A/N: Hello there readers! Sorry for the lack of updates but I was working with a close friend on our mutual story that we are working on here on this site. Anyhow, this is the fourth chapter and I hope you enjoy it.

The sound of hooves reached their ears and within seconds, Eldin rode through the group, a form like a small boy before him and wrapped safely in his arms. His horse reared in protest as he yanked the reins and paused to take in his surroundings and to calm the boy. A cry of fear came from the child but Eldin quickly stifled it before dismounting and throwing the reins over a post next to red-orange horse who was busy munching out of a feed bag. He lifted the boy off the horse and carried him. His eyes scanned the area, taking in the forest with trees so tall, you couldn’t see where they ended and the sky began, and the crystal clear water of the spirit spring which reflected everything like a glass mirror. A loud squeak came from behind him and he spun on his heels, one arm covering the boy, the other with sword in hand.

“You there! Show yourself!” He snarled, arm outstretched towards the bush. A monkey popped her head out of the bush, blinking in surprise. She scratched at the pink flower pinned up by her ear then crawled out of the bush. Eldin lowered his sword with a sigh of relief.

“Ah Rose. I was hoping either you or your brothers would show up. Could you find Faron and bring him here?” The female monkey nodded and chirped and squeaked in her animal tongue before scaling a tree and scampering away along its branches in search of Faron. Eldin gave a quiet ‘hmmm…’ and sat at the edge of the spring in wait. He set the boy in his lap but struggled to keep him there as he became determined to explore. Eldin stiffened slightly when he heard the shuffling in the leaves above him and relaxed when he heard soft, ponderous footsteps approaching from behind. Eldin waved his hand in a come closer gesture and patted the grass next to him.

“Have a seat Faron. You have plenty of spots to choose from.” Faron stood there for a moment before dropping to the ground next to his fellow province master. He sat there watching him with little subtlety, curious as to why he was here but unwilling to ask. The lad stared up at the giant form next to him unashamedly.

“Do you know what day it is my friend?” He waited for Faron’s expectedly negative response before continuing.

“It’s the day that you take Ordona into your province and under your wing for the next few years.” Faron nodded, his face disgruntled. Eldin frowned.

“We agreed to this Faron. YOU agreed to this! I raise him for the first few years until he is able to do basic skills, walking, running, talking, eating on his own, all of it. It is your turn to raise him. Once he is out of childhood, Lanayru takes him and begins to train him in basic survival skills, swordplay, and magic.” Eldin lifted the child from his lap and dropped him into Farons’. He walked back over to his burdened horse and plopped down a couple of saddle bags next to him.

“These are his things. Clothes and few toys. You should be able to settle him in on your own and settle into a routine within a few days.” Faron was still staring at him, mouth forming soundless words. He still hadn’t gotten up when Eldin remounted his horse and clopped past him, glancing down at him briefly but avoiding Ordona’s eyes entirely. And he had yet to move by the time he was leaving the clearing. By the time he had realized what was going on, Eldin was far out of sight and half way across the fields on his way back home.

“What was all that about Raoul? Why’d he just abandon him?!” D’Artagnan asked furiously. Raoul sighed but said nothing. He shook his head. Aramis stepped forward tentatively.

“D’Artagnan, I believe he did that to avoid a long goodbye. He probably didn’t want to have to see him cry or he probably would never have left. He was trying to make it as quick and painless as possible for both of them. Am I right Raoul?” Raoul nodded quietly but again, said nothing. Athos was watching the exchange with solemn eyes, Philippe observing the scene in mute shock. Porthos just glanced from the scene to his friends and back again, trying not to miss anything from either side.

“D’Artagnan, if it is any consolation, I’m sorry.” Athos said quietly, sombrely. The musketeer captain nodded and waved his hand in acceptance before they hushed and watched as Faron tried to figure out what to do with Ordona, who had been thrust into his care with little notice.

“Now pup, I guess we should be getting you set up to stay. You’re going to be here for quite a while.” Ordona looked up at him, his big blue eyes seeming to stare into his very soul.

“But where’s Eldin? I want Eldin!” Ordona began to scream and squirm in a sudden temper tantrum brought on by the confusion from Eldin’s abrupt departure and fear of Faron and his new surroundings. Faron reached a hand up to scratch at his head, rubbing his fingers through his hair, lost as to what his next step should be. He suddenly grabbed Ordona by the arm and dragged him through the shallow spring water, Ordona dragging his heels. He scooped him up, the boy flailing and screaming as much as his five year old lungs would allow, and simply dropped him in the deeper part of the spring, just deep enough to soak him and yet he was able to sit up. Ordona choked and sputtered helplessly for a few moments before giving up altogether and forming his child features into a hearty pout. With a huff, he crossed his arms and sat there, face turned away from the province master. Faron growled and gripped the boy by the back of his collar.

“Look here pup. Let’s just get one thing straight. You are in MY province under MY supervision. Which means that whatever I say, goes without saying. Now, you will behave, do as I tell you, and be a good little boy right? Or Uncle Faron might tell Eldin you were very bad while you were here. Got it?” Ordona’s eyes had gone wide and all he could do was nod, trembling from head to toe. He had curled into a ball, almost like a puppy when it’s being carried by its parent. Faron sighed and set him on his feet in the ankle deep shallow water, which came up to half of the boy’s lower legs.

They walked out of the pool and headed back the way Eldin had gone but stopped once they had passed into a clearing where a small, wooden house was perched on a slight cliff. Faron inclined his head to the salesman sitting at the fireside roasting a chicken on a spit over the open flame, and continued towards a path to left of him, a large rock precariously perched on the ledge over the small trail. Ordona stopped and stared at it warily, not realising that Faron had continued down the path. The man turned to look back and saw the boy watching the rock and cleared his throat loudly. Ordona jumped and spun to face the giant man, glanced at the rock one last time, then dashed down the path to Faron at the other end.

Faron gently pushed the boy forward into the small clearing before he turned back and waved his hand left in a flopping motion and watched as the rock toppled into the trail, effectively blocking it from outside intruders.

“He certainly is protective.” Aramis muttered quietly to himself. However, everyone shushed him loudly, trying to pay attention to scene unfolding before them.

“More like paranoid…” Porthos muttered in disgust. He got nothing but dirty looks from the others.

“Come pup.” He led the way to a clearing that was sheltered by trees on one side, wooden walls built up around the border of the tree’s leaves, using the thick covering of foliage as a roof. In a pale gray, bare patch of rock, there was a round indent, the bottom of which was covered in gray ashes and partially burnt sticks. Ordona stopped at the fire pit and stared down at the ashes quietly. Faron walked into his rather meagre homestead, plunking down the boy’s belongings in the saddle bags. He stared around his home, wondering where he would put the boy. Along the wall, across from the door, was a hammock weaved from the long grasses of the forest clearings. And above that was his most prized possession, a boomerang that fitted over his entire back. It was white with green tips and along the inside edge, there seemed to be etching to make it look like it was made of feathers.

Next to that was a bucket filled with fresh water from the spring and well as a pile of firewood. Set on three wooden crates from the main town in Lanayru’s province was a metal basin, pushed up in front of the window so it could be easily dumped. Faron frowned and looked to the area underneath the other window, blocked by a cloth sack as, in the winter when ice formed along the rock wall, the sunlight reflected inside and was blinding. Faron set up a three layers of wild boar skins, each half as tall as he and twice as long as Ordona, on the floor underneath the window along with a sack filled rush grasses at the head of the makeshift bed. He looked down at his handiwork with a smile, nodded in satisfaction and turned to look out the door.

“Come here pup!” Ordona looked up and dashed towards the hut but upon reaching the door, peeked around the edge fearfully. Faron gave a warm smile.

“It’s alright pup. I just want to show you where you’ll be sleeping for a little while.” He waved his hand towards the boar skins spread on the floor. Ordona scrunched up his nose at the smell and looked up at him with disgust. Faron watched him out of the corner of his eye.

“It’s only for a little while until I can get another hammock put together. This is all I have and I’m sure you don’t want to sleep with me every night until it’s done!” The five year old frowned.

“I just hope he doesn’t catch any diseases from those skins!” D’Artagnan said somewhat angrily. Porthos looked at him in shock.

“You think I would harm an innocent child?” The musketeer raised an eyebrow at him and gave an uncharacteristic sniff.

“I trust you. I don’t trust your previous life however.” Athos stepped between them before a shouting match occurred between the two warriors.

“Alright. That’s enough of that. Let’s just see what happens next.” D’Artagnan gave Porthos a nasty look and stood on the left side of Athos while Porthos was on the far side of Aramis, as far away from the Gascon as possible. Raoul shook his head, a small smile on his face, and clapped his hands twice, changing the scene again.

They were now within the very tree tops, light glistened on the dew covered leaves, sending sparkles of light dancing across every surface. All they could see was miles upon miles of green leaves and thick brown branches, leaving the ground invisible to them.

“Watch your step everyone. We don’t want any accidents. Besides, it would be longest drop of your life if you did fall.” D’Artagnan nudged aside a piece of the thick, leafy covering to see the mere speck of the spring on the ground below. His blue eyes widened and he pulled his foot back shakily.

Well that’s the end of this chapter. I am so sorry it took so long for an update. But at least it is now complete! Hope you enjoy this and please try to leave a review.

This is also dedicated to Aria Darkmoon for her review which now keeps my lonely little first one company. Thank you very much!