“Questioning the actions of your brother-be it through blood or clan- and resulting in a hostile manner towards that brother, has the equivalence to bearing arms against a rival Kingdom.”
I walked up behind him. I stood there for a few seconds, and breathed in. Then I exhaled and tapped him on his left shoulder. “Uncle,” I said as he turned around to face me “How long have you been here?”
“I’ve been here all day,” was his reply. “Has someone been looking for me?”
“Well, yes. A lot of people have been wondering where you were.”
This sparked a little interest in him. He tilted his head to the side. “Oh?”
“Yeah…there has been mention of your disappearing,” I replied.
He tilted his head to the left side and asked, “What has spread about me?” He asked in a way that meant he had some form of idea, but wanted to hear it from another person so it could be confirmed.
“People find it strange how you keep disappearing the way you do. They all wonder if you’re okay.”
“Is that all? There’s nothing else they would like to know?”
I really didn’t want to come to this part this so soon, but there wasn’t any way to avoid it “Or if you’re hiding something.”
“Such as?”
This was getting hard for me. Telling someone everyone thinks and spreads that you were the one who committed something so heinous would offend anyone. Now I know my uncle somewhat well, but even so, he still has his hidden qualities, and they surprise you a great deal.
To avoid eye contact, I looked down at the space between us. “There have been speculations that you’re hiding… the fire.”
“Hiding…the fire?” He ended with a sigh.
“They feel you have some part in it.” I quickly looked up at him, and then back down at the space. “As in they feel that if you were the one who is responsible for it. And also the will…”
“Ember,” he said.
As I was looking up, he was walking past me.
And then he stopped. “If you came out of your way to tell me about what others have said, then you might as well feel the same way everyone else does.”
His words caused a slight rustle in the bushes, but he didn’t pay it any mind.
His words made my heart stop. I turned around to face him, only to see his back. “I don’t feel that way. I mean I did at first, but then I realized that was wrong. I shouldn’t have doubted you, and I-”
“EMBER!” Hearing him raise his voice startled me, causing me to back up a little. He turned part way to face me. “If you had a previous doubt, whether it was how you felt, or is, the feelings couldn’t have had much change.” He looked me hard in the eyes and turned leaving me standing there in shock.
I clenched my teeth and stepped forward. “Well, if you didn’t act overly chary, people would have more respect for your name. You keep running away like an restless child, and no one knows where you go! How else are we to react?”
He faced me, his patience running thin. “Ember, you are not grown. So I ask of you to stop pretending you are.” He continued walking.
“And maybe you should be more of a real son to your late father!” I countered.
He faced me for the third time, and headed towards me. “How dare you accuse me of lacking as a son! I love my father and want nothing more than to see his will carried out as he wanted.”
As he was coming closer, I put my right hand behind my back, and fashioned a sphere of fire.
“You of all people should know that!” He continued.
As he was just steps away from me, fire daggers came up from the bushes Ash and Viro were in and went sailing towards him. He shielded himself with his cloak.
He lowered it and looked at me. He was about to speak again, when I stopped him by putting my right hand out. He looked from the flame to my face. “This time, it’ll be a direct hit.” I said walking towards him.
He simply smiled and said, “You’re just like your father, Ember.”
“Exactly,” I replied “I get sick and tired of your deliberate nonsense just like him.”
He frowned. “Enough of your childish games, Ember.” He started to walk past me.
With my back facing him I said, “What’s childish is the fact you keep running away.”
Nothing else was said. I could hear leaves crunching as he walked on, and then it finally stopped when he was completely gone.
Ash and Viro came up from the bushes.
“Wow,” Viro commented as examined the path my uncle left on “That was intense.”
Ash nodded in agreement. “It sounded like to me he knew why you came to begin with.”
“I felt that way too.” Viro said, and he crossed his arms. “He made it sound like you were against him.”
“And the best part of it is, you held your ground.” Ash added.
“Can we leave?” I asked. “Staying here makes me want to torch something.”
Later, in the village in the café’s courtyard…
The three of us were at the café. Viro and Ash were inside, and I was sitting at a table in the courtyard.
I no longer cared too much about my uncle. The transition was quick. I gained back my trust and wanted to give the benefit of the doubt, but how could I? He refused to anything else.
On top of that, I felt horrible. I only felt this way because it was the first time I went to Keezheekoni’s grave, and I didn’t even give my blessings or bring peace. Instead I brought a disturbance. I feel like my grandfather would have been very ashamed, at…well everyone. Everyone is accusing each other, especially with accusations towards Pyralis.
Now I wonder myself what was in the will. Was it Pyralis or my father? Who did Keezheekoni suggest? He knew his sons very well.
“Thirsty?” I looked up to my right and saw Viro and Ash. Viro handed me a steaming cup.
“Thanks.” I took it from him, and stared into it scratching at the sides.
Viro sat down in the chair on my left and Ash sat on the right.
I rested my chin on my cup.
I felt a hand going in circular motion on my back. It was Ash’s.
“Don’t feel down. If he didn’t do it, he should have been man enough to say so. You can’t expect people to think otherwise if nothing is said to assure them you’re innocent.” He said trying to comfort me.
“I don’t care about Pyralis.” I announced. “He’s just a despicable person.”
“I agree.” said Viro.
“He is, but no matter what, he’s still your uncle.” Ash offered.
“That’s no excuse.” I replied.
Viro looked at his watch and stood. “Well it’s getting late, so we might as well head out.”
Ash and I stood.
When we were in the front of the café I told them I would be heading home.
“Need some company?” Viro asked.
“Thanks, but I’m all set.” I wanted to be alone for the walk. Especially this one.
