Fan Fiction ❯ A Long Journey ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

  “Father! You must put sense in her! I cannot go to Shadowdown again! I was there for no more than four days but I was disgusted with what was there! But not only that, my sense of smell was dulled and my sense of hearing was so badly weakened because of all the noise that they have, that it's just now started to get back to what they were, after 81 years! If I have to stay there with Keiji for 6 years, for that will be the amount of time for him to learn Karten, my senses will be as dull as a human's!” Vladimir says exasperated, turning to his father with a desperate expression on his femininely stern face.
    “We cannot take back what was given in an open meeting, and you know this!” Lord Kyne says, his large muscled arms crossing over his chest. Vladimir let out a soft sigh, his shoulders slumping in a visible show of acceptance.
    “Now that you have seen it our way, why don't you go and get ready for departure?” Lady Querida says, her everlasting smile not wavering the slightest bit. Vladimir nods his head, bowing slightly as he leaves as bidden.
    Once Vladimir was out of sight and out of hearing range, Lord Kyne turns to his mischievous wife.
    “Why is it that you say Vladimir is to go? You and I both know how appalled he is of that place. I, myself, cannot stand the place and you know my tolerance of almost everything we both do is far greater than his own!” Lord Kyne says suspiciously, staring at the Lady with uncertain eyes.
    “The boy needs to learn that there are other things in this world he can depend on to survive! He truly believes that without his heightened senses he cannot survive. When ever I am around him, I can feel the presence of power, albeit, it is hidden!” Querida says sternly, turning to look out the window at the forest beyond.
    “Keiji has even commented on it!” she proclaims, turning to look at her baffled husband. “Keiji, our youngest and most magic-less of sons, has sensed the presence of power within another!” Querida looks her husband in the eyes, challenging him to question her as he usually does in the matters of magic as one whom has none would.
    “But the Seer, Aben, had said that he did not posses the gift of power!” he says, meeting her challenge with his own.
    “Yes, but a Seer cannot look upon power that is greater than his own. It is a simple rule but one that can alter ones visions considerably!” Querida says matter of factly, turning back to the window.
    “It is going to rain tonight; it seems that The Lord and Lady's trip back to Shadowdown shall be postponed.” Querida says with a quick change of subject. Lord Kyne lets out a sigh, knowing when to take a hint.
    “I shall leave you then, and see if I can make their stay a little more conferrable, seeing that they do not seem to like our home too greatly…” Lord Kyne turns to leave the quiet room, but pauses to look over his shoulder as an unpalatable grunt from his wife comes to his ears.
    “They are so accustomed to their retched home that they cannot live in another's if it is better than their own.” Lady Querida grows disdainfully as one would spit out a rotten piece of flesh.
    “I do not approve of their living ways nor the type of judgment they put on others, but they are guests in our home, and so they shall be treated!” Lord Kyne says in his stern voice that he usually saves for business talk.
    “If you do not approve, why are we affiliated with them?” Lady Querida growls looking at her husband's back with unsuppressed anger.
    “The people of Shadowdown are known well for their loyalty and honor to allies and friends. They will throw down all that they are doing and help a wounded animal to save its life and protect it from all harm. They are known to be fierce fighters in battle, even the commoners, and will protect all that is threatened. And yet you can find disdain in the simplest things?” Lord Kyne asks, turning to look at his wife fully.
    “Do not put judgment on others until you know them and have placed judgment on yourself.” And with that, Lord Kyne turns and leaves his surprised and wide eyed wife behind and alone in their room.

  ***

    Lady Querida gives young Keiji a large hug and a small kiss on the top of his head before pulling away to stare warmly at Vladimir who is standing behind Keiji about 16 steps.
    “Now, you be certain to be safe and don't cause any mischief! I do not want a letter or messenger to come to us saying that the two of you have sent the Eastern Tower crumbling to the ground, you understand me?” Lady Querida states sternly, shaking a motherly finger at the two children as her eyes shift from one to the other.
    “Of course, Mommy! Why would we want to do somefin like that? It could be dangwerus! I don't like things that are dangwerus! `Cause dangwerus thingings are skarwy!” Keiji says with a large innocent smile on his lips as he wraps his arms around his mothers dress covered legs.
    “Oh, he's just toooooo cute!” Lady Panya coos, bending over to scoop the small child up as he detached himself from his mother. The foreign woman nuzzled her face into the boy's platinum blond hair giggling as the little boy is squeezed tightly. Keiji let out a high squeak and began to try and wiggle out of the woman's death grasp.
    “Mama!” Keiji calls out desperately, reaching his short arms for his fuming mother. The woman quickly strides to the pare, tearing Keiji from Panya's grasp.
    “You don't squeeze a child to the point of suffocation!” Lady Querida growls at the blond woman, eyes narrowing dangerously. She cradles the gasping boy to her ample chest, stroking his head softly. Lady Panya huffs and turns to face her snickering husband, her small hands on her near invisible hips. Lady Querida looks down at Keiji as he strains upwards and is caught in a child's kiss.
    Keiji pulls away, looking up at his mother's smiling face. He smiles back, sticking his small, pink tongue out at her. One of Lady Querida's eyebrows rises at him, and, without thinking, she leans forward and licks his tongue with her own. Keiji squeaks and wiggles out of his mothers grasp as he makes little disgusted noises, wiping his tongue on his sleeve.
    “Yuckie!” The boy whines, running up to grip his Father's leg. “Papa, punish mommy for being ickie!” Keiji says looking up at his father's laughing face.
    “You had that one coming, little one. Don't try getting me into this!” His father says laughing. Lord Kyne bends down and picks his son up under his arms, resting him on his hip. He walks up to the horse he will be sharing with his older brother, looking back at Vladimir. The dark haired boy walks up to the horse and heaves himself onto the horses back, causing the horse to loose his balance for a brief moment. He looks down at his father and brother and takes the younger boy out of his father's grasp.
    He sets Keiji down in front of him, watching the boy as he situated himself on the narrow saddle, gripping the horse's mane as he did so. He looks back at his brother once he was situated, and smiles at him with his big toothy grin.
    “I be ready!” the child says with a giggling voice. Vladimir nodded his head and turned the horse so that it faced the front gates, not away from them.
    Keiji settles himself firmly against Vladimir, small hands tightening there grip onto the ash brown mane of the dark chocolate brown horse. He lets out a soft giggle as the horse goes into a slow gallop, making him and his brother lightly bounce off of the saddle, more so him than his brother, though he wasn't too sure how Vladimir pulled it off with the odd rhythm of the larger animal.
    Once at the gates, Vladimir stops the horse and twists around in the saddle, one arm wrapped about Keiji's smaller form. He watches as the Lord and Lady of Shadowdown enter their carriage, a small frown on his lips.
    “What's wrong, Val?” Keiji asks, catching Vladimir's frown.
    Vladimir looks down at his young brother, brows furrowing at the look of concern.
    “There's nothing wrong. They're just taking longer than needed.” Vladimir says nonchalantly, turning back around to face the front gate. Keiji shrugs his shoulders, let it go. He leaned to the side somewhat to see around his brother and watches as the driver of the fancy carriage gets the horses under control and ready to move.
    “Why don't they just ride a horsy? It makes more sense! They don't have to move so many horsies.” Keiji asks his brother, curiosity in his high voice.
    “They probably don't know how to ride a horse.” Vladimir says with a sneer.
    “They don't? Hah! That's funnies! I know how to ride a horsy and they don't! Funny!” Keiji says with a small childish laugh.
    “And you only know how to ride a horse if there is someone riding with you so you don't fall off.” Keiji sticks his tongue out at Vladimir. He then turns away from Vladimir with a huff.
    “No I don't…” Keiji whispers to himself, ignoring his brother's deep chuckle. Vladimir presses the heals of his feet into the horses sides as he hears the grinding of rock against rock, indicating that the carriage has begun to move.
    Keiji looks back and waves to his mother and father, who wave back. Keiji smiles sweetly and turns back around, resting against his brother's chest.