Blood in the Dirt

Chapter 20

"No, Roberto is my uncle. My father is, well was, Aldo." She dropped her gaze slightly. Emmett noticed and stopped walking. Andrea saw him stop, and slowed down as well. He stared at her with his hazel eyes enlarged, his face changed into a look of sadness. "You don't have to feel bad for me. My father lived a good life, no matter how short it was."

Emmett shook his head and looked at the ground, "It's not that it's just...My father's name was Aldo as well." Andrea's eyebrows shot up in alarm, unable to believe her ears. "Oh, no I didn't mean that we have the same father; We couldn't. My father died three years before yours."

"Oh." was all Andrea said, still a little shocked that their father's had the same name. "What about your mother's name?"

"Christina. Yours?"

"I've never had a mother. But the woman who looks after me now is named Sofia." Emmett nodded his understanding, and the conversation dropped as they approached the steps. "Where are all the guards?" Andrea asked, but only received a shrug from his frail shoulders.

They walked slowly up the steps, and entered the building. It was totally empty; no furniture, no paintings, no guards, nothing at all. She looked at Emmett to see if he knew of a secret room or something, but he looked as stunned as she did. He took a few steps forward, and they echoed throughout the vast, empty space. Andrea did too, but her footsteps made no sound.

Emmett spun slowly in a circle, taking it all in; not that there was really anything to take in. "Where did everything go?" he asked no one in particular. "I swear Andrea, there were rows of benches, and then up there, on that higher part of the floor, were all of the Nobles' chairs. Not to mention the guards."

"Well what do you think happened?" Yet another shrug in response; he didn't seem to answer questions very well.

He turned on his heel, and began walking out. "I think I might know where they are!" Andrea followed him out the door, and caught up to him halfway down the steps. They burst into a sprint, with Andrea following closely behind.

They ran to the back of the temple, and onto a dirt path not visible from the front. "Are you sure we're allowed back here?" Andrea called to him.

"No, but I guess we'll find out!" They moved down the path quickly, and after a few steps, they were hidden by a withered forest. Andrea began to lose sight of Emmett due to the many twists and turns in the path, but she just continued to following it, knowing he was just ahead of her.

"Here!" Emmett shouted as he stopped abruptly, causing Andrea to run into his backside, and fall to the ground. "Oh, I'm so sorry, are you alright?" Emmett lifted her carefully off of the ground, and began brushing off the dirt that collected on her clothing.

"Yeah I'm fine, I just didn't see you stop."

He stared deeply into her eyes, and they stood there for a few seconds before Emmett disrupted the silence. "Can you see it?" Andrea looked to her left, and didn't see anything at first, but after a while her eyes landed on a run-down structure. It was a dark grey color, and had no windows. "When the town's in danger, the Noble's hide here so that they aren't in danger."

"They don't fight with us?"

"No. They used to, but once someone becomes a Noble, the only duties they have are to offer advice, and to enforce punishment against people who don't follow the law." he answered. "Come on, let's go check it out." Emmett began jogging towards the building. Andrea didn't follow him at first, but hesitantly, she moved towards it as well.

She caught up with Emmett outside the door where he had been waiting for her. She gave him a nod, and they entered. There was no one in the entrance room, but they could hear voices from down the unlit hallway.

"The Outsiders are strong enough as it is! We can't let them have this town!"

"If we don't retreat to the walls of Yarmol, we'll all die!"

"That doesn't give us the right to allow them to take over Yaron!"

"Without the child the prophecy speaks of, we'll have to retreat until they are found!"

"How do we know we haven't found him yet?"

After eavesdropping on the conversation for a small while, Andrea leaned over and whispered to Emmett, "What prophecy?"

"I'm not sure, but honestly, prophecies are a load of crap. They're these little stories people make up so that we have hope."

"Hope for what?"

"Hope that we'll live in peace one day."

Andrea stared at him in disbelief. He continued facing forwards, listening to the Nobles as if he hadn't said anything. "You don't think the war will ever end?"

"Oh it will end, just not in our favor."