"Highness?" Galen froze in the hallway as he saw them entering the building.
"It's Danae, Gaius's wife, and their children. I'm bringing them to Gaius's quarters to be looked after until she heals."
Galen stepped to and took Elpis from her sister's arms to carry her. "What do you need me to do?"
"Send for my personal physician to tend her. I'll have a retinue of ladies sent to help care for her and the children."
Danae gaped at them as Styxx laid her down on the bed and she noted the size and splendor of Gaius's military quarters. He took the toddler while Galen set about starting a fire for her and fetching water.
Eyes even wider than before, Danae opened and closed her mouth as her emotions overwhelmed her.
The boys ran around, yelling and celebrating while distressing their poor mother. Until they found their father's spear.
Styxx caught it right as they pulled it off the wall. He gently took it from Iason's hands. "Let's wait until you're both older to bring out the weaponry." As he started to put it away, something warm spread across his side. Frowning, he looked down at the toddler he held in one arm. She smiled up at him and slapped a wet hand to his cheek. "Um, Galen ... This one is leaking."
Galen laughed.
Danae cried out in horror. "I am so sorry, Highness! I-"
"Bah," Galen scoffed, interrupting her. "Not the worst thing that boy's had on him, is it, young prince?"
"Definitely not. But..." He passed Elpis back to Galen. "I fear I have no experience with this realm of domesticity. I've never even seen a pana, never mind tried to apply one to such a small person."
The girl squealed as she buried her hands in Galen's beard and kicked her legs happily.
Galen's grin widened. "I, on the other hand, have more than my share of experience with applying them, and will take care of it for you."
Styxx returned the spear to the wall and saw that poor Danae was near dead with horror over her children's actions. "Madam, really. It's fine. I was a boy, too, and while my parents and nurses tried, I fear I failed at home-training and manners with honors."
Tears filled her eyes. "Thank you, Highness, but I doubt you were ever so ill-behaved."
"Believe me, I was. I still have the thrash marks to prove it." Styxx turned to the boys. He needed to get them outside so their mother could rest. "Guess what we have here for you two?"
"What?" they asked in unison.
"A giant arena for you to run around and play in." He took them outside while Helen helped her mother.
The instant they saw the size of it, the boys took off and started a game of chase. Styxx paused as he watched them play and wrestle with wild abandon. But it wasn't two dark-haired brothers he saw. It was him and Acheron.
Even now, he could remember the sound of their matching laughter as they dodged and ran about with careless abandon. See Acheron tackling him to the ground.
I'll pin you first!
Hah! You hit like Ryssa....
Brothers ... Forever and always.
Grief tightened his throat. He'd give anything if Acheron would just look at him with something other than contempt and hatred. But who could blame him?
He hated Acheron, too.
Nothing would ever reunite them. What had been severed by their own harsh words and the actions of others couldn't be mended. It was too late for that. Sighing with regret, he returned to find Danae asleep and Helen on the floor, playing tickles with Elpis. He went to Galen, whose eyes showed he was thinking of his own daughter and grandchildren. "I put the boys in the yard."
"Wise choice, my lord."
"I thought so." He pulled Galen out into the hallway. "Did you know they'd denied pensions to those killed during the ambush?"
Galen's jaw dropped. "What?"