusiasm for something.
"This is it. Would you and Orson like to go first since they are your sleds?" The sleds had been the boys' big Midwinter gift that year, a gift they had insisted on trying right away. Akkarin had already anticipated that request, and he and Sonea had agreed the previous day that he could take them sledding after opening presents as long as they returned for lunch.
"Yes!" Orson declared, grabbing the rope of the sled Akkarin had brought. Lorlen was already setting up the sled he had brought with his brother. Even after eight years, it still amazed Akkarin at how in tune the boys were with one another. Sometimes, he wondered if they could already use mental speech but only with each other. He had not found many cases of identical twins with magical powers and none with powers as strong as those of his boys, so he was not quite sure what the future had in store for them.
The boys raced each other down the hill a few times before Rya begged to go as well. Akkarin took her in his lap a couple times before Orson, surprisingly, offered to take over, and the two of them began racing Lorlen. Akkarin watched with a fond smile, enjoying the sound of the children's laughter and their ability to let him focus on something other than the concerns of the Guild, at least for a few hours. "They seem to be enjoying their present," a familiar voice remarked. Akkarin turned, surprised, to see his wife a couple meters behind him, Leida strapped to her chest and Eoghan in her arms.
"I did not expect you to join us."
"Someone did not want to be left behind." She looked pointedly at their youngest son who was already struggling to get down. Sonea bent over and set him on the ground, and he raced off toward his older siblings who were dragging their sleds back up the hill. Eoghan said something to them that Akkarin could not hear, and a moment later, Lorlen called to him.
"Dad, can I take Eoghan with me?" Akkarin scanned the hill one more time. There were not any obstructions, and the slope was relatively mild. Given the powdery quality of the snow, the sleds had been travelling fast enough for the kids to enjoy them but not so fast as to be dangerous. Besides, there was a Healer nearby.
"You can, but hold onto him, please," Akkarin told his son. Lorlen nodded and climbed onto the sled before pulling Eoghan into his lap with surprising gentleness. Once they were all ready, Orson gave the signal and they all started down the hill. Akkarin took the opportunity to look over at his wife who was watching the children's antics with a wide smile on her own face. "If you like, I can take Leida for a bit so you can ride as well," he offered.
"Maybe later. Right now, I am enjoying watching them," Sonea told him.
"Their enjoyment is quite infectious, isn't it?"
"Mmm." She broke her gaze from the children, who were now trudging up the hill, to look at him. "Thank you," she told him.
He frowned. "I believe the sleds were your idea."
"Not for the sleds. For finding ways to give them moments like this, to give them the childhoods we never had but always wanted."
"I think it is safe to say we have done that together." He put an arm around her, pulling her close as his second hand gently brushed Liana's flushed cheek. "And I think it is also safe to say that it is going quite well."
Sonea smiled, leaning into him and placing her head against his shoulder. "That it is," she agreed quietly. "That it is."
