After making their wish and eating some cake the parents were excited to show their children the presents they bought for them. Acting more like children themselves they showed the kids what was clearly a book wrapped in cloth bound by a hemp string.
"Come on! Hurry! Open it fast!"
"Yes, listen to your mother, open it!"
Looking at each other the twins sighed as they carefully untied the present. Looking at the title, the book read 'Encyclopedia of Plants' with a fern depicted on the front.
Reading the cover of the thick book, the twins burst into excitement! This is what they wanted! They had been working on their own encyclopedia with how many different plants they cataloged, but an encyclopedia built by a professional should be a far greater help to them!
Seeing their children almost rip open the book, the couple looked at them proudly. Most books were very expensive with the cheapest being ones that taught others knowledge. The book teaching someone to read is more often printed and often cheaper than books like encyclopedias. Books like encyclopedias would only be appealing to someone who knows how to read and is very interested in the content of the encyclopedia.
On the other hand, they were getting slightly worried as Aroura was also butting in between the twins trying to read the encyclopedia. Although she knew the basics of reading, aka the letters, she still hadn't taken the time to know how to read.
She had heard from other mothers in the market that the first two years should be all about teaching their children proper hygiene and how to talk. Yet her first two children learned to talk before one year old. Now her second child was the same. The twins learned to walk only a little after turning a year old. Now Aroura had done the same! She was only one and a half years old!
Looking at the siblings she rubbed her stomach and hoped for a normal child so she could relate to other mothers at the market...
Sighing Adeline spoke softly to Aroura, "Aroura, why don't you join me over here and learn to read from me?"
Aroura glanced at the book one last time before nodding in disappointment. Adeline didn't know what to say seeing her daughter so intent on following her sibling's footsteps.
**
After a few months of peace, the family welcomed the next member of the family.
"WAAA! WAAA!"
"Congratulations on your twin boys! Looks like they like to talk just like your last one! HAHA!" The Doula Freda spoke with a smile as she wrapped up the baby.
"Thank you Miss Freda. Here, payment." Edmund knew the drill and quickly took out the coins and handed them to Freda.
"Edmund you really learned to work hard! HAHA! Make sure to call me over next year when the madam gains another bump! HAHA!" Speaking to Edmund, Freda looked like she was the wife satisfied with her husband's progress.
"Freda, there is no need to be so cold we are expecting the twins to reach six years old within the year!" Edmund spoke inviting the Doula to the celebration within the year.
"Oh? You two sure have gotten big! HAHA!" Reaching down she pinched the cheeks of the twins before looking at Aroura and pinching her cheeks as well. "HAHA! You will soon have a large happy family! I will be sure to come to these little one's Mana Celebration!"
"Thank you Miss Freda, we hope you enjoy our little get-together."
"HAHA! Well, anyways I need to get going if I hope to make it before dark." Waving her goodbyes Freda left very quickly. It was still in early in the morning, so everyone knew it was just her excuse to go home.
"She is finally gone!" Ambrose spoke loudly while rubbing his cheeks.
"Yeah!" x2 For the two sisters who were also rubbing their cheeks.
"At least she no longer feels expensive."
"Come now forget all of that, think of a name for these two boys." Adeline ignored their commentary and focused all her attention on the newborns.
Looking at the babies who had stopped crying to suckle their mother, everyone thought long and hard. It wasn't that the couple hadn't thought of names, but they had only expected one child of either gender, so they needed a good name for the other boy.
"I think he looks like a Kabir." Edmund finally says the name they had prepared.
"What about him? Do you kids have any ideas?" Unsure of what name to give the other baby Adeline spoke softly to her three other children.
The whole family thought for a while before someone finally came up with a name. Lily who had poked the baby's face was surprised as the baby suddenly moved and bit her finger. Of course, he didn't have any teeth so it didn't hurt, but that was enough to give her an idea!
"How about Draco!" Lily spoke up as she pulled her finger from the baby's mouth.
"Oh? How did you come up with this?"
"From the encyclopedia! From the genus name, right?"
"Yes! As expected of my brother! From the snapdragon plant!"
Hearing that they were ready to name the baby after a plant they read about in the encyclopedia, the couple was dubious. Yet after ten minutes Adeline couldn't take the sleepiness and simply accepted the name Draco.
"Very well... My little Kabir and Draco..." After giving her babies a kiss on their little heads she slowly drifted off to sleep.
"Show me what this snapdragon dragon is if it is terrible I will make sure you both are punished and the babe's name will be changed."
"Oh, come on dad don't be so negative! It is a really cool plant!"
"It better be..."
Soon Edmund saw the snapdragon plant that looked like and was finally satisfied. It looked similar to a Venus flytrap with a wide plant mouth. It wasn't colored the usual green, instead, it looked similar to a rainbow with a variety of colors. The spikes around the mouth resembled swords instead of the usual plant protrusions. The only description of its' behavior being how it bites anything that gets too close.