Blood and Bone

Chapter 3: Athena

I had always hated goodbyes, any kind. I hated when dad left for work or when Erik went to Dallhurst. I hated thinking about the possibility of them never coming home, and goodbye would be my last words to them. So now, as I stood in the living room staring at my family, I refused to say those words.

My knees bent, and I propped my elbows on the ends of the couch staring at my three younger siblings. Nyssa, being 11, knew what was going on and her green eyes filled with tears as she held her hands tightly together. Nate, who sat in between her and Sophie, played with his toy quietly distracting Sophie from the emotional atmosphere that hovered over the room.

"I will be back soon." I pushed a piece of dark red hair behind Nyssa's ear as she sniffled, getting the attention of everyone. She simply nodded her head and let me wipe away her tears, her tiny arms wrapping tightly around my neck.

"Promise?" I stiffened and squeezed my eyes shut, taking in a shaky breath. Yes.

"I promise." I meant it. I didn't take promises lightly, I never had. I hated making them, but that didn't say I couldn't keep them. This was a promise that I was going to keep no matter what. I was going to come home to my family.

"Thena?" Nyssa sat back, and my eyes fluttered over to two pairs of bright green orbs and two tiny faces of freckles. A small smile slipped onto my face as I stared at my eight-year-old brother and six-year-old sister.

"When will you be back?" Nate's little voice asked, and my shoulders sagged. I didn't have an answer for him. Training would be a few months then I would travel to the front, and that could take years.

"I don't know buddy," I stated truthfully. I wasn't going to start lying to him now.

His bottom lip stuck out as he pouted, Sophie coping with his facial expression.

"No more toys?" Her voice quivered causing a ripple through my heart as she began to cry. I sucked in a deep breath and shook my head slowly, then leaned forward and planted a kiss on her tiny forehead.

"Not for a little while Peanut. But I will make sure Eli and Erik bring you one a week." I winked at her, and she giggled, the sadness fading away at the thought of new toys every week. With one last kiss on each of their foreheads, I stood up, fixing my grey pant legs. Erik was the closest one to me.

His eyes were sad, and a frown covered his lips. Although we didn't have the best relationship, he was my brother, and I was certainly going to miss him.

"You be careful okay?" I nodded my head, no words forming on my lips.

He pulled me in for one last hug before releasing me, let me move onto Eli. His eyes shone with hidden tears as he fought back the urge to cry. His eyes were filled with anger and sadness and everything in me wanted to tell him everything was going to be okay but in truth, I didn't think it would be.

"I hate this. I hate it so much." My arms wrapped around his neck as he pulled close. His hands wrapped around my back and clasped onto my shoulders, letting my head lay on his shoulder. I could feel his tears fall and land on my shirt, wetting it but I didn't care. We stayed perfectly still for a moment as we kept each other close, near wanting to let go.

"I'll be okay," I whispered, hoping the words would hit him enough to be okay. He said nothing.

Finally, after a few moments, he pushed away, keeping me at arm's length as he looked my face over. I did the same, trying to memorize every detail. The light freckles that littered his skin and those green eyes I had always envied. I tried to memorize every detail so that no matter how long I was gone, I would never forget the face of my best friend and brother.

His left a feather of a kiss on my forehead, let me close my eyes and savor the moment.

"Come back to us, Smoke Eater." He finally said and let me go, a faint, sad smile on our faces as I made my way over to my father.

His body leaned over the old fireplace, and I couldn't help but stare for a moment, he looked older, aged by the stress and worry over the years. His red and grey peppered hair was in a curled short mess that matched my brothers easily. His wrinkled face had formed a smile that reached his eyes letting me know that he was trying to be okay with this, trying to be okay with the fact that his daughter was going off to fight an in a war we don't believe in. But he couldn't break here or now, this was the time when he has to be at his strongest because I was leaving and he has to fill my spot until I come back.

His large calloused hand reached out, laying gently on my cheek as he stared down at me. He didn't bother to hold the tears back, and he let a few falls, rolling down the creases of his face. I leaned into my father's embrace and tried not to break, myself.

"Remember everything I taught you, parvulus." I nodded, letting him know that. Would never forget the many lessons he taught me.

"Come back home." He whispered.

In that single moment, with my family around me and my heart slowly breaking, I decided one thing.

I was going to come home, no matter what.