William closed the book and put it on his table, "I was simply skimming it while I waited for your arrival. It tends to take some time to properly track you down." William said cuttingly.
"I am sorry father. As far as I understand it though, you don't seem to have trouble finding my siblings, then again…they do participate in more lessons than I do," Ryuji said. This retort always made William choke up a little. The recognition of his neglected son.
William coughed into his hand, "by any means," he said, "I have made a decision regarding the incident that occurred to today."
Ryuji raised an eyebrow, "The incident as in my running away?" Ryuji asked
"As in your sister's disappointment," William said. He was of course referring to Liliane. William never discussed Ryuji's siblings with him…this was out of character. Was he trying to throw Ryuji off?
"What happened?" Ryuji said, trying to play dumb.
His father gave him a side eye, "Allishtar I am not interested in your games today. We both know you saw the incident with your sister, it was unacceptable," William said, gesturing for Ryuji to sit down.
His father was acting odd, not like a 'trying to power play you' odd; like genuinely different from normal. He had an unpredictable air about him, it frightened Ryuji. His father was many things, but the type to give out free information (especially when he encourages rivalry) was not one of them. Ryuji sat down in the large chair that was just in front of his fathers desk. His father sat in the chair at the desk and looked at Ryuji intently.
"Despite your age I have always felt a kinship with you," William said. Ryuji felt like someone just dropped a bomb on him, was his father being…vulnerable? It had to be a trap, he would never actually say that…right?
"Kinship with your own child? How strange…" Ryuji couldn't let his guard down.
"I don't know exactly why, but with you I am able to share more. Your siblings to often vie for my affection…" William said.
"Because you want them to," Ryuji replied.
"It makes it hard to see them as my kin and more like…employees," William said ignoring Ryuji's interruption, "perhaps I was too hasty in assuming that because you are… a crossbreed…"
"Your choice by the way," Ryuji interjected again.
"You are not a true Lyondel at heart, in all honesty you might be the most Lyondel of us all," William said. Ryuji could feel the anger welling up inside of him. He had always known his father was manipulative and cruel but this was another level. First his father never saw him as a person, now he is saying he might be the most fitting of the family? His siblings have worked tirelessly for his favor, wanting to be loved by their father, for not even a modicum of affection and yet he offers admiration to the only child who actively spites his name? The narcissism was clear.
"I am glad that you see this in me, father, but with all due respect what does this conversation pertain to other than trying to inflate my ego," Ryuji said. He realized he was letting a bit too much of his real self out, but his childish emotions were stubborn and it was hard to stop.
William walked over and began to pour himself a drink, a mead of some kind. He rarely drank in front of people who weren't dignitaries, to William this was more like a meeting then spending time with his son. "You will never be a Lyondel, your tainted blood makes it clear, but that does not mean you cannot hold rank in another position," William said.
"What rank could entice me? I do not desire rank, you should know by now that I desire to leave," Ryuji said.
William scoffed, "So we finally make our intentions clear," he said raising an eyebrow, "In times past, the great families would often take on…an advisor of sorts. They would look after the families best interest and hold the rank of number two in the respected oligarchy, in our case second in command to the dukedom. While we have not had one for a long time, I believe you have the capacity to be trained for such a position."
Ryuji felt every gear in his head grind to a halt. William wanted to train him to be a court advisor? This was incredibly odd, no wonder Ryuji was so suspicious of him. The last time the Lyondel family had an advisor, he went on to do horrible things…including being a titular force in the Arcane Bastion. Why now? Why Ryuji?
"Why would I ever want to be an advisor to you? This family has done nothing for me," Ryuji said.
"Other than feed you, bathe you, house you…birth you," William said.
"Neglected me, confine…" Ryuji began to speak but was cut off.
"Let's say I were to groom you for this position, I have a task I would like for you to look into," William interjected.
"What kind of task?" Ryuji said almost sarcastically, the audacity of this man.
"Your sister must learn to mount that drake. It is unsightly and diminishing to the family to have such an embarrassment. I would task you with teaching her how," William said.
Ryuji honestly believed that nothing could surprise him at this point, he was wrong. "Me?" Ryuji said, almost yelling. This was beyond strange. Not only was his father talking of having an advisor with the abysmal stain the last one left, he wanted Ryuji (a young boy with no mount training) to teach his sister to take a mount? It was preposterous! Illogical! This was not a task any six year old should take on, nor have it asked of them. Ryuji had every right to refuse his father outright…
He opened his mouth to outright reject the proposal, but he felt a strange twinge in his mind. There was another feeling there. One that was eating at him. In his years of training Ryuji knew that all of his siblings were experiencing neglectful trauma, one that would inevitably pass down to their children continuing the cycle. If this world truly didn't know anything about alleviating mental stress, then Ryuji had to start somewhere. Elandra was the one he had been trying to reach out to but she clearly didn't want to talk and it was not in his interest to force therapy on someone. His father was offering him someone who desperately needed to process the anguish they were going through, how could he turn that down? Not just as a young boy helping his sister, but as a trained therapist committed to doing good?
"How could I do such a thing? I'm only a child…" Ryuji replied, still reluctantly rejecting the call.
"A child with more sense than most men I have met. For a few hours each day you will work with Liliane to teach her to confidently stand up to the drake and make it comply with her. Teach her that she has the mental fortitude and forthrightness to stand up to such a creature…even if it is a lie," William said.
"She does father," Ryuji replied instinctively, "even if you don't believe it, she does."
"That's the spirit I'm looking for in a teacher," William replied, holding his glass in the air, arrogance.
"Why would she listen to me? Her younger brother who has barely interacted with her?" Ryuji asked. A valid question.
"Liliane is moldable, if you approach her with confidence she will have no issue I assure you," William replied.
"Seems like you have thought of everything…" Ryuji said, "let me ask you this; why does it matter? There are plenty of nobility that never take a mount. Why is it so important that she does? And such a violent one at that?"
William's expression changed. This was an outright questioning of his father. Even if he didn't mean for it to be, it was a disrespect through and through. William leaned in very close, placing his hands on the desk so he could look down even more so at Ryuji, "no child of mine will lower itself before a beast. My children will rule them," William said in a low and angry tone.
But Ryuji didn't back down, "then where is mine, father?"
William looked at him with anger. Ryuji could tell, psychic magic or not, that his audacity was being questioned. But then William stood up, brushed his hair back and straightened his tie, returning to poise of elegance. "Your mount will be waiting alongside Liliane's. I cannot expect you to teach her to tame a drake, if you cannot yourself."
"Wait…" Ryuji said, "what?"
"You can have your first meeting with Liliane tomorrow, that will be all," William said, gesturing for Ryuji to leave. How dare he assume that he was going to do it!
"I haven't even agreed to it yet, father. And if you are going to treat me like I am then I would rather do my lessons with Elandra," Ryuji said. He was angry and it was getting the better of him.
"If you do this…" William hesitated, "I will allow you to go to the surface."
"What…" Ryuji said in disbelief. It was unheard of. He was the neglected son, the black sheep, the bastard. His father had thwarted every attempt of him to leave in any kind of way…now he willingly gave him what he wanted?
"If Liliane can successfully mount a drake. You take yours and head to the surface, whenever you would like. As long as you don't squander our name or call yourself a Lyondel, there should be no issue, yes?" William said with a fake smile.
He knew how to sweeten the pot. Ryuji sat and thought for a moment. He hated giving into his fathers wishes, but he was getting everything he desired, it was too good to pass up…
Ryuji stood up and headed towards the door, "Tell Liliane to meet me in the field tomorrow after lessons. Have both our drakes prepared." Ryuji said. And then closed the door behind him. Whether he liked it or not, this was an opportunity he couldn't miss.