Chapter Forty Seven
1476 Words
“Father, is anything the matter? You look distraught…Is it Baric? Or the people? Here…have some wine it will calm your agitated nerves…”
Luke stretched out his lanky arms to hand his father a goblet of wine. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion when his father responded to his thoughtful action by laughing, loudly.
“What is it father? Is it my attire? Or perhaps my physique…I promise to train religiously-“
“Quiet boy…”
Luke hanged his head timidly. Despite his father never really harming him, he had this raw fear churning his insides every time his father addressed him.
“You my son ought to learn the art of listening-“
“But I do father, I listen all the time…”
“Do you? You pose inquiries and never let the other party respond. You attempt a solution, yes but what good is a solution bred to solve a presumed problem. You would make a poor leader Lucas…”
Luke blinked his eyes rapidly. His father’s words had stung but he knew better than to exhibit vulnerability. Showing weakness only made you weaker.
“Son, do you understand that one day you will take over the throne? Do you understand the responsibilities that you will have when your time comes? Listening is the core of good leadership. These people, they need me to listen to their grievances and one day they will need you to do the same…”
Luke swallowed the swiftly forming lump in his throat. Memories of him pushing his brother on the staircase rushed to display themselves in his mind. He was the reason why his brother could not voice his utterances fluently. He was the reason Baric’s feral flame had been reduced to a weak flicker. He was the reason the people of Chi would never be able to share their grievances with Baric. The latter was a shame, Baric was an exquisite listener.
“…that is the whole point of leadership…”
Luke released a strained sigh. Once again, he had not been listening.
“I do not suppose you were listening to me, were you?”
Luke timidly shook his head as he trained his eyes on the turquoise marbled floor. They were exceptionally beautiful, especially when the sun was setting. The casted rays illuminated the cross between green and blue hue magnificently. Luke smiled as he spotted numerous brilliant glints across the floor.
“…That is why it is important to listen…”
This was getting absurd. How was he this bad at listening?
“Look at me boy…”
Luke meekly brought his gaze to meet his father’s. He squinted his eyes to examine the wrinkles on his father’s face. The setting sun had casted its orange light on the throne illuminating King Matthias’ visage. Luke had always considered his father to be strong, capable. Although he understood that one day his father would die, he simply could not see it happening. In his child mind, his father, his hero, would live forever.
“One day, I will not be here and when that happens, I need you to sit on this throne and rule over Chi with wit, valiance and fairness. Promise me that you will learn the art of listening…”
Luke, meeting his father’s intense gaze steadily, bobbed his head once. In his mind, his father would always be there to guide him, to teach him.
Sadly, this was not true.
* * *
“…we will definitely die… Wait, are you even listening to me Luke?”
Luke slowly lifted his gaze to respond to Lawrence who had not stopped pacing about. His face was red and Luke was positive that he had seen a bead of sweat trickle down the side of his head.
“Pardon?”
“You cannot abandon us and go back to Chi…”
“What about the people? I cannot just abandon them, your father-“
“Is a greedy man with ill intentions towards Chi…”
Luke’s mouth widened a fraction, he had not anticipated this response from Lawrence. Of course, he was aware that Dawson and Lawrence had a strained relationship but Lawrence had never talked about his father in this manner.
“You knew him as a council elder, if you resented him just by interacting with him during council meetings, imagine how I felt growing up with him as my father…”
Had Lawrence always detested his father? Had Luke never listened, really listened to Lawrence while growing up?
“As much as I find this conversation delightful, I am afraid we are way behind schedule. We need to move.”
Both humans ignore the mage.
“Luke, listen to me. You can choose to return to Chi and salvage everyone from having to be ruled by my father…The people will praise and adore you up until they find out you gave up on your brother for the throne. They will thereafter begin questioning your intentions and before you know it, my father will go back to sitting on that throne…You want to be a good leader? Save your brother’s life…”
Luke had known Lawrence and Baric to be close. He had admitted long ago to feeling envious of their close relationship. But it was only then that he truly saw Lawrence’s devotion to Baric. He snuffed the flicker of jealousy stirred by this thought. He could not help but wonder if he would one day be able to such a friendship.
“I was not going to abandon my brother Lawrence…I have lost too many of my family members to risk losing another one…”
Lawrence gave Luke a somber nod. He understood his words. Lawrence had been there throughout all these losses. He suddenly felt like embracing Chi’s prince. The man had gone through so much. It finally dawned on Lawrence that apart from Baric, Luke had no one.
“Can I…embrace you?”
“No…”
“That was rather quick wasn’t it? What is wrong with me giving you a brotherly embrace?”
“The fact that you referred to it as a brotherly embrace!”
“Your sister was forced to leave you-“
“No, she chose to leave…”
“Then your mother vanishes…”
“My mother is dead. She was killed by my sister…”
“Then your brother is abducted by our enemies and now he fights for his life…He might die.”
“Baric is strong, he will fight…”
“Was your father strong? Did he put up a fight?”
“I…I don’t know…”
Lawrence had been strategically moving towards Luke all through his emotional prods. Now he was facing Chi’s prince. For once, he did not feel intimidated by Luke. What he felt, was pity.
“Can I embrace you now?”
With a mind of their own, Luke’s arms stretched towards Lawrence shoulders. In turn, Lawrence yanked Luke’s arms, pulling him into a tight, brotherly embrace. Luke immediately stiffened before relaxing and letting the feeling of comfort wash over him.
“Thank you, friend…”
Roselidah had grown weary of trying to hasten the humans towards their destination. She had chosen to plop herself on the hard ground and watch the exchange before her. Currently, her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. What she had encountered had been…beautiful.
“Well well, isn’t this a sight for sore eyes…You could almost cry…”
Roselidah sprang up from the ground assuming a combat stance instantly. Her eyes hurriedly scanned her surroundings before landing on a silhouette cloaked by the mass of green bushes.
“Martha? What are you doing here?”
Martha finally stepped out of the shadows, her eyes glinting with a wildness Roselidah was not accustomed to. Her appearance here was bizarre. Had Tamara sent her as an aid? Perhaps word of her ambush had reached their leader. But why send Martha? Tamara had made it clear that she did not trust her.
“I promise you will not believe it when I tell you…”
Roselidah averted her gaze to the strewn swords next to Martha. She suddenly felt naked, vulnerable, afraid.
“What do you mean? Is anyone else here?”
“No and sadly, there won’t be anyone else here either after I am done…”
- Writer
