Ensiumlux

Jess IV

Jess

It was three o'clock when we finished eating. As we were cleaning up, my dad said,

"We're going to go on a special vacation this summer."

"Where to?" asked Ewan.

"To the northern capital."

"Really," I said in astonishment, I had never been North, "how come?"

"Well, let's just say it's tradition," he simply said, "we'll be leaving in two days."

I was pretty excited, and, while I was washing the dishes, I just wanted to go and tell Rendel. I excused myself after I finished, sticking my tongue out to Ewan who was still scrubbing the floor, and went to Rendel's house.

I actually wanted to accompany Rendel to the ceremony but I couldn't since I had to do chores, laundry and tiding up my room, which didn't take long, before lunch I was over.

When I arrived, I knocked the door, heard some metal clanking on plates, which meant they were still eating, and Shion opened the door.

"Jess! Umm, wait here," she said. She went back inside and I heard them whispering something. I tried to hear but it was too low, the only thing I heard was Rendel saying loudly, "She is not my girlfriend!", to which I giggled.

Some moments later I heard more clanking and then Rendel stepped out, his cheeks swollen. I laughed at the way he looked and he just gave me a Shut up-look. He signaled me to walk with him and I turned around.

I waited until he had swallowed everything before I asked.

"What was all that?"

"All what?", he asked acting dumb.

"You know, all that whispering and what not."

"Oh, that. Umm, well..."

He was definitely hiding something, and I didn't like that.

"I was just asking permission," he finally said.

"For what?" I inquired.

"To tell you something. You see," he paused, like searching for words, "I'm leaving Heron."

"Leaving?" I didn't understand why he needed for permission, "For how long?"

He didn't want to look me in the eye when he said, "Indefinite years."

Years?! YEARS?! And he didn't even know how many?!

"What? But... but... Why?"

"Well it's kind of like, my duty, a family tradition is better put," he said, still avoiding my gaze.

By this point we were arriving to the central square, and he headed to a bench. I followed him, bewildered.

"Why didn't you tell me before?!"

"They just told me today," he said, finally looking into my eyes, but turning away almost immediately.

I was, well, sad. I didn't know what to think, he was leaving the town for a long time and he didn't know when he would come back.

"And you accepted?" I asked.

"Well, yeah, I mean, it's something I think I must do."

"And what is that you must do?"

"That I can't tell."

"Why not?"

"I don't know, he forbade it."

"He? Who is he?"

I could see that he, Rendel, regretted saying that last sentence.

"I can't say neither."