Son of Wind, Son of Fire

5: Matthias

Matthias was in the music room, where he usually went to waste time, playing an old song Wylan had taught him on the piano, and glanced up when he could feel someone else in the room, and smiled when he caught a glimpse of bright blonde hair, turning back to the piano, as Kyara walked over and sat next to him.

"Hey.", she said softly, smiling.

"Hey.", he answered back, glancing at her and smiling." I figured you'd be here soon. Your things arrived not long ago. Do Jesper or Wylan know you're here?", he asked. She nodded.

"Jesper was the one that opened the door, and Wylan was in the living room.", she said, and starting playing the same song as Matthias, but in a higher octave." How's life been over here?"

"Good. Busy.", he said." Dad's been swamped by orders because of a huge jurda shipment coming in next week.", he said.

She hummed." How are your classes?", she asked.

Matthias stayed silent. He had intended to go to university, but he had instead decided to take a year off from tutors or university, to instead just enjoy his teenage years. He would have to get a job after university, probably working with Wylan so he would be ready to take over the business when he was older.

"I haven't gone yet. I'm taking a year off.", he said.

Kyara made a soft, noncommittal noise, and kept playing. They continued in silence for awhile, until Matthias broke the silence.

"What about you? How's life in Ravka?", he asked.

"Hopelessly boring.", she said. Matthias laughed at that.

Kyara smiled softly." There's not much to do but get tutored, play with the cat, and go for walks by the shore.", she said." And I don't get to do that sometimes because of slavers.", she said with a sigh." Although they relatively leave our stretch of coast alone. They know they'd be hunted down to the ends of the world by the Wraith.", she said with a smile.

Matthias chuckled." Very true.", he said, smiling.

Kyara just gave a small smile at that, and continued to play, skilled hands lightly playing over the keys. They'd gotten into this habit when they were kids, playing melodies and harmonies together to practice, talking as they did just because. As they'd gotten older, it had morphed into a way to cover conversations.

Matthias just turned his attention back to his own notes, the silence hanging thickly between them.

"I got a note from Uncle Kaz today.", Kyara finally said after a few moments, causing Matthias to glance at her in surprise. She glanced back at him, looking a bit surprised to see his expression. "Is there a problem with that?", she asked.

"I- no, it's just that he came down to the Exchange today to speak to the three of us. Something about a meeting in the boathouse at twelve bells.", Matthias said, the piano on his side going silent, followed by hers as Kyara turned to face him fully.

"That's what the note told me! 'Van Eck boathouse, twelve bells'.", she said. "What in the world is he planning?"

"Maybe he's finally snapped and is going to murder us all for Jesper's bad jokes.", Matthias teased, earning a short laugh from Kyara.

"Or all the teasing flirting from my mother.", she said with a grin.

"I'm pretty sure if that is the case, it'll be because of the two of you and your gossip.", a voice from the door called, both of them turning to find an amused looking Jesper leaned against the doorframe. "Dinner's just about on the table, so quit your prattle and come downstairs.", he said, before turning and disappearing from view.

Matthias stood up and headed for the door, but stopped and glanced back at Kyara when he reached the threshold. "Mark my words, it'll be because of him.", he said, before he whisked out of the music room, Kyara's laugh following him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, Kyara, how are things back home?"

Dinner had been served and for the most part eaten before Wylan piped up, the first words spoken for a good twenty minutes.

Kyara took a few moments to take a drink and swallow the bite she had been eating before she spoke. "Good. It's quiet, which I know my mother likes, but sometimes it can be a bit too quiet.", she said. "Though, I don't know if Ketterdam is exactly the change of scenery I wanted, no offense to you all.", she said, earning a short bark of laughter from Jesper.

"None taken.", Wylan said, elbowing his husband. "It's definitely a much different environment than the Ravkan coast, no matter who lives there."

"Honestly, if you guys moved out there, I would probably never leave the village again.", Kyara said, nudging a vegetable on her plate with her fork. "Let alone come here."

"Mm, maybe once Matthias is ready to take things over and we can retire. So, chop chop, Matty.", Jesper said, giving his son a cheeky grin.

Matthias just rolled his eyes slightly at his father. "Like you'd ever move away from Ketterdam. You love it here. Besides, how else would Kaz be able to keep an eye on you?", he teased his father.

Wylan laughed slightly at that, Jesper feigning an offended look.

"I don't require keeping an eye on.", he retorted.

"You do too, dear.", Wylan said, giving him a 'don't even try to argue' look. "You would probably be dead by now if Kaz didn't keep an eye on you."

Jesper opened his mouth to argue with that, but shut it soon after, before he frowned and sighed softly. "Alright, I can't argue with that without completely lying.", he said.

"If you even tried you'd be sleeping on the couch.", Wylan said easily, before he turned back to his food, Matthias and Kyara both laughing softly at their antics.

Matthias went back to eating as they fell back into a comfortable silence, Kyara glancing out the window after every bite, watching the moon's reflection visible in the rippling water of the canal.

After a few minutes, his fathers started discussing the jurda shipment they were expecting the next week, logistics and plans for who to have on shift when it came in, but he could hear a slight uncertainty to their plans.

None of them knew what Kaz had planned, or what this boathouse meeting was about. It could be a job, or it could be as simple as Kaz trying to buy Inej a birthday present (which Matthias doubted), but the point stood.

Kaz Brekker, while mysterious and scary, could also be exceedingly over-dramatic at times.

All they could do now was wait to see exactly which Kaz Brekker they would be getting that night.