The afternoon sun bathed Ravennest's estate in golden warmth, casting long shadows over the vast garden. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, carrying the distant scent of blooming flowers. Zach stood with his arms crossed, watching his little sister, Mia, bounce excitedly on the grass. A few days had passed since the carriage incident, and he had fully adjusted to his new life as a noble child.
Spending time with Mia had become part of his routine. Exhausting? Absolutely. Entertaining? Without a doubt.
"Big bwother, again!" Mia squealed, tugging at his sleeve with her tiny hands.
Zach sighed dramatically, placing a hand over his chest. "Mia, I have fought many battles today. If I keep going, I might collapse right here."
Mia puffed her cheeks like a squirrel hoarding nuts. "You always say that, but you never fall!"
Before Zach could reply, a voice called from the garden's entrance.
"Well, well, if it isn't the mighty Lord Zach pretending to be weak."
Zach turned to see a boy about his age, dressed in fine navy attire lined with silver embroidery. His silver-blue eyes gleamed with mischief, and a smirk tugged at his lips. His white-blond hair, slightly longer than Zach's, swayed as he walked with an air of confidence.
This was Elias Frost, the youngest son of House Frost, rulers of the prosperous town of Frosthold to the east of Ravennest. The two families had long-standing ties, with their fathers having been academy classmates.
Zach raised an eyebrow. "Elias? What brings you here?"
"My father's meeting with yours, so I tagged along," Elias said, flipping his hair back dramatically. "Figured I'd check if you've gotten boring since the last time we met."
Before Zach could respond, Mia gasped loudly.
"New playmate?!" She clutched Zach's arm and shook him with surprising strength. "Big bwother! We have to play! We have to!"
Elias chuckled. "I like her energy. So, what's the game?"
A sly grin spread across Zach's face. "Oh, I'm glad you asked."
He led them to a patch of dirt where a large board was drawn on the ground, squares neatly marked from one to a hundred. Small wooden figures sat at the starting point, and Zach held a small pouch filled with folded slips of paper.
Elias eyed the board curiously. "What's this?"
"A game I invented," Zach declared proudly. "I call it Snakes and Ladders."
Elias crouched down, examining the board. "Snakes and Ladders? Sounds dangerous."
"The rules are simple," Zach explained. "We take turns drawing a slip from this bag. The number you get is how many spaces you move forward. Land on a ladder, you climb up. Land on a snake, you slide down. First to reach the last square wins."
Mia clapped her hands. "I wanna go first!"
Zach handed her the bag, and she pulled out a slip. "Five!" she announced proudly, moving her little figurine forward.
Elias snorted. "Watch and learn, kids." He reached into the bag and drew his number. "Six! Ha! I told you I'd win."
The game progressed, filled with laughter and groans as they climbed ladders and cursed the snakes. Elias, being Elias, attempted to cheat by nudging his piece forward when he thought no one was looking.
"Elias," Zach deadpanned, arms crossed. "Did your piece just teleport two spaces?"
Elias gasped, feigning innocence. "What? How dare you accuse me of such treachery!"
Mia, completely unaware of the cheating, cheered whenever she climbed a ladder. "Wheee! Big bwother, this is fun!"
Zach smirked. "If you have to cheat to win, Elias, you might not be as great as you think."
Elias scoffed. "It's called creative strategy."
The game continued, filled with playful jabs and competitive energy. In an unexpected twist, Mia ended up winning.
"I wooon!" she squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
Elias flopped onto the grass dramatically. "Defeated by a three-year-old… I may never recover."
Zach smirked. "Aren't you the one who said you'd win?"
Elias waved him off. "Shame, Shame, Will you just shut up."
Before they could reset the board, a maid approached. "Young masters, dinner is ready."
Mia's eyes sparkled. "Food!"
With that, the three made their way inside, where they feasted together. Elias animatedly shared tales of Frosthold's bustling markets, where merchants from distant lands brought rare goods. He boasted about how House Frost was respected for its fair governance and thriving economy.
After dinner, Zach and Elias were led to Zach's room, where an extra bed had been prepared. However, Elias had other ideas.
"Who needs two beds? Let's share," he said, flopping onto Zach's bed.
Zach rolled his eyes but didn't argue. As they lay on their backs, staring at the ceiling, their energy finally started to wind down.
After a moment of silence, Elias turned his head with a grin.
"So, got a crush?"
Zach blinked. "What?"
"You know, a girl who makes your heart go boom!!"
Zach scoffed. "We're four!!"
Elias shrugged. "So? My big brother says love starts young. He even said our fathers had their first crushes at our age."
Zach frowned. "You sure he wasn't just messing with you?"
"Maybe. But still, there has to be someone," Elias pressed.
Zach thought for a moment. Back in his previous life, romance had never been a priority. And now, as a four-year-old? The idea was ridiculous… or so he told himself.
"…Not really," Zach admitted.
Elias sighed dramatically. "What a shame. I was hoping we could bond over that."
Zach smirked. "What about you, then? Anyone make your heart go boom?"
Elias grinned mischievously. "Maybe."
"Oh? Who?"
Elias wagged his eyebrows. "A secret."
Zach rolled his eyes, but before he could press further, Elias's breathing slowed he had fallen asleep.
Shaking his head, Zach let out a soft chuckle.
The day had been more fun than expected, and for the first time in a while, he felt at peace.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, he allowed himself to simply be a child, surrounded by family and friends.