Ravenna turned pale as her breath seized when he made those words. But when the words hit her harder, 'burning in their flames', she felt her body being triggered.
Her mind staggered on the past trauma that seemed to open at the mention of the encounter at the word 'burn'.
She clutched him harder, his fear becoming contagious. But she was firm not to let it consume her. She had to be strong for him.
"T-they won't take you away from me." Ravenna found herself stuttering as she tried to control her twitching fingers that called for something, and rather curled them to a small fist.
Alaric's gaze clung to hers. "What if he finds me? W-what if he takes me? What if-"
"He won't." Ravenna cut him off with a frown, her eyes fierce. "I'll protect you. I won't let anyone near you," Her determination hardened when she made that promise. "No one." She added, her trembling slowed replaced by a firm determination.
Alaric did not comment, clinging to her arms, and letting the embrace wash over his fear.
Ravenna released a silent sigh, looking at the curtain half-opened to reveal the stormy weather behind. A flash of lightning ran across the sky, accompanied by a boom of thunder.
They stayed like that in each other's embrace for a long time. The silence was half comforting, and half resolved.
"They are coming."
Ravenna's brows furrowed when he declared and carefully pulled away to meet those beautiful emerald eyes. It never failed to remind her of someone. One that was perfectly inherited from their mother.
And she brought him back to her arms where they lay on the bed. "Who?"
"The Lords."
"Alaric…"
"I saw them." He pressed. "I saw them flying. Towards the village, towards the street, and the castle."
"I didn't know Lords had wings,"
"They transform," he answered. "That's why they are called sins."
"Sins don't have wings…"
"Their sins are dangerous, that's why they need to flee."
"And how do you know this, entire little one?"
"She tells me."
"The Angel?"
There was a faint blush on his cheek when she asked and Ravenna couldn't help but bring herself to smile. Was he blushing? He was so adorable. "Yes." And he answered. "But she was scared."
"Did she mention?"
"They promised to come for her. They want us both."
Ravenna was confused. No, it was confusing. "Alaric, she's not real-" It was the nth time she indicated, and every time she did, it felt like preaching to a rock.
"She is." He reacted. "She's just… just… afraid." He sighed at the end. "… and I can't help but be too. They want us. They say we are the lambs. They speak of holy matrimony, and they speak of sins. They want her because she's powerful, but why not leave us alone? We are all freeborns, aren't we?"
"Isn't that anger I hear in that voice?" Ravenna teased.
And he shifted. She could swear his ears were red and his cheeks… goodness, he was flushed. Is her little brother really… smitten?
"Goodnight," he wished, hiding under the blanket that swallowed him whole, leaving Ravenna unable to chuckle silently at this reaction.
"Your prayers," she reminded.
"I have said them."
"Then I'll stay up till you sleep,"
"I won't run, Ravenna. I'm not a boy,"
"You are just seven."
"Sir Reginald says the spirit is not measured in years. One is aged according to one's deeds. And I'm not afraid. I mean… I'm trying not to."
She furrowed. "What else did he mention?"
"That a true man fights off his fears by facing them, and not hiding behind the walls." He pulled the covers and looked at her. "I want to be a true man. I want to face my fears. I want to fight them, to protect myself. To protect you. And her," He didn't sound sure, but the fierceness in his eyes covered the truth.
Ravenna chuckled softly. "Protect me? I should be the one telling you this-"
"I want to learn how to fight, Ravenna. I want to practice swordsmanship when I grow up. I shall work as a lad in the armory as a start. Then I'll become a knight."
"Alaric-"
"Please," he begged, causing Ravenna to swallow her next sentence. "Let me make something out of myself. Let me go out there and face the world, not hiding under the curtains like a lame boy."
"Do you-"
"And if that… you would have to work there no more."
Ravenna's heart melted at his words yet shattered at the same time. She was unable to respond when he mentioned where she worked. Did he know? She trembled at the thought.
Ravenna had lived in disguise, from who she really was to the world and who she is to her only family. One of the most painful parts is having to lie about her identity to the only person that meant everything to her.
Protecting Alaric had always been a part of her, so she did everything she could to make sure the world didn't see him the way they saw her.
It was the reason she faced this path. The reason she lives at the crack of dawn to work and at sunset to make a living.
She shook the thought. Or maybe he was referring to her being bonded as a scourge in the castle.
Nevertheless, she forced a smile. "You don't have to prove to me, Alaric." She said. "You are my man, my little man. We can face your fears together-"
"You have yours, Ravenna," he said. "I can't put another burden on you so please," he pleaded. "Let me. I can't face this fear when I'm hidden all day. I can't face this when I can't fight. A man can't say no to death when he's vulnerable without a sword, without a shield. He needs to fight…"
"Now you speak like father," she let the tears spill off her cheeks. "Just yesterday, you were that little boy I cradled in my arms, and today…" she sniffed. "… you speak not like a boy."
Alaric pulled the blanket off him and pulled her into a hug. The barrier she built crumbled before his arms and she wept. The feeling was mutual when the pain she had held for long, longer than she had imagined all faded to dust.
She wanted to stop. She wanted to be strong. But she wouldn't lie when she said she needed someone to comfort her, to tell her everything was alright. Things would be fine.
Oh father…
After what seemed like forever, her cries turned into sniffs when she pulled away. Alaric stared at her, concern laced with those irises. "Now you look at me like how Madame Ruby does," and she laughed lightly.
"The one in the castle?"
"Mm," she responded. "I'm fine now. I can't believe I just cried."
He frowned. "You're not a rock,"
"I didn't say so," she responded. "It's okay to cry."
"Why do I feel you are telling me this,"
"Just in case," she shrugged and both of them chuckled at the humor.
Ravenna pulled him to a hug. Nothing was better than a family bond. She believed so.
"I'll be strong for the both of us. I protect us, away from them. All of them. Every one of them. "
Hannah didn't respond but rather replied with a small sound of acknowledgement. She could only wish her brother were right this time.
***