Knight!Reader X 2P!Child!F.A.C.E. - 3

Five Against the World
Part 3

   Ryden bobs his head in rhythm with his feet. His glossy black coat leaves a lasting impression with the people on the docks. They gawk at the massive steed and the young woman in brilliant armor riding him.
   Not liking all the attention, Francois tries to hide himself in _______’s lap.
   ”Aww, he’s so adorable when he acts shy~” thinks _______, smiling to herself.
   Ushering forward, Ryden slows to a halt at the end of the pier. He raises his head and glances at ______ with black eyes.
   “Let us find a boat to ferry us across to England, Francois,” suggests _______, dismounting.
   Francois sits quietly in the saddle, staring at a nearby fish stand. He wrinkles his nose at the overwhelming stench of raw fish.
   Leading Ryden by the reins, _______ approaches a group of men tending to a broad ship. Reading the name engraved into the side, ______ turns to the oldest sailor-a grouchy-faced man with a curly, brown beard.
   “Excuse me, sir, but can you take us to the English Isles?” asks _______ politely.
   Grunting, the man nods, yet doesn’t look at her.
   “Marvelous!” Grinning triumphantly, _______ pulls Ryden up the ramp to join the other passengers on deck.
   After leaving Ryden in the ship’s small stables, _______ returns to the deck. Soon, the ship sets sail and the docks fade into the distance. A wave of homesickness washes over ______ as she watches the last remnants of France slip away over the horizon.
She feels something wriggle into her hand and she looks down to see Francois shoving his small hand into hers. Smiling warmly, she gives his hand a squeeze. He stares at her beaming face until the corners of his mouth curve up into a smile of his own.
The sun reflects off of the deep blue of the English Channel as the ship sails on.
Francois occupies himself with tossing rose petals into the water. _______ simply wonders where he keeps pulling the red flowers from.
Stars begin to appear in the sky, when England comes into view. The air cools as the sun retracts its warmth.
Taking Francois’ hand, ______ leads him below deck to avoid the cold. She almost walks past it-the potato sack resting on a wine barrel-but then it moves. _______ pauses to stare at it.
Then it kicks. Kicks! The sack squirms and _______ swears she heard a gurgle.
Cautiously, she reaches out and lifts the edge of the sewn cloth. Her (e/c) eyes widen as she gasps. Yanking the lip of the sack so hard it rips, she finds two discoveries.
Twitching his tiny nose, an infant peers up at _______ with crimson eyes. A layer of brown baby fuzz covers his head. Beside him, his twin kicks his chubby, baby legs excitedly. His fuzzy head is blonde and his eyes a deep violet.
Francois eyes widen at the sight of the twins.
Gently, ______ takes the babies into her arms and cradles them. They gurgle happily and the blonde one nuzzles into her.
Warmth floods ______’s being and her heart feels like it’s going to burst. They are so adorable it’s scandalous! She’s not sure what to do with them, but one thing is for sure: they’re staying with her. No way she could give up these two little angels!
“Ugh, why do babies have to be so messy?” sighs ______ mentally, exhausted.
They’ve sailing for hours. The babies have been crying for hours. _______ has been sleep-deprived for hours.
________ grimaces as she finishes pinning the cloth diaper on the sniffling blonde. Her first diaper change horrified her. Gratefully, she picks up the now clean, baby boy and touches their noses together. She smiles and the baby giggles while grabbing at her hair.
And then the other one breaks into a wail.
Groaning, ______ reaches for the bawling brunette. He quiets down, when she coos to him softly.
Francois hunches over his bunk, his face in his hands. He looks miserably tired.
”Maybe I should have thought about how Francois’ feels about these little boys…” wonders ______.
Purple eyes turning puffy, the blonde erupts into screaming.
“Will they ever stop?” complains Francois.
“I hope so,” sighs ______, rocking the twins in her arms.
A knock is barely heard from their room’s door.
“Can you get that, Francois?” asks ______, looking at the young boy hopefully.
Pale lavender eyes connect with her (e/c) ones. Frowning, he scoots off the bed and opens the door.
A woman stands in the doorway, her red hair curling over her shoulders. With a smile, she greets Francois and he simply stares at her like he hopes she’ll just leave. Noticing ______, the woman’s gaze turns sympathetic.
“I am sorry to knock at this hour, but I can stand the wails no longer,” she apologizes.
_______ tenses. She thinks this woman is here to scold her for not keeping the babies quiet.
“As a mother myself, I cannot turn away a babe in need,” continues the woman, stepping into the room.
_______’s grasp tightens slightly on the wailing infants. She doesn’t ponder the fact the woman implies ______ is a mother too.
Tentatively, the woman extends her hands. “May I?”
Pulling the twins to her chest, _____ nearly smothers them with her bosom.
“It is alright; I won’t allow them any harm,” reassures the woman, her emerald gaze gentle.
Call it a woman’s intuition, but _____ has the odd feeling she can trust this woman. However, as she passes one of the twins to her, _______ keeps a sharp eye just-in-case.
Bouncing the red-eyed infant in her arms, she holds him with greater dexterity than ______ had.
“I see the problem now: he’s hungry. They both are,” explains the woman, her curls twisting playfully, “When did you last feed them?”
______ shrugs sheepishly.
Shaking her head, the woman moves to sit next to Francois on the bed. He moves away, uncomfortable with her proximity.
Not sure what to feed them, _______ decides to ask the woman. Heat rises to her cheeks, as the woman explains the kind of nourishment a baby needs. Suddenly self-conscious, ______ glances down at her chest. Well...these babies definitely weren’t getting anything from her.
“They’re not yours...are they?”
The question catches ______ off-guard. Slowly, she nods.
“But no one else will care for them! So I will,” declares _______, determined.
A soft smile graces the woman’s lips.
“I believe you. Still, someone needs to fill their little tum-tums,” she points out, cooing over the baby in her arms.
After the twins are fed and sleeping soundly on the bed, ______ learns the woman’s name is Avion Everston. She’s returning home to England after visiting France.
Their whispered conversations stretch long into the night.
“So, have you named them yet?” inquires Avion as _____ finishes her tale of fighting off a pack of wolves.
Her brow furrowing thoughtfully, it takes _____ a moment to answer.
“I’m not sure what to name them…” she admits finally.
Francois mutters something, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed.
“What was that?” urges ______.
“I think we should name the blonde one Matthieu,” suggests Francois, louder this time.
Watching the blonde’s tiny chest rise and fall softly, ______ finds the name fits.
“If you can’t decide on the other one….how about Allan?” offers Avion.
Turning from the brunette to the sleeping blonde, ______ smiles.
“Allan and Matthieu it is then,” declares _______, satisfied.
The following morning brings them into harbor on the coast of the English Isles.
As ______ leads Ryden down the ramp, Avion rattles off advice for the care of Matthieu and Allan.
“How did you get so wise, Avion?” laughs _____, overwhelmed.
Avion smiles lightly.
“From personal experience with my own child,” she answers.
“Which reminds me: where is your child?” questions _____ curiously.
_______ pauses as Avion’s stride falters. Her smile fades away as she watches Avion’s green eyes turn mournful.
“With the angels of the Heavens…”
Regretting her decision to ask, _______ nudges her shoulder.
   “I feel for your loss...but I’m also grateful for your aid with Matthieu and Allan,” admits _____ quietly.
   Managing a weak smile, Avion blinks away old tears.
   “Thank you for the chance to be a mother again,” she replies.
   As Avion’s presence leaves her, ______ feels at a loss. What will she do without the experienced mother?
   Yet, they have a quest to complete and a mystery to solve. ______ busies herself with shifting the puzzle pieces around-few they are-as they ride into Birmingham, England.
Francois clasps Matthieu firmly in his arms as _____ must keep one hand on the reins.
Looking over her shoulder, ______ admits how strange they must look: a female knight on a towering, black steed carrying two babies and bringing along a French lad. Still, there’s something about the sight of Francois gazing upon tiny Matthieu that makes _____ not regret her choice.
Even if he won’t admit it yet, Francois accepts the twins as younger brothers. Only ______ notices they’re starting to look like a family.