9th of Winter, 513 AV
Emily's Caretaker's Apartment
12th Bell
Emily's Caretaker's Apartment
12th Bell
It was always a difficult thing.
The stresses of the road were tiresome, and it seemed he would never find respite. He'd returned less than ten days prior and here he was, heading back off for a twenty to thirty day trek into the woods and wilds outside of the safety of Syliras. Hardly had he been provided an opportunity to catch his breath, and he was off, this time without Dinah. It was frustrating. She had important business to take care of that would tie her hands for some time, and the last thing she wanted or needed was her squire to have idle hands of his own.
So he would meet up with an acquaintance of hers and head off into the woods.
He would be cold, he would be tired, and he would be miserable. The weather would be unforgiving, and the ground freezing and hard. Horrible creatures would stalk through the night, waiting for the group of trained warriors to let down their guard for only a moment so they could strike and feast. The earth itself was ripe with dangers waiting for the smallest of missteps before it claimed the life of another fool..
Yes, it was always a difficult thing.
But what was worse was every time that he had to tell her goodbye. Yes, their relationship had a long ways to go. He was trying to make up for four years of being absent from her life, something he would never be able to truly find forgiveness for. Yet they weren’t at each other’s throats as much as they once were. She still refused to call him anything that could imply she was his daughter, but there was at least a little less hate in her words. Orion hoped that was so, at least.
”You’re leaving me again?”
Her sweet voice and wide blue eyes cut through his defenses quicker than any blade could ever hope to. Emily was hurt by his revelation, and Orion could do nothing to soothe his daughter’s frustrations at this fact. ”E-Emily..Your dad has to go. It’s my job, and it’s how I’m going to take care of you. Can’t get you toys if I don’t have any money, right?” He managed a half smile as he looked down into the stone face that the little blonde shot back to him.
While it wasn’t exactly a full truth, he wasn’t meaning to lie to the little girl. He didn’t really want to explain that he wasn’t getting paid for the work he was doing. He was already hemorrhaging money caring for her as it were. He had to go on the patrol and prove he was ready for his knighting quest.
”No. You is mean to me just like you was to mommy! Petcher!” Emily crossed her arms and stared up at her father, bottom lip jutting out as far as it could go. She couldn’t understand he could claim to care about her but always leave her alone with that old, smelly nanny.
Orion frowned, looking down and putting his face in his hands in frustration. He'd had this same conversation with her before his last patrol, and it was just as fruitless as this one was shaping up to be.
