"Father, what are you doing here?" Aella forced a smile on her face as she walked towards him. She tightened the blanket on his lap before sitting down on the chair opposite him.
"I found it hard to sleep so I had to badger Ralia a bit to help me downstairs." the Baron said without looking at her.
Aella watched as her father's wrinkles were outlined by the glow of the flames. She hadn't realized that he had grown this old until now. The heart attack he experienced had taken a toll on him, and she could see its effects now.
"You could not sleep as well?" he asked and she nodded slightly.
"The room is...too empty." she replied, not wanting to let him know about the nightmare she had. There was no need to worry him about it.
