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“Take my heart.”
Viren choked on his own words as he felt his eyes widen. His son - his own son - was negotiating a life-or-death compromise - willing to sacrifice his life for the kingdom he loved so much.
“Take it,” Soren pleaded, his voice teetering on the edge of a desperate man. “Take my heart and save Katolis .” He shoved the Staff of Ziard into his hands. “You said you were a servant .” He steeled his gaze, applying pressure to the staff as it pushed into Viren’s grasp. “A Crown Guard serves the kingdom too.”
“Take - - my - - heart - -”
“Mommy!!!!!!”
Viren stood from the scene at a distance. His heart was already iced and cold; his gaze glazed over with a detached sense of neutrality.
Good. Let her leave. If he could not force Lissa to see his way of things, then they were better off without her. Begging was beneath him. He let his daughter do the pleading. It would teach her a lesson.
Claudia ran from the house - gasping, huffing with overflowing emotion. She tripped down the steps after the departing figure, but quickly stumbled into a run. Her little hands grasped the hem of the woman’s dress.
“I won’t choose!” she cried, tugging at the fur-lined garment. “Can’t I have both? I won’t, I want both!”
But Lissa was resolute.
“Claudia,” Lissa rasped - and Viren could tell she was fighting to keep her composure. She inhaled sharply as her own cold gaze studied her hysterical daughter. “You have to stay together, and take care of your brother - to take care of each other.” She then looked ahead, ready to make her departure.
“Life does not always mean to be easy - and I am choosing this path in hopes that you will one day choose what’s best for you.”
“But you’re what’s best for me!” Claudia yowled as Lissa shook away her daughter’s clutches.
“I love you,” Lissa declared, and then walked resolutely forward.
Claudia wailed. She wailed, and the sound bounced off the cobblestones and off the rafters and into the night sky.
But Viren just stood and watched, detached.
Soren peaked out from behind his father, watching the whole scene from the shadows of the older man. His color had never been better, and the boy stood up straight for the first time in a very, very long time. He looked from his sister, and then to his father, and back to his sister again.
“Dad - -” he began, and Viren side eyed him.
“Son,” he coolly retorted in that distinct tone. “It’s a lesson ,” He refused to offer any sort of comfort.
The young boy’s wide eyes were like two glassy rounds, stricken in shock. He shook his head as if to disagree with his father, and then marched from behind the doorframe to meet his sister.
“Claudia - - hey, Clauds,” he offered, taking his younger sibling into his arms. He was still a child, and yet already his instinct was to protect.
“I got you, sis.” Soren stroked his sister’s hair as her body wracked with sobs. “I’m here for you. I’ll always love you. I’ll always protect you.”
A great tremble shook the stone ground beneath them. Dust and pebbles pelted in from the blocked ceiling grate, and with every tremor, the dungeon grew darker.
Viren licked his cracked lips, the weight of The Staff of Ziard decidedly heavy. He sucked his tongue to wet his dry mouth.
Life…often had a cruel twist of fate.
The son he saved once - sacrificing himself for the greater good.
“Do - - “ he started just as a distant set of screams pierced his ears. “Do you have a knife?”
Claudia hummed as she stirred the batter, smacking her lips with anticipation of its taste. Although Viren promised not to interfere with breakfast, he observed his young daughter - nay, this young woman - as she prepared the meal with care.
But she suddenly stopped, and glanced at her father with round eyes and a panicked face.
She gasped. “Look at that!” Claudia pointed out the window, dramatically and suddenly.
“What?” Viren questioned, snapping his head towards the window. “What do you see?”
And then his nostrils were assaulted by an acrid smell.
Mealworms.
His gaze focused back on the stove, and saw - just in a second - the wisps of violet smoke dissipating into the air.
She was doing it again .
“Claudia - - “ he began, piecing together the deceptive trick - -
“Hey Dad,” she cut in, whisking away at the batter and neatly cutting him off. A smirk alighted her young features as she grinned, “Whatever happened to Kpp’ar?”
“Wait - what?” he retorted, forgetting his daughter’s use of Dark Magic at the unexpected question.
A pit drop in his stomach.
“What happened to him?” she repeated, searching his father’s face for answers. “He like…just kinda poofed , then disappeared, no?
Just then, Soren entered.
“What are you talking about?” the young man asked, slinging the mock wooden sword behind his back. His height had shot up significantly, and his body was strong and strapping - all signs of his childhood breathing sickness erased. Sweat dripped off his brow as he stood slightly panting, clearly returning from his morning training.
“K’ppar,” answered Claudia, now testing the cast iron pan to see if it was hot. She flicked little water droplets onto the pan, and they responded with a distinct ‘hssssss.’
“Kpp’ar?” Soren responded with repulsion. “Who cares about that old geezer and his creepy house?”
A fire fills Viren’s veins - but from anger of guilt, he knows not which.
“You dare talk about your elders that way?” he screeched, and Soren’s eyes grew wide in shock at the response. Even Claudia turned from her place on the stove and gave him that look .
Soren shifted awkwardly. “I was just - - “
“Just what ?” spat Viren, the truth gnawing away at his own guilt. His words become caustic and sharp - as if his ire could erase his own dark secret hidden just under the surface. “Kpp’ar was one of the most well-respected members of the Katolian Royal Hierarchy - and if you want to make Crown Guard, your blatant disrespect needs to shift.”
Soren huffed, a quick breath expelling from his lips.
“Go back to training,” Viren said, rolling his eyes and turning back to the map he was studying.
He didn’t know why he said it - why he was like this . Soren turned to go, and if Viren wasn’t mistaken, there were tears in his eyes.
His son deeply, shakily exhaled. With his eyes clamped shut, he pulled out a dagger from his breeches - sharp and true.
A flash of fear gleamed in Soren’s eyes - but it was just for a second. He offered the weapon to his father and signaled to his neck. “Just make it quick.”
Viren’s fingers trembled as he grasped the dagger. Instinctually, he put a hand on his son’s heart.
“Son…”
It was the worst night of Viren’s life.
Soren’s body had never been so weak - had never been so close to death. A grey, pallid complexion overtook the boy’s features. He was still - all except for his lips, which drew panting, gasping breaths.
Lissa stroked the young boy’s clammy forehead as Viren grasped his fingers.
They were as cold as death.
“Hang on, my sweet,” his wife’s voice cracked and waivered as she caressed his temple. “The baker promised a giant loaf for you when you get better - TWO giant loaves!” She trembled as the words exited her mouth.
But Soren just lay there, fighting the sickness with his very life. It was as if his soul were a light - and it was flickering and fading fast.
Her gaze rose up towards Viren - her hazel eyes were bloodshot with fatigue and tears.
“My son…” she whispered, “Soren…”
She sobbed.
And Viren made his decision.
He seized the knife out of Soren’s hand. The Crown Guard’s eyes followed as he pulled the dagger towards his own chest.
“I am a servant,” he whispered. “ I gave you life.” With each word, Viren’s voice grew stronger. “ I gave you breath!” He pulled down the collar of the tunic. And with the dagger, he drew the first set of lines.
He flinched as blood began to seep from the shallow wound.
“I know you won’t accept my words now,” he said to his son, echoing his sentiments from the last time we spoke. “I am proud of you.” Tears glimmered in his eyes. “My life for yours, my son…”
“It’s what I always wanted.”
The walls shook as Soren stepped back, his breath deep and heavy. His eyes blinked and astutely studied his father, before nodding his head once - and then he turned to leave.
“Soren!”
The Crown Guard stopped. He picked up his head in the direction of his father’s voice.
“I love you,” Viren spoke, letting the words fall from his mouth in the desperate plea of a doomed man. “I love you so much . And I love your sister, too. I love my children more than my life!”
There was a beat. Another tremor shook the ground below them.
Soren’s head tilted ever so slightly.
“Then let your life be worth it.”