Two years passed quickly, and Carthinal was toddling about. Noni came in from the embassy where he was still working. It was Carthinal's second birthday and he had brought a huge toy dog for the little boy.
'Dada,' Carthinal said as he ran towards his father.
Noni gave him the dog and he struggled with it, dragging it towards the sitting room where he had been spending some time with Jovinda. His mother laughed at his difficulty, then went to help him bring it in.
'Say thank you to Daddy, Carthinal,' Jovinda said.
'Fan choo,' Carthinal said, looking at his father. 'Fan choo. Doggy.'
Jovinda kissed her husband then said, 'I'm a bit worried about Carthinal, Noni. Most of my friends children his age seem to be much more advanced. Even some of those much younger are moare advanced than he is. I'm afraid there's something wrong. Perhaps he's not very bright.'
Noni laughed. 'There's nothing wrong with our son, Jo. Half of his blood is elf. Elven children develop more slowly than human ones. In fact, he's in advance of most elven children of his age.' He paused for thought for a minute before continuing. 'I don't know how quickly or slowly this mixture of elf and human should develop, but probably about half way between an elf child and a human one, I would say. It'll be interesting to find out. In the meantime, stop worrying.'
Jovinda smiled up at her husband and picked up her son, dog and all. She kissed him as he struggled to get down again.
'Down,' he insisted. He clenched his small fist and tried to punch her. 'Down' he repeated.
Noli took his hand. 'You must not punch your mother, Carthinal. That's very naughty.'
'Want down,' he repeated.
Jovinda put him down and sighed.
'That's another thing. He seems to be developing a temper. That must be nipped in the bud.'
'No one said bringing up a child is easy, love. In fact. it's probably the hardest thing in the world. You're doing a great job.'
The couple wished for another child, but the years passed and there was no sign. Noni said it was probably due to the infertility of elves and that perhaps it would happen in due course. Jovinda went to the temple of Bramara and prayed, but it was to no avail.
When Carthinal was six, he was in the garden, playing on a swing that Kendo had fixed to the branch of a tree in the garden. He heard his nurse calling for him, but took no notice. It was nice in the garden. The sun was shining and he liked the swing.
Shortly, Jovinda came out and saw him.
'Oh, there you are. Didn't you hear nurse calling for you?'
'Yes, but I don't want to go in. It's nice out here.'
'You must come in now, Carthinal. It's time for your tea and then it's bathtime and bedtime.'
The little boy's face clouded over and he fixed his lips into a straight line.
'Shan't.'
'Oh, don't be naughty, Carthinal. Be a good boy and come for your tea.'
'No.' His eyes began to look, not like the blue summer skies, but dark stormy seas. Jovinda noticed the change and she went and picked him off the swing and carried him, squirming and crying into the house where she handed him over to Blendin who took him away for his tea.
Jovinda went into the sitting room and smiled to herself. She had become used to these infrequent outbursts of temper and knew that in a few minutes her son would be his normal sunny self again. His temper never lasted long.
Noni arrived soon after this and sank down in one of the chairs.
'There's a problem in Rindisillaron,' he told his wife. The elflord has died and there's a problem with the succession.'
'I thought that the elflord was succeeded by the eldest male child of his nearest female relative.'
'Yes, That's true, but in this case there are identical twins.'
'So! The elder twin inherits, doesn't he?'
'Ah, therein lies the problem. You see, when the twins were born, their mother was seriously ill after the birth and in the rush to treat her, the twins weren't labelled. Now both twins are claiming to be the first-born.'
'I see that would be a problem. What's going to happen?'
'The father told the midwife that the first child was to be called Frissillimidor and the second Grimmshollin. She claimed she knew in which crib she'd put each baby and so they were named.' He stood and walked round the room before continuing.
'I believe the midwife would have been correct and that Frissillimidor is the elder, but factions have grown up, as you would expect. Now war has broken out.'
'That doesn't affect us here in Bluehaven though,' Jovinda said 'We aren't involved in Elven politics.'
Noni came and sat beside his wife and took her hand.
'You aren't involved. Bluehaven isn't involved, but I'm an elf, and so I am involved, like it or not. Father is packing at this minute to go to help the rightful heir.'
Jovinda turned and looked at her husband, understanding beginning to dawn on her face.
'So you plan to go and fight too.'
Noni nodded.
'You'd leave your wife and child for this war?' Jovinda was getting angry rather than sad at the thought of Noni going away. 'You care more for this Frissi-whatsit than Carthinal and me?'
Noni stood.
Just at that moment, Carthinal came to the door, but neither of them saw him. He had come to apologise for his outburst earlier. He heard his parents arguing. He had never seen that before and it frightened him. Nevertheless, he stood just behind the door and listened to an argument he could not understand. Carthinal fled back up to the nursery, his apology forgotten.
No matter what argument she put forward, Noni was adamant he must go to fight for the rightful heir. The couple went to bed that evening barely speaking and that continued until three days later when Noni had packed ready to leave for the Elven lands.
Jovinda said goodbye to Noni with a heavy heart. They had made up their quarrel and she stood on the doorstep of their house with Carthinal as she waved him off. She blinked back her tears as she stood waving until he could no longer be seen.
'How long will Daddy be away?' Carthinal asked.
'I don't know, dear. He'll come and see us when he gets leave.'
