The Shadows ✔️ [TSS#3][BXB]

XII

"It's alright Malakei." I assure him and my grandfather hums from behind me. I turn around and notice the frown my grandfather is sporting as he looks at the Dry Lander with weariness and discomfort.

I can understand what he's feeling. I was taken from him by none other than the Dry Landers in the night. Houses were burned to the ground and children my age were slaughtered. That was a night many would never forget.

I shivered at the thought and looked with determination up at my grandfather.

"He won't hurt me or you. I trust him. He's my friend."

My grandfather sighs as he looks at me and I feel Malakei make his way up from behind me. Staying at a reasonable distance. My grandfather eventually smiles down at me.

"Well then. I suppose I have a lot of catching up to do. Come, let us all sit down and have dinner. You must be famished."

—

It was a few hours later that we didn't even realise had passed by and we were still all sitting down in the same seats we had took up. Anya, Bow my grandfather and I were laughing. Talking about the events that had happened in our lives. We were catching up.

It was all peaceful but we knew it had to be ruined at some point or another. It wasn't long until someone bursts through the doors of the dining room making us all turn in the direction startled.

My eyes fell upon my father, brother and Raen. All wearing the emotionless hard features a Dry Lander possesses but when I looked at my father, a look full of malice and hate was lingering on his face as he zeroed in on our table, staring at my grandfather.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" My father rages loudly as he makes way over to our table. My grandfather grits his teeth and stands up. All I could do was run my hand over my face tiredly as I knew a screaming match was about to begin between them.

"I have a right to be here, unlike you filthy rats." My grandfather's voice is strong, powerful. I turn my head around and my father's eyes narrow into slits. Bow steps forward, but instead of stopping the quarrel, he squares his shoulders at my grandfather almost threateningly.

"Don't you dare call us rats. We are strong warriors unlike you cowards that hide behind Gods when a storm hits the homeland-"

"How dare you speak to me like that child. Know your place! You should be locked in the dungeons for-"

"Stop it!" I yell at them, pushing up from the table. Their eyes immediately fly to me in stunned silence but they glance at my grandfather and glare as does my grandfather. I ball my hands into fists and glare at them.

"Can all of you just stop yelling? I understand you have your differences but it's time to put them aside-"

My father grunts in displeasure and turns to me with a tight expression.

"I will never forgive him. He kept you from me for so many years and continues to treat me as the criminal."

"That's because you are!" My grandfather roars angrily, bringing a finger up to point at my father's chest. "You tricked my daughter into thinking that she was in love with you-"

"She was." My father insists, an emotion waking in his eyes at the mention of my mother. "We both were."

My grandfather looks at him in silence and no one says anything. I can feel eyes on me but I don't look in their direction, knowing that Raen was the one looking at me.