Songs of War: The Truth

Chapter Nine: The Hibiscus Tree

(Six years later)

Ingressus' son, who was later named Tygren, a Voltarian male name meaning freedom, grew up to be a very curious and adventurous boy. Even though Euricia feared for his safety because of his blind eye, he always found a way to sneak away from her to climb trees, run around, and try to wrestle wild animals and stray dogs. This made him extremely accident-prone. He's approached Euricia with black eyes, bloodied noses, fractured wrists, concussions, and all kinds of ailments from putting things in his mouth that shouldn't belong there. One day, Tygren was crawling around in his pajamas, hiding from Euricia so he couldn't sneak outside and climb trees without her permission. "Where has that boy gone?" Euricia asked herself, putting her fists on her hips. Tygren couldn't help but giggle as he watched Euricia from around the corner before crawling away to the courtyard. Hearing his laughter, Euricia followed Tygren and scooped him up before he could make it to the courtyard doors. "Euricia!" he groaned. "I already told you not to climb those trees, Young Prince," she said taking him to his room and sitting him down on the stool in his bathroom. "You're going to hurt yourself." Euricia lectured, brushing his hair and changing his clothes. "This is so unfair," Tygren mumbled to herself. While Euricia brushed his usually frizzy hair out so you could tell that was healthy and down to his shoulders, Tygren started to fall asleep. "Young Prince?" Euricia called out making him jolt up. "Huh?" Euricia chuckled to herself. "You're all done, dearie," she said patting his back as he got up. "Now, I want you to stay inside alright, keep your clothes clean and your body healthy, yes?" Tygren nodded. "Yes, ma'am." Solar knows he didn't listen.

The very minute he left, Tygren started to chase a wild dove around with a stick. When the poor bird got tired of his antics, it flew to the top of a hibiscus tree. Tygren could feel the world stop around him. He was told not to climb any trees, Euricia had warned him that he would hurt himself, and he knew that he couldn't see as well as his family. But he was a child. And children don't really care. Smirking, Tygren started to climb the tree, taking pitstops to shove hibiscuses in his pocket. With every branch he stepped on, he started to get more and more confident, making him skip a few branches on the way up. When he reached the top, he rested his hands on a branch next to him, he overestimated its strength. He lifted one of his arms to try and grab the bird, putting his entire weight on a twig. Naturally, it snapped and Tygren fell 8 feet directly onto his forearm.

~~~

Needless to say, Euricia wasn't happy to find out that Tygren had broken his arm doing something she told him not to. "Why does it have to be pink, Euricia?" Tygren complained watching her wrap his cast. "You said you wanted it pink."

"I know, but I've been thinking. I don't want CJ to make fun of me." CJ or Caleb II was Caleb's son who never really liked Tygren to begin with. He had gotten away with picking on him due to their mere one-year age difference. Unlike his father, Tygren wasn't given anything to change the color of his markings. To a child, Tygren's nothing but an orange in an apple tree. "He's going to call me a sissy, Euricia,"

"Watch your language, Young Prince." Euricia chastised before finishing his cast. "Sorry." just then, Ingressus burst into the medical office. He had abruptly left his training for the upcoming third tournament after hearing that Tygren had hurt himself. "Tygren," he called out rushing to him. "Father, please tell Euricia that only transvestites wear pink. CJ said so." Ingressus rolled his eyes. Typical children. "Are you alright?" he asked, cupping his son's cheeks. "I'm fine."

"Good," Ingressus said, kissing his son's forehead. "Now, hasn't Euricia told you to stop climbing trees?" Tygren sighed. "I can't help myself, Father, I'm sorry." Ingressus smiled before getting up and walking towards the door. "Where are you going?" Tygren called out. "I have to prepare for the tournament tomorrow."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Just for the day, I promise you. Yes?" Ingressus walked back to him and ruffled his hair. Tygren nodded before watching his father leave.

~~~

    Later that night, Tygren sat down on his stool and tapped on his knees, causing Euricia to shake her head. "You're old enough to brush your own teeth now, young prince." she said. Tygren lowered his eyebrows and sighed. "Fine," he replied. "Could you at least brush my hair, it soothes me." Euricia giggled to herself before grabbing the brush. "Alright, then." Euricia brushed his hair for a few minutes, making him yawn. "Alright, off to bed now." Tygren nodded, hopping up and rubbing his eyes all the way to his bed. Before Euricia tucked him in, she called out to him. "Hey," she said. When Tygren turned to her, Euricia pulled out a ragdoll cow and Ingressus smiled in surprise. "Who's this?" she asked. Tygren shrugged, his smile still plastered on his face. "This is Vaca," she replied, handing it to him. "That's a strange name,"

"It is, isn't it?" Tygren chuckled. "He's a good friend of mine, so he'll help you when you have nightmares or you can't fall asleep, yes?" Tygren nodded before wrapping his arms around her. Euricia hugged him back. "Thank you," he whispered. "Of course."

~~~

    The morning of the tournament, Thalleous called out to Ingressus, who was now comfortable enough to call him a friend. "Ingressus, my friend, c'mere, I must show you something." Thalleous led him to his father's conference room and spread out a large map of the world on the table. "What is this?" Ingressus asked. "The King has just informed me that the climate around Mt. Velgrin has gotten particularly hot this year." Ingressus shrugged. "So?"

    "So after the last two Singers are selected he plans to send us up there to finish the job." The Sendarians weren't secretive about the massacre. In fact, they wore it like a badge of honor. But never in Ingressus' life did he think that Thalleous would be a part of the idea to send them into extinction. "What?" he breathed in disbelief. "It'll be the biggest night of our lives, my friend!" Thalleous exclaimed, wrapping his arm around him and slightly shaking him. Ingressus fakely laughed while his mind spiraled. His people were going to die and he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. No. No, he wouldn't let it happen. He wouldn't let him and his son be the last Voltarians on earth just because the Sendarians wanted them to. Aman had asked him if he wanted him to go home a long time ago. This time, he didn't have to think about it.

After the tournament and Achillean was the one to be chosen, Ingressus practically ran to Aman to tell him about what Thalleous said. "Aman! Aman!" Ingressus exclaimed, stopping to catch his breath. "Goodness, Ingressus, what's wrong?" Aman asked, his eyes flooding with concern. "Thank the gods you have a Song," Ingressus said, referring to his win in the second tournament. "What are you talking about?"

"Thalleous just told me King Amphion plans to send every Singer to the mountains to kill the rest of the Voltaris," Aman's eyes widened. "What?" Ingressus, finally composing himself, nodded profusely. "It's true, I swear it." Aman blinked in fear. "I'm not going," he insisted. "This will mean war," Ingressus looked down to think before being snapped out of it by Aman's voice. "Ingressus," he said. "When the last tournament arrives...you cannot fail." Ingressus nodded. Things had now become dire.