Callianeira settled an almost two-year-old Paaveli into his bed. His hair was still wet from his recent bath, with his black hair thrown every which way from him shaking it out like a dog. Bedtime in the Gabor house was one a tight schedule, as they wanted Paaveli to be on a good schedule on the get go instead of having to develop one later on.

        “What book do you want me to read tonight?” She asked, wandering over to the book shelf that was stocked full of books on his wall.

        “Nieven,” Paaveli said, kicking his covers off his legs slightly as he laid in his bed.

        “’Nieven the Great’? Again?” She asked, picking up the book and wandering to the rocking chair that was settled by her son’s bed.

        “Yes, yes, yes,” Paaveli chanted, lifting a hand to rub at his face before sitting up as his mother sat down in the rocking chair. He reached out to her, and Cal huffed a small breath of amusement before handing her son the book and then picking him up and settling the young boy on her lap. Night time reading time was just about the only time Paaveli would willingly sit in someone’s lap without getting huffy.

        Callianeira took the book back from him and opened it up, beginning to read.

        Before she was even halfway done, Paaveli was asleep on her lap, and she knew she had to be very careful moving him back into bed. He was a very light sleeper, and she continued to recite the story she had almost memorized by now to keep him asleep as she shifted him back into his bed. Once he was on the bed, she froze when he stirred, only to be relieved he was just rolling onto his side. Cal pulled his blanket up and uttered a small good night before blowing out the candles on his desk and leaving the room.



        As tradition goes, when Paaveli was two, he met his troop members he’d be growing up with. Upon receiving his Troop’s number and their first meeting date, Exekias and Callianeira were already planning. It’s considered a huge stepping stone for a child in Ebrus to be invited into a troop instead of being signed up for one, and it made it even better that Paaveli’s uncle would be the assigned general when it came time for the children to ship off permanently.

        The parents arrived on time at the city’s barracks where an older troop of soldiers was assigned to watching over the new youth that was being dropped off in their care. Twenty-seven kids in total ended up in the large training field, already running around and trying to figure all these other kids out.

        “Why you so short?” Abree asked, a young girl with short red hair, dark brown eyes.

        “I’m not short.” Paaveli countered, glaring up at the same aged girl who had an inch or two on him.

        “Yes you are.” She giggled.

        “You short too, Abree,” Slade yelled as he came running over with Cade in tow. Cade had an inch on Abree; he was going to be a tall guy in the future. The two crashed into the other two kids, the four ending up wrestling on the floor until one of the soldiers wandered over and grabbed them by the backs of their shirts and lifted them up.

        “Did you not hear us call for lunch?” The older man snarled down at the four, who looked up at him with big eyes. “Get going. Now.” He ordered, and the four took off with Abree and Cade giggling.

        “Eat up, shrimps. You have to finish your plates before being permitted to go outside again.” The general of the troop watching over the young troop announced.

        All twenty-seven kids were seated on the floor of one of the barrack’s meeting rooms with some of the older soldiers wandering around to hand them plates. The kids eagerly started stuffing their face, giggling over childish musings to one another and sneaking to trade food they didn’t want with another.

        “Hey, you gon’ eat that, Paavie?” Brendon asked, pointing to the roll on the other’s plate.

        “No.” Paaveli picked up the roll and put it into the other’s hand.

        “Thanks!” He took a big bite from the bread.

        Paaveli switched plates with Brendon when he ate what he wanted and Brendon had finished and was still hungry. He had eaten his fill, and didn’t want anymore. He did want to go back outside though. Once Brendon and the others finished, the soldiers opened the doors, and the kids took off back outside to trample one another through the grass or chatter about foolish things, or poke bugs around in the grass or throw stones to see who could throw them farther.

        For the next year, all twenty-seven kids arrived at the same place to bond, learn, and begin low level training to familiarize the children with what would be coming. They started learning the basics for manners and simple games to play that familiarized the kids with the military based games they’d be playing when they were older. The sooner they were introduced to these things, the easier their training went. Paaveli spent most of his days with his new troop members.

        All twenty seven kids became close over the next few years they were training and learning together. None of them bothered much with other children. And when they turned five, they no longer returned home. Their new general, Killian Gabor (Paaveli’s uncle), was now their head caregiver and watched over the twenty seven children. He would now be over their education and training.



        “You be good now, you hear?” Callianeira said as she held her son’s cheeks between her hands. “I don’t want to hear anything bad else I’ll march my ass down there and give you a good thump, alright?” She scolded, earning a nod from her son before her features flickered into a small frown. She gave his cheek a pinch, laughing when Paaveli huffed and pulled his face away finally.

        Exekias wandered over as she headed into the kitchen. He looked down at his five year old son before crouching down to get to his level. “Can you do me a favor, kid?” He asked, his cold blue eyes glaring down at the stoic look on his son’s face.

        “What is it?” Paaveli asked, watching his father curiously.

        “When you find out who you are,” he started, a heavy breath sliding past his lips, “don’t let anyone take it from you. No one.”

        Paaveli stared at him in confusion. “What do you mean?”

        “You’ll understand one day.” He said, standing up and ruffling Paaveli’s thick, shaggy black hair. “And tell your uncle I said hey.” He added as he left the living room to join his wife in the kitchen.

        Paaveli’s cold blue eyes stared after him before looking down to his feet as he thought on what he said. He frowned. He didn’t want to understand one day. He wanted to understand now. Huffing, he turned and wandered to the door, reaching up to open it and hopping out onto the porch, shifting the backpack that was settled on his shoulders. It was finally time to live at the barracks with his troop, and Paaveli was admittedly excited. There was a faint smile on his face as he hopped down the front steps of his home and hit the cobblestone street running.

        He slipped around the long legs of the adults before hearing his name being called, and Paaveli slowed and turned.

        “Wait for us!” Brendon yelled, Izadora and Ivan running to catch up to him.

        “Hey,” Paaveli mused, bumping his fist with Brendon’s in greeting.

        “Come on, losers, let’s get to the barracks!” Izadora chirped before taking off, the three boys turning to run quickly after her.