Chereads / GOT/ASOIAF:House In The Wastes / Chapter 7 - Chapter Seven

Chapter 7 - Chapter Seven

Mother gave me this diary a few weeks back, saying it would help improve my writing. I think it's working—my words flow better now, and I don't have to ask her to spell things as often. Writing has become something I actually look forward to. Yesterday was an interesting day, but I suppose every day here is.

We started the morning with our usual breakfast, simple cereal, the kind Father says is good for us. Taren seemed a little off, though. He's been more anxious lately, especially with the Dothraki nearby. He had a bit of a breakdown during breakfast, worrying about them. I didn't see what happened after—Father and Mother told us to stay inside. Father just said, "Don't worry, it's been dealt with." I wasn't that worried in the first place. I've always known that Father and Mother would protect us, no matter what. And they did, of course.

After a little while, when Father and Mother came back from outside, we had lunch. It was something new—Korean-style noodles. I liked them a lot, especially with the way they had a little spice. And for dessert, we had ice cream! Father didn't eat any, though. He said he was on a diet, and I guess I get it—he's always talking about staying in shape even though we're here. Mother offered to help him lose weight with her powers, but Father refused. He said, "It's not fair to cheat. Things you earn are always sweeter than the ones you get by cheating."

I don't fully understand that, but I think I get the idea. After lunch, Father left for his microbiology class. I'm still not sure what microbiology is, but Father says I'll learn about it when I'm older. He's always studying something.

Once lunch was over, we all kind of went our own ways. Mother headed to the TV room to start watching her daily K-dramas—she loves those shows. Taren went for a swim, and I joined him. I love swimming, especially because the pool is warmer than the house. It's always freezing inside because of Father's condition. But when he swims with us, it's so, so cold. I sometimes think the pool might freeze over when he's in there.

After we swam, we dried off and went to watch the K-drama with Mother. I'm starting to understand some of the stories, even though they're in a different language. When we finished the episode, the sun had already set, and it was time for dinner. Father joined us in the dining room, messing up our hair as usual. Taren hates it, jumping away every time, but I don't mind. I kind of like it.

Dinner was spaghetti, which Father made with a wave of his hand, and we had Coca-Cola with it. I like Coca-Cola a lot. While we ate, Father told us this strange story about the Vatican selling "passes to heaven" for money. I didn't really get it at first, but Mother explained how some people did wrong things, and just because they were priests didn't mean that God endorsed it. She said they'll be judged by God one day and that the Vatican itself stopped that practice a long time ago.

Father took his defeat with a sarcastic joke, as usual, but I could tell he wasn't really upset. They always have these debates, and it always ends with Mother getting the last word.

After dinner, Father asked us about our swimming. He's always checking to see if we're practicing correctly, like it's part of his job to make sure we get stronger. We talked about our day for a while longer, and then we all finished up.

Later in the evening, Taren, Mother, and I went to the prayer room to say our nightly prayers. It's become a routine now, something we do together before bed. Father didn't join us, though. He said he was going to do a horror marathon, which I think means watching scary movies all night. I don't know how he can handle that.

I'm glad I have this diary to write everything down. It's funny how much has changed since we came here, but in a way, it all feels normal now. Father and Mother have made this strange place home for us, and I know we're safe with them. Even when the outside world seems dangerous, in here, we're always protected.

Signed,

Orin