Summer Breezes

The sun shone through the canopy of several trees in the small outdoor garden. The large maple tree keeping good shade from the beating sun above in the high noon. Dimitri sat under it as his younger siblings tousled around, having elected to watch them while they weren't doing their studies. It was relatively peaceful, the light grind of the sharpening stone against his well loved sword could've put him to sleep. Due to his work and his grueling paperwork the night before. Had it not been for the occasional accidental tug of his youngest sister Anastasia's struggling to braid up his hair while weaving in the occasional daisy that grew in the summer heat. They always liked to cluster around the base of the old maple for some level of relief it seemed.

“Stasia…careful.”

Dimitri just muttered with grit teeth letting out a breath. Internally cursing his scalp for having an issue with it as she muttered quietly behind him.

“Sorry…almost done..” He hummed glancing at his other two younger brothers, who were sword fighting with wooden blades. The one on the right, Ilya, that was currently losing to the boy on the left, Theseus. Who was grinning like a confidant madman.

“Theseus you bastard!” Ilya grumbled. Dimitri huffed, sitting up a bit before yelling out.

“Language Ilya. What would your mother say!” Ilya paused, looking to him, barely squeaking out a ‘sorry’ before he was roughly shoved to the ground by Theseus holding his wood rapier out to him. Leaving Ilya groaning loudly on the grass.

“Theseus this is the fifth time!” Ilya shot him a glare from where he was laying. The boy still standing just snickered quietly.

“Yeah, because your rusty mr ‘im gonna study violin until it kills me. This is what you get for it.” Theseus then stuck out his tongue. Dimitri sighs as his light silence was disrupted, Anastasia mumbling quietly again.

“Gimme your ribbon, also, are those two gonna start actually fighting?” Dimitri untied the ribbon from the hilt of his sword that he temporarily had it on, handing it to her.

“I have no idea….although I'm not in the mood to break those two apart… I might have to. Do you need help? Silk is hard to hold.” Anastasia just shook her head fumbling for only a moment, before proudly tying it in a bow grinning brightly. Dimitri knew deep in his heart the actual braid itself was a mess, but still smiled pulling it over as he was right Running over it with his thumb delicately. The braid itself being rather lose as hairs stuck out in all sorts of directions.

“Its beautiful Stasia, you truly have a gift.” Anastasia just beamed more. As he shifted, resting his sword to the side against the large trunk. Standing, He looked over to the two boys who had gotten to a wrestling match. Their argument having escalated to one. He just sighed walking over. Dimitri being far stronger than the both of them as he tugged them apart. Easily being able to lift them into the air so they couldn't reach each other.

“Fighting isn't gonna help, you two both know it.” The two merely glanced to him before looking at the other. Glaring and saying in sync.

“Yeah…” Dimitri set the two down calmly, before looking to Ilya. Who was picking at the grass rather then looking at him.

“First of all, Theseus is right, you need practice in order to be good with a sword. Secondly,” He looked to theseus. “Don't make fun of others passions, because they might…”

Glancing up as he saw their older sister, Anya, creep up behind them slowly. He smiled as he turned on his heel. Walking a few steps away from the “attack”. There was a concise echo of two yelps of surprise or shock as he looked over his shoulder, the two now kinda covered by the billowy folds Anya’s hunter dress as they both yell in unison at him.

“BETRAYAL.” Dimitri could help but to let out a loud laugh at that. As Anya also laughed grabbing the two and just rolling onto her back as they squirmed in her arms.

“And what are you squirts up to? Getting into trouble with your big brother?” Anya shot a glance back to Dimitri.

“When are they never..” Came a quieter voice and a slight snap of a book as Dimitri looked over to the familiar sight of Maria in a lavender dress. Glasses high on the bridge of her nose walking into the grass as well. Giving Dimitri a once over. “Stasia’s been in your hair again, hasn't she?”

Dimitri just shrugged slightly. “I think it looks lovely, I don't know what you're talking about.”

Maria just rolled her eyes as a response. Though almost on cue, little Anastasia trotted up grabbing onto Maria's dress and looking up at her.

“Did you see my braid? Isn't it pretty?” Maria had to stare at the braid for a moment, seemingly contemplating. Which earned her a look from Dimitri as she just smiled after a moment and nodded.

“Yes it's very lovely, you've made your brother look quite pretty haven't you?” Anastasia giggled before walking up to Dimitri who just picked her up easily holding her in one arm.

“Why is your sword out here?" Anya asked as she helped Theseus up, Ilya seemingly having run off somewhere else already. As Dimitri looked over casually.

"Maintenance, you know.” She nods a little with a sigh as the three walk over to the tree, Dimitri following calmly before looking to Maria.

“What's your book about?”

“Berry bushes and how to tell poisonous ones from edible ones around the kingdom. Also how to make them into a jelly. If you have the right materials." She holds it up a bit for him to see.

Dimitri just blinks, sighing. "Your reading ability amazes me, you're almost as good as Derek…”

She just hummed, lowering her book again. “I'll lend it to you later. Its good things to know.”

Dimitri tried not to roll his eyes as he sat down, little Stasia shifting a bit so he wouldn't have to hold her.

“At this point all the information I'm taking in might as well kill me one day with how long I'm stuck studying…” Maria just giggled sitting down as well, handing him his sword that he had been working on.

“The more you read, the more your brain resembles your blade, you know. It makes you sharper, more attentive.” Dimitri took it from her as he sighed.

“Yeah I suppose you're right.” Maria places a fallen leaf bookmark in her book before closing it. Looking up as Ilya came running back with his violin. Most of the siblings crowd around him and sit against Dimitri except for Maria. Dimitri went back to his swords maintenance. Maria started talking again, even as Anya and Anastasia watched very intently, clearly blocking out what Maria was saying. Ilya started to play a sweet song that was meant to be played with a piano. He unfortunately didn't have a partner yet for that.

Dimitri upon spacing out for the most part, really hadn't started to listen to Maria. At least not fully, though, did end up tilting his head at least trying to register anything else that was directed towards him.

“Besides, you'll never get married if you're dumb as a rock.” Dimitri just gave a look of disgust.

“Marriage is for people who need a label to fortify a broken relationship until it inevitably breaks apart.”

Maria huffed “it's not always like that Dimitri.” Dimitri just rolled his eyes.

“It is for people who desperately feel lonely or hopeless romantics…. like yourself. Or for dukes and duchesses who need power nowadays, it's really a slog of a ceremony too.” Maria glared with a huff.

“....I'll agree the ceremonies are long and boring, but at least you get to be happy with your spouse.” Dimitri just shook his head knowing they weren't going to agree on the matter no matter what he said.

Though it felt like thirty minutes had passed, it had been a long two hours after Dimitri was finished. By then Ilya's violin had stopped. Curled up against the tree trunk near Theseus. Anya, Maria and Anastasia were napping too, just loosely leaned against him. He just looked over to his sleeping siblings and smiled. Sometimes life with them is a lot, and a bit annoying with their fights and own thoughts. Though there were those little moments like these, in the summer breeze. The calm. As Dimitri put his sword in front of him leaning back as well the siblings just nestled a bit closer in their own naps. Before ending up dozing off himself with the warmth surrounding him.