When you return...

He kissed his wife's cheek. "Are you giving my brother advice on how to get a wife?" He asked a little jokingly. But also giving his brother a slight jab with his joke. Hoping that he wasn't still sore about the subject.
"Just passing by? Can't you stay longer? Since we just arrived too. It would be nice to catch up for once. How have you been?" He asked his brother.
Looking at his wife when Eric quoted the old proverb. "I would definitely bend a few more rules for you my love." Kissing her cheek once more.

"I'm trying to find out why he's hiding things from me. And even lies so I don't worry. It makes me sad though.", she answered truly. "I'd better be sad about the truth than don't know what's going on. There is always an option to solve it."

She grabbed Tycho's shirt and made him look down at her, so she could raise her head and kiss him softly on his lips. "And how he's mumbling around the theme, it makes me believe you know it and didn't tell me either. That's a point that makes me a tad angry."

At Tycho's phrase on how she could give him suggestions on how to get a wife he rolled his eyes: seriously? Not that he ever wished to have a wife, but the joke was still slightly distasteful. Well, to be fair, Tycho couldn't even suspect that such a subject could hurt Eric, he always acted so carefree, like he didn't care at all... and this time was no exception. He faked a laugh.
"Cold, mainly" he replied shrugging at Tycho's question, then, before he could start evaluating if he could maybe stay a little longer, Cao talked again.
Eric managed to stay calm and he kept smiling to Cao, but inside he was panicking: he didn't want to go back on the subject with his brother, he didn't want him to start inquiring on what he said or didn't say to his wife.
"I actually think I should start heading back, I'm sorry..." he lied. He just didn't want to face this. He was a coward and he knew it: he could fight the wildlings without blinking but when it was about his feelings and his family... there he always backed off.

Tycho felt a little awkward. He knew that his words could hurt a person. But Eric was a different case in his mind. Eric never seemed to mind anything. Tycho always envied him. Eric got to play around as a child while he had to act the part of the perfect brother.
Sure he had been angry to have stained his fresh marriage with such a scandal. And he had hoped allot of things to happen to his brother back then. But ever since then Tycho had forgiven his brother.
And now he just wished he would be man enough to just hug his brother and bury the old grudges.
"Eric? Uhm... Did Caollaidhe tell you the news already?" He asked taking his wife's hand.

Caollaidhe looked from one brother to the other and back around. She felt a bit left out and whatever stood between them, she didn't knew nor could she figure it out. She stroke away a string of her hair and let go of her husbands hand. She gave him an apologizing smile and sat down on the bench.

Eric indeed knew the news already, but she wouldn't dare to tell her husband. He could explain himself. Now she felt like it was her turn to play the good wife and just stay quiet. Caollaidhe knew she would get Tycho tell her what was going on later on anyway.

"Oh? Yeah! Yes she told me, congratulations!" he replied in a thrilled tone: he was actually happy to be able to congratulate his brother, but half of his joy came from the relief of changing subject. He was also relieved Cao kept quiet: he did like her, he really did, he loved her like a sister... but in his relationship with his family he had always the sensation to be stepping on eggs: it didn't matter how he moved, in any case he was going to break something... he situation was hard enough without new complications... "So, how does it feel to get close to be a dad?" he asked with a kind smile. He knew the feeling... kinda... he wasn't prepared in none of the two cases he had been given a baby in his arms with the sudden information he was the father... well, he surely wasn't going to bring up the subject now, especially thinking that his brother knew only about one of the 2 babies...

Tycho smiled widely. It still felt a little foreign of a concept to think himself a soon to be father. "Thank you brother. I am nervous as expected. Don't know how nervous my wife is at the moment. But I am sure we can manage this together and with the help of our family." He smiled to his wife.
"But I was wondering, if my wife agrees to it of course, would you agree to be the baby's godfather?" He asked looking at Eric.

Caollaidhe made an unladylike noise. She wasn't nervous, she was annoyed by the effect her hormones had on her. She was happy at one moment and the next so sad, she wanted to die, the other way round she got mad at nothing. She was sure they could manage the life with the baby just fine. Her trust in her husband was huge.

Caollaidhe raised her head, slightly surprised about Tycho's proposal. THen she smiled gently. "Why should I deny it?", she asked softly. She looked at her brother-in-law and tilted her head.

If Cao was surprised by Tycho's proposal, Eric was simply bewildered. He was so shocked his jaw actually dropped and he instinctively blinked a couple of times. That was an honest reaction, his brother shocked him so much that Eric didn't manage to put on his usual mask. "Me?" he asked after even Cao agreed to that: him? Were they serious? Him? The black sheep of the family? "Are you sure? Why me?" it wasn't like he minded, on the contrary, if the news didn't shock him that much he would have been terribly happy. But it was still hard to believe that his brother was actually asking him such a thing, and he couldn't help but wonder why. Tycho surely didn't want his kids to follow their uncle's example... and he could understand why, he never judged his family for not liking his ways, he wasn't able to change but he did understand their point... and now this...

The reaction of his wife and brother delighted him. It seemed Eric found it hardest to believe. Laughing a little at the face his brother made. "Because you are my brother and despite the distance between us I would like to have something in common. And I am sure you can impart some wisdom upon my children that I never could."

Cao chuckled. "I told you that it will end like this. You'll be the uncle who's allowed everything and I'll be the bad mommy.", her eyes shimmered in delight. "Every experience you make, for good or bad teaches you something, that you can teach others. No life is wasted. Don't want to be someone else. I'd be sad, if you were different."

Eric tried his best to regain his self control. "Thanks, brother... I'm honored, really..." It was pretty formal and banal reply, but he did mean it. The fact that Tycho wanted him as the baby's godfather eally touched him: he thought his relationship with him had been compromised for good after what he did... he never wanted to disappoint him, to anger him, but he didn't trust he had forgiven him for real. This, though, showed that his brother was really stretching out to him. "Thanks" he repeated toward Cao, smiling a bit uneasily when she mentioned the wanting to be someone else, hoping that his brother wouldn't ask more.

He smiled to his wife. "You won't be the bad mother. I am sure that our children will run to his mother more often because their father is so mean. And to their uncles of course." He joked.
"But do you accept brother? You say you are honored, but you didn't answer if you accept."

Caollaidhe just shook her head and smiled. She stroke gently over her belly and looked around. "I already have to care for two children.", she mumbled quietly. It was still quiet in the garden, besides their talk. No one seemed to want to see them.

Caollaidhe raised her hand before her mouth and yawned softly. " I'm sorry. The day seems finally to get his tribute."

At his brother's question he did take a moment to reply, unsure how to express himself "I do believe you are making a mistake..." he said in the end, shrugging slightly, finally recovering his faked carefreeness "But if you are so sure... then yes, I'll do it."
He smiled to Cao as she yawned "Don't worry, little sister. You had a long day... maybe I should let you two rest..." he added, thinking of taking his leave...

Tycho turned to look at Caollaidhe. Placing a tender kiss on the back of her hand. "Will you find your way back in on your own my dear? I would like to take a walk with my brother." He asked her exchanging a glance with his brother.

Caollaidhe smiled and nodded. "If they haven't changed the arrangement of the rooms I find it.", she stood up and walked towards Eric. " I'm glad you accept it. Have a safe trip and come back soon.", she gave Eric a hug and then stood on her tips to give him a gentle kiss on his lips. "Don't worry to much you'll doing fine."

She turned around to look at her husband and send him an airy kiss. "I'll be taking a short nap", then she left the garden towards the mansion.

Eric stiffened at his brother's phrase, even if he tried to hide his fear: what did Tycho want? What did he do wrong? And Cao didn't really help him giving him that light kiss on the lips: he widened his eyes and swallowed. Any other woman would have been welcomed, but not his sister in law in front of his brother... Anyway he tried to act casually, he smiled to her "Rest well, little sister. Hopefully I'll see you soon again."

Tycho waited until his wife had gone before he turned to his brother. "Shall we?" He asked gesturing to the nearest path. Waiting for his little brother to lead the way.
He didn't pay too much mind to the perhaps too familiar way Caollaidhe kissed his brother. His trust to his wide could survive such kisses surely.
"I know you and I have not had the easiest relationship in the past. But I really do hope we can improve." He made eye contact with Eric. "You didn't tell Caollaidhe why you got sent to the Wall?"

As Cao left, he turned toward his brother, wary: what did he have in mind? Luckily, after the huge surprise, he had been able to recover enough and acting norma once again. He started walking by his bother's side, stepping in those paths that used to be so familiar to him. He had stopped calling that home a long time before, after all those years he really felt like he didn't belong there anymore...
His brother's words hit him once more, but this time he didn't show "Suddenly interested in bonding with the black sheep of the family?" he asked, joking on the double meaning that calling himself a black sheep had. "No, I said nothing..." he replied with a shrug to his question, faking disinterest

Tycho stopped in his tracks once Eric mentioned the black sheep part. "Why would you say that? You may be in the night's watch, but you are still my brother. No matter how angry I was with you back then."
Placing his hand on Eric's shoulder making him look at him. "Thank you for not telling her. I didn't tell her why you got sent to the wall. I didn't want to upset her. And I still don't especially now that she is expecting."

Eric looked at his brother, hiding his skepticism behind a smile: he considered him still his brother? That wasn't what the watch said... that wasn't what it felt like for many years... Beside, he was seen as the black sheep... duty, family, honor... to quote their father, he made a joke of the motto of his own house... he had learnt not to care too much, he got used to the dull pain of never being good enough.
When Tycho placed a hand on his shoulder he turned to look at him and simply shrugged at his thanking "Father didn't wan me to reveal the reason anyway... to anyone, I mean." for a moment his thoughts went to Sinbad but he pushed the male away from his thought: even thinking of him in his family's house felt like a sin... "I didn't do anything special..."

He sighed. The tension between them was so thick. And part of it was his own fault really. "You don't believe me when I say I want our bond to be stronger brother?" Well he couldn't blame Eric for it. He had not always valued the ideal of family. And he regretted it now.
"What would make you believe me?" He asked.

"I do believe you, Tycho! I'm sorry if I gave you another impression, I didn't mean to, I guess I'm just tired" He smiled shrugging apologetically. Trying to act in a more convincing way: he managed to act his whole life with his family, he was sure he could keep doing so... It wasn't that he didn't trust Tycho... he just knew he wouldn't like what he found out knowing him better... then why try? As much as he wished his family could understand him and accept him, he knew they wouldn't, cause he was simply unable to adapt to their view of the perfect soon, cause he wasn't Tycho nor John, cause he screwed up too many times already... "Horse rides and brothels can give this effect" he joked, guessing that his brother wouldn't like too much his joke... but that was him, wasn't it? That was what his family thought of him, and he saw no reason to disappoint them with that...

He smiled a little although he didn't get the joke. Nor appreciate that he so easily dismissed his concern. But if Eric rather not talk about that he would let it be.
"Do you remember when we were children? You would often coax me to play one of your games. Father and mother wanted me to spend my time studying, but yet you managed to lure me out of doing my duties." He smiled to his brother. "You got me to play with you and it would more often than not end in tears. And although I would become angry with you for getting me in trouble I always appreciated it that you did get me to loosen up at times. And how sad it made me that you stopped trying." He hesitated saying more. He feared his brother would think of him as foolish. Laugh at him perhaps.
Instead he just smiled sadly and patted his brothers shoulder. "I do hope we could return back in time. But alas time only moves forward." He flashed a smile to his brother. Starting to walk again slowly.