Dorian shifted Cedric to his left side, arm firm beneath the boy's squirming legs. He glanced toward the bassinets and nodded to two nurses nearby, still fussing over cloths and linens.
"Keep an eye on them," he said, chin-tilting toward the babies. "All of them."
"Yes, Your Grace," one of them answered quickly, moving closer to Cassius's cradle.
Dorian turned, Cedric giggling again in his arms. The boy grabbed hold of his father's shirt with both hands, burrowing his head briefly into Dorian's chest before pulling back to look up at him.
"Alright," Dorian muttered, "let's think names, shall we?"
But the moment he said it, Cedric slapped his hands together, grinning wide. Then again. Over and over, clapping like his little life depended on it.
"Okay, okay, I get it," Dorian laughed, bouncing him lightly. "You've got other plans, huh?"
Cedric pulled away, eyes drifting toward the far end of the bedroom, specifically the large balcony doors down to the left, just past the foot of the bed, where Selene still rested, unmoving. He pointed with two fingers, arm stretched as far as it would go, babbling something indecipherable under his breath. Then, slowly, he started walking in that direction, a toddler's unbalanced, wide-footed wobble using his father's chest as his floor.
Dorian raised a brow. "Hey, wh—"
Before he could finish, the balcony doors burst open.
Not violently. No shattered glass. Just… force. Controlled. Eerie. They swung wide with precision, stopping perfectly against their frame. A gust of wind followed behind, curling through the room like it belonged there. Cedric, standing high on Dorian's arm now, pointed excitedly outside, right at the glowing lights of the capital down below.
He looked back at Dorian, then to the city again, then pointed harder.
"Yes, yes, I see it, Cedric," Dorian said, amused. "The capital. Amazing."
Cedric clapped again, hands and feet this time flapping and stomping, barely able to contain himself.
Dorian snorted, readjusting his grip.
"You're gonna throw yourself off me if you keep that up."
That didn't stop Cedric. He crawled up Dorian's chest like it was a mountain, gripping his collar, then his shoulder.
"Hey bu—what are you—hey—"
By the time Dorian reached up to stop him, Cedric was already seated squarely on his shoulders, legs dangling at his chest, tiny hands patting the top of his head.
"Ow—ow—ow, easy on the curls!" Dorian winced, laughing through it.
One of the nurses turned, catching the sight. "Aw," she said, smiling.
"No, definitely ow, not aw," Dorian muttered, side-eyeing her.
He shifted slightly, adjusting Cedric's seat on his shoulders, then signaled the same nurse. "Let him stay with me out here a bit more. He's clearly not going down anytime soon."
"Yes, Your Grace," she said with a nod.
Dorian stepped away from the nursery chamber, Cedric still perched above him, and made his way down the grand hall. The castle staircase loomed ahead, a sweeping curve of stone and polished marble, wide enough for three people across. Dorian walked down it easily, one hand securing Cedric's legs, the other resting at his side.
At the foot of the stairs, just to the right, stood an older man in full butler attire, a tailored black coat, silver buttons, white gloves, hair slicked back to perfection despite the late hour.
Dorian snapped his fingers once. "Make something good for dinner, Oswin. Enough for everyone. Big enough to feel like a win."
Oswin bowed slightly, already smiling. "Yes, yes, will do, Master Dorian. I'll make sure the kitchen doesn't hold back tonight."
"Appreciate it."
He walked past, entering the lower halls, stone archways casting long shadows across the floor. Cedric hummed on his shoulders, still occasionally patting his head like a drum.
Dorian stopped by a side table near the wall, grabbing a silver jug and pouring two glasses of water — one for him, one for Selene.
The nurses upstairs might've forgotten. Or maybe they hadn't. Either way, nobody ever complained about water.
He handed one glass to Cedric, who stared at it with absolute confusion before slapping it gently with his palm, sending a few drops flying onto Dorian's sleeve.
"…Great," Dorian said, sipping his own. "Teaching you table manners is gonna be a war."
Cedric squealed in response.
Dorian laughed, "Innocent until proven guilty huh?"
Dorian adjusted Cedric on his shoulder, the boy still squirming lightly, as he placed his half-full cup of water down on the side table. He poured another one and held it out.
"Alright, little man. You hold this," he said, lowering the cup to Cedric's small hands. The boy stared at it like it was made of gold. "Two hands. No funny business."
Cedric wrapped his fingers around it, surprisingly steady.
They made their way upstairs. For a minute, things were smooth until halfway up the stairwell, Cedric jerked the cup toward Dorian's chest with toddler strength and no warning.
"Whoa—hey!" Dorian caught his own cup just as it tipped, his hand flashing out to stabilize it. His boot knocked into something soft, the corner of a tray.
A loud clatter followed as a breakfast tray lurched sideways, almost tipping fully over. Dorian instinctively reached out, planting the water cup on the tray before the food could crash to the floor, then dropped to one knee, Cedric still balanced on one shoulder, and caught every falling plate and bowl mid-drop with one hand.
Cedric squealed in delight and grabbed a fistful of his father's hair, tugging hard. He pointed down at one item on the tray.
A sugar biscuit.
Dorian winced, jaw tightening. "Buddy... you have to stop pull—ow!" Another yank.
"Alright," he sighed, grabbing the biscuit and handing it to Cedric, who immediately shoved it into his mouth with messy glee.
The girl holding the tray, no more than twelve, small build, pale blue uniform slightly too big for her frame, stood frozen. Her hands trembled at her sides.
Dorian glanced up, noticing her eyes were wide with panic. He stood up slowly, adjusting Cedric's weight again.
Placing him down
"It's okay," he said gently, "It's okay. Here, follow me."
Things weren't looking so well, seemingly so as they were halfway up the stairs and fell forward. But luckily Dorian put his water on the tray before colliding and grabbed the tray before it fell onto the ground and down the stairs completely with him.
Rough morning.
He motioned her up the rest of the stairs. She nodded quickly and trailed behind him, tray steady in her hands again. As they reached the nursery, he pushed the doors open and guided her toward Selene's bedside.
"Put it there," he said, nodding to the small table next to Selene.
Just as the girl passed by him, he grabbed his cup of water and took a slow sip.
"I feel like I'm forgetting something..." he muttered aloud.
He paused.
Nom nom nom.
He turned. Cedric was still chewing, biscuit half-gone, but the water? Where was it? Oh. Still intact. Barely. Cedric was now holding it with his mouth, biting down on the rim like a dog with a stick, as he sat there looking clueless.