Strokes in a canvas (2)

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    Inside a gray room with a singular window with black frame, there sat White Star on a stool in front of a canvas. His left hand was holding onto a palette while the other was holding onto a brush.

"My lord?" someone called out to him, "A new report had come from those who were watching the eldest Henituse"

"Oh?" White star hummed, but his hands and most of his focus was still directed towards the painting.

"It appears that... the eldest Henituse is currently trying to collect somethings for the 'game' you gave him"

"and?"

"Should we assist him in finding some of the materials?"

White Star stopped his strokes, his sharp reddish brown eyes moved towards the kneeling Subordinate. He didn't say anything;

The subordinate took it as a que to continue, "He noticed us, sire"

"Hoo?" Amusement was swirling in those eyes of his.

The subordinate couldn't help but feel unsettled all of a sudden.

Nervous? Scared? if it was those feelings, then they wouldn't pay attention as that was what they always felt near their liege. But this time... they couldn't help but feel something wrong. Their liege...

He was smiling,

and it wasn't even the smile he usually use when he was with Naru, nor was it the business smile he use to get more followers or to make deals with the Empire... No. This time, it was much scarier. He almost looked like a scammer;

"my... liege?"

White Star chuckled, and the subordinate couldn't help but to look down to hold himself from shivering at the sight.

After a while, he put his focus back to the painting he planned to give to that interesting child. He continued his strokes again with no trace of a smile visible on his face.

"Send the necessary items to his room, and make sure it's hidden from anyone else... I'm certain that child doesn't want his 'family' to notice it"

"...Affirmative, your wish shall be done"

.

.

.

Saying the table was awkward... would be an understatement.

Deruth's hand that was holding the fork was visibly shaking, and so were his eyes that kept darting back and forth from his food and his eldest son who was calmly eating.

Violan looked on the better side, though if someone paid closer attention, maybe they would also notice how she was sweating bullets at the side of her face.

Basen was not far off from his parents' reaction. Although young, he could clearly feel the pressure in the room.

Lily was somehow spared as she was still too immature to understand the situation.

Basen gulped, this might as well be their first time meeting with the eldest of the Henituse siblings after two years, as Cale had always managed to slip past everyone's radar. Not even their father manage to see him as he would always decline every call.

Two years, They had lived under the same roof without anyone in the family able to see him.

Two years, with the only indication of his existence was the lonely room and the plate's being delivered to and from his room.

Two years, He had lived as quiet as a dead rat...

Two years, approaching three, and probably more if he desired to,

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