Demi-Angels Son Excerpt - Daniels sinking, and Arweins getting chewed out: Daniel attended classes, and his work, if anything, surpassed its previous quality. But otherwise, he shut down. He had always been reticent, but now he said almost nothing. Over the vociferous objections of his friends, Daniel quit rugby; in fact, though he had once spent many hours in their rooms, he now spent hardly any time with them. The only time he saw them was during classes and those meals someone made him eat. He even cut himself off from Linda, who hadn’t seen him since Thomas’ death. He attempted to quit choir, but Arwein wouldn’t allow it. His relationship with Arwein had been torn asunder. They spoke only when circumstances forced them to; otherwise, Daniel avoided him completely. Thomas’ absence ate at Daniel, especially at night and during choir practice, when he was forced to face the empty places Thomas should have occupied. Shortly after Christmas, Daniel arrived in Arwein’s office demanding a private room. Arwein was strongly opposed to it, but Daniel would not back down. Truthfully, Arwein had planned to place the next new student in Thomas’ place, hoping to draw Daniel out, but the boy simply would not hear of it. When Daniel threatened to move into the caves, Arwein knew he was serious, and with that, he reluctantly conceded. At the very least, Daniel remained in the Little Tower, where his friends could still easily find him. But Daniel was not interested in socializing, and as winter drew about them, he nearly vanished into the trail system. Most saw no real change in the teen. But to Arwein and Linda, the youth who had been Daniel was gone. Arwein watched and waited as Daniel grew increasingly distant and isolated. But another professor also knew Daniel well, and he had noticed the changes in Daniel with increasing alarm. Ewan MacNaughtan let five months pass – then felt compelled to knock on Arwein’s door. “Come.” Arwein was surprised; Ewan had visited Arwein’s office fewer times in a century than Arwein had fingers on one hand. “Ewan. Please, come in. Sit. Can I get you something?” Arwein rose, ever the courteous host. Ewan waved him down. “No, Angylaidd, I don’t mean to stay long. I only wanted to discuss D’Eyrie.” “In that case, you had better take something; this will likely take some time. You drink coffee, hm?” “All right. Yes, please; cream, no sugar.” Topping off his own tea, Arwein poured the other man’s drink and returned to the desk. Settling, he said, “Daniel.” “Yes. Arwein, I’m very concerned.” “As am I. But, Ewan, I cannot hurry the boy’s healing; you know that.” “Arwein, I’m concerned that if we do _not_ do something, there will not _be_ a boy.” Arwein frowned. “What are you saying, Ewan? Is he suicidal?” Ewan picked up his mug, warming his palm. He shook his head. “Not actively, no; but this thing with the Campbell kid is devouring him. You know I practice one on one with him?” Arwein nodded, gesturing for him to continue. “Do you? Still practice with him, I mean.” Arwein narrowed his eyes, frowning. “No; I have not in… well, come to think of it, it may even be a year or more.” Ewan cast him a scathing look that most would never have dared. “Tell me you’re not serious.” Still frowning, Arwein replied, “I am; why? Until recent events, I did not see any need; and since this all happened, he will not come near me.” “No _need?_ Forgive me, Angylaidd, but isn’t this the kid you asked me years ago to watch, for some reason you have yet to divulge? And isn’t this the same boy who has stood at the margins since his arrival? And,” he continued, over Arwein’s protest, “…isn’t this the boy who has left his peers behind in my classes, the one I’ve had to teach alone for years because he moves too quickly to retain with the others? We are talking about that boy, aren’t we?” _He has a point._ Arwein stifled his annoyance, shifting in his chair. “Yes. All right, Ewan. But let us return to the reason you came.” Ewan chuckled. “Always the same, Angylaidd, aren’t you? Never admit you’ve made a mistake.” He blew on his coffee and took a sip. Arwein stiffened, but Ewan was relentless. “If you’d made a habit of training with him, perhaps _his_ state of mind wouldn’t have escaped _yours.”_ “Enough, Ewan. Say what you came to say.” “I _have_ been saying it. That kid needs more than just me in his head, Angylaidd, because what’s taking up space in there right now is death. And for D’Eyrie, depression has always been a concern – at least I saw it that way. But I’m only your Master Neuropsychologist. What do I know? And what will you do now? Get him back and suddenly start again?” He set the coffee down. “Look, Angylaidd, I haven’t talked to him much about what he’s going through; he won’t discuss it with me.” Ewan leaned forward on Arwein’s desk. “But I’m inside his head, Arwein, where you should have been all along, and I can sense the ghosts in there breaking him down, and I’m telling you that if we do not do something soon, we may not get him back.” “So what do you suggest, then, Ewan? If you have all the answers, I would love to hear them.” “I’m not _suggesting_ anything, Angylaidd. I’m _telling_ you that you’d better do something, and quickly, before D’Eyrie decides that the only way to deal with his survivor’s guilt is to stop surviving.” Ewan downed the rest of his coffee in a single large swallow, replaced his mug on his coaster, and stood. “Thanks for the coffee.” He was halfway out the door before Arwein reluctantly conceded his error. “Ewan.” Ewan turned. “Thank you.” Ewan nodded, pulling the door behind him. _Well._ Arwein took a deep breath. _I wasn’t expecting that._ Grimly aware that Ewan’s criticism was fully deserved, Arwein tapped his fingers on his desk, thinking. _He is correct – I cannot simply restart practice sessions; not with things as they stand. Still, I must address this. The boy needs something to do. Perhaps…_ he let his eyes roam his walls, working through his options. _Yes. He wants to work in Intelligence and Protection; perhaps I can send him elsewhere for a time for some practical training. It might get his mind off of things. I can place him in Rheims, working with Norreys’ code-breaking team._ He nodded, satisfied.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 18:50:47 +0000
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