Grim Ruination, Birth of a Soul (On Hiatus)

The Imposter (1/2)

Most of Vanderin had finally been reconstructed. It was by no means back to its former glory; it would still take another year to reach that point, but it was rebuilt to the point of being considered a town, rather then a heap of rubble.

The shops were now up and running. The remaining citizens had stopped mourning the loss they've suffered. The businesses that had literally fallen to ruin during the Gnoll's raid were back in working order.

For the first time in the month since the event, Gregory finally felt like he could rest.

He took a seat in the common room of House Grimhul. The fireplace was lit, but even so the room held a dim glow from the closed curtains blocking the flow of light into the room.

Gregory took time to breathe; he took time to embrace the silence around him.

He glanced up at the large picture hanging above the fireplace. He saw his mother and father facing towards the outside world. He stood alongside his father, the former Reeve of Vanderin. He'd forgotten how young he was when the painting was made. His grey hairs were still pristine wooden brown, just like Gregory's.

Life was much simpler back then. Before he had the responsibility of all the townspeople on his shoulders. But as the new Reeve, that was simply his duty.

"Why are you sitting here in the dark?" A light voice said behind him.

Gregory looked behind him towards the voice to see a dark silhouette leaning against the edge of the doorframe. While he couldn't see the figures face, he knew the voice.

"Hey Susain." He said in a voice that would have been nearly inaudible if not for the deafening silence of the room.

"That doesn't answer my question." She retorted before walking to the closed curtains and pulling them open, flooding the room with the evening sun.

Gregory flinched as the light surged into his eyes. "I was just resting." He muttered as he covered his eyes from the light. "What were you doing?"

Susain turned to face her brother. "Going over some arcane combinations with Yana. What about you? Apart from 'resting'." She put up two fingers in air-quotes

Gregory raised a brow. "Why the quotes over resting? I was really just sitting here." He sighed. "But I was helping Enri fix a shabby piece of equipment at the Rusty Cup."

A sly smile spread across Susain's face as she poked Gregory in the shoulder. "Ohhhh~ I think I know whyyyyy~." She cooed

Gregory raised a brow. "What do you mean? I just fixed a rusty tap that was connected to one of the ale barrels. All I did was replace it."

Susain's smile faded slightly. "So she didn't ask you for anything else? It was just the tap?"

Gregory propped his head to the side on his fist. "Pretty much. She asked if I had enough time on my hands to help her fix something at her place, but I was tired and one favor from the kindness of my heart is enough for one day."

A strained moment of silence waved over the siblings as Susain slowly processed the stupidity of her brother.

"You idiot!" She shouted suddenly, making Gregory flinch from the sudden noise. "Do you even know what she was asking?!"

Gregory's face contorted into confusion. "To... help fix something? What are you not getting here?" He turned his whole body in the chair to now face his sister.

Susain buried her face in her hands and groaned in frustration. "You don't understand girls at all do you?"

Gregory was now more confused. "Well no shit, I'm not one."