Family reunion...

Ten days in Dorne. Ten days with Sinbad... and what days! Eric didn't remember being in such a good mood in yeas! He could even spend some more days with his lover since he volunteered to take him back to the north by ship. They attracted in the Riverlands that morning, half a day away from Riverrun, and he decided to make a quick visit home: after all, he had agreed to Tycho's proposal to have a chance to bond... he could at lest try spending some more time with him, and he wanted to check how Cao was doing with the pregnancy. Beside, he doubted his sore ass could handle more than one day of horse-riding!

It was late afternoon when he left his horse in the stables of Riverrun, but he could gather quite soon that the atmosphere at the castle felt... quite different from usual, quite heavier... He didn't dare to ask the servants what was wrong, somehow it felt weird and their sad faces were creeping him out. Instead, he asked a maid where he could find his older brother: he came for him, after all, and if something was wrong it could be better to know it from him. Beside, it might have been just servitude's problems, and in that case he just didn't want to get involved. The maid informed him Tycho was in the sept, and offered to warn him: she was gone to do so before Eric could say it wasn't really necessary. Oh well... He didn't need to make a surprise, at least Tycho would know he was there...

As he approached the sept, the maid reached him again and stopped in front of him "Lord Tycho asked for you to wait here, my lord." once again, she was gone before Eric could say or ask anything. He didn't have much of a choice then: with a sigh he surrendered to wait in front of the sept for his brother to arrive....

Caollaidhe stood in the sept with her husband and tried not to cry. It had been a few days since they died but still it made her suffer. And the pregnancy didn't helped either, it more intensified her emotions. She sighed and took Tycho's hand. She felt better with him around. He was the only person steady around her in these hard times. "We... We need to prepare the funeral.", she whispered with a shaking voice.

When a maid suddenly appeared and announced Eric, her eyes grew big and teary. She didn't heard what Tycho told the girl and how she left. Cao looked at the door and run to it. She ignored Tycho's voice behind her. She needed to see Eric.

Tycho's eyes were stinging. From the tears he was fighting against and from the incense that had been lit in the sept to cover the smells.
Caollaidhe spoke the truth as usual. There should be a funeral. He felt so strong with her by his side. Trying to hold himself back from crushing her fingers while holding on to her hand.
The servant came in to announce that Eric had come here. He perked up. He had not even thought about what his brother would go through when he found out.
Starting to move with his wife out of the sept, but suddenly she ran past him. "Caollaidhe!! Wait!!" He called after him. Somewhere deep inside he felt slightly jealous over the relationship she and his brother had.
He had no doubts over her, but he couldn't be sure the intentions of Eric sometimes. Eric had a bastard of his own. That sort of behavior could surely lead to another lapse in judgment on his part.
He followed after her outside to see her and his brother there.
"Eric...." He said a little hesitantly. Not sure what to say. Surely these circumstances were not nice settings for a family reunion. "What brought you here?" That could be a proper way to ask what he knew.

Adam walked in the fast pace, he got during the time as soldier, along the path towards the sept. When he came out of his room a few servants had informed him that his second brother had been coming home and was on his way to the sept. Adam wasn't sure how Tycho would explain the loss to him and thought it would be better to stay by his side and lend him some strength. And if not him then for Cao. The lady had been crying a lot and he had heard the servants murmuring that they feared the lady would lose the baby because of the sadness. Adam doubted it but he was there to keep the family safe. His duty was to keep away danger.

He arrived and stopped in front of them. "Mylord, mylady.", he bowed in front of Tycho and Caollaidhe. Then turned to Eric. " Brother.", his voice was calm and warm.

Eric waited next to the sept entrance for just a couple of minutes, before he saw Cao running toward him: her eyes were red and swollen, like she had been crying a lot. His first thought was to the pregnancy, but a quick look at her belly told him she hadn't lost the baby. What was going on then? "Cao, are you ok? What's wrong?" He asked frowning, moving a couple of steps toward her, meeting her halfway before Tycho would join them. He seemed upset too, and not really welcoming... what did he mean with 'what brought you here?' Didn't he suggest to get to know each other better? To spend more time together?
"I'm back from a mission... I thought I could pass by to see you..." he didn't dare to ask to him too if there was something wrong, he almost feared that they wanted him gone. What was that heavy atmosphere in Riverrun?
"Adam..." he greeted back his younger brother as he joined them, giving him a nod and a light smile: he hadn't seen him in quite a long while, but somehow it felt like his two brothers weren't too keep in celebrating his arrival...

Cao made the last steps towards Eric and hugged him tightly, before she stepped back to her husband. She took Tycho's hand again and squeezed it slightly, lending him some of her strength she didn't knew she still had. THe words wanted to flow out of her mouth, but it wasn't hers to tell Eric. Her husband was Lord and brother, so it was his duty to tell Eric what had happened.

Cao gave Adam a small smile and nodded towards him, before leaning against her husband. From the sight of her eye, she could see Adam doing two small steps towards her, unnoticable for his brothers. She assumed he did it, because he feared she would faint and Cao was grateful for his behaviour. Not that she wanted to do it. She needed to stay strong for her husband.

Tycho gently nodded his head to Adam when he arrived. Holding tightly on to Caollaidhe's hand.
He sure as hell didn't know how to deal with this situation and he felt the tension between them thick and rising.
Trying to paste a smile to his younger brother. "Of course you are welcome to come by anytime you can.... I just wish you had come at a better time..." He looked at his wife, needing some encouragement. "We have run to a little bit of misfortune here while you have been away...." A little bit?! Some would say allot! He thought in his head.
"You have heard of this plague that has been going around have you not?" He asked looking at Eric once more.

Adam smiled at Eric. Sadly but he did. He could feel the pain Tycho had while trying to tell Eric what happened. Indeed he saw Cao's mood as well and made two steps towards her, just in case. His family was important to him.

"I'm glad to see you again Eric.", he said, seeing the uncomfortable look on his brothers face. "Last time I seemed to be quite more busy to come seeing you.", Cao had told him, that she met Eric after they came back from their long trip.

Eric was fairly surprised when Cao hugged him like that, it felt like she wanted to comfort him for some reason, but why? What happened? The hug didn’t last long and he didn’t have the time to hug her back… which he was thankful for, since he always felt quite awkward being so close to her when Tycho was around.
He listened quietly to him, still unable to put together the pieces of this puzzle: a better time? Misfortune? Why didn’t he just say what he had to?!
“Yes, I have…” he replied wary, waiting for his brother to continue. He side glanced at Adam, when he talked to him, and replied shaking his head with a half smile “I guessed, don’t worry.”

Caollaidhe looked at her husband. "Tell him, he needs to know.", she whispered silently, squeezing her husbands hand again. "Don't make him fear something that's not there.", the thick atmosphere was oppressive.

"I'm fine with the baby, I didn't got ill.", Cao gave Eric a reassuring smile. "That's not the reason everything seems so depressing."

He wasn't stalling because he wanted to make Eric scared. He was stalling because he just couldn't blurt something like this out.
"We lost John and Jane, Father and mother and our uncle and his wife to the plague..." He said with a heavy sigh. "Their bodies are in the sept if you want to see them..."

Adam stood silently next to them. He had nothing to add to Tycho's answer, just watching and taking care what would happen next. It still hurted inside, when someone said they were all dead, but he learnt not to show it. His face was nearly emotionless while he patiently waited for Eric's reaction to the news.

Eric had jut the time to nod with a little thankful smile to Cao before Tycho talked. The news came as a wet blanket, unexpected and undesired. The hint of a smile wore off and he simply blinked once, getting a little pale. For a moment he remained silent. What could he say after all?
Uncle and his wife... John and his wife... he never had a deep relationship with any of them, but for a moment he desired he had known them better... and... mother and father... he could feel his own heart sink as the realization hit slowly. It couldn't be... it jus couldn't be...
Only when Tycho spoke up again he felt himself going back to reality, but his brother's words gave Eric a chill from his neck to his spine. No! No no no! No he didn't want to get in, he didn't want to see them! No... They couldn't force him...
"When... when there will be the funerals?" he asked in a flat voice, hiding any kind of emotion. Now he just wanted to take time. 'Please not today, please not today, please not today...' he kept begging in his mind. He wasn't ready, no, he simply... he simply needed time...

Caollaidhe looked at Tycho and then back to Eric, before she decided she could tell him instead of her husband. She felt him slightly shaking through her hand, though it wasn't to be seen on the outside. "Not today."; she finally answered. "But soon. I ...", she paused and hesitated for a moment. "I will take care of it, after you saw them, if you want to go inside and say goodbye.", she tried to give Eric a comforting smile, but felt herself that the smile failed.

The lack of reaction sort of angered him. Why didn't his brother cry or his voice even crack. He just seemed numb and emotionless.
Tycho himself felt his eyes tear up again.
"You are welcome to stay until the funeral.... We would all appreciate you being there." Glancing at the sept doors and then at Eric. "Will you come and pay respects?"

Adam frowned. Something wasn't right. Cao seemed to calm down enough, but a slight tension between Tycho and Eric was rising. He could feel it. Adam sighed quietly. He made a few steps forward, just in case. It wouldn't solve if a fight would break out, however it would appear, verbal or physical.

It scared him a bit to stay inbetween his brothers somehow. He was the youngest. Always respected his brothers. But now it was his duty to at least protect the oldest of them three, cause he was Lord. Brotherhood wouldn't count much if something happened. "Calm down.", he mumbled, not directing the words to anyone specifically.

Go inside and pay respects... Cao and Tycho's invitation sounded to him more like an order... he didn't want to go inside, he did't want to see them lifeless, he wasn't ready, he couldn't... They couldn't force him to do so... Why, why did he decide to visit home? If he hadn't, now he wouldn't be here, in this situation... he couldn't, he just couldn't...
"I... I'll bring my things in one of the rooms and make myself presentable... then I'll come to pay my respects..." he replied with a dry, flat voice. It was the best excuse he could think of, and it wasn't even too bad: after all, after the long ride, he was in quite a bad shape and it could be seen as respectful not wanting to show himself in the sept in such conditions.

He didn't wait for their answer, he bowed lightly and quickly walked away, toward the stables where he had left his horse. But instead of taking his satchel and heading back toward the castle, he got on the horse "When your masters come, tell them I couldn't stay." he ordered one of the stable boys before he rushed away at full gallop.
Knowing his brothers, they wouldn't have noticed his absence for quite a few hours. And he knew they would be upset, but... this was just too much. What did they expect of him? To quietly say goodbye and then go back? He just... couldn't! He tried to think of the last time he had seen mother and father... somehow they were always too busy for him whenever he passed to visit. The last brief meeting had been so many months before! They said they forgave him, but Eric always felt like they really didn't manage to do that... and now they were gone... Eric closed his eyes, forcing himself not to cry, before he spurred the horse to go faster.

Cao nodded slowly. She had a weird feeling, but she assumed it was, because she was pregnant. She felt tears raising up inside her and so she turned to her husband and hided her face in his chest. Just letting the tears flow. There was no need to supress it, if she didn't had to be strong anymore. And she had to show strength in front of others.

Although a little grudgingly Tycho let Eric go. It didn't matter to Tycho what Eric looked like and he doubted their parents would care either anymore. But his request seemed reasonable and genuine enough.
Turning to Caollaidhe and wrapping his arms around her in a comforting manner. Kissing the top of her head gently and trying to comfort her. Feeling his eyes start to tear up as well. "We can stay outside for a while. Let's wait for Eric to come back." He said softly to her.


After waiting for what seemed to be like ages Tycho couldn't wait anymore. Eric was surely taking too much time. Washing his face and hands and changing clothes couldn't take that long. He sent a servant to inquire on his brother.
When the servant returned and told him that Eric had fled he felt a new sort of rage rise up in him. What was here that was so terrible that Eric had the need to flee?! Squeezing his hands into fists trying to keep his composure. Clenching his jaw so he wouldn't let whatever he wanted to say right now come out.

Adam stood silently next to his Lord and Lady while they waited for Eric to come back. He listened quietly to the servant Tycho had sent out after some time and sighed at the message the servant brought back. He felt sad, that Eric still reacted this way. It felt like betrayal and mistrust. They didn't reacted better before, when they were little but Eric's reaction just made everything worse again.

Adam walked towards Tycho and layed his hand on the shoulder of his oldest brother. "Calm down. I will make some orders, so everything will run smoothly and go after him. You can be sure I will find him and bring him back.", he nodded and walked back to the castle. He needed to find his right hand and get everything settled, before he would take his horse and go after his brother.

Tycho summoned a servant. Telling them to fetch Adam back that they should go and prepare for the funeral, not go chasing after Eric.
He turned to Caollaidhe. His gaze more sad and disappointed than anything. "I think Eric has made it clear to all of us he no longer wants to be part of this family...." He said moving back into the sept, like the good son he always had been.