In Which Lonriad Wakes in the Real World

February 22, 1158

"Idiot boy!" Lonriad laughed as he looked up from his book and caught sight of his young son jumping on the nearby couch. "You'll wreck the furniture like that! Couldn't you go jump around outside, like any sensible person would?"

"But the ground isn't bouncy!" protested Severin.

Lonriad rolled his eyes. "Yes, I know that, but I don't want to have to replace that couch."

"Would you rather replace the ground?"

"Well, I suppose I can't argue with that," he sighed with a grin, rising to his feet and strolling toward the bookshelf. "But you be careful, boy, or I'm paying for the next couch with your pocket money."

Continuing to bounce up and down, cushion to cushion, Severin shook his head. "Not if you join me--then you'll have wrecked the couch more, because you're bigger than me!"

As he put his book away, Lonriad raised an eyebrow. "And why the hell would I join you?"

"Because you want to!" the boy exclaimed happily.

Suddenly, Lonriad gave into the pressing urge and joined his son on the couch. "Damn right I do!"

"Bounce me, Papa!" Severin squealed excitedly.

Humoring him, he sprung himself upwards with as much force as his old legs could handle and landed squarely, propelling the boy several feet from the surface of the couch.

"Again!" he demanded.

"You'll hit your head, you stupid child!" Lonriad scolded playfully.

Severin scowled. "Will not!"

"Will too!"

"Will not!"

"Will too!"

"Will--"

"--you be retiring to your room soon, or should I just leave you to sleep here?" Lonriad distinctly heard the voice of his now grown son ask him as his eyelids slowly opened.

It would seem that as he had been composing his letter to his brother-in-law, he had fallen asleep at Severin's desk. He supposed it could happen to anyone; even the mere thought of Haldred was enough to induce a yawn or two.

"Is it late?" grunted Lonriad, peeling his head from the desk and meeting Severin's eyes, which promptly flickered away.

Severin shook his head. "Not particularly. Alina and Rudolphus are still awake, at any rate. But if you want to sleep, then don't let that stop you."

Now that he'd woken, Lonriad wasn't particularly sure whether or not he did want to sleep--however, it was obvious that Severin wished he would just go to bed. If Lonriad was resting up for his journey home tomorrow, then that meant Severin had an excuse to avoid him.

Oh, what had happened to that boy? Why did the son who had once adored him now loathe him so? During that fleeting half hour at Sarona, during which they had briefly bonded over the sport of couch-jumping that they both so loved, he'd thought that maybe--just maybe--they were finally on the verge of making amends.

Severin, however, must have had other ideas.

"Father?" Severin addressed him, snapping him out of the entranced state he'd slipped into at some point. "Are you feeling all right? Should I send for someone?"

Sighing, Lonriad pushed back the chair and heaved himself into a standing position. "I'm fine," he insisted. "I take it you need this room?"

"Yes, actually," his son admitted. "I was going to write a letter to Cousin Holladrin, but if you're doing something, then--"

"Believe me, it's quite all right," replied Lonriad, a little more curtly than he would have expected of himself. Sending one last glance in Severin's direction, he hastily made his way toward the door. "Severin, I hope you will come for a visit home soon, even if not for my sake. Viridis misses you terribly, and I want the twins to know their brother--even if I myself never have that pleasure again."

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