He sighed and remembered Aigle staring at him in anticipation.
‘Oh, we will talk about it later, alright, Aigle?’
‘Sure, tomorrow is another day, but you can’t stay much longer. It upsets everyone.’
Shazar nodded.
‘Sula,’ Shazar said interrupting her. ‘Could I talk to Felix for a moment?’
She looked startled, but then when she saw he was mild and sincere, she nodded.
Felix was on his guard when he came to sit beside him.
‘What’s this all about?’ Felix asked him, pouring himself another glass of cider. It was obvious he wanted to drink himself some courage.
‘Felix. We are both grown, wise men here.’
‘Yeah?’ he narrowed his eyes. ‘So?’
‘Please, don’t make it harder for me. I want to apologise to you and to your wife. I will talk to her later-’
‘No, you won’t. I won’t leave you alone with her again and you know why!’ He sounded calm, but anger still bubbled underneath the surface.
Shazar sighed, ‘I know, I hope that you will forgive me someday for bursting in on your life like that. It’s not about being human or comyenti. It’s about the emotions, the feelings involved. Old feelings, old tears I thought we had shed.’
‘You still have feelings for her, admit it!’
‘Will you ever be able to stop loving her?’ Shazar started saying, but closed his mouth when he saw the angry look in Felix’ eyes at his trying to compare them.
‘This bond is irreversible, Felix, I’m sorry. I can’t…break it.’
‘Bond? It’s pretty one-sided as you know, so how can you call that a bond? There is nothing to break as there is nothing there, pal!’
‘Well, Sula and I are both comyenti, we are the same. Don’t forget that and mind talk will always be possible between us and be-’
‘But she doesn’t love you, man! She chose me and you will have to accept the fact that she chose a human man over you!’ Felix said between gritted teeth, clenching his glass of cider tighter.
‘She loves you Felix, don’t worry, it’s plain to see. But I’m done talking about that now. I want to talk about us, and our son, Aigle’.
Felix looked sharply at him when he mentioned his name.
‘Sula, you, me, Twello, Aigle,’ Shazar started. ‘our lives are all intertwined with one another now. From the moment he was born until he dies. Whether you like it or not, we are…family.’
Felix’ face showed hurt and unwillingness to accept this, but he knew he had to, for the sake of Aigle, Sula and his own peace of mind.
‘You cannot hate me forever,’ Shazar tried. ‘It won’t do you any good. Hate can consume a man.’
Felix swallowed hard before a moment later he said, ‘I accept your apology, but that’s all you’ll get.’
He stood up, walking past Sula and Aigle, spotting Valera and Twello cuddling together underneath some trees.
‘Well! You two seem to be having fun there!’ Felix leant forward to look at the two youngsters and wobbled a bit on his legs, laughing before he plopped down with them.
‘Twello is the name, right?’
‘Yes, sir.’ He tightened up a bit. If Sula was not accepting him with his daughter, would her father?
‘Sir? Well now, you can call me Felix. I have been hearing so much about you, but we haven’t had a proper chat yet.’
‘No, I am sorry. You were playing music or dancing, and I of course was dancing too.’ He quickly glanced at Valera.
‘Well, it is a party after all. Personally, I think there was way too much talking and preaching going on! Did you have a lot of parties at your father’s house? Ha, I bet you didn’t, huh?! He is such a bore!’
Shazar glanced over at Felix when he felt his stare from across the dying fire.
‘Not like this!’ answered Twello as he locked his eyes on those of Valera who smiled back.
Felix took a gulp of his cider and looked at the two of them. He recognized the look between them. They were in love. Didn’t she know what she was doing? It was Shazar’s son! If the two of them got involved, Felix would have to see a lot more of Shazar while all he wanted was to have him out of his life, the sooner the better. Family; no way! Twello would have to go, Shazar would have to go! This could be nothing more than an infatuation. His mood darkened more and more. How could he have let this get so far? He had to come up with something quick.
‘Valera likes parties, but she is a heart breaker of boys too,’ Felix said suddenly and glanced at his daughter. ‘Don’t you remember what happened to your last…fling?’ he pointed his glass at her.
She looked in shock at her father. Twello was somewhat surprised at Valera’s startled appearance and raised his eyebrows, glancing from Felix to her. He could tell it was more than her just being ashamed of her father’s drunken behaviour.
‘Dad, this isn’t the same!’
‘You say that now, but what if you grow tired of him like-’
‘Don’t!’ Her eyes showed yellow sparks; she was getting upset. Felix brushed it off, he was all too used to a full house of eye-shifting people! It didn’t faze him any more. Sula looked their way, stirred by the sudden tension in the air, sensing it.
‘Mr. Felix, she does not like you talking to her like that,’ Twello tried.
‘You keep out of this,’ he simply said, and snorted, ‘It’s Mr. Rosinhill to you, and I’d stay away from her, if I were you. Before we end up with another baby and “our lives will be intertwined with each other”.’ He quoted Shazar cynically, imitating his rich voice. Felix’ eyelids dropped suddenly from weariness.
Valera was obviously hurt and stunned.
‘Honey, what are you doing?’ Sula asked kneeling beside him, overly sweet and calm when sitting down, taking his empty cup from him.
‘You have had too much to drink, love.’
‘No, I haven’t-’
‘You know what too much alcohol does to you.’
He grinned at her at that and licked his lips.
‘Not everyone has to know that, dear.’
‘Yes, it’s bedtime,’ Sula said.
‘I totally agree with that,’ Felix remarked, slurring his words and tried to get up. Sula supported him and she waved a quick goodbye to everyone with a flushed face and they left.
‘I am sorry about him. He is not normally like this you know,’ Valera said deeply embarrassed, turning crimson.
‘It’s alright. He wants to protect you and I am his rival’s son,’ he sighed. ‘He wants Shazar and me gone, it’s obvious. I don’t blame him, my father messed it up for me!’
She nodded.
‘My Dad is just scared of losing me.’
‘So, what was that about? Was there…a baby?
‘What? No! That was probably my Dad referring to baby Aigle and his unusual conception.’
‘Oh, right. But he mentioned another fling? What happened to him, if…you are willing to tell me of course?’
She bit her lip. ‘There was no one, not to me. It was just one of those boys from the village having a crush on me, bothering me, stalking me. One day things got a little out of hand. He tried to kiss me on my way home from the market. We were all alone and it didn’t feel right. I pushed him away, a little too hard, but I didn’t use any ability! We are a little stronger than most people, or so it seems. Anyway, he fell with his head against a tree trunk and was out for days. We were all afraid he was going to die, but luckily he woke up from his slumber. If…he had died, we would have had to leave this place, because we wouldn’t have been safe. His parents would have had an excuse for finally chasing us away. Other people might have supported them and found reasons to drive us away; all for being different. They were never going to believe me.’
Hmm, so she is not the only one whose parents screwed things up for her, even if it was never their intention, still… a human village, what a high risk…
‘Gods, Valera, how awful. But he did wake up,
so he told the truth right? That it was only an accident; you defending yourself?’
She sighed, ‘Yes, fortunately for me and my family.’
‘Indeed. Oh, Val.’ He embraced her closely.
‘It was a mean thing to say what my father said,’ she whispered against his shoulder, tears blurring her view.
‘He was drunk, forget it. He did it out of love.’
‘No, I won’t forget it, nor forgive him.’
‘Please, just give him time. He’ll come around and accept me, you’ll see.’
Chapter 27 Nothing Personal
‘I’ve heard what happened.’ Aigle said dropping in on the farmhouse to see Valera. He was glad to find her alone.
‘Dad being drunk is no excuse. It was a mean thing to bring up Brennan and what he said about Mum’s past,’ she said clearing the table.
Aigle stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
‘Look, we both know Dad isn’t a mean person. He-’
‘If you came here to defend him I suggest you leave. I am not in the mood. You’ve upset Twello first, and then Dad, what’s gotten into all of you?’
He scratched his head, frowning.
‘Perhaps because it’s a full moon?’ he gave her a crooked smile but Valera wasn’t amused.
‘I’m sorry, Val. Twello and I were talking about Shazar. He got a bit emotional,’ and he pursed his lips. ‘With Dad I know it’s just the alcohol talking last night. He shouldn’t have been drinking that much.’
‘I don’t care about his words. I care about…him and even Mum not accepting Twello. They never will because it will mean Shazar will remain in their lives, can’t you see?’
Aigle grabbed one of the four wooden chairs by the table, turned it round and sat himself down, looking pensive.
‘Hmm. I suppose I don’t have to ask how you feel about Twello. I have seen you two look at each other. Everyone sees it, even Dad. It makes me want to have a girlfriend!’
Valera sat down as well with a serious face.
‘Mum thinks I’m too young and is worried about me wasting my life away.’
‘Well, with our powers you could be doing so much more.’
‘How can one waste a life devoted to love?’ Valera asked Aigle with eyes so bright and green, the likes of which he’d never seen in her before.
He relented a little but licked his lips.
‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to use our powers and at the same time feel safe and protected? You would never have that here, not completely. We can’t tell our grandparents, nor our human friends. There is always the risk of unexpected visitors and the risk of ypaka’s coming back…’
‘I’m not bothered about using my powers too much and there is always a risk of exposure anyway, be that here or elsewhere in the world. I will keep the shield up against the ypaka’s and make it stronger, that much I can do. I want to be able to feel safe and protected in family life right here. I want to have children with Twello. I will train them like mum trained us. My children will secure the comyenti future.’
Shazar’s words came to Aigle’s mind again about hybrids usually being sterile. Aigle hoped for Valera that wasn’t the case with her. He knew how she loved children. It would break her heart. He put up a brave face for her, not wanting her to know.
‘That’s admirable, I give you that, there is power in numbers and we need that. But by not being able to use your powers to their fullest ability, you’re not only limiting yourself, you’re also… an ostrich sticking its head in the sand whilst sitting on its eggs; waiting for them to find you!
‘Everyone has got their own path! Mine is having children and through them something of us will remain. I will see to that. The comyentis will be gone in two hundred years time if I don’t!’
He smiled defeated. Valera was right. If she was fertile, it could mean all the difference for the comyenti survival. Both he and Fay weren’t particularly interested in having offspring and he knew they had to procreate somehow. Fay, because she didn’t like children, and had chosen a female partner and Aigle because he really wasn’t interested in forming a relationship with anyone yet. There was so much at stake and so much to do before he was even ready thinking about that and he was relieved that Sula had never made him nor Fay give her the Comyenti Oath to mate with a human like her own mother had done to her! And who knew what the twins would want to do with their lives?
‘Will you talk to her for me, Aigle? Please?’
Just then they heard a small tap on the door.
‘Your lover boy has arrived,’ Aigle laughed, while she jumped up, eyes wide with joy.
‘You can stay if you like,’ Valera said. ‘Talk to Twello, he feels like everyone from our family is letting him down. He hasn’t said so, but he has been thinking it.’
‘Thinking it? Have you two-’
‘No! What do you take me for? We’ve just been sharing kisses. That’s all, there is no bond as such, yet. But I’m still an empath,’ she turned crimson, trying to compose herself whilst walking to the door on her way to opening it. ‘I just know. And don’t you go reading his mind or anything! It belongs to me, and besides, he doesn’t know you can!’ She pushed the door outward, smiling.
Twello had brought flowers and Valera suggested that the three of them should go for a stroll in the woods towards the river.
It was a pleasantly warm autumn afternoon, the sun on the dry leaves on the trees and the floor made everything look golden. Aigle and Twello were warming up to each other. Twello understood Aigle’s wish to make it all better for all of them. But Aigle couldn’t know everything that had happened between father and son. Twello had tried to live Aigle’s life by trying to be the missing comyenti son.
When they sat down by the riverbank, the mood was light enough for a serious conversation, and Aigle explained to Twello why their parents might be so against the two of them.
‘It’s nothing personal.’
‘Oh, I know that,’ Twello responded. ‘That’s what bothers me. I wish it was, at least I would be able to defend myself, change it. As things are, I don’t stand a chance! My father has already ruined any opportunity for me.’
‘Don’t be too angry with him, let it go,’ Aigle said.
‘That’s easy for you to say. Shazar should have had more respect for Sula and Felix and stayed away. I tried to stop him, you know,’ Twello said.
‘We can’t turn that back now. Remember I was one of the reasons for him coming back to Rosinhill,’ Aigle remarked.
‘Yeah, I know that now. A brother! I still have to get used to that! I guess he will be leaving any day now.’
‘Did he mention leaving?’ Valera asked.
‘Yes. But his mind is clouded, like he has something else on his mind, and I am no mind reader,’ Twello said and Valera sent a thought to Aigle, not wanting Twello to hear,
‘Perhaps you can figure out what is bothering Shazar?’
‘Not you as well, Mum wants me to find out his true intentions and now you want to know what is ‘bothering’ him! Oh, I know what is bothering him alright!’
‘Hmm, well it could be my studies. We talked some about that last night,’ Aigle said out loud, trying to come up with something.
‘Look, we’re getting sidetracked now. Aigle will talk to my parents, won’t you?’ Valera said.
‘Them as well?’ What am I? But after seeing Valera’s sad face he gave in and sighed. ‘I will try.’
‘You are the only one who could ever really have a good conversation with the both of them and you tend to remain calm and reasonable during heated conversations.’
‘Is that a compliment? Hmm, I already said I would try, Princess Valeria, you don’t have to flatter me,’ he humoured her.
‘Don’t use that silly name!’
Aigle laughed, ‘You see, Twello, she used to play a princess in a school play when she was younger, and she was so convincing we all called her Princess Valeria from that day on.’
Twello grinned.
‘But you were the only one who couldn’t stop teasing me!’
‘Hey, what are brothers for?’
Later on the three of them sat down by the river which meant so much to their lives. He and his siblings practically grew up in it, playing and swimming in its cool water and ice-skating on its frozen surface in the winter. Aigle suddenly remembered Shazar. They had sat near the bridge so dear to his parents. Again the river, already then as if to mark what was to come. Looking at Twello he tried to read the boy’s memories of him. He knew he shouldn’t; memories were private and really hard to reach, but he desperately wanted to know. He could always ask instead he pondered, and finally that’s what he did when guilt overcame him.
The Comyenti Series Book Bundle, Volume 1 and 2 (Epic Romantic Supernatural Fantasy) Page 53
