[Orn’s Mother’s POV]

“What are we going to do?” She sat with her husband on the edge of their bed. “He has been different ever since that night. He has been so quiet, and it has only gotten worse. Then he has all those strange rules. I feel out of my depth.”

“I do not know.” He pulled her a bit closer to him and sighed. “He has always been a bit mature for his age, but today in the garden he was so methodical. He kept his thoughts to himself, but I could see him evaluating everything I did. Asking about things I take for granted. It was strange.”

She nodded, “He is the same while we are reading. He sits unmoving for hours, he did not even fidget. I have never seen a child move so little. He also seems to get annoyed when he made mistakes. He has barely seen the inside of a book, but it as if he expected to get everything right the first time.”

They sat in silence before Orn’s father tried to turn the conversation in a more positive direction, “I think we have to just be thankful for the little things. Did you see his face when cook brought out that plate this morning?” he chuckled.

“Yes, seeing him light up at a plate of sweat meats and syruped cakes was the best part of my day.” She smiled a bit at the thought, “Unfortunately we may have to ask the cook to stop. It has been a week, and Orn cannot keep eating like that.”

“No matter what changes he is still Orn. I know we can figure this out. It will just take time.” His chuckled and rubbed her upper arm. “Some things are already back to normal. Remember how his eyes were on his pathday? They softened since then, this too will ease with time.”

“They have… a bit…” She tried to force herself to relax, “Is this what the others were talking about when they were talking about children worrying you?”

“I have no doubt.” He replied flatly, “Every parent struggles with a child named after a legendary hero, sworn to a goddess, who changes between acting like a sullen old man and a …Owwww!”

She stopped pinching him. “You forgot his hero father, who is far too fond of cards.”

“There is nothing wrong with liking to play a hand or two.” He replied looking horrified.

“You have never wanted to just play ‘a hand.’ Heaven help me if he becomes as bad, I will not know what to do…” She elbowed him in the side, but there was no force in it. She knew he was trying to make her feel better.

She sighed in exasperation but could not bring herself to stop him. These nightly conversations were beginning to fall into a pattern. But he was right, no matter the changes, at heart Orn was still Orn. He was still nice to everyone and hung on their words desperate for their approval.

He scoffed, “We should be so lucky. But we will just have to wait and see.” He kissed her forehead. “We must be the most ungrateful parents to ever live. All we wanted was him to be healthy, and now we want him to be normal.”

“I always wanted him to be normal.” She turned to look up at him and smiled evilly, “I should have known this was your fault.”

“I guess I can take responsibility for that.” He smiled back, eyes searching trying to see if his attempts had made any effect to her mood.

Big loveable idiot… He was just as worried and confused as she was, but his only concern was how she was feeling.

They continued to sit there late into the night, in what was becoming a nightly ritual. Worry and joy played tug of war with their hearts as they tried to face what was happening around them. In the end, they would face this as they had everything else. Together.