Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2023 18:50:22 GMT -5
Xanthe’s complaints had Embric hiding a small smile with his hand. She was young, he remembered, and though he hardly considered himself an old man, at least by Elijah’s standards, even a decade or so brought with it changes in perspective. Xan might not appreciate his and Elijah’s wisdom now, but there would come a day when she would discover the value in it. Perhaps it wouldn’t be until she reached his age, when she would sit where he sat now and Kasni would sit in her place, but that day would come and he would be there to tell her he told her so.
“I don’t ever remember claiming that I was different from you,” Embric pointed out mildly. “In fact, I distinctly remember arguing the opposite. It’s all of you who are convinced that I’m trouble.”
“That’s because you are!” Koti spoke up from the side, where he’d been keeping an eye on the skewered meat while the other two men distracted Xanthe.
Embric continued as if Koti hadn’t interrupted him. “So I won’t deny that I only help people and do no wrong.” The corner of his lip twitched upward as, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Koti put his head in his hands. “But once again, Elijah has a point. Some people do good things because they’re told to. Other people do them because they’re the right thing to do.”
With the grumbled resignation of a teenager, Xanthe marched into the wagon to retrieve the vegetables. Embric watched her go, unbelievably fond of the little family that their combined wagons made. All they needed now were—
Like an unexpected storm rushing in from the horizon, the two terrors themselves materialized out of nowhere. Small bodies racing toward the fire, they were preceded, only just, by the sound of their laughter. It hardly stopped Embric’s alarm as he turned to see the boy speed up and begin to outpace his sister, who in turn tried to increase her speed.
“Oh, Koti—“ Embric said, about to stand up even if it meant dislodging Aine. But the man in question had already risen to his feet and was halfway to the intercept point. Abandoning Xan to the vegetables, he scooped the youngest girl up before she could run headlong into the fire, and as the girl let out a squeal of delight, Embric sat back with a sigh, running a hand down his face.
“I won!” The boy celebrated his victory.
With one eyebrow raised, Embric looked at him. “I should hope so, kiddo,” He said, his tone a mixture of exasperation and affection. “Or did you forget that your legs are considerably longer than hers?” A pause. “Now, what have I told you about racing to the fire?”
A longer pause. “Don’t do it.”
“Why?”
“It’s dangerous.”
Embric nodded. “It might not be that dangerous for you, but your sister is still very little,” He reminded the boy. But he moved on soon enough. “We’ve got company at our fire tonight. Why don’t you go say hi to Elijah, and then you can help Xan with the vegetables.”
The boy would go to do just that, offering the old man the quick hello of youth before seating himself beside Xan. Whether he helped was debatable. Upon picking up a skewer, he proceeded to turn and challenge her to a sword fight with it.
“Embric.” He turned to see Koti walking over. “Take her. I’ll go make sure we have at least some vegetables to eat tonight.”
Embric smiled. The girl was passed from one man to the other and settled into the latter’s lap. Running a hand down her back, he turned to look at Elijah, and the words he spoke were intentionally projected so that his student would hear them. “I’d ask if Xan was like them when she was younger, but I think I already know the answer.”