Day 62 (S45)

The 4th day of their confinement, Darrian came to visit Rina. 
“It’s looking like Queen Loanna Staffon is going to work toward recognizing Basta'Thrope' as a country, finally!” he announced to her.
“Oh, that’s amazing, Kid!”
“I’ve been talking to a lot of officials and getting new trade routes established. It looks like everything’s working out.”
Rina smiled, “How long will you be staying now that your business is done?”
“I will need to leave early tomorrow. The Beasts of Claw and Toothare all home now, and I just want to get back to my son.”
“I know that feeling,” Rina said with a smile. “Just be safe, don’t go anywhere alone. If you see me, and you aren’t 100% sure it’s me, ask them something only we would know.” She then thought for a moment, “Ask them what kind of flowers we grew in the back yard when you were growing up.”
“Yellow Marigolds,” he answered. 
“Yellow Marigolds,” she repeated, “and if anyone gives you trouble, tell them they'll have to answer to me."
“Ok, yeah, sure - if anyone bullies me, I’ll tell them my mom said ‘no’,” he responded sarcastically. 
She laughed, “Ok, fair point, Kid. I mean... Darrian.”
His cat ears laid back for a second as he quietly said, “...’Kid’ is fine…”
She smiled, and hugged him.

“Oh, by the way, the man on the field with me at the end of the fight was Agronoch. You should speak to him if he ever approaches you. He said he’d be around more often now. He’s been popping in and out of here the last couple of days.”
“Did you ever write about him to me?”
“Write about him? No, I’ve been trying to keep his presence as much of a secret as possible.”
“Unlike Drake?” Darrian responded cattily. 
“That’s… different.”
“How different, mom? Agronoch’s been 'popping in and out' of your bedroom, and you have some other guy on your hook back in Castle Frey?”
“Please don’t be like this, kid,” she pleaded, “I have been so, so lonely since your dad died - you left me alone, you never wrote to me.”
“You didn’t write to me either,” he said, annoyed.
“How am I supposed to write to someone who’s always moving, kid? You know how hard that is. You couldn’t have written to me while I travelled here - it took me over a year of walking to get here."
“I know,” he sighed. 
“Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t upset that you left to go find your own way in the world. Hell, how could I be upset that you’re exactly like me? I left my parents the moment I became an adult, too, then went traveling. But the loneliness without you and without your dad was killing me, it was physically painful. I cried every day for over a year, and I never even heard from you. Ever since I got here - ever since I contracted with Agronoch - he has really kept me from hurting like that. And Drake… Drake is a good man, someone else you should probably meet.”
“You know what, mom? Just let me know when I have a new stepdad - it’s not like my opinion on any of this matters.”
“Stepdad?!” Rina asked, taken aback, “Darrian… I’m not like I used to be before you came along. I don’t have anyone on a hook, I’m not looking to replace your dad or just get into bed with someone. Agronoch is trying to save your soul, and that’s why he’s around. I’m doing this for you - you’re my whole world. Do you know that?”
Darrian paused and calmed down a bit, “I do now, mom. It’s just hard to think about you with someone else. But I don’t have a say in it I guess.”
Rina sighed, “Well… you kind of don’t, kid.”
“Okay, well, I gotta go,” Darrian responded quickly, “Love you, mom. Come visit me when you can.” He handed her a sketch of a large tree near his home so they could Treestride to him. Then he left, shutting the door behind him quickly.
Rina darted back into her individual room, mortified by the end of the conversation with her son.

She was so preoccupied with it, that she didn’t notice Alice slip into the hallway as Darrian was leaving. 
“Darrian!” she called down the hall, hoping Rina wouldn’t hear. 
“Oh, Alice. What can I do for you?”
“You mean a lot to Rina, so I ordered something from the Web for you,” she handed over three amulets, “there’s also one for your son, and one for your… wife? Is she your wife?”
“Yes, Felicity’s my wife… What are these?”
“They’re amulets of resurrection. If you die while wearing it, it will bring you back once.”
Darrian held them and was speechless for a moment. He then put one on and put the other two in his pocket, “Thank you, Alice. I can see why my mom travels with you. You’re a really great person.”
“Don’t tell her that,” Alice responded, “I don’t want her to think I’m nice. I have a reputation to keep.”
“Haha! Okay, I won’t tell her. Thank you.”
Alice went back into the suite, and Darrian left.

Next: Day 63 (S45)