Meat Family

Chapter 17

Different

Can you truly trust somebody?

Weeks passed. The tension in the village eased as Father awoke from his coma, but nothing was forgotten. Whispers continued, with questions that remained unanswered. Miguel had seen everything but still didn't understand how it all happened. He visited the Kani family and spoke with Brock, who looked completely defeated. His hair was unkempt, and fatigue was evident in his eyes. His voice sounded raspy; he was sick.

Brock apologized for everything but didn't reveal how it came to be. Even when asked, Brock averted his gaze. Shortly after, Michael sent him home, as he had always found the old man peculiar. Miguel knew that his father wasn't kind to him and didn't want the residents of Illum Estrella near his home, but this time something felt different... There was a strange tension in the house, as if they were hiding something from him.

Family problems were none of his business, but when it came to the protection of llum Estrella, he needed to know more.

Miguel walked down the corridor to his father's chamber. He had been told that his father had opened his eyes yesterday but was still too weak. He didn't want to stress Ramón, so he left his father in the care of his trusted servants to help him recover. It had been a week since his ceremony was supposed to start, but Miguel postponed it until his father was back on his feet. He wanted him there; it was a significant step for him.

On his way, he smelled that familiar lavender scent. He looked up and saw the blonde lady leaning against the wall, the window next to her open, letting in the cold winter air. Her long blonde hair flowed with the breeze. Outside, thick white snow covered the ground, and temperatures continued to drop. Fortunately, his village had prepared well, gathering plenty of wood in the fall so they wouldn't freeze.

"I don't understand you humans," Esmeralda giggled, "Out there is a world full of technology, and you gather wood to keep warm. Whenever I go to the city and then return, it feels like I'm traveling back in time." Her pink eyes stared at Miguel, amused.

"We live like our ancestors," Miguel spoke calmly, "We revere them because they survived for so long and kept our village thriving. If we turned to technology, it would destroy our honor to our ancestors."

"You really cling to the past," she remarked.

He looked at the woman with a hint of hostility. "Don't you revere your ancestors?" Esmeralda didn't belong to llum Estrella and was often considered an outsider, though outsiders were generally welcomed there; she was different. She had this extraordinary aura around her.

He heard her laugh. "My ancestors? They didn't do anything breathtaking. They're more—" But then a scratching sound came from the window. A black raven perched on the window frame, its eyes glowing pink like Esmeralda's. "Sorry, I'm needed," she said quickly, extending her arm to the raven, which climbed up.

"Wait," Miguel said before she turned away, "I've heard that you've threatened Brock."

"Brock? Oh, that orange-haired boy. Do you really think I treat everyone the way I treat you?" She looked at Miguel with a seductive grin. "I have many faces," and with that, she left the hallway.

The brown-haired man gently knocked on the door. Hearing a soft "Come in," he slid open the door and quietly entered his father's chamber.

His father lay on a mattress, a thick blanket covering him. The mattress was centered in the room, and a large rug covered the floor. It was made of blue velvet with many golden markings.