A Father's Concern (Stefan)

Fri Nov 05, 2021 4:50 am

♅ 66th Ash, Year 121, A.O.S ♅
Company: Richard and Stefan| Thoughts: Richard: My son is a mess| Mood: Richard: Irritated

A few days ago; Richard received a letter from Stefan about Tobias' behaviour in regards to his schoolboy ettiquette and complete disregard for the rules. He knew it was entirely his fault. His relationship with his son was even more stronger than his previous son. He wanted to keep it that way, but there were disciplines he had to let other people enforce so that Tobias would grow as a respected member of Zaichaeri society. He wasn't cut out for disciplining his own son; as lenient as a father he was it was time that Tobias had grown up and act mature.

He needed a mentor that would teach him combat, survival and the candor of Zaichaeri society. He waited anxiously in the living room, hoping that Stefan hadn't been so scared to turn up. He knew he had social anxiety and that letters were a dear form of communication to him. He also knew how his parents treated him as if there were some kind of family hierarchy amongst their ranks. Richard decided not to approach situations too domineeringly for his son.

It was his life and he made his own decisions and dabbled in their own consequence. He knew his son very well, a keen and intelligent individual who questioned everything. A man that had an opinion on everything as well as a sense of logical reasoning. He also knew that his previous family had a dark secret. It was a secret that he would further want to share with Stefan so he could understand him more. However, he did this when Tobias was working over at the Hall of Reconciliation. He did not attend work as his mind was ill with worry.

"Henrietta... Could you prepare the drinks..."

"Why yes milord, certainly..."

At that moment, he wondered when Stefan would arrive so he could vent to him and tell him about his son's past. It was important to him that Tobias become a great man. He had failed last time with his previous son, perhaps this time would be better. So far, Lord Zorrothy felt rather pessimistic about the outcome.

"Tobias Speech"
"Richard Speech"

Fri Nov 05, 2021 11:42 pm

Stefan had been polite, had not repeated the things Tobias had said during the lesson in the letter he sent to Richard. It had been more an inquiry into possible reasons for his behavior, perhaps he was not reacting well to the death of his adoptive mother, or perhaps he simply had no wish to learn what Stefan had to teach.

If it was the former he wanted to cultivate patience; physical training could be a great help in overcoming grief. If it was the latter Stefan would have to suggest Richard hire a professional to do the job of teaching his son. Stefan was more than willing to help a man who wanted help, but he was not prepared to force an adult person down a path of education that they neither wanted nor consented to.

When he had received a letter back asking that he stop by the Zorrathy home in order to have a live conversation a part of him was anxious, as a part always was when he was expected to make a social call. A larger part sat well with the idea though, he had spoken to Richard, both in public and alone, on a variety of subjects throughout his time studying and it should be awkward or uncomfortable between the two men. Stefan arrived on time, because it was the right thing to do, and rang the bell.

The door was answered promptly and, after his hat and coat were taken, he was led to a room that was, presumably, Richard's study. There was an assortment of drinks, both alcoholic and not, lined up along a sidetable, along with small bowls of tiny snacks. Stefan ignored them for the moment, as it would be impolite to partake until offered.

Making a precise bow to Richard he then held out his hand to shake,

"Good afternoon, Richard. I hope you are well." It was the correct thing to say, but upon closer inspection, Stefan began to wonder if the man was, in fact, well. Concern creased his brow, and he said, sounding like he meant it instead of just making pleasantries,

"Are you well? I can call another time if you are ill or distressed. Forgive me if you sent a note and I missed it." He half-turned toward the door, ready to leave his friend to seek what comfort he could at a word if it was given.

Sat Nov 06, 2021 2:26 am

♅ 66th Ash, Year 121, A.O.S ♅
Company: Richard and Stefan| Thoughts: Richard: My son is a mess| Mood: Richard: Irritated

Richard smiled in relief as he saw Stefan stood right there, for a moment he had thought he had given up on the boy; he sighed with a shudder of anxiety before he rubbed his hands. It was a common practice whenever he felt anxiety's needle prod at the back of his mind. "It's good that you've come..." He said with a smile, but then frowned for a moment as he crossed his arms. He seemed troubled and stressed, like he was trying to bring up Tobias again. He was always a troubled child, although it wasn't as bad as Alabaster's upbringing. Still, the stress continued through his life as he tried to raise Tobias properly; however, there were certain lessons of a noble that he had forgotten. One was ettiquette.

Whilst he did always encourage Tobias to be polite, there were certain flaws in his demeanor. He looked over at Tobias' painting when he was a child and smiled "There's must to discuss." He paused as he poured himself and Stefan a drink "It's fine Gelerian Wine, the good kind" He boldly explained as he handed him the glass. He clearly wasn't his usual cheery self as he tried to be; he was usually a great host at party. To put it bluntly, he had a thing for being a good host, but today didn't seem like the appropriate time for him.

He was bewildered with worry.

Angry at himself.

He knew he couldn't enforce laws upon him as he was afraid he'd ruin their relationship. He knew what Tobias was like; an intellectual being who would ride upon the high horse, only to be smacked between a hurdle post. It was clear that something needed to be done about his behaviour; thus the only way was through mentorship.

"I trust you know why you are here at this time, so I'll begin..." He looked at Stefan for a moment and frowned, before looking at the painting once again "I adopted Tobias at the age of 8, he was a very troubled child, who'd steal to get by. As you know, many orphanages aren't in great working conditions; some would beat the children and some would neglect them, hoping that they would just disappear from the road" He paused and took a sip of his drink. "Tobias was one of those, an unfortunate soul with nowhere to go, although I did discover a shocking truth when I looked at his birth records..."

He got up as he popped off his cufflink, which contained a small key to a chest, as he opened it he revealed some old paperwork about his records. He placed them on the table to show Stefan. As the paper revealed, his birth mother: Alita Val'Atre was on the list as well as a well known businessman, Abel Val'Atre. "Coincidently, I was friends with the lord but he committed suicide. He never told me he had a child, neither did he congratulate me for my recent accomplishment at the time. Alita however... She was a true narcissist, I disliked her intently... I still suspect she had something to do with his death. It looked like she cast aside the child like he was a piece of meat."

He paced back and forth across the room as he revealed more about Tobias' past "Remember, that night when I came to your wedding with Tobias... Well, I did something unforgivable, when he was 18 someone managed to groom him into coven life." Richard took a moment to relax as it appeared he was about to have a nervous breakdown. Eventually, he got up and pulled himself back together "I was angry and I disowned him... I never saw him for five years but when I did, he was... Broken, shattered, torn to pieces. He was tortured by them. What kind of father am I!" At that moment, he broke down into tears as he began sobbing his heart out "I tried everything, but... I just want the best for my boy..."

"I thought I was gonna have to tie another son to the stake... I would never, I would rather be executed on the stand than TAKE ORDERS FROM A TYRANT!" He slammed his fist on the table as his tears turned to rage. The stringent venom in his voice could be heard as it even shook up Henrietta forcing her to back away into the kitchen. He was unhinged, like a beast wanting to go for it's first kill. This was the side of Tobias' father that he never saw. The one where he was filled with rage and anger, he would often suppress things like that in front of his son.

"Tobias Speech"
"Richard Speech"

Sun Nov 07, 2021 7:00 pm

When Richard did not take Stefan up on his offer to leave, seemed almost too distracted to have heard it, in fact, Stefan moved to sit in one of the chairs provided, watching his host pace and gesticulate as he spoke. His manner remained agitated but it looked as though the purpose of inviting Stefan had been to have this conversation and it felt like the least he should do to at least stay and listen.

Taking the drink when it was handed to him, he murmured something appreciative and sipped politely. The vintage was good and he was never one to turn down a Gelerian red when offered it. While he assumed the invitation to have this talk had been due to the letter he'd sent, Stefan did not really know why he was there or what the matter was. But, in his experience, it was often better to just let someone talk rather than interrupt them asking for explanations. If he was still in confusion by the time Richard finished he would ask his questions then.

The first bits of information were confirmation of the general knowledge or gossip he had heard concerning Tobias, mixed in with new things he hadn't yet heard. Keeping his mouth closed, except when he sipped at his wine, he settled in to learn as much as he could. He knew that orphanages existed, of course, but hadn't ever been to one, or even asked about one. Sometimes society women would organize events in support of this cause or that and orphanages were included in the list, but that was about as close to knowing about them personally as Stefan got.

There was a moment of consternation as Richard appeared to be about to undress. It turned to intrigue as the true purpose of the removal of his cufflink came to be understood. Sitting forward Stefan began to look over the papers being shown him, reading through them as quickly as he couldn't trying to put together the puzzle of information they contained. A frown creased both mouth and brow as it, aided by Richard's continued tale, began to come to light.

"She just abandoned her child? But why? If her husband was dead she could have named his heir and lived on his business wealth comfortably." The action made no sense, clearly there was more to the tale, perhaps more than Richard had been able to discover. He simply nodded at the question of remembering his own wedding, accepting that Richard was in a heightened state of agitation and that it would be better not to cut in while he spoke.

The narrative began to turn around on itself a bit, and it took his mind a little while not to think Richard had disowned Tobias On the day of Stefan's wedding, to realize he'd only just gotten him Back at that time.

The revelation of the young man joining a coven was sickening, horrific. Stefan knew, of course, that the vile witches attempted to draw young people into their clutches whenever they could. That they would go after a youth who must still have been trying to recover from his traumatic childhood turned the consternation to anger in Stefan's heart. How dare they? His first clenched along with his jaw. Tobias was not to blame, how could someone so young and vulnerable be held accountable for being lured into an awful life? Of course, he'd come out of it broken and damaged, who could spend any time in a coven and not be thus?

At the same time, he couldn't blame Richard for his extreme reaction, not after what had transpired with his eldest son, with his wife. It was also understandable when Richard broke down, and then outburst his repressed emotions. Stefan had not the first idea what to do about it. Sitting and continuing to drink his wine seemed callous, but standing up and offering physical comfort felt near to impossible. So he sat still, tried to think of what Delia might do. Eventually, he said,

"My dear fellow, of course, you reacted as you did. Considering the circumstances, I think any man would have. Of course, you want what's best. You took him back in, claimed him as your son, even after all that. You're a better man than I would likely be." Would Stefan be able to forgive a child of his own if they forsook the State and betrayed all? He did not know, and the lack of certainty, more than either outcome, bothered him.

Anger, at least, Stefan knew how to deal with. He stood, setting his glass aside, and moved to stand across from Richard.

"You have done your best, the best anyone could expect in the circumstances. Take a breath, ease your mind some. We will sit together and speak of what can be done. I..." He hesitated, not because what he was about to say was untrue, but because he was only just realizing it was true, "I want to help, I will help."

Mon Nov 08, 2021 9:35 pm

♅ 66th Ash, Year 121, A.O.S ♅
Company: Richard and Stefan| Thoughts: Richard: My son is a mess| Mood: Richard: Irritated

Richard paced back and forth, as if manic; he was filled with anxiety as he wondered how the world viewed him. He had tried to raise the boy as best as he could, from an outstanding education to the offerings of reconciliatorship, however it wasn't enough. He sighed as he listened further about the child "Do you think someone as spineless and callous as her would give that up? Thats why she cast aside Tobias, I don't know if these rumors were true but, it appeared as though she had wanted the child dead. As long as Tobias is alive, he's entitled to every last fortune she has. Her title, her mansion, everything. Theres no doubt that if she finds out, she would kill him" He looked at Stefan with tears in his eyes. It appeared his words were true, Richard had been trying to protect him from such a fate for years.

Eventually, it was too much for him.

He sighed out as he shrugged "I know you think badly of Tobias, Stefan... It's understandable, but it's not his fault. It's mine." He poured himself another drink as he sits down as he took a moment compose himself. Somehow, Tobias had come home from work, feeling rather stressed out as he stepped forth, about to enter the living room. However, he eavesdropped on Stefan and Richard's conversation for a moment as he flinches with the shattering off the glass.

Richard pinched his nose in stress as he looked up at Stefan with pleading eyes "How can you help the broken boy? He's clearly, putting stress on me and I don't know how to deal with it. There's surely something we can do, I havent given up hope for Tobias, not yet..." As Tobias listened to the conversation, tears flooded in his eyes. It was a side to his father that he had never bared witness to. His emotional, yet deep side cut him deep as he suddenly storms out, letting the door slam behind him.

"Shit, Tobias returned home from work early... Find him Stefan before he does something stupid..."

He ran off for a moment, he didn't know how to take the conversation between him and Stefan. It was heartbreaking as Tobias went as far away as he could. Usually, Tobias would drink away his sorrows at the tavern, but it appeared at that moment it wasn't the time. He sat along the walls, watching the airships go by. Alias, he decided to give into the thought of having a few drinks to settle the nerves "Something strong, if you've got it" He asked.

"Tobias Speech"
"Richard Speech"

Mon Nov 08, 2021 10:37 pm

The idea that a woman, that a mother, would get rid of her own child to prevent him from one day growing old enough to inherit had not occurred to Stefan, it did not fit into his view of the world. As his mind opened to the possibility his frown deepened, moving from his brow to encompass his mouth as he set his wine down.

Leaning forward he concentrated harder on the things Richard was saying. The man's agitated state made it harder for Stefan to understand him, both simply because he was speaking loudly and rapidly, but also because the younger man found it difficult to understand strong emotions. Perhaps he was deficient in some way, but his parents had never had outbursts. Both he and his brother had had them beaten out of them long before puberty. Brenner was sometimes prone to high emotions but they were usually positive ones, enthusiasm and such, which, when applied to the right subjects, were perfectly acceptable.

Expressing real, deep emotional distress even around a trusted friend was almost as foreign a concept for Stefan as a woman willingly discarding her child for her own benefit.

"I don't think... badly of him, not exactly. I don't, or didn't, understand him, his actions. How he could behave in the way he does with an excellent man such as yourself as his father. It is beginning to make more sense to me now." He between the abandonment, the deprivation, and then being basically kidnapped and emotionally blackmailed by a cult through his young adulthood. It was much easier to understand why Tobias' behavior didn't fit into the neatly packaged understanding that Stefan's world usually did.

"But really, I don't see how it's any more your fault than it is his. You were not responsible for his parentage, nor did you leave him to suffer when you saw his plight. You picked up the pieces that others had broken, and then, later, when he was taken in by bastards who only wanted to hurt him, you forgave him and took him back. Despite all the reasons you personally had not to be so kind. Again, I think you are a better man than most, Richard. I really do."

He did too. Stefan was not very good at speeches, much less so when they were disingenuous. The question as to how he might help through Stefan for another loop. Helping in delicate family matters was not something he'd ever done, except for a few moments of youthful indecency on Brenner's part which he had happily swept under the rug. He shook his head at the idea of giving up, even as his mind ran a panicked search for solutions as though the issue were a mechanical one.

"I can spend time with him. Talk to him, perhaps?" He sounded uncertain and looked to Richard for confirmation of his very vague plan. "We have plans to continue his boxing lessons, so, there is that at least. He seems genuinely interested in learning, improving himself, surely that is cause for hope?"

The sudden and immediate escalation of the crisis had Stefan's eyes wide in more poignant panic and he shook his head very minutely without realizing he was doing it. Mists! What would Brenner do? His brother was a man of action. Right. Uhm...

Stefan stood and walked to the entrance. As the Butler came to bring him his hat and coat a thought occurred to him. If anyone in the world knew the habits of the nobility it was their servants.

"Tell me, please, where would your younger master go if he was distressed? For a drink perhaps. Do you know the establishments he is most likely to frequent?"
A loyal servant was unlikely to give up family secrets, but a loyal servant was also likely to know when there were issues that required a little assistance. The man looked at him sternly for a moment before having a bit of a sinking break down himself. He did not weep or anything so dramatic, he only sighed, looking defeated, and gave Stefan the addresses of several drinking establishments in the area that were likely candidates to house a distraught Tobias. Thanking him with a nod, Stefan pulled on his coat, donned his hat, and set out into the fogging evening.

An hour later he pushed through the door of a middling drinking establishment to find his quarry. Tobias was seated at the bar, surrounded by quite a few empty glasses and clutching at a half-full one.
Walking over Stefan put his hand on the smaller man's shoulder and said,

"I think it might be best if you came home now, your father is in a heightened level of distress and wants to reassure himself that you are alright. I've got a carriage waiting, come now, be a good fellow."

Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:52 pm

♅ 66th Ash, Year 121, A.O.S ♅
Company: Richard and Stefan| Thoughts: Richard: My son is a mess| Mood: Richard: Irritated

Richard sighed as he looked over at Stefan for a moment. He had clearly been distressed by the current situation with his son. Trying to fit him in within Zaichaeri society was hard enough than dealing with the inner burdens of his trauma. He questioned him heavily as he frowned, watching Stefan leave as his maid, Henrietta approaches him and places her hand on his shoulders "Oh, I miss him when he was a young boy..." Richard frowned, hoping that Stefan would return his son safely to him.

Tobias looked confused, yet distressed as if he was about to protest "Just, one more and I'll leave!" He said to the bartender as he shook his head "Nope, I think you have had enough" He said as Tobias growled like a disgruntled child, he was about to have a tantrum until Stefan placed a hand on his shoulder "Get this mess out of my pub, he's trouble" He said as Tobias sighed, immediately making a stumble; he'd usually protest, but it appeared that his emotions were high, at one point he ran out laughing as if he needed the energy before struggling get into the carriage.

It was clear Tobias had too much to drink as he frowned in sadness, knowing how distressed his father had become. He didn't expect him to become distraught. It was emotions of self-loathing, sorrow and anguish that consumed him as he leant against the carriage, quite for a moment. He took a deep breath as he tried to move in his paralytic state; but he was hopeless. He thought alcohol would numb the pain; of all the things he went through, the traumatic experiences to his adoptive father not being able to cope with him.

He was disappointed in himself, wishing that he could've done better "Perhaps, my father should've let me be executed; it would've saved him alot of pain." He said on his way home; he remembered on the night he returned home to his father that a darkness raised within him. An even deeper darkness that surged through his mind, he wished he could explain the pain, but there were moments where he wished he could've ended it all. He almost did, although it was a lucky save when Richard came into the room that night, who knows what Richard would've done if he had lost him. He would've been distraught. He laid against Stefan who was beside him in the carriage as it rode home as he was the only ounce of warmth he felt beside him.

Tobias had a moment of comfort.

"Tobias Speech"
"Richard Speech"

Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:28 pm

The chaos that followed, the whining and stumbling had Stefan gritting his teeth as he tried to herd Tobias safely out the door. He quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out several banknotes, not having the time to even see what denominations they were he dropped them on the counter hoping they would cover however much Tobias had drunk, plus a generous tip. The bartender nodded to him, which he barely saw as he hurried after the, now running, laughing, younger man.

There had been a time when he considered Brenner's nights of drinking to be the height of social debauchery, but not anymore. He could not see that Brenner's antics when inebriated were playful and almost sweet in comparison to the intense swinging mood of the youngest Zorrathy.

When, at last, they were both in the carriage and Stefan had instructed the driver to make his way back to Richard's home with all due haste, he sat back, as though the last hour of conversation and then searching had exhausted him.

The distress Tobias was feeling was obviously exacerbated by, but not caused by his drinking. Though the two were not physically related it seemed that Richard had imparted some of his own traits, in this case, how he handled stress, to his second son. His first instinct, which had been wrapping his hand around the younger man's mouth and dragging him bodily from the drinking establishment was, obviously, an incorrect way to handle the situation. Unfortunately for Stefan and Tobias both, no other ideas were immediately forthcoming in how to handle the distraught feelings.

When the other man broke the silence Stefan snapped,

"This is not the place to be speaking of... such things!" Not until that moment had he considered the fact that, by including him in their family secret, Richard had rendered Stefan complicit in that crime. Or, almost. Stefan wasn't sure of the exact legal term for withholding information of criminal activity. Richard was himself a Reconciliator and Stefan had to assume that the man would have broken up the witch-cult who had abused his son and seen them all justly punished, preferably executed. It was highly unlikely that Stefan would, or even could, be held accountable for the things Tobias was referencing, but it only served to heighten his sense of unease. Taking a calming breath he tried again, in a more even tone,

"Look here, Tobias, your father has been doing his job for longer than both of us have been alive, combined. He knows what he is doing and certainly made the right choice to rescue you from the blackguards who were keeping you. You're safe from them now. I know the experience must have been an awful one for you, but avoiding and running away from the man who has done his utmost to see that you are cared for and provided for isn't the thing to be done.

"If you haven't done so I would advise going to see some of the State Healers, they can examine you and discover what is best to be done. Distressing yourself further with such talk can only make your misery, and that of your father, more acute."

Whether his words were being understood, or even heard, Stefan could not know. Without warning he felt Tobias leaning onto him, sapping at the larger man's warmth with his oddly chill, slim body. Stefan blinked, still looking straight ahead before he could convince himself to turn and look down at the little blond.

Clearing his throat did nothing. In all his social lessons he'd been taught that clearing his throat would show mild disapproval and stop whatever was causing it. He did it again to a similar lack of result.

Not knowing what else to do Stefan shifted and wrapped his arm awkwardly around Tobias' shoulders and pulled him tight against his own side to share his ample warmth.

"There, there," He attempted to comfort, "We'll be home soon and you can rest, get warm, be safe."

Thu Nov 11, 2021 3:20 am

♅ 66th Ash, Year 121, A.O.S ♅
Company: Richard and Stefan| Thoughts: Richard: My son is a mess| Mood: Richard: Irritated

The carriage arrived at Richard's place; however it appeared that Tobias was still in a content sleep. Eventually, he woke up as he blinked in sleepy trance as the alcohol had still taken a toll on him "Are we home..." Richard ran out of the house in distress before he takes a look at the drunken Tobias. He frowned as he embraced him into a hug "Oh, goodness, your alright." He frowned as he looked over at Stefan for a moment before beckoning him to come inside.

Moments later, Tobias had been settled into his room, he laid there with his eyes open for a moment as he stared at the ceiling. His flashbacks would trigger in his mind as he tossed and turned in the bed. The conversation he could hear mutter on downstairs as if he could hear every word. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep once more, knowing that what he had done was stupid. It was a way of coping with his recently acquired depression.

Richard walked up to his room as he opened the door, watching him sleep as he frowned"I've never seen him react like that, ever." He said as he gently closed the door and walked down stairs as he sat amongst the living room "He was always pleasant as a child, I don't know how the demons would haunt in his mind for that long..."

Richard would look at Stefan and smile "Oh, Stefan... If only I could turn back time and raise the boy better, perhaps I wouldn't be feeling as if I failed my duty as a father..." He said as he looked over at Stefan once more before Richard frowned "You're one of the people I trust most, so there is something I must ask of you" He paused, his frown grew more in sadness as he furrowed his eyebrows once again.

"Please give my son a chance..."

"Tobias Speech"
"Richard Speech"

Thu Nov 11, 2021 7:59 pm

Tobias, it seemed, had fallen asleep. It took Stefan a little while to notice since he wasn't looking down at where the other body had slumped against his own, and only the evening out of the breathing sounds finally made him glance and discover the loss of consciousness. It was something of a relief, knowing there would be no more outbursts for, what he hoped was, the duration of the journey. It wasn't too terribly far, since Tobias had made his way to the tavern on foot. When they arrived Stefan was, again, unsure of how to proceed, so he sat for a few minutes until Tobias awoke on his own.

Helping the younger man into the mansion was not difficult, though by the confused looks of the serving staff it appeared that Tobias going on a drinking binge was not a normal occurrence.

"He's alright." He informed Richard as soon as the man appeared, "A bit worse for the drink, but no harm done."

Really the younger Zorrathy hadn't even started any fights or broken anything, if the disgruntled feelings of a single tavern-keeper were the worst the night's exploits had to offer, the family was getting off light.

Stefan himself accompanied Tobias upstairs, in case he decided to begin flailing or running again, and did an injury to an unsuspecting butler or maid, but left him to their care once he was in his bedroom.

Richard hovered about the bedroom as his son fell asleep, which also seemed like a familial thing that had been left out of the Dornkirk's repertoire.

"Trauma affects different men in different ways, some turn to drink, others to violence, or silence. It need not become the core of his life, and you shouldn't blame him for seeking an outlet to stress so long as he does no additional harm." Eyeing Richard he made a suggestion,

"Perhaps you could also use a stiff drink and a good night's sleep. I am not sure any difference in your manner or raising him could have changed the insidious nature of covens, using their wicked arts to recruit good young people and ruin their lives."

The revelation that Stefan was one of Richard's most trusted confidants was another in the long line of surprises for the evening. Perhaps what Richard meant was that Stefan was one of the only people he could trust who wasn't a part of the Reconciliators and therefore wasn't duty-bound to report the secrets he was being entrusted with. The request wasn't one he understood, but he could sense that it wasn't simply asking him not to shun Tobias.

"What is it you mean, exactly?" Realizing this was an odd conversation to be having in the hallway he suggested the move back down into the study, and, once they were there, poured them both a drink before taking a chair and waiting for Richard to join him.