Chapter 17 The Royals and Nobles
1123 Words
Uncle Matt had always been the kind of man who said strange things too casually.
Maybe that was why, when he leaned back in his chair after dinner and looked toward the dark stretch of land beyond the garden lights, none of us expected his next words to change the air.
"You know," he said, "Granny used to say our family did not come from ordinary blood."
Mom's hand stilled over the bowl she was stacking.
"Matt."
He glanced at her. "What?"
"Stop already."
I looked between them.
"What do you mean, not ordinary blood?"
Uncle Matt gave a small shrug, but his eyes remained on the land.
"Old people talk," he said. "You know how they were. Always saying strange things after sunset."
Mom's mouth tightened. "It was not for the children to hear."
"She is not a child anymore," Uncle Matt replied.
The words settled between us.
Zehra, who had been laughing only seconds earlier, slowly placed her cup down.
"What exactly did Granny say?"
Mom gave Uncle Matt another warning look, but he only sighed.
"She said there were families who inherited property, and families who inherited names," he said. "But ours inherited something older."
My fingers tightened around the cup in my hand.
"Older than what?"
Uncle Matt looked at me then.
"Older than the village."
No one spoke.
The night seemed to grow quieter, save for the gentle bubbling of the broth and the distant chorus of crickets beyond the garden.
After a long moment, Uncle Matt cleared his throat and reached for another slice of beef.
"Enough of my old stories," he said with a chuckle.
"We'll scare the kids before bedtime."
The tension broke almost instantly.
Zehra rolled her eyes. "You're unbelievable, Uncle Matt."
Someone laughed.
Arya asked for another fish ball, and Maya started arguing with her over the last crab stick.
The backyard garden soon filled with laughter once more. Conversations drifted from old family stories to harmless teasing, and before long, everyone had eaten their fill.
As the evening came to an end, everyone began clearing the table together.
Uncle Matt finally decided to call it a night.
Before leaving, he walked over to me while the others were still busy stacking bowls and packing away leftovers.
"Hey, Zattie."
I looked up.
He rested a hand lightly on my shoulder.
"If there's ever anything you want to talk about..." His voice was calm, almost unusually so. "Just give me a call, okay?"
I forced a small smile and nodded.
"Thank you."
He studied me for a brief moment, as if searching for something hidden behind my smile.
"Anything," he repeated quietly.
I nodded again.
"I know."
Outside, my girls ran toward him, waving excitedly.
"Bye, Uncle Matt!"
He smiled, ruffling Maya's hair before climbing into his old jeep.
The engine rumbled to life.
I stood on the porch and watched as the taillights disappeared beyond the gate.
Somehow...
It felt like he had wanted to say something else.
But he didn't.
For a while, I remained there even after his jeep had disappeared, staring at the empty road beyond the gate.
The night air smelled of smoke, grass, and leftover broth. Behind me, I could hear Zehra laughing at something Zach said, while Mom reminded the girls to wash their hands before touching the blankets.
Everything sounded normal.
Too normal, almost.
I touched the pendant beneath my shirt and pressed my lips together.
Older than the village.
Uncle Matt's words refused to leave me.
I wanted to laugh at myself for thinking too much. It was probably nothing. Just another family story passed from one generation to another until no one remembered where it began. Every family had those. Strange little legends. Half-truths wrapped in nostalgia.
But then again, not every family had dreams that returned in pieces.
Not every family had a Granny people visited for herbs, oils, and things no one named too clearly.
Not every family had a pendant that warmed against the skin whenever old stories were spoken.
"Are you okay?" Zehra's voice came from behind me.
I turned and forced a small smile. "Yeah. Just tired."
She studied me for a second, then narrowed her eyes. "You sure?"
"Very."
"Liar," she said, but her tone was gentle.
I laughed softly and walked back into the house with her. The girls looked tired now, which was a relief. It meant they would probably sleep early too.
"I need a rinse," I said, glancing at my clothes. "I smell like smoke and charcoal."
Zehra sniffed the air dramatically. "A little bit."
I gave her a look.
"Okay, maybe a lot."
I shook my head and turned toward the girls, who were already half-lying on the mattress as though they had not spent the entire day running around.
"Come on, kids. Quick shower, brush your teeth, pajamas, then sleep."
"Can we sleep in front of the TV again?" Arya asked, suddenly alert.
"Yeah, with Auntie Zehra!" Hanna added.
"Yeah, sure," Zehra answered before I could even respond. "But you guys need to shower first, put on your pajamas, and then we will sleep here and watch cartoons until we fall asleep."
I looked at her.
She smiled. "No worries, sis. I've got this. You go and get some rest soon."
Everyone in my family knew I could not sleep with too many people cramped together unless I really wanted to. I loved them, but my body needed space. Quiet. A corner where no one rolled over my legs or kicked my ribs in the middle of the night.
After making sure the girls were properly bathed and dressed, I helped them bring the mattress to the hall. When we got there, Mom was already sitting with Zehra, arranging pillows like she had been appointed head of the sleepover committee.
"I guess Mom is camping here too?" I teased.
Mom smiled. "Of course. Grandma wants to camp with her grandchildren."
The girls cheered.
I helped spread the mattress while they arranged the pillows and blankets. For a while, I stayed with them, chatting and laughing softly as the cartoon played on the TV. The house felt warm again, full of sleepy voices, soft blankets, and the kind of family noise that did not hurt.
But soon, sleepiness began to pull at me.
I yawned and stood.
"I think that's my cue."
Zehra looked up from the mattress. "Yeah, go rest, sis."
I said good night to all of them, kissed the girls one by one, and walked toward my room.
Behind me, their voices slowly blended with the cartoon music and Mom's gentle reminders.
For once, I let them stay where they were.
For once, I let someone else hold the night.
- Writer
