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He had to be forcibly dissuaded from strangling his son - Attolia discussing the Minister of War
The wake of the battle was tightly controlled chaos. The two queens circled each other cautiously, like mountain lions in a shared cave. As soon as he could get away, the Minister of War went to his son.
An attendant opened the door at his knock. Eugenides had washed and changed out of his muddy clothes. He looked tired and very young with his hair in damp curls and his face covered in scratches. But it was the ring of bruise colors around his neck that made the Minister's breath catch in his throat. Something in Eugenides' expression seemed to relax when he saw his father in the doorway. The Minister found himself simply grateful that his son hadn't flinched at his approach.
"Leave us," Eugenides said, and then when the attendants had left, "I was going to come find you."
That would not do at all. It was a father's job to care for his child, to seek out his child in the aftermath of devastation.
"Eugenides," the Minister's voice sounded strained to his own ears, "I am so sorry."
Eugenides frowned. "You would have given your life to spare me pain and fear. You don't owe me an apology. I owe you one. And my thanks."
The Minister's head hurt. "Please. Don't thank me for that."
Eugenides blinked his eyes in response, it made him look like a house cat. "Thank you for trusting me, then."
"You've grown into a brave, kind man, Gen." He held out his arms, apprehensive, uncertain if Gen would want to go to him, to feel their pressure around him. Gen crossed the room without hesitation and settled into his embrace.
When Gen started shaking, they sat together on a bench against the wall and the Minister held him gently. He had been in his fair share of battles and he knew the moods that could take people when the fighting was done. Gen shook as the sun moved lower in the sky and his father rubbed his back.
"Is your head alright?" Eugenides asked at last.
"It's okay. Nothing that won't heal. Galen took a look. How are you holding up?"
"Alright. Nothing serious. I'm tired."
"Do you want me to stay?"
Gen nodded. He reminded his father of nothing so much as the sleepy twelve-year-old he had been once upon a time, falling asleep in the banquet hall while insisting that he be allowed to stay up.
Some time later, the Minister of War settled onto a cot against the wall and watched his son asleep in the bed. He could not fathom what the future might hold for Gen, but he was comforted to know that for one night at least, if nightmares woke his son, he wouldn't be alone.