If Wishes were Horses
by: Lady Erised
Kaiser Snape greeted the sun with a smile on his features and a song in his
heart. A day off for the Master of Arms was rare but he had one. He wouldn't
have worked today if Grindlewald rose from the dead and came directly after him.
Nothing could ruin today; not only was he off, but his son was turning five.
Resting on his father's chest, Severus turned his head and yawned. Kaiser
smiled, brushed the boy's chocolate-brown hair from his face, and leaned down to
kiss his son's head. Severus had fallen asleep on his father's chest, head
resting over Kaiser's heart as the Auror reclined on the leather chesterfield,
reading the boy stories of daring heroes and nighttime villains.
Although many years from his prime, Kaiser still had the breathtaking charm that
made him so much the storybook hero. Chocolate hair that appeared black hung
over eyes as equally dark and as equally appealing. Kaiser looked imposing and
beyond reproach. He was idolized in his time, a true Prince of Hecate and like
most Aurors, he was someone marked by heartache.
"Kai?" He heard his wife Sabine call. "Are you and the child just going to lie
there in your study all day or are you going to come down?"
Kaiser shrugged and looked down, pulling Severus'
head near him. "What do you say, my Alchemy? Sleep late and be lazy…"
"Or Quidditch and ice cream?" interrupted Reiner from beside Sabine. He was
dressed in a green shirt and black trousers.
Severus' eyes flew open, and he jumped off Kaiser's lap, running towards his
uncle. Kaiser watched him and felt his heart shift a little. He wasn't home
enough for Severus to really know him, but he had
things to attend to. Joachim had understood that; Kaiser only hoped that as
Severus grew older, he could explain his duties to the boy. He shifted again
when he noticed Sabine was watching him, her ever-knowing eyes dimmed gently.
"Come on, old man," she whispered. "Let's get some breakfast."
Babbitt had made a splendid and simple breakfast that Kaiser thanked her
profusely for. Sabine and Reiner had little patience for Kaiser's attachment to
Babbitt and teased him constantly about it. Severus didn't laugh during their
playful teasing. Instead, he watched his father like he always did. Kaiser
noticed that the boy never laughed or played around him; he merely observed his
father, as if he understood that this man was more than just his father.
He seemed to understand that his father was an Auror, and he understood that
this brought sadness, and a quietness.
Still, Kaiser and Severus weren't without their moments together. Kaiser was
there every night by his bedside, to sit down with his son and spend hours with
the boy, talking as if he were an adult, to teach, to read with, or just to be
there with. Through wartime, peacetime, in pain or whole, Kaiser never missed
this evening ritual of seeing his son drift into sleep. Because of this, Severus
had become accustomed to the night and never truly fell asleep until Kaiser had
come, smelling of tobacco and clicking from the pocket watch he always kept in
his cloak.
But still, that distance existed between father and son, caused by so many words
Kaiser couldn't find the strength to say to his wise-eyed little heir. He only
wished…
If wishes were horses…
Reiner's voice broke his daydream. "Kai, this is from Sydney…"
"What does Van Ness want this time?" Kaiser said, pulling the letter from his
brother's hand and exhaled, reading it over. Vampires, an entire nest, were
moving towards England and would be there within the week. Fenrir was sending
his squad to clean out the nest before human lives were lost. Kaiser was to
leave now for the briefing.
He looked up
at Severus. It would be so easy to disobey orders and stay. Just one day.
Would that really matter? He could be a hero tomorrow. Today, couldn't he
just be a father?
He bowed his
head for a moment. "Babbitt, get my uniform ready. I have to go to Hecate."
"Kaiser?"
Sabine asked. "What about the match? You promised Alexander…"
Kaiser shook
his head. "Reiner can take him. I have to get to work. It's important." He
looked at his son, wordlessly asking for permission, knowing Severus was
watching him, remembering. The little boy shook his head and turned to thank
Babbitt for refilling his drink.
Wordlessly,
the Auror stole from the kitchen.
Severus Snape
looked at the child playing on the floor. His name was Mordred, and there was
something he didn't trust about the child. It was in Mordred's eyes, a kind of
serenity that scared him.
The boy never
laughed when Snape was at Jackie's villa, despite the other children's games.
Severus noticed that this boy never jested or played around him, he just
observed the Dark Prince, as if he understood that this man was more than just
another of his mother's guests.
And there was
something both of them knew but neither acknowledged. Mordred also seemed to
understand that there was something beyond that scarred demon, and he understood
that this brought sadness, and a quietness.
Severus began
to speak, but the words choked in his throat. He knew who and what Mordred was,
but had never been able to fully accept the idea. There was a distance that
existed between father and son, caused by so many words he couldn't find
the strength to say to his wise-eyed little heir. He only wished…
If wishes
were horses…
Wordlessly,
the Dark Prince replaced his mask and stole away.