During court, king Kormwind, tenth of that name, finds himself having a toddler climbing up in his lap and, sucking their thumb, and full of trust, falling asleep. Where are the parents? Near the kitchens exhaustedly trying to handle six other children, most of whom were at that stage of sleepy where they get wilder and grumpy due to being overtired, and trying to figure out where their toddler went. -- Anon Guest
People often thought that only the Nobles lived in their castles. Such was never the case. Nobody who thinks this ever wonders how the castle staff get to work before the Noble in question needs them. For many Nobles, the staff don't count as residents. The phrase "nobody was there" really means, "nobody important was there."
Not so in Whitekeep.
Kormwind Arachis Felbourne Whitekeep, tenth of his name, and Dex to his friends and family, had a fine example in his father. Kormwind Nine had remembered everyone who crossed his path. He knew their names, their family's names, and had an awareness of their dietary restrictions, health needs, and allergies. To both Dex and his dad alike, the staff were just as much people as anyone else.
Which was why, in the midst of official business in the Grand Court, he knew who the toddler was before they had finished babbling to be picked up. He was also smart enough to check that the kid hadn't soiled themself before he did pick them up.
Dex had kids of his own, and comforted the roaming toddler as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
The Baron venturing her proposal stumbled to a halt in her speech. Staring in shock at what should never happen in a King's court.
The toddler whined and mumbled in Dex's lap.
"Yes, I know, she's terribly boring," said Dex. To the Baron, he said, "Do please continue. I would like to get this matter sorted neatly."
Transfixed by the sight of a King comforting a child that wasn't his own, the Baron scrambled to resume her speech from where she dropped off. Some in the upper galleries tittered to watch the happening, but the laughter ebbed away as the child curled up and fell asleep.
Dex kept the kid safe in his arms until the Baron's palaver reached its end. Time to pull Dad's favourite trick. "You stand here claiming that my laws are unfair and therefore you should not obey them, am I correct?"
"That is the bare gist of it, your majesty. Yes."
"Even I obey my laws. So I therefore ask you... what makes you so special that you have to do less than your King?"
Stumbling, stuttering, and some wicked cackling from the upper gallery.
He knew that laugh... Dex looked up to find a very familiar set of deep navy horns neighbouring blue-white curls. Dad was visiting.
"Any further business?" Dex asked his seneschal.
"None, m'lord."
"Good. Madame Baron, please go home and continue to obey my laws as all my subjects must. I have other duties to attend." Gently, and very careful not to disturb the sleeping child, he rose from the more ordinary throne of regular business and went to find this child's parents.
They were supposed to be kitchen staff but, as Dex recalled, they had sent in a message saying they were sick. So he found his way to their apartment where it was absolute bedlam within. Six other children - two sets of twins among them - were in various stages of grumpy and sick. Including their otherwise very capable mother. The exasperated father almost fainted in horror at who had their second-youngest child. Only the baby over his shoulder made him brace to stay upright.
"I found something of yours," said Dex. "Has anyone here called for help?"
"Oh it's not that-- Bruin! No! --not that urgent-- DALE! --urgent, m'lord. It's just --in a moment, sweetheart, I promise-- a little Autumn cold."
"We didn't want to be a bother," croaked the mother.
"My father made a system by which people are meant to bother those who are prepared to help. If you don't summon them, then I will."
And while they were making their way to this apartment, Dex would pitch in and help. Starting with depositing his unintended charge into their bed.
These poor souls were even more agog when Dad turned up to help out too. Followed shortly by Mum.
[Photo by Jon Handley on Unsplash]
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