Licht grimaced as a wet kiss was planted on his cheeks. He was finally 13 years old and his parents expected great things from him. He frowned but reluctantly gave a forced smile.
"It's going to be fine. I'll come to visit when I have the chance." He assured his mother. William snorted, "Are you deliberately trying to raise a flag. Of course, you're going to be fine; you were raised by yours truly."
"Shut your mouth, old man," Licht growled out. William narrowed his eyes as he looked down at Licht, "Respect your elders, kid. Don't think for a moment that I won't smack you. I raised you, I have the right to do so." He drawled back.
Both men stared daggers at each other, and Lyra gave a groan. "Can we not. We are meant to send Licht off for school. So stop this."
"Yes, mother." Licht obeyed obediently, giving one sharp look before running away. William gritted his teeth, "You little..." he says before trailing off.
"Honey, leave him. He's still a kid after all." Lyra explained to the grown man. William instead pouted. "I don't understand!" He exclaimed. "He acts all innocent with you, even calls you 'mother'. But I, on the other hand, get called an old man. I'm not even that old!" William burst out as he sniveled miserably.
"Can get any less manly?" Licht asked rhetorically. From that statement, William burst into tears. Lyra shot Licht a glare, startling him, and went to console her husband.
"Oh dear, don't be so down." She spoke with a soothing voice. "You know, the twins once told me that they figured Licht out. They told me to ignore Licht's coldness because he...um..." she trailed off as she squeezed her face.
She frowned as she tried to remember the exact phrase. It was right at the edge of her mind, "Ah!" she exclaimed. "I believe the right term was tsundere."
"Huh?" William asked, too distracted to clean of all the tears and snot on his face.
"Yes," Lyra replied. "Roslyn explained it to me personally. She said that the more a tsundere bullies you the more they like you, or something along those lines."
"Really?" William asked childishly. "Does that mean..." he trailed off as he turned towards Licht. He opened his arms wide and engulfed Licht in an unwelcomed hug.
"I love you too!!" William wailed as he squeezed his son even tighter by the second. Licht grimaced as he struggled to push the wailing man away.
"Fucking gross! Get away from me!" He yelled, but it had the opposite effect. Licht could his mother, just a few feet away, smiling at the comedic duo.
"No way," Licht muttered. 'Had she?' he asked himself, but he soon dismissed it. She must have had a reason to, right?
The sound of the horses slowly draws closer, William instantly detaches himself from Licht and composes himself. A good lord must not let his people see him weakened.
The tattered cart being dragged behind comes to a stop and an old man with an impressive beard gets off the coach seat. He gives a deep bow, "My lord, I am soon about to leave."
William gave a dignified nod, he turned to Licht, gave a smile, and nodded towards the cart. Licht, in reply, sharply nodded back and climbed onto the cart. He grimaced as he heard a loud creak, making him question its safety.
The cart began moving and Licht waved slightly as he watched his parents tear up. He would soon meet his siblings at the capital.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Young man I tell ya, ma granddaught'r the cutest. Never seen anyone lik'er in ma 'ntire life. One look at'er an' all yer troubles jus flow way." The old man introduced as Mark sighs as if in a trance from just remembering her face.
"Uh-huh," Licht replied nonchalantly. "Say, you're definitely not from around here, right?"
Mark gave a cheeky smile, "Yer a smart one, aren't ya? I definitely ain't from round here. Is 'cause of yer old man....."
Licht nodded sleepily as he yawned quietly. He soon dozed off, leaving the old man to talk to himself.
It seemed like a few seconds since Licht closed his eyes when he heard Mark screaming his ear off. Licht jumped awake, with a startled snort. The cart rattled, as it tilted left and right.
Licht gave a groan as he pushed himself outside the unstable cart, he fell onto the muddy road with a grunt and looked around for the cause of the commotion.
"Are you kidding me?" Licht says frustratingly. "It's been barely a day."
"Young master run away!!" Mark yelled, from the ground as he clutched his arm. He seems to have broken it.
"Tell me, if I run away, how am I supposed to get to the capital?"