The Elementalists

14.

"You weren't there!" He repeated, loudly this time. "It was my fault! I left you alone." His face crumpled as tears flowed freely.

Bowing his head, he began to cry softly. I was absolutely still after hearing that story. There were so many things... so many things I'd been lied about. I wanted to... I needed to know.

But right now, I had to take care of my elder brother.

I moved closer to him and placed my other hand on his head to smooth his hair down. He seemed to take comfort in my proximity. Wafi shifted forward and buried his nose in my shirt as he shook against me. He took solace in my presence as my head reeled.

My entire life. My entire life was a lie.

The Fire Regent has a lot of resources. For that, any Regent has a lot of resources. So the fact that they couldn't find a simple building hidden in the forest is practically unfathomable. Either they didn't search hard enough, or they lied to Wafi. Both these reasons are far-fetched but right now, that's all I can assume. No one, in the Elementalist world at least, would not expend every resource they have. They would look in every hole, overturn every stone, dig if they had to. But they wouldn't stop till they found a Royal.

And why would they lie to Wafi? What would that give them? Two royals are better than one... I hate thinking like this. The idea of being one of... them is still alien to me.

I absently smoothed down Wafi's hair as a doubt niggled at the back of my mind. A cottage? Mich always told me he found me in the forest, like I'd been abandoned. Despite not caring who my parents were, most of the time, that had hurt. Glancing down at the flattened blonde hair,  I frowned. Which one of them was telling the truth? What do I trust? The memory of a five year old, or my guardian?

Wafi's shakes had subsided. I slowly pulled away to let him recover and regain some face. I may not have any experience with a sibling whatsoever, but I do know big brothers don't like to show emotions.

"Sorry..." He spoke slowly, not looking up. "I messed up your clothes."

"Don't worry about it." I replied softly. "Are you okay? Do you need a glass of water? There is beer in the fridge too."

He chuckled and looked up. There were tear marks on his face but his eyes were crinkled up in amusement. "Really? Beer? I'm still hurting after last night."

That's not all he's hurting from. "Okay. Alright." I trailed off, unsure of how to continue our conversation. An awkward tension ensued on the room as Wafi unabashedly searched my face for some sign and waited for me to speak. I didn't know where to start, I didn't know how to start. There were more questions to be answered before I could say anything that may put him at peace.

"Fiera?" He prodded eventually. "Why aren't you saying anything?" Insecurity lined the sentence. He didn't want to get rejected again.

I stopped observing my feet and looked up. All I could manage was a shrug. Confusion crossed his face. "Wh... What?"

"Wafi, I..." I sighed heavily. It gave me a moment to choose my words before I began. "The only thing I can say for sure is that it is not your fault we got separated. Not at all. You were just a little boy searching for your parents. I understand, and I don't blame you for it. No one does. No one can." His shoulders sagged a little but I could see he wasn't satisfied. "At this point, I have questions. You're telling me something and Mich told me something else. I... I don't know what's going on anymore. My... Our parents were killed apparently, for who knows what reason. You say I was in a cottage, Mich says he found me abandoned in the forest."

"That's not true." Wafi immediately defended. "Mom and dad loved us. They would never have abandoned you."

"See?" I threw my hands up. "That's what you say. Mich says something else. You're the only one who remembers our parents. I gave up the idea of even having them a long time ago. I gave up the idea of a family. Mich was my only family up till now and... and I don't know who to trust. I don't know what to say or what to do until all my questions are answered. I have to talk to Mich. Face to face."