Now finished listening to Edmund's story, Lily was crying and Jett was comforting her with a sad expression. Edmund was silent, giving the couple time to sort out their thoughts. Edmund knew first hand how painful the story was. To a happy family, hearing of another family similar to theirs being torn apart was a great shock.
After a while, the couple was composed enough to talk. Jett started, "Eddy, I'm not really sure what to say. I guess I now know why you never talked about this. How are you and Edmund doing?"
"Me and Ed are both over it. It's been thirteen years so we've had a lot of time to deal with it."
Lily then spoke, tears still glistening in her eyes. "Edmund, if you are over it and you are happy, I won't speak of it anymore. I have no place to be sad when you and Edain are moving on."
Jett nodded his head to agree. "So Edain is a kid with black hair and eyes, huh. That's pretty much a taboo in this village… no, its absolutely a taboo."
"That must be why no one has ever really seen him despite him living here for over ten years. He must be sick and tired of your house." Lily tried to joke but she was still visibly upset.
"Yeah, the problem is that Ed wants to leave the house, which is more than understandable. Honestly, I thought he'd want to leave sooner, but he's only started to show his interest to me now. I'm sure that he's been suppressing the desire to leave for a while. He's also realizing that he's different from the others in the village. He seemed slightly hurt by it as well."
"That's because your making it seem like a bad thing that he's different! He's been hidden away, separated from others his age, and forbidden to even look outside. Of corse he'd feel hurt, he thinks that he himself is a problem!" Lily reprimanded Edmund with a huff.
Edmund accepted the reprimanding because he knew he deserved it. "But don't worry. I have a solution that benefits all parties." Though he had an idea what Lily's solution was, he listened closely anyway.
"You need to have him meet someone similar to him and get him out of that old house! He likely feels trapped and alone so if you give him more freedom and let him meet someone similar to him, he should become satisfied. At least for the time being. Both of which conditions can be satisfied by you bringing him to our house to meet Aite!" Lily stated with a proud smile, as if Edmund didn't come to their house with that purpose in the first place.
Jett just looked at his wife and gave a soft chuckle. He then glanced at Aite who had fallen asleep during the 'boring' part of the story.
Jett added on to Lily's solution, "That's what I was thinking. Aite, while not to the same degree as Edain, has darker features that make her isolated from people. If we let them meet, they should be get along and bond with each other based on their similarities."
Lily stood up quickly and said to Edmund, "Well then, what are you waiting for? Edain's only going to get more fed up and there is plenty of time left in the day. So bring him on over."
….
'I feel ungrateful' Edain was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. 'I know that I'm being protected. I know that this is all for my own good. I just can't help it.' Edain sat up with a sigh. "I should eat."
He exited his room and walked down the stairs. All along the way were pictures of his life with Edmund. The memories stored within the pictures brought a smile to his face. No matter how upset he may get, Ed could never hate Edmund.
Edmund was his second father. The one who truly raised him to be himself. Edain has been with Edmund far longer than he had been with Damian. While Edain loves his birth father, Edmund is much more important in his heart. The only one who could compare to Edmund is his mother, Evita.
Despite Edain's young age while he was with her, he still remembers every interaction with his mother. Some may be vague and faded, but they are all there and immensely valuable to him. Edain wholeheartedly loves his mother as much as Edmund and deep down, he still misses her.
There is one similarity between her and Edmund that Edain loves. Their eyes. No matter when, no matter what's happening, they always carried kindness within them. Edain believes that the eyes reflect the true nature of people. So, no matter how hard you try to hide it, it will always show through the eyes. This is a reason that Edmund says that Edain has good intuition. Edmund, for the life of him, can't tell what Ed sees in people's eyes. Edain has tried to explain it but Edmund just chalked it up to a combination of intuition and natural talent.
Edain shook his head to escape the mix of pleasant and sad memories and continued to the kitchen. He went through the pantry until he found the lunch Edmund had prepared. It was Ed's favorite meal, and unbeknownst to Ed, a meal that was recorded in the journal. It was Evita's specialty. A mix of corn, potatoes, and sausage with some other such mixed veggies or meats based on preference and availability. Such a simple meal was loved my Ed and therefore frequently made.
It was cooked in the way Ed likes it rather than Edmund's preference. This fact alone made a soft smile spread across Ed's face. Edmund always did this. He always catered to Edain's preferences while trying to hide it. Edain caught on after a while but decided to keep it to himself.
Edain began eating his meal. The meal was good as always and was trying to savor it. When he was about half done, the front door of the house bursted open. "Ed, come on! We're going to a friends house!" Before he could even process what was just said, Edain was lifted by the collar and held over Edmund's shoulder.
Edmund began sprinting through the town with Edain flailing in the air behind him.
They quickly arrived at a house in the outskirts of the village. He set Edain on the ground who swiftly crawled over to the grass and puked his lunch out.
He turned to glare at Edmund but was interrupted by the sun in his eyes. He suddenly realized where he was and was shocked. He was outside, away from the house he's been raised in. He could feel warmth on his face, a slight breeze brushed his face carrying the scent of the outdoors.
He confusedly turned to Edmund and asked, "I thought I still couldn't go outside?" Edmund laughed and said, "Did I ever say that. No, I just implied it. And now I've changed my mind." Edain stared stupefied at Edmund for a moment before he laughed and stood up.
This is one of Edmund's favorite traits of Edain. He could always adapt. He's a quick learner which stems from him being an incredibly hard worker. He's also got great intuition.
'Eva was right, with his looks and brains, he will be a well sought after man in the future. But for now he's just a cute kid.' Edmund smiled. If Edain heard what Edmund was thinking he'd frown, but he couldn't.
The door to the house opened up and out came Jett and Lily. "Did you even leave? It's barely been a few minutes!" Jett then saw Edain and his pale complexion. "Look at him, he's pale as a sheet of paper! Did you really run here with him? Even I would puke from that and I've been trained!"
Edmund laughed and patted Edain's back. "That's the thing, Ed here is much stronger than you. And that's not to say that he's strong. You're just weak."
Jett let out a challenging smirk, "Oh yeah, why don't you come in here and let me show you how 'weak' I am."
"I'll take up your challenge. But first, where is little Aite?" Edmund was confused because the main reason he brought Edain was to introduce him to Aite. "She is getting changed into simpler cloths. We don't want her getting her white dress dirty while playing."
Lily jumped into the conversation. "Anyway, you two should come inside, we have some snacks and Aite will probably be out of her room soon."
The couple and two guests entered the house into the living room. There was a wrap around couch that they all sat on. There were snacks on the table near the couch. Edain's mouth watered looking at them but his stomach was still upset. Edmund and the couple chatted happily while Edain witched with a light smile. Edain knew Edmund was a sociable person and forcing him to stay inside to keep him company always weighed on Edain's heart. So Edain was truly happy to see Edmund having fun with others.
Suddenly a nearby door opened. Out came Aite with a light green shirt and brown shorts that perfectly matched her eyes and hair. When Edain looked over at her, he was beyond surprised. There was a similar reaction from Aite as she looked at him. She slowly and silently stepped back into her room and softly shut the door.
The adults laughed while Edain was still too stunned to speak. His eyes were glued to where she just was. His mind was filled with the image of her hair swaying as she walked out the door. It was brown. Dark brown.