Law of Tens

"I said don't touch it!"

"Don't push me!"

"I'm gonna tell!"

"Lemme see!"

"It's my treasure!"

The two boys, five and six, continued to grapple with one another, disrupting the field of grass that was grown up to around their waists. Their mother had told them not to go this far in because there might be snakes but the younger of the brothers had spotted something that had made him forget that warning. He wasn't afraid of snakes anyway. He was a full five years old now. His mother just didn't understand that he was grown.

His elder brother was taller than him, but not by much, was trying just as hard to capture the treasure. The two were evenly matched in strength as they struggled against one another. At one point, they toppled over into the grass sending up a flurry of insects and nearly crushing the treasure.

"Stop it! It's mine!"

"Da says we're suppos'ta share!"

"Let go! I'm telling!"

Their cries echoed over the grass catching the attention of their mother who couldn't help but notice that they had gone missing. Knowing her second son as she did, she was easily able to guess where they had gone. There was nothing quite like the allure of the forbidden and, despite being the eldest, her first son would follow loyally wherever his brother went.

Walking slowly through the grass, smiling because she was sure there weren't any snakes in this area, she spotted the quickly jerking reeds where her sons had disappeared.

Boys.

Finn took in a slow breath and snapped, "Allwin! Ryul!"

Two simultaneous cries were hurriedly cut off as the grass suddenly stilled. Grinning, Finn kept walking forward. She didn't want the boys to see her smiling because she didn't want them to think disobedience was okay, but it was so hard not to grin.

She blamed it on the pregnancy. Finn always seemed to be unreasonably happy when she was pregnant. It was late in this one, she liked to rest her hand on her rounded belly, but she only became happier as she came further into it.

As she got closer, she could hear a fierce whispering battle between her boys. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but she was relatively certain that they were blaming each other for the lecture they were about to receive.

"Come out, you two," Finn stopped, trying to look fierce with her rounded belly and her resultant waddle because she couldn't walk correctly anymore.

It took a couple seconds, but her sons finally stood up from the grass. Both of them trying their best to look innocent and sweet.

Allwin, her eldest and the crown prince by birthright, looked exactly like his father. Silver hair, icy blue eyes, and elf lines to both hands. He tended to stand just behind his younger brother because, despite being crown prince and the eldest, he was much more a follower than a leader.

Ryul also took more after Vallor than Finn. He also had the fluid elf hair, it was dark like Finn's, but he had Vallor's icy blue eyes. His elf lines ran across his chest and back, covering a far greater surface area than they usually did. He was much more a leader than his elder brother, though he also tended to be a little more reckless and hotheaded. Though Allwin was crown prince by birthright, Vallor had already spoken to his council about making Ryul crown prince instead one day. If he proved himself worthy of it and no other siblings were better suited.

"Hi, ma!" He beamed at her, one tooth missing.

"What are you two doing out here?" Finn asked in her sternest voice. She knew it wouldn't do any good though. The boys only feared their father. They both knew Finn was a total pushover and could be bought with a smile an apology.

"Ryu did it!" Allwin said immediately, pointing accusatorially without hesitation.

Ryul gave his elder brother a dark look that promised retribution later when they were alone. Allwin didn't alter his stance though. If nothing else, Allwin had a very clear belief on right and wrong. He would make a good counselor if not king one day.

Finn sighed, shaking her head. "I told you it could be dangerous. What if a snake had bitten you?"

"You could fix it," Ryul gave her a bright smile. "You can fix anything."

Finn had to clench her teeth to avoid smiling. It was so cute, even if she knew that he was only doing it in order to get out of being in trouble.

"What if I hadn't gotten to you in time? It's too dangerous."

"Sorry, ma," Ryul tried to look properly ashamed. And failed.

"Al?" She looked to her eldest expectantly.

He jumped. "I didn't do nothing wrong!"

"You didn't do anything wrong. And yes you did. I told both of you not to do this. Just because Ryu does something bad doesn't give you permission to do the same thing."

"Sorry, ma," he grumbled unhappily. He gave Ryul a glare as though it were his fault somehow that he was now in trouble.

"You two know better than to ignore me like that. You're both princes. You have responsibilities to your people and the realm. You can't be bitten by snakes."

"I'm not afraid of no snakes," Ryul kicked the ground unhappily.

Finn sighed, rubbing her hand down her very pregnant belly. She was too far along to stand up and argue with Ryul. She'd never get to sit down if she started and her feet already hurt from the walk over.

"What brought you all the way out here after I told you not to go, anyway?"

"Ryu found a treasure and he won't share it with me!" Allwin declared immediately.

"It's mine!" Ryul snapped, pushing him.

"Okay, okay," Finn stepped forward to break up the next fight before it happened. "Ryu, what treasure?"

"I found it, it's mine," he pouted.

"Well, what is it?"

Ryul shuffled his feet for a moment, unwilling to show her. He didn't want his mother to see his prize and say he wasn't allowed to keep it. Then again, he really didn't want to face his father if he deliberately disobeyed his mother.

So, a bit reluctantly, he stepped out of the way and pulled back the grass to reveal what he had chased all the way out here.

Finn gasped at the familiar light.

The tiny rabbit kit lifted his head, pink nose twitching fearfully as he sniffed the air from the shallow hole he had tried to hide himself in. His soft brown fur was covered in dirt, but he looked healthy. He was smaller, younger now, but his big brown eyes were open and focused.

"I'll take care of it!" Ryul promised her quickly. "It's so pretty. I want it."

"I've never seen a rabbit like it," Allwin said in awe.

Finn grinned. "Oh, you two. This isn't just any rabbit."

Laughing, she crouched down slowly, trying not to move too fast and upset her pregnant belly. She reached forward, calling gently to the little thing.

"Come here, darling. It's okay. I won't hurt you."

The rabbit, instincts in high gear, flinched back. But he didn't attempt to run. He continued to sniff at the air. He jumped in surprise when Finn lowered her hands around him, scooping his warm little body into her palms. Her boys watched with awe as she grabbed him without hesitation. It took her another moment to get to her feet, but both boys grabbed an elbow and helped.

She smiled at them gratefully as she lowered her hand to let them get a good view.

"He's shiny," Ryul laughed, touching his back with one gentle finger.

"Come on, let's get back to your father and show him the treasure you found."

"Yeah!" Ryul agreed eagerly. Happy since it was obvious that his mother wasn't going to demand he leave the strangely shiny rabbit alone.

Turning, Finn began slowly walking back through the grass. She ran her fingers gently over the rabbit's body. The kit wasn't used to being pet and he rolled over onto his back and began swatting at her fingers playfully.

Finn laughed, attacking his soft little belly.

Vallor looked up from where he was sitting when he spotted the boys leading their mother back through the grass to the picnic. A picnic they had insisted on. Vallor had only agreed because they wouldn't stop pleading with him.

"Where have you two been?" He asked, voice low and dangerous. Both boys flinched.

But Ryul answered, pointing. "I found a treasure."

"A treasure?" Vallor looked from him to his smiling wife.

He couldn't get up to come to her. Unfortunately, their daughter, barely a year old now, had chosen to fall asleep in his arms instead of her mother's today. Which meant that he was now confined to the picnic blanket. Caralel was still so tiny, like a doll, and getting her to go to sleep was a fight every single night and day. So when she did finally fall asleep, the king and queen would move mountains to assure that nothing woke her up.

"Vallor," Finn beamed, turning his attention from his errant sons.

Both boys, as eager to escape punishment as they were to show their father what they had found, beckoned him to look at what was in Finn's hand.

Vallor reached out as she approached and took her arm so he could help her get down onto her knees so she could sit back.

"Look," she beamed, opening her hands.

Vallor blinked, confused for a moment. He couldn't see what his wife and his sons could. But he realized a moment later what she must be showing him.

"Is that..."

"Can I keep it?" Ryul asked eagerly. "I'll take care of him, I promise! Not, Al. Al didn't find it. I did. It's mine!"

"You're suppos'ta share!" Allwin reminded him again.

Finn laughed. "Boys, this isn't just a rabbit. This is your big brother."

Allwin frowned. "I'm the big brother."

"He's the biggest brother."

"Is it Ebow?!" Ryul asked eagerly, grabbing her wrists and almost upsetting the kit that had curled into a ball.

Finn laughed, stroking his head. "Yes. He's still little. He's going to need us to teach him how to speak. He needs both of you to take care of him. Can you do that?"

"Yeah!" Ryul agreed eagerly as Allwin nodded.

Finn smiled up at Vallor. Looking from him to their sleeping daughter.

She was still so tiny. But she was the only one of their children to have inherited Finn's lines. No one knew her personality yet, but some, Rael included, were already calling for her to be named crown princess because she shared the queen's lines.

There was plenty of time later to decide who would inherit. It might even be the babe resting under Finn's breast right now that would have the heart and mind to inherit the crown. It didn't really matter. Finn just wanted to keep her children for a while longer.

And now that their older brother was back, they were finally a complete family.

Ebow lifted his twitching pink nose and sniffed the air.