[Complete] Eroh has reached his seventeenth spring and has finally become a man. With manhood comes a gift: marriage to the woman he loves. But when a strange new woman from another world enters his life, he is stuck with the decision to honor his...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Father was lost in a trance deciding the fate of his people. I was glad I wasn't in his position, but felt sorry he carried this burden.
"Aqule, Marina, come to me, my pearls." He waved a hand gently as he stood on the balcony, fixated on the moon. "I'd like to speak to you."
Marina wasn't hesitant, nor did she notice the warning in his tone, coming to him in an instant. I approached with less haste in my step. Cautious to his call. Mindful of what he may say.
We peered out towards the moon, that was large, bright, and so close it felt like I could pluck it out of the sky. I noticed the ring of stars that snared it, and the four bright stars beyond the ring, glowing like trapped light bugs.
"Did you hear your uncle?" We kept silent and nodded. "And?"
Marina replied first as she always had. "Father, what if uncle Malos is right? What if the landwalkers could help us defeat the Sqek? Is it not worth trying?"
I shook my head, "then everything we've worked for would be in peril. Do we need another monster to fear, Sister?"
"That's the problem ... we run and hide, too afraid to face the monsters, and now our lives are confined to this cavernous prison. When will we fight back?"
"Our numbers are too few ..."
"And with the landwalkers help, we could be many." Marina protested. She grabbed father's hand, massaging it gently. "Do we not owe it to our future - to our people - and to mother-" Marina voice trailed off. She placed a hand over her lips and fought back the liquid, causing her eyes to shine. "We must do things differently."
I brushed my blonde bangs aside and brought my eyes upon father, allowing him to look at my innocent youth. To remember that our lives were at stake as much as those living in the Kingdom. Father must've noticed, and felt my worry, turning towards the moon for an answer ... the correct answer.
He replied, "we have the northern castle if we need to retreat."
For a moment, I was afraid he'd decided. Marina even smiled, perking up to his words, but we both realized we were being tested.
Marina allowed her emotions to flow. "We can, father!" She matched his gaze. "If anything were to happen, we could move to our winter's home."
"The ice is thin in the summer months." I replied thoughtfully. "Giants spearfish for seal, we best not make ourselves part of their provisions." Marina glared in at me. I kept my thoughts focused. "If we make the wrong decision by going to the landwalkers and finding out their hostile; going north will be as much a death sentence as staying put."
