The Gardens, The Home Of Lycidas Of Medina, The Kingdom Of Medina, 540 B.C...
Laughter filled the gardens as Lycidas of Medina stood with a wooden sword in hand as he stared down the rag-tag group of would-be warriors in the form of children who had gathered about his home to hear his stories of war and triumph. While Lycidas wasn't much for storytelling when it came to the older warriors or during occasions in the great hall, he was always willing to treat the boys of Medina to a few tales from his exploits. It was always just enough to ignite their young hearts with a fire for battle as his own heart was ignited via his own father's tales when he'd been a lad. Lady Mira watched from her comfortable position of lounging on a soft row of animal furs amid her garden and as she watched her husband and the young boys of Medina which included her son Milo and younger brother-in-law Nicodemus spar via wooden blades as more tales of war had been spun. She wore a lovely white dress with golden trim and equally lovely golden bracelets and necklaces as her long dark locks fell to her shoulders and she was shaded via a large leaf from an imported seed of a palm tree.
"Always keep your footing lads," said Lycidas with a smile as he played about with the boys. He quickly knocked a few to the ground via his superior speed and accurate swipes of the wooden blade.
Lycidas had elected to pull his hair back into a neat ponytail giving him an advantage in case the lads tried to blindside him. He was shirtless of course, after having tossed the heavy cotton thing aside in favor of doing "battle" without it. He wore tanned animal hide fashioned about the length of his legs in the form of trousers and brown sandals along his feet. He rather enjoyed lounging about in the sun in more casual attire and had been doing so before the boys' arrival.
It was most common for Lycidas to wear a necklace fashioned from the claws of a slain wolf about his neck that his mother had given him after the success of his first real hunt. It was due to her people's custom and he had embraced it despite being more along the lines of enjoying the culture of his father's people.
"Keep your eyes on the target Nicodi," Lycidas instructed his younger brother with a smile when the lad attempted to swing his wooden blade only to nearly catch him off guard when the older Prince moved out of the way. "And your blade always at the ready, combat is not a mere game and one mistake could easily be the end of you."
Milo seemed to take his father's lessons to heart as he managed to not only surpass his fellow boys in the art of speed but he seemed able to focus as much the same as his war hero father when given a blade and a target to sink it into.
Lycidas was rather impressed with his son's ferociousness in combat as the poised lad rushed him swinging as if he could see the movements in a manner not so unlike that of his father when he took down the boorish brute whose body donned bear hide.
Mira watched her son with rapt attention as she noticed the all too familiar look of determination that filed across his tiny face as he gritted his teeth and charged his father only just shy of the older man's speed when the wooden blades clashed.
To say that Lycidas was proud that his son was as ferocious as he was in battle was an understatement as he still managed to beat his son to the blow that sent the boy flying to the ground but he remained unable to hide the smile that occurred when young Milo took the initiative to rush him. The boldness reminded him of when he first met Mira when she'd been captured by his rivals and he had allowed them to take him in as well. She was a force to be reckoned with then and it appeared so had the child they conceived when she eventually became his lover.
Having his fill of fun for one evening, Lycidas called the boys to end their combat and rushed over toward his wife who had been holding their tiny baby daughter amid the shade. He smiled at the two of the three most important women in his life and joined them amid the animal furs. Mirna seemed at peace being in her mother's arms and her baby blue eyes lit up on the approach of her father.
Lycidas lazily flopped down beside them lounging on his side as baby Mirna sat between them. Nicodemus appeared to have taken over as the main villain in their game as he swatted several of the slower boys via his wooden sword as a poised Milo just barely moved to miss it.
"Enjoying yourself?" asked Mira with a smile as she looked upon her panting husband.
"Immensely," replied Lycidas with yet another smile in her direction. He truly enjoyed how radiant she looked with her darkened skin and unhindered hair dangling at her shoulders as she held their six-month-old daughter in her arms.
He took a moment to glance at her already prominent belly still imagining the life growing inside someday soon enjoying the benefits of relaxation in the garden along with the rest of the family.
Mirna had not been content to remain in her mother's arms after her father lay down beside them and wiggled her way toward him as he scooped her up laughing all the while at the determination she displayed when attempting to get to him.
"As ferocious as your elder brother aren't you little pup?" he remarked lifting his daughter and holding her against his chest as he and his wife continued to watch the boys play while enjoying the subtle peace of the garden.
Finally contented, Mirna rested her tiny head against her father's massive chest exhausted after exerting so much of her tiny stores of energy. Mira seemed to enjoy watching her husband in such a domestic setting. She couldn't hardly stand being separated from him when he'd been at war and the constant fear of something happening to him always kept her up most nights. The knowledge that she had carried a third child before his departure always soothed her weary mind as she was determined in her own right to see his children grow happily and healthy when carrying on his name.
Lycidas once more turned his attention back to the boys and their game as he recalled all too well what it was like to have the fiery heart of a warrior at such a young age.