Irene
"So you're saying that you went into the heart of forest and lost jorath?", Irene said. "What were you thinking jem?
"We found tomb", jemriah informed. "But after that everything was a blur. I tried to found jorath... Looked for him in whole forest but... Sadly no signs of him. I am getting worried".
"Why were you in that forest jem? Answer me? Your promised me that no more trouble will follow after we flew from capital. We did. And now look, another trouble could follow us".
"No more of it", said jemriah. "Of that I am certain".
"How? What if your father finds out? Huh? What are we going to do then? We cannot live here anymore".
I was angry... Annoyed...
He promised me that he won't get himself in trouble anymore but yet he did the same thing he always do...
Somehow finds himself in center of it all...
"Forgive me. I am not... I just...jorath, he does this thing where he convinces me of doing the opposite. Even a strong headed bull would kneel if he convinced him enough".
"You are neither a bull nor a prince that you used to be", Irene said. Her voice low. "You have a family now. My brother iken, he sacrificed for us. He didn't ma-"
"I know Irene. I just did not want father winning... Again".
Irene looked at him. He was the same man that he used to be. Fierce with determination to always do the right thing. Even if it cost him his life. A flaw for everyone but important for him.
"Iken. He was worried about you. Fronn too. He is back from shren market. Sonavr came in late too. You happen to know where he was?"
"He was with brumen. On outskirts... Why did he throw a tantrum at feast out of nowhere?"
"Well... You say one thing to him and your actions does another", jemriah looked at her in confusion. "You... Tell him that he can go to capital, you say like you want him too but your actions, they speak a language of their own. He just happened to caught it on the worst day", Irene explained.
"I do not want to be a father like my own. I tried it... Almost too hard. Yet it feels like... That his shadow will never leave me. It always looms over my head".
"You are nothing like your father", Irene acknowledged. "You are different jem. Trust me on that. I have loved you for a reason".
Jemriah smiled. It was a smile that said he trust her but something was still bothering him.
I wish I could take his problems away... Irene thought...
"Sonavr, is he alright now? He hasn't coughed for a while did he?", jemriah asked. "His ageing has stopped too?"
"Fronn was looking into it. He tried to do it while maintaining secrecy but sonavr... Well nowadays he is careful of everything. He has started... To notice things", Irene said. "We have to tell him sooner or later".
"Later is better", jemriah said. "For him. For us. For everyone".
"I know. It's just... What if brumen starts noticing? He can tell him and then sonavr... I fear that he might uncover the truth".
Jemriah was silent.
They both knew what will happen if sonavr uncovers this secret... He will probably hate them for it. He might very well be angry and rightfully so. Irene did not want either of those things.
Jemriah finally broke the silence. "When he does uncover the half truth, we will give him the full".
With that jemriah came close and embraced Irene. He was a tall man, she was not so little herself but in his arms she felt like she could hide forever. The situation was dire and yet she found comfort in those arms. Holding her close, melting her away.
I should be the one to take his problems away... Yet he is the one who does this...
Haldren
The capital was a big place of power and land. Sometimes annoyingly big that one can lost their way back.
Haldren was lost.
Frustrated, he gave up halfway and turned towards a forest.
There were many forest in capital...
He heard whispers, someone talking over one another. Laughing, drinking.
A fire sat in middle, flanked by several sworn knights of captial.
Haldren recognised one of them. A captain of 3rd regiment.
Haldren smiled and he yanked a waterskin from his belt, daggers clattering, a longsword fixed at his hip.
He approached the knights with a warm smile. "Thirsty, captain?"
Every knight stood except the captain, inclining their heads in respect. Haldren lifted both hands, signaling them to ease.
The captain too nodded in respect but he did not stand up. He was a old man past fifty.
"Why is a prince here in forest? Asking us lowly swines water?", said the captain.
"A knight of a capital is family. Not swine. Especially not my sworn brothers... You still didn't answer my question", haldren said with a smile. "Thirsty, captain?"
"No I am not. Appreciate the effort. Taking care of your brothers. The king would be proud of you", the captain said.
Haldren shaked his head. "Captain, I sense scrutiny in your tone. A little mockery as well", haldren smiled. "Ah... Well I will take no offense in that. A captain can do what he likes".
Haldren sat by the fire. Captain was still eyeing him and haldren... He just continued to smile.
"That sword looks good on you", said captain. "Would not want to be on the reciving end of it".
"And here I thought captain didn't like me", haldren said. His lips curving into an even wider smile. "A genuine praise from captain... What's next? Prettiest whore in capital giving me money for sex?
Haldren earned himself several chuckles from knights but not from captain, who glared at them and then at him.
"Forgive me. I tend to go over sometimes",
Haldren stood up. "Well then my brothers... I won't interrupt your... Enjoyment any further. I shall now take my leave".
Several knights stood and bowed save for captain.
As soon as haldren turned to walk away from them, he stopped.
The urge is back...
They cannot fill my urge...
Why does the captain insult me?
...
Haldren smiled.
Several knights lay dead across the ground, armor split and dark with blood, his daggers still marked upon their chests. Haldren stood among them, a slow smile curving his lips as he looked down at the fallen. His longsword hung loose in his right hand, its edge stained and dripping, as though the battle had cost him nothing at all.
"Captain. Why? All this happened because you insult me. All of them stood in respect but not you. Why?"
He knelt and picked up a head, which was sliced clean. Blood and mud both smeared on it.
"Captain looks so different when he is not talking. He is not even smiling now. That smug smile. Gosh, he was annoying".
"Hey! Look at me. Why do you not respect me huh?", haldren said. "I AM SON OF KING KAISRAN!"
he sighed. Fitting the head on a spear.
Haldren smiled. Looking the sight around him. It made him feel light.
The air stank of iron and spilled life. No cries remained, no breath stirred beneath the fallen armor. Only the quiet aftermath of slaughter surrounded him, and Haldren breathed it in as if it were victory itself.
He stifled a yawn. "Time to play with josen".
The world of sumaka through eyes of demigods-
Everyone prays. Some for reasons that are genuine. Some for their own benifits. Some for reasons to destroy others to prosper themselves. None asks us to look over the world. They always ask us to look over them.
We are blessed to have worshipers. We are also cursed to have them. "Rhayson" and "kresper" have given us this opportunity to become demi gods. We are second strongest of them all. We have weapons and powers that none have. Many in sumaka will claim that they are superior. Do not believe everything you hear.