31 Days of Stories

Day 13: TGW part 9

It was mid afternoon by the time I had finished my corrections, careful not to change the story. Sorren still refused to believe that I had met El Roi no matter how much I promised I was telling the truth. He was staunchly refuting my claim, saying that "no one has ever heard of that" and "no one else would believe me." It hurt having someone say that, essentially calling me a dumb little liar.

I was rewriting a paragraph when Evander walked in the house. I heard the door open and scrambled to finish what I was writing. I set the pen (a normal one, not mine) I was using down. Sorren looked up from whatever he was doing.

"You're done, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes sir" I answered. I hoped I would be done for the day, but his tone of voice made it sound like I had more to do.

"Come back tomorrow," he said, looking back at his stack of paper.

I guessed he was done with me for the day. I left the office to go to the kitchen, needing some water before I left. Evander was there leaning against the counter. He looked up, startled.

"Oh, sorry." I said. "I didn't realize you would be in here."

"It's my house," he replied.

"That it is, which makes my assumption that much worse," I said.

"Fair point," he said. "What did you need?"

"I was just coming to get some water before heading home."

"I can get you some. You might want to keep a glass in the office tomorrow." He pushed himself off the counter and walked to the cabinet to get a glass. "Dad doesn't like people wandering the house."

"Yeah I figured that out," I said as he handed the glass to me. I took a drink.

He looked at me curiously. "What do you mean you figured that out?"

"I was trying to find the kitchen but I accidentally found a dark library. Something felt weird, so I went to check it out." I explained.

"You went in the library?" His eyes widened with shock.

"Yeah, I had to see what felt wrong." I shrugged. It wasn't a big deal to me. Evander looked at me like I'd just said I'd died and come back to life.

"And he didn't notice you?"

"He did. He just told me not to snoop and walked away."

"Man, I woulda been whipped for that," he said.

"Sorren beats you?" I asked, horrified.

"Only when I don't do as I'm told. Usually it isn't that bad." He shrugged ambiguously.

"Evander, that's horrible!" I exclaimed.

"I told you to call me Evan," he said.

"Sorry Evan," I said.

"No need to apologize. Dad never does."

"Which is exactly why I need to apologize. You aren't the reason for everyone's problems."

"I wish it were easy to believe that," he said forlornly.

I didn't know what to say to that, so I awkwardly set my glass on the counter behind me and walked out. Evander –no he wants me to call him Evan– followed me.

"Hey sorry. I didn't mean to get so deep. That was an awkward first interaction. I hope you'll forgive me," he said.

"Of course I'll forgive you. There's nothing to forgive. I had a part to play in that too," I reminded him.

"At least let me get you a cookie. I made them myself and Dad doesn't like them." He ran off before I could say anything. I guessed I was getting a cookie. I chuckled to myself. Who knew a chance encounter with a boy at the hospital would lead to a free cookie by my master's son, sho happened to be said boy from the hospital? El Roi. El Roi knew. Evan came back with a cookie of some sort.

"What is it?" I asked.

"A chocolate cookie," he said, looking pleased with himself. He was rocking on his feet like a toddler who had just been praised for singing a song.

I tried the cookie. It wasn't quite chocolate, but it was still very good. "It's kind burnt, but it tasted good."

"Thanks. I won't leave it in the oven as long next time."

"Evan, when you got your weapon, what was it like? I'm finding out mine wasn't normal," I asked.

He looked startled, but answered anyway. "I went in the blue room like everyone does. Questions were answered; I got a bow."

"Did you hear the questions out loud?" I pressed.

"Not so much out loud, but yes it was audible. I was on crutches still so I said that I couldn't use a close combat weapon pretty much as soon as I got in there."

"Was it a deep booming voice that answered?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"Evan, you talked to El Roi," I said.

"Who's Elroy?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"El Roi is the Weaponsmaster. The One Who Sees everything," I explained.

Evan still looked confused. "Why does this matter?"

"Sorren didn't believe me when I told him that I talked to someone in the blue room," I said, my voice rising. "Does he even know you did?"

"No, he doesn't. He wouldn't believe me if I told him. You saw how he was." he said. He was violently shaking his head.

"Ok, sorry to bring that up." I raised my hands in surrender. "I just didn't know anyone else had talked to El Roi. Would you like to talk to him again?"

He shrugged. "I guess it would be cool. I could officially thank him for healing my leg."

"Do you have a piece of paper?" I asked. He pulled one out of his pocket and handed it to me. I wrote Evander will meet El Roi. "You will probably talk to Him in a dream tonight."

He nodded. I bade him farewell and headed home. I hoped El Roi would tell him that he isn't the problem Sorren tells him he is. He doesn't deserve that. 

I struggled to come up with ideas when I started this today, but once I started the conversation it took off without me. Enjoy :)