Work Text:
Alexander looked disconsolately out the window at the melting snow. The remains of the fort he and his friends had built a few days ago had a sad deserted air; it was surrounded by large puddles of water. There was no one to play with. Laurie had gone when Olive left yesterday, and Charis just wanted to play with her dolls. The grown-ups—in the way of grown-ups—seemed very busy with other things.
“Why don’t you go outside to play,” suggested his mother, when he complained he was bored. She was enjoying a comfortable gossip with Olympias, and not about to disturb herself with the kind of boisterous play a boy would like. Besides, there were plenty of others around to see he came to no harm.
Alexander drew on some leggings, found some boots, and buckled on the short sword which had been his present under the Christmas tree, before he wrapped himself in his warmest cloak. Then he opened a side door and went to explore the grounds. He’d go on patrol, he decided, and check for enemies before reporting back to headquarters. He marched with a sense of purpose, heading southwest. The sun shone brightly through the avenue of trees lining the route he had chosen. Alexander whistled cheerfully as he marched. Presently, the path ended in a clearing with small pond. A boy with straw-coloured hair knelt by its edge. He looked up as he heard Alexander’s approach.
“Are you friend or foe?” challenged Alexander, drawing his sword.
“I beg your pardon?” asked the other child politely. Then he noticed what Alexander was holding. “I say, is that a sword? How super! I asked for one this year, but got another boat instead.” He gestured toward the beautifully detailed model sailing ship on the ground beside his knee. “May I have a look?”
Alexander handed over his sword and sat on the ground to examine the ship. “I’m Alexander; who are you?”
“Ralph. I’ve not seen you in the park before. Do you live round here?”
Alexander shook his head. “We’re just visiting.”
“Pity,” said Ralph. “There aren’t any boys on my street, and now I’ve been banned from visiting the girl who lives next door, there’s no one to play with. Still, I’m off to school after the holidays. My father says I’ll make lots of friends there.” He brandished the sword a couple of times before handing it back to Alexander, who was peering at the boat’s rigging.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said.
“It floats really well,” said Ralph. “Here, let me show you.”
With a little push, he launched the ship. It bobbed slightly as it headed out to the middle of the shallow pond. He pulled two much smaller (and far less elaborate) toy boats from his pockets and handed them to Alexander.
“Here you go: my uncles gave me them last year. Your turn this time.”
Dark head and fair bent in unison as two six year olds captained their respective ships.