The orb has spoken. A hero must rise, and unite all the creatures of Ammertia to face a greater, ever growing threat to the south.
However, tensions are growing to an all time high between the races. The elves have separated themselves from society...
"Could you pass the potatoes?" Fleur, Darian's younger sister, asked quietly. Sylvia nodded, passing them over the dinner table without a word.
She glanced at her, looking into Fleur's brown eyes. Fleur was looking between Darian and Sylvia, a confused look on her face as her brows furrowed.
"We were so excited to hear when you ran off after Sylvia," Darian's father chuckled heartily, as he began sawing into his meat. Back and forth the knife ran, creating a deep rivet in the juicy meat, rivers of fluid cascading out onto his plate.
"It's such a manly thing to do, chasing off after a lass to make her swoon!" He continued. Darian glanced over at his mother, barely making a sound as she chewed her food.
"Well, you know me. Always one with the big statements," Darian offered half heartedly. He reached over towards Sylvia, who pulled her hand away instinctively. Darian shot her a look, eyes pleading with her to maintain the facade. She reluctantly placed her hand in his.
Despite being close friends, physical affection was not something Sylvia was keen on.
"I, for one, am just glad to have some decent food," Dirella said as she daintily ate her food. She was trying to redirect the conversation, feeling the ever growing tension building in the air.
"I can imagine, being on the road for so long. I've survived on tinned beans too many times to count," Darian's mother smiled, a faint smile but Dirella could tell she was grateful for the change of topic.
"Mmm that's right! Where'd you go off too?" Darian's father said, between shoveling mouthfuls of potato into his mouth. Small droplets fell into his beard, becoming mixed with the hair and sweat.
Upon looking at the two, Darian and his father shared a family resemblance. They both were broad shouldered men of tall stature. Their cheekbones were extremely well defined, as well as the two of them having kind eyes.
That's where the similarities stopped. Darian, although a loud man himself, often maintained a polite disposition. He maintained his beard to a short stubble length, as well as constantly colouring and cutting his hair. His father had a large bushy beard, and as for hair well.... He had none. He was bald.
"Stopped in Snowbank," Darian said, snapping Sylvia back to attention. She cocked a brow at him, subvertly calling out his blatant lie. He cleared his throat in response, clearly not wanting to tell his parents about their adventure. They had broken quite a few of the Hunter Sigil rules.
"That is not quite true. We stopped, then proceeded to Castle Doom," Aliyah butted in, causing Sylvia to wince. So far, Aliyah's inability to read social cues of humans had not hindered them in their journey. Until now.
"You.... What?" The atmosphere at the table grew even more tense than it was before. Everyone had stopped eating, and was now staring at the commotion going on. Darian's father was glaring at him now.
"It wasn't a big deal, we had this orb thingy to get, and they had it. End of story," Darian continued eating as if this were a regular occurrence in the household. His mother and sister, however, were watching nervously as his father responded.
"I told you never to go there, never to interfere with those.... Things," he spat out. Darian continued to calmly eat. He picked up a piece of broccoli on his fork, and pointed it nonchalantly at his father.
"What? Oh because of that little treaty you guys had with them? Yeah pretty sure that's null and void now they have a new leader," Darian was referring to Anthony, who had usurped the previously rulers of the vampire hoard. Sylvia made a mental note to make sure she didn't let that bit slip.
"New leader hey? Sounds like fun," his dad chuckled, diffusing the situation. Darian's mother elbowed him, giving him a stern look. He only shot her a confused look in response.
"Darian, we should have told you about the treaty. But we gave you direct orders not to go there and you disobeyed us," Darian's mother said. Sylvia had never seen her so furious, and in that moment she realised who wore the pants in this household.
"C'mon dear, no harm no foul he only did what I've been dying to do for years!" Darian's father exclaimed, before shrinking back down under the scrutinising glare of his wife.
Despite having so many differences, it appeared Darian and his father had one thing in common; the love of a good hunt.
"I heard about those vampires, coming down south," Fleur piped up. She herself had never been on a hunt, instead was being sheltered by Darian's family. Sylvia couldn't help but wonder why. At 17 years old, it was past her time to help out in the fight.
"They've got a while to go yet, and the weather is only getting warmer. They'll turn back don't you worry," Darian's father said. His mother, however, looked doubtful. She looked at Sylvia briefly, compassion filling her eyes. When Sylvia looked over to her, her eyes darted back down quickly.
"They're still dangerous," Darian's mother said, while picking about her food with a fork. No doubt she was thinking of what happened to the Trellom family. If only she knew the full extent of what happened that night, and how one of them now leads the vampire hoard. Not the best dinner conversation.
"Well anyway, I'm glad you're over that whole boy thing," Darian's father beamed, revealing green bits of brussel sprouts in between his teeth. Sylvia glanced over at Darian with a weak smile, which soon fell as she saw his hands. He was gripping his knife and fork, so tightly his knuckles were turning white. Yet still, he smiled back with ease.
"Yeah. Just a phase, like you said," Darian managed to get out. To a stranger, it would almost seem convincing. But to Sylvia and the gang, they knew every word hurt like a dagger in the back. Darian would have actually preferred a dagger to the back than this.
"And you've been dating for what, a few months? Who knows maybe someday soon there'll be little hunters running around here!" Darian's father continued. Fleur choked on her food, and his mother dropped her cutlery on the table.
"Kids?" Sylvia blanched, her face paling. It was quite the scene. Darian looked over at Sylvia next to him, looking completely mortified.
"You two are gonna have babies?" Fleur giggled, causing Dirella to snort. Darian's mother simply held her face in her hands, unsure of what else to say.
"Well not right now! But in time we need to carry on the hunter bloodline. Sylvia, you are the last of your family line," Darian's father appeared to be the only one with wool over his eyes.
The entire dinner was a fiasco of Darian trying to look heterosexual, and his father being the only one to buy it. The only reason he believed it, was because he wanted it to be true so badly.
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Not quite the dinner you'd want! But it's the one ya got! Anyway that's all for now. See you all tomorrow.
