Rhone had gotten accustomed to listening and being aware of what was around him. From the time he found himself king, he had always had an ear listening out around him, fearful that someone might be after his head. It was a terrible way to live, but it was what he had grown accustomed to. Not everyone was kind and pleasant and many had wished ill on a crown.
And then, he had become a father. He always had to keep track of his children (at least the ones he had watched be born into the world). He had tried to be a good father, listening out to ensure their safety. None of that had ended well. In the end, he was left with children who hated him. He had tried to do the right thing, but he had failed so miserably at it.
He supposed that skill had never truly left him and even now, as he looked over the cliffs, he was aware of what was happening behind him. He was happy that he had heard the twins, it confirmed that he still had the skill set. He greeted the twins with a smile and a welcome, hoping they were as happy to see him as he was them.
The first thing he noticed as the small smile that seemed to broaden as Ard spoke. The quieter of the twins had always been rather recluse, letting his brother do most of the talking while he sat back with a sour look upon his face. Oh how times had changed! It was Ard, now, he struck up the conversation and greeted Rhone with a smile. It was wholly pleasant and it only made Rhone’s smile broaden.
He slowly turned away from the sunrise and the cliffs so he might face the twins more fully. He stepped towards them, closing the distance just a little bit. "Keep practicing, you’ll get it." He chuckled lightly to himself. "I must confess I am hard to sneak up on. My time as king taught me the skill to always be aware of my surroundings." For a moment Rhone paused. Had he ever told the twins that he was once a king? There were so very few people who knew and it wasn’t something Rhone routinely shared. He did not wished to be looked at any differently. He was just Rhone. He was not a father, a lover, or a king. He was just Rhone.
As the twins came to stand on either side of him, Rhone felt the brush of Ard against his shoulder, knowing the stallion was a man of few words. He knew what that gesture meant and Rhone returned a similar brush of his shoulder. It was a silent acknowledgement of the man’s gesture. "How are you two this morning? It’s been awhile since we’ve last spoken." Quite a while, he must admit. The last time he had seen the stallions was when he had helped bring Erd home. Thinking of Erd, he turned to look at Erd. "I hope you are well." While he didn’t know exactly what had happened during his kidnapping, he hoped that whatever physical and mental trauma was healing.
@Erd @Ard
