Lament for My First Life

See You in Court

The afternoon sky was thick with the gray weight of storm clouds, their shadows stretching across the old cemetery. Suddenly, the sound of a fist connecting with flesh echoed through the air. Zephyros punched Lord Varras square in the face.

Lady Varra screamed as baby Marinel burst into frightened cries. The air felt charged, grief, guilt, and fury tangled like the roots of the trees surrounding them.

"You! Don't act like you care for this child, you don't even have one!" Lord Varra shouted, his cheek already swelling.

"I've tried my best with you," Zephyros snarled, his chest heaving, "I can't even call you brother! This is child endangerment!"

"We only came to visit your brother and his wife's graves!" Lady Varra protested, clutching her shawl tightly around her.

"Lies! Is that all you're good for?" Zephyros snapped.

"She fell in! We're trying to help her out of the hole!" Lady Varra insisted, pointing to the dirt pit beside the gravestones.

"Is that why your left heel is missing, and it's in the hole, while Xylenne's head is bleeding!?" Zephyros roared.

Lord Varra's face twisted. "You lost your child, you're projecting! You don't know how to raise one, your past speaks for itself!"

"You think I did something like that to my own daughter!?" Zephyros shouted back, his voice cracking. "It was an illness I couldn't control!"

"Children need discipline," Lord Varra countered coldly, "and Xylenne is one of the few who truly needs it. She's a wild child."

While the adults shouted, Xylenne, small and pale, crawled out of the pit, dirt and tears streaking her face. She stumbled onto the grass, head still bleeding, her little frame trembling but defiant.

"You don't understand Xylenne!" Zephyros turned toward the child, desperation in his tone. "That's why your relationship with her is so poor!"

"And you do?" Lord Varra sneered. "You remind me of those fools who called themselves 'friends of bears', right before getting eaten by them!" He laughed harshly.

Zephyros' restraint shattered. He punched Lord Varra again, this time harder. Lord Varra retaliated, and a violent scuffle broke out, fists thudding, curses echoing among the graves.

"ENOUGH!"

The shout cut through the chaos like a blade. Both men froze. Xylenne, her small body puffed up with fury, stood between them. Blood trickled down her temple, but her eyes blazed. "I'll see you in court!" she declared, her voice trembling but resolute.

The absurdity struck both men into silence. Then Zephyros's eyes widened as he saw the severity of her wound. "Oh my god, this is going to need stitches!" he said, rushing to scoop her into his arms.

"I held up our deal as long as I could," Xylenne murmured weakly. "You'd better not have gone back on your word."

"Y-you're worried about that right now!?" Zephyros stammered, half-panicked, half-in awe.

"Pain is temporary..." she whispered, her voice fading, "...but forever is forever."

Zephyros turned his furious gaze back toward Lord and Lady Varra. His voice was low and dangerous. "Today will not go unnoticed." And without another word, he carried the injured child through the storm-darkened cemetery toward the waiting carriage.