The Lone Call: Fists of Union (Arc II) [First draft]

*Special Part: Invitations (Azumi) (E)

"Big Brother! Wake up!"

"Hnh..?"

His vision still hazy from sleep, Ukara's eldest son felt someone shaking his body. He squinted as he felt the sunlight penetrating his room, spraying on his blanketed feet.

"Oh, it's just you, Iru..."

"Wake. Up!" She again shook him, more violently this time. "What's with that 'it's only you', huh? Come on now, breakfast's ready!"

Iruha unhesitatingly tugged on his right arm, dragging him up, to which Azu groaned.

"You're sure you have not gobbled them all yourself..?"

"How rude! I wouldn't do that with the food being rationed and all, and the people still under siege ending who-knows-when. We may have to fast again tomorrow, at that... Oh, now, you better not try to change the subject!"

He sighed after yawning while arching his back, smiling drowsily. "Alright, alright. See, I'm up. You can go now while I wash my face. Tell Savis I'm heading his way as well, before he gets too worried."

After a mild protest, Iru obeyed with a huff.

"Three minutes!" She used her fingers to make the point.

***

The smell of warm porridge invaded Azumi's nostrils as he entered the dining-living room. Savis and Ukara were already there, while Iru and Eara still busied themselves with the tea. Such a dish had been the staple of numerous families ever since the mayoral decree. A few demonstrations did take place, but by appealing to reason as there were still enemies lurking outside the walls, Yasnar had so far managed to keep his people in line.

He knew, however, like any other citizen, that something groundbreaking must be done in the near future... lest the city would implode.

"Say, have you folks heard about the western triumph?" Ukara began as they tied in to the meal following short prayers.

"What triumph is that, Dad?" Savis asked with his usual curiosity while playing with his wooden spoon. Beside him, his elder sister had already seen to almost half of her large bowl's contents almost in three blinks.

"General Urdin had successfully dealt with a Skandian field army yet again, it is widely said, as well as having part of the Vasmirian host defect to him! What kind of charisma it must have taken him to pull off such a feat!"

"If that's the case," Azumi replied stoically as he took his seat, "will you be resuming your active duty in Elbar again, as part of the general's rebuilt army?"

"Oh, take off that glum look, Azu. Things might yet be different this time."

"Different how, Dad?"

His father leant in, smiling. "Mayhaps I'll be taking you all to Elbar to begin a new life together, hmm? You did say you want to see the palace grounds, not to mention realizing your dream of someday standing in my place. What do you say?"

Eara, who had begun to enter the room and happened to catch part of the last line of what her husband had said, squealed with surprise, almost dropping her wooden tray containing five stone mugs.

"You're... serious about that this time, husband?"

Ukara straightened up, looking at his wife. "No regulation against it, you see. Besides, after Elbar is re-conquered, there'll be a fair chance of land redistribution. We might get to pick where to build our new house at bargain cost."

She thought it over and a smile slowly began to form on her face.

"Let's hope so..."

"Meantime," Savis piped in in obvious delight, "we'll sail through the Sarsan Strait, right?! Oh, how I have waited to see a real ship from up close, not to mention travel on it!"