In Which Severin and Jadin Reach an Agreement

March 8, 1169

Severin released his hold on the struggling Jadin and shut the study door. That scullery maid was probably embarrassed enough without having to endure the curses of a livid twelve-year-old. "Jadin, I'm sorry, all right?"

If anything, the boy's clenched fists tensed at the sound of the apology. "You always say that, but you never do anything about it! It's always the same damn thing with you, isn't it?"

Poor kid. Jadin had every right to be angry, he supposed, but Severin thought he and Alina had raised him better than this. "Jadin, calm down. I just forgot about it, all right? I'm sorry."

"How the hell could you forget?" Jadin seethed between clenched teeth. "Searle and Lonriad have been pestering you about it all week, and I reminded you just this morning! You even had all of our knives sharpened! How did you forget?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "It just... slipped my mind. But I'll make it up to you. I'll take you boys hunting tomorrow instead; how does that sound?"

His son snorted; Severin recognized the sound for a laugh of the unamused variety. "If you forgot about it today, then what makes you think you'll remember tomorrow?"

"Just wake me as soon as you're up, then we'll get your brothers and go. The game might be better in the morning any--"

"No!" Jadin thrust his foot against the floorboards, the force of the impact causing the desk to wobble. "I don't want to go anymore--not with you! If I want to go hunting, I'll go with Sparron and his father, or Lorn and Uncle Ovrean! You can make that offer to Searle and Lonriad, if they're dumb enough to think you'll actually follow through!"

Severin looked to the floor and sighed. Jadin's boots looked to be fitting a little snug; as if he needed any more proof that his baby was big enough to fend for himself. "Jadin, please don't shout."

Jadin threw his hands up in the air and growled. "You know what? I give up. Just do what you want. Just let all your work pile up and let the others cover for you if they still think they have to, but I'm done. I'm done with your empty promises, your useless apologies, everything. If you see me in the halls, don't even talk to me."

Severin shook his head, mindlessly massaging his right wrist with his left hand. He felt awful about letting his children down, but when it actually got down to it, he wasn't sure he knew how to do otherwise. He wasn't sure of anything anymore. "Jadin, you can't just avoid me."

"Can so! Just watch me!"

"We live in the same castle, son."

"Then maybe I'll go live with Grandfather in Dovia--I know I'll never see you there!"

"You'll do no such thing," Severin insisted. "You're my heir. I need you here."

A disbelieving sniff scrunching his nose, Jadin's scowl deepened. "Oh? And why do you need me around, exactly? Because you can't be arsed to do anything yourself?"

"Jadin, please." Severin glanced over his shoulder toward the door; it was only a matter of time before some irritated sole was banging on it, screaming for silence. "Just keep it down."

"No!" The boy reached to the desk and pounded on the corner, causing a stylus to fall from the other side. "What makes you think I'm going to listen to anything you have to say? Fuck you! I hate you! I wish you were dead instead of Mother!" And with that, Jadin shoved past Severin and barged out of the study, slamming the door behind him.

Defeated, Severin fell back onto the couch and let the lingering barbs of miasmic tension peck away at him like vultures tearing apart a half-rotten corpse. "That makes two of us, son."

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