Free The Unexpected Heir: A Tale of Alus by Donald Wigboldy

younger man's shoulder, moved to continue with the exercise promised in the invitation.
     
     
    Chapter 4- Charting a Course
     
    A carriage sat waiting in the drive alongside the manor in front of the stables. Servants carried bags and other luggage stowing them on top of the sturdy wood roof or on one of the racks attached to the rear. While they worked, the Eremia household readied to see the elder son and his wife leave for their home a little more than a week's travel away.
    Heralin warmly hugged and exchanged goodbyes with Alexander's mother and sister. His father pulled his son aside as the women began to get teary eyed as they readied to see them off once more.
    "You don't have to wait as long to see us again, Alex," Philip said with an almost sad looking smile. "Patris can live without your direct supervision from time to time, you know."
    Alexander shared the sentiment of his father with a sympathetic smile. While the younger man understood the opinion, he also thought how quickly weeks became months. It hadn't seemed that long since they had made the trip to Yalan to visit his family, but more than half a year had passed before he knew it.
    "The everyday duties make the days blend together more than I realized. It had been longer time than I realized when I actually thought about it," the son mused to his father. "You know that you and mother are always welcome to visit us also. Patris is a bit quieter than Yalan, even hiding here behind the walls of the manor."
    Philip glanced away towards the high stone wall which surrounded the buildings making up their home on three sides. The back of the house had no wall, but a cliff separated them from anyone who might be walking along the beach below. They could hear the wash of the waves on a quiet day. Some nights as a boy Alexander had chosen to escape his room to lie in the grass behind the house to look out at the ocean under the light of the three moons of Alus.
    The sound of the waves would put him to sleep and too often he would be found by his parents. Their scoldings were rarely very heartfelt and as a boy Alexander guessed that his love of the outside couldn't be too much of a burden on them. Being out of bed without permission was hardly the act of a rebellious youth.
    "Patris might be a nice change of pace from Yalan," Philip noted and appeared a bit longing. The man hadn't been raised in a large city. His youth had been spent in one of the elf towns as many called them.
    His elven ancestors believed in having their home be one with nature, at least to a point. Homes were built among the trees disturbing the world around them as little as they could. Some were formed from the trees as well, but one thing was clear to those who visited their people, the elves had magic in the way that they dealt with the world around them.
    Alexander thought on the conversation with his cousins and mentioned quietly, "If the Brothers of the Blood manage to stir up the city with their rhetoric, it might even be wise to get away while King Orlaan finds a way to deal with them."
    Looking at his son closely, the half elf considered his words and asked, "What makes you think that they will ever be able to grab that kind of foothold in Yalan? Orlaan may not do everything that people want, but he has been a solid leader for decades now. The people won't rise up against him or his house, unless he does something harsh or unusually against their will."
    "The princes appeared to be worried about them here in Yalan. They even asked whether Patris was experiencing similar difficulties."
    "And have you?" his father asked appearing genuinely concerned with the news.
    "Not as of yet, which might be another reason for you to consider visiting us. Alicia should come too, if you and mother aren't here, I think," Alexander added realizing that worry had made its way into his mind just talking about the possible problems.
    Philip smiled in an attempt at reassurance for his son and replied, "I will