Fleeting Sand

♦️The Talk Long Past

Cale/Seth gets a talk he had long been in need of.

Gathered for a meal, Ferid was looking around with Naru. The younger of the pair squinted his eyes, "Cale-ya won't even come when I'm here. I'm shocked".

"I am shocked as well; he won't even come to greet his dad now", while Ferid was wallowing in sadness, he didn't seem to notice the stares of a certain butler. Who, if not for his concern for Cale, would have tried whatever method in his book to kick out the vampire duke.

They were a big group all in all; there were Alberu, his aunt Tasha, the kids, Choi-Han, Rosalyn, Lock, Eruhaben, Mary, the Molan son and father duo, Cage, Tyler Stan, Jack and Hannah, Queen Witira, her brother Paseton, Ferid and his son Naru.
It would have been a nice meal.. If not for the fact that one of their members was not joining them.

"... It seems to me like he thinks we'll leave him or something" Tasha said bringing sound to the silence that was there.
"Why would Cale think that? We all know that we consider each other family" Witira raised a questioning brow, her brother looked concerned and sad that Cale would possibly think that.

"It's likely that 'Seth' had lost people close to him and is thus shutting himself away, and Rokso-ya is likely seeing his experience as a flashback from his first life." Naru stared into his drink like he could see Cale through it.

Mary's shoulders sank, "Then how are we supposed to help him..?" she asked in her AI-like voice.

The room quietened in thought once more. The great golden dragon grabbed their attention, "We could try to awaken Cale's memories with us to make him happy again.. Or give him therapy about what he's thinking off. I may not know what thoughts he is dealing with, but no matter what if someone is left alone for too long they will go crazy. And I don't wish for that to happen. I would volunteer to talk with him about his life experiences as Seth".

The focus was on Eruhaben.

"..." Alberu sighed, "Let's try that. If Cale won't respond however we're going for..different measures. As you said it's a bad idea to leave Cale alone with his own thoughts".
On that everyone nodded, "Human might hurt himself again" Raon spoke what everyone had imagined.

After that they ate and spent the day together or in their own small groups. Eruhaben went to Cale's room alone, leaving the kids with Hannah, Jack and Mary.

He knocked before entering. The curtains were closed, not much light came inside. Eruhaben wasn't bothered by the lack of it, and he was quick to spy a figure lying on the bed.

"Unlu-.. Cale, are you awake?", there was small motion from the 'sleeping' body. Eruhaben took that as a no. He flicked a finger and a chair flew over where he sat down on.

"Cale, let's talk. I don't care about what, but it is not good to stay alone for long. It's worrying."

...

It stayed quiet for a long while. Cale's body rose and lowered as he slowly breathed, he wasn't asleep though; his breathing wasn't that slow.

"I wish I never had to leave."

Eruhaben finally heard a voice other than his own. It was soft and light, but the breathing it was accompanied by was low. Like he was suppressing tears or other emotions. Eruhaben wondered, do the ancient powers knew what Cale was feeling right now? They should shouldn't they. If only they could talk to them.

"I never wanted to meet those people. I wanted to stay with everyone here..."
To say Eruhaben wasn't the slightest bit surprised at the honesty Cale was expressing, almost like a child, would be a lie.

"... Don't worry, we will never let you go again. And you don't have to see those people either."

Cale was still, most likely thinking how truthful Eruhaben's words were. Eventually he moved to the backrest and Eruhaben could see Cale's face.
'He needs to sleep', he looked as tired as he did in the war; where he slept only 2 hours and went on like nothings wrong.
He really had his hands full at his age. Well, his hands were needed so there was nothing he could do.

"Eruhaben"
"Yes?"

"You..So...", it seemed like Cale wanted to let go of his burden as Seth as well but didn't know where to start. Eruhaben remained calm and got some tea while he waited for the redhead to find his words.

"My, so Seth's, family wasn't good."

Here it goes.

"A son that I loved was actually the son of my wife with my brother. This brother killed him and I... I wanted to bring him back so I went along with whatever needed to be done. I..was violated by him."
Eruhaben almost let off his dragon Fear. He had to supress himself, innerly he took a deep, deep, deep breath. 'HE WAS WHAT!?!! Those
Bastards ---- I swear!'

Cale looked at his hands that lied on the bedsheets, he hadn't looked to see Eruhaben's reaction. He assumed the other was just listening since he didn't see the lower or middle body part move.

Unbeknownst to Cale Eruhaben's fingers dug into his palms under his arm robes.

" ... I lost my dignity and went crazy. I killed my brother by tricking him into thinking I was gonna kill myself and trapping him in Duat... I hurt my two sisters, and their children. I was a tyrant and drove a great many woman and children into an early death. I drank and drank all day. Eventually I was directly confronted by the other gods and punished by the judgement of the gods of Truth and Wisdom... Though those who knew what happened that night didn't speak of it, neither could I. Some thought I should have been erased from existence for my actions ...or be forced to row some weird sun boat for a couple eons..but it was ultimately decided that I would have to go around and collect the souls I had wronged and experience their pain to redeem myself... as a being closest to a mortal a possible: a sort of weak demi-God version of my young inexperienced untrained self. Well, you all found me again with her help..and I recalled my lifes from before. I'm..happy that I could remember, and I honestly think I prefer her over my 'brother'."

Eruhaben didn't respond for a while, which made Cale finally muster up some emotional energy and look at him. Eruhaben was calm outerly, but internally he was ready to burn the Palace.
"Cale.. Seth, you were not in the wrong. Those gods were dumb, ignorant. They didn't give you a chance. They forgot who you are, that you also possess emotions, or maybe they never really knew or tried to get to know the real you." Eruhaben got up and embraced Cale, the younger male's head was against his shoulder, hidden inside the arms of the elfish looking man "It's okay. I don't intent to let anything happen to you. We'll all protect you. Trust me".

Unaware of the storm brewing,
the kids were joined by Naru in the garden and the rest was having small political talk or were reminiscing their joined past. Or were sparring and destroying the training ground, who was gonna pay the repairs this time-?

One of the guests, felt a shiver over his pale back 'I feel that we're gonna be in trouble.. I should ask Maat'.