Aelburn (WATTY'S 2020)

.seven.°°

"They say time heals all wounds, but that presumes the source of the grief is finite."

Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Prince

December 10th, 2199
Waelum Household
9:30 A.M.

WILLOW

The scars that line the arms of every Diangen are proof that we are a people who are accustomed with death. That we are a people who know death as though it were an old friend as familiar as the scent of the sewers or the sensation of dirt on our skin.

Alice and Ridge left their home early, shortly after the boys had returned that morning for their visitation with Markus. Jai was asleep on the couch, his face finally relaxed and the skin under his eyes red and puffy from the tears that had escaped him. Sitting beside him, I was running my fingers lightly through his hair as Aeraf flipped through a book with his nimble fingers and Lucas stood in the kitchen with a mug clutched tightly in his hands, bags under his eyes and hair tousled from sleep.

The panic I had felt when I'd woke and hadn't seen Jai on the floor beside me was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. It was a panic that was only possible after witnessing the kidnapping of my sister, fearing that another person I loved had been taken from me. After seeing him, defeated and distraught on the couch, cradled in his mothers arms, I began to despise my selfishness, knowing his torment was caused by my decision to save Lavender.

Aeraf sighed and closed the book, rubbing his eyes as he placed the book on the side table on his left. Turning to me, Aeraf looked to his adoptive brother and swallowed.

"I can't remember the last time I've seen him this defeated." Aeraf murmured, watching as my fingers danced across Jai's scalp.

"I was surprised to find out the idiot had tear ducts. Never would have thought the ability to cry was programmed in with the insufferable sarcasm." Lucas mumbled from the kitchen and I smiled, looking back to Jai.

"Has he ever talked about his parents with you, Aeraf?" I asked and the latter shook his head, pushing his fingers through his forest green hair.

"No. He's...pretty closed off when it comes to his past." Aeraf admitted, climbing to his feet. "I heard that the Eisiau have things called showers?" Aeraf looked to Lucas who nodded in confirmation. "I think I'll take one. I think it'll be relaxing for all of us to clean up."

Aeraf left the living room down the hall to our right, flipping on lights until he made a slight 'aha' sound and stepped inside a door. The Waelum home was cozy, the front door leading straight into the living room that had two one couch, a lounge chair, two side tables and one larger table in the middle of the room. A floor to ceiling bookshelf adorned the right side of the room, decorated with pictures, knickknacks and books. The hall was directly next to it, although I hadn't explored much, I knew Ridge and Alice's rooms resided down it, as did the bathroom where I'd had the pleasure of using a contraption called a toilet for the first time. To the left of the living room was the kitchen, a large area that held food, cooking utensils and other instruments as well as a table made from a dark wood with four tables of a similar material around it.

Directly in front of me was the back, sliding glass door that lead to the large porch that wrapped around the entirety of the back of the house. The Waelum's had decorated the porch with outside furniture that was now covered in plastic to protect it from the snow that had been falling for weeks now, melting during the day only to reappear in the night and into the early morning.