The heavy oaken door opened to the study, the light of several candles glowed in the spacious room, casting shadows in several directions. As he entered the room, Aedan saw his father was facing away from him, studying one of the many books in his personal library. Unsure that Bryce had heard him, Aedan was about to announce himself when his father spoke, his tone unusually firm. "Sit down, Aedan. Now."
The younger man obeyed the order, and sat, staring at the large writing table, and noticed the volumes strewn across the leather covering of the table, Of the Noble Families of Ferelden, History of the Teyrns of Ferelden, Of the Legends of Highever. It had been several years since he had last sat at this table and Aedan knew what was going to happen next. Bryce would look like he had been studying the family history, only to tell his son off for whatever deed he had done this time.
Bryce slammed the book back into it's place on the shelf, before sitting down at the table, staring his younger son in the eyes. "I will give you one chance to explain yourself Aedan. So, tell me, why is it you've only been home for five months now and Vaughn Kendells ended up with a broken nose?"
Aedan sighed and scratched behind his ear. "I heard that some of the farmers were having difficulty with a tree stump in the eastern fields, so I went to help them remove it. I'm guessing that was when Vaughn was travelling from…wherever it is morons like him visit, and he saw Old Coran's granddaughter. You know the stories about him right? What a sadistic little bastard he is?"
Bryce cut him off. "I don't care for rumours, Aedan. Just tell me what happened!"
"Sorry, Well, he was about to rough her up. And possibly more." Aedan paused, trying to remember what exactly had happened next. "I saw what he was trying to do, and so I went over and punched him. Hard. He went down, and blood was gushing from his nose. His guards were about to attack when some our soldiers nearby stopped them. The guards picked him up, put him back in that carriage and left."
"You were not sent to Nevarra just so you could fight when you felt the need for it!"
The younger man shot up from the chair, knocking it to the ground. Planting both hands on the desk, Aedan looked his father directly in the eyes. "No. You sent me there so I could learn how to defend our home! That means the people who live in the town, not just this castle Father."
Aedan turned and picked up the discarded chair and straightened it before sitting down. Neither men spoke for a time, instead both were deep in thought, trying to figure out what to do next.
Bryce broke the silence. "The Landsmeet is next month, what am I supposed to say when Arl Urien asks me why his son's nose is broken?"
"Tell him that Vaughn shouldn't have attacked my fist with his face."
It was enough. His father chuckled to himself before reaching for the earthen bottle hidden in the desk and poured the fiery liquid into two cups. "Pup, where did you get that smart mouth?"
Aedan took the offered cup and sipped the contents. It burned his throat, but it felt good. "Well, I think I got the smart mouth, the chin and the green eyes from you. And I'm sure I got that stubborn streak and the hair from Mother's side. The ears too, as well as the nose, the charm… Do you want me to go on?"
"Ah, pup, I missed this when you were gone. Answer for everything, whetting your tongue instead of your mind. Drove your mother and I crazy." He downed the whiskey and swallowed. "And then it was too quiet around here."
"Don't worry, my mind is sharp enough as it is" Aedan had reached for the bottle and poured some more for himself and Bryce. "…..And I missed you too, Father."
