“Thane,” Argis echoed, brow furrowing as he turned his attention away from the threatening blades and to Nikolai. “Thane?”
Nikolai shrugged bashfully.
“Papa, you’re back.” The sheepish expression on Nikolai’s face flashed from apologetic to one of pure joy as he wheeled around. Argis watched as his companion scooped up the young girl with ease. She squealed with joy as she clung to Nikolai and voiced her dislike of his absence.
“What is going on here,” Argis spat.
The girl snapped her attention to Argis and he could see her tense as she held on desperately to Nikolai even as she was placed on the ground. “Who’s he?”
“I found this man, my Thane,” Rayya interjected, “in your home just now. He scared Lucia and if it wasn’t-”
“I’m your Thane’s husband.” Those words erupted from Argis with little thought. If it wasn’t for his own anger he knew he would have felt uneasy about the fact but it didn’t matter. He could see the shock on the Redguard’s face, and confusion on the child’s, at his declaration but his eyes bored into those of Nikolai’s and conveyed his anger at the situation.
“Gods, Argis. . .”
Argis turned and began an angered trek away from the home. He could hear Nikolai shouting after him but ignored the calls. He let his anger fester. Thoughts and rants rolled through his mind as he made his way back to the road.
“Damnit, will you listen to me?”
“Why,” Argis asked, not bothering to slow. “Why should I listen to you now? There was enough of a chance for you to explain this to me while we were traveling. Not once did you mention your standings here, which may not be any of my business.” Argis stopped suddenly, wheeling around and striking Nikolai hard against the jaw. “But I do think mentioning that you are a father to a child should have been a subject you broached early on.”
Nikolai rubbed his jaw, his head down as he sighed. “I know, Argis. This wasn’t how I expected things to happen.”
“Really? Did you think parading a child before me as I arrived was going to make this any better?”
“What?”
“I’m not stupid, Nikolai. That was that ‘something’ you went searching for behind the house.”
Slowly Nikolai raised his head, “I’m sorry. I honestly didn’t know how you would react to a child. I met her in Whiterun. It was during the time I was here making preparations and plans for the house. Poor thing was begging for money and I just couldn’t let her keep living on the street.”
“You’re a damned bleeding heart.”
“Look at it this way,” Nikolai said with an unsure smile, “we’re a family.”
Argis frowned, “Did it ever cross your mind to ask me for any input? Did you ever think that I may not like children?”
Nikolai began to respond but seemed to quickly reconsider what he was about to say.
“What about the fact that neither of them knew about me? That woman seemed shocked when I announced who I was.
Nikolai’s shoulders slumped slightly defeat, “If you would like to return to Markarth, I-”
“No,” Argis replied with a shake of his head. “There’s no point in returning, especially since you had this place built for us.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“I’ll have to be. Just don’t expect me to be quick friends with the child.”
“Her name is Lucia.”
“Whatever. Is there anything else you need to tell me? No other secrets?”
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Home Again (1c/?)
Date: 2013-08-06 12:54 am (UTC)Nikolai shrugged bashfully.
“Papa, you’re back.” The sheepish expression on Nikolai’s face flashed from apologetic to one of pure joy as he wheeled around. Argis watched as his companion scooped up the young girl with ease. She squealed with joy as she clung to Nikolai and voiced her dislike of his absence.
“What is going on here,” Argis spat.
The girl snapped her attention to Argis and he could see her tense as she held on desperately to Nikolai even as she was placed on the ground. “Who’s he?”
“I found this man, my Thane,” Rayya interjected, “in your home just now. He scared Lucia and if it wasn’t-”
“I’m your Thane’s husband.” Those words erupted from Argis with little thought. If it wasn’t for his own anger he knew he would have felt uneasy about the fact but it didn’t matter. He could see the shock on the Redguard’s face, and confusion on the child’s, at his declaration but his eyes bored into those of Nikolai’s and conveyed his anger at the situation.
“Gods, Argis. . .”
Argis turned and began an angered trek away from the home. He could hear Nikolai shouting after him but ignored the calls. He let his anger fester. Thoughts and rants rolled through his mind as he made his way back to the road.
“Damnit, will you listen to me?”
“Why,” Argis asked, not bothering to slow. “Why should I listen to you now? There was enough of a chance for you to explain this to me while we were traveling. Not once did you mention your standings here, which may not be any of my business.” Argis stopped suddenly, wheeling around and striking Nikolai hard against the jaw. “But I do think mentioning that you are a father to a child should have been a subject you broached early on.”
Nikolai rubbed his jaw, his head down as he sighed. “I know, Argis. This wasn’t how I expected things to happen.”
“Really? Did you think parading a child before me as I arrived was going to make this any better?”
“What?”
“I’m not stupid, Nikolai. That was that ‘something’ you went searching for behind the house.”
Slowly Nikolai raised his head, “I’m sorry. I honestly didn’t know how you would react to a child. I met her in Whiterun. It was during the time I was here making preparations and plans for the house. Poor thing was begging for money and I just couldn’t let her keep living on the street.”
“You’re a damned bleeding heart.”
“Look at it this way,” Nikolai said with an unsure smile, “we’re a family.”
Argis frowned, “Did it ever cross your mind to ask me for any input? Did you ever think that I may not like children?”
Nikolai began to respond but seemed to quickly reconsider what he was about to say.
“What about the fact that neither of them knew about me? That woman seemed shocked when I announced who I was.
Nikolai’s shoulders slumped slightly defeat, “If you would like to return to Markarth, I-”
“No,” Argis replied with a shake of his head. “There’s no point in returning, especially since you had this place built for us.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“I’ll have to be. Just don’t expect me to be quick friends with the child.”
“Her name is Lucia.”
“Whatever. Is there anything else you need to tell me? No other secrets?”
“Nothing, I swear.”