ARTHUR LEYWIN
A warm summer morning. The meadow before rustles as the cool breeze whips across the few mounds and hills. It feels like a dream.
'It's almost too warm.'
I beg to differ. It's just right. Do you know how long I fought so I could enjoy days like this? I don't care how hot or cold it is, so long as I can enjoy the day.
'It just so happens I know exactly how long you fought. Regardless of that though, are you going to keep saying that every time? It's been almost five years.'
I'll say it until I'm no longer grateful.
'So never... got it.'
"Arthur, the last of the guests are here," a gentle voice sounds from behind me, "Oh and the kids are all playing out in the garden. I know you love to watch them."
A quick glance over my shoulder reveals my comely mother. Her auburn hair is beginning to develop more grey streaks, but it's a graceful kind of aging. "I'll be right there, Mom. I'm just enjoying the sunlight."
"Well hurry up, they're bound to get tired soon enough," she pesters before returning to the house.
For as much authority as I could have taken after it was all over, I refused most of it. I don't want to be a ruler. I'm no good in times of peace. I'm a conqueror. It's easier for me to bring things down than it is for me to build things up.
However, as compensation, the councils of both continents chose to give me an estate in their most prominent regions. I tried to say no on many occasions, but they went behind my back and had my mother sign for me.
'Mother knows best, Arthur.'
A long sigh escapes my mouth as I turn my head to the sky above. Lording over my estate is the Grand Floating City of Xyrus. I didn't want the city life, but I'd gladly take an expanse of green grass to live on with what's virtually a palace on it. Of course, I'd have been happy with having just a cottage in the middle of nowhere so long as I had my family with me. But in all fairness, this is great because my whole family can live on one estate.
Slowly rising to my feet, I begin walking over to the 'palace.' It's a gargantuan estate that I couldn't possibly use all by my lonesome. That's the exact reason that my family, my parents, Ellie and her family, and Regis and his little crew are sharing it with me. It's in the ballpark of thirty bedrooms, only half of which are filled.
As I approach the estate, I can hear around ten sources of giggling and screaming. When I finally turn the corner to the front garden, I find my two eldest, Xena and Rhea, Regis' eldest, Lucius, and a plethora of my best friends' children.
Of course, I'm not the only one watching. Off toward the gate and the collection of carriages are a collection of couples. At the sight of me, they all start walking to me to greet me.
"It's a beautiful estate, Arthur. Thank you for inviting us," a former twin horn says.
"I'd never let you go uninvited, Jasmine. And good day to you too, Sevren. Is that one yours?" I ask, pointing to the olive-haired, red-eyed boy chasing after Lucius.
"That's him. Little Serian is quite the pain for us at times, but I'm sure this one will be more of a pain," he answers, gesturing to Jasmine's rather prominent stomach.
"If it's anything like Jasmine, you won't know how much fun they'll be until they're grown," I joke. Jasmine shoots me the kindest yet most annoyed glance I've ever received before letting out a giggle.
"Whatever, Arthur. Is Alice inside?" she asks.
"Yeah, she's helping Tess and Cecilia with the rest of the kids. Just head on in. We'll watch the little ones out here," I answer.
My eyes follow Sevren and Jasmine as they're guided by a maid into the house. I can ever so slightly hear my mother's excited words when she notices Jasmine's baby bump.
"I guess we're next," A stern, baritone voice approaches.
A slight chuckle echoes from the woman next to him.
"Yes, Bairon, you're next," I answer, offering a hand in greeting. He takes it firmly and we shake for longer than one may expect yet adequately for someone who's an old war buddy. "And greetings to you too, Seris. Playing the long game are we?"
"I'm not quite ready for children yet, Arthur. The Council has me endlessly busy. I had to take a rain check on a meeting to be here in the first place," she answer.
"Well thank you for skipping out on your obligations to enjoy a nice reunion. You're lucky you're long-lived or else Bairon may have a serious issue with no children yet. Though that cockroach will probably make it to 200 somehow," I jest.
Bairon scoffs and shakes his head. "You're insufferable. Is everyone else inside?"
"Yeah, just go on in," I reply, sending them off. "Next!"
"It's not the DMV, Arthur. Just be normal for once," says the next visitor.
"I don't think you have the grounds to say that to me, Elijah. You're possibly the most obscure person here," I stab.
"Hah, you may be right, but you're bound to be a close second," he jokes with a soft punch to my chest.
"Are you sure? I invited Gideon," I reply.
Elijah turns his head slightly. "Then I guess I'm second and you're third."
We both cackle at the belittling of the greatest artificer on both of the mortal continents. "Regardless, I'm sorry for ignoring you, Emily. It's been too long."
The shy, moss-haired woman struggles to meet my gaze while offering a very weak and gloved hand. I take it and shake it gently while trying to meet her gaze by dipping my head slightly. "Is something the matter?"
"No, nothing's wrong. She's just a little embarrassed," Elijah answers for her. While still holding her hand, he steps toward me and whispers into my ear. "We're expecting. I told her it's not big enough for anyone to notice, but naturally, she's still worried."
"I see. In that case, congratulations, you two. But, Emily," I voice. Her gaze finally meets mine for real this time. "Thank you for coming."
A smile creeps across her face as she uses her free hand to push up her glasses, "And thank you for the invitation, Arthur."
The pair escort themselves off to my home, making way for the next couple.
"Quite the line that's forming, my rival," I hear from behind as I watch Elijah and Emily take the steps up to my front door. My head snaps back to the blonde elf accompanied by another good friend of mine.
"Well, Feyrith, I'm quite the popular man," I reply, stepping toward him and pulling him into a hug. "It's good to see you again. It's been a few years."
"It's always a pleasure, Arthur," he groans as I squeeze him a little too tight. After we break the hug, he fixes his jacket, vest, and tie. "But yes, it's been too long. I haven't seen you since I went through rehab after you brought me back. As of late, I've been assisting the Eraliths with administration. Fortunately, I don't have to take care of the kids. That's her job." Feyrith gestures to the woman at his side.
"So you're relegated to a mere housewife now, Mrs. Ivsaar?" I ask.
"No, Arthur. I may be a housewife, but Seris would still be lost without me," she answers. Her ruby eyes bore a hole through me.
I lean over to Feyrith's ear, never breaking eye contact with her, "She's still a feisty one." Feyrith chuckles at my remark.
"Well, Caera, I apologize for my assumptions. However, I've still got that diamond if you ever think you want it again," I joke, shaking my left hand beside my face.
"You know that was just a misunderstanding, Arthur!" Caera exclaims, trying her best to stifle her annoyance. She delivers a solid kick to my shin as payback.
"Ah, damn, Caera. It was just a joke," I groan.
"What diamond?" Feyrith asks.
My and Caera's eyes meet as we can only chuckle at the memory.
"I'll let Caera tell you about that. It'll be more fun coming from her," I clarify. "You two have fun in there. I'll join you all shortly."
"Mhmm," Feyrith hums as he and Caera begin to walk away.
'Still one of the highlights of your adventures in Alacrya.'
She was way too excited. Makes you wonder about what could have been though, doesn't it?
'I've wondered plenty about what I could have done to h-'
Aaand you're done.
I cut my connection with Regis immediately as I turn my head to my front door. Regis peeks his head out while staring at me in disgruntled annoyance. He flips me off before Aya slaps him on the back of the head and drags him back inside.
You get what you deserve, Regis.
"Ahem," a familiar voice sounds. "If you're done with your antics, Arthur, you've got more guests."
I turn to find two faces I missed a little more than I thought I did. "Helen and Adam. You could have told me a million times when I was a kid and I'd have never guessed this. Angela and Durden wasn't too crazy but this?"
I shake Adam's hand and give Helen a firm hug before either of them respond. "Well, I think I'd have felt the same way, but this dunce has a bit of hidden charm that takes a decade or two to find," Helen jokes while stabbing her elbow into Adam's side.
"Ow! Why do you always beat up on me? Can I file for domestic violence? Arthur, you're pretty close with the law around here. Help me out," Adam pleads.
"I have a feeling you deserve everything you get, Adam. Mom and Dad are inside with the infants. Get on in there," I inform.
"Getting rid of us already, huh? Fine. See you in a bit," Helen complains.
Before the two of them even get a chance to walk off, my father calls out for me from the front door. "Arthur! Come help Cecilia put Vance to sleep. He's getting restless!"
I sigh slightly at her words as I think about how much sleep I lose over Vance. He may be my youngest, but he's been the most problematic by far. I'm usually busy training the new lance candidates for Elenoir while also taking up a few occasional political duties. Despite all of that, Vance wants me around at all times. I've got to put him to bed, feed him, and change his diapers. It's flattering, but man it's a lot of work.
"I'll be right there, Dad!" I shout back.
Turning to the rest of the guests that are still arriving, I watch Curtis, Alea, and Kathlyn exit their carriage before they meet up with Lilia, Claire, and Theo.
I'll just have to talk to them later.
I jog up past Helen and Adam who are still walking up to the entrance of my home before passing up my dad who is still at the doorway where he gives me a pat on the back. I make a quick break to the left to my family's wing of the estate. I can very clearly hear Vance's incessant crying and Cecilia's attempts to calm him.
"It's okay, Vance. Daddy's coming. He'll rock you to sleep," I faintly hear as Cecilia talks to him in a soft voice.
Turning the final corner into the nursery, I find Cecilia swaying side to side as she rocks and shushes our son. She glances up at me and brings a finger to her lips.
I nod before entering the room and casting a quick sound spell across the room, sparing the rest of the function from hearing my son's cries. "It's okay, Vance. I'm here. Daddy's here."
Cecilia hands him over to me and his crying begins to subside. I walk him over to the nearest rocking chair and begin to rock him back and forth. "Isn't that better? Are you happy now, little guy?"
The rhythmic squeaking of the wooden chair begins to quell my son's apparent frustration. Cecilia watches on lovingly as Vance's cries end and he begins to coo while pulling at my hair. His auburn hair and magenta eyes stare up at me with intrigue as they scan my facial features and analyze my expression. I can only smile down at him. His neediness forces me to be thankful for moments like this. It's these moments that a father usually won't experience, but I get the chance every day.
After a few minutes, Vance calms down fully and falls into a deep slumber. After I take a moment to admire how happy I am to have him in my life, I place him into his crib and turn to Cecilia -who is still quietly and lovingly observing me.
"It hurts a little how much he loves you. I can do any number of things for him, but the second you do the most minor thing, he loves it ten times more," Cecilia pouts.
I approach her and pull her into a hug, slowly sifting through her vibrant pink hair. "I know. Give him a couple years. Every boy ends up loving their mother a little more than their father when they're toddlers. Your time is coming."
"And you know this... how?" she asks.
"Because I was the same way," I reassure.
"Well, that does make me feel somewhat better," she admits. She turns up to me and gets on her tip-toes to give me a kiss. "Now let's get back to the party. Tess just told me that Virion, Alduin, and Merial are here."
"Sounds good. It still concerns me that you guys can just... do that," I ponder.
"You mean talk in our heads? You, Sylvie, and Regis do it. Why can't we?" she asks.
"Because those two can't silently plot against me," I explain.
"I have no idea what you're getting at," she says, feigning ignorance. She takes my hand and pulls me out of the nursery and back into the common area.
"There's the man of the hour!" Virion calls out from the foyer.
"Gramps!" I shout as I pull him into a tight hug. Ever since the war ended, he put some weight back on and his frame filled back out. Turns out that when you don't have the constant threat of death sitting on your shoulders, you get healthier.
"Aw, look at those two," Alduin voices from within the common area. I turn to him after breaking the hug to find him and Merial approaching as my mother-in-law holds my eldest son, my and Tess' second child, Viris.
"It's good to see you two too. Bring it in," I say, holding out my arms for them to join me in an embrace. As we hug for a while, I catch Tess peeking around the corner, observing us.
"Alright, everyone, the food is ready. The table is all set in the courtyard," my mother loudly announces to everyone present.
Guests begin to funnel to the courtyard where I'm once again interrupted, this time though, very happily.
"Papa!" Sylvie shouts, effectively tackling me. I stumble backward slightly before catching her.
"Good to see you too, Sylv. Have fun with your grandmother?" I ask.
"Yeah! And look who I brought home with me!" she announces.
Walking up behind her is a vaguely familiar woman, not her visage, but her aura and presence. The pearl-haired woman with her vibrant lavender eyes just smiles at me with immense amounts of love and affection?
"Sylvia?" I ask.
"You're the one who brought me back, Art. I'd think you'd recognize me," she jokes.
"Well, in fairness, you were the one disguising yourself as a grey-skinned, black-armored demon. I don't think it's my fault for not noticing that the beautiful woman in front of me is the woman I call my grandmother," I reason, moving Sylvie to my side so that I can invite Sylvia into a hug.
"I guess you're right about that one, Arthur," she replies with a chuckle as she joins the hug, resting my head in the crook of her neck. "It's been a long time. Thanks for letting me see my mother again and for giving my daughter such a great life."
"I'd do it a million more times, Sylvia," I tell her.
"Arthur! You can talk with Sylvia at the dinner table! Come and sit so we can let all these hungry people eat!" my mother calls out.
'Probably should actually listen to her this time. You've been getting perpetually interrupted.'
That's true. Time for me to be a proper host.
I break my hug with Sylvie and Sylvia as she directs me to the head of the table. I pull out my chair but don't take a seat yet. Grabbing my glass, I raise a toast.
"Thank you, Mother. I kept getting distracted, but alas, I'm here now. Thanks also to all of my guests here today. It's been five years since the war came to a close. We've built our world into a political and cultural golden age while simultaneously facilitating assimilation between the two mortal continents," I begin.
"Take some credit, Art. You did most of that!" Ellie shouts from a few seats down.
"No need to further boost his ego," says the man next to her.
"Thanks a lot, Valen. Do we need to talk about your grades at Central Academy?" I taunt.
"No. No, we do not," he mumbles.
"As I was saying, we've done quite the feat. It's thanks to most of you that this was all possible. Unfortunately, Elder Bundh and Priscilla and Blaine Glayder couldn't make it today. In their place, we've got the younger -and more entertaining- Glayders as well as Mica," I announce, gesturing to the aforementioned guests. My comments draw a few stifled laughs from Curtis and Kathlyn as well as the Eraliths.
"We've all moved on, gotten married, had children, and built lives apart from each other, but it's times like this that we can all come together. To all of my friends and family that I adore: The Leywins, the Eraliths, the Glayders, my former DC colleagues, my other fellow Xyrus academy peers, my students from Central Academy, the friends I made in Alacrya along the way, my best friend from here, Regis, and lastly, my best friends from Earth, Elijah and Cecilia.
"I hope we can meet like this at many other occasions in the future whether they be school functions when our children attend schools together or at government meetings. I look forward to spending more time with you all because you've all become a pivotal part of my life," I finish. "Cheers, and let's eat!"
"Cheers!" everyone shouts in unison.