-Sorry if the pacing is weird, the POV changes were hard to write
Also, This one has a title
The Change
Suddenly, Arundelle stopped and looked over Artham’s shoulder towards the gate. “Come join us!” She yelled with a wave. Artham looked behind him and saw Esben dragging Nia out to dance with them. Though Nia continued to refuse at first, the others eventually pressured her to join them in the cold. She soon added onto the laughter filling the air until Wendolyn and Podo called out and drug them in to dry off.
Esben shook his head, extra water from his hair splashing everyone, though most of them couldn’t feel it through their pre-soaked clothes. Artham ran his hand backward through his little brother’s hair so it stood up in spikes around his head.
Nia marched over in an attempt to smooth it back down, only for Podo to throw a jacket over her face and have her walk into Esben’s painting.
Artham suddenly remembered something he had meant to tell Nia earlier, “Hey Nia,” he glanced at Esben, wondering if his little brother would do anything. “Are you aware that-” he removed the hand over his mouth and continued, “Esben still draws-” He turned around, and was promptly hit in the head with a bear.
“Kalmar! What did I tell you about throwing toys!” Nia shouted. “Foo.” Artham covered his mouth and tried his best to hold back a laugh as Kalmar immediately waddled over to Arundelle.
She knelt and put her hand gently on the side of his face, “Sorry, I don’t have any right now, maybe later?” Kalmar ‘humphed’ and walked over to sit against the grandfather clock against the wall.
“Tick-tick. Tick-tick.” Nia turned around, “Kalmar, what?” He repeated, “Tick-tick. It go tick.” he told her, like it was the most obvious thing in all of Aerwiar.
“Ar-” Nia started, then looked around the room. “Where’s Artham?”
“Likely somewhere in Anniera. More specifically, probably in the castle.” Nia shot a look at her husband. Artham smiled from above as his little brother acted oblivious as he played on the floor with Kalmar. He stood on the plank and wobbled slightly as he found his balance. He heard Arundelle giggle as it echoed through the open room.
“Up,” was all she was able to get out of her laughter. Artham took a few steps forward so he could use a pole for support, and looked at the group on the floor. He faintly heard Nia gasp as she saw him. Esben simply stood in shock with his mouth hanging open at his brother on the ceiling.
“Nia!” He called, still determined for her to discover his little brother’s tricks. “Esben still draws on himself!” She looked over at her husband. Though he couldn’t hear any words, he figured it was something about time it takes for the ink to dry vs how long he had between when he played with the kids. Artham had heard the conversation many times, but it was rare for him to have seen the drawings instead of guessing after they were washed off.
Artham heard Podo behind him, and carefully turned around. “Ye need to get yerself down from there boy! Yer gonna get the children to bad habits!” His voice was much louder than need be, for the echoes off the walls let him hear even a few words Nia was telling Esben in her aggressively calm way.
Artham stepped carefully around the column and stuck his arms out to either side as he walked over to the next pole, continuing the same way till he was almost above the stairs. Leaning over the edge, Artham easily found the spot he had hollowed out from years traveling like this as a kid. He pushed himself over the edge, holding on by his fingertips. Pulling himself along the beam, Artham slowly got above the highest point in the stairs – the top of the rail. He dropped down and waved his arms in small circles to regain his balance from the drop.
Climbing off the rail, he noticed Janner trying, very poorly, to hide behind a curtain. Waving to the group in the open area behind him, he walked as casually as possible as if he were going back to his room.
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Janner peeked out from his perfect hiding spot. Where’s Uncle Artham? He leaned most of the way out and stumbled into view of his parents and grandparents by the door. Suddenly, he gave a small shout that sounded like a squeak, and it turned into laughter as he was spun around by who he realized as Uncle Artham.
“Put me down!” Janner yelled, though it was hard to understand through his laugh. Also, he realized, everyone else was laughing as well and likely couldn’t hear him. Nia was the first to get herself back under control.
“Artham!” She shouted up at him, “You’re still soaking wet, and now you got it on Janner too!” Artham put his nephew down and Janner ran to everyone in turn to give them hugs. First Nia, then Esben, Podo, Wendolyn, and ending by giving the longest hug to Arundelle.
“Now,” Nia said to no one specific, “We need to go change into some dry clothes, and then dinner needs to get started.” Janner ran over to his brother and half led-half drug him through a door to the sitting area.
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Nia smoothed down her dress and headed out of her room to Leeli’s. She cracked the door open and stuck her head in to make sure she was still asleep. Closing the door gently behind her, she walked down to the kitchen, hoping Wendolyn had something set out.
Suddenly, she heard a scream from somewhere in the front area. She raced to the sitting room and saw a snake-like creature cornering Janner and Kalmar against a wall. Janner was holding one of Esben’s paint brushes out in front of him while he tried to shield Kalmar. She backed out of the room, but left the door open to watch in case no one else came.
“Artham!” she yelled, hoping he could hear her from wherever he was. She heard footsteps along the stairway and risked a glance over. She just barely ducked as a knife was thrown in her direction. It went through the creature as it turned to dust from the impact, and stuck into the wall. She ran forward, scooping both of her sons up the best she could in a hug. Closing her eyes, she willed herself not to cry as they leaned into the embrace.Feeling someone else put their arms around her, Nia opened her eyes just enough to see Esben kneeling beside her while Podo and Wendolyn had a hand on each of her shoulders.
“Thank you,” She wasn’t sure whether she was talking to the knife-thrower, the people around her or the Maker.
There was a light tap on the open door, and everyone turned around, shocked back into the world they were now certain was more dangerous than any of them had seen.
Arundelle stood in the doorway, Leeli held firm in her arms, “Artham’s checking for any more.” Artham poked his head around the wall and gave them a nod before disappearing to check outside the castle in the still pouring rain. Nia moved closer to Esben as Janner and Kalmar pushed past.
Following them out, she decided she did, in fact, need to know about the creatures her husband constantly told her not to worry about. “Esben, what are those things called?” He paused, wondering how much to tell her.
“Fangs. Or so I’ve heard. If there’s one, there are likely more somewhere on the isle.” He sounded disconnected, and Nia couldn’t figure out whether that was good or bad at the moment. She headed up the stairs to the room Janner and Kalmar shared.
Grabbing a bag for each of them from their closet, she packed outfits to last a few days and arranged a few other things to go in each. Janner’s picture books, an old butterfly from Arundelle, and his bed toy. For kalmar, blanket, his butterfly from Arundelle, a sketchbook from Bonifer, and a small hand game. She closed both tightly and went to put them by the stairs.
“Why do they need bags?” Esbens’ was the first voice she heard. Nia suddenly became aware of what she was holding and put them down, ignoring the question. The door slammed open and both of them turned to the sound. Artham was standing in the open doorway panting as if he had run across half the isle before arriving. (Which he may have)
“Get to – the – river,” He said between breaths. Spinning around, he raced back out the door while drawing his sword. The high King and Queen looked at each other for a moment, stunned. Podo and Wendolyn ran in from somewhere to the right, though Nia wasn’t sure when.
“River. That’s where Artham said to go.” Esben relayed the message while Nia was still in shock of what was happening. She watched disconnectedly as Esben ran up the stairs to grab the boy’s bags and something she couldn’t see off a nearby table.
“Where’s Arundelle!?” Nia snapped out of her trance at her mother’s voice and looked around.
“Here,” someone called from nearby, followed by a cough as the air filled with smoke. Esben pushed the things into Podo’s hands and raced off to find a sword and join his brother.
And a picture!
Chapter 4 (Finally)