"So when will you leave for the Academy, liam?"Winey said as she gaze at her brother who is sitting on a chair next to her and peeling a local sweet fruit while she sit on her bed.
"well,I will leave a day after uncle left,so you need to prepare for moving to Sister Cathy's house after tomorrow's festival,be good and stay safe okay?"Liam replied while he sliced the fruit into edible pieces,laying them on a plate and hand it over to winey.
"When was I ever the trouble maker in the family."winey smirk and grab the plate he handed but soon pause afterwards."Liam…?"she said as she gaze at the wooden floor,hiding her expression from him at the moment.
"hmm?…What's wrong winey?"Liam ask with concern as he was confused about his sister sudden mood shift.Trying to remember if there was anything today that might have triggered it.
"…Let's run away with dad and mom,none of you have to go fight that war if we don't get caught,right?"winey said as she gaze at her brother,whom she might soon be seeing for the last time,the idea made her shudder and the uneasiness was plain to see.Her usual prideful and carefree self was gone for this moment.
"Winey,I understand what you mean and to be honest I want to leave with all of us as well."Liam gently withdrawn the plate of fruit from her hand and hold her sister close to him in an embrace,comforting her by softly brushing her hair with his hand.
He understood his sister 's situation was a bit too harash for her to face alone, when all of her family member will be going to different places and some facing a war in which they might never come back from.
Unfortunately,the other borders to another country was sealed except for the frontline against the Lopis empire and a large scale spell had been casted by mutiple royal class grand magus along with guard posts to prevent anyone from coming and going unnoticed.
Even if it was possible,the risk of getting caught along with winey and his aunt was grave and unforgiving for them both.It was a risk neither him or his uncle was willing to take.
"If I and uncle go with you,you and aunt will be placed in too much danger and risk,as good of a fighter and scout uncle was.He isn't confident in his ability to bypass the border alert system completely as well..…"As he explained,Liam can feel winey burying her face in his chest and the tightening of her arms locking him in place.
The faint sobs and whimpers showed him she already knew all of these,but still wanted to know if there is any other ways from him.
"I am sorry winey... I know you have been trying to be strong for us…I promise I will stay as safe as I can be and make sure to come to see you whenever I can.And we will run away as soon as the situation looks too dire to stay,okay?"Feeling that winey seems to calm down a little and lossening her grip,liam decided stay in the embrace a little longer to make sure his sister was indeed feeling better.
"Thank you…"Liam heard the whisper from his sister as she raise her head to level his gaze.Her eyes were slighly red with tears staining her cheeks,but at least a genuine small smile can be seen on her face."I will be fine here,so please stay safe and come back along with mom and dad."Liam nodded and patted her head softly as she hugs him tightly one more time before going to bed.
In her mind,she understood well that she need to stay strong for her brother and her parents in order to not make them to worry about her on the ever changing battlefield.
But she cannot imagine the pain she might felt one day if someone told her that her brother or either of her parents was gone.
So when liam confirmed there was no other way to go around this predicament,her despair and uneasiness were let out all at once.But thankfully,her brother was there to share her sorrow and be her pillar of support that he always was.
She might not admit it due to embarrassment she was glad and grateful to have liam by her side when she grown up and in her eyes, there was not a better brother she could have asked the gods for.So that night,she pray as she fell asleep while liam was watching over her,that somedays she can be the same pillar that support him when he was down and hurting.And that her brother will always be strong enough to raise up and come back to her.And lastly,for him to be cherished by many other he might meet in the path he is walking on when she is not there for him .
The next morning came swiftly and the town was bustling with activities and anticipation for the upcoming festivals.The kindling festival as it is called,is a tradition pass down in the town of Nabarie.
During the celebration,the town's priestess will picked a bundle of azure coulour on the flower bed outside of the town.These flower was named Dahlivi which symbolized commitment of love and offering of peace.This was the rarest type of azure flower in the flower bed cultured by the priestess of artemis,blooming at the night of the festival.
Liam and winey was approved for a day to enjoy the festival by themselves,while jerome helps with the preparation for the evening's event.
Which earned Jerome a huge hug and cheerful smiles from them both.
"Liam,why are the priestess and the mayor coming out so early?"
While liam and winey was eating some of their favorite local specialty,his cousin took noticed of all the priestess and the head priestess from their town's church waiting at the entrance gate of the town.
Liam frowned as this was the first time he saw them appearing just after noon.Generally,the priestess should still be preparing the offering of the Dahlivi for goddess artemis at this hour.But looking at some of their expression of unease while waited.He can tell something or someone important was coming to their town.
As they observed from the side,a carriage with the crest of a red leopard soon came into view on the horizon.Along with it, at least two dozens fully equipped knights with the same crest of leopard on their chest plate and a few well dressed man and women can be seen accompanying it.
The mayor was at the front of the gate dressed in his most formal attire as he await their arrival.
As soon as the parade of troop and carriages arrive.A knight with golden armor glittering in the sun move ahead of the company.
"His lordship,eldest son of the grand Duke Alastair.Lord Vincent has arrived."The knight announced with great vigor at the front of the gateway.
After a brief moment of silence,gasp of shock can be heard coming from other residence in the vicinity.This was the only time they have heard a family member of a noble coming here of all places .Even the average merchants rarely set foot here due to the remote location of this town,no less the eldest son of the only grand Duke in the kingdom.
Now liam understood the needs for precaution earlier,the lord of this domain was only an earl.
As kind of a lord their earl was,the same couldn't be said for other nobles when they take offense.
"Why are they here?"Liam questioned to no one in particular.But for some reason,he was getting more restless than he ever felt.There was a few presence in the group that have developed mana core and their looming strengths can be felt by other mage or arcane practitioners.Liam was sure they might be releasing a bit mana more than they usually do in an act of intimation.
And it works wonderfully in their favor,as Liam could feel his own mana aura being suppressed greatly just by their pressure.