Gilean sat in the chair in the living room near the fireplace reading a large book about something to do with expunging exotic poisons. Truth be told, though his eyes had been scanning over the words for many minutes, he hadn't read a single bit of it. His thoughts were far too absorbed with the tumultuous state of his family.
It hadn't helped that Claire had managed a visit yesterday. She was able to only briefly slip away from the oppressive watch of Ruthivan but the woman who Gilean saw seemed far from the Claire he knew... the Claire he loved. The magical flames normally alight upon her head were practically non-existent and she showed almost no emotion. She seemed somehow broken and it absolutely tore at Gilean's heart.
It was worse when Matinus wouldn't even acknowledge Claire as his mother. 'She is not my mom! Sanria is my mom! She's here, and she loves me!' The boy's words still rang through Gilean's mind. He had yelled at Matinus and sent him to his room, angered to see the additional pain those words inflicted on the already broken Claire. Claire had criticized Gilean for reprimanding the boy.
'He has every right to feel as he does. Matinus felt threatened by something, and I believe that something is his father standing with another woman who is never here saying to hug her and treat her like a mother. I am no longer his mother. I am merely the woman who gave him life.'
Gilean had accepted Claire's words and later spoke to Matinus. He attempted to apologize for not always being there for his son. First when he lost Claire to Ruthivan, then more recently when Sanria was taken by Velentham. Matinus had been very guarded and resentful, even going so far as to tell Gilean, 'If you leave mom I'm going to live with her. I don't want to live with you, Dad. Not if you want that other lady. Because I don't believe you.'
That had almost been too much for Gilean. Not only had the boy questioned his feelings for Sanria, but to hear another of his children essentially tell him what a terrible father he was... It was too late to change things for Mirin, who had essentially grown up with the Stones, but it wasn't too late for Matinus. He had promised his son then and there he would do whatever was necessary to keep this family together.
Here he sat with the knowledge of Kalidra's secret weighing on him. There was no baby. It was a secret he would bear. He had to see this family stay together. For Matinus, for Nioma, for Sanria, for the little one yet to be born. He would do whatever it took. This time, things would be right.
