Chapter 25
A Father and His Son’s
Valdis stood before his father Theron, his father who had been one of the warriors whose parents had fought in the First Rising. And now he himself was in the service of the High King and Prince, by protecting the Holy Realms.
“Son,” Theron turned to face Valdis, he had never told or spoken with the boy about who his mother was. All he knew was that he was a half-elf. “It is time you met your mother.” Valdis stared at his father in a mute shock. This was the first time that he had ever heard his father mention his mother. He had always wondered about it, but had thought it best not to ask.
But now out of nowhere his father had dredged up the subject, “My mother?” Was the only words that his surprise frozen lips could squeeze out.
“Yes, your mother, and…” The warrior looked to the sky before he turned his gaze back to his son, “brother.”
Cathlin could feel that she was not alone; leaving her bathroom she halted in midstride, “Cathlin.” Her name was uttered from a deep solely masculine voice, that she knew well.
“Theron, what are you doing here?” she asked, not moving towards or away from him.
“I need Valdis to stay here with you and Ardor, trust me Cat.” Theron looked at his wife. It had been several years since he had last seen her. “I cannot tell you all the reasons at this moment. But it is important that the boy stays here with you.”
“Valdis.” Cathlin let his name slip out, her baby was here. She gazed up at Theron, her mind still trying to get over the shock of seeing him again. And to top it off he was asking her to watch over their youngest son. With all the reasons that had been given her, that made her have to part with both her newborn babe and husband, and now for him to be asking what it was that he was asking. It made no sense and she said as much.
Stepping to her he rested his hands on her shoulders. “Cathlin, Valdis is down the hall in the family room waiting, please, I need you to do this for me.” Theron searched her eyes. “I know that you want an explanation and forgive me, but I cannot give you one yet. All I can say is this, at the moment Valdis should not be in Eldon or any of the surrounding realms. He is safest here with you and his brother.” Again he noticed a look that flashed across his wife’s face at his mention of Ardor’s name. Shelving it for a moment he waited for her to give him her agreement. When she nodded he let out a breath of relief, at least one weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Lifting his hand he lightly brushed a finger across her cheek. “There is something that you do not want to tell me. What is it Cat?”
Moving her gaze to a spot on the roof behind Theron she let out a trembling breath. “Theron Ardor is gone, and no one knows where he is.” Their gazes locked on to one another. A strike of lightening could not have stunned him more. Unease settled in the pit of his belly.
“When did you last see him?”
“He had left to go to the mall with Amori Johnson; she’s a friend of his.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Theron he’s been gone for over a week, this isn’t like him, what if he’s hurt?” Pulling her to him, Theron wrapped his arms about her.
“I promise you Cathlin that I will find our son.” She nodded against his chest, but didn’t let go.
It was hard for Theron holding her and knowing that he was going to be leaving again.
Valdis heard it when his father left. Sitting down on one of the barstools he fiddled with his hands wondering what he was to do next. Until this day he had not been outside of Eldon save once, and never had he met his mother.
Just as the thought came a woman entered the room from a hallway to his left. Her long brown hair hung loose down her back, it swayed back and forth in time with her movement. Her skin bore a slight tan, but what caught his attention the most was the color of her eyes, completely golden with the slightest ting of blue. So much like his that to him it seemed that he was staring back into his own eyes.
Cathlin made her way to Valdis, moving so that she stood in front of him. Reaching out a tentative hand she rested it against his cheek, “Valdis.” His name came out barely a whisper.
Leaning into her touch he gazed into his mother beautiful eyes. As the emotions of never having been held in her loving arms, never knowing what it was like to know a mother’s –his mother’s love- came crashing down on the inside of him all in that moment. Unashamed tears ran down the boy’s face, as he was pulled finally into his mother’s arms.
Cathlin cried as she held her youngest son in her embrace. She hadn’t seen him since he was three weeks old. Now she could only cry for the lost years of not being able to be there for him as he grew. Not being able to love him as a mother should. She cried all the harder when he wrapped his arms around her, holding on tightly as if he believed that if he were to let go she would vanish.
Eldrid placed a hand on Theron’s shoulder. “They shall be fine, you did the right thing.”
“I know.” Theron said turning around he faced his lifelong friend. “I must go and find Ardor.” His gaze bounced briefly off of the pathway into Loam. “I do not know if I will be able to stay away much longer.” A weight that was not physical burdened his heart as he continued. “Seeing Cathlin again, I know that I will not be able to keep away from her any longer.”
Eldrid knew better than any that it was getting harder for Theron to stay in Eldon and not Loam with his family. Still he also knew what it would mean should Theron stray from the Path that had been set before him. He might in the end lose the very thing that his soul was striving for.