Erika's Links
... [The teenage boy sits with Tressach, legs crossed with a weary expression on his face.] Uncle, you seem to understand anger better than anyone. How do I keep it from overtaking me?
As fun as it is to mess with them, oracles in the mortal world say the role of The Fool is that of the hero at the start of the journey. Maybe we shouldn't discount Untie Rika so much...
FINALLY one of you little sh-- I mean, little /sweethearts/, regards with me with some respect!
[Erika raises an eyebrow.] Rus, I don't think we /have/ to worry about frownlines... Besides, there's bigger things to worry about.
You've got to lighten up a little, Eri... [He snerks a bit.] You'll get frownlines from scowling so hard!
[He quickly puts Cerces down with a bashful look on his face.] I wasn't bench-pressing her! She likes being picked up, so... [He looks at the ground a little before looking back up at Jessimae.] Mm. Okay. [Even as a young child, Erika respects Jessimae highly and doesn't want to dissapoint her. He's put a lot on himself, almost to the point where the expectations he has of himself are much higher than the ones that the adults around him have of him.]
Sweetie... When I said it was time to go outside and get some exercise, I was thinking more along the lines of 'playing tag' than I was 'bench press a sibling'! Put your sister down and let's find something else to do, okay? [Jessimae worries about this student. He's so focused on looking after the younger kids, he doesn't take time to do the things he likes. She wants to help foster his love of poetry- even if it's hard with Erika's own expectations of 'maturity' getting in the way.]
(I can never let Papa know what I did down there. It would break their heart to pieces. I have to work harder to make sure they stay proud of me.)
My little ram, on the eve of your return from the human world, there was something in your eyes that seemed... Different. Far away. Are you sure you're alright? You can talk to me about anything, and I won't judge you.
[Ever since he's returned from his first excursion to the mortal world, Erika's been... Different. The teenage boy has already seen the horrors of war, and there's no one he can really turn to... Except for Uncle Menelaus, of course.]
I recognize that emptiness behind your eyes, dear boy. It's one I've seen in myself and the faces of my men in life. I know such horrors are difficult to share, but I promise, there is nothing you've seen that I haven't seen before. No man should be shackled by the memories of war alone.