Nine Shillings

To The Victor The Spoils

London - 1842

'Rawr look after Nellyphant, Muma ties good knots,' Edward said as I tied the string of his new wooden nellyphant with little red wheels to Rawr, the string chafed his wrist if I tied it to him.

'You have to practice,' I said.

Bran coughed in the midst of persuading Mary to put on her coat.

'Don't wanna coat,' she said. 'I want armour. I can't be a knight without armour.' She waggled her wooden sword.

'Mummy doesn't wear armour.' Bran leaned to avoid the swing of her sword.

'Mummy's magic,' Mary said in her all-adults-are-silly voice.

'I wasn't always magic and I wore a wool jacket.' I handed Edward Rawr and he tugged her to make his nellyphant roll.

Mary put one arm out in a silent demand for her coat.

Edward gave me a hug. 'Hot, hot, hot. Muma, poor-poor?'

'Nothing a nap won't cure.'

'Kiss it better.' He gave me a slobbery kiss.

'I feel much better already.'

'Kisses are magic.'

'They are,' I said. 'Now, remember to hold Papa's hand so he doesn't get lost.'

'Don't want to lose Pappy,' Mary said as Bran fastened her coat.

'Papa's going to buy us tasty ice,' Edward said.

'Yum, yum.' I looped the end of a long piece of ribbon round his wrist then handed the loop at the other end to Bran to put round his wrist, we had to stop Edward wandering off somehow, he was fast when he got going.

Millie thudded down the stairs follow by Merry. 'Are you ready yet, tinies?'

'I'm not tiny.' Mary stamped her foot.

'I am.' Edward put his hand out to Bran. 'Me an' Rawr keep you safe, Papa.'

Bran had to stoop to hold his hand. 'I'm sure you will.' He took Mary's hand too.

'I'm not tiny,' she said. 'I'm a big girl, Millie's just... giant, like... a really big thing.'

Bran gave me a kiss. 'Sort everything out, will you?'

I cupped his face and kissed him back. 'I'm persuasive.'

'Yucky kisses,' Mary muttered.

He glanced at the children and decided not to elaborate. 'Ready for the park?'

They cheered and I shut the door in their wake. I leaned against it and, with no need to hold on I relaxed a fraction. Energy was burning through me, pressing against my skin with the desire to escape. My nails lengthened to black claws and my fingers looked frostbitten to the knuckle. I pushed away from the door leaving glowing handprints behind. I shoved the energy back down and the frostbite receded.

Josef was lying on his bed with his hand over his eyes having dressed in his shirt and trousers and then decided bed was better.

'If you're not going to let me give you some of this energy at least go out and eat because being tired isn't helping.' I shut the bedroom door.

'I'm too tired to go hunting and my magic probably wouldn't work if I did.'

'What do you do then?' I asked. 'Just lie there till you die?'

He eyed me through his fingers.

'That's what happens to people,' I said. 'I've seen it.'

'It'll take some time but I'll adjust.'