Turning of Time (Naruto Fanfic) [hiatus]

Turning of Time: Chapter 43

There was a tense silence amongst my family at the dinner table the night of Lavonia's visit. We simply ate our meal of chicken, rice, and beans quietly. My sister and I dared not to speak, but my parents couldn't be more obvious with the glances shot towards the two of us. Even after finishing, nobody moved to get up from the table. Finally though, I couldn't take it.

"Mum? What did Miss Lavonia say to you?" My four year old innocence looked her in the eyes.

There was a quick glance between my parents, before my mother heaved a sigh. "It was about Avacyn. Lavonia works for the scouts of the army it seems, and was interested in recruiting your sister, due to her bravery."

Avacyn straightened a little in shock. Nobody really took notice of our family, not anymore at least. Though her eyes sparkled with pride, it was apparent there was fear as well. "What, then I just go to the castle?" Her eyes were wide.

"No! Well, only if you really wanted to." My mother paused and looked down, out of the corner of my eye I could see my father's angry expression.

"She isn't going to that castle! The last time our family got into the affairs of the royals-" He was cut off.

"You think I don't know that!" My mother screeched. "I know that better than anyone! You needn't yell at me about that!"

"Then why even give Avacyn the option!" Tears welled in my eyes. Our parents never fought, but here they were angry hands placed on the table harshly, faces contorted with rage as they spewed their anger at one another.

"It's her future!" I couldn't hold my tears in, and apparently neither could Avacyn. We both started to wail, wail as loud and hard as a newborn child. Their faces dropped all signs of anger as they turned to us. My mother, when she spoke again, was completely calmed, "perhaps we should speak about this later tonight. Girls, go get ready for bed please."

The two of us sniffled a little, not moving, until our father reached out and gently wiped the tears from our faces. "It's going to be fine girls, do as your mother says. In the morning I'll take you with me when I milk the cows, how does that sound?"

That cheered us up and Avacyn took my hand. "Promise right pa?" He nodded at Avacyn's question and we both raced up the stairs to our shared room. We dressed for bed quickly, knowing that going with father would require us to be up early the next morning. After the shuffling ceased, there was the quiet knock on the door, as always. Our parents seemed to know when we were in our beds.

They came in and kissed us goodnight, my father pausing by the lantern on his way out, "Goodnight my little angels, sleep well tonight." He blew out the lantern, emersing us within darkness. After I heard the soft thud of our door being shut I sat up in bed.

"Sara? What are you doing?" Avacyn had heard my sudden shift of stature and sat up as well.

"Big sis? What... what were mum and pa talking about down there? You seemed to know, is all..." I trailed of into silence and we were once again enveloped in it. Until I became aware of small sobs that leaked from my sister, no matter how she surpressed them. "Avacyn?" My tone grew worried, "I'm sorry if I made you sad, don't cry please."

"It isn't your fault Sara, I'm sorry. Come into my bed, we can sit together and I'll tell you." Avacyn patted her bed and I padded over lightly. We sat next to eachother after a little hug. "It was about our brother."

I looked up, confused. My now my eyes had adjusted to the darkness surrounding us, and I could see tears still streaming down her face. "But big sis, we don't have a brother."

Avacyn shook her head, "You're too young to remember him. He was much older than us, about 16 when he... when he died. It was two years ago."

_Flashback within flashback_ (Flashception?)

It was a blindingly hot summer day. There was a boy walking away from the farm he had been raised on. His family waved him off, mother, father, and two sisters, one only 2 years old. He had been accepted to becoming a leader at the castle and was leaving for training. It was a rare offer, especially for a simple farm boy such as himself.

"Lexus, be sure to come home safe," his mother said in farewell, raising an arm to wave.

He returned the gesture and shouted back, "No problem mum! I'll come back a hero!"

The family wrote to their son weekly, and he wrote back. They lived happily, gaining money from the country. All was well, until that fall. The family was lined on the road once more, expecting a visit from the son that had left them. They saw a carriage approaching them on the road, everyone was estatic. To arrive in a carriage must mean their family member must have done well for himself. They would live easier now.

The carriage pulled to a stop before the family. The horses neighed, feeling happy to finally have completed their journey. The driver stepped down and went to the door, opening it. A man stepped down, but not the one the family expected. He regarded the family before clearing his throat in preparation to speak.

"We regret to inform your family that our country has gone to war." He was interrupted.

"What do you mean? War? Then what about Lexus? He's coming home, right? Just a visit?" Mother cried our in despair, afraid of the answers.

The man looked at mother with pity, before going on. "Having been in training, Lexus had joined in the war efforts... on the front line. We regret to inform you that he has fallen in battle."

The family stood shell-shocked for a good moment, before mother dropped to her knees in tears. She cried out in the pain of losing a son. I pulled on  mother's sleeve, but was ignored. Father kept a calm facade, but the pain in his eyes was undeniable. Slowly, father got his voice back.

"How did he die?" Tears threatened to fall down his face.

The man bearing the news turned away from the family, before answering quietly. "He was stabbed in the back by an ally. The boy had gone mad from seeing battle and killed everyone in sight, including your son."

Mother wailed louder, and father gently lifted her to help her into the house. I followed and sat down, still not fully understanding what was happening. Tears fell from father's eyes, until he wiped them away before bidding the man farewell.

_-_

"Mum and pa never told you, because it was too hard to talk about. Ever since then they hated the royals who sat getting fat at feasts while the people fought a war and died. That's why they don't want me to leave either." Avacyn looked into my eyes sadly, "can you possibly understand this?"

Tears streamed down my four-year-old face as I found out about a brother I never knew. One that I would never know. I nodded my head slowly at my sister's question. "Do you hate royalty to?"

"I hate those without empathy to the pour, yes. But I believe that some must fight, while others lead. Those that fight will rise from the lower, and most will likely die." Avacyn stared off across the room.

With a look of longing on her face it spurred another question from me, "Do you want to go with miss Lavonia? Even after what happened to big bro?" Avacyn got a startled expression and looked down at me.

"How did you know that Sara?"

"It's like you told me long ago, if we practice hard then we can start reading people and what they're like." I looked to my sister, "Remember?"

"I-yes I do remember. You've gotten fairly good at it." She ruffled my hair lightly. "Try to get some sleep, we have to get up early tomorrow to go milk cows with pa."

"Right! See you tommorow big sis." I scuttled off of her bed and clambered into my own. Sleep found me soon after.