Count Only The Happy Hours

Part 1: II

"An entire house, gone," Voryn murmured, shock from earlier now plain on his face. Vivec looked over at him.

"I thought you'd like that," he said. "Seems like you're always complaining about this house and that. Just a few days ago, you were railing off about House Redoran."

"If House Redoran were to meet their end by their own foolishness, I wouldn't mourn. But for an entire House to be decimated in a single day–by a daedric prince, no less..." Voryn let out a breath. "It's sobering. It would be if it was Redoran, but it's even moreso with an inoffensive house like Sotha." He looked over at Nerevar. "Perhaps we ought to be cautious. I wouldn't be surprised if the strife in Resdayn's what attracted Dagon here."

Nerevar had stayed remarkably silent so far, arms crossed and fair brows drawn together in thought. At Voryn's mention of caution, though, he looked up.

"Our efforts are blessed by Azura," he said firmly. "Our trust in the Good Daedra have gotten us this far, and they'll see us through to the end." He sucked in his bottom lip, sitting back with a little less certainty in his expression. "But word ought to get out to the other Clans. As a warning, if nothing else." He looked up at Vivec. "How is he doing? The boy?"

Vivec shrugged. "As well as he can be, I'd say. Even a battle-hardened warrior would be crippled living through what he did; the fact that he hasn't given in to Sheogorath yet is remarkable." He shifted slightly from where he sat on the floor, uncrossing and recrossing his legs. "He healed me, you know. The ruinach managed a blow that could have been lethal, but..." He gestured to the smooth skin on his side. "Not even a scar, and he was still very deeply in shock." He glanced about the room. "I think he could be useful."

"A healing prodigy?" Alandro's eyes, bright as starlight, settled on Vivec. "Useful, sure. But a liability." He looked up at Nerevar. "This is no place for a child."

"He's fourteen," Vivec piped up. "He wanted me to mention it, since Voryn got his age wrong." He looked back to Nerevar. "Not much younger than I was when you picked me up for the cause."

"And look at what we have to deal with from that decision," Voryn muttered.

" Voryn . Vehk, sit down," Nerevar said, chiding the both of them. Vivec, half-risen and hand going for his sword, dropped back down to the ground with a huff as Nerevar continued, "Look, regardless of what we ultimately decide, we're not turning him out into the wilderness. He's at least staying with us until we can find somewhere safe."

" Nowhere is safe, not right now," Vivec said before anyone else can chime in. "At best, he ends up in a stranger's family. At worst, he's on the streets, and you all know as well as I that an untethered Chimer–even a boy–is fair target practice for any Nords." He looked up at Nerevar pleadingly. "I'll...I'll raise him. Or I'll at least look out for him until he's grown."

Both Alandro and Voryn scoffed at that. Nerevar, however, looked over him for a moment. There was a look that seemed dangerously close to pride in his face, but even the ghost of it was enough to give Vivec hope.

"Well, we'll ask him what he wants when we get to the next city," he said, neither confirming nor denying–a diplomat, even among friends. "In the meantime, Vivec, I'll hold you to that."

A wave of relief hit Vivec, enough to make him sag right there on the floor. " Thank you , Nerevar."

Voryn's dark eyes slid over to look at Vivec, then back to Nerevar. There was an argument on his lips, but clearly it wasn't strong enough to make its way out. Instead, his expression shifted to the smile he always wore when agreeing with Nerevar's ideas, and he said, "If he's a prodigy–and a House mer besides–then he can't be wholly left in the hands of a netchiman thug ." Despite the look Nerevar sent him at that, he continued, "I'll offer what I can to young Sil while he's with us, however long that may be."