"Papa! Papa, what are you reading?" A tiny hand tugged at Canas' sleeve and he looked down into two huge, purple, curious eyes.
"This is another tome about elder magic, Hugh," Canas said, "one day you'll be reading these too." He picked the toddler up and sat him on his knee. "This one belonged to my grandfather. I've learned much from its pages."
Hugh peered at the foreign letters. His nose twitched and he sneezed loudly. "This book's all dusty. I don't like it. I like Mama's books better."
Canas smiled. "So you might. I don't think your grandmother would like it if you followed in your mother's footsteps but anima magic is quite elegant. It very well might suit you better."
"I don't like Grandma! She's scary and mean!" Hugh turned to face his father and grabbed at the clasp of his cloak.
"Oh Hugh, she just wants you to carry on the family tradition." Canas sighed. "She doesn't mean to scare you."
"She smells like your books, dusty and old." Hugh wrinkled his nose. "I like Mama's books better." He let go of his father's cloak and reached for a brightly coloured quill that was sitting on the desk. Hugh gazed at it with wide eyes and then ran the feather across his face. He giggled.
"Does that tickle?" Canas asked. He peered down at his son and the ghost of a smile traced his lips. The toddler nodded and laughed again. Canas took the quill and tickled the tip of Hugh's nose.
"Papa, papa that feels funny!" Hugh giggled and tried to push the feather away. Canas pinned his arms and laughed at his son's glee.
"You two seem to be having fun." Niime stood watching them in the doorway, her bony arms folded over her chest. "Hugh, it's almost your bedtime."
"No! I don't want to go to bed! I want to read books with Papa!" Hugh gripped his father's arm as the quill was placed ruefully back on the desk. "Tell Grandma!"
"Mother, just a few more minutes." Canas smiled as he pulled his son into a hug. "I'll put him to bed soon."
"Don't let him stay up too late, there's much I want to try to teach him tomorrow." As she turned away from her son, he could have sworn he'd seen a faint grin etched on her face.
"Can you tell me a story?" Hugh looked up with his big purple eyes and Canas just couldn't say no.
"Alright but you have to go to bed straight afterwards."
"Okay."
Canas adjusted his monocle with one hand and hugged Hugh with the other. "There were once three Lycian nobles who went on a great adventure."
"What were their names?"
"They were named Eliwood, Hector and Lyndis. Eliwood's father had gone missing and the three had united to search for him. Along the way they met many challenges. Some of the other lords had joined a plot against them and many battles were fought. They learned that Eliwood's father could be found on the Dread Isle so the three set forth with all the friends they had made along the way."
Hugh rested his head against his father's chest. "What happened?"
"On the way they met a beautiful girl. She was their friend but she had lost her memory. When they arrived at the shores of Valor there were more battles to be fought but they soon discovered that Eliwood's father could be found at the Dragon's Gate."
"Dragons?" Hugh had closed his eyes. One of his hands was still curled around the material of his father's robe.
"It's a gate that the dragons used to escape the Scouring. The three lords found the missing father but they also found a powerful, evil man. He had been searching for the girl and was on the verge of opening the gate when the girl's brother appeared and saved them. To allow his son to escape, Eliwood's father sacrificed himself to injure the evil man, Nergal."
Canas looked down to see that Hugh had fallen asleep. He smiled, stood and carried the boy out of the room. Waiting for them was his wife.
"What happened then?" She smiled and stroked her sleeping son's head. "I've heard it before but I do like the way you tell it."
"I'll finish telling it tomorrow." Canas whispered. The couple stood together and watched the slumbering boy for a few moments. He stirred briefly but fell back into reverie before opening his eyes.
"It's snowing heavily tonight." Canas listened as his beloved wife spoke. "Your mother stocked the fire up though, so we should be okay."
"I certainly hope so;" he said softly, "Hugh doesn't sleep well when it's cold."