The door of the sitting room opened again. The young woman walked into the chamber, glancing at Mano'n briefly and smirked. She paused, said nothing, then walked deliberately out the entry door and disappeared. The older woman jumped up and followed.
"Mano’n, if you please?" the officer looked at Mano’n as he rose, turned and walked away. Mano’n followed him to the chamber.
"Welcome, my son," Baalsa'n offered, a light smile on his face, "Please make yourself comfortable." He pointed toward a small divan nearby.
"We have a problem, you and I. You have known for some time what needs to be done. Yet you have dallied a bit too much and tarried too long for my liking. Do you have an explanation?"
Mano’n walked to the couch and sat, crossed his legs and tried to relax.
He was here before.
"Have you revealed your fatherly affection to the other two, Sir?" he asked, ignoring the question proffered. He fiddled with a small crevice in the workings of the arm of the couch.
He didn't look up to see the reaction; he knew Baalsa'n had no emotional tie to any of them and he only wanted to goad him.
"I see you haven't given up your flippant ways either; strangely, your sister. and the boy, have much the same tendencies. I find this very curious, must be the nature of humans to feel the need to be more arrogant than they can afford. Particularly with me. I've little patience for it."
Baalsa'n spoke evenly, but now Mano’n knew he should keep his face averted. Baalsa'n demanded and expected obedience.
"Without wasting more time with you, I expect you to return to the tasks I assigned you before. This time you will be more diligent or suffer the consequences.
Your daughter, how is she developing? Have you begun to teach her as yet? Or were you running away to avoid your responsibility to her and me?" Baalsa'n turned in his seat, his arm resting on the arm of the chair for support and spoke quickly and harshly, glaring at Mano’n.
"I d-don't know; I've been away," Mano’n was stammering now. He was more concerned than he thought he would be.
He hoped, on his way here and before, Baalsa'n wouldn't pass too severe a sentence for his future. He wanted to be a part of what was to come, but didn't wish to expend too much effort.
"Then return to your duty! You, of the three, should know what you must do. Now, return and accomplish what must be done. I will not tolerate this lack of effort any longer!" Baalsa'n stood abruptly and shouted, angrier than Mano’n remembered seeing him before.
"Yes, I'll do so, sir," Mano’n could think of nothing else to say. He sat looking at the floor, both feet down now, his hands on his knees, hoping this would come to an ending gracefully.
"Then get out of my sight! I expect reports showing you’ve accomplished something, right or wrong," Baalsa'n' voice rumbled with his decree.
There would be a harsh sentence to experience, if the decree was not followed. Mano’n was aware of too many things that might happen to him if he failed.
In silence, he rose and without looking at Baalsa'n, left the room.
GARV’N