Chapter Twelve
Esme's POV
I had rarely apologized after a quarrel. Uncle did. Levine did. And if none of those villagers did after offending me, I reminded them with another fight so they would.
However, here I was, covered in darkness and seated in the room of an immortal who threatened me. I didn't plan to need Sanya in this discussion but I wondered how far it'd go.
Eidrin said nothing. Not that I expected anything.
I shook that thought out of my head.
The reason I expected nothing or anything from him in the first place was because of his brothers' feelings I projected on him. I had to see Eidrin for myself.
"Do you like staying in the dark?" A little small talk could break the tension.
"It stays with me. It's my birth element."
Two sentences!
I got two sentences out of him. Progress. I nodded, absorbing what he meant. "Do you like your element or do you think you'd have preferred something like… the wind?" That should be Ruby's birth element.
I didn't see him clearly but he rose from the bed and moved to the candlesticks. He turned one on, and I watched him drop the matchstick but it fell on his hand.
"Oh, sorry." It left my lips before I noticed he didn't flinch, as well as fading burnt marks on his wrist. I blinked, once again absorbing what this could mean.
"I didn't ask that you should make it bright."
"Don't you like it bright?"
"We are within your birth element. It must make you feel safe, so why would I ask for your discomfort? I'm just here to talk."
He said nothing again, but the candle flickered off. We were communicating. I dropped Sora on the bed, resting his head on my lap, and he didn't resist.
"Your Father never told me I was important but I believe I'm not irrelevant to you and your brothers, hence my presence here."
"I know that." He said simply.
Was he one step to accepting that he only wanted my attention?
"I needed your attention."
Darn it, he admitted faster than I expected. Less thrilling but I'd take it. I reached for his hair, it was so long the last time I saw it. "Do you enjoy braiding your hair?"
"I used to."
"Is there anything you enjoy doing? Even if you stopped?"
"Why?"
I exhaled. "Ruby mentioned that you and your older brother had a quarrel. I don't think if I had a quarrel with my uncle, I'd stop feeding my cat. It's something I like doing."
He hummed. "But you don't have a cat."
I held my chest. Was he disrespecting me again? They were the ones who took back their gift to me. "You know what I mean." I said through clenched teeth.
Sora let out a short chuckle, and stayed dead still. I rubbed his head. I doubt Eidrin didn't know he was awake since he easily warmed the cold bed.
"I know what you mean."
I looked back at him, though I could see only the faint shine of a silver ornament on his neck. Grandus surely gifted him a lot for someone he thought was difficult to talk to.
"Maybe your older brother is busy, but your other brothers aren't. Also, you should know how to have fun by yourself. Is there anything else you like doing?" How smoothly this conversation was going surprised me.
"Painting?"
I gasped, clasping my hands. "Painting is a beautiful talent. I'd not mind being your muse when you need—"
"Promise?"
I stayed silent, realizing I might make a major move in helping him out of his shell. "Yes, I promise. Do you have more skills I can partake in?"
He turned on the bed, lying on his stomach. "My older brother taught me to hunt and fish."
"My uncle too!" I laid on the bed, moving Sora's head aside. "If you don't use magic and play fair, I could easily get a better game than you if we compete."
"Promise?" He asked again.
This time, my silence was due to confusion. Did he want me to promise to get a better game than him? Well, he was definitely in a better mood now than before. "Uh… sure. Just don't use magic, or your birth element."
"I promise."
Promises must mean a lot to him. So was it this easy to help him out of his mood and no one did anything? "When will you start painting or should we hunt first?" I'd rather start the healing process. They will be fun for me anyway.
"Can I ask something first?"
"Sure. Anyth—"
Sora's hand tightened on my side. Right. I shouldn't readily say 'anything'. These brothers were literal at times, especially Eidrin. "What is your request?"
"Could I lay my head on your lap?"
"HUH? Why?"
"Sora did it. Can't I?"
Another two sentences that I didn't appreciate. This was giving me a Grandus flashback but less invasive. It was like he was forcing me to be fair, but this wasn't really something to be fair about. Would he be distant again?
I exhaled, and said simply. "Sora is a child."
"He's the literal incarnate of my younger brother."
So he really wanted to go back and forth? I grinned. "But you all call him 'nephew', no?"
"My younger brother insisted."
I sighed. He was nice to give in to his younger brother's antics though. I wasn't surprised because Sora already told me his origin.
"Well, he's a younger brother, isn't he?" I nodded at my words. He couldn't possibly change his birth order by staying on my lap. "So—"
"Would you let our youngest stay then?"
The way those words fell off his tongue, I should probably say 'no' but I already drew a line at younger brothers. I stood my ground. "If he was a child, perhaps."
Sora sighed. Why did he do that? Eidrin said nothing, and I felt I just walked into a blind trap, with no place to escape. That youngest one was who Ruby said would see me later, right? I wondered what he's like.
"I'd braid my hair today. I'd take you to the hunt tomorrow." The Fifth finally answered.
Another two sentences. Perhaps they'd be longer sentences in the future. "I will look forward to that." I added for clarity, "I will let you suggest another activity to do together, since I wouldn't be fulfilling this request. But only once. Okay?"
"Prom—"
"I promise." I deadpanned.
Sora chuckled again. I left the bed and grabbed him out of it. How shocked he looked, before relaxing in my hold, reminded me of Denim.
The discomfort became more pronounced in my groins. "I might head home today. I'm on nature's duty." I realized my dress was light coloured. "I will go home."
Sora began whining. "Mistress, stay with us. Apart from Second Uncle, none of us have the permission to visit your place. He sent you home last time. I couldn't do anything." he sulked.
"Why not?"
"Your scary Uncle." Eidrin whispered. I couldn't tell if it's because he's Eidrin or he worried my uncle would be summoned if he's loud.
I didn't know Uncle had threatened them. And he was scary by their standards? "He probably didn't want you forcing me to become the Mistress before I was ready. And Ruby is most polite."
"Ruby?"
"Second Uncle." Sora said to Eidrin.
"He finally changed his name?"
"He just lets her call him that."
I wondered why he didn't just tell me his name when we met though. I also didn't ask. "Why didn't Ruby come to me first though? It was Grandus."
"Grandus is Second Uncle's favourite so he gave him the pass."
Was Grandus the favourite like how Eidrin had been the oldest's favourite?
Perhaps that's why, despite Grandus needing validation and attention like Eidrin, he hadn't gone off because he's still his older brother's favourite.
Why did they have favourites? Perhaps it couldn't be helped when there's so many siblings? I doubt Grandus was the most 'well-behaved' for Ruby to like him. Could I be his favourite?
"You are thinking for yourself, and seeing them through your own eyes. But these are a lot of thoughts. Most are unnecessary."
"Tch. At least, I'm not projecting."
Sora shook his head. "Second Uncle and your Uncle didn't know he went to you. But the Second Uncle pardoned his actions."
"As always." Eidrin said tiredly.
"As always." Sora concurred.
I felt there's more story that would have happened long before my arrival. I smiled, folding my arms. These brothers' dynamics would keep my loneliness at bay for a few years.