Squirrelly Days - Rammu

013 - Chyla

Chyla #

With her fur thoroughly groomed and her borrowed room as tidy as she had found it Chyla donned her recently acquired backpack and trustee satchel, then made her way down to the main floor of the Keepers where she was taken back by the sight of her elder father Eldric sitting at the bar.

Unable to ignore his presence, she took a deep breath and did her best to stop shaking as she walked over to the bar and sat beside him.

'''

Eldric: There's no reason to be scared. I'm not here to try and take you back home or anything of the like.

'''

Eldric slid something across the bar under his hand.

'''

Eldric: It's not as useful as what I gave Ki-su, but I want to give you something that says I believe in you.

'''

Chyla watched with nervous anticipation as Eldric lifted his hand to reveal his rammu pin.

'''

Chyla: *disbelief* Y-your sigil pin? I-I can't accept that!

Eldric: I'm not taking it back. So, if you don't take it, then it'll stay waiting for you in the lost and found here until you pick it up.

Chyla: *stunned* Y-you can't do that either! That pin represents your memories, everything you accomplished, and all the lives you saved as a rammu.

Eldric: And now it also represents my unwavering belief in my daughter.

Chyla: Your belief in me?

Eldric: *long sip of his drink* *sharp exhale* To tell the truth, I'm the only one who believes in you. Everyone else thinks you're just being brash, and you'll quit as soon as you see that Ki-su's doing well.

Chyla: And why do you believe differently?

Eldric: Would you accept that it's just a hunch?

Chyla: *unamused stare*

Eldric: Worth a try. In that case, I'll just say it's because I know you're the only one who's my blood daughter, and I'm one to believe that more than just physical traits can run through blood. You've never been like the rest of your siblings. You've always had more in common with Ki-su than you did everyone else. You were always just too attracted to him to allow yourself to get close to him.

Chyla: *blushing heavily* N-no I wasn't!

Eldric: *disappointed tsk* Not a good start to your first day as a rammu.

Chyla: S-sorry... I-I didn't mean to lie like that... I-it's just-

Eldric: *holding up his hand* The excuse doesn't matter. Remember from this day forward we're no longer father and daughter, but fellow rammu. Even though I'm retired, I will stay a rammu at heart until I'm no longer of this world, and perhaps even then.

Chyla: *somber* And it's important to always be truthful with your fellow rammu...

Eldric: Precisely. *proud smile* At least on things that matter, a silly ghost story now and again isn't worth spoiling with the truth. *playful grin* And sometimes it is necessary to lie, and your fellow rammu need to be able to trust you, or you them.

Chyla: I'll remember that... How obvious have I been? I always thought I hid my feelings for him well.

Eldric: I don't think anyone else suspects you have romantic feelings for him. They're all quite convinced you're just being an over protective elder sister and nothing more.