Draeyer Academy
Drae Skyland
Northeastern Space
When Gael slipped out the doors, her father returned his attention to her. However, Areisha refused to meet his gaze and chose to play with her fingers. Even when he spoke with his soft tone, she only leaned on the grey wall behind her.
"How are you feeling, dylaga?" From the corner of her eyes, she saw him standing next to her. Soon, the left side of her bed sunk as he sat. "Don't ignore me, please?"
"What are you doing here?" she said. "Shouldn't you be with Lady Reyna? Not too long ago, she was furious when you left her to see me when I was sent to the hospital."
Sheriun released a heavy sigh as he twisted from his position. He took one of her hands in his―but not with some hesitance. Leaning forward, he kissed the top of her head. Areisha flinched from the gesture, which caused him to free her hand.
"You are my daughter," he said. "Whether Reyna likes it or not, you are my priority. Do you understand that?"
"Funny," she said. She looked up and narrowed her dark blue eyes at her father's similar-colored ones. "When mother died, when I needed you the most, I can't recall ever being your priority."
Sadness pooled in Sheriun's eyes as his shoulders sagged enough for Areisha to notice. He looked away and wiped his face with his palms. With a hand outstretched toward her, he stood. "Can you take stroll with me, to the gardens?"
She eyed his hand with a stone gaze before throwing the blanket off her. Ignoring his assistance, she slid off the bed on the other side, away from her father. When she finished fixing the straps on her sandals, she stood and went for the door. Stepping out in to the hallways, she heard Sheriun's steps behind her.
With his father's long legs―which she obviously failed to inherit―he caught up with her pace. They were soon headed for the Academy gardens.
"What happened to the men who attacked Star Dormitory?" Sheriun shattered the silence between them. Areisha didn't have to worry about Solana listening in on the conversation. Nurse Jemial had ordered them to completely seal off their abilities. If not, and since the girl couldn't remember the events, she would only pester her with questions.
"Head Ryder Kreis said they became unresponsive after the Eimion left. It's as if they lost their own minds," she said. "But of course Headmaster Donovan already told you that. You just asked that to open up a subject then steer it into a new one."
A light chuckle escaped Sheriun's lips―however it lacked even a speck of humor. She heard him sigh yet again as they passed through the entrance and threaded the cobblestone path cutting through the garden.
She relished the feel of the sunlight on her for the first time in the two days she was cooped in the infirmary. The sweet scents of flowers invaded her nose and she was unable to stop herself from relaxing at the smell. Her shoulders loosened and her pace slowed as she eyed the flowers in colors of red, blue, yellow, orange, violet and many more. Every now and then she would spot a butterfly, making her wish she brought Emera along to watch the little Draeling chase the insect around. It always gave her a bit of peace.
They came upon a stone bench between two topiaries of male and female Draelings. Sheriun led her to sit and they both did nothing but stare at the flowers surrounding them. Areisha looked down when memories of them both playing in the garden of their home flashed in her mind. She remembered they would roll on the grass and ruin the flowers in the process until her mother would tell them to stop with a smile on her face. She missed her childhood prior to her mother's death.
A hand on top of hers broke her out of her musings. She was forced to look at her father when he turned her hand so the palm faced the sky. A cool smooth object fell on her skin. The sensation caused her to cast her gaze to it, and her dark blue eyes widened slowly as tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. She wiped them away before they could create a path down her cheeks. She fisted her palm and brought the object closed to her heart while she closed her eyes.
"I loved your mother very much, Isha, even up to now," she heard Sheriun say in a whisper. "I loved her so much that I hid even the smallest things that would remind me of her. It barely lessened the pain I felt though."
Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at her father as he continued. "I didn't think that by doing so, you would begin to hate me. It was selfish of me to assume that you would never want to see anything that would remind you of her.
"I know you felt abandoned when I started being distant towards you. I was afraid that one day I'd break and you'd lose me too. I was afraid that I would give you the same hurt when your mother died. I thought if you had no connection with me anymore you'd feel less hurt―or even feel nothing at all." Using the sleeve of his top, he wiped his eyes which glistened in a sheen layer of unshed of liquid.
Areisha brought her hand to her mouth when a sob escaped her lips. This time holding back her tears was futile as the droplets slid down her face. Her shoulders shook and she clutched the square pendant she held in her hand. It was a locket. And with its open state, she saw the image of her mother for the first time in years. Her beautiful mother stared back at her with warm honey eyes and a bright smile. In her arms, she cradled a one year-old Areisha.
She took one deep breath before furiously wiping away her tears. However, they wouldn't stop, more so when she spoke.
"I still lost you," she said. "It's weird because...it hurt more than when I lost mama."
She broke in to sobs, and all she wished at that moment was the comfort Emera gave her. However, her father's arms gave her that relief. She went against what her mind was telling her and listened to her heart. She leaned in to his embrace and cried on his chest. Saggar, I missed this, she thought. I missed this.
There was no sound coming from her father, but she knew he was crying because she could feel his tears gathering at the top of her head where his chin rested. A few moments of silence more, words finally escaped his mouth.
"I'm so sorry, dylaga. I know my reasons are unacceptable. I know I'm a terrible father. But I hope one day you could forgive me and we could start over."
Areisha's sobs dwindled as moments passed and she found a smile forming on her lips. She hugged her father tighter and they stayed in the same position for who knows how long.
"Took you a while to say that," she said. There was a pause before Sheriun's chest rumbled with laughter. Pulling away from each other, he placed a hand on top of her head and kept it there.
"You really do take after your mother so much," he said. "What you said just now was almost similar to what she said when I asked her hand in marriage."
Areisha laughed along with her father. Her shoulders shook as she pressed her hand over her mouth―this time to stop laughter and not her sobs. When she calmed, she fixed her eyes back on the garden and leaned against her father. At that moment, she felt like a little girl again.
However, her mood slightly dropped when she remembered Beuen, the Eimion. She couldn't forget the fact that he knew her mother to some extent. Then she remembered her mother's holy dagger which had dealt heavy damage on the being.
"Papa?" she called. "Why did mother have a sacred dagger? And why does an Eimion know her?"
Her question seemed to cause her father to stiffen. She got no answer though as minutes passed. She felt him lower his head and kiss the top of her head before he stood. He looked down at her with solemn eyes. It caused her brows to knit lightly. "She got it as a present from a family friend," he said, neglecting the second question. "Come now, let's go back."
Even though still confused, she nodded. She stood and joined her father as they followed the path once more to the main building. As they walked, she wore the silver and green locket and it hung around her neck by the metal chain.
"Always wear that, all right?" Sheriun said.
Areisha looked down at the pendant before taking it in her hand once more. "I don't think I'll ever let it out of my sight."
"Good," he said. "And also, Bran had gone for a few months because he said he needed to tend something. That's why he wasn't there when the attack happened. So now, somebody else would be temporarily replacing him as your guardian."
"It's fine with me."
As they emerged from the garden, male laughter and small growls filtered through her ears. Her father heard it too because he stopped and turned his head to the direction it came from.
As if on cue, Alec came running up the path leading to Detrian Lake with his Draelings at his heels. It seemed that they were playing a game of tag and the three babies were 'it' as they clawed at his boots. The sight was too adorable that it was hard not to smile while watching.
Alec eventually noticed their stares after he ran and leapt in circles in front of the entrance to avoid his triplets. He stood frozen by the stairs to the main doors and only moved when his Draelings rammed into his feet. He scooped them in his arms with almost little effort after rubbing their heads. Turning his attention to the father and daughter, he smiled.
"Good morning, Lord Sheriun," he called. He bowed and straightened after. The Skylord returned his smile and gave him a nod.
"Good morning to you as well Alec." Sheriun had a look of fondness in his eyes which she used to see often when he looked at her or her mother. But as quick as it appeared, it vanished. Strange, she thought.
Alec turned to Areisha. They locked eyes for a moment before he nodded at her and disappeared inside the castle.
"The headmaster told me about your punishment and the fact that both of you are an Admix," Sheriun said as they resumed walking. "I hope everything is good."
"If you consider bad as good, then yes. Everything is good in that twisted perspective."
"Why are you so hot-blooded, my dear dylaga?"
"I am not. I am merely stating the truth about the situation―"
"That you brought upon yourself."
She glared up at her father who only returned her gaze with a suppressed chuckle.
"He knows which buttons to press to rile me up. And even though he doesn't show it on his face I know he's laughing every time he goads me," she said. "It's only been a week since I was chained to him, and I don't know how long I have until I can't stop myself from slitting his throat open."
Sheriun's laughter echoed through the lobby as they passed it on their way back to the medical wing. All Areisha could do was narrow her eyes even more at her cackling father.
"I'm sorry, Isha," he said. "It's just that I never thought the day you would pour your frustrations of a boy to me, would be this day. And like I promised your mother, I won't comment unless necessary."
Areisha's brows met in the middle and she forced herself to look Sheriun in the eye despite their height difference. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," he quickly replied. "Now, you have to prepare yourself. Headmaster Donovan has decided on telling you the circumstance that brought Alec here."
She stopped walking, and Sheriun only noticed when he was three feet away. Areisha's annoyance from earlier disappeared and was replaced by a burning sense of curiosity.
"You know why he's here?"
Sheriun smiled and angled his body so he faced her completely. "What's the second thing a Skyland Leader must remember?"
She crossed her arms above her chest while she answered without hesitation. "Know everything that you can about the happenings in your territory."
"Very good," he said. "Now come, before Jemial returns and tells you off for leaving the clinic."
"It was your idea to begin with Papa."
"I missed hearing you call me that."
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Dylaga- daughter
I finished the triplets' drawing.
Dedicated to my father. I miss you so much.