by Lan Dang
Chapter 13: House Visit
That night, Eric couldn’t sleep very well. He kept tossing and turning. Even the cool silk sheets and soft comforter could not lull him to sleep. Thoughts plagued his mind. Thoughts about staying here to correct the way life was for his people versus the thought of returning home. It took a long time before he fell asleep. When he did wake up, it was some time in the afternoon but someone, probably Yulik, had left the drapes closed so that light did not shine through to interfere with his sleep.
Eric wasn’t sure when Yulik had come in. He had not heard a sound but there was food on the table. He would have continued sleeping but his stomach was starting to growl. He yawned and got up out of bed. He immediately went over to the table and hungrily ate what was brought to him. He was contemplating what he should do today. He finally resolved to go outside and continue with his sightseeing.
By now, Eric was familiar with the way out of the castle. He had memorized the direction and was no longer lost, although all the hallways and silver doors, initially, had looked all the same to him. He happily sauntered out of the castle and into the bustling streets. He wasn’t sure what time it was but the sun was shining brightly overhead and there was not a cloud in sight. He decided just to take a walk around the kingdom with no particular destination in mind.
As he walked by the small shops and stalls that reminded him of Farmers’ Market, many of the vendors shouted out to him to buy their fresh produce or anything else they happened to be selling. The vendors even offered him free samples to which he happily accepted. He continued walking until he reached the school. He looked around and saw Emmers sitting on the front steps.
“Hi, Emmers.” He ran over to where he was sitting.
Emmers looked up from the book he was reading and because of the bright sunlight, he had to squint to see who had called him.
He smiled as he recognized Eric. “Hi, Eric.”
“So, what are you reading?”
“My math book. It’s very boring.”
Eric nodded his head. “I agree.”
Emmers closed his textbook. “Hey, you want to go over to the stables to help out my dad? He’s really busy today because some of his coworkers took the day off. I’m sure he would like our help. It’ll be fun.”
Eric grinned. “Sure, I’m in.”
Emmers sighed. “I don’t feel much like doing my homework anyways.”
Together, the two walked through the streets, past the shops and walked behind the castle to where the stables were. Emmers was right. His dad was so busy cleaning out the stalls and putting in fresh hay, that he didn’t notice the two boys, until they were practically standing next to him.
“Hi, Dad.”
Emmers’ dad was startled. “Oh, hi there.” He glanced at his son to Eric. “I know we met yesterday but I forgot your name already.” He smiled. “Guess it must be old age.”
Eric laughed. “My name’s Eric.”
“Ah, now I remember. So what are you two up to?”
“Well, Dad, we thought you might be busy today so we offered our help.” He looked at Eric, who nodded his head in confirmation. “Besides, we also came to visit the lovely horses.”
Emmers’ dad laughed out loud. It was a surprisingly loud thunderous laugh that caught Eric off guard. He didn’t think anyone so slender and fragile-looking was even capable of such a racket.
“Well, I can’t say no to that. Not only will I be very grateful but I’m pretty sure the horses will be very grateful with your help as well. Thanks guys!”
Emmers’ dad handed them pitchforks and showed them where the fresh hay was while he swept out the stalls and washed them down.
Eric glanced around. “Where are the horses?” He noticed that the stalls were all empty.
Emmers’ dad replied, “Oh they’re out grazing in the pasture.” He pointed to the open field where Eric could vaguely make out approximately two dozen horses peacefully grazing.
“Aren’t you afraid they will run away or get stolen?”
Both Emmers and his dad stared at him as if he had made an outrageous remark. “No one steals from the Elders and the horses are trained not to go too far. They know better than to go beyond that hill.” He pointed at the hill, which served as a landmark, for the flat terrain that extended behind it.
They went back to work afterwards. It was quiet as they concentrated on the task at hand. Before it was dark, they had finished cleaning out the stalls and had placed fresh, dry hay inside. Emmers’ dad beamed at both of them and commented on the nice teamwork. Emmers’ cheeks turned red and he looked down in embarrassment.
Emmers’ dad left for a bit and disappeared into a small cottage, reserved for the workers. Emmers was left alone with Eric for a bit.
“Sorry about that. My dad gets emotional sometimes. Even if you do a simple little chore to help him out, he keeps talking about it until it starts to get on your nerves. Then, you start to regret helping him out in the first place.”
“No, it doesn’t bother me. In fact, I think it’s very nice of him. I like it when people thank me for helping them out.”
Emmers grinned. “Well, in addition to my dad’s gratitude, I would also like to thank you as well. We couldn’t have done things so fast without you. It’s been a big help.”
“No problem. What are friends for right?”
Emmers looked at Eric and smiled. Eric was beginning to see some of Jonathan in him. Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad to stay here after all.
Emmers’ dad came back with a pitcher of a dark liquid and three cups. Eric was so happy, he could have ran up to him and hugged him. The work had made everyone very thirsty. Emmers’ dad poured everyone a drink and as Eric tasted it, he immediately recognized this drink as the drink he had been having at every meal.
He was very curious. “What is this?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not exactly sure. It’s supposedly very healthy for you. It helps your mind and body in all sorts of ways.”
He explained, “I hope you don’t mind but these are leftovers. It’s just that my wife gets extra pitchers since she works in the castle as a cook.”
Eric asked, “Is this what everyone drinks?”
“Mostly. It’s just cheaper than the other drinks like milk or fruit juices. So everyone drinks it.”
Emmers’ dad was absentmindedly gazing out at the pasture looking at the horses. He sighed.
“I used to remember when we could buy alcohol and drink and party all night. It was legal except for kids of course, like yourselves. Then, the Elders came and took this privilege away. They said that people abused the alcohol and got drunk and were rowdy, disrupting the peace, and getting into fights so they outlawed it. Then, came this drink.” He gulped the last drop and stared down at his empty cup.
When he looked up again, he saw both of them staring at him.
He laughed to break the awkward silence and asked, “Do you want any more? Just help yourself.”
Both Eric and Emmers shook their heads.
“So no one drinks alcohol anymore?”
Emmers’ dad laughed. “I’m pretty sure some people make their own alcohol since they confiscated all of it in the shops and closed the bars down. They just buy their own ingredients and make it in their basement or something. They just have to be careful so no one finds out.”
He glanced back at the horses roaming freely out in the pasture and commented, “The horses look happier outside of their stalls.”
Emmers saw that the sky was turning a reddish auburn color as the sun was starting to set.
“Dad, I think it’s time for us to get the horses back.”
Emmers’ dad seemed to snap out of his daydream. He replied, “Right.”
Together, all three of them led the horses, one in each hand, by their harness back into their stalls. It took several trips but eventually
all the horses were returned. None of the horses had even tried to escape.
Eric thought to himself, “Maybe because they know they would be caught.”
Emmers’ dad smiled. “Well guys, thank you for helping me out today. I wouldn’t have been able to finish so soon. I really appreciate your help, particularly from Eric.”
He playfully clapped Eric on the back. That was when Eric realized how strong he was, despite his slender build. He almost fell forward but caught himself. Luckily, no one had noticed anything and he just smiled back.
“So Eric, how would you like to join my family and me for dinner? I would really want the rest of the family to meet you.”
Both Emmers and his dad looked at Eric. He could see that Emmers was practically pleading for him to stay.
“Ah, of course, I would love to stay for dinner. Thank you.”
“Good. Then, it’s settled.”
Eric followed Emmers and his dad back to their house. It was small but cozy. There were windows on each side of the wall and the home seemed very inviting. Emmers’ dad knocked on the door and they waited outside. When the door opened, he saw a plump, jovial woman who had blonde hair and small hazel eyes. She looked surprised to see Eric.
“Oh, we have a guest today.” She looked at her son and asked, “Emmers, why don’t you introduce me to your friend?” She looked sternly at him and shook her head at her son’s bad manners.
Emmers looked at his mom and back at Eric, forgetting that no introductions were made.
“Oh right, Mom. This is Eric. He’s my new friend. He helped Dad and me today out in the stables.” He winked at his mom, playfully. “We thought he might be hungry. I hope you don’t mind that we invited him home to your wonderfully scrumptious cooking.”
His mom blushed a deep red. “Oh, of course not. We are delighted to have you here with us, Eric. Oh my, where are my manners? You must be tired. Come in, please.” She gestured him into their home and when he was inside, she led him to one of the empty chairs in the dining room. “Please have a seat. Make yourself comfortable while I finish setting up the tables.”
Emmers grinned. “Sorry for that. But believe me, it’s totally worth it. My mom is a great cook. Trust me.”
Emmers and his dad took their seats next to Eric. Eric noticed some empty chairs were still unoccupied.
Emmers’ mom called from the kitchen.
“Emmers, would you mind getting your two sisters from their room? It’s time for dinner and we have a guest. And also, bring out an extra chair from your room.”
“Sure, Mom.”
Emmers ran up the stairs to get his two sisters and another chair. When he returned with the chair, his two sisters were right behind him. As they entered the dining room, Eric caught a brief glimpse of them. He couldn’t help but stare. They looked perfectly identical as if there was a mirror between them, reflecting identical images of themselves. They looked younger than Emmers and had long light brown hair and hazel eyes. They were both wearing the same dresses and the only difference was one had red ribbons in her hair and another had pink ribbons.
Emmers cleared his throat as a warning for his sisters to behave. “These are my sisters, Libby and Casey. And this is my friend, Eric.”
Libby and Casey both smiled at Eric, not in the least bit timid. “Hi, Eric.” They both said this at the same time. It was like hearing two voices melded into one.
Eric stopped staring to smile and say hi back. The two sisters took their chairs opposite their brother and dad. They both seemed disinterested in Eric and more interested in what was for dinner.
In front of them, was barbecued turkey, pot roast, ham, steamed vegetables, baked potatoes, salads, fruits, hand-made biscuits, and a big bowl of vegetable soup. The smell was enough to make his mouth water. Besides, he only had one meal the whole day since he had slept in late. He was beginning to be very impatient as Emmers’ mom continued to busy herself in the kitchen. She finally came back with grilled pieces of chicken and poached eggs.
She explained, apologetically, “Some of them are leftovers so I had to warm them up.”
They all waited for her to take her seat and when she did, it was time to eat. Everyone helped themselves to the food. Eric ate until he could eat no more. The table was relatively quiet and everyone was concentrating on chewing and swallowing the food, rather than choking on them. Emmers’ dad took a swig of the sweet dark liquid before he broke the silence.
“So Eric, could you tell us a bit about yourself? Like your family background or something. It is just that I haven’t seen you around before and Emmers has been quite secretive about you.”
Eric glanced at his friend who was trying to mouth some words but he couldn’t make it out. He decided to lie as best as he could. Apparently, the secret to his survival on this planet was to hide the truth as much as possible and he was beginning to enjoy lying. His face no longer turned red. He took a deep breath before he started.
“Well, uh, actually I’m an orphan. I lost my parents when I was really little.”
Emmer’s mom looked at him sympathetically. “Oh, I’ m sorry.”
Eric, motivated by this, continued with his lie. “I didn’t have any other relatives to take me in so I wondered around for a couple of days on the streets. I begged for food and slept in abandoned shelters.”
He looked at Emmers’ mom who murmured sympathetically and wiped tears from her misty eyes. He decided to speed that part up. He continued. “My luck changed when I met some of the Questors.”
The twin sister, with the red hair ribbons, exclaimed, “Wow! You met the Questors?”
Her eyes were wide with excitement as she looked at her twin sister in disbelief. They both turned their heads to stare at Eric with interest. Eric had almost forgotten that the twins were at the table.
Their mom gave them a warning look not to interrupt and she said, “Please continue, Eric.”
Eric smiled at her. “Well, they took me to see the Elders and the Elders decided to let me join them. They wanted me to work for them and I became an official Questor that day and I have been forever grateful since then. I have a roof over my head and food in my stomach. What more could I ask for?”
Emmers’ dad asked, “Well, Eric, if you don’t mind my asking, how do you feel about working for the Elders? I mean losing your freedom and sense of identity. It’s rather a large price to pay for room and board.”
Emmers stared at his dad and said, “Dad, please he’s our guest. Don’t be so difficult. Can we just change the subject and talk about something else instead?”
Emmers’ dad ignored his son. He stared sternly at Eric, rather in a hostile manner.
He continued to interrogate him. “I heard you’re not allowed outside of the castle except as ordered by the Elders. Questors can’t even go back home to visit their loved ones. Isn’t that true? I wonder how the Elders would feel that you broke that rule and stayed here for dinner.”
Eric gulped nervously. Obviously, the conversation had taken a turn for the worse. He was being targeted by Emmers’ dad, who looked at him with absolute venom, and talked to him in a harsh tone. Emmers’ mom noticed the tension in the atmosphere.
She stared at her husband in disbelief. “I don’t think you should treat our guest like this. Questor or not, he is still our son’s friend. Remember how hard it was for him to open up after Paemont’s death?” She looked nervously at her son who was just staring at his empty plate.
To both of their surprise, Emmers got up and asked his mom, “Mom, can Eric stay for tonight?” He looked at his mom, pleadingly.
She smiled at her son. “Of course, dear.”
His dad looked up and said, “I think it is best if he leaves right now. He isn’t welcome here anymore.” His voice had risen and his look was threatening.
Eric didn’t dare meet his eyes. He
knew it was dangerous for him to stay here any longer. He got up and politely thanked them for the dinner.
Emmers’ mom looked at him and said, “Please stay, Eric. Just ignore my rude husband here and stay. Emmers really needs a friend.”
Eric looked at Emmers’ mom and decided that it was okay to stay. He followed Emmers quickly up the stairs until they were safely in his room. The whole time, Emmers’ dad glared at Eric and grunted and mumbled something in a low voice. Emmers’ mom completely ignored him.
When they were safely inside his room, Emmers looked at Eric very apologetically.
“Sorry about my dad. He gets like that when you mention you know who.”
Eric could tell he felt bad and wanted to cheer him up. “Dude, that’s like the third time today that you have apologized. Stop apologizing for your family behaving the way they do. Don’t worry. I’m not bothered by it. I just wish you could treat me as a real friend and not be so polite. It’s kind of embarrassing.”
Emmers laughed. “You’re right. I won’t apologize anymore or be so polite. From now on, I can say whatever I feel.”
Eric nodded his head, approvingly. “Much better. Doesn’t it feel better to tell people what’s on your mind instead of bottling it up all the time?”
Emmers grinned. “It does feel better to be open.”
Eric asked slowly, “So what was your mom talking about earlier? Something about Paemont’s death?”
Emmers’ grin vanished and Eric wished he hadn’t been so nosy. Emmers sighed and it was awkwardly quiet for a while as Emmers stared at the ceiling.
“Paemont passed away about a year ago. He was my best friend.” Emmers gulped. “He wanted to ride one of the new horses that had been captured from the Guilden Forest and led here. But my dad had warned us earlier that this horse was wild and had not been trained yet. That day, I had led Paemont to help out my dad in the stables and when we weren’t looking, he took the horse for a ride. He just wanted to see what it was to ride a wild horse. The horse wasn’t used to being ridden. It threw him off and he landed funny. His neck snapped and he died instantly.” Emmett was now looking at the floor, absentmindedly.
Eric shook his head. “But it’s not your fault. You warned him it was dangerous to ride that horse, yet he ignored the warning and did it anyways. You’re not to be blamed.”
“My parents said the same thing you did, but deep inside, I couldn’t help but feel that somehow, if I was on my guard that day, none of it would have happened. You know, like if I had seen him leading the horse out into the field and caught it in time.”
Emmers looked at Eric with a sad expression on his face. Eric didn’t know how to comfort his friend.
“But still, it’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself for his death.”
“I can’t help it. I have a hard time dealing with people I care about, passing away, especially when their death could have been prevented.”
Eric didn’t know what to say. He knew how his friend felt but it seemed like he couldn’t persuade Emmers to let go of his past. He decided to change the subject.
“So why was your dad so upset about me being a Questor?”
Emmers shook his head. “He isn’t. He’s upset because of who you work for.”
“You mean, the Elders?”
Emmers nodded his head. “Dad hates them. He thinks they should leave and return back to wherever they came from.”
“Do you know much about the Elders?”
“They’re a mystery to us. We didn’t know they existed until the day our previous king died. They took over and true, they restored order but now that everything is back to normal, they keep on staying here. Dad says they strip us of our freedom and turn our lives upside down and he hates the whole idea of Questors.” He looked at Eric, apologetically.
“It’s okay. I would probably feel the same way you do if they hadn’t raised me all these years.”
Eric looked at the ceiling for a bit. “So isn’t there a rumor that a member of the royal family did survive?”
Emmers nodded his head. “I’ve heard of it.”
“So if he was to return, then the Elders would leave, right?”
“But that’s just a rumor. No one knows if it’s true or not. It was so chaotic back then and no one knows what happened to the prince who was a baby back then. He just vanished into thin air and no one recovered his body so we’re not sure if he’s alive or dead. But you’re right. He could technically get rid of the Elders. He has that right as a king.”
Eric murmured out loud. “Very interesting. So why do you want to be a Questor since your dad seems opposed to the idea?”
Emmers stared thoughtfully at him before he answered. “Because, I think it’s a privilege to serve your kingdom. It is even more noble and patriotic to die to protect the ones you love. I mean I did want to be a knight when I was little but all that changed the moment the Elders took over. I saw how they chose the Questors and I can’t really describe it, but I really wanted to be one. They commanded such respect that being a knight paled in comparison to that.”
Emmers grinned. “Plus, you become powerful. No one dares to mess with you if they know you work for the Elders and I could support my family. My parents wouldn’t have to work so hard anymore and my sisters could get a higher education to better their lives. I mean, if you think about it, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.”
“Are you sure about that? You wouldn’t be able to see your family again.”
Emmers sighed. “Yeah, I know.” But then he smiled and said, “Anyways, I wasn’t chosen. They pick them really young and train them for years.”
He went to his desk and turned around to ask, “So you want to see my posters?”
Eric nodded his head. Emmers removed his precious posters from his drawer and showed Eric a variety of horses. They ranged from large, muscular ones to slender, petite ones. Their coats were spotted or pure and the colors varied from black, white, brown, or grey. They talked about horses until it was getting late and Emmers’ mom came in with extra pillows and blankets for Eric. He slept peacefully that night.
