While sitting down on the kitchen stool, Emerald, noticed that there was no yelling nor tension between the old men.
'This must be serious' she thought to herself.
"I think it is past your bedtime Princess"
Emerald furrowed her brows and looked at Dmitry who walked beside her and offered her a cup of warm milk. 'Milk? Seriously?'. Contradicting her thoughts, as a well-mannered lady, she accepted the cup.
There was a moment of silence between the two. Emy purposely created this quietness to try if she could 'peek' at Dmitry's thought. Just as she expected, she still cannot. To break the awkward silence, Emy began to converse,
"Why do you call him Uncle?"
Dmitry who was leaning on the kitchen bar with crossed arms, looked down at the girl. Emy, looking at the man saw the gentleness that she was seeking a while ago at the basement.
Dmitry laughed softly, "Of all that happened tonight, you ask me that question"
Emy realized that he had a point and smiled back at him wryly.
"I did not spend much time with your grandfather like you did. When I was at my hometown, he came to visit me occasionally. It was uncomfortable calling him granduncle, since while growing up, I only had a grandmother. So, I just called him uncle like how I called the old men in the town. Besides, I am just half the age of your father, I think"
Sardon was 42, '21?' Emy calculated.
"ahmm..sorry…you see, Grandfather did not mention you before. Not even father. And I'm sorry to hear that Grandaunt Selena died."
Dmitry nodded and shifted his attention to the old men still busy with their conversation. Emerald sipped from the cup while brooding over what Sardon had told them about Dmitry. The young man's family history was extremely tragic.
'Selena, Ziron's younger sister and Godfrey's only daughter, fell in love with a man, who was not like the members of the clan nor with a good financial background. Godfrey was against the relationship and tried to arrange a husband for his daughter. But the two lovebirds decided to elope. Feeling betrayed, Godfrey disowned Selena by removing her inheritance from her. Though away from the privileged life, Selena was happy raising a daughter with her husband. But tragedy began to strike when her husband, working as a vegetable dealer, had an accident one rainy night. The truck he was driving, fell off a ravine.
Thus, Selena raised her daughter on her own, far away from the Kandas. Her daughter grew up innocently and married as well. But tragedy upon tragedy seemed to follow Selena, as her daughter died after giving birth to Dmitry. After his wife's death, Dmitry's father committed suicide due to depression.'
'How tragic…' Emy thought to herself as she remembered the feeling of pain in her heart as the story was relayed.
'After Godfrey's death , Ziron had taken over the family and he searched for his long-lost sister. After a year of searching, in a village near the boarders of Cordella, he found a sick, old Selana and a vigorous, young Dmitry. Ziron wanted to bring Selena and Dmitry with him back home but his sister rejected the idea. She said that she does not want the child to grow up in a family full of despair. Ziron, surprisingly agreed in one condition, once the boy becomes a man, he will come and collect them. Selena agreed thinking that this is a better offer rather than Ziron forcefully taking the boy from her, since Ziron's son was not a summoner and that he realized that the boy had the gift. Ziron occasionally visited the two until one day, Ziron received a call from a grown-up Dmitry informing him of his sister's death and that Selena instructed him, that after she dies, Dmitry must "Go home".'
Taking a glimpse at the well-proportioned man beside her, she thought to herself, 'I think I made him remember bad things' prompting her to distract him.
"It is my first time seeing one of the Clan of Sagubo's Almas. I just heard stories from Papa. He also seldomly see those and only frequently heard stories from Grandma Mariela when she was still alive."
After the great war, clans started to rise in influence among the dwellers of Kafagway. Two of them is The Clan of Taray and the Clan of Sagubo. The Clan of Taray's gift is the summoning of a Kowadja that can be in a shape of any creature. While the members of the Clan of Sagubo that have the gift, summon Almas that take the shape of lifeless objects, ancient weapons for example.
Hinalung is the famous Almas that is one among the few which can separate the bond between a Kowadja and its summoner. This Almas belonged to Muriel Kantes the head of the ruling clan among the Clans of Sagubo.
The Kantes had the same level of influence with the Kandas. For the benefit off allegiance, Mariela Kantes, Muriel's sister was married to Ziron Kandas. This cemented the power of Ziron among his kinsmen and vice versa with Muriel.
Upon experiencing what happened tonight, Emy felt a thrill to dive into this world of hers and discover its wonders. Even more so as she herself has a unique Kowadja.
Dmitry grinned as he saw the glint on the girl's eyes, "Don't worry Princess. I assure you; you will be learning more interesting things along the way."
Emy shyly smiled, "You..you don't plan on calling me by my name, do you?"
Dmitry did not answer immediately. To Emy's surprise, Dmitry knelt beside her, looked at her in the eyes, and grabbed one of her hands, "You are a Princess to me, Princess." And Emy turned red as Dmitry brushed his lip gently on the back of her palms. As a reflex, she pulled her hand away and the glass cup fell to the ground.
The two old men looked at the direction where the glass-shattering-sound came from. Ziron sighed.
"Stop teasing her Dmitry. We're done here." The two old men rose.
Dmitry stood up and pulled Emy to stand, making sure the girl does not step on the shards scattered on the ground.
"I will call you once I inform my clan about this." Muriel tuned around to face Emy, "I will see you again and soon my dear. And you.." pointing at Dmitry, "Protect my grandniece well!"
Dmitry bowed his head and replied, "Of course".
The chauffer who guarded the door all the time, opened the door for Muriel.
"Come Emy, we'll head home, Dmitry come with us. Let me introduce you to the rest of the family." Ziron said as he wore back his coat.
Dmitry smiled at the old man while pointing at the door heading to the basement, "I will follow suit Uncle after cleaning up."
Emy felt another shiver on her nape. 'Again!'
"I see. Do you want me to send Calvin back?" Ziron was referring to his chauffer.
Dmitry shook his head, "No need Uncle. I have my car with me."
"Alright then."
Ziron began to exit the cabin and Dmitry walked beside Emy towards the door.
"See you later Princess. I am excited to be introduced to your family"
Emerald blushed even brighter and she ran towards her grandfather.
Dmitry chuckled and leaned on the doorway with his arms crossed.
Making sure the pair had walked away far enough, a head bobbed out from the entryway to the basement. The head belonged to a woman with shoulder length hair.
"You can come out Freya"
The woman did as she was told. She walked up the stairs silently and moved just behind Dmitry who towered over her. The woman could see no smile emanating from him. A complete contradiction to the playful, teasing young man a while ago.
"The flirting is too much" Freya commented.
After sighing she looked outside. The golden strands, that acted as the barrier, glowed in the dark forest. One by one the strands slowly fell to the ground and vanished. 'It's pretty' Freya said to herself.
Dmitry sighed, closed his eyes, and tilted his head backwards. He took the hand that held Emy's hand and covered his lips, "I just need the scent that lingers on her. I'll make do with this for now…just to keep myself sane."