Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

The Lords and Masters

A few weeks after the catastrophic event, Nien and Fiona come to take Arabret away and I finally finish the embroidery piece I've been working on.

Fortunately the shop I work for isn't destroyed and continues their business.

I don't like talking about what happened after I left my family and went into town to help it because nothing happened.

Although few are grateful for my help, the majority rather die than receive help from a dark skin person.

They said it's because my sinful skin which has came to settle in their town that disaster befell it.

Well, I try to not let it bother me. They needed a scapegoat and I'm a easy target. The whole nation is probably blaming me as well.

Maybe we should just pack up and leave.

Despite it all, I plant more fast growing herbs and vegetables in case anyone may ask for them, which some do and it makes me happy each time I am able to give what they asked for.

"Will these plants save our people?" Grandmama asks after lunch while we sit inside as she reads, and I feed Asahi and taking a break from my embroidery work.

I shrug my shoulders, "We are but ordinary civilians now. We can only do so much."

"We're so far East and this happened to us, imagine the rest of the country," Grandmama unconsciously tries to guilt-trip me.

I laugh to myself while feeding Asahi.

"You have a plan or something?" She asks nonchalantly.

"Kind of, but I can't achieve it alone," I offer a weak smile after a couple more laughs.

"What's your plan anyway," she puts down her book and focuses her attention on me.

"Do you see how Nien's wooden fortress wasn't destroyed because it's on the East side of the big hill?"

The elderly woman rolls her eyes, "Child, I have old eyes. I can't see that far anymore."

"But you get my point at least?"

She nods and I continue, "I recall about thirty of the eighty six grand cities of Aarth are located not only far East like here but also on the East side of giant hills and mountains. If we can contact them, we will have barely enough food for everyone until next Spring."

"That's some money and possibly connections we don't have," Grandmama says bluntly.

"Yeah," I chuckle at her comment. "That's why I can't do it alone for now."

"So you're saying you can do it if you have more people?"

"Yes."

"What about the money aspect?"

I pinch the cheek of my son, "I plan to search for it down South where my mother's people once lived."

"The elves?"

"Yes," I give her a firm answer. "I don't think Uncle Griflet and Nillin found all the treasures when they were there back then, and if they did, there's still knowledge that can help our situation since they had the Dawerilium metals before us."

She nods her head along digesting everything thoroughly, and then points out the holes in my plan, "How can you be sure if they didn't already burn the whole place down?"

"One way to find out, right?"

"It's a day's journey South of here," Grandmama recalls. "Do you want t—"

"We can't," I shake my head.

Grandmama frowns and twitches her nose irritatingly, "Why?"

I look down to see Asahi already full and fast asleep.

"You worry about us?"

I choose not to give her an answer yet, and instead layout layers of soft linens for Asahi to sleep on.

"You both are too precious to me. I can't leave you both here or force you both to travel with me," I push my hair behind my ear and refocus back to embroidering.

"And there is closer than going to ask my parents on the other side of the country."

She sighs loudly and goes back to reading the book she read sixteen times because the bookstore is destroyed.

"Parents on the other side of the country and mother's people, the elves?" Grandmama looks up from her book again. "How many parents do you have? Who are you?"

Then I proceed to tell her who my biological parents are, how I was in Bethany's care for a while, then adopted by the Bandit King of the Northwestern Mountains.

Grandmama listens carefully without ever disrupting the flow of my story.

"Are you disgusted or ashamed that I was once the son of a prostitute?" I ask her curiously because no one is more high class than she is.

"No," she winces a little. "Although I now know that you're more an Aarthian Royal than you think you are."

"Pardon? But I think anyone is related to the Royal Family somehow."

"Yes, but you are more an Aarthian Royal than you think you are," she repeats herself with a guileless chuckle.

To myself while gliding my fingers across Asahi's fringes, 'That only means your father and I are incestuous.'

"Sihipe is the only child of my youngest aunt before my grandfather placed the curse on the main branch of the Royal Family," she explains and continues on to count her fingers. "That make Nillin and you second cousins once removed."

"That isn't five generations removed from the main branch, so you're considered Royalty possible of inheriting the throne before a new Royal Family replace us despite Sihipe taking the title of Master instead," her nose twitches.

I can only offer a smile not knowing how to reply.

"Grandfather made that law and cursed us so the Lords and Masters will support the Royal Family," Grandmama goes on and on. "But they're given too much power and are always trying to declare independence when things don't go their way."

Then I suddenly remember how Lesly threatened Nillin about going independence when we tried to convince him to let go of Xielle...

"What about now that the whole nation is starving? And the Royal Family is in pieces? Will the Lords and Masters declare independence?" I ask nervously.

She makes a loud sigh and simply nods her head as an answer.

This all means that I should return to Nillin even more, but some parts of me doesn't want to.

After a while, Grandmama asks me, "Asahi's mom, do you ever wonder why Nillin doesn't come to find you two?"

I almost laugh, but is able to hold myself together.

"And don't you think we have too many young leaders? Master Hienzworth is the same age as the King. Lord Liere is just a bit older. Lord Forin is younger than the King, and I can name many more, but my point stands."

"What are you trying to say, Grandmama?"

"Don't blame everything on yourself. We were dealt a terrible hand," she gives me this stern look with finesse. "I believe it's Lord Griflet who stopped Nillin from advancing (because Nillin did try to find you on that day when we left the palace) because he is forcing his niece on to him."

Her blue eyes are clear even with the cloudy sky as her silver and white hair framing her face.

"I don't think I meant for Royal Affairs," I laugh trying to joke about it halfheartedly. Then I change the subject, "The sun is probably setting soon. I'll go prepare dinner."

Without much more movements, I leave for my garden leaving Asahi with his great-grandmother.