4 ARC:BEGINNING-CH 4

"Bella." Ivar spoke. "We will call her Bella."

His mother smiled at him saying, "She is lovely. Isn't she?"

Shaking his head overwhelmingly, "Yes. More than anything I have ever seen before. She is the loveliest." As he spoke he held Bella, his darling baby sister's little hand. The skin that came in contact with his own hand made him tremble. The skin on her little hands were so soft as if a bit of force would injure her. Her small palm was very soft and squishy, like melting cream. A specific smell of sweetness flooded his senses.

Ivar carefully held the little hand in his palm, the feather like touch brushing against his hand, making him realise that his baby sister needed his care and protection.

"Ahhhh...!" Amidst this warm and touching atmosphere the door suddenly flung open as a little boy younger than Ivar came in running as he breathed heavily.

He stopped right beside the bed next to Ivar and their mother. His gaze landed on the baby in her arms.

Pouting his cheeks he complained, "I wanted to be the first one to see our new baby family member but brother just beat me at it."

"Isn't Bella lovely?" Ivar smiled as he pat his younger brother on his head.

Alex puffed his cheeks into a pout, his cheeks blushing as he replied.

"Hmph! Of course that's our baby angel. She is bound to be the loveliest in the world."

As he spoke he began fidgeting around, very shyly, peeking his eyes at the little baby girl that seemed to make his heart beat nervously.

"Awuuu...gugu....hehehe...auuooo...yawn...." The little angel made some strange noises once again. And this brought the three closer. They sat on the bed as they watched their little angel's lovely eyes droop and close, falling asleep.

The three held their breathe as they watched her fall asleep, her breathing becoming even and relaxed.

Right then.

"Ibelina.....sorry i wasn't there when you needed me the most!" This time it was a man in his late thirties. He had a masculine build. As he approached the bed he continued. "Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere? The...."

He stopped when he saw the three people sush at him at the same time.

"The baby is asleep. Daddy be quiet." Alex whispered in a very low voice afraid of waking her up.

"Josh." Ibelina laughed. "I am fine. More importantly, come here and see our darling."

Josh walked up to them and looked at the little angel in her arms. The moment his eyes landed on their baby child tears began to fall from his eyes.

Their little girl was so lovely. Just like an angel. She had black hair, which she had inherited from him while her face was just like Ibelina's.

"My god, she is lovely." Josh exclaimed.

The pair of brothers huffed their chest proudly as they nodded their heads in agreement.

The family continued as they began to babysit their newborn family member, welcoming her with warm smiles.

They then saw their baby angel cry for the first time when she was hungry, saw her lay in her cradle as she sucked her thumb to the point saliva drenched her clothes, they saw her mumbling baby language in the air until she would mumble herself to sleep, they saw her roll over for the first time, saw her crawl for the first time, talk for the first time until eventually she started to walk on her own two feet as she began exploring the small house made of bamboo and straw.

"Ibaar.....hungry. I am hungry." Spoke the little angel who was three this year. She clung to Ivar as she pouted, her red cheeks puffing out.

This was the first thing she had learnt to speak. Although she couldn't pronounce Ivar's name correctly his name was the first word that ever came from her baby language as a from of speech. "Ibaar." The moment she called him for the first time Ivar felt the world stop, a halo shining down upon him as if he was the luckiest person in the world.

Look at mom and dad! Look at Alex! They were so jealous of him!

He picked her up in his arms carefully as he smiled.

"Sure. My little angel. What do you want to eat, I will make it for you right away."

Bella poked his cheek as she said. "Porid.I want to eat porid."

"Sure porridge. If that's what you want. I will make it right away. Till then please don't let the rat inside your belly win over you. Okay?" As he said this he nudged her nose with his finger. It was a simple act of strong love he had for his family's little angel.

"Okay!" Bella shook her head as she smiled at him.

Ibelina who had been watching this scene sighed as she smiled.

"She loves you a lot. Even the first word she learnt was your name."

Ivar looked at his mother. "I am not sure about that. She wails everytime you or dad go to work." At the end of the sentence he chuckled lightly.

Ibelina smiled as she said. "Bet it will be worse when your turn comes."

Ivar then went to the kitchen and got to work. A few moments later he was out with two bowls.

"Here you go." He said as he set it on the table. "Mom, have some as well."

"porid." Bella shouted as she began blowing the bowl to cool it down.

Like always she finished the bowl not leaving anything behind, as if she had licked the bowl clean. Her eyes were beaming brightly as she made a satisfied face.

"You like it that much?" Ibelina asked as she caressed her hair.

Bella once again shook her head. "Ibaar's porid is very delicius...its the best. I lope it."

She then looked around and asked as she noticed two people missing.

"Where is Daddy and Brother Alec...?"

"Brother Alex is delivering lunch to Daddy. He must also be hungry. But don't worry. He will be back very soon." Ivar replied her.

"Here, drink." He then helped her drink water.

Right then a person knocked at the doorstep.

Ibelina got up to open the door.

It was their lady neighbour. She was crying as tears roll down her cheeks.

"Th....they....sobs sobs..." She never got to finish the sentence when a loud explosion filled the sky dyeing it red and grey with smoke and fire.

Bang!

Ivar was alarmed as he ran towards the door. And what filled his sight made his heart tremble, An ominous feeling settling at the deepest part of his heart.

Roaring flames set ablaze at the mine. The red color of the fire so vibrant as grey smoke filled the sky.

Boom! An explosion erupted once again.

"Oh...oh...My go...d....."

He saw his mother fall back with shock as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"N..nn..oooo...." The neighbour lady let out a devastating shrill.

Ivar was frozen with shock and by the time he recovered his body began shaking as an ominous feeling overwhelmed him.

This was the beginning of the events that downgraded his 'Once a beautiful life.'