ACROSS THE MEADOW (book one)

Chapter 04: A complicated case.

Yewahi

Shame. A word he was very familiar with. A feeling he grew accustomed to. And he was shameful of that too.

He knew he babied himself. Of course he did, but if not him then who else? To be comforted, meant to be validated. It meant he was not as much as a terrible person he truly felt to be deep down. He was not ready to let that feeling go. Even if he was growing old.

So that was what he did. Give a comfort to himself. It never made sense. At first, it was counting. Then it was holding his breath. And now, knocking on a piece of wood. It never truly brought an answer to him, but it brought peace, just for a small second and that was enough for Yewahi. 

So when he knocked on that wooden sculpture, he made sure every knuckle hit it. Hoping it kept the collective nonsense and spike of distress that followed at bay for the moment. Repeating until it felt just right.

"You did well today, son." Ezekiel places his arm around his son's shoulder as he commends him for his behavior at the celebration. However, to Yewahi, his father's arm is heavy with a burden he fears more than anything.

"Thank you, father." he says sheepishly. Shameful as Yewahi feels a sliver of joy in his father's praise. An ache within that yearning for more.

The two make their way towards Yewahi's room quietly. Yewahi grows timid and small as he begins questioning when his father would leave him be.

Finally making it to the door, Ezekiel hovers his hand over the knob. He turns his head, looking at his son with what he feels is a sense of excitement.

Yewahi is nauseous.

"I still have not given you your present." He says confidently, his breath pungent of alcohol.

"My present?"

Slowly, Ezekiel creaks open the door, revealing his so called present.

Before him is a woman with a magnetism Yewahi is not one to encounter before. She wears a white translucent gown. Her head bowing and her eyes never leaving the space between her feet. Only her silhouette is available to him; her head covered in a white veil. She maintains her silence and graceful composure, exuding an aura of serenity and elegance that any lady outside the Vagabonds would deem competitive.

Yewahi immediately diverts his gaze. His father however, stood powerful next to the woman.

"At the celebration, you have prepared to be a man. And tonight, you will become a man."

Yewahi felt himself folding inwards. "I do not understand." He did, but he had hoped he did not.

Ezekiel chuckles to himself, patting his son aggressively on his back. "Do not humble yourself boy. Enjoy this gift. I know Amir did."

A churning to his stomach comes to him. The click of the door closing was paralyzing. Yewahi never truly heard a silence so deafening until his father left.

They stand in the silence, no matter how suffocating and awkward it became. Yewahi shifting his weight from foot to foot; his eyes still protesting against contact.

Yewahi shuts them tightly, petulantly hoping she would be gone by the time he open them again. He is determined to not dwell on the unexpected mention of his brother's name or acknowledge anything that was occurring within the last 30 minutes prior to this very second. The prince held his breath; counting to 10 until he would allow himself to exhale.

Yet, to his surprise, when he cautiously opens his eyes, the woman remains in the same position, undeterred by the disappearance of the majesty.

And then, unexpectedly, she begins to kneel before him, lowering herself to kiss Yewahi's feet.