• (just a note, Rivvon is spelled with two v's, not a w like the font makes it look like.)

    tab Rivvon was in a state of euphoria as he walked through the manor. He and his friends had just finished planning a new play. This one was going to be the most complicated, most difficult, and most fun one yet. He couldn’t wait to get started.
    tab “Rivvon, come here, please,” a woman’s voice called. Rivvon froze. His mother did not approve of his preoccupation with plays. He didn’t want to listen to another lecture about upholding the family honor, but he would get a much worse lecture if he ignored his mother now. He sighed and walked into his mother’s study.
    tab Lady Alariel was sitting at an elegant desk, as usual, looking at some papers. She glanced up as Rivvon entered, then looked back at her papers. Rivvon sat in a chair facing the desk and waited. He could feel his good mood slowly draining away. Alariel wrote something on one paper, crossed something out on another, and then turned her attention to Rivvon.
    tab “Rivvon, dear, what am I to do with you?” she asked. “You insist on fraternizing with peasants and participating in the unseemly plays. Even though you are the third son and not likely to inherit, you mush still uphold the family honor…” Rivvon stopped listening. He had heard all of this before. His family refused to see that the peasants were not any different from the nobles. They were also too concerned with their image as nobles to do anything unseemly, like acting in a play. Rivvon though his family was narrow-minded.
    tab A loud bang brought his attention back to his mother. She had slapped her hand on the desk. “Are you even listening to me, Rivvon?” she asked. Rivvon thought for a moment before deciding to be truthful. “Not really,” he said. “I’ve heard this all before, Mother, and we obviously disagree on my behavior. I know what you thing about my actions, but I respectfully disagree. You aren’t going to change my mind and I’m not going to change yours, so why don’t we just agree to disagree?” He smiled disarmingly, hoping his little speech wouldn’t blow up in his face.
    tab Alariel scowled. “Since anything I say will be ignored, you may leave now. I am very busy. However, I will be speaking to your father about this,” she said icily.
    tab Rivvon got up and walked out. He paused in the doorway and said, “How is Father?” Alariel sighed. “He is feeling a little better. He finally agreed to take something for the pain. The doctor says he probably won’t last for more than a year.” Rivvon bowed his head. “I’m sorry, Mother,” he said quietly, apologizing for more than just his father’s sickness. “I know,” she replied just as quietly. He continued walking, his excitement over the play forgotten.
    tab He headed for his room, taking mostly unused back passages so he wouldn’t have to talk to anyone. He reached his room without meeting anybody, went in, and sat in a comfortable armchair. He pulled out his pipe and chewed on the stem broodingly.
    tab He had been sitting like that for a while when his oldest brother barged in. Sessel was the heir and took his place very seriously. Rivvon looked up slowly. Sessel glowered at his youngest brother.
    tab “I hear you’re still associating with our tenants and helping put on those ridiculous plays,” Sessel said. Rivvon nodded in acknowledgement. “You know that is undignified for a noble, and you are a noble even if you don’t ever act like one,” Sessel continued. “It also distresses Mother, and she has enough problems as it is.”
    tab Rivvon took his unlit pipe out of his mouth. “Our tenants are real people, Sessel. They may be less wealthy than we are, but that doesn’t make us any better then them,” he said quietly. He knew he would never convince Sessel that nobles weren’t inherently better, but he couldn’t just sit and say nothing
    tab Sessel shook his head in disgust. “Noble blood does make us better, Rivvon. You are just too blind to see that, which is why I’m going to suggest to Father and Mother that you should be sent to the King’s court in Daingean. Maybe once you are away from your peasant friends and among courtiers you will be cured of you foolish notions.”
    tab Rivvon jumped to his feet in shock. “You can’t! Not with Father as sick as he is!” he exclaimed.
    tab “Father’s sickness is part of why I’m sending you. You may not mean to, but you cause problems. We are under enough stress as it is. The capital is only a day and a half away, so you can come back quickly if we need you,” Sessel said, not unkindly. “I haven’t told Father or Mother about my idea yet, but I think they will agree with me that this is the best thing for you and the family right now.”
    tab Rivvon sank back into his chair, trying not to believe that his parents could send him away now. Sessel’s expression softened and he put a hand on Rivvon’s shoulder. “I know this will be hard on you, but it’s for the best,” he said.
    tab Rivvon shook his head sadly. “No it isn’t, brother.” Sessel looked at Rivvon for a moment longer, and then turned and walked out of the room. As soon as the door shut behind Sessel, Rivvon got up and went to his desk. He opened a drawer and got out some pipe weed, of a non-dangerous variety, and began to smoke it. Most of the time he just chewed on his pipe or used it to gesture, but when he got stressed he would smoke some sweet smelling pipe weed. This situation definitely counted as one of those stressful times.
    tab Rivvon paced around his room, trying to think of arguments that would convince his parents to let him stay. Not many came to mind. Sessel had already countered many of his arguments. At least Daingean wasn’t very far away. He could still see his friends pretty often. He grimaced as he imagined telling his friends that hey would have to put on the play without him.