Chapter 10: Known at Last... Family Gathering
'I never thought I would be invited here, at such an early time at that fact,' Ruthar mused, peering out of the carriage at the imposing castle looming before him.
It was a far cry from the smaller, more modest residence he shared with Kimara. The main family of the Spade Horus lived here, in a fortress that looked even grander than described in the novel.
Despite its size and grandeur, there was a deceptive calmness to the place.
'Can't wait to see the witch and her children with my bastard father,' Ruthar thought with a malevolent grin.
Thanks to whatever spy the main family had on him and Elara, he was riding first class to meet his family.
Well he didn't bother much about it as though this wasn't what he wanted.
So now he was riding there with his aunt Kimara and all was silent ever since they left.
Maybe she was worried about the conversation of that time. Probably thinking he would blurt out the secret of Gandara to the entire family.
'Well I'm not that stupid and I won't say a word because she's my sister.'
But Kimara was a cornered mother here, she would do anything to make Gandara survive every perilous trouble that came their way even if it meant defying the royal house.
Ruthar felt the need to support her but knew anything he did today would decide his future.
"Heave! We are here Lady Kimara!"
The coach halted the carriage by the horses alighted and opened there door bowing his head in respects.
Afterwards Kimara and Ruthar got off before the wonderful gates.
Guessing this was where they had to walk from.
Ruthar started to match the novel's content with the environment.
Hell like gates with dangerous spikes that could kill... Check.
Ample of guards that look like knights but are brutal Excorcist that would murder you if stared too much... Check.
The ground was so overwhelming with spiritual energy you could feel and makes you almost want to collapse... Check.
This confirmed Ruthar's suspicion, 'this is the real deal, I might just die from overwhelming thoughts.. if I grew up here I would have surely became Rotexa junior.'
As soon as they got past the gates Kimara's movements became more cautious but fast urging Ruthar to follow quickly.
'I have bad vibes about this place.'
***
A little after the trekking, they sat at a round table, with many varieties of food and most importantly the main family was there.
Ruthar was given a sit but not Kimara, she was probably detested by her sister too much that she had to stand guard as a slave.
For the first time Ruthar had a good look at his father.
A hefty dangerous looking man, with a kind smile, eating like a monster released from a cage as he tore through an entire turkey like it was nothing. Not the kind of brutal he expected.
His mother Kithara ate like a fine lady but would stare at him with killing intentions every now and then urging him to take his eyes away.
'This woman could spark and throw a fork into my eyes if I stare too much.'
Ruthar took his attention away, then to his other siblings, they took their father's hair. Total white and his blue eyes.
This made Ruthar the odd one having red hair and red eyes, just like his mother.
There were three boys, one looking six, another almost fifteen also male, another male of twelve or so and the eldest was a female of about eighteen.
All major characters in this family.
Oh, Elara was there too sitting beside one of his siblings, particularly the one who was six.
Ruthar wanted to wave but after rethinking he didn't and only stared. She seemed more withdrawn than usual and avoided his gaze for some reason.
'Who knows what that's about?'
The only person missing here was....
"Rotexa."
As he whispered his father slammed his fist into the table so hard that all the plates present there bounced.
This made Ruthar quiver a little. He only whispered that, how the hell did his father hear it?
'Man I am dead.'
"Ruthar right?" His father asked with a blank face ending his eating spree and now the entire family had their eyes on him.
'Don't look scared, they are just mass murderers and brutal rulers, nothing more... Shit I think I am gonna pee my pants.'
"Yes father." Even him muttering this word knew that he was dead the moment he let it fly across everyone's ears.
The first female slammed her hand across her forehead with a dissapointed gaze, while the other boys shook their heads poorly.
"It's like Kimara did not show you our culture properly, I would slap her but a man that hits a woman is surely a pig."
As he spoke this words Kimara wordlessly walked to her sister Kithara and hunched her back.
To Ruthar's surprise she recieved two very ear harf slaps before she stood straight regaining her composure like nothing happened.
'Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Scary!'
Ruthar's throat instantly turned dry and his eyes began to squint.
'What am i supposed to do? Wait recall the culture.'
Ruthar shook his head and placed his hand on his neck as nothing came. This was truly where he would fck up.
"Is it true that you unlocked your magic at age three?" Kithara jumped straight to the query of the moment.
Ruthar opened his mouth to answer but hesitated as he knew the way he answered, would very much decide if Kimara got slapped again or not.
'Should I nod of answer aggressively?'
After a short moment of rethinking he replied.
"Yes I did, I..."
"You trained such a filthy swine! He knows no manners." His father signalled to Kithara to slap Kimara again but this time she didn't.
"It seems hitting the slave does little because she is a warrior of war and that's just a waste. He is a tutor to Elara, maybe if her husband hits her he would find those manners he lost."
Kithara's suggestion was too brutal that it struck Ruthar's impression with grief.
'She is betrothed to my brother, and about to get hit, am I just going to watch...'
The six-year-old prince gladly rose from his sit grabbed Elara by the hand pulling her closer to him. He grinned raising his hand and landing a slap on her cheek.
"Ahhhkk!" She screamed as her face was maimed by his hard slap and this infuriated the six-year-old prince.
"Quit whining bitch!" He attacked her again with a much devious slap to her face and kept at it until her cheek turned red and she was full of tears crying like a baby.
That was when her eyes crossed Ruthar. It looked like she was begging.
'Help... Ruthar! Please!'
This made Ruthar recall times when he saw that injury on her face, whenever he would ask she would only ignore him, kick him in the groin or say she fell.
But this was what she was experiencing.
'I can't even do a thing to help, I'm too weak... Sorry... I'm sorry... I'm such a fool... Baka! Baka!'
"Is that all you can do! Crybaby!" The six-year-old prince laughed uncontrollably at his achieved terror.
Even his siblings did nothing but stare, this was their culture...
"...Baka!!!!" Out of nowhere Ruthar appeared behind the six-year-old prince with a fist consumed by a red energy and full of force.
In a quick motion he struck the young prince hard on the jaw. Thanks to his magic the force of his punch threw the young prince across the room and falling back first to the ground.
"I just committed a great crime... I will probably die for this... But... Hehehehe..."
"I will kill you first..."