Transgression (Ménage)✔

⊰12⊱

💫

Acacia/Ciarán - Age 12

"Ciarán!" I giggle and laugh as my brother chases me around the base of the tree house. He lunges forward, and I move around as he allows me to run just out of his reach. Our laughter fills the air, the council meeting taking place just behind the castle walls while the two of us grin at one another.

I hold the tree trunk as I move to one side, Ciarán also following my movements. When I walk back to the other side, he mimics me, and I scream with laughter when he says, "I'm gonna getcha!"

"Nope!" I'm about to start climbing up the tree house ladder when I feel his arms wrap around my waist and pull me down. I howl with laughter when we both land on the ground, "Ciarán! No! Stop!" He and I can't stop laughing as he loosens his hold and I scramble to my feet.

I take off running across the grass with a smile on my face, the wind catching my hair as I glance back to see how close my brother is. He's right behind me, and I scream when he tackles me to the ground, both of us tumbling over one another as the momentum carries us forward. We lay next to one another on the grass, staring up at the bright sky as the summer months are passing us by.

I pick at the dandelions, playing with one of them as Ciarán asks, "Do you think things are always going to be like this?"

"What do you mean?" I ask while remaining on my back, the clouds covering the sun for a moment while Ciarán shifts to lean on his side.

He stares at me before asking, "I don't know like dads and mama always ruling and stuff."

I shake my head and smile, "No, one day you'll take mama's place and be king."

"You think so?" He laughs while standing to his feet. He stares down at me while I nod, hardly looking up at him while I continue to play with the flower.

"You're older and stronger," I finally look away from the flower when he offers me his hand. I take it, and he helps me to my feet. After a few moments, I smile and say, "You'll make a good king one day...I know daddies, mama and I have faith in you."

He thinks about it for a moment and then says, "Well...until then, how about you show me some more of your mind games."

"Mind games?" I arch a brow while dropping the flower onto the grass. He chuckles and nods in the direction of the castle. Rolling my eyes I laugh, "I'm not playing mind games with you Ciarán; I simply know how to outsmart your every move."

"Wow...make it sound like I'm foolish," he clutches his chest as if I've hurt him deeply, the playfulness reflecting in his eyes as we walk closer to the castle.

I shake my head as we walk through the hallways toward our bedrooms, opening the door to mine as I state, "You're not stupid...you're just not as quick mentally that's all...just like I'd never actually be quicker than you physically."

He flexes his muscles and replies, "That's right; I'm just that kind and caring brother that makes you think you're winning."

"Oh haha..." I push him, and he's about to reciprocate when I take a step back instead. Ciarán ends up landing on the marble floor in my room while I walk to the side table and pluck my glass chess board and pieces on top of it. Arching a brow, I ask, "Who's quicker now?"

Ciarán looks at me with wide eyes and says, "Dude...really...Acacia, what the hell?" He gets to his feet as I set the chess board on my bed while smiling at him. Ciarán furrows his brows and glances at what had just happened and then back at me before asking, "How? I'm faster than you."

"Very true brother," I set the pieces back on their squares while sitting cross-legged on the bed. Ciarán moves closer to the bed and sits up on the other side across from me before I say, "Though...I know your tells and when you're going to react a certain way."