The Traitor's Heir

Chapter Eight

He was a helpful boy, who had grown into a helpful young man, always the first to offer assistance to a person in need. Even as a child he had been quick to look for ways to help his mother and as a result was one of the best cooks in the Caverns, an accomplishment that very few men could boast of. He was naturally outgoing and had quickly become a leader in the Squires, as other boys seemed willing to follow him into whatever antics he could imagine.

The third born of the Kalena family was another son. Iggy had been born not quite two years after Xav and was as quiet and reserved outside of the walls of their small, merry home as his older brother was gregarious. He was generally content to act as his brother's second, making sure the plans that Xav came up with actually stood a chance of being carried out. While Xav couldn't be described as reckless by any stretch of the imagination, Iggy had on occasion pulled the older boy back from crossing the line and getting into trouble with the boyish pranks that had arisen on those days when the Squires had too much free time on their hands awaiting the day's orders.

There was a particular prank involving a cow being suspended from the Heart that every other member of their group had seemed to think was a grand idea, that Iggy just couldn't see turning out well. Thankfully, over the years Xav had come to trust his younger brother's judgement implicitly and with a glance Iggy was often able to let the older boy know that he had gone too far.

"You're right that they aren't asking just anyone to take the oath. They're asking my boys. And that is a mistake to say the least. You should enjoy these years of your youth before you have to eat, drink and live war every single day for weeks and months and years on end. Ask you Father. He practically danced with joy when his mandatory years were over and here you are volunteering to take on more time? You don't understand what you're asking." Her dark grey eyes flashed as she turned her eyes towards her husband, pushing a strand of silver streaked hair back behind her ear. "Tell them. Tell them about the horrors that you saw and how it's more than just a game when you're actually out in the field, instead of just walking along thorough these little day trips that they take the Squires on."

Aquala had already placed dinner on the table, and had begun to pass dishes around so that each member of the family could help themselves to their favorite dishes, when Iggy had said that he and Xav had an announcement to make. She'd smiled warmly at her son for the first ten seconds of his little speech and then Quara had noticed that she was gripping the bowl of stoneware that she was holding so firmly that all the color had drained out of her fingers. Before another ten seconds passed Lina noticed that the bowl of garlic eggplant was trembling ever so slightly, before she had slammed it down hard onto the table.

"Mother, we aren't rushing towards battle, but it's coming for us now, as we sit here. We've been hiding in here for generations and so far the defenses have held up. We aren't going to be able to do that for much longer. The danger is virtually at our doorstep, if it isn't already inside our walls. Everyone..." Xav stopped abruptly. Simultaneous looks from both his father and brother let him know that he had already said too much.

"You know something about this?" Aquala's voice was suddenly dangerously calm as she stared at her husband. Quara cast an alarmed glance in her sister's direction, but Lina looked utterly unaffected by the conflict that surrounded her. "Tell me that you haven't been encouraging them. I thought we'd agreed long ago that we wouldn't encourage our boys to go charging off like fools to their deaths, like so many of your friends did. You were lucky to come back alive but most-"

"Stop." Quart's voice was soft, but his tone had an air of finality about it and much to Quara's surprise her mother's voice trailed off mid-sentence. "I know, better than anyone at this table what I saw out there in the forest. I alone hold the memories of those we lost in my mind as clearly as if it happened yesterday. And I don't need to be reminded of it for it is always with me and never more inescapably than now, when our sons face this decision." Aquala bit her lip as her husband spoke and Lina leaned forward ever so slightly as she studied her mother's expression. Were those tears gleaming in her eyes? She had never seen her mother cry, and so Lina now fixed a steady gaze upon the family's matriarch, more focused on the possibility of tears than on the actual conversation that was being hammered out before her on the common room table.