Hammer shook the rain off his jacket as he entered the Den. It was quiet in the building, much to his liking but before proceeding to his quarters, Hammer decided to make his rounds about the property which lead him to the Great Room.
He heard the soft drumming of fingers before he saw the individual they belonged too. Hammer knew, of course, without looking that it was the Alpha.
'Are you in one of your black moods?'
Hammer half joked as he looked out the window at the falling rain. The weather had been unpredictable this winter and he missed the snow. All this cursed rain flooded the lawns and the muddy paw prints at the back entryway was infuriating the housekeeping staff. He had expected the Alpha to reply with his normally sarcastic sense of humor, that was until he saw the letter dangling from Xeph's hand.
'News?'
No News Is Good News (Invite Only)
Xeph stood at one of the large windows in the great room of the Den. A letter hung unregarded from one large hand while he watched the rain beating against the glass. It wasn't often Xeph found himself completely at a loss like this, but the note had him worried.
It wasn't what it said, so much as what it didn't say - which was 'anything at all.' It was from his mother, Lily, and its contents were quite mundane. How's Nachton, how's the weather, how's the vet thing going, how's the Pack, how's Iov, and I'm coming to stay for a little while.
His mother never went anywhere without her husband.
Xeph collapsed into one of the big chairs near the window, drumming his fingers on the arm as he pondered. The tone of the note was... perfectly normal. Nothing out of the ordinary whatsoever, save that his mother, who was well-known throughout the Pack for being Liam's property, his sanity, and one of only two trusted advisors, was journeying here. Xeph hadn't seen his mother in over twenty years, and ow with one note, she was coming. Why?
Iov Hammerthynn
17 years ago
Xeph
17 years ago
Just who he wanted to see. Xeph couldn't have orchestrated it any better. No one knew better than Hammer how Lily and Liam Xephier worked. Xeph sorely wanted his Beta's advice on this one.
He waved the letter, his mismatched eyes looking up at Hammer in earnest. "You could say that," he said. Without handing over the letter he waved it a bit. "No mention of Liam," he said. He hadn't referred to the former Alpha as 'father' in as many years as he'd been away.
Expression grave, he posed the question that had been trampling about in his head since reading the neat and tidy handwriting of Lily Xephier.
"What could possibly cause her to leave his side and come here, Hammer?"
With Hammer's deep knowledge of his parents, Xeph suspected the answer, even if made first in jest, would not be long in coming.
He waved the letter, his mismatched eyes looking up at Hammer in earnest. "You could say that," he said. Without handing over the letter he waved it a bit. "No mention of Liam," he said. He hadn't referred to the former Alpha as 'father' in as many years as he'd been away.
Expression grave, he posed the question that had been trampling about in his head since reading the neat and tidy handwriting of Lily Xephier.
"What could possibly cause her to leave his side and come here, Hammer?"
With Hammer's deep knowledge of his parents, Xeph suspected the answer, even if made first in jest, would not be long in coming.
Iov Hammerthynn
17 years ago
It took everything not to respond to her name.
Hammerthynn stood stoically in front of Xeph and merely raised his eyebrows. The woman he knew as Lily Xephier would not leave her husband's side, unless he wanted her to. In the recent years with the transitioning of alphas, he could not think of a reason that Liam would send Lily to America, much less to her son's side. Something indeed might be wrong and Xeph's uncharacteristic confusion could not be ignored.
Hammer thought of Lily here, in Nachton. It had been years since he had seen her, even longer since he had been alone with her. All those years guarding her, the first and not so subtle inclination that Liam was losing his stability. To have such a woman closed off from the rest of the pack, alone with only the almost mute and indifferent Beta for company. He had grown to know everything about her, what she liked to eat, the sound of her walk, the smell of her hair...
With a sharp intake of breath, Hammer focused in again on his troubled Alpha. 'I'll have Brig meet her.'
Hammerthynn stood stoically in front of Xeph and merely raised his eyebrows. The woman he knew as Lily Xephier would not leave her husband's side, unless he wanted her to. In the recent years with the transitioning of alphas, he could not think of a reason that Liam would send Lily to America, much less to her son's side. Something indeed might be wrong and Xeph's uncharacteristic confusion could not be ignored.
Hammer thought of Lily here, in Nachton. It had been years since he had seen her, even longer since he had been alone with her. All those years guarding her, the first and not so subtle inclination that Liam was losing his stability. To have such a woman closed off from the rest of the pack, alone with only the almost mute and indifferent Beta for company. He had grown to know everything about her, what she liked to eat, the sound of her walk, the smell of her hair...
With a sharp intake of breath, Hammer focused in again on his troubled Alpha. 'I'll have Brig meet her.'
Xeph
17 years ago
Xeph gave Hammer a curt nod. "That would be best. The details of her flight are here," he said, handing the letter to his - and formerly, Liam's - Beta. He waited longer still, watching Hammer's eyes as they traveled over Lily's handwriting.
Handwriting that was, in most places on the paper, still as neat and tidy as ever. In only one or two places did it lose its firm stroke.
"She's upset about something," he said, half to himself and half to Hammer. "I don't know what, but it's something she can't tell us until she gets here."
There was no other reason for his mother, the third of a triumvirate that had watched over the Kadzait prior to his ascendance, to send such a letter. It was vague in its content but those who knew Lily (and there were few of those) could see the depth of emotion as simply as pen had touched paper.
Handwriting that was, in most places on the paper, still as neat and tidy as ever. In only one or two places did it lose its firm stroke.
"She's upset about something," he said, half to himself and half to Hammer. "I don't know what, but it's something she can't tell us until she gets here."
There was no other reason for his mother, the third of a triumvirate that had watched over the Kadzait prior to his ascendance, to send such a letter. It was vague in its content but those who knew Lily (and there were few of those) could see the depth of emotion as simply as pen had touched paper.
Iov Hammerthynn
17 years ago
Hammerthynn took the letter from Xeph and read it quickly once. He noted the Alpha's premonition that something was wrong with an unmoving eye and then returned his gaze back to the letter. Even her penmanship brought back memories for him. Without a word, Hammer nodded and turned to leave the Great Room. As he walked off, he mumbled over his shoulder.
'It will be nice to see your mother again.' And he meant it.
((ooc Hammer out))
'It will be nice to see your mother again.' And he meant it.
((ooc Hammer out))
Xeph
17 years ago
Retrieving the letter from hammer before the Beta left, Xeph watched him curiously as well. Hammer and Lily were friends, but Xeph knew they had barely spoken since Hammer had left them. How did she evoke this... human side of Hammer? He shook his head. Lily seemed to have that effect on the few people she was close to. To know her was to love her, but knowing her was the trouble.
Watching Hammer leave, looking at the paper in his hand again, Xeph wondered if he even knew her, after all.
((ooc: Xeph out))
Watching Hammer leave, looking at the paper in his hand again, Xeph wondered if he even knew her, after all.
((ooc: Xeph out))