"Arman is not cunning as he claimed himself to be. He has always been a backstabbing fool!"
The words spread throughout the household. If an outsider had heard it, he would not think that the screaming voice came from a 65-year-old man.
Ziron kept pacing back and forth in his private study. His irritation and arrogance were on a higher level than usual. It was not a doubt that his gray hair was an accumulation of the effects of both aging and stress.
"Are you sure that it was Arman who sent the woman?" Ziron's son asked.
The old man stopped from his pacing and menacingly glanced at his son. The younger man sighed and kept his mouth shut to let his father continue verbalizing his grievances.
"Arman is the only man within the clan who would boldly fight against us!" Ziron shouted once more.
"He must know then that if he hurt his kinsmen, he will be branded as a traitor by the whole clan. We need some evidence then to show the council of elders that he is guilty."
"Do you think I am stupid Sardon?! Dmitry is holding that Kowadja and its summoner. That stupid woman let her own family to use her as a weapon against us!"
"What do you mean?", Sardon asked as the revelation piqued his interest.
"It will be explained to both of us in detail later. Dmitry is keeping the woman as hostage for now. After we interrogate, we will have our proof."
Departing from the topic of the conversation, Ziron looked beside the girl who was keeping silent all throughout the time he was screaming. The girl was sitting beside Sardon. Ziron's annoyance was building up once more after verbalizing previously.
"And you! How long are you going to act timid!"
Emy who put her gaze at the carpeted floor at all times, hesitatingly raised her head to look in her grandfather's eyes, " I…I'm sorry grandfather.". Once she and Rue arrived, her grandfather called for her in the private study. Rue was taken to the family physician to treat her wounds while Ziron ignored his own granddaughters' injuries. 'A fitting punishment for incompetence.'- Emy read her granfathers' thoughts.
"Tsk…How long are you going to let someone fight your own battles! Do you want to see me kneel in gratitude to my younger brother? Oh, I bet Anton is laughing at me now!"
Emy cannot deny her grandfather's complains. There is an expected power struggle within the clan. The power that came from having the abilities to summon Kowadjas included financial wealth and societal influence. For more than a decade Ziron Kandas had that power as he held the title of the Head of the Clans of Taray.
The descendants of Taray over the passage of time, grouped themselves into 3 main branches: The Kandas, The Pakjawan and The Pas-Ang. Over the centuries, the Kandas and the Pakjawan fought for dominance. In pre-modern times, the fight was through war, then in the arena then to assassinations. The present generation were more 'civilized'; creating peace agreements and treaties. Nonetheless the competition continued through business, politics and influence.
Arman Pakjawan is the current head of his clan. It was his first year of leading his clan after the death of his father last year. Arman was no different from the previous heads of his clan. He hated the Kandas, especially its head, Ziron.
The Kandas on the other hand is headed by Ziron. One cannot deny that the old man deserves the arrogance that he has now. It was during Ziron's lifetime that the Kandas triumphed over their kinsmen. By blood and sweat Ziron fought to achieve the title he holds.
Anton Kandas was his younger and only brother. The relationship between the two is complicated. Anton was known to hold feelings of enmity towards his older brother. Enmity that might have stem from envy and greed. And yet he remained loyal to the clan, perhaps to hold on to the benefits of the power.
For a patriarchal society, the inheritance of power was transferred from a father to any male offspring. The family name is in fact carried and continued by a male. It did not matter who was born first. Godfrey Kandas, Ziron and Anton's father, proclaimed his eldest son as the successor even before Anton was born to ensure the safety of the family's power in his old age.
As if to show mercy to the man robbed of an opportunity, Anton was blessed to have more male descendants than Ziron. Anton had four grandchildren; Rue was among them and the other three were all boys.
Ziron on the other hand considered himself cursed than blessed. His one and only son Sardon did not have the gift. When Sardon and his wife was with a child, the old man prayed for a male. As if the gods heard wrongly, two girls were given instead. The other one sickly and the only thing that Ziron considered fortunate was that the other one had the gift—Emeral and the gift was strong in her.
"Father," Sardon gently called, "Please be easy on Emerald. She still cannot control her Kowadja. If she let it loose, you know that she might have burned the whole university."
Ziron rolled his eyes and laughed sarcastically.
"She needs more time" Sardon pleaded.
Ziron went to his seat, crossed his legs and looked at his heirs, "I know. That is why I called Dmitry."
Respectfully, Emy asked the elder, "Grandfather? Who is he? Why have you sent him to fetch us?"
Ziron scoffed at ther, "Because I know how incompetent you are!"
Not wanting to hear Ziron shaming his daughter, Sardon stood from where he stood.
"Enough Father. Emy will hear from me from now on."
Hearing the stern voice from his weak-willed son, Ziron grinned.
"Fine. Now get out. I have work to do."
Hearing the command both exited the room.
Both sighed as the door to the study closed. Sardon held Emy's shoulders to let her face him. He examined her from head to toe and was crying from the inside from seeing the injuries. Emy gave Sardon a smile and re-assured him
"I'm alright Papa. The cuts are not too deep."
"Even so, we have to treat your wounds."
Emy nodded. " and Jade? Can I see her now?"
Sardon laughed, "Yes, yes. You wouldn't want to worry her right? I mean with those injuries that she'll be seeing.."
Emy also laughed. Before reaching the end of the stairs going up to the bedrooms, unexpectedly they saw the youngest member of the household standing there, waiting for them, making them a bit surprised.
"Ah Jade!" Emy exclaimed