The morning sun spilled over the rooftops of Viswall as Marcus leaned casually on the fence outside his house. Across from him, Alice stood with her daughter, Aisha, the two of them out for a leisurely stroll. Alice’s sharp grin suggested she had something up her sleeve, as usual.

“So, Marcus,” Alice began, her tone light but loaded. “I’ve been wondering—how come your boy Raul isn’t chasing after the ladies yet? At his age, weren’t you already leaving a trail of broken hearts?”

Marcus laughed, scratching his head. “I’d love to deny that, Alice, but... yeah, you’re not wrong. I was a bit of a menace back in the day.”

Alice’s smirk widened as she tilted her head. “So, what’s wrong with Raul then? Are you sure he’s even yours? Faith might’ve had something fun without you.”

Marcus barked a laugh, clutching his chest as if he’d been wounded. “Oh, come on, Alice! That’s low, even for you. Faith would never do that.”

Alice shrugged with mock innocence. “Just saying, Marcus. Raul seems way too serious for a boy his age. He didn’t get that from you.”

Before Marcus could fire back, a familiar voice cut through the jokes.

“Marcus Bervet,” Faith said, her tone sweet but laced with mischief, “are you flirting with the neighbors again?”

Both Marcus and Alice turned to see Faith walking up the path, her hands on her hips and an amused smile on her lips.

“Flirting?” Marcus raised his hands in mock surrender, his grin as wide as the horizon. “Faith, you wound me. I was just talking about how good our son is.”

Faith slid an arm around his waist, her smile not fading. “Mmm-hmm.”

Alice chuckled. “Don’t worry, Faith. I was just reminding Marcus that Raul doesn’t seem to have inherited his... charming ways.”

Faith glanced up at her husband with a raised eyebrow. “Oh, you mean the same charm that got him into trouble in every village we passed through? I’m thrilled Raul missed that.”

“Hey!” Marcus interjected, pretending to look offended. “That so-called trouble brought me to you, didn’t it?”

Faith rolled her eyes but smiled. “More like I rescued you from it.”

Alice burst out laughing. “Faith, I don’t know how you put up with him.”

Faith gave Marcus a playful squeeze. “Patience. Lots of patience.”

Marcus leaned in closer to Faith, grinning. “Admit it, you love me.”

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Faith smirked. “Of course. But if I catch you ‘chatting’ with Alice too much, I’ll love you a little less.”

Alice waved her hands dramatically. “Whoa, whoa! Don’t drag me into this! Marcus isn’t my type anyway.”

Marcus raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Alice grinned wickedly. “It means I like my men quieter.”

Faith laughed, and even Marcus couldn’t help but chuckle. “Alright, alright,” he said, backing away from the fence. “I know when I’m outnumbered. I’ll stick to praising my well behaved son.”

Faith raised an eyebrow. “Speaking of which,” she said, turning toward him. “Raul came to me this morning, asking me to teach him magic.”

Marcus’ expression faltered for a second. “What?”

“He demonstrated Chiming Winds for me,” Faith continued, shaking her head. “He knows how to cast it, and when I told him he was too young, he insisted he wanted to learn more.”

Alice’s eyes widened in surprise. “A prodigy!” she exclaimed, her tone a mix of admiration and disbelief. “A child that age, already trying to master magic? I take back what I said about him not being yours, Marcus. He’s definitely your son.”

Aisha, Alice’s daughter, who had been quietly watching the conversation, stepped forward. “Mama, can I learn magic too?” she asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

Alice was at first shocked. She had momentarily forgotten that her daughter had been there all that time. Maybe it was because of the tall fence that had hidden her a little in the bushes.

Shechuckled softly, ruffling her daughter’s hair. “Not yet, dear. You need to focus on getting better first,” she said gently. “You’re still recovering from that flu, remember?”

Aisha pouted but nodded.

Alice, with a final glance at the couple, gave a playful wave. “Well, I’ll leave you two to it. Don’t go letting that boy get too carried away, Faith. A child that smart... well, he’s going to make waves.”

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Faith replied, smiling as Alice began to walk off.

“Take care!” Marcus called out as Alice and Aisha headed toward the nearby town.

After Alice and Aisha had walked off down the path, Marcus turned to Faith, a thoughtful expression on his face. He rested his hand on the fence, his gaze lingering on their house as if considering something important.

"Faith," Marcus began, his voice serious but gentle, "I think you should teach Raul magic."

Faith blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic. "What do you mean?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Marcus met her eyes, his expression firm but caring. "The boy is mature for his age. He can understand the consequences of using magic carelessly.”

Faith sighed softly, crossing her arms. "You just want me to teach him so you don't have to hear me complain when you start drilling him in combat training." She shot him a teasing look.

"You’ve been waiting to make him into a warrior since he could walk."

Marcus grinned, unfazed. "I still want to, but I’ll leave that for now. Just make sure you teach him the right way. And remember, I only wanted to start him early, but you insisted he wait until he was ten." He winked playfully.

Faith couldn’t help but smile at his usual carefree attitude. “I’ll be careful. But you can’t blame me for wanting him to be a child a little longer.”

Marcus leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll leave you to it, then,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve got to meet with an old friend of mine.”

Faith raised an eyebrow, curious. “An old friend? Who?”

Marcus’ expression grew more serious, his smile fading slightly. “It’s something to do with the kingdom and security," he replied, his voice low and measured. "But my friend’s been... vague about the details. I’ll keep you updated.”

Faith studied his face for a moment, her concern evident. "Be careful, Marcus."

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Always am." He kissed her again before turning to leave. "I’ll see you later."