Perils of Children

[Kender Bard]

"Maybe you should," Thelon growled. "I clearly can't trust her to act civil here. And I can't apparently count on you to support teaching our child right and wrong. So yes. Go."

[Northen Light36]

"Goodbye then," Tres said coldly, turning and walking out of the study without a glance back. Ruthlessly she stamped down on her hurt and anger. "Gemma, Flame, get your things together," she told her girls. "We're leaving." Without anymore explaination then that, Tres moved on to Libre's room and knocked on the door before letting herself him.

Looking at her son, Tres felt the first flicker of regret go through her. But it was too late now. "Libre," she sighed. "I'm leaving now and I'm taking the girls with me." She paused for a second, then added, "It's up to you if you want to come back to Fira with us or stay here."

[Kender Bard]

Libre, not really registering the gravity of the situation, gave his mother a puzzled look. "Uh, oh, well if it's okay with you, I'd like to stay here. Filly said it's okay if I talk with Harmony now and I want to try to make her feel better."

[Northen Light36]

Tres sighed but nodded and gave Libre a kiss on the head. "All right then, Libre," she told him, giving the boy a small, sad smile. "Be good for your father and if you need me, you know where to find me. Love you sweet-one."

With that, Tres headed back to her room to collect her own things and to arrange for someone to teleport herself and the girls out of the city. Within an hour, they were back in Fira.

"I'm sorry, mummy," Flame whispered, hugging Tres as she sat on the bed and cried. Gemma quietly left the hut.

"It's not your fault, sweet-heart," Tres sighed, hugging her daughter back. "It's mine, baby. It's mine." She sat there, holding her daughter tightly, until Gemma returned with Artica.

"Tressie..." Artica sighed and sat beside her sister, letting Tres lean against her. "I'm sorry, sis. We'll get through this though, it'll be all right. You and Thelon just need some time for tempers to cool and you'll both move right past this."

"I don't know, Artica," Tres murmured. "I just don't." She looked at Flame. "Go play, Flame."

Flame shook her head and whispered, "I'm grounded," before turning and walking quietly into her room. She'd never meant for this to happen. She'd just thought her parents would yell a bit, then her mother would make her father apologise and it'd be all okay. Touching her mind sign she strained to reach Thelon. ~Daddy, I'm sorry.~

[Kender Bard]

Flame was met with silence; Thelon's shields were up against everyone and everything. Even if he had registered her words, he wouldn't have responded anyway.

Several days later, Thelon spoke to Tres from afar. ~We need to talk.~ His mental voice was mostly neutral but the words had a weight to them, a kind of resignation.

[Northen Light36]

Yes... I think we do, Tres thought back, the tone of her thoughts seeming equally resigned, with perhaps a hint of bitterness. You know where to find me.

"Thelon wants to talk," she murmured, leaning against Zap. Her brother had come the moment Artica, via one of the Fira Minds, had informed him of what had happened.

"Well he can just come here," Zap muttered, wrapping an arm around his sister's shoulders. "It's all right, Tres. Whatever happens, I'm here for you. The Legend siblings stick together, remember?"

"I know," Tres murmured.

[Kender Bard]

Thelon teleported, along with Libre. The boy had requested to come with so he could see his friends and sisters. As soon as they arrived, he hesitated, looking at his father; he knew something was wrong now but Thelon had been very evasive.

Thelon reached over and gently brushed his fingertips over Libre's head. "Go on, son," he murmured softly. Libre nodded slowly and then ran off as Thelon headed for Tres's tent. Seeing Zap, though, he froze and his eyes narrowed. His voice was calm and restrained though. "I'd like to speak with Tres alone."

[Northen Light36]

"And I'd like to punch your face in," Zap snapped. "Neither are going to happen, but we can both dream."

"Zap..." Tres put a hand on her brother's shoulder. "It's all right, go take a walk. I'll be fine."

Zap hesitated, glancing between his sister and Thelon, then reluctantly nodded. "All right, but I won't be far. Shout if you need me." Giving Thelon a dark look, Zap pushed past the other man and walked outside.

[Kender Bard]

Thelon shot an equally dark look at Zap's back before crossing his arms. He didn't sit, but remained standing. "I've been thinking." His fingeritps drummed softly against his arm. "I'm thinking that I'm not going to back down or apologize for what I did or my decision and you probably won't either. So how much of a problem is this going to be?"

[Northen Light36]

Tres was quiet for moment, rising from her seat and walking over to the window. Finally she sighed and turned back to Thelon. "I don't know, Thelon. I just..." Tres sighed. "Flame did the wrong thing. You know it, I know it and she knows it. And yes, she deserved to be punished for it. But..." She looked away again and shook her head. "Maybe I just see too much of myself as a child in her, but I just can't feel comfortable with you hitting her like that, Thelon."

[Kender Bard]

Thelon closed his eyes a moment. "I wouldn't have if the situation wasn't so severe and I didn't feel the situation warranted it. That's why I am NOT going to apologize. I don't intend to strike her casually, you know." His mouth twitched into a frown and his words were bitter. "I'm not a damn monster."

[Northen Light36]

"I know you're not," Tres murmured. "If I thought you were, we wouldn't be even having this conversation." She turned back and looked at Thelon. "When did this happen, Thelon?" she asked, her tone flat and tired sounding. "When did we reach the point where I can't state my feelings on something without you taking it as an insult."

Unbidden a thought crossed her mind. Damien and I were never like this.

[Kender Bard]

Thelon's expression. He hadn't meant to overhear her thoughts; but he often couldn't help it if one was 'loud' enough and his emotions turbulent enough.

"Fuck Damien!" he shouted abruptly. "So, you were so happy with him?! Why the hell did you ever agree to marry me then!? I wish you'd said no and stayed with your dead-man lover! I'm so, so tired of trying to measure up against him! That's why I take what you say as an insult. Because I'm always on guard. Always having to watch what I say or do. It's so... tiresome... I have to do it all the time, every day, in my work and I hate having to do it at home too." His shouting had dwindled quickly into a pained confession.

[Northen Light36]

Tres took a step back, torn between anger that he'd overheard her thoughts, regret and some mild pity for her husband. "I never asked you to measure up against Dami, Thelon," she said quietly, sadly. "I'd never even consider asking that of you. Frankly, you can't. You are a very different man then Damien was, Thelon. If I was looking to fall in love with someone who was like Dami was, Lya would have probably have a good reason to be wary of any time I spent with Shade!"

Tres paused for a moment, realised she was shouting and made an effort to control herself again. "I love you, Thelon. Not because you're like Damien or different to Damien or anything at all to do with Damien. I love you because you're you. And I can't tell you why I fell in love with you, any more then I could tell you why the sky is blue or water is wet. I just know it's true."

Tres closed her eyes, took a step back. "But yes, I was happy with Dami. We were best friends as well as lovers, Thelon. And a part of me will always miss him. That doesn't change how much I love, and will always love, you. But..." Her voice broke for a moment and she looked sadly at him. "I never wanted to hurt you, Thelon. Never. So if my presence makes life so hard for you, then... I too wish I said no, and spared us both a lot of pain."

[Kender Bard]

"I can't do this," Thelon said quietly, bringing up a hand to run down his face. He was so tired. Always tired, these days. I wish I'd just raised Libre on my own. Stayed single. Then I wouldn't always be so tormented. "It's too hard. I don't have the strength, not anymore."