"But, anyone else there would have done it. Those men, the ones who attacked us, they could have been the ones. It would make sense for them to catch me off guard by using an illusion of Grace and force me to hurt myself since they work with my brother." Agnar replied.
"Exactly!" Raymond said getting up and heading for the door.
"But..." One-eye was about to speak but was cut off by Raymond.
"Oh, shut it. You've never trusted the man, so you would be doubtful of him." Raymond said with a yawn. "I am hungry."
"Agnar you have to listen to me."
"I did listen. Though I don't think he is to blame, I will be careful." Agnar said much to the satisfaction of his friend.
"Oh? Would you look at that?" Raymond said as he opened the door to leave. He had his eyes on the ground with a small grin on his face.
"What is it?" Walking up to him, both men asked.
"Looks like two people were worried."
"Mmm, corny," Agnar said. Looking at the tender act of his sons made him cringe a little. "Oh well, it's time to wake up." He moved his foot ready to stomp them awake when someone else showed up.
"Oh? Good morning Sir." Marie greeted while giving a slight inclination of the head. "You are okay, that's a relief. The boys were so worried, they decided to sleep here. I should have woken them earlier." She said and looked at the twins only to notice a foot above their heads. Noticing her gaze, Agnar kept his foot back down.
"She's the help, right?" Raymond whispered over to Agnar who replied with a simple nod. "Well then Miss, I am very hungry, can you fix that?" He said to her with a smile.
"Right away Sir." She replied. "Shall I prepare a bath for you right now or after breakfast?" She asked no one in particular but the question was meant for Agnar, mostly.
"After breakfast." He replied in his usual husky voice. Moving closer to the twins while the men walked away, Marie bent over to gently wake them up unlike how their father would have.
"It is a wonder how you both are still sleeping through this noise." She smiled at the loudly snoring boys.
"Is she always like this? All jolly?" Raymond asked as the trio walked down the stairs.
"How am I meant to know? But, I guess not. She seems.. happy." Agnar responded as they got to the living room.
While his compatriots sat comfortably in his living room, Agnar made his way to the backyard through the backdoor. He sat in the open field with his legs crossed and his eyes shut. He breathed deeply trying to calm his nerves. His fists tightened as he dwelled in the rubble of his mind.
"I had come to terms with it, with your death. It took me twelve years, but I finally accepted it. Why? Why did I have to see that? It makes me sick to the stomach thinking that however gruesome your death might have been, I did and could do nothing to stop it from happening." He thought to himself filled with regret for a lot of his actions, most of all, for not ending his brother's life.
Meanwhile, in his manor, Demas sat on the makeshift mahogany chair in his room, next to his window with his head in his hands. "If it's the only way to cut this thread of weakness I've been hanging on, then I'll do it. But first, I need to make sure he survived. I need to make sure he's alive." He stood abruptly pushing his chair back, grabbing a coat, and leaving home.
Back in the Teferi's abode, the twins had seen and talked with their uncles before hurriedly stepping outside in search of their father who was in the middle of gloating over events he cannot change.
"Father?"
"Father!" He heard them call out to him. They, his sons, his gifts from his late wife. They called out to him with glee prominent in their voices. A small smile crept up his face.
"You're alive! Thankfully." Raten said as they got close to him. They both sat in front of him and just like he did, they too had their legs crossed.
"Did you think I'd die?" He raised a brow.
"Not at all," Kiyan answered and Raten shook his head.
"Oh really? Marie told me you were worried. Why get worried if you trust that I'll be fine?"
"What? Us? Worried?" Kiyan denied it in a high-pitched tone.
"Pfft, in no way we're we worried. Marie must have misunderstood us." Raten said and Kiyan nodded in agreement.
"Is that so?" He asked and they nodded. He then bumped their heads with his fists. "Liars."
"Ow!" They whined simultaneously and held the crown of their heads which now had bumps.
"You dare doubt the strength of your father?! For that, we train right now!" He said and stood to his feet.
"What? No. Please no."
"Anything but that please." They cried at his feet with fake tears.
"Oh, get up! Marie must be done preparing breakfast by now." He said and the twins smiled. He was only joking about the training. Breathing a sigh of relief, they followed him inside.
"Just leave before I do something I will not regret!"
"Can you just calm down and listen?!"
Stepping in through the door, the Teferis could hear the banter going on. 'Is he here?'
"Listen, One-eye, I didn't mean for any of that to happen. I didn't send him there and I didn't try to kill him." Demas tried to explain himself but One-eye wouldn't listen. "Just let me see him."
"What's all the ruckus?" Agnar said walking in on them.
"Agnar. Thank goodness you're okay." Demas said with a smile that didn't sit well with his relative. It might be due to the way the healer looked at the moment. "Agnar, I don't know what's going on and why he's saying I wanted you dead, but you understood what happened last night right? I, I wasn't at fault. You know that right?"
"I was only worried for her and was trying to... I would never, I would never plan your demise Agnar. No. Never." Demas said shakily.
"It's okay. I know you wouldn't. What happened yesterday I believe to be due to circumstances." He said.
"But Agnar..."
"Oh, shut up! Are you his wife or something? The man has no problem with this lad so why try to cause a hassle." Raymond said shutting up One-eye who wanted to speak.
"Why don't we all eat and forget about all this?" Agnar suggested and Raymond who claimed to be famished rushed off to the dining room.
"Best thing I've heard all morning."
Agnar gave One-eye a brief look before walking out with his sons. Placing his hand on Demas' shoulder and tightening his grip, One-eye whispered to him.
"They all might trust you, but I don't. I never did and I never will. If I notice you try to or are planning to betray us, I will behead you without a second thought. Remember that." He said and walked off.
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*Author's tears flowing incessantly..
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