Radiance

Family

So, just because, lore chapter! :D completely unrelated to Rainbow Quest, but I wanted to give context into a bit of Ryan/Tewtiy's family backstory. I may do more of these to give context into Lucas and Sabre's, buuuttt I could also make another book out of it for later so E :DDD

Anyways, Enjoy!

-----

|Melodia|

I walk slowly down the hall, my hands crossed in front of me. A certain sorrow filled me nowadays, so I never smiled. It was rare for me to do so.

"Ah, Melodia. There you are," A voice says from my right as I was about to pass by a hall, then look up to see my uncle Arthur standing there, his dark and slick back mahogany hair fading with grey starting to poke through. His eyes rest on me as I pause and turn to face him.

"Oh, Uncle Arthur. Curious to see you around these parts," I murmur quietly and he nods.

"Yes, apologies. I was wondering if you knew where Ryan was? I've been meaning to work with him on his bow and riding skills, yet I haven't seen him for so long now." He shakes his head and shrugs, his eyes trailing down to the floor. I sigh and glance off to the side, worry for my own son filling my chest. "Yes, he has been out for several weeks now. Ever since Faeron attacked him, he's not stuck around the estate for long periods of time. I've not seen him for a while now and I... worry. Though he does act a lot like how his father does." I mumble the last part with a soft note as I remembered Ryan's Father's mischievous nature. He was always running around, doing this and that for the city. But when he came back, he'd always bring me a red tulip that I'd lay in the vase at our bedside.

"Melodia, I know we've not talked much my Nephew-in-law- Your late husband- but I can't help but feel-" Arthur starts, but then gets cut off by a shout from outside.

"NEBULAS! SHOW YOUR FACES!" 

I rush to a nearby window to shift the curtain to the side, then peer out to see an unfamiliar man. But with him, was a mob of 14 men... and he had Faeron who I could barely see a look of terror on his face. "Oh no." I mutter as a cold spreads down my back, then start to dash down the hall, my shoes clicking on the flooring underneath me. I hear a set of footsteps behind me then Arthur picks me up and dashes faster down the hall. I make a small noise of shock, but let him carry me to the main entrance where he set me down.

"Melodia, stay here. I'm going to round up the rest of the family to make them aware." He says with his hands on my shoulders, dead staring me in the eyes, then lets me go and dashes off, racing to grab the other members of our family.

Quietly, I sneak over to the window to peer outside. The mob of men wore masks over their faces alongside having weapons hidden out of view. The man who called out, who had Faeron on his knees in front of him, had no mask on his face, and I could see a long scar running from under his black, slicked-back hair, across his pale blue eyes, and down his stiff and square jawline. Everything about him Radiated he was a force to be reckoned with.

A singular thought popped into my mind now that made me shudder. These men, had to be the Undying. The Sa'aal.

They were the men who had killed my husband and hung him up on the town pole for me to see... And to nearly loose my stomach over.

Footsteps on the staircase echo behind me and I turn to look to see the matron of the house, my grandmother Aèdailia, with a look of rage on her face. Several other family members were making their way down the staircase after her as she stormed across the main entrance and flung the doors open, stepping outside.

"What in the forbidden names is the meaning of this disturbance of these grounds and mishandling of one of our own, you fiend?!" Aèdailia's voice carries over the mob as the other family members and I step outside, standing behind her.

"Ah! If it isn't dear Aèdailia! Tell me, how is your husband doing? I heard he fell ill a while ago and I've not heard any news about his health since!" The dark haired man's voice echoes off the ashen grey decor of the house and into the gardens that stood at either side of the main path to the estate. He gives her a huge smile, his eyes scanning the crowd of our assembled family as if he was searching for someone...

I shudder as a small chill runs down my back and my emotions turn stone cold. This wasn't a time for sentimentality or emotions.

"My husband has passed away. If you had been in town the past couple of weeks, you would have heard the news. So cut to the chase and explain why you are here and manhandling my grandson!" Aèdailia's voice is harsh on the ears as I see her go stiff from the corner of my eye. A hand rests on my shoulder, then I look to see Arthur standing behind me with his usual stoic look on him. The look he fought a war and quelled many fights between my cousins and I with.

"Very well, Matron Aèdailia. I'll cut to the point." Those piercing blue eyes search the crowd again until they lock with my cold ones. "Melodia! Step forward!" Without a second to hesitate, or for anybody to complain, I step forward, locking eyes as a certain fury and cold hatred reinforced my spine and made me stand straight and stiff. "What is it." My voice is hollow even to my own ears as the man dead stares me down.

Without a word, he grabs Faeron's collar, then shoving him down to the rough stone path, he places his knee on Faeron's back and flicked out a knife from his sleeve.

"Tell me where Ryan Nebula is!! Or else Faeron gets it."

His voice held hostility in it as he glared me down, but I can't help but pity the fool.

I laugh at his foolish request.

"You poor fool. You think I know where my own son is at the moment?!   I haven't known for weeks, so if you have any information on his whereabouts, I would love to know! Especially since you knew where his father ended up!!"

I let out an annoyed hiss as the man stares at me, his eyes narrowed. I look down at Faeron who had his eyes closed and his body was trembling.

The man hisses and in a moment, he flicks his knife. However, he wasn't quick enough.

A Nebula was not a Nebula if they didn't learn how to throw a knife.

I reach into my pale gold dress sleeve and my fingers brush the leather for a moment before it's flying through the air for its target: the man's shoulder. He backs up and misses his target, only scratching Faeron's shoulder.

"Leave! You have dared to cause harm to a member of the Nebula family on our own grounds! You dare come back here again and we'll have your heads hung in the square!" Aèdailia's voice accompanies her hand on my shoulder as Faeron scrambles up, dashing away from the men and towards me. Without a word he's hugging me, mumbling quickly into my ears as the men of our house shoe the ladies and children back inside. I walk Faeron over to a plush couch that sat by the side of the door and sit him down as his eyes dart around with fear in them.

"I-I'm so sorry Melodia, I didn't know it would come to this- if- if I had I wouldn't have left or hurt Ryan-" Tears start to stream down his face as I take ahold of his hands and hold them in mine. I start to massage his hand as his mother comes over, making her checks to make sure he was ok.

"I WILL FIND YOUR SON MELODIA!! AND WHEN I DO I'LL HAVE HIM HANGING IN TOWN LIKE I DID YOUR HUSBAND!"

The man yells a final time before footsteps could be heard fleeing outside and everything went quiet outside.

I go numb as the thought of Eric runs through my mind. His tall stature, his brilliant blonde hair he passed on to his son, and his hazel eyes that stood empty upon that day I walked into town with Arthur and saw Eric pinned through the chest by a sword, up upon the tall pole that stood in the center of town.

He was dead already before they had pinned him up as a trophy.