266 Spring Love

"That is the thing, Edmund" Leopold rubbed his aching knees. "Hadean vineyards are special, thus the taste of their wine"

"I think you are missing my point." Edmund said, sucking his lips. "It's the expertise. The Hadeans are naturals in making wine. Just the right amount of ingredients."

"Well whatever it is, with the Hadeans as our vassals, I think we are getting free samples of their products. Coerce them if needed!"

Edmund chuckled to that, raising his cup to his lips and taking a long sip. He grunted after. His eyes shot to Leopold's hand on his knee.

"Lutani oil will help with that."

"I have tried Lutani oil. I have also drank all the miserable concoctions out there from Tidu leaves to lizard blood. My knees still ache. It's the old bones I pressume. Old bones do not listen to medicine. They ache and ache and bother you even at sleep. How I wish to be young again."

"We old men all do. Ah, youth. A thing of the past. When I was young I was as good looking as your son."

"You wish" Leopold laughed. "It is beyond comparable."

Edmund shook his head with a grin. "Maybe so." His face then turned serious. "May I ask you something?"

"Wine demands that we talk. Ask away."

"You know that I know right? About Timothy and you and your real connection."

Leopold stared at Edmund for a while. He took a sip. "A merchant smells rumors like how wolves catch the scent of blood. Of course you know. What of it?"

"Timothy told me about it, not the rumors. You disgusted me once, you know. I never could imagine how a father could have his own son killed. But after hearing your story, I felt a tinge of pity for you. Forgive me for prying, I'm a little drunk and drunkeness makes one thirst for talks. Wanna talk about it?"

"You ask terrible questions. But I shall quench your curiosity." Leopold emptied a full cup. He shook his head. "Horrible. Just purely horrible. It burns you from the inside. It was like a cage. I was powerless. And the worst thing about being betrayed by the person you love is that you don't stop loving even after the betrayal. You wish you do and it would certainly help. But you don't. I loved Margaret then. And I still do, nearly two decades after her death."

"You miss her?"

"Everyday. Every single day I find my bedside empty. Every day I am reminded that she was gone. Visiting her grave helps though. I talk to her like a madman as if she could hear me. I tell her of our sons mostly. Lately I've been telling her about Timothy's exploits. Sometimes I pretend to argue with her about our upcoming grandchild."

"Grandchild?"

"Yes, our shared grandchild."

Edmund's face turned grim. "Leo, you have heard about it, haven't you?"

"The filth talk that Lucia can't bear a child? Shadow is dumb. All those prophecies are dumb. Filth talk, I tell you. Filth. They are saying that we can't have a grandchild? To the depths of my ass with that!"

That made Edmund smile. "Yes, to the depths of my ass too. I really want a granddaughter Leo. I want to craddle her in my arms and..."

"Grandson. I preffer a grandson. Imagine another Timothy in this world. The nations would shake!"

"I think a granddaughter is better. Who says that a Queen cannot shake the nations? It's going to be a granddaughter. I can feel it."

"You feel wrong then. Male offsprings are prevalent in my blood."

"But Timothy is not your blood."

"Well, er, dammit Ed. Just don't oppose me in this one. I want my grandson to tug my beard as I craddle him to sleep."

The wine soon filled their bellies and drunken deep talks ensued. Edmund had a poor tolerance and so his speech slurred first. Leopold was still a little sober when Edmund finally fell asleep on the table.

Leopold rose, legs soft to wine. His knees didn't ache now which was a relief. He walked to the window of the great hall, cold breeze meeting him. The night was deep, couple of hours before dawn.

The Wismarine fleet would soon be upon them. He could die. William could die. Edmund could die. All of them could die. But first they must live.

"Margaret" He said as he looked at the dark sky, talking to a person who cannot hear him. "I am truly old. I wanted to follow you, just let my fragile health get the better of me. What I told that old coot is true. I miss you too much. But I can't follow you yet. Our sons still need me. And I want to see our grandchild. So wait for me. I will tell you tons of things about our sons."

'Long it reigned, a flower in the bud...'

Leopold sang the first line of Margaret's favorite song. He closed his eyes. He was a young man again. He was sitting on the branch of that tree with Margaret by his side. She was beautiful. Her hair was dark and long. Her eyes were kind. She wore that necklace he had given her.

'Under the spring, life is a gift. Smile and drift. Flowers in a bud, blooming in spring.'

Margaret sang to him. She had a good voice, not professional but enough to make his heart flutter.

'So smile and drift. I am here. Smile and drift in life. Spring shall come. Flowers will bloom. And my heart will be with you.'

He was young and she was alive. His knees didn't ache. His beard wasn't white. The sun was bright. The spring breeze was cool. The leaves were green. Margaret put her hand on his face. She still loved him. They were happy.

'Smile and drift. Like wood in river. Let nothing bother you. Life is spring. And my heart will be with you. Flowers in their buds. Spring will make them bloom. And my heart will be with you.'

Leopold opened his eyes. He was old again. The sky was back to being dark. Margaret was gone. It was reality.

"That was a good song" William's voice said from behind.

"Spring Love. Your mother loved that song. I would always sing that to her despite my cracking voice."

William went to his side. He sniffed and sighed. "I wish we could visit her grave one day. The four of us. Ivan, Timothy, you and I. Ivan is a complication but I hope he could at least shut up for Mother's sake."

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"That would be good. The war with Wismar should be over after the Snow Season. We could visit in spring."

William smiled but it vanished after. "I have never apologized to you for leaving all of a sudden five years ago. I am sorry."

"You mean that time you just packed your things and left? That was probably for the best. You have grown in ways I never expected."

"I left without saying a word."

"And you were free." Leopold smiled. "I want the three of you to not burden yourselves with me. You have a life. I will always be here if you, my sons, need me. But you shouldn't think of me as your responsibility. I will just be contented with seeing you from time to time."

"Thank you" William said. His arms were thick and his beard was full. But Leopold could only see that boy too large for his age often berate him for doing unruly things.

Leopold reached to William's hair and ruffled it. "You are William Castonia, my secondborn. Do as you please and be happy."

William nodded he paced nearer to the window. "They are coming father. The scouts said that they'll be here in the morning."

"Then make me proud and crush those Wismarines. Smash through them and make it known that you are William Castonia." He put a hand on William's shoulder. "You are my son."