Sebas

Three months later.

I've been careful not to use magic or do anything suspicious. Zorlo has been smiling a lot more. And if that wasn't scary enough, he's been watching me a lot closer lately.

I usually have to wait until night, but I discovered that I don't need to chant to summon wind magic, now that I've gotten a handle on it. But if I fire it then it would make a big noise. So I just make it swirl between my hands until I get tired. Every night I can do it longer and longer.

Mama has also been especially clingy lately. I guess I gave her quite the scare, so I actively hang around her to calm her nerves. I've never been hugged so much, but I really like it. It's really nice to have a proper mom.

Papa has also been around more, I even find him writing now. I've realized that he is a very clumsy man. He is really not good at much, but he is fun to play with. When he started I would climb up in his lap and watch him. This was how I slowly... very slowly learned how to read.

I think Mama got jealous because she started reading to me. When Papa was done writing he would come and join us on the couch.

Is this what it means to be a family? My heart has never been so warm and happy.

*

It is summer again. I am able to move more freely now. Both my body and around the house. Zorlo has been extra vigilant whenever I go outside. I am no longer in a crib which gives me more freedom. I decide it's time to start doing something productive.

Papa does training in the mornings he swings his sword around until he is steaming with sweat.

I make it out side with him today through our new, slightly crooked, back door.

He looks at me, but lets me come without saying anything.

Papa makes his stance, and I do the same.

He grips his sword in front of him. I grip the air like I'm hold a sword.

He swings, I swing. He steps, I step. I followed his lead for most of the morning until I got tired. But in all seriousness, I must have fallen more times than I can count, I am just a toddler after all.

"My two big strong men, it's breakfast time!" mama calls us from the house.

*

The next day I run down the stairs and find papa waiting by the back door. We went outside together, but before we go to his usual spot he goes around the house and picks up a tiny wooden sword.

"I'm not good for much, but I was able to whip this up if for you." Papa held it out to me.

My eyes sparkled. I ran into his legs and gave him a big hug. "Thank you, papa."

That day we practiced, but I caught a glimpse of mama in the window crying while biting down on a handkerchief. When we came in she inspected me all over for cuts or bruises.

Okay mama, this is just getting ridiculous.

"Mama, I'm fine I didn't even go anywhere." I say as she is spinning me around trying to lift up my shirt.

"That doesn't mean there's not bugs or snake bites." She tried to justify herself.

I pull my shirt down and place my small hands on her cheeks and squished her face together. "Mama!"

She stopped fussing.

"Have more faith in papa."

Mama shoulders sagged. "Okay..." she said defeated.

Seeing her sad made me feel sad too. How can I fix this... oh I know! A compromise.

"Mama..."

"Yes love?"

"... I smell bad, bath after breakfast?" I'll get clean and she'll be able to check my body for snake bites.

Mama's ears twitched with eagerness.

"Yes!"

"You know dear. I could use a good bath too." Papa said hinting at some form of sexy time.

Mama picked me up and carried me to the table. I can walk on my own, being sweaty doesn't take away my ability to walk.

"I have faith that you can bath yourself, husband." Mama was sparkling, I almost never asked for anything especially a bath, she was in her own world probably imagining bath time.

Poor papa, completely shot down. I didn't need to look at him to know that his ears weren't the only things to go limp.

Before you get any ideas. Bathing consists of wiping yourself down with a wet rag and a small bucket. Or filling a large tub with hot water and washing yourself behind a sheet in the yard.

I have my own shallow child sized tub so I can be washed by whoever has the rag and a bucket with heated water to dump on me to wash off any leftover soap.

I spend the rest of the week doing sword training in the morning and afternoon even when Papa is gone.

I'm sorry mama I know you worry, but I'm not going to start cutting corners here. Especially, when papa went through all the trouble of making me this sword.

Another month passed in much the same fashion. Now that everyone is used to me playing outside I sneak off behind one spare buildings on our property so that nobody can see me. It's the horses house, the stable.

I make sure nobody is watching and I brace my back against the stable and fire off a successful air bullet without being thrown around. I practice with both hand and together.

I have a lot more magic power than I did when I started. I get off about 10 shots per hand before I start getting tired.

The next day I manage 12 shots with either hand.

The next I manage 15. I follow this regiment for the next month. In the mornings, I train with papa and in the evenings, I practice magic.

After another month has passed I get an idea. I'm getting better at controlling the strength and power of each air bullet. I can fire two at once, one with each hand but not two with one hand. But what if I could fire them with my feet! Brilliant right!

I sat against the barn and lifted up my leg and concentrated. It took a second, but an air bullet came out of the ball of my foot. The trade off... my knee was rocketed into my face.

I hissed in pain, and clutched my face.

Ow ow ow.

I rolled on my back trying to stave off the pain.

I was not going to be able to hide this.

When I walked in the door with a bloody nose my mama screamed like I was dead.

"Baby baby, what happened! Did you hit yourself with that devil stick!"

My voice was nasally, "No mama, I kicked myself in the nose. I wasn't even holding my SWORD when it happened."

"Oh baby, move your hand..." when mama saw the blood I thought she was going to faint since her face went ghostly pale.

"Calm down, madam. They can hear you in the village when you shriek that loud." Zorlo came in the house behind me.

Was he outside too? I guess he would have to be or mama wouldn't have let me go. But I didn't see him anywhere.

"Zorlo, you're supposed to be protecting him! How could you let this happen!" Mama shrieked.

Zorlo winced. Mama had some pipes on her.

"Madam, boys do this kind of thing. Even Van comes home covered in scratches from not paying attention to his surroundings. If you're going to be the mother of a son you are going to have to get used to some scraped knees and bloody noses. Especially when he makes friends with others his age." Zorlo scratched the inside of his ear with his pinky.

Mama was still red and fuming.

Zorlo leaned down. "Unlike the noble brats at the capitol he didn't scream and throw a fit. Let me see your nose, boy."

Blood was still running down my nose, and I knew that I was crying... it really hurt okay.

"So you kicked yourself is it?" He asked with a laugh on the tip of his tongue.

I nodded, but ow that hurt too.

He smiled, "alright hold still." He held his hand up and chanted a healing spell.

That smile... I'm going to have to be more careful around Zorlo.

But now I've seen healing magic. Maybe I can use that too?

Glomp!

Mama buries me in her chest. She always does this when she gets worried. There is no fighting it, so I just dangle and give her attention for the rest of the afternoon.

In the evening, she reads to me sometimes. This is different from her teaching me how to read which is amazingly easier in this world since I don't have dyslexia anymore. Usually, she sits on the couch and she lays me down so that my head is in her lap. It is really comfortable. In fact, I guess you could say it's my weakness. She reads and plays with my hair. It doesn't take long for me to fall asleep.

Mama knows this. She often uses it against me since it never fails.

Curse you mama and your soft lap! If I ever escape... Zzz