Chapter VI. Another family reunion
When he opened the door, Amousca had the time to see three little figures jumping from the chairs where they had quietly been sitting to run to their father. They crashed into him and into each other in their hurry to hug him. Anomen, tired as he was despite the restoration scroll, almost fell over, but managed to keep his balance, thanks to the help of Amousca, who put a hand to his back, to keep him standing.
"Father!", they repeated all at the same time, hugging him and almost jumping where they were standing.
"Easy, little ones!", he laughed. "Do not fall me over!"
"Imoen lets us do it," Samir pointed out, wily.
"Be gentle with your aunt," Anomen scolded, although with a great smile on his face.
"Will you take the meal with us?", Coreen asked feverishly.
"Will you be here tomorrow?", Matteo added.
"Will you take us to the forest again?", Samir asked, full of hope.
"Will you…"
The next "Will you" by Matteo was interrupted by Anomen's sudden fit of laughter.
"Calm down! I am here for at least a week, so you do not have to worry about me going away again. Not when I just arrived."
There was a silence. The three children took a step back to look at their father, getting back a little of their usual reserve.
"We could go to the forest as Samir proposes, if the weather is good, and if it pleases everyone," Anomen said.
"I love the forest!", Coreen approved immediately, with a radiant smile.
"We have not been for a walk outside the walls for a while," Matteo approved.
"And you, my lady? What do you think of this idea?"
He turned to Amousca with a broad, warm smile on his face.
"This is an excellent idea. I will have a chance to collect certain plants with Coreen and I am sure Samir will find a song that fits the place."
Samir smiled proudly and Coreen exclaimed, a little panicked maybe :
"I have to check my reagents book again! I forgot everything about the basic brew for healing and fortifying potions…"
"Do not worry, my daughter, we will study them tomorrow as we have the reagents under our eyes," Amousca reassured.
"I can also take some time to see your progress with the war hammer, Matteo," Anomen added thoughtfully.
"I'm sure I can make him miss," Samir said, lost in thought.
"Oh no," Matteo said.
Mother and father laughed, and everyone settled down for the meal. Anomen didn't eat much, tired as he was, and the dinner was not long, because he wanted to retire early, to be well for the little excursion the next day. Coreen, Matteo and Samir each in turn told him what they had done since the last time they saw him. Coreen was very proud to announce that she would soon have the right to produce potion brews for the Cowled Wizards, when she would have her second year of formation completed and her exams passed. Matteo said he had a little trouble with his Monsters class, but that Imoen had helped him to remember everything about orcs with her stories.
"Imoen?", Anomen asked.
"She and Sarevok came for a short visit yesterday," Amousca told him. "They left for Calimshan at noon."
Anomen made a short pause, and finally said:
"Too bad I missed them. I have not spoken to them or their companions for a while."
There was another pause, then Samir began:
"We began to work on our final play the day before the vacation."
"Final play?", Anomen inquired.
Samir had been talking about this famous play since the day he learned about it. Though, thinking back on it, Amousca realized he had never mentioned it before in Anomen's presence. Samir then explained that each year, there was a play in the theatre of the Five Flagons, a play whose actors were students of Haer'Dalis's school. Usually, the actors were in the two or three last years of their apprenticeship, but Samir had been chosen to play the harp for the music of the play.
"What is the play?", Anomen asked.
"It's a new play, written by Cyrando the gnome. It's a musical comedy about love between a paladin and a gnome."
Anomen and Amousca burst into laughter.
"What's so funny?", Samir asked indignantly.
"Cyrando is married to Irlana, a lady, paladin of the Order," Amousca answered, still smiling.
"Oh," Samir said, before being won over by laughter as well as his brother and sister.
When they were done speculating on the "comedy" about such a strange match, Samir added, almost casually:
"There will be a harp solo in the second act."
Amousca shot a look at Anomen she hoped he would see. But he never looked at her. He was staring at his son, pride on his face.
"When you said you began to work on the play, Samir, I assumed you would be playing the harp, as you often repeat it is what you prefer to do in the plays at your school. Will you be playing this harp solo?"
"Yes," Samir answered shyly.
"Then, by all means, secure places for us for this play!", Anomen exclaimed with a smile. "I cannot wait to hear your talents entertaining a whole room full of people, not just the five of us."
Samir blushed a dark red and muttered a "yes, sir", nose in his plate. Anomen was apparently proud enough of himself, because he finished his wine and stood.
"I will hear more of each of you tomorrow," he said while standing, "but right now I need some rest. Good night, my children."
He walked around the table and kissed each of his children on the forehead, before getting out and calling to Guillaume. Letting the teenagers finish their meal, Amousca heard him give instructions for the care of his armour, and that Guillaume stood ready to get another restoration scroll the next morning.