The entire Persson family was gathered around the kitchen table, with a very serious Norman at the head. They were having the first family meeting in a long time, and the children had never seen their father look so serious before. Shimmer, who was barely able to hold in his laugh, did make them feel more at ease. After a deep sigh, Norman began speaking.

  “So it turns out we’re nobles.” He said calmly, but his leg was bouncing audibly under the table. Being a noble was irritating and inconvenient, yes, but that wasn’t why he was pissed off. He wanted to strangle the parasite in his brain for not letting him know about it way sooner. What kind of guide withholds important information because they think it’s funny!?

  [SORRY. IT WAS REALLY FUNNY, THOUGH.]

  “You didn’t know!?” Rowboat exclaimed before she could catch herself. She couldn’t help it; what she had just heard was so absurd that it bordered on insanity. What kind of person has no idea that they’re a true-blooded noble? Actually, her boss would be exactly that kind of person now that she thought about it.

  “I did not.”

  “I thought you were a prince, though?” Pail raised his hand, a system they had implemented because the kids kept talking over each other instead of waiting for their turn. If someone held their hand up, nobody could speak over them until they were finished.

  “Who told you that? No. I am not a prince. I think.” Norman couldn’t be so sure anymore. If just having a last name meant that he was a noble, then something else would probably make him the king of somewhere. There should really be a guidebook for this stuff.

  [YOU CAN BE A KING IF YOU WANT. JUST START A COUNTRY.]

  “That is one of the things I want to do the least, actually.”

  “So if we’re nobles, can I get a fancy name like Primrose? Shimmer said my name is a slave name, and that’s bad if I go to school!” Pail asked eagerly; he really wanted a fancy name like his sister. He wanted his name to come from his father and not from the people who found him in that well.

  “Right. That’s something to think about, too. And if you’re noble children, then I have to provide the proper education… argh… the list keeps growing.” Norman had pretty much accepted that he would have to deal with his noble status. He wouldn’t go buy a mansion and a million servants, but he would do the bare minimum to not sully his name. He didn’t care if his own name was dragged through the mud, but he didn’t want to mess up his children’s futures.

  “I would like one too, if that’s okay. A boy name.” Shimmer managed to say after catching his breath from laughing so much. This was his first real request since he got here, but he felt like it was okay to ask. Someone as dense as Uncle wouldn’t get mad at him, probably.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Alright. Let’s head to the kingdom guild after we drop off today’s shipments. We have a bit of spending money so we can buy some things for your room, too. I don’t know what you like, so you will have to pick it out yourself.” Norman nodded as he wrote down today’s schedule on the wax tablet he had a habit of carrying around. Shipments, Names, Furniture, Groceries. Was there anything he had forgotten?

  [YOU SAID YOU WOULD SET UP A BANK ACCOUNT.]

  “Right. Thank you. The bank, too.”

  The town of Swaan had seen a lot more red lately. Little girls and their trendy upper-class mothers had heard gossip about affordable red dye and had sent purchase requests to the very stern but handsome nobleman who dotes on his daughter. The Persson family was on their way to drop off an order of compacts to a tailor shop that had practically begged to be the one to buy up the remaining stock. They had even paid double, so who was Norman to deny them?

  Quick and Baby trotted through the town with Rowboat, Norman, and Primrose in the front and the boys in the back. Primrose had her head buried in her papa’s chest and was majorly pouting at not being able to sit in the back with the others. Her ears lay flat against her head as she tried to elicit pity from her heartless father. How dare he not let her run around in the back and fall out of the moving vehicle?

  “You can sit with the boys when you’re older and can keep your balance. Sitting with us isn’t so bad, is it? Look, you can see the horses.” Norman tried his best to encourage her. It’s not like he didn’t understand why she was upset, but this world didn’t have car seats, so his or Rowboat’s lap was the next best thing.

  “I can hold her if you want,” Shimmer popped his head out the front. Although he was small for his age, he was still big enough to easily carry a toddler around. “I sit against the wall so there’s no risk of her falling out.” Norman seemed to be fine with that and handed Primrose over. His legs were about to fall asleep, so he was glad to pawn her off to someone else for a while.

  And with that, Primrose’s mood was lifted, and she got to hang out with her big brother, Shimmer. Shimmer was silly. He called Papa Uncle instead of Papa, but that was okay. He was still her cool big brother. Maybe not as cool as Pail, but he was prettier than Pail, so it evened out. He reminded her of snow. The pretty kind of snow you see from the window, and not the cold, bitter snow of the forest. She hadn’t actually seen any snow from a window before, but she imagined it would be as pretty as Shimmer.

  She would see snow soon, though. Fall was in full swing, dyeing the landscape bright orange. She associated Rowboat with the fall. All the scars on her body reminded her of leaves on a field. She smelled like fall, too. Like comfort, food, and family. Pail was spring. The singing of birds, the scent of flowers, and the bright sun were the very essence of her brother. His blonde hair was the color of dandelions, and his dark skin gave the impression of fertile fields after snowfall.

  Her father was summer. He was consistent like the stable weather of the summer months. He took care of them like animals take care of their young after spring. He smelled like warm skin and clean laundry with a hint of grass and leather. He reminded her of the cooling shade of a tree on a hot summer’s day. Strong, sturdy, and safe. A tree that would stand there forever to provide her a place to rest whenever she was exhausted.

  Her family were the seasons, and she was the lucky one who got to experience them all. That’s what Primrose thought, at least.