"You seem fascinated by our surroundings, Hordin," An old, hunched man with a squashed face said to the little boy sitting across him in the carriage they were traveling in. The boy, looking twelve looked outside, ignoring the elderly man. He was lost in his thoughts, the scene just kept replaying in his head. It was just yesterday when he sat in his room, reading about magic attributes and cultivation, something he will never have. The door opened and in walked the old man now sitting across him.
"I hope you're doing well, young prince," he said in his irritating voice. The boy ignored him then and the old man smirked, even though he didn't look at the man's face, he could feel it.
"I would listen to this humble servant if I were you. The news is directly coming from your father. He asked me to come to get you for him, Hordin Bone, so be a good boy and come with me to go see your father, the king of the Bone kingdom." Hordin was shocked the moment he heard about his father, nothing good happened when it had to do with his father. Hordin was a bastard son to him, nothing more than that.
The only reason why he still existed was that his father had no sons other than him and had been worried he might not get one if he were to eliminate Hordin. His mother died mysteriously one time when he was only seven, but Hordin knew better than to believe she died mysteriously. The killer was his father, whether he did it with his own hands or he made someone else do it didn't matter. The truth was that the death was because of his father, and that man he so dreaded wanted to see him. He hated to go, but he had no choice.
You could say he was a cornered mouse who had no choice but to go to the cat and hope the cat would pity him and allow him to live. He closed the book he was reading and walked outside without saying a word before the old man could say more. His second most hated person was that man and he had no intention of hiding it.
The old man followed him as he walked to where his father would be waiting for him; in the throne room. When they reached the large doors, he hesitated. The last time he entered in there still gave him nightmares and there and then the images flashed in his mind, making his heart beat faster. Sweat dripped from his forehead to the floor and he held the door to support himself, but the old man wasn't the type to wait, especially for some bastard kid who didn't even like him. He pushed the door open and Hordin stumbled in.
"Your beloved son has been brought to you as you requested," he shouted as he walked in before Hordin could right himself. He quickly followed behind, knowing very well that if he were to show weakness, his father would get angry and probably do something terrible to him.
They walked till they were only a few steps away from the throne where he sat. The place looked dark and gloomy. The King, his father's eyes had this sparkle in them as he studied his son. The light coming from those two snake heads wasn't that bright and creeped him out. He couldn't see his father's expression and that scared him more.
"Leave." He said, and the old man bowed slightly and left the room. Hordin slightly jumped up in fear when the door shut behind him.
Again. He was left with the monster he feared and hated with no escape. He couldn't look up at his father and only stared at his feet in fear. He heard some rustling and watched in horror as his father rose to his feet and walked to him. He stood towering over him and Hordin didn't know what to do. He stared up at his father in fear, still unable to see his expression in the darkness. He had no time to know what was happening before he was thrown to the floor from a hit on his head.
"Useless piece of shit," he heard his father say under his breath. Hordin coughed and tried to get up, but the man was before him in a flash. He was kicked to the floor and more kicks entered his body which racked with intense pain as he screamed his throat hoarse.
"Get up."
"Don't go screaming like some girl."
"Prove to me that you're a boy, that you deserve to have my blood running through your veins."
"Don't show me that weak side you always show, will you?"
He could only roll into a ball and accept the pain inflicted and the painful words his father poured onto him. Even though the words his father said were toxic, he still spoke them with a calm tone as if they were the most normal things to say to a child his age. He wondered what kind of face that man had as he said those words, but he just couldn't. The truth was he had never seen his father's face. He was either in this dark room where the shadows covered his face or he wore that skeletal mask of his.
After what felt like an eternity, he was left alone to lie there crying silently. When they're done treating you, you're leaving right away for the Vermillion Kingdom. One of the precious princesses is turning twelve, so she'll be unlocking her cultivation abilities. You'll be representing the Bone Kingdom. Use this chance to learn something about people. Get up and leave now…" The rest was just a blur with everything turning dark and then he was waking up in his room with his wounds gone from his body, but he still felt some pain when he moved. Next, he found himself in this carriage journeying to the Vermillion Kingdom.
* * * *
Aramith was about to open the door, but Lia held his hand. He looked at her and she looked worried but smiled then. "Don't go in there looking gloomy, okay?" she said and pushed past him into the room. He stood there for some seconds then smiled. He did look unhappy, and that wouldn't have helped in the least.
"What are you doing standing there Aramith?" Lia shouted from inside. He shook his head and entered the room. Inside, Lia looked as filled with energy as she always did and she sat beside Mozrael on the bed.
Mozrael sat with the covers over her legs and a tray of food which she ate little by little. She looked down the moment they made eye contact. He was sad when he heard she was unwell, but then as they came there after eating supper, they met Aiden on the way. He rubbed more salt in the wound by telling him Mozrael had been ill since dawn but decided not to tell him or Lia the whole day. She even planned on hiding it after being treated by Aiden. Why did she have to hide something as important as that from them?
He couldn't imagine the pain she was going through with all that going on. All he knew was that she frequently got sick and had to be treated specially. They say it was a disease passed on by her mother.
"Let's play a game," Lia suddenly said out of nowhere.
"A game? You're not serious, right? Look, it's nighttime already."
"Yes, I'm not serious. I'm very serious about it. What game should we play?"
"Lia you know we can't play at this time. Maybe we could do something else, but not play."
"Oh I know, tell us a story, big brother. You read a lot more than the two of us, so tell us a story."
"I don't know what story to- what are you doing?"
Aramith looked surprised at Lia as she jumped off the bed and suddenly run out of the room.
"I'll be back soon," she said as she disappeared.
"That kid…"
He felt like grabbing her by her hair and dragging her back but she was long gone then he heard a soft laugh from behind and turned to catch a glimpse of Mozrael's smile. He couldn't help but smile as well and go sit beside her on the bed.
"Mozrael?"
"Mm?"
"You know…you didn't...have to hide that from us. I was we were worried about you when we heard you were unwell. I might not understand entirely why you chose not to tell us, but I do know you did so because you thought it was the right choice but that wasn't the right thing to do in my opinion. We all care about you, and it hurts me very much to see you in pain, especially when you're afraid to tell me. I thought you had overcome that fear of interacting with people, but you're still the same."
He sat up straighter.
"Hey, look at me," he said.
She paused and refused to look up.
"Please, just look at me."
She did this time, but couldn't look directly into his eyes.
"Okay, listen. I want you to try overcoming your fears, okay? Start with me. Don't be afraid of me, you can tell me anything, okay? I won't-"
"Okay." She said softly and looked into his eyes. "I'll try." A faint smile could be seen.
The door suddenly opened and Lia walked in. She suddenly gasped and Aramith turned to her only to catch a glimpse of something brown as he was knocked hard in the head by something.
"Aramith!" he heard Mozrael's voice, or was it Lia's?
"Are you all right Mozrael? I thought he was about to make you cry, so I kind of threw that accidentally…"
"Is he…" That was all he heard then silence.
A freaking table???