Air Warrrior

My Family

 I told him about my family, the little house we had in the kingdom that we lived in while my father working for the Royal Guard.

"My mum, she was the light of the family. She always made sure we had everything we needed. Every birthday she would make sure to get some a cake or cookies. We lived in the wastelands, and we didn't have much but, she made sure we were happy. Our camp shared supplies, mum working as a housekeeper for a Bishiop. I kept watch over Judy when she was away." A few tears fell from my eyes as I spoke her name. "Judy was just a kid... a child. One of the women from the camp that survived the attack told us that her men were told to kill everyone, women and children included." He pulled me close to him, i rested my head on his chest. 

"No one deserved to die that night, I am so sorry Skylar." He kissed my forehead as I sobbed.  I told him about all the fun things my mum and I would do, and the laughs Judy and I shared. I told him about silly games that we made up and how my mum taught us to read and write. It was nice talking about them. 

"What about your father? Did they kill him because of my father?" He spoke with sadness, and I could see the guilt he had on his face.

 "The night he died... we were in the woods, training together. I was only 13, I was messing around spinning in the air. Not a care in the world. I didn't know something was wrong until I heard my father stop laughing. He grabbed me and pushed me behind the tree. The guards had seen the gust of winds from my spins, my father confessed to being an Air warrior. They saw he was wearing the King's pendent and asked him to join them... he refused, and they shot him. I watched as they left him there to die. I held him as he bled out, unable to do anything. His last words were run so, we did. I took his necklace, to remember him." I twirled the gold tooth with my fingers.  

He looked at his hands, afraid to look me in the eyes. "I never blamed you or your father for his death Chris. He died because they were afraid with an Air Warrior by your father's side, they wouldn't win the war."

He finally met my eyes. I placed my hand on his cheek and smiled up at him. 

"You know, I met your father once." He chuckled a little bit and my eyebrows scrunched together.

"Really?" I said surprised.

"He accompanied my father and I on a hunting trip. I was 15, I was going through a rebellious phase. I was angry because I had found out about Claire and my father. So, my father thought we could use some father and son time. During the trip I remember taking off during the night, your father followed me and saved me from walking into a booby-trap." 

He laughed a little, "When we got back to the campsite, he sat me down and we talked. He knew I was angry at my father. He told me that even if he had found someone new that it didn't mean he loved my mother any less. He was right, I was angry at him for moving on but, really, I was just scared of forgetting her. But my father and Claire never let me forget." He held my hand in his as he smiled at me, "He was a great man Sky, he would be proud of you." 

We spent the rest of the day talking about our families, telling jokes and laughing. Before we knew it, it was nighttime. Claire had come to check on us a few times and brought us some dinner. Christopher slept in my room that night. I felt like everything was finally starting to look up.