Someone's missing from this reunion. [6/8 - Fletcher - Open]

[Fletcher Leiham]

Fletcher knew, as he came upon his lands, there was something wrong. There was a silence that seemed almost unearthly broken only a few times by the sound of a horse off in the distance. He couldn't imagine that all his servants had retired early, and it seemed much too late in the day for lunch but far too early for supper, he cleared his throat to break the silence.

He and the men rode up to his castle and a few of his servants darted out the door as they'd heard them approach. "M'lord." the boys bowed as Fletcher dismounted. He was eying them and they hastily told him that everyone else was waiting inside for him. He wanted to question the boy but instead turned on his heels and walked quickly inside.

"Lord Leiham!" A familiar voice rang, as Fletcher's eyes were still adjusting, but as they regained focus his eyes landed on his mother's head servant.

"Meredith? What's going on? Where is every.." He was cut off by a loud sob that came from the woman's very core. He took her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye with a great amount of concern. "Meredith."

"It is your mother." She said quietly. "She passed on this morning. She wasn't ill or suffering! She just grew tired and weak. It was just her time to join your father in eternal rest."

She'd kept talking in the absence of a response from Fletcher. "Mum." he said, now speaking less formal, and his hands dropped from Meredith's shoulders.

The servant before him nodded and handed him a letter. "I have sent out the others that she requested be sent, and this one was to be left for you and Lady Lorrella."

He broke open the seal quickly and absorbed the last words his mother sent to him. It was a letter of his mother's love, her wishes for his future and life, her wishes for her body, her observations and her mention of an unfinished book. Fletcher couldn't help but find a smile, sad and weak, but still a smile.

After a moment he slid the letter into his pocket and looked back to Meredith. "Thank you for staying with her when I was unable to do so. We shall mourn ..." he looked around the hall, there were a few men and women looking at him now. "And we shall observe my mother's wishes. In the morning we shall bury her so if you could prepare her I would be ever so grateful." Before the servant could turn away, Fletcher placed a hand on her shoulder. "After she is ready I would like to see her one last time before ..." He couldn't finish his sentence.

Meredith confirmed her willingness to help prepare Renilde for her burial and turned quickly to leave Fletcher alone. He couldn't help but feel his stomach do flips. His mother had passed on and he wasn't there to hold her hand.