Part 94 (1/2)

”I can't know. What I do know is that she's feeling something that keeps her away and that might be what she's feeling. She also may be sad. But whatever it is, it's hers to feel and her decision to stay away.”

”Was she mean to you?” he whispered.

”Never,” Apollo replied. ”When I was older, I would understand why she was as she was with her husband. But she never was that way with me.”

”The maids said-”

”The maids know little and should have said nothing at all. And this, Chris, is the lesson you should take from what's happened. When you speak, you must be aware of what you say, how it can be taken and who may hear it. But mostly, if you speak at all, you should know what you're talking about.”

He nodded to confirm he'd heard his father's message then rubbed his lips together before he asked, ”Did...erm, well...Maddie...is she...?” He drew in a deep breath and let it out, saying quietly, ”She seemed very sad.”

”What they said wounded her deeply. We talked about this, she's feeling better now.”

Apollo felt relief sweep through him when he saw the same on his son's face.

This was short-lived, however, before he returned to looking troubled.

Apollo would know why when he asked, ”Are you sending her away?”

”No,” Apollo replied and when he did, unfortunately his son hid his reaction so Apollo could not know his thoughts.

”They said you were sending her away,” Christophe noted.

”They were in error,” Apollo explained.

Christophe rubbed his lips together again.

Apollo let him for a while before he took a chance.

”As I explained, your sister and I enjoy her company. Maddie also enjoys ours. I've asked her to dinner tonight but she has refused, worried about you and what you'd heard. She also is simply worried about you. I would like for her to join us again soon. I can find my times with her, as can elan, times we don't share with you. Therefore, if you don't wish her company, I need you to tell me.” He lowered his voice when he finished, ”But I must be honest with you, my son. You must follow your heart and I hope you always share with me freely what's in it. I will do my best to listen with no recriminations. I will return that favor right now and share that for your sister, for me, and also for Maddie, I would hope you will dig deep and find times that we can all share together. If you can't, this will be understood. But that does not negate the fact that I hope that you can.”

”I think...” Christophe shook his head but then kept talking. ”I think she was so sad because she thought you were sending her away.”

”You think correctly.”

He rubbed his lips together some more before he noted, ”She's nice to elan.”

”She cares for her deeply.”

Christophe looked back at his quill and kept his attention there when he spoke on. ”You were angry with her for looking for me.”

”I was,” Apollo confirmed.

”I got her into trouble,” Chris whispered to his quill and Apollo's gut tightened with hope.

”She and I have spoken, Chris,” he said gently. ”And that is past. She will not do something so foolish again, even if moved to do it through her concern for you and elan, and I will not lose my temper with her in the manner I did.”

Christophe said nothing, simply contemplated his quill.

Apollo decided he'd had enough.

So he changed the subject by asking softly, ”Are you done with your studies, son?”

Christophe looked to him and nodded.

”I have not tested you with your sword in some time,” Apollo remarked and watched his son's eyes light. He smiled at him and turned to the door, ordering, ”Get our swords. I'll meet you outside.”

”But, it's gone dark, Papa,” Christophe called to his back.

At the door, Apollo turned back to his son.

”Then it's good we have torches. But not every swordfight is fought in the sun, Chris. To be prepared, you must be prepared for anything.”

Christophe nodded enthusiastically.

”Swords,” Apollo prompted.

Down went the quill and up went his son out of his seat.

He dashed to his wardrobe.

Apollo drew in a breath and let it out as he walked out of the room.

It was only when he was well down the hall that he allowed himself to smile.

”And at that, Princess Arianna stepped onto the cloud...”

Apollo stopped reading and looked down at his daughter.

She was asleep.

Then again, she always fell asleep at that part the third time he read it.

He closed the book softly and laid it on her nightstand. Carefully disengaging her from his arm around her, he rolled her to her side and exited her bed. He pulled the covers up high over her and tucked her in before he bent deep to brush a kiss on her temple. He then straightened, turned out the lamps and walked out of the room, keeping the door open an inch as she liked it.

He moved to Christophe's room and saw his door opened an inch.

As he liked it.

He pushed it open further and moved through the darkened room toward his son's bed. The light from the hall barely illuminated the s.p.a.ce. Therefore Apollo gave it time for his eyes to adjust before he bent over his boy, pulled the covers to his neck and carefully tucked him in.

Awake, he was too old for it.

Asleep, Apollo could do as he liked.

So he brushed his fingers across his son's brow, sweeping the hair away from his skin. Then he bent and touched his lips to that hair before he straightened and moved away.

He was halfway across the room when he heard a sleepy, ”Papa.”