The Memories Of Which I Must Find

Chapter 4 - The Story Of Tonight

Alexander stared blankly at Vernilson, he resembled a statue. Unmoving, his face was expressionless. The brunette lifted Alexander’s chin, warm brown eyes met with cold grey. Were his eyes always grey?

“This is an order-”

Alexander shot up from his bed, he turned to look at his brother. Of course, Vernilson was writing and muttering to himself. These dreams haunted him, visions of his brother giving him an order he shall never hear. More concerning was how frequent they had come and each time Vernilson would perform the same actions.

“Did I wake you?” Vernilson questioned as he took another sip of coffee. Alexander hopped out of his bed to stare at the numerous books and maps on his brother’s desk. As he looked over his brother’s shoulder the blonde had frozen.

“Does my notebook count as a reminder of his curse?” questioned Vernilson. He swiftly jotted the information down before ordering Alexander to sleep. “Guess I need to make Alexander think he fell asleep on his own,” he looked at his reflection, he looked so similar to a human. Pity he didn’t resemble a siren more, perhaps she would have stayed with him. He smirked as he combed Alexander's hair “shouldn’t be too hard to lie my way through.” 

Alexander walked around an endless void, each step he took sounded like a bell. Ring, ring, ring. His clothes were nothing more than a long white robe, his grey eyes seem to be the only thing he could see clearly.

Drip. He heard, drip, drip, drip. Was that someone he knew? He turned towards the noise, he tried to speak but no noise would leave his mouth.

"Alex, it's time to wake up," yawned Tobias. He shook Alexander gently as he yawned more, rubbing his eyes. The blonde slowly sat up, the sky was dark and everyone was too tired for it to be near sunrise. What was happening? He looked around in search of his brother, "did Vern tell you all to wake up?"

Tobias nodded in reply, "what could he possibly be up to?" Alexander walked to the campfire to warm himself up. He stared at the other L'vrijburgians, they were all drowsy and close to sleeping.

"I'm sorry for calling you all so early in the morning, but I think that if we want to have one last chance to bid our pasts farewell then we should do it now," said Vernilson as he walked out of the campervan. He had a cup of coffee in his hands, and a barrel of cider Alexander had made earlier in the summer when the apples had ripened.

Floris helped his father bring another barrel of cider to the camp, Alexander smiled as he saw his excited nephew. Vernilson leaned on Alexander's head, "have a pint." He passed a glass of cider to the blonde.

Vernilson smiled, oh how he wished the true Alexander could see this. He raised his glass and took a deep breath, "I may not live to see our glory," he sang. One of the few other L'vrijburgians, Erin, nudged Tobias as he realised what was happening, "but I will gladly join the fight."

"But I will gladly join the fight!" Echoed the two. Wilbur ruffled Alexander's messy bed hair, he wondered if the real and unaltered Alexander would have enjoyed this.

"And when our children tell our story," the brunette walked over to his odd son, "they'll tell the story of tonight," he grinned at Floris.

"Let's have another round tonight!" Tobias exclaimed as he chugged another glass of cider, "let's have another round tonight," Alexander cheered with Tobias' glass as he joined in on the melody. Erin cheered with Tobias as they swiftly chugged down the cider.

Floris stood awkwardly in the group, he flinched as he felt his father pat him on the back. Wordlessly, he passed a glass of cider to the fox and continued. "Let's have another round tonight."

"Raise a glass to freedom!" Cheered Alexander, Tobias excitedly raised his glass as he sang, "something they can never take away!"

"No matter what they tell you," sang Erin. 

"Raise a glass to the five of us!" Floris joined, he looked up at his father. He would treasure this memory for all of eternity until he would inevitably perish.

"Tomorrow there'll be more of us!" Tobias followed. Everyone soon began swaying slightly from side to side around the campfire, "telling the story of tonight."

"We'll tell the story of tonight," everyone chorused. Their joy was genuine and their smiles wide. If only this could last forever, Vernilson thought. Alexander, albeit not the one he had known his entire life, laughing and singing along. His son and his friends, everything was perfect. If only the true Alexander were here, if only he could enjoy this. He would have loved this.

Ironically, he was disgusted by the Alexander he saw initially. But now, he would forever treasure the memories he had with this Alexander. A chill went through his spine as he remembered his father's devastated look staring at the lifeless Alexander the moment he stepped home into the castle.

"I promised the both of you, I won't take back my word," muttered Vernilson. He would not lie to those he held dearest, but for now, he will enjoy his time with the altered form of his brother.