Contentment is surviving a day of babysitting without needing a nap yourself.
King of Babysitting
During dinner, Mose was on a roll. He just couldn't shut up about his training session with the tutor, who he kept referring to as "an absolute genius" and "the best mentor I've ever had." His enthusiasm was palpable, but after the first half hour, it started to wear on me. I sighed, glancing at Gil and Iris. They were doing their best to listen politely, nodding at all the right moments as Mose rattled on about the intricacies of gravity magic.
"…and then he told me that if I just focus on the center of mass, I could stabilize the entire field! I mean, can you believe that? It's so simple, but so brilliant!"
Iris smiled, though it looked a bit forced. "That sounds... very insightful, Mose."
Gil just hummed in agreement, clearly out of his depth but trying to keep up.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes. This was getting out of hand. To distract myself, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the conversation with Alex. Earlier in the day, after Mose had—once again—ruined the training grounds with his unstable gravity magic, I'd sent Alex a short video of the aftermath. In the clip, debris was scattered everywhere, the once pristine area now a mess of overturned stones and shattered plants. Mose's panicked attempts to fix it only made things worse.
I'd sent the video with the caption:
[The Sorcerer Lord was in need of redecorating, don't you think so? 🙈]
A little smile tugged at my lips as I reread it. Alex hadn't replied yet, but I knew he'd get a kick out of it. This place was supposed to be a haven of control and discipline, yet Mose was managing to turn it into his own personal disaster zone.
Mose continued his monologue, completely oblivious to my distraction. "And then he showed me this new way to channel the energy! It's like… you just have to feel it, you know? It's all about—"
I tuned him out, my thoughts wandering back to the video. Maybe this place really was doing Mose some good, even if his progress was a bit… chaotic. As long as he was learning, that's what mattered, right?
Still, it didn't stop me from wondering how much more of this "training talk" I could take before I snapped.
As Mose continued his enthusiastic rant about his training session, I finally reached my limit. With a sigh, I looked up from my phone and decided to steer the conversation in a different direction.
"So, Rolo," I said, cutting through Mose's chatter. "Is there anything you want to see in the court after dinner? We've covered a lot today, but if there's something else that's caught your interest, now's the time."
Rolo blinked, clearly not expecting to be put on the spot. He looked down at his plate, thinking for a moment, before finally answering. "Actually… yeah, there is." He paused, glancing around the table before surprising everyone. "I want to check out the observatory."
The table fell quiet for a moment. Even Mose stopped mid-sentence, his eyes wide with curiosity. The observatory wasn't exactly the most obvious choice, especially considering all the other wonders we'd explored earlier. But there was something about the way Rolo said it, with a quiet determination, that made me realize he'd been thinking about this for a while.
"The observatory?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't think you were into stargazing, Rolo."
Rolo shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'm not really, but… it just seems like it might be interesting. You know, seeing things from a different perspective."
Gil and Iris exchanged a glance, clearly intrigued by the idea. Mose, recovering from his surprise, grinned. "Well, that's a first! But hey, why not? The observatory sounds pretty cool."
I leaned back in my chair, studying Rolo. There was more to his request than simple curiosity, but I decided not to push it. If the observatory was where he wanted to go, then that's where we'd head next.
"Alright then," I said, nodding. "The observatory it is. Let's finish up here, and we'll head over."
As we wrapped up dinner, I couldn't help but wonder what had sparked Rolo's interest in the observatory. It was a departure from the magical displays we'd been witnessing all day, but maybe that's exactly what he needed—a chance to see things from a different angle, away from the hustle and chaos of the court.
The observatory was perched at the highest point of the Sorcerer Lord's court, a grand, domed structure made of shimmering glass that reflected the light of the setting sun. As we made our way up the winding staircase, the air grew cooler, and the sounds of the bustling court below gradually faded into silence. By the time we reached the top, it felt like we had entered a different world entirely.
Inside, the observatory was breathtaking. The domed ceiling stretched high above us, made entirely of enchanted glass that allowed for an uninterrupted view of the night sky. Stars twinkled like diamonds against the deep velvet darkness, and a crescent moon hung low on the horizon, casting a soft, silver glow over everything.
Rolo stood in the center of the room, staring up in awe. The usual nervous energy he carried with him seemed to melt away as he took in the beauty of the place. For the first time that day, I saw him truly relax.
"This is… incredible," Rolo murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Mose, who had been trailing behind, let out a low whistle as he stepped inside. "Whoa… I didn't know places like this existed."
Gil and Iris were also visibly impressed, even though they must have seen it before. The observatory had a calming, almost magical quality to it, a stark contrast to the intense energy of the court below.
As we all stood there, taking in the view, Rolo moved toward one of the large telescopes positioned by the windows. He hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward to peer through the lens. The silence stretched on as he adjusted the telescope, focusing on something in the distance.
I moved closer, curious about what had caught his attention. "What do you see?" I asked softly.
Rolo didn't answer right away, his gaze still fixed on the sky. Then, without looking up, he said, "It's… like I can see everything and nothing at the same time. The stars, the moon… it's all so vast. It makes everything else seem so small."
There was something in his voice, a quiet wonder mixed with a hint of melancholy. I could tell that this moment, here in the observatory, meant more to him than just stargazing.
I glanced at the others, who had settled into different spots around the observatory, each lost in their own thoughts. It was peaceful, the kind of peace we rarely got to experience in our chaotic lives.
Rolo finally stepped back from the telescope, a small, almost contented smile on his face.
"I needed this," he said quietly, turning to me.
I nodded, feeling a warmth in my chest that I hadn't expected. "I'm glad we came."
Rolo looked around the room one more time, then back at me. "Yeah…"
We spent the rest of the evening in the observatory, talking quietly and pointing out constellations. Mose, who had recovered from his initial awe, began making up stories about the stars, weaving ridiculous tales that had us all laughing. Even Rolo joined in, his earlier tension gone as he allowed himself to relax and enjoy the moment.
As the night wore on, the moon climbed higher in the sky, bathing the observatory in its silvery light. It felt like time had slowed down like we were suspended in a bubble of calm amidst the chaos of our world.
When we finally decided to leave, there was a sense of contentment among us, a shared understanding that this night had been special. As we made our way back down the winding staircase, I glanced over at Rolo, who was walking with a lightness in his step that I hadn't seen for a while.
It wasn't often that we got moments like this, but when we did, it reminded me why I kept going, why I fought so hard to protect what I had. As we walked back to the court, the stars still twinkling above us, I couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't a waste of time to come here.
(...)
Back in our quarters, the three of us gathered in the cozy living room, a space filled with plush couches, soft lighting, and a warm, inviting atmosphere. I sank into one of the armchairs, savoring the brief moment of quiet. Rolo settled on the armchair opposite me, already pulling out his phone to play.
Just as I was beginning to relax, Mose burst into the room like a whirlwind, nearly tripping over the rug in his haste. His hair was sticking up in all directions, and he had a wild look in his eyes.
"I'm not late, am I?" he blurted out, looking around as if he'd missed something important.
"Late for what? Bedtime?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Oh, right." Mose blinked, realization dawning on him. "I guess I got a bit carried away. But seriously, did you see me earlier? I made the tutor fly!" He flopped down onto the couch with a thud, bouncing slightly from the impact.
Rolo snickered, not even looking up from his phone. "Yeah, we saw. Maybe next time, try not to launch the entire room into orbit."
Mose grinned sheepishly, then stretched out on the couch, taking up as much space as possible. He tossed a pillow behind his head.
"Careful, you'll end up levitating the couch," Rolo teased watching as Mose's eyes began to droop.
"Not tonight…" Mose mumbled, already half-asleep. His words slurred together as he added, "Tomorrow, though… I'll totally nail it…"
I watched as Mose drifted off, his mouth slightly open, snoring softly within seconds. He looked completely at peace, sprawled out like a starfish across the cushions.
Rolo glanced over at Mose, then shook his head with a grin. "He never runs out of energy, does he?"
"Apparently, he does," I said, amused by how quickly Mose had conked out. "He just needs to talk himself to sleep first."
Unlucky idiot. I grabbed a blanket.
Rolo looked up and shook his head with a smirk. "You're really good at this, you know," he remarked, watching as I draped a blanket over Mose carelessly.
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Good at what? Babysitting?"
Rolo shrugged, "I mean, you're not bad at it."
"Don't get too comfortable," I teased, grabbing another blanket and tossing it over to Rolo. "You're next on the list."
Rolo caught the blanket, rolling his eyes but grinning. "I think I can manage."
"Sure, sure," I replied, turning off the overhead lights and leaving the room bathed in the warm, soft glow of the lamp in the corner.
Rolo chuckled and went back to his phone, while I pulled out mine to check my messages. I noticed Lil had sent a quick reply to my earlier text. I'd sent her a video of Mose's mishap in the training grounds.
I pulled out my phone to check my messages and noticed Lil had sent a quick reply to my earlier text. I'd sent her a video of Mose's spectacular mishap in the training grounds, along with a cheeky caption:
[Not waging war, just redecorating the Sorcerer Lord's backyard. What do you think? 🙈]
Lil's reply popped up on the screen almost immediately:
Trouble's Chauffeur: [With Mose on landscaping duty? Count me out! 😂]
I couldn't help but chuckle at her response, feeling a sense of warmth and amusement at the exchange. As I put my phone down, I glanced over to see that Rolo as almost dropping his. His eyes were closed, his breathing even and steady.
Really? When did I become the nanny of these two? I thought to myself, half-amused, half-exasperated.
Rolo's phone was slipping from his hand, and with a resigned sigh, I gently took it from him, placing it safely on the table beside him. He mumbled something under his breath, too quiet to make out, but didn't stir much otherwise. The blanket had slipped down to his waist, so I pulled it back up.
With Mose sprawled out on the couch and Rolo dozing off, the room felt peaceful. Shaking my head with a wry smile, I dimmed the lights, casting the living room in a soft, cozy glow, and made my way to my own bed.
I couldn't help but think about how things had changed. When did my life become about tucking people in and making sure they didn't freeze in their sleep? Yet, despite the thought, there was a strange satisfaction in it, a sense of quiet responsibility that I didn't entirely mind.