Child Studies 01

As Edmund would learn the hard way, even the adults tended to get sick, and had to stay in bed like he did when his forehead felt too hot. He would also learn the hard way that even Daddy would fall to such trifling things.

The house seemed different when he knew Daddy was locked away in his and Mom's room, as if worried the adults passing through, Mom, or else him and his brothers and sisters would catch the same disease. Generally, it was something minor, such as a cold, or a virus: Dr. Mario would arrive every now and then to write stuff down, talk with the grownups, and then go back to his rounds.

Sometimes Uncle Riki would use his healing, and Daddy would move around for the day: a bit paler than normal, very distant, and never in the mood to play too much, or carry him as much as always would, but at least Daddy was moving around, and helping the other adults, compared to being shut away in the room.

There were always terrible sounds: usually coughing fits. He was fast asleep when the worst of the sickness took place, although Kit and Lia would tell him all about it. They had been awoken by running around, and heard Daddy throwing up.

It didn't make sense. Wasn't Daddy too strong for such things!?

But sickness could make anyone weak, it seemed, and the eldest child hated the few times that it would have to hit his dad. The triplets and Lia would go out of the house more, shoo'd away by the adults in fear of disturbing their father, but Edmund would make trips to his parents' room, and not be shied away.

Sometimes the small TV would be on, and he'd be allowed to crawl on Daddy's back and watch. Other times the books would be everywhere on the bed-even sick, Daddy would always be studying, although Edmund was sure it was old stuff he had to make sure stayed sharp. Sometimes he'd play with the elements, if it didn't overwork him, and the eldest could watch pretty lights dance around the room, or be able to make a flame change into shapes, like a square, and a circle, and definitely a heart.

He always loved making hearts for his Daddy.

But there were times when Daddy was asleep, "resting so he can get better tomorrow. Or...closer to better" is what the other adults would say. There were bad coughing sounds even while he was asleep though, and Edmund didn't like hearing the painful sounds coming from his dad. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair.

Most of the time, he'd head out the room, but sometimes he'd crawl into the bed and hug his back as best as he could. The first time he thought he'd get in trouble, but Mom let him get away with it, and he found himself awake the next morning snug between both parents.

Sometimes the sicknesses only took a day: he was out, and then back on his feet before anyone knew it. Other times it took days, days of listening to that painful coughing sounds, and hearing the adults muttering about 'high fevers' and 'dark spells' and how even Uncle Riki couldn't just magic the sickness away. One painful month Edmund was sure he'd never recover, and hid away from even Saba, Vidina, and Gale in his despair. But Mom would find him, and tell him that it would be alright, to be strong, and that if they hoped really really really hard enough, Daddy would get better. And fortunately, he did: the next day he was back with the adults, and able to carry the eldest child as often as wished.

But even at nine years of age, Edmund would realize that there were things that would cripple anyone, no matter how strong of body and mind they are. For those things, it didn't matter how old, or strong, or wise they were-the same coughing sounds took place, the same throwing up, if there was a "bug" or something, the same high fevers and dark spells and sneezing and not being able to move around and do stuff all that much and hoping that they'd get better soon.

But he also noticed that his father never complained: Daddy would never say a word about wanting to get better soon. In fact, sickness seemed to make Daddy not talk all that much, unless wishing well for the battles going on, and the requests that perhaps tonight he should be left alone. Until he was a little better than he was now.

And thankfully, the end was the same for anyone that got sick: they got better. Better and back to normal and able to do what they need to do. But sometimes Edmund would wonder if maybe a battle wouldn't be what took his parents away from him, but a sickness instead: there were things magic could not heal, and it seemed to his young mind that "disease" did a lot more to both his parents than battle scars and physical pain.

Was there a different between all kinds of wounds after all? Was there still a different, normal life that existed beyond the world and life he knew? He wanted to ask, but perhaps would wait until he learned more. There was much he could, and would, learn when he was older.

For now, he would go to his Daddy's side, and be happy that he would put an arm around his shoulders and let him stay. If he could offer just a little peace of mind away from the evil sick, then that was all he wanted to do.