A few hours ago in the Citadel ( city of priests)....
Albert's father, Allen was sitting in his office in the large house. He was supposed to be reading the Journal, but his mind was elsewhere. He was thinking of his sons and smiling to himself.' They should be bringing it back by now' he thought. Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming toward him. A faint menthol smell had him clicking his tongue in disgust. It was the branch family leader, Alexus. For someone who lived in the outskirts of the Western Region, he sure knew his timing.
He knocked on the door and, not waiting for an answer, let himself in. He was a tall man with an unpleasant protruding potbelly. His balding head did not make him look any better. In fact he wasn't a handsome man, but he made up for this with his cunning mind. This mind was what had built one of the branch families to par with the main family in the House of AL. Still, he was one unpleasant man, another trait of his that made him difficult to deal with.
He sat down on one of the empty guest chairs and presently lit a cigar. Allen pulled back and went closer to the window behind him. " You know, I heard a very strange rumor back in my mansion that I just had to come and confirm it with you", said Alexus looked at the man quietly. He had always outwitted, outsmarted most people but had never beaten Allen. This always felt like a thorn on his side and always made him angry. So when he found out about the invasion, he was excited. Finally, a way to crush the main family, he was elated and rushed over. However looking at the man whose face showed little concern and barely hid his disgust, he hesitated.
'Let's humor this pathetic fool' thought Allen. He cleared his throat and asked," What rumor"? Alexus' eyes brightened. " I heard that your children found something interesting in the Central Region something that they rushed to have", said Alexus studying the old man's face. Allen's face did not change, not even minutely. This vaguely irritated him but he hid it well. On the other hand, Allen had panicked but, with the experience that comes with old age, he had hid it well. He looked at Alexus whose face betrayed every emotion he had yet to learn. He smiled, 'this was going to be easy' he thought. "Really? I had no idea I simply sent one to bring the other back," Allen replied quietly.
"Oh so that's it," Alexus said as he smoked his cigar twice. He released the smoke then said," Oh well your younger one really did have a nasty crash and he has a broken leg was it"? he asked and smiled. The man opposite him just made a very subtle change in his face. It was small but for Alexus, it was enough. " I do hope they will get back safely," he said as he stood up suddenly his protruding belly jiggling disgustingly. He went straight for the door and was about to leave when he stopped and said," I sent some of my men to help them out if that's okay with you." To which Allen replied
" I didn't know you were the caring type Alexus." This made him turn. He wished he hadn't. The air seemed to change and became deadly. " If you harm my sons again I will destroy you this time," said Allen in a very cold voice full of unbridled rage. This was a side Alexus had never seen. He rushed out, banging the door behind him. He was terrified. Did he bite off more than necessary?
He hurriedly walked towards his car. It was an amusing sight. He got inside and took out his phone and called, no one picked up. He began to sweat. He needed to call it off. He had mistaken a rained on lion for a pet cat and tried to take its cubs, now, he wished he hadn't.
Allen had waited until Alexus had left and called Albert. " Come home now", he said and hung up.
* * *
Albert had known his father for a long time but, his father had never sounded like that, not even once. He had always assumed that nothing fazed his father no matter what it was. However, something had happened, something that shook him and that's what made him sound desperate over the phone. Whatever it was, he hoped it was anger then maybe, Alvin would see the true brutal nature of their father. He smiled in anticipation as he watched the trucks leave the damaged gate of the village. He looked up. The village barrier had held up despite the barrage. In a way, it seemed to resemble his father, standing proud, beaten, bruised but never fell. Despite his hate for him, he was proud to have him for a father.