Finn watched from the doorway as the ceremony took place. She stayed where she could make an easy escape if one of the babies began to cause a disruption. So far, all were being incredibly good. Between Jacqueline, Dr. and Mrs. Sherman, and her father, there were plenty of adults to hold the infants.
After the ceremony, King Duncan was sure to take his turns as well.
Finn felt incredibly blessed to have such a support system around her, but she sorely missed her husband. Silently, she asked Gwen to help him, wherever he was. Sometimes it felt like he was so close, that she had trouble believing he was likely in another world entirely.
Jacqueline and Quilina were planning to head home soon. Winter preparations were necessary, and the child insisted that she was certain the dreams were gone forever.
Thankfully, she didn't seem to have any clue that Ivan had any part in driving them away.
The matter still alarmed Finn, and her eyes sought him out more often the past few days than her other two children. She worried for him.
The ceremony concluded, and the crowds filed out. A musical troupe began performing just outside, and more could be heard tuning their instruments all around. The cold did not deter the joviality of the people, and more than one playful snow fight occurred in the streets.
The children laughed and played, and the occasional adult participated as well.
Naomi and Caspian joined them, followed by the General and a few guards.
"Has something happened?" Finn asked casually to the bearded military leader.
"In such crowds, especially with them now knowing who Caspian is, I thought it wise for him to have an escort to help him should the people become over-enthusiastic with their congratulations on the treaty." He smiled briefly.
Finn smiled back, but her eyes narrowed at the man, letting him know that she did not buy his reason, at least, not entirely.
Naomi's beauty in her gown was drawing a fair amount of attention. Many people stopped to bow and introduce themselves, which she endured gracefully while on Caspian's arm.
Her husband's presence seemed to bolster Naomi's confidence quite a bit from the rather timid woman Finn remembered from their first meeting.
Some new music began, louder than before, encouraging a dance formation. People gathered into pairs for the steps of the familiar tune.
Caspian watched with interest, offering his hand to Naomi. Finn smiled as they learned the tune, delighting the people around them.
"How's it done?" Quilina asked, looking on with fascination.
"Oh, I can teach you!" Victoria volunteered, taking her friend's hand and pulling her forward.
Though the two girls were not particularly adept at completing the steps correctly, they were arguably enjoying the dance more than anyone who could do it well. Their laughter and joy echoed around the square.
"Hmph. Girls are so loud," Gabe said from Finn's side.
She smothered her smile to put on a serious expression for her young brother.
"Yes. But we're pretty, so it almost makes up for it." She replied.
"Will they ever grow up and be mature?" He asked her.
"What a thing to ask! Usually it's the girls waiting for the boys to mature, not the other way around," Finn's eyebrows drew together.
Her brother looked suddenly much older than his young years. He'd had his hair cut recently, and his short locks gave his bone structure a leaner look. He must have grown; the pudginess of his formerly childlike face was already nearly gone.
She swallowed a bit of emotion. He'd bounced back well after the ordeal of two years ago; the time with the Fae helped mitigate the emotional damage of so long in the Darkness.
"You're very strong, Gabe, but you don't always have to be. You can be a kid sometimes, too." She told him.
His times of play were getting shorter and further apart. The babies' birth had brought some of that back out, but she feared his childhood was cut unfairly short by what he'd been through.
He sighed and looked up with an expression of longsuffering. "I won't be a kid forever."
"I know. Which is why you should enjoy it now. Go dance with the girls!" She encouraged.
"Dancing with girls sounds like a terribly grown up thing to do," Gabe said.
"I suppose it can be." Finn chewed the inside of her cheek in amusement. "But I'm sure it is a lot of fun, regardless."
"Then may I have this dance?" Gabe said in a very adult voice, holding his hand out to his sister. Warmth filled her heart. She had raised him from the day he was born, and he was much like her oldest child. She hadn't had nearly as much time with him since having her babies, and felt some guilt over the neglect.
"Of course, good sir!" She said, handing Ivan to Dierdre, who eagerly opened her arms for the infant.
Gabe smiled and took his sister's hands, then did his best to lead her around the dance floor. He concentrated on counting the steps, and Finn corrected him once or twice, but was mostly willing to simply let him learn by observation, trial, and error.
She wanted to speak with him, to ask him about his life, about school, about how he was enjoying living, but he was so intent on the dance that she didn't want to break his concentration. So, she contented herself with following his lead, and enjoying his closeness.
As the song ended, She sighed, a little disappointed for it to end.
"Would you care for another dance?" He asked, all politeness.
"I would love one," Finn said, until she heard Roen crying in Dr. Sherman's arms. "Unfortunately, I believe I may have promised this song to another partner," She winked at him. "There are, however, other young ladies who might be delighted by the invitation."
Gabe's face scrunched up, but his eyes drifted over to Quilina and Victoria. The former was being lightly scolded by her mother for running too quickly and falling to scrape her knee.
The young boy walked up to Victoria and held out his hand with a slight bow, as the men around him were doing to ask for partners.
"May I have the honor of this dance?"
Victoria's eyes lit up, and a girlish gasp escaped her lips. As quickly as she could manage, she composed herself and gave a deep curtsy.
"I would be delighted." She said demurely, echoing what a nearby lady had said on accepting such an invitation.
Finn watched, blinking the moisture out of her eyes. Adorable was the only word that came to mind for the sight before her.
The children were precious in their fine clothes. They were growing up so quickly, and Finn hushed her crying infant.
"Too soon, you'll grow up too," She whispered to Roen. "Take pity on your poor mother and stay small a while longer."
Roen quieted and yawned, and Finn smiled at him. She sent a furtive glance towards her other two babies, unaccountably anxious about their presence and well-being.
A sound from the crowd in another part of the city rose. They must be cheering for an exceptional performer, she thought vaguely, but the sound grew in volume instead of dying away.
Located in front of the City Hall near the center of Klain, this would be considered the main square of the city. The smaller open areas generally had the less intriguing or famous performers. It was strange for such attention to be elsewhere.
An uneasy feeling began to form in the pit of her stomach as the music quieted. Others had noticed the clamor.
A horn of alarm from the city wall changed the atmosphere entirely.
"Gabe, Victoria, come here!" Finn called. The children obediently rushed closer. Though the City Hall had been closed and locked after the ceremony concluded, Finn pressed against the wall. She took count of the children, wanting to put all of them behind her and yet knowing that was not possible.
She scanned the crowd. The General had been nearby mere moments ago, but now he was striding to the edge of the square closest to the noise, one hand on his sword.
Caspian and Naomi were herded towards Finn by the two soldiers assigned to guard them. The man's face was drawn taut and a bit red, but Naomi was pale by contrast.
Finn made a split second decision.
"Naomi, please hold Roen for me." She said, pushing the sleeping infant into her arms. The guards protecting the woman would have to protect the infant she was carrying. Jacqueline held Lily, and Ivan was in Dierdre's arms.
"Your house is a shelter, is it not?" She asked the woman. Dierdre nodded. "Could you please take my babies there?" A glance at the guards confirmed they would be happy to get their charges to a safe place, though Caspian still looked displeased. "I'll meet you there as soon as I can."
"But what–" Dierdre started, but Finn was already running.
The pull of danger was too strong.