Past Midnight

"Father??" asked Liam as he walked into Alaric's office, and he saw Alaric still in his office.

"Ahh Liam my boy" said Alaric as he looked up.

"Father what are you still doing here at this hour??" asked Liam.

"I had thought that you had gone to bed already" said Liam as he sighed and he shook his head, his father was a man that did not know when to stop, and that was for the betterment of his health.

"My boy, before you scold me, I just came in here to settle a matter or two, and I have seemed to loose track of time" said Alaric as he smiled sheepishly.

"Regardless of that or not father, you should take more care of yourself" said Liam.

"For one, I am sure that if I had not come in here to gather up some documents, you would have worked till morning" said Liam as he sighed, his father really was something else.

"My boy, please forgive me, as they say old habits die hard" said Alaric.

"But father, you are not as young as you were before" said Liam.

"Either your old habits die, or..." said Liam.

"You do not have to say it my boy" said Alaric.

"Do not worry my boy, I shall make sure not to do such again" said Alaric.

"Alright father, I will give you a benefit of a doubt" said Liam.

"Thank you my boy" said Alaric as he smiled.

"Anyway father, I heard from Mero that you called him to speak with him" said Liam as he sat down.

"Is anything the matter??" asked Liam

"No my boy, I just asked Mero to meet me, because I have decided that he will be the one I will send to the east" said Alaric, he knew that Mero would tell Liam he had summoned him, he was just that loyal.

"Ahh I see" said Liam, Mero was a good choice, he was a man of the east anyway.

"They are his people, they would surely listen to him" said Alaric, he knew the story of how Liam had formed his knights, the mighty men of valor one by one.

Only Luc, Zechariah and Elihu were indigenes of Wyverdale, while Zuph and Mero were from the falled Kingdom of Eru, that was now the main east state of Wyverdale.

"I do believe that too father" said Liam.

"So when does he journey to the east??" asked Liam.

"He preferred to go after your wedding" said Alaric.

"I see, was that your idea father, or his??" asked Liam as he looked at his father.

"Does that matter my boy??" asked Alaric as he laughed, and Liam knew from that answer that it was obviously his father's idea, in an attempt to keep him tied down here, and not to even think of leaving the Kingdom.

"Father, I know you, so of course it matters" said Liam as he laughed.

"Anyway, father, with the talk of the wedding, I have something very important to ask you" said Liam.

"What is it my boy??" asked Alaric.

"Well father, I wanted to ask, what did you pay for mother's bride price??" asked Liam.

"Ahhh my boy, you surprise me tonight" said Alaric as he laughed.

"Well father, I just wanted to know" said Liam.

"Well my boy, your mother's price was far above diamonds or rubies" said Alaric as he smiled remembering fond memories.

"To tell you something that would remain between you and me my boy" said Alaric.

"I had almost emptied the Kingdom's treasury for her bride price, my father was not pleased at all" said Alaric as he laughed.

"Father, are you encouraging me to empty the Kingdom's treasury??" asked Liam as he laughed.

"No of course not my boy" said Alaric as he laughed.

"That is the good money of our good people, we cannot do that" said Alaric as he laughed.

"I was still young and foolish then, I would not advise you to do so now" said Alaric.

"Unless you want the kingdom to riot" said Alaric as he laughed.

"No, of course not father" said Liam as he laughed, he was just joking, he was not that insensible to do such with the money of the people, unless he wanted to tear the Kingdom apart.

"So my boy, you need to settle with your in laws, what is it that they require for her bride price?" asked Alaric.

"I do not know father, I have not had the time to enquire" said Liam.

"But Lady Diwura brought it to my attention today, the wedding draws near, and I am yet to settle a very important matter" said Liam.

"Well she is right my boy, she may think that you are not serious with her if you dally any longer" said Alaric.

"She already thinks so father" said Liam to himself as he sighed, Wura did not need such an excuse before she could not trust him, she already did not trust him at all.

"I will make sure to settle this first thing in the morning" said Liam.

"Alright my boy" said Alaric.

"And you may go with a reasonable price, that would be acceptable to our in laws" said Alaric.

"Thank you father, I will" said Liam as he smiled.

Knowing how Wura had branded herself as not an easy woman, he was sure that her price would be nothing but acceptable.

"Well now father, enough of our talk" said Liam,

"It is already past midnight, and you need to rest, you have been up all day" said Liam.

"You are right about that my boy" said Alaric as he yawned.

"I truly am tired" said Alaric as it seemed like tiredness was finally washing over him.

"Come father, let me walk you to your room" said Liam as he stood up and he walked to his father's side to help him up.

"Thank you my boy, I would be nothing without you" said Alaric as he smiled, and rose up as Liam helped support him.

"And so would I father" said Liam as he smiled.