[PRP][PLOT] So...uh...yeah.... [Anatolio + Turin]

[Menelie]

Anatolio had been....putting off this discussion with his father. He'd gathered that the subject of paternity was a rather touchy one for him, and Mother had refused to tell him instead. Something about this being Toli's responsibility and all. Sigh.

And he'd been meaning to do it for a long time. Honestly. But things had gotten in the way, and he'd been waiting for just the right time, and...yeah. And then there had been that whole business with his father and the Queen getting lost in who knows where. And while he was loath to bring this up while Father was in a sickbed....at least this way he couldn't abandon Toli, right? Right?

So he sheepishly makes his way to the infirmary, with a collection of colorful coral that Mother had gathered. Perhaps it would brighten his room, if nothing else. Once he'd found Turin's room, he takes a deep breath and enters.  

[Teigra]

Not used to lying about in such luxury...nor inactivity, the Aernyn Captain was starting to become a nuisance to the medical staff, yet he'd not been cleared as 'healthy' yet, so here he was to stay. On orders, apparently. That didn't do much to help him from being fidgety. Still...the kelp-lined bed was comfortable enough, and he hadn't much else to do except rest and rebuilt his strength...which was part of what was driving him mad.

Grumbling a bit, he shifted the kelp wraps, peering at what remained of his serious wounds. Fresh scars peered back from beneath the wrappings. Impressive looking, at least, he thought to himself dryly. Instinct had proven correct, and though he'd had to do a lot of apologizing for everything he'd put his daughter through, from keeping secrets to having to see him in such a condition when he returned...her abilities had been an enormous help in his initial stabilization. The wounds, though closed, had been infected and healing badly. Moana had been able to cleanse and correctly heal the worst of his injuries...though the scars would likely remain. Still, a low price to pay, considering, Turin thought.

Movement from the door caught the Captain's attention and seeing one of his sons enter, a smile crossed his face. His kids were always welcome to visit; it also helped break up the boredom of lying here and staring at the walls, which kept him from being so antsy, which also made the healers happy. "'Toli!" he greeted his boy fondly, holding out an arm in welcome. "Get in here and help keep your old man from losing his mind."
 

[Menelie]

Toli laughs nervously and comes into the room all the way. He's not at all sure that "keeping him from losing his mind" was how this conversation was going to play out. "Er, Mother sent these along with me. She said she'd come by later to see you, but she wanted to brighten up your room until then," he says, gesturing to the bouquet of corals. He sets them on a nighttable nearby. "She'll probably come at night when there are less people around...you know how she is about crowds..." He shrugs and then settles near the kelp bed.

"How are you recovering?" he asks, his eyes assessing the extent of his father's wounds. Moana had said it was bad, but he seemed to be healing fairly well. He swallows hard and brushes some hair from his face, but the current kept wafting it back in front of his eyes. He'd gotten Turin's shaggy mop of hair, but somehow his father always looked dignified, while Toli just looked...boyish.  

[Teigra]

Turin nodded understandingly, having become quite familiar with Kel's discomfort with crowds of too many others at once. "Of course. She's certainly welcome to come by whenever she's comfortable," he remarked honestly. Things had been a bit...tense between them for a while after that incident in the throne room. Neither of them had seemed happy with the situation though, and it had sort of calmed without much discussion. Some issues still felt open, at least to the Captain, but he wasn't sure how to go about addressing them, so for now, they had fallen into a sort of awkward stalemate, speaking without hostility, but leaving so many things unsaid. He realized, he was actually looking forward to her visit now. Funny how life-and-death situations could put other problems into perspective.

"Ugh, slowly," he complained, rolling his eyes and hiding a smile. "I think I've managed to get on the nerves of almost every healer on duty though. Wanna' bet I can get them all before I get out of here?" he asked with a teasing grin. Then, the smile faded, taking in his son's concerned expression. "Sorry, getting a little stir-crazy, that's all." He shifted a bit, sitting further upright and glancing down at the kelp wrappings around his torso. "I suppose you got an account from your sister. Tell her I'm sorry again. I don't think I'll ever be able to apologize enough," he sighed. Lifting the edge of one of the wrappings and peering beneath it, he added, "But, she does good work. If I keep eating and resting to build up my strength again, hopefully they'll let me out of this place soon. That seems to be the only concerns left." The tip of a jagged new scar was left exposed when he finished fussing with the wrappings, but he didn't seem to notice.

"So, fill me in, 'Toli. Has some of the panic and chaos settled down now that we're back? It's been hard to tell from in here."
 

[Menelie]

Toli chuckles at his father's joke. Knowing him, he'd make it a personal goal to annoy all of the healers and their apprentices. "I'm sure you will," he agrees with a smile. He hopes his father can't tell how strained he's feeling.

He quickly looks away from the exposed scar. It's hard for him to accept that his father, who had always been undamageable in his eyes, had been wounded so badly. Trying to protect the Queen. Which would soon become Toli's own job as well. He runs a hand through his hair and tries not to think about it. One personal crisis at a time.

"It's beginning to," he agrees. "I think people are still sort of shaken up, especially since...since you were in pretty bad shape when you came back. I haven't seen the Queen since you returned. Has she come to visit you?" Of course Toli's unaware of how close his father was to the Queen, but he'd at least expect that sort of gesture from Queen Tariel, to visit the guard who kept her safe while he was in the infirmary.

Toli wonders how long he can keep up this small talk. His palms are beginning to sweat, and he rubs them on his tail nervously. It's curious that it would make a difference underwater.  

[Teigra]

Frowning at the turn of conversation, Turin shook his head. "It was a rough...few weeks?" he said uncertainly. It was still a little unclear how long they were gone, and none of the staff wanted to discuss it with him, stating it was 'too stressful and detrimental to his recovery process.' By the Waters, it was more stressful not knowing how damn long they'd been missing!

Considering he'd been nursing such injuries for so long, it was a wonder he'd returned to the palace alive, if only in rough condition.

Of course, he wasn't about to raise that point with his son, who already seemed visibly unnerved.

"You haven't?" he asked, somewhat surprised. Wouldn't Tariel have been swift to make appearances, assuring all that she was alright? Of course, she hadn't exactly been in perfect health either, but...surely she was alright by now, right? He'd taken the worst of it, though they'd both had scarce to no food in those last few days...

He shook his head. "No, not as far as I know, unless she came by while I was still out," he muttered, turning his gaze towards the other side of the room. No, no signs or tells. You're back in the palace, Turin, back to the old routine. Nothing is amiss. No slips, not here, not anymore. He couldn't show disappointment that he hadn't been by to see him...what did he expect, anyway?

Pushing focus away from himself, he turned his eyes back on his son in time to catch the nervous gesture. Curious. "'Toli? You alright?" He frowned. "You know, we don't have to talk about this if it's making you uncomfortable. We can talk about something else. Really, I'm glad for the company," he admitted honestly.
 

[Menelie]

"I'm fine," says Toli, maybe a little too quickly, forcing a smile. Oh, the irony. It wasn't necessarily his father's end of the conversation that was making him uncomfortable, but he was uncomfortable.

"Actually, I..." Gods and little fishes, Anatolio, what are you doing? Not now! Augh, but you already started, you can't back out of it now. He rubs his palms on his tail again. Might as well get it over with? Get it done quickly. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about....I....well," he chuckles almost remorsefully. "Originally I had wanted advice, but it's rather too late for that now. I waited for the right moment for too long, I guess." He scratches the back of his neck. His face is flushed red, showing even through his pinkish skin.

"Some time ago there was a land-dweller celebration," he begins, staring at his hands in his lap. "...a festival of costumes for the autumn harvest. And there was a strange land-dweller drink...and I didn't think much of it, until it was too late, and I'd had too much of it, and I...I wasn't myself." He takes a deep breath. And here it comes. "And there was...this....girl..."

He lifts his eyes a little to find his father's reaction.  

[Teigra]

Turin had never been completely up-front with his kids regarding their creation or the circumstances of which. He'd never wanted them to misunderstand and think that they had been a mistake; he'd never felt that way once they'd arrived. The mistake had been his and his alone, and he'd likely not handled the fallout as well as he could have in retrospect.

However, he was starting to wonder if not telling his own story may have been a mistake as well.

This story was sounding all too familiar, and Turin felt as if a pit had opened somewhere in the general area of his stomach. Oh Great Waters, if the boy fell into the same trap as his old man...

The bad feeling he had had nothing to do with his unique ability. Call it natural father's intuition. Besides, he'd been there before. He raised a hand to his face, shaking his head sadly. Under his breath, he muttered, "That's it...this time I mean it. A ban on land-dweller parties AND their damned drinks..."

Putting together what his son had said about it being 'too late' to ask for advice now, along with his own experience in this situation, Turin sighed, peering up from his hands at the fidgety boy. "Let me guess what comes next," he said dryly, but hoping he was wrong. "...kids?"
 

[Menelie]

Toli can't decide if it makes it easier, or harder, now that Father had guessed the news. He scratches the back of his neck and nods sheepishly. "The thing is, though..." he says slowly. Harder. Definitely harder. He was gonna explain about Trager before he'd mentioned the kids. "The girl...she's not a Naiad." He winces.

He's glad, at least, that Father's reaction had been more exasperated than angry. Hopefully that would hold through this next piece of news.  

[Teigra]

Turin had started preparing himself to expect to have to give a lecture about being responsible for one's actions, to do what's right and step in to help raise the kids, perhaps do a little better than he had by setting some boundaries for what was expected (or not) from the relationship with the mother. Even if he'd made the same mistake as his father, perhaps Toli could take his father's experience and learn from it, some tips from Turin at least on what not to do for sure.

Turin had been preparing for the shock of learning that he was a grandfather.

He hadn't been prepared to hear that his son's mate might not be a Naiad.

What did this mean? What was she then? What were the kids? His head whirling, Turin's hand shot out to grab his son's arm in vice-like grip, despite his condition. Pulling the boy closer, he bit out a single word.

"What?"
 

[Menelie]

Anatolio yelps and scrunches his face up, as if bracing for impact. This had been the reaction he'd been expecting, and suddenly he's questioning the logic in telling his father about this at all, let alone when he's feeling caged up in the infirmary.

"S-she's an angel." His voice cracks. "Believe me, I-I hadn't meant to do anything, just have a bit of flirting...I just...I lost my head, had too much of that drink...."

He clears his throat and shakes his head. "But it's done now. No use beating me over the head about it. I've done plenty of that on my own." He sighs. And now he has to find a way to tell Father that his grandchildren aren't cute and tiny little tadpoles, they're...they're young men now, men looking for their place in the world.  

[Teigra]

For just a moment, Turin seemed to give into sudden anger; an alarming contrast considering moments before, he seemed more exasperated than furious. Maroon eyes locked angrily on his son's, and he snapped harshly, "Do you...have any idea...what--?!?"

Fortunately, his strength was far from restored, and his grip wavered and he fell back to the bed, lifting his hand to his face, seeming tired all of a sudden. "No, of course you don't," he muttered. "Cause your idiot father keeps too many secrets," he snarled, turning away, more angry at himself than his son.

If he'd just told the boy the truth...any of it...could he have prevented this?

An angel. He cringed internally. By the Waters, not just a land Pae, but one of those cursed winged ones. And after the Queen was attacked by those savages in the marsh, the Naiad Captain still felt his anger rise just thinking about what could have happened.

"What do you mean when you say 'it's done now'?" he asked warily.
 

[Menelie]

Toli wrenches his arm away. Turin's sudden change in mood had surprised him, and his temper, slow to arouse, had spiked. What a stupid question! "What I mean is that you can't undo the past," he snaps. "We had a night, we have two children."

He leans back in his seat and folds his arms over his chest. "Sons. Spent their whole lives between worlds. Their mother hates the water, they love it, I can't leave it. They aren't proper Naiads but they certainly aren't land-dwellers either."

But maybe you'd know all this already if you CAME AROUND MORE OFTEN, thinks Toli bitterly, though it might also be a rage against his own shortcomings as a parent than his father's.  

[Teigra]

Though the explosion had passed, Turin was still quietly fuming. At himself. At his son. At the whole damned Isle above. By the Waters, the way the boy was going on...how long ago had this happened? How old were these children?

What were these children?

"Great Waters, boy!" Turin burst finally, whirling back and sitting up to face his son. "It's one thing to make a mistake, have too much to drink, and things happen. I'm in no position to condemn anyone for that! You own up to your mistake and make things right. But an ANGEL? Why?!?" He surged forwards, not even pausing to acknowledge his own slip. "And it sounds like you're determined to continue something from this mess! Poseidon's beard, boy...why couldn't you have picked a nice Naiad girl?"

He dropped his head into his hands, the situation slowly sinking in. No one else knew at this point, there was no way, else he'd have heard it racing all through the Court by now, even in here. At least Toli had been smart enough to keep this a secret until now. But...damage control? How...where did he even start?

"Do you not understand WHY this is an issue, 'Toli?" he asked quietly, head still down. When he did look up, his expression still held anger, but it was buried beneath weariness and regret. "Even if there is much I should have told you, you should still remember...these are the same land-walking scum who dared attack our Queen," he bit with a sudden snarl. He kept most of the rage he felt contained, even if only a fraction slipped through.

"I understand that you kids were born and raised here in the lake. Perhaps that's the problem," he muttered, shaking his head. "I suppose your education was flawed. But those of us who came from the sea...the Queen, Lady Aeroniel, Sadron, myself...even your mother. We know what these land Pae are capable of. The Aernyn kingdom was once great, powerful, respected. Life in the sea wasn't easy, but we were smart and resourceful, and we made our way. A great city rose from the ocean floor," he muttered, lost in memory for a moment. "A castle of gleaming coral and pearl shell towering over all. Our people were numerous, proud, and content."

His memory was dashed by that of one more recent, hovering over the haunted ruins that had once been their home. Feeling just as horrified by the sight as his Queen beside him, but not allowing himself to show it; trying to remain strong for her. "Until the land Pae brought their cursed Isle crashing down on top of us," he growled. "No warning, no sign, just crushing destruction and death. The city was destroyed...everyone within it or the castle killed. Hundreds...thousands of Aernyn crushed beneath this damnable Isle. Those few of us who survived did so only by chance. With nowhere else to go, we came to explore this place, finding few answers for why they would do such a thing to us. But we were too few to survive as we once had in the sea. We had no choice."

Looking at 'Toli sadly, Turin sighed. "This isn't even the first time the land Pae have brought destruction and death to our halls. These are only the experiences I can list from my own lifetime. Can you perhaps understand why I might be a bit upset?" What would the rest of the Court think? Would they consider his son a traitor for sleeping with the enemy...quite literally?

Oh Great Waters...

How would he ever tell Tari about this?