White Bark

Chapter 5

Tir'veyn sits in his house, sewing a slit in his jacket that occurred during the job for Gheriq. Maira sits on her bed, playing with the only thing she took from Erfail, a small, wooden manticore carved by her and Tir'veyn's father.

"What happened to our parents, brother?" the elf girl says in a quiet, sad voice.

Tir'veyn stops sewing, he had dreaded that question ever since Maira learned to speak properly he knew it was on the way. He was comfortable not telling Laisa, she was not there, they were not her parents but Maira...Maira was his kin, she deserved to know.

"Brother?" she asks again.

"The war took them." Tir'veyn says, after clearing his throat.

"What do you mean?"

"When the war started they died."

"How did they die?"

He stops sewing and stands up. "Why do you want to know this, little one?"

"Well, you were talking in your sleep. You called after mother and father, but it didn't sound like they heard you and all I remember about them, was that mother was kind and father gave me this here manticore." She smiles widely.

"I'm sorry about my sleeping habits. You're not wrong. Mother was always kind. Kind and beautiful, she loved you so much." Tir'veyn kneels beside his sister as she sits on the bed. "Father was a strong warrior, that's why I'm so good with my knives and bow."

"He had a big, bushy beard didn't he?"

"He did indeed!" Tir'veyn says chuckling. "When you were about two he went away for about half a year, though I'm not sure where. When he returned he gave me my flute, and you your manticore. He carved them himself." Tir'veyn falls silent and smiles at memories for a moment.

"How did they die?" his little sister asks again.

"I won't give you details, not 'till your much older but know this. Our father died protecting us, we are only alive because he sacrificed himself for us." The guilt-ridden elf lies.

"And what about mother?"

"Mother, she..." Tir'veyn hesitates. "She died of sadness. Her and father loved each other very much. When he died, she died also because she was too sad. Though she told me to look after you always." The elf lies again.

"I wish they were here." The girl says sadly, almost in a whisper.

"Me too sister...me too." Tir'veyn holds his sister close as she silently weeps.

Laisa stands outside of the hut, in tears. She listened to every word Tir'veyn had said. She knew he had sugar-coated it and sprinkled it with lies, but she could hear the guilt and despair in the young elf's voice. Tir'veyn exited the house, wearing his usual clothes with his now fixed jacket. Laisa went to enter the house at the same time, having now wiped the tears from her eyes and acted as though she had just arrived.

"Where are you off to?" she asks.

"Just into the city, I may have found a job." The elf does not exactly lie, though he does not tell the truth.

"Doing what?"

"It varies."

"Tir'veyn! Stop dodging my questions."

"I'm not dodging anything. I'll see you later." He begins to walk away.

"I found the gold you had hidden. How did you get that kind of money?"

The elf stops and sighs. "Look, don't worry about it. We need the money and I'm going to go get more. I'll be back in a day or two."

"It better not be anything too dangerous. I'm sick of patching you up, you are still bruised from 'falling down some stairs'. For the love of the gods, Tir'veyn you are only sixteen!"