Nero ran up to a couple of farmers. "Hey do you guys know where... uh?"
One of the farmers butt in. "Are you lost? Do you know where you're going?"
Nero tried to remember. "I'm looking for the.. Adam's apple House?".
"What?" The man asked.
"Yeah the Adam's apple family, I just saw this big chinned guy who said his family owns all of this land."
"Oh you mean Dylan? You'd be wise to steer clear of him and anyone from that family." The woman behind him said.
"Except Daisy." The man said.
"Yeah, Daisy is sensible." She repeated.
"I can't. He has something of mine and I have to get it back. I'll be on my way, even though he tried to arrest me and sent men to try and kill or maim me." Nero reached back for the slash in his shirt and pulled it back to find blood on his fingertips.
"And you look fine. Trust me whatever he took it's not worth it. Listen follow that road for about 2 miles then stick to the road on the right and find your way out of here and don't look back. We've all been here for too long its our home and there's nothing we can do about that, just take his shirt to hide that blood. You don't want to get recruited stopped by the Peace Corps. I heard they were recruiting in this area."
"Thanks. Follow the road stick to the left." He put on the shirt and started to head down the road.
"Wait. I said right. You don't want to go that way especially if he's trying to arrest you. There is no such thing as a fair trial in that town. Even the oldest families of that town don't make eye contact when selling them goods. Except the Daisy, of course." Her eyes focused hard on him over her hard pressed lips.
"Yeah I heard they're all in town too the whole Addidel House." The man said, his eyes as intense as the woman. All he knew was that they were still in mourning.
"Did you hear what happened to her today."
"Thanks for the directions." Nero keeps on walking ignoring the two farmers.
Nero saw the town in the distance covered in clouds and rainfall. The city looked like it had seen better days but those were all behind it. The farmers in the gathered buckets of rain water and replacing them with empty ones. Their urgency surprised him. It looked like it rained here often there must be plenty of rivers and streams for drinking water.
Nero walked past them and one of the farmers quickly looked up at him and immediately dismissed him. He got into the walls of the city and the guards stopped him.
"Hello sir, we've been expecting you." Their faces held no distain.
"You have? I'm surprised you all recognize me. I thought I beat the receiving party up here."
"Of course we heard of your escape and Lord Addidel was sure you would make it here." They opened the gate and ushered him in.
"Well I was expecting a different reception based on how he treated me."
"Yes we were made aware of that as well. I assure you, all water under the bridge. Please allow us to escort you to the castle."
While Nero was escorted to the castle by the town guard, all of the townspeople shuffled around them averting their eyes whenever Nero glanced toward them. "This is odd."
"Yes the city is a bit different from the last time you were here. I doubt you would remember but I'm sure you've heard stories."
"I've never been here before in my life."
"I promise the castle hasn't changed."
Nero gave in. "Oh that's good to know."
They walked up towards a castle and there was another stone wall surrounding it. Instead of a gate there are large wooden doors with a webbed cat paw print on it. The doors opened and more guards came out. The guard escorting Nero had a word with the other guards. Separately out of earshot.Nero was starting to worry.Before he could run another guard ran over to a carriage and woke up a man that was sleeping against the wheel. The man got up and walked toward the stables and pulled out a very scrawny horse and lead him to the carriage.
"This man will escort you the rest of the way. I hope you enjoy your stay."
"Trust me it wont be long." The carriage slowly pulled up to nero, the horse previously barely able to carry it's own weight now pulling a carriage with a full grown man on it. Nero looked at the man then looked at the horse and the carriage then the horse then the man. "I can walk."
"No please. Get on." The old coachman demanded. "It is unheard of for anyone to walk to the manor. It may not look like it but this horse has been responsible for carrying everyone up this road for over 50 years. It is the reincarnation of the horse that raced around the First Land."
"50 years? No I can believe it. This is probably what it looked like after the race." He sighed. "If this is the way, I won't insult the horse but don't blame me if he dies halfway and we have to walk the rest. You know about the first land. That's old preachings from the Seers Sisterhood." Nero got into the back of the carriage.
The carriage driver looked back. "Its not often anybody gets that reference. The Tiresi Sisterhood only passed along the old stories of The Twelve..."
"Sacred Beasts. Yeah I know. They say the Horse was named Merlin and he carried the one king to safety."
"Yes in Zea."
"I know. My father kept so many books around the house about The Twelve. I read a few of them when I was younger."
"Well do you know there have been sittings of the Tiresi Sisterhood."Nero looked at the man in disbelief. "Yup, they have been setting up and testifying to this prophecy and whatnot. They are speaking to the future for a few Cardi's."
They passed the graveyard. "Sure some of these poor souls are laughing."
"Its not telling the future. They are just tracking your soul. They believe all is already begun and is happening and finished. They are able to read that energy."
"Yeah well no one can predict someone's future. Some people don't even know where their next meal is coming from."
"Its all about what can happen. They can see what has happened to the soul and can tell what will happen."
They traversed the road up to the top.
He looked up at the carriage driver. "Well thanks for the ride. Some day we'll all be free."
The man leaned over in the carriage. "Again. Some day we'll all be free, again."
When they got up to the top Nero jumped out in front of a large mansion. The largest building he'd ever seen. It was 3 stories tall and had a sky tower for what he presumed to be for watching sunsets or something. There were rows upon rows of stacked windows. The building was perched atop a hill and to the right of the home was the graveyard. The building sat at the end of the town, overlooking it. He then presumed all the land he could see was the Addidel House's land. There was a lot. On a smaller hill he could see rice fields next to a damn.
He walked up to the front door and before he could knock the door opened and a mans large head peaked through the crack. "And who are you?"
"My name is Nero, you guys have something of mine in there."
"Oh you must be our last guest. They weren't sure you'd come. Please come inside." The door swung open and as it did the mans head craned upwards. When the door was fully open Nero made out the full stature of the man standing easily 2 to 3 feet taller than him. "Everyone is waiting for you inside of the front room, it's through those doors to your left."
Nero slowly walked to the doors and the incredibly tall man walked back behind a desk below a set of wide stairs leading to the second level. He turned around and looked at the man waiting for him to sit down just in case this odd scenario turned violent. Unperturbed by Nero he took his seat behind a desk just as freakishly large.
A couple minutes ago.
A young girl sat in a large curved chair and next to her was a well fed man dressed in very nice clothes and a walking cane. "I've spent a lot of time in East Oanid the coastal towns there are so peaceful, if you can stand the sight of the Republics' beggars. Since the decimation of Oania the people have been vacating the former capital in search of work or they resort to panhandling. it's very pathetic."
"The only way for a man like you to live as a king is amongst beggars. From what I hear, Chester, your residences have been confiscated by the Peace Corps and you're lucky our brother still has friends in the east or you would have had to take up residency back in this house. Do you think he'd give you your old room?" A man butt in from across the room with short peppered hair, and an all white beard.
"Not everyone was lucky enough to be offered an arranged marriage with a young naive princess, Walter." Chester scoffed under his breath and grinned.
"How many attempts have been made on your life since the Lady of the Trallia Family discovered our brothers tight grip on his estate and its resources. Especially since he built the damn." Chester and Walter looked at their sister annoyed. She was always quick to dig into her brothers. She sat on the arm of Daisy's chair in a tight red dress, a cigarette holder in her hands, and her huge rack too close to Daisy's face. Held on her shoulders was a Peace Corps vest.
Chester straitened up in his seat. "He wasn't always like that. Just recently..."
She laughed in Daisy's ear. "Recently!? His wife ran away with that filthy Spriggan worker almost 17 years ago. If only the Trallia Family knew how much he really spent to find that woman."
Walter pushed his glasses up on his nose. "She was kidnapped."
Dalia stood up and walked to the bar. "Sure I've seen the looks of the room and there were no signs of a struggle, nothing knocked over."
"It's what he said happened." Chester looked over to his sister. "Can you make me something too?"
"Hmph. And he spent almost all of our families resources to capture her and then she dies in child birth." She reached over and grabbed another glass.
"Are you just pouring the drinks straight, let me show you how to make a drink." Chester got up and clicks over on his cane, bumping his sister to the side. "What are you doing here if all of the money is gone?"
Dalia rolled her eyes. "My brother called and I know his health is failing him. Of course I would come."
Chester reached up to the shelf and pulled down a white powder from the shelf. " I'm surprised the Peace Corps loosened your chains and allowed you to come. Must have taken a lot of begging and floor cleaning."
Walter chuckled and coughed into his shoulder after a cold glare from his sister. "I've been in the Peace Corps for over 20 years, I don't clean floors and I certainly don't beg. Any way, like I was saying they found Efia in a brothel and the Peace Corps sent the boy and his father to one of the Section Camps."
Nero opened the doors to the front room. Inside the first person he saw wass the girl that he didn't escort home. Daisy looked at him eyes wide. "Oh, hey! If it isn't the whiny girl that shoved me in the mud then asked me for a hand."
"What are you doing here?" Daisy asked him.
Nero took a seat on the couch across from her and crossed his legs. "I'm a guest."
He smiled and winked at her. Chester backed away from the bar and spun handing Dalia and Walter some milky alcoholic beverages. "Of course you must be our nephew."
Daisy looked between her aunt and uncles. "Who?"
"Yes..." Dalia took a sip and was surprised by the drink, it was really good. Knowing Chester was watching she continued. "Despite our tangent that is what we've been trying to tell you. This boy, sorry what was your name?"
Nero looked around, noticing the anticipation of the room. "Nero."
"What a foreign name, obviously given to you by that dirty thief who called himself your father." Dalia returned to her seat on Daisy's armchair looking at Walters expression as he took his first sip. The delight in his eyes.
A confused look creeped onto Neros' face. "Do you know my father?"
"Of course I do. I am his sister and your aunt. Welcome you're finally home, Nero!" She fumbled for the name. She sat her drink on the table between them and crossed the room. Dalia opened her arms to give Nero a hug.
Chester slid in between her and placed his hand on Nero's shoulder. "We are so moved to finally meet you. Our brother, your father, has spent your entire life attempting to locate you, I'm sure you read in the letter he sent you, can you read?"
Nero smiled. "Better than you I'm sure. So you guys know about my letter? It said that I would arrive and to expect a warm greeting, but it would be in New Oania."
Walter spoke up. "Nothing warmer than being welcomed by your family. I'm so sorry for the invasion, I'm sure you believed that letter was for your eyes alone but I assure you your father only requested we read the letter out of concern." He looked over and scolded his siblings next to him.
Chester chimed in. "I'm sure you have many questions, Sara's!" Two girls rushed through the doors with an uncanny resemblance.
Sarah and Sara responded in unison, "You called?"
Sara smirked at Nero. "Hmm?"
Sarah leaned down carnally. "Who's this?"
Sara folded her arms. "I know what you're thinking?"
Sarah studied his face. "but her name is Sara and my name is Sarah."
"We're totally different." Sara finished.
Nero laughed skeptically. "Yeah, sure."
Walter snapped his fingers. "Please send, I mean show Nero to his room."
Nero got up avoiding Sarah's face and his. "Thank you. I was being escorted by my body guard and was mistaken for someone else. Me and my two comrades were separated, one was lets say taken against their will and my body guard should be right behind me. He's a skinny guy with a very serious face and short hair but there's always a wisp of hair that hangs over his right eye. Ya know like combed over?"
Daisy stood up abruptly and addressed her aunt and uncles. "What are you all talking about? Why are you acting like you know him?"
Chester sat on the couch behind Nero. "What you don't know? Your father invited him, he's your older brother."
Nero turned around to Chester. "She's my sister?"
TO BE CONTINUED...
Thanks for reading!