The Robber Knight's Protege

30 - Parental Problems

Reuben's muscles became tenser with every noise that came out of the bedchamber. How long was this supposed to take, anyway? How long had it taken the last time? It seemed like it hadn't taken this long.

Would it really be so bad if he barged into the bedroom while his wife was giving birth? Well, last time he had done it, Dilli, Ayla's maidservant, had left him with an impressive collection of bruises. Not that he had felt the beating, and it had been amusing to watch Dilli go from mouse to lion in two seconds flat, but... Ayla hadn't been happy about it. Not happy at all.

He paced in the corridor, waiting. Waiting more. Then a bit more waiting. After that, waiting. When he finished waiting, he waited some more.

When he heard footsteps approaching, he whirled around. Maybe the devil would be with him and someone had decided to be stupid enough to attack Luntberg. A good battle might be just the distraction he needed.

No urgency painted Xander's face, though. Indeed, the recently knighted young man seemed far too relaxed. "Hello, sir," he greeted with an easy grin.

"What do you want, you brick-brained lump of vomit?" Reuben silently congratulated himself on the insult; he would have to use it again a few times in the near future so he could be sure to remember it.

Xander's grin didn't waver a micromillimeter. "I want only to please you, sir."

"It would please me if you disappeared."

"If I disappeared, I wouldn't be able to tell you that Kaylin broke her arm, sir. She's quite upset, and she won't let anyone go near her to set the bone. Arabella suggested that you might be able to calm her down."

For a second, Reuben forgotten about the nearby bedchamber. "Kaylin? She won't let you near her? I thought she liked you."

Xander shrugged. "I believe she is still mad at me for ripping her favorite doll, sir."

"Hmm. Serves you right. All right," he growled. "Where is she?"

"Inner courtyard, sir."

"You stay here. If anything happens, you come running. You understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Reuben walked away, cursing himself for having gotten into this mess. Life had been easier when he didn't care about anyone or anything. But now he was a pansy. He would never admit it to anyone, of course, but it was obvious to onlookers. One of his girls got hurt, and he went running. Kaylin started crying because someone teased her, Reuben made sure the guilty party never looked at her wrong again. Alys got boogers all over her face, Reuben wiped them away.

Pansy. Sir Reuben Rachwild von Riffgarten was a pansy.

He found Kaylin, his middle daughter, sitting against the wall in the inner courtyard, tears covering her face as she cradled her broken arm. Captain Linhart and a few others stood near her, looking as helpless as sheep on sheering day.

"Get out of here," Reuben ordered them. He didn't have to issue the order twice. At least someone still viewed him as a warrior.

"Kaylin," Reuben said as he crouched in front of the girl. "Give me your arm."

She shrank back, choking on another sob. "I want... m-mother."

"Mother is busy squeezing out your brother. Give me your arm."

"It's a b-boy?" she asked as she wiped her face.

"If I've ever done anything right in my life, it'll be a boy. Your arm."