Summer 70, 517 AV
A groaning filled the small rented apartment, as Karyk's eyes slow crawled open. The shipwright cast his eyes to the window next to his bed, seeing that it was still dark, but clear that Syna was about to rise up over the forest. He reached down, and found the tiny lumps beneath the blankets, two on his left, one on his right. Hand reaching out, he rubbed each of his new children's heads in turn, whispering,
"Time to wake up lovebugs." Sharay as usual swatted at him and growled, rolling over away from him. All of the Southwind women were the same. Fiery tempers and certainly not morning risers. Southwind men on the other hand... That was quickly answered as the twins were scrambling over Karyk and kneeling on his chest, tiny fists pounding on his chest, the air filled with giggles.
"Oh ya think ya got me eh?" he said laughing, before slipping a hand under each twins torso's and pushing them skyward. They squealed, flailing about as Karyk held them there.
"Again!" Karyk happily obliged, lowering them down to his chest again, before pushing them upward again. He continued to push them up and down as they pretended they were flying giggling all the while, until Sharay growled loudly and flung the blanket from her, and slid out of bed. Karyk tossed the twins down onto the bed, and slid out as well. Sharay grabbed the chamber pot, and carried it to the end of the bed to relieve herself in some privacy.
Karyk had an idea forming, knowing the twins had been cooped up, as well as wanting to spend good, quality time with his new kids, and his apprentice. He knew he had a few days off work, as his crew was only just beginning a new project, and were ahead of schedule.
"Wha' do y'all wan' for breffes'? The twins looked at each other, and without saying anything aside from shared giggles,
"Frog legs."Karyk cast them an incredulous look, but Sharay spoke first,
"Don' be dumb. Tha's for lunch." Sharay went over to their table where most of their foodstuffs sat, and grabbed a bag of oats.
"Porridge. Make i' like mum did. Boil with sal' an' milk, add 'oney after." The bag of oats was thrown dramatically on the end of the table. Karyk snorted, smirking at the young woman,
"Yes ma'am." Karyk slipped out of bed and stretched wide, in his small clothes, rotating his back to get out the tight knots from the previous day's work. Moving to the end of the bed, watching the twins wrestle, Karyk relieved himself into the chamber pot,
"Sharay, wash up an' wash your brothers. We're 'eadin' out for a few days." Sharay gave her usual morning growl and got the the bathtub ready.
Moving over to the door, Karyk opened it up, reached down, and grabbed the bottle of milk and the small basket of cleaned laundry that sat there. He carried them back in, put down the basket, and poured the milk into his cooking pot. Karyk overturned the bag of oats into it, and reached into his cooking kit and grabbed a pinch of salt, tossing that in too. He then set it on the rack in the hearth, and waited for it to boil.
"Where we goin'?"Karyk grabbed some bowls and spoons and set them out on the table, and a wooden spoon as well.
"Lakeshore, we're gonna go campin'. Y'all need to learn some thin's. An' we gotta get y'all outta this room."Sharay smiled at this, while also ignoring the wrestling twins. Karyk moved back to the hearth and saw it was now boiling. He began to stir, ensuring to scrape the bottom of the pot, so that it didn't stick. It thickened as it boiled, and Karyk kept at it. Suddenly, Sharay was at his side, her wet hair on his shoulder.
"Ya overcooked it. Get it off now."Karyk pulled it from the fire using a sock as heat protection. He set the pot on the table, when Sharay pushed him out of the way,
"Ya big dolt. Gotta pour it before it sets." She quickly divvied out the food into the bowls. Karyk pulled some honey and dried fruit from his cooking kit and added them to the bowls. He and Sharay sat at the table while the twins played in their bath.
The porridge was a bit too thick, a little too done, but it still was a nice breakfast. Then Sharay spoke and Karyk nearly choked on his food,
"Are ya and miss Shiress boyfrien' and girlfrien' now?"Having recovered, Karyk chuckled,
"Nah lovebug, she was jus' 'elpin' me out."Sharay nodded,
"Tha's good. After all, ya gonna end up with Salara."The twins quietly joined them, having dressed,
"She's in Riverfall, we're 'ere. It ain't gonna happen." Unless we meet again at our pond in a year. Sharay glared at him,
"I ain't wrong. Woman's intoo... inta... intootuition.""If ya say so lovebug." I hope so.Once breakfast, Karyk and the kids packed up their gear,
"We gotta go buy some thin's before we get outta town. Y'all ready?"Sharay nodded and the twins giggled, and started punching each other in the arms. And with a grin on his face, Karyk and his family left the small apartment.