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+--- Thread: 735.02.24 | Bittersweet (/showthread.php?tid=2838)
735.02.24 | Bittersweet - R'nd - 29.Nov.15
He still wasn’t entirely happy with the decision even though it was his idea and he knew it would be for the best. How could it not be? Volfetti had never been happy with life in Katila and among the dragonriders that had kidnapped her and stolen away her future with her husband and family. She resented them all and made no secret of the hatred she held for nearly everyone there. R’nd had always tried his hardest to be friends with her as was his nature. He liked people and enjoyed casual conversations and flirting. Volfetti had taken a bit to the talking but she had never fallen for his advances despite his best efforts. It was only due to flightlust affecting the strong-willed woman while he was nearby that landed them in bed together.
And her pregnant with his son.
That had been quite the shock when she approached him shortly after his birth and said the child was his. Quick math confirmed the timeframe matched and he couldn’t do anything more than accept that Benden was his and promise he would try to be a good father to the chubby boy. Gifts were left for mother and child regularly and he tried visiting and holding Benden when his fears of harming the child finally subsided enough until he thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with his son.
Then everything changed when S’kef announced they could freely go North again after announcing their return to the world. It wasn’t the same world they had left behind so long ago and so much had changed in attitudes and even relationships – which Volfetti painfully found out. R’nd was certain the woman had always believed it would happen with how long she had been gone but to see her husband remarried and with a new family of his own for her own eyes still would have stung deep. That was when Volfetti’s desire to return to her old life vanished and even the thoughts about living her quaint little village with Benden didn’t seem so great anymore either. She had been presumed dead or as a wife that abandoned her family and responsibilities. It didn’t matter that dragonriders had taken her against her will. She’d never fully fit in again.
So R’nd had come up with what he thought was a brilliant solution, although he still kind of hated himself for stating it at the same time. He had spoken with his sister, Eridella, who loved the idea. Volfetti seemed hesitant at first and wondered what sort of angle he was working but after a lot of discussing and promising he wasn’t trying to do anything more than help her and Benden out and provide for them in a better manner, it was agreed the two of them would move in to his sister’s hold that was plenty large enough for two more as her husband was a well-known minor lord with coveted horses that he bred.
Volfetti would be put back into an environment she was more comfortable with and Benden would receive a high end education with his cousins and be allowed to pursue anything that interested him. The only thing that ended up causing a bit of an argument was that R’nd wanted Benden to have the choice to decide if he wanted to stay in the Hold or if he wanted to move back to a Weyr when he was old enough to Stand. Volfetti hadn’t wanted their son to have anything more to do with dragons than was absolutely necessary – like spending time with Ayyonth when R’nd came for visits – but R’nd held his ground and pointed out that he was the son of a dragonrider and had already spent nearly four turns surrounded by dragons and that lifestyle. If the boy wanted to go back to it, it was his decision. He would be twelve at that point and a man grown. In the end, Volfetti had to concede. They both agreed a good education and a ‘normal’ childhood would be good for the boy but Benden would decide his future after that.
Besides, R’nd had pointed out, it didn’t mean Benden would Impress if he did come to Stand. That seemed to satisfy Volfetti.
Now, only two months before his fourth birthday, R’nd was helping Benden and Volfetti from Ayyonth’s back. Their belongings had already been brought up and placed in the rooms Eridella had prepared for them. This was the second time Volfetti had been to the Hold since she wouldn’t agree to anything until she had at least seen where they would live. She hadn’t said anything at the time, or now, but R’nd noticed the look of surprise at the impressive state of the hold and workers on hand. He had stopped by with her to visit his mother as well and couldn’t help himself at that point to mention he hadn’t been lying back then that he was the son to a minor holder.
Benden seemed a little shy around the small gathering of people he didn’t know that were there to greet him as he hid behind his daddy’s leg but R’nd assured the boy they were family and all would be okay. Eridella pushed aside what was lady-like and knelt in the light layer of snow, uncaring about the state of her dress, so she could be more on the eye level of her nephew and spoke softly with him while R’nd assured Volfetti everything was in order and they would be well-tended to when she wanted it but also left alone when she needed the space.
He let Eridella and Benden speak a bit more before copying his sister and kneeling down as well. “This is your new home now, Benden. You and your mom will live here while I stay with the dragons. I’ll visit a lot though.”
Benden’s lower lip trembled and he shook his head at the thought. “No. You need to stay too, daddy.” The little boy gave R’nd a hug, clinging to the bluerider that was finally comfortable with such things. He had never been good with kids but he had learned a lot with Benden and gently wrapped his arms around his son.
“It’ll be like it always is. You live with your mom but we’ll hang out together when I don’t have duties to tend to. I might be a bit further away now but it’ll still be a quick trip here to see you. And now you get to spend time with my sister who will be all too eager to tell you stories about me even if I don’t want you and Volfetti to know some of them.” He shot Eridella a glance and his sister gave a sweet smile in return. He knew he was doomed and every embarrassing story would be told soon enough.
Benden finally nodded and R’nd released the hug so the boy could go back to his mom who scooped him up.
“There’s no need for you to rush off, R’nd. We have a large dinner being prepared and will be served in an hour. Stay a bit and join us.” Eridella was standing now, brushing away any snow that may have clung to her dress and waiting for the reply she wanted. He always had a hard time saying no to her and they both knew he wouldn’t now either.
“Only if there’s dessert,” he replied with a grin as Volfetti groaned over his sweet tooth that was being passed onto Benden and Eridella laughed with a nod. “Then let’s head inside.”