Chapter Text
Acacius had a great dad. It was just something he’d always known. His dad was tall and strong and when he lifted him onto his shoulders, he could see over everyone else. He had built the cabin they were living in all by himself when he’d been only a baby and had even made him a new bed for his fifth birthday. And even if he made him eat the disgusting greens on his plate and sent him to bed long before he was even tired, he was a great dad.
They spent most of their time close to their home, dad was often busy chopping firewood or hunting food. Acacius had to stay at home when he did that. But he always took him with him when they walked across the forest to pick fruit from trees that grew at the base of the mountain, or when they needed to get water from the river near their home. They also spent a lot of time in their garden where dad taught him how to grow vegetables. Acacius didn’t care for vegetables, he preferred fruit. Acacius also liked playing with the chickens they had in their garden.
They sometimes walked into town together. Those were Acacius’ favourite days, even if the walk was long and tiring. He got to play with the other children on those days. Dad had promised him that when he was older, he would be allowed to make the trip into town and back himself, but for now he only went whenever dad went. Dad always let him help carry the bags of bought stuff to their cabin and as a reward, he got to eat yoghurt with honey. Yoghurt with honey was his favourite food, he could eat it every day if he was allowed to.
The other children’s parents were always a bit scared of his dad. For a while he had thought it was because it was only ever his dad that they saw him with and never his mom. He used to ask where his mom was. His dad would get a strange expression at that question and explain that she wasn’t here anymore. He used to think that meant she wasn’t here, but she would be back. Maybe she was somewhere else in town; or on the other side of the big river. He was old enough now to understand that she was gone and would not be coming back, like the kitten he had found lying under some leaves a while back.
Sometimes the other children’s parents were talking to his dad in a very loud and angry voice and Acacius got scared, but his dad never got angry back, he only took him back to their home and didn’t speak about it.
-----
„Dad?“ Acacius asked one evening over dinner.
„What is it?“ Dad asked, looking at him.
Acacius looked down at his greens and pushed them from one side of the plate to the other. They had been in town today and dad had promised him yoghurt with honey if he ate all his greens. „Can we go back into town tomorrow?“
Dad seemed surprised at that. „Why? Did you loose something?“
„Mopsius said that tomorrow there will be a celebration and I want to see it!“ He kicked his feet with a big grin.
Dad didn’t answer right away, instead looking ahead. He finally said: „Finish your dinner and I’ll think about it.“
Acacius finished his dinner and later his yoghurt with honey. He washed himself and changed into his night clothes and climbed into his bed.
Dad sat next to him and tucked the blanket around him. „Are you comfortable?“
„Yes, dad. Can we go to the celebration tomorrow?“
„I don’t see why not.“ Dad smiled and kissed his forehead. „But now it’s time to sleep.“
„Ok!“ Acacius didn’t know how he was supposed to sleep when he was so excited.
„Sleep well. I love you.“ Dad said like he did every night.
„I love you too.“ Acacius closed his eyes and tried his very best to fall asleep quickly.
-----
The next morning Acacius was awake even before the sun. Dad was still sleeping. Acacius climbed onto his bed and shook him. „Dad! Dad, get up! You said we could go to the celebration!“
Dad groaned and opened one eye. „Ace, the sun isn’t even up yet.“
„It will be when we get to town!“
Dad groaned again and sat up, causing Acacius to almost fall to the floor. „Why are you so clever already?“
Acacius grinned and jumped from the bed, rushing to wash and put on his day clothes. When he was finished dad was still sitting on his bed, rubbing his eyes. „Come on, dad!“ Acacius climbed onto his lap and put his hands on his cheeks. „Wakey, wakey! We need to leave.“
Dad picked Acacius up by the armpits and dangled him into the air for a bit. „Do we now? Maybe I’ll just hang you from the ceiling and go back to sleep.“
Acacius laughed. „You would not do that!“
„Oh, says who? Watch this.“ Dad stood up and swung Acacius up and down, preparing to throw him. „And a one, and a two-„
„Dad!“ Acacius laughed, kicking his feet.
Dad laughed and put him down. „Alright, alright. You go make us some breakfast and I’ll get ready.“
„Why do I have to make breakfast?“
„Because if you don’t I will hang you from the ceiling.“
Acacius laughed and grabbed his cloak to run into the garden and collect eggs for their breakfast. When he returned dad was finally dressed and warming up some flatbread. Acacius gave him the eggs and sat down to watch him crack them open and fry them in a pan.
They ate breakfast together. When dad was finally putting on his own cloak to leave, the sun was already up.
„Hurry, dad! We’re going to be late!“ Acacius called to him, already many steps away from the door.
„They won’t start any festivities until noon at the earliest, Acacius, no need to hurry.“ Dad closed the door and put the bolt over
it. He always said it was so no animal could accidentally walk into their home and destroy it.
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The town was pretty, with colorful flags hanging from every house and across the streets. Acacius and his dad walked to the town center where many stalls were. Everywhere they went it smelled great.
„Dad!“ Acacius pulled on dads clothes and pointed to a stall where they were selling honeyed fruits. „Can I have one?“
„Maybe later.“
„Please!“
„Acacius, no.“
„But dad!“
„I said no.“ Dad looked at him with a stern expression and Acacius looked to his feet.
Acacius looked at the honeyed fruits again, wondering if he could run and grab one before anyone noticed, but dad was holding his hand tight. They walked around the town and Acacius saw his friends playing with a ball in an alley. „Dad, can I go play with my friends?“ He pointed to them.
Dad looked over and nodded. „But stay there so I can find you again.“
„Ok!“ Acacius hugged his dad and ran to his friends to play with them. His friends were happy to see him and he was happy to see them.
They played until his friends were called away to lunch. Acacius waited by the alley for his dad. There were still many honeyed fruits at the stall. Acacius was hungry and dad was nowhere to be seen. The woman behind the stall was very busy. He could sneak over, grab some fruit and be back before anyone would notice.
Acacius looked for his dad again, but could spot him nowhere in the crowd. He was just going to do it. He got up and walked over, always looking at the woman selling the fruit. She didn’t even notice him. He stopped by the stall and looked at some delicious looking grapes on a skewer, covered in golden honey. He looked at the woman again, she had her back to him. He reached out and grabbed the skewer. Before he could run away, the woman turned around. She froze for a moment, then grabbed his wrist and held him tightly. Acacius tried to get away, crying when her grip hurt him.
„Oh no, you don’t.“ She said angrily.
„Let go!“ He cried.
„Wait, you’re the foreigners kid, aren’t you? Where is your father?“
„I don’t know!“
She made an angry noise as she looked around.
A new voice spoke from behind him. „Let him be, I will pay for it.“
The woman glanced at the man behind Acacius, looking surprised. „Your majesty, I-„
The man gave her a coin. „Let him be.“
She let go of Acacius. He immediately ran back towards the alley. He sat down on some steps and ate his honeyed grapes. They tasted even better than he thought they would.
A man approached him and knelt before him. „You should at least say thank you.“ It was the same man that had paid for the fruit.
Acacius looked at his feet. He was not supposed to talk to strangers.
„Where are your parents?“
Acacius shrugged. Dad had told him to wait for him here, so that’s what he did.
„…Do you have parents?“
He nodded.
„Do they know where you are?“
He nodded again.
„Good, that’s good.“ The man sat next to him, eating strawberries from a skewer.
Acacius finished his grapes and licked the skewer clean. The man was still sitting next to him, but didn’t speak anymore.
Acacius looked up at him. He wasn’t as tall as dad. His hair was longer and there was more grey in it. He wore shiny clothes, nothing like dad and Acacius were wearing.
„Acacius!“ At dads shout, he sat up straighter, not noticing the man beside him doing the same.
Dad was walking towards him and he was looking angry. Then he suddenly stopped, his face looking pale. „Acacius, come to me.“ He said, no longer angry, but stern.
Acacius got up and hurried over to dad. The man stood up, his movements slow. „Polites.“
„No.“ Dad said. „No. You-„ He picked Acacius up and held him close. When he turned and ran away, Acacius could see over his shoulder. The man had a hand towards them. He was crying.
-----
„Dad?“ Acacius asked when dad tucked him in that night. „Who was that man? Today in town?“
Dad didn’t answer for a moment as he was tucking him tighter. „An old friend. He hurt me very badly many years ago.“
Acacius nodded. „Are you still angry at him?“
„I-„ Dad looked away. „I am.“
„Even after many years?“
Dad smiled sadly. „Sometimes people hurt you so badly, you can never see them again.“
„Oh.“ Acacius said. „What did he do?“
„He took my family from me.“
„Did he take mom from you?“
Dad sighed and sat back. „In a way, I suppose he did.“
„Is he a bad man?“
„No, he is not a bad man. But he made a bad choice.“
Acacius nodded. „Like I made a bad choice today?“
Dad laughed. „No, your bad choice was not as bad as his bad choice. You’re still banned from yoghurt and honey for a week.“
„But dad!“
„No, no more buts. Good night, sleep well. I love you.“ He kissed his forehead.
„I love you too.“ Acacius closed his eyes and tried to think about what his mom might have been like before the not bad man took her away.