The words were heavy but to all appearances, they barely grazed the elder’s surface. He peered at Leonie with less-than-mild curiosity, considering. The family was huge, far larger now than Alaric had anticipated. Well, perhaps he had anticipated, but to miss out on two centuries worth of growth, to wake up and then to be expected to tug at all the strings and pull all the pieces together… well. It was, indeed, heavy.
But there was time, and the family that was near seemed to at least have its affairs in order. Mostly, at least. There were issues, of course—Leonie’s immediately family were an issue, and Giselle was taking her time to open up. Judah was a hard nut to crack sometimes, too, and he and the elder ended up arguing more often than not. It was the issues he had with Judah that caused the elder to hesitate, to wonder if anything really could be done. He shook his head.
”My mere presence is not enough to mend a family. Loyalty it is not given only to a name, it is given to a deed, or to numerous,” he said, still peering at Leonie. She was young—many who lived at or visited the estate were young. She spoke of her father’s generation, of her grandfather’s generation. Perhaps they were lost, now.
The elder leaned forward, elbows upon his knees. His gaze shifted from Leonie to the estate beyond. In the grand scheme of the world, this small estate was only small fish. The legacy itself, however, was huge. Money, property, it’s what Alaric had wanted for his family. That it might turn them toward greed instead of generosity, however, this he had not anticipated. What else should he have expected from humanity?
”I will try. I do not think it will be easy,” he said, gaze sliding back to Leonie—that small thought in the back of his mind, tugging, pleading for attention. The one that asked why does it matter? But he pushed it away. He smiled. ”It is on you I will focus. Louvel, Judah—it is your generation that holds the hope for the future.”
But there was time, and the family that was near seemed to at least have its affairs in order. Mostly, at least. There were issues, of course—Leonie’s immediately family were an issue, and Giselle was taking her time to open up. Judah was a hard nut to crack sometimes, too, and he and the elder ended up arguing more often than not. It was the issues he had with Judah that caused the elder to hesitate, to wonder if anything really could be done. He shook his head.
”My mere presence is not enough to mend a family. Loyalty it is not given only to a name, it is given to a deed, or to numerous,” he said, still peering at Leonie. She was young—many who lived at or visited the estate were young. She spoke of her father’s generation, of her grandfather’s generation. Perhaps they were lost, now.
The elder leaned forward, elbows upon his knees. His gaze shifted from Leonie to the estate beyond. In the grand scheme of the world, this small estate was only small fish. The legacy itself, however, was huge. Money, property, it’s what Alaric had wanted for his family. That it might turn them toward greed instead of generosity, however, this he had not anticipated. What else should he have expected from humanity?
”I will try. I do not think it will be easy,” he said, gaze sliding back to Leonie—that small thought in the back of his mind, tugging, pleading for attention. The one that asked why does it matter? But he pushed it away. He smiled. ”It is on you I will focus. Louvel, Judah—it is your generation that holds the hope for the future.”
