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With a glance at the woman's furrowed brow, he understood why the boy shut him up. It seemed any time Calix or Thane opened their mouths, it only made the woman more angry.

"Mother," Ira soothed again, "why don't you send those rowdy kids on their way and let me recite the verses I've been practicing for you?"

The boy stepped closer to the woman and gently grabbed her hand.

"I'm sure it will help your headache," he said softly.

Calix's mouth gaped as he watched the performance. Within minutes, Ira had gone from a rash child in a shouting match with Thane to a devoted son caring for his ailing mother.

Moved by her son's thoughtful words, the woman finally gave in.

"Ira, you know just how to cheer up your mother," she cooed, wrapping an arm around the boy. "I'd love to listen to you recite the verses you've been studying."

Together, the mother and son plodded to the door. Just before leaving, the mother turned back to Calix and Thane.

"The butler will show you two out," she huffed and marched out of the room.

Shortly afterward, the butler arrived as promised and not-so-politely guided the two boys out of the house.

"Free at last!" Thane called, wrapping the nearest street pole in a tight embrace as the front door to Ira's home thudded securely shut.

Calix shook his head and began to peel his friend off the pole, but his ears pricked at a soft click coming from the house they'd just escaped.

One of the windows on the first floor was halfway open, and Ira's glasses glinted in the sun as he poked his head out.

"Hey!" he called to the boys. "I was just thinking that…"

He suddenly stopped for a moment and pressed his lips together tightly. Thane and Calix looked at each other and then back at Ira.

Just what was he trying to say

"That.. you made a promise to me back there!" the boy finished angrily. "So don't forget!!"

"Oh!" Thane's eyes lit up. "To come back and play? Sure! We'll be back tomorrow!"

"Ah…" the grouchy boy in the window was trying his best to seem aloof, but Calix noticed a light pink tinge in his cheeks. "Make sure you do, then."

"Ok, see you tomorrow!" Thane smiled, waving happily at his new friend.

"One more thing!" Ira shouted, stopping the boys before they could leave. "When you do come, hang a ribbon from this window. That way I'll know to come out."

"Like a secret code?!"

"Why would we do that?"

Thane and Calix replied at the same time.

"I-it's so my mother won't have to see me in such a shameful state having to be in company with the likes of you two!" Ira shouted, sliding the window closed.

"Hmm what a weird kid," Thane shrugged, turning back down the street. "Oh.. we should probably go home now, huh?"

Their little adventure had taken up most of the rest of the day, and the sun was inching closer and closer to the horizon.

"We should have gone home much earlier," Calix replied, catching up to his friend.

"Now you sound like that grumpy kid," Thane laughed.

The two friends trodded happily together until they reached the intersection splitting their journey. Thane had to go north, toward the big fancy homes of the nobles, while Calix was heading south to the smaller, quaint neighborhoods.

"By the way, you were really brave in there," Thane said as the two lingered on the street corner.

"No," Calix teased. "You were just way too scared."

"How could I not be?!" Thane gasped. "Are you really not afraid of that woman telling your par-I mean your teacher that you broke her window?"

"I didn't break her window, so why would I be afraid of that?" Calix scoffed.

"Haaa, this is unbelievable" Thane sighed. "Do you honestly think your teacher would trust you over her?"

Calix tilted his head. Of all the many odd things Thane said, this made the least sense.

"Why wouldn't he? He's always trusted me before."

***

The next day, and for many days after that, Calix and Thane went dutifully to Ira's house after sword training. The first time, neither of them had a ribbon, so, while Calix suggested just knocking on the door, Thane tore the hem of his shirtsleeve and proudly hooked it on the window frame.

Ira came out from the house promptly, all the while checking behind him to make sure nobody was watching. Despite their vastly different personalities, the three had one very important thing in common, and that was that they were young boys.

So naturally, they all enjoyed the same things every other young boy enjoyed.

Over weeks, months, and eventually years, the three boys became increasingly close. In the beginning, they met in their spare time but soon managed to finagle their way into the same classes and trainings. After their work was done for the day, they engaged in a variety of games, sports and pranks until the sun set.

As time passed, their differences in character became essential to the way they functioned as a group.

Thane remained cheerful, good with people and quick on his feet.

Calix finally mastered the art of appearing dignified and mysterious and also improved his calculating speed to become the best strategist of the group.

Ira, though still grumpy and irritable, excelled at reading others' emotions and pinpointing their weaknesses.

The boys began to stand out so much with their respective talents, that it wasn't long before others started taking notice.

By the time they were only twelve years old, the group of young prodigies had made quite the name for themselves among the capital of Serin. Collectively, they were the top of all their studies and could be bested by neither word nor weapon.

It was no wonder Calix would go on to usurp the throne only seven years later.

While enjoying the blissful tail end of his childhood days, however, the twelve-year-old Calix Anselm Orfeo received news that would, for the second time in his life, change his entire world.