606 MR - Delma Cross

Delma Cross stares down at young Lucian playing with wooden knights. He has them all set up in an orderly fashion as if they are ready to go to battle. Even at two years old he was speaking full sentences. So tiny, for his age, but yet so intelligent.

 
With a smile on her face, she says, “Lucian, my love, you have all the knights ready to do battle, but that one knight, who is so far away from the rest of them. Who is that?”
 
“That is father. He is looking over his army from heaven,” he replied.

Delma starts to tear up and immediately looks away while she quickly wiped away her tears so Lucian wouldn’t see her crying.

“Well, I am sure these knights will be in good hands then, with your papa looking down on them.” She brushes away his blonde, moppy hair out of his eyes.

Delma called out for his tutor/nanny, an Anuiran sage named Margaret Thomas. However, everyone just calls her Maggie. She was highly recommended by an old friend of Dalimyr’s. Maggie has been a godsend for young Lucian, especially in the past few years. Delma has not only been fighting the depression of her husband dying but also the weight of ruling the Rohrmarch, while quite literally hell was opening up and tearing the world asunder.

All that has passed now, but she can’t seem to get over her sadness. She has seen many priests of Haelyn, but none has cured her of her immense depression. Life, around her, has returned to some normalcy at least. Maggie enters the great hall as she quickly glances above Delma’s throne and spies the great tapestry of Dalimyr riding a majestic white horse.

She asks, “Yes, my Ladyship, how may I be of service to you this morning?” as she bows before her.

Delma responds, “Please Maggie, how many times have I said to dispense with the etiquette when no one else is around?” Maggie apologizes and says it is just habit.

She quickly changes the subject by sitting down with young Lucian and starts playing with him. “I will be leaving in the morning to travel to Ayria. I will be meeting with a consulate that will be living in the palace. I will need you to look out for young Lucian while I am away. Be sure to trim his hair while I am gone and please, Maggie, don’t feed him too many sweets…you know how he gets.”

Maggie nods her head, “As you wish my lady. How long will you be gone?” “Hopefully, I won’t be gone no longer than a week.”, she replies as she rises and looks out the window overlooking the bay and sees a boat with familiar sails. Young Brosen and his associates are here with a shipment of Hoswer brandy. It would seem it’s a popular choice around all the taverns of Keidel. Good to see Brosen take up the family business of his “adopted” father Kalvin.