Theseus had worn himself out in the garden playing in the snow and had fallen asleep on the sofa in the sitting room for an impromptu nap. Eugene had moved him to his bed for a rest, thinking an hour wouldn't hurt him. It wasn't like anyone was going anywhere any time soon at any rate. They'd been warned to stay indoors, so when his opened and his sister announced her arrival, he was startled.

"Merlin's beard Lena, you're not supposed to be out." Leave it to her to not listen to the rules. "And I played a little too hard outside with Theseus this morning, paying for it now." He said as from where he'd just eased himself into the leather wingback chair near the fireplace. His leg was on fire and the salve Miss Hunniford had given him didn't seem to be making much of a difference and he was sort of miserable, but it had been worth it to see Theseus laughing and enjoying his company like they used to. The toll this was taking on his son was the worst part. Eugene could get through the heartache and the physical pain in his body, but for his year old not to understand his dad couldn't move like he used to was truly the most painful part.

"I'll have tea made." Thank Merlin all of his staff lived in the house, he would have been truly sunk if he was on his own. "Or brandy, or both." Both sounded good right about now. m