Inheritance

Part 2. Chapter 57: Insanity

Maruka didn't look impressed by the fairy's knowledge like Eory hoped he would, instead, he looked perturbed. He put a hand on Eory's shoulder. "I'm happy you want to find out a way to get rid of the doppelgangers, b-but you shouldn't be so reckless. We don't have a s-single person who can use healing magic here; you'll have to rely on bandages and milk of the poppy for that gaping wound."

Eory looked down. He wanted Maruka to be more excited about his apparent success. He murmured, "I'm sorry..."

At his crestfallen face, Maruka felt guilty.

He forced a smile. "Well, I certainly am impressed that you figured out the secret to that blank journal. How did you do it?"

"Kori used to sing me this one song before bed... It was an elvish song!" Eory exclaimed.

As he explained to Maruka, he could hear her song in his head.

He remembered Kori tucking him in while he lay on the sofa in his room. He could hear her soft and soothing voice lulling him to sleep in the elven song that she had been teaching him to sing and understand earlier that day.

Everything looks dour and dull in the day,

All that is mysterious and wonderful fades away,

It is only at night that the world changes its tune,

Because everything looks different under the light of the moon.

Eory could never forget the day Kori spent teaching him the lyrics to the song in Common. It was the day he discovered his love of poetry and writing.

"And this letter," he remembered Kori pointing to the M in moon while they sat at his desk together. "Is the elven version of an M. Can you draw that for me?"

Eory smiled and nodded.

He made a crude version of the elven M in his underdeveloped script. Kori praised him anyway. "That's so good! Now, let me show you the correct stroke order."

The memory felt warm, yellow, and safe.

It made him smile even as he cradled his weeping wound. "I suppose my mind just made a leap of logic..."

Maruka returned his smile and playfully pushed his cheek. "That's smart Eory—really it is! M-makes me w-w-wonder if this song has something to do with the book."

Eory relished the selkie's praise. "Maybe. I have to start by translating the word. Of course..."

Maruka leaned on the stretcher—waiting for him to continue.

"I learned a little dwarvish from Kori, too. They use..." Eory tried to remember what Kori had taught him. "Very long words to convey actions and thoughts. I feel like this is the structure of a dwarven sentence, but this M is definitely an elvish M..."

Maruka shook his head in amazement. "I've misjudged y-y-you Eory. You're very smart; you're n-n-not just sweet and naïve."

He tucked a strand of hair behind the fairy's ear. "But you're reckless, t-t-too... You could have just asked me where to find a pen to write with. You didn't have to slash your arm open. Why did you do that?"

Eory couldn't explain it. He shrugged. "I just got excited. I wanted to solve the mystery of the book, and I didn't want to have to wait until tomorrow night. It might have all the answers, you know. And I wasn't afraid of the pain I would feel for once. It was a good feeling."

Maruka knelt before him, crossing his arms over Eory's knees. "Where h-h-has this recklessness come from?"

"From Pollyanna, from Them, from Terran, from you..." Eory placed a hand on the selkie's cheek. "And, from my father."

Maruka's lips pulled downward in a grimace. "Y-y-your father...?"

Kori's voice rebuked him in his mind.

No Eory, that's wrong. Your father was an evil man; executing those peasants was an act of evil.

He recognized the moral violation he had made and corrected himself. "I mean...since I.. I haven't had a father to look up to... I've been looking at the actions of other men and trying to discern how to behave like one. I know father's actions are not to be admired, but... He's the only father figure I have."

Maruka considered judging him, but realized he was in no position to. Instead, he nodded. "I u-u-understand... Do you want me to stay w-w-w-with you while you get patched up?"

Yes. Eory thought automatically. Wanting to be tough, however, he lowered his eyes and replied, "I'll be fine, you can go."

Maruka's worried grimace stayed constant on his face for a moment. In another moment, his lips began to turn upward in a smile and then bloomed into an all-out grin. "T-there is no need to reject my company if you d-desire it! Besides, I wish to stay, and so I will!"

Maruka climbed to his feet and planted a kiss that lasted too long to be friendly on Eory's forehead on his way up.

All of the wounded recruits in the room who were awake saw and whispered to each other about the occurrence.

Eory's face wrinkled in a smile that any sweet affections should be given to someone as lowly as he.

Starved as he was for affection, and liking how well Maruka expressed it, he pulled the selkie close in an embrace before he pulled away.

A feeling of dread and guilt pervaded him. He felt like he belonged with Pollyanna, and he felt like he was betraying her despite not being in a relationship with her. His eyes pinched closed in pain.

"Maruka..." Eory whispered. "Will you take this bracelet off?"

There was a solid block of uncomfortable silence.

"You know I-I can't do that." Maruka finally said.

You're so bad for me. Eory conceded to himself even as he hugged the selkie tighter. You both are.

An evil thought that he could not help crossed his mind afterward as he stroked Maruka's hair. You both belong to me.