Thwap Talk

Notes: • Well, here we go… • Yay! I wrote another Chapter! Sorry it took so long. • Previous Chapter Chapter 26-The Last Straw Esben watched Nia leave with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He had been about to tell her. He had thought and thought over what he would say, how he would say it, and had finally found an opportunity when the group left them. For just one moment, they were alone. But then he hesitated, choking on his words, terrified of what she would say when she knew, the words he had prepared flying from his mind, and then she was gone. He sighed, pressing his hand to his forehead. Why had he hesitated? He knew he had to tell her, and the longer he waited, the worse it was going to be. The rest of the night crawled by, and after looking around the Keep and the grounds outside, Esben realized that Nia had left. He had lost his chance for that day. And he would have to go through the frustration and guilt of another night before he even saw her again. Leaning against the fence, he watched as laughing, happy people slowly left the Keep, the bright yellow of their lanterns flickering and casting warm shadows as they made their way home, and Esben realized that it must have been well past midnight for the celebrations inside to be over and for this many people to be leaving. For a brief second, he considered asking Artham for help, but he immediately pushed that idea away. This was his problem. He wasn’t about to drag his older brother into it, for more reasons than one. First, he knew what Artham would say. Not exactly, of course. It was hard to ever tell exactly what Artham would say, just because… well because he was Artham. But the message would be the same thing his conscience had been screaming at him to do for the last week. Second, this was something that he had gotten himself into. He couldn’t count how many times Artham had gotten him out of trouble, from something as silly as accidentally locking himself into the castle cellar, to just a few days ago in the woods outside Oak Hill. He wanted to fix this himself, almost to prove to himself that he didn’t need his brother to get him out of everything. He also didn’t want his brother to know what was going on. If at all possible, he was going to keep at least this one thing from Artham. There were already enough people mad at him, enough people going to be furious with him when he told them the truth, and way too many people that were presumably already angry enough at him that they were trying to kill him. He didn’t need Artham to be angry at him too, even though he knew that Artham didn’t really get mad at him very often, usually just very frustrated and disappointed. The list of people that he had to tell was already way too long. He wanted as few people as possible to know this had ever happened. Nia was the first person he had to apologize to. It kept coming back to her, over and over. Maybe it was because out of all her group, she was the one he most wanted as his friend. She was the one he had lied to most, and she was the one who spoke to him like she trusted him completely. He groaned in frustration. It was going to be hardest to tell her the truth. But it had to start with her. He tried to push down the conflict inside him, knowing that she was going to find out. If he didn’t tell her, someone else would. He banged a fist against the fence in frustration, then whirled around and stalked into the Keep and grabbed his things. For once in his life he wanted to get away from the crowds and be somewhere quiet and alone where he could think. He exited the Keep and went around the back way, heading home through the back streets of Ban Rona. With the storm of frustration and fear and conflict and wishing things could have been different thundering around him, he didn’t notice that he was being followed. * Aro was watching Esben cross the narrow street that led away from the Keep, waiting for the moment when he could cross himself without Esben noticing him. He heard the footsteps before Esben did and immediately pushed himself against the wall, sliding down behind a rainwater barrel at the corner of the building. His heart pounded and he hoped his dark clothes and the shadows were enough to keep him hidden and wondering why in Aerwiar someone other than him was following Esben. Then he swallowed nervously, pressing his knuckles into his left palm when the thought came to him that he might be the one being followed. He rested his forehead against the rough wood and cool metal of the barrel, trying to control his breathing. The footsteps came closer to Aro, and his thoughts ran wild. If Esben realized that he had been following him, everything was over. But the steps passed his hiding place and went faster, ringing against the cobbles. “Esben! Wait!” Someone called in a tense, cold voice that Aro didn’t recognize. He shifted slightly so he could see what was going on. Esben turned around and took a few steps toward the man. “Oh, hi Malik, where-” Then Esben stopped, and the color drained from his face. “What did you just call me?” The anger in Malik’s voice intensified. “I called you by your name, Esben Wingfeather,” he said, stepping forward. Different expressions flashed over Esben’s face, guilt, surprise, fear, frustration and confusion. Esben felt his face get hot and his heart start pounding, the full weight of his guilt smashing down on him when someone else spoke it. “How did you know? Who told you?” Esben asked, a strange desperation in his tone. Malik’s eyes glittered with anger. “It doesn’t matter who told me. Why did you lie?” He asked, the tight, controlled tone of his question making it more like a statement. “I-I didn’t-” Esben tripped over his words, desperately searching for an explanation. Malik put up a hand, cutting him off. “You know what, I don’t want to hear. For whatever reason you did it, you lied. Not just once, but too many times over the past couple months to count.” Malik looked up, taking a deep breath like he was trying to force away his anger. Esben tried to think of something to say to break the silence but too much was going on inside him. “You have one day,” Malik finally said. Esben looked up to Malik, confused and more than a little scared. “What are you talking about?” He asked, his own voice sounding strange to him. “You lied to my cousin and made her believe you’re something you aren’t,” Malik answered, clearly losing control of his anger as it sparked in his eyes and made his tone harsh and judgemental and furious. Esben took a step back, his eyes wide. “She thinks you’re her friend. When she talks about you,” Malik paused again. “No. Not about you. When she talks about Lander, she’s talking about someone she trusts. You are going to tell her the truth. She needs to hear it from you. You have tomorrow to tell her, or else I’m going to.” Esben looked down, his fists clenched at his sides. This was far from the way he had wanted things to go. “You are going to tell her tomorrow, understand, Esben?” Malik said when several agonizingly long seconds passed without Esben answering. “Yes!” Esben finally shouted, overwhelmed with guilt and terrified to go tell Nia, because now he couldn’t back out or change his mind about anything. He couldn’t wait it out, and now he wasn’t going to her of his own choice. And he found out that he cared more about what Nia thought of him than he cared about the opinions of almost anyone else. They had had enough conversations over the past weeks that Esben had seen another side of her, decisive and fierce and strong. If she was anything like her cousin, she’d be furious with him. “I’ll tell her tomorrow,” Esben said quietly, his voice tense. “Good,” Malik said shortly. “She won’t be at the Keep though. You’ll have to tell her at Chimney Hill.” Esben swallowed nervously. “I can’t get away until late that evening. But I’ll tell her.” “All I said was that you have until tomorrow. And come alone. This has to be between the two of you.” Malik said. Esben nodded. Tomorrow evening. He’ll be going alone. Aro’s eyes widened. He had gotten the information he hadn’t even hoped for. He had been absolutely lost and extremely confused during the whole conversation, but this was something he understood perfectly. “I never thought you’d do something like this, Esben!” Malik burst out. “Don’t talk to the King that way.” Suddenly, Artham stepped into the road. He had been scouring the Keep for his brother and had started to panic, not finding him anywhere. He told himself that Esben had just gone home, and Malik’s angry voice had led him there. Malik looked over at Artham, then leaned closer to Esben. “When you lied, you lost the right to be called King by every person who knows you as Lander,” he said quietly so that Artham wouldn’t hear. Esben took a step back, feeling Malik’s words like a blow. “You’re right,” he said in a whisper, his voice barely audible. Artham’s steps echoed through the empty streets as he crossed, standing between his brother and Malik. “What is going on, Malik,” Artham asked, gently pulling his brother towards him and much less gently putting a hand on Malik’s arm and pushing him away. Malik didn’t break eye contact with Esben, even as he answered Artham. “Nothing. Don’t worry, Throne Warden, I didn’t hurt your brother. We just had some business to settle.” Artham nodded curtly, by now having gotten a grip on the situation. Esben’s expression was closed off, and Malik still looked angry. “Good. Then leave.” He said. “Goodbye, Esben. Sorry things had to be this way,” Malik said, then with a nod to Artham, he left. Aro watched breathlessly as Artham walked in the other direction, talking in hushed tones and stood up slowly. His legs had fallen asleep from so long in the same crouched position, and he winced and put his hands on his knees when they began to prickle. Tomorrow. Artham and Esben would be expecting him to be somewhere at Oak Hill that night and to go with them to the Keep that morning. He would be at Oak Hill, just like they expected. But his mind started racing with excuses for not going with the brothers in the morning. It would take the early hours of the day to reach the meeting place and tell Ryith, then longer to plan and prepare. Tomorrow we can finish this.

I'm sorry it took me forever to write this chapter! Previous Chapter: https://thethwaphouse.wixsite.com/thwap-house/forum/spoiler-fanfiction/heir-of-the-shining-isle-chapter-vii?origin=notification The next few days were awful. The brothers went out of their way to avoid each other. Artham hung out with his friends in the Annieran army, while Esben hung out with Dike and some others. Whenever circumstances forced them together, they did what needed to be done with the least amount of actual interaction.  If anyone noticed the distance between the two Wingfeathers, no one commented. Without Bonifer, Esben doubted anyone knew what to say.  But Bonifer was gone, and would remain away for a while yet. He’d taken Conor with him at Artham’s request, since the young man was an experienced guard, trained by Illia, and one of Artham’s close friends. If anything could make this mysterious Alina Balan talk, it would be Conor’s charm.  On the third morning after the fight, a storm hit the island. Rain pelted the castle and thunder boomed. Bored out of his mind, Esben sought out his favorite window seat in the most rarely used part of the castle and settled down to draw.  Except he couldn’t think of anything to sketch. His imagination was dead. And he couldn’t see much of anything out of the window because of the rain.  Esben groaned loudly and smacked his forehead to his notebook in frustration.  “Having a bad day?”  The familiar voice startled Esben. He sat bolt upright, the notepad tumbling to the ground as he looked around for the source of the sound.  “Uncle Tal!”  Leaping to his feet, Esben threw himself at the man and hugged him tightly — but he was very careful not to knock him off his feet.  Uncle Tal laughed and hugged him back. He was an elderly man with silvery white hair and laugh lines crinkling his face. Technically, he was Esben’s great-uncle, as he was the younger brother of Esben’s grandmother, Queen Madia Wingfeather, but it was much easier to forgo the ‘great’.  Instead of dressing in the clothing of a nobleman, as most would expect of him, Uncle Tallaran had always preferred the unobtrusive clothing of the Annieran public. In the same way, he lived in a little cottage in the countryside instead of in the castle. He liked life better like that.  “Ow,” Esben said, pulling away. “You’re whistleharp jabbed me in the side!”  Uncle Tal chuckled again. “Yes, it can be a very awkward accessory, don’t you think?”  “How are you doing?” Esben asked. He couldn’t help sounding a little resentful when he added, “You didn’t come to the funerals.”  His uncle’s face fell and his eyes turned glassy. “I fell ill when I heard the news, Esben. I came as soon as I recovered enough for the journey.”  Esben hugged the old man again. He smelled like limpiny sprouts, probably from his garden. “I’m so glad you’re here.”  “So am I,” Uncle Tal agreed. “Did you and Artham have a fight?”  “What?” Esben blushed. “How did you know?”  “I saw him when I first arrived, training outside alone.”  “In the rain?”  “‘Of course.” Uncle Tal smiled. “This is your brother we’re talking about.”  “True.”  When Esben didn’t continue, Uncle Tal raised an eyebrow. “So did you have a fight?”  Esben nodded ruefully. “Yes.”  “What about?”  “Well . . .” Esben slid back onto the window seat, Uncle Tal following suit. “It was a stupid fight. I think the stress got to us.”  “Why haven’t you made up?”  “Because we’re stubborn fools?”  Uncle Tal laughed. “That’s not a very good reason. Or a very kingly one.”  “With Artham, I never feel very kingly.”  “Odd. I’m pretty sure fact is never dependent on feeling.”  Esben glanced over at his uncle. “Are you going to lecture me now?”  His uncle smiled at him. “How about I simply offer advice?”  “Sounds good to me,” Esben replied. “I need as much of that as I can get right now.”  “First, I want to know everything. Start from the beginning, with the arrival of the news about Illia . . .” Uncle Tal sighed sadly. “It will do you good to talk about it.”  So Esben told him everything. All about Illia’s funeral, the assassination, the council meeting, his meeting with the assassin himself, and the fight with Artham. Talking about it all was like peeling back an onion. He cried, but he had his uncle there with him and he cried too.  “I don’t want to be king,” Esben finished finally, his voice miserable. “I want Papa and Mama to be alive again . . . I don’t want to have to make decisions like I did the other day. I don’t want to have to be civil and meet with murders . . . I don’t want to be an adult yet.”  “That is quite understandable,” Uncle Tal said softly. “But you did well. You’ve made good, solid decisions that will benefit Anniera. I believe in you.”  “I’m thirteen! Do you realize how crazy that sounds?”  “Yes,” Uncle Tal agreed. “It is rather odd to say such a thing to a thirteen-year-old, but you are a Wingfeather. We weather all odds.”  “Sure.” He rolled his eyes dramatically. “Where’s that advice you promised?”  “Oh, I think you know what to do next.”  Esben sighed. “Make up with Artham?”  “Exactly.”  “Why me? He’s older. Shouldn’t he come talk to me?”  “Everyone is equally responsible in relationships.”  “Ah, there’s that sage advice I was waiting for.”  “I do try to pretend there’s some wisdom beneath these grey hairs.”  Esben laughed and slid down from the window seat.  “How long will you be staying?” he asked, helping his uncle down.  “For as long as I please,” Uncle Tal said, his eyes twinkling. “And I plan to stick around for a good while.”  Esben smiled. “Thanks. Well, wish me luck with Artham.”  “Oh, don’t worry about him. I’m sure he’s dying for reconciliation at this point.”  Probably.  “See you at dinner!” Esben waved and strode off down the corridor. It was time to apologize to his brother.  . . . .  Esben was drenched before he took more than two steps outside.  Of course Artham was still training in this weather. Of course he was. If only he could have been a normal person and train indoors during rain storms. Then again, if he was a normal person, then brothers would be living in some quaint little cottage in the Annieran countryside with both of their parents and no responsibilities.  If only.  Esben ran through the courtyard, holding a hand up to his face to shield his eyes from the falling sheets of water. He came to the training ground and jumped over the short fence — his boots splattering with mud. With all the heavy rain, the dirt of the arena had become little more than a small, shallow pond.  His brother stood in the center, his back to him, steadily going through the stances. None of his friends were there.  Probably because they have enough sense to spend a storm reading inside where it’s nice and dry, Esben though, amused.  “How long until you’re ready to come inside?” he called.  Artham started and whipped around. When he saw it was Esben, he frowned, blinking water from his eyes, then looked away.  “I still have ten minutes left of practice.”  “You can finish them inside.”  He shrugged, not answering, and fell back into his training routine, switching from stance to stance.  Blast. Esben had wanted to keep the small talk going for a little longer, but apparently not. If Uncle Tal were here, he’d be telling him to get on with it.  He sighed. “Look, I’m sorry about what I said. I didn’t mean it — at least, I really do appreciate you. I mean, I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for what you did.”  Artham lowered his sword and turned to look at him again. This time, there was guilt and embarrassment in his gaze.  “I’m sorry too,” he said quietly. “I know you were only doing what you had to do – for the good of the kingdom.”  “Call it even?” Esben asked, holding out his hand.  A small smile flickered across Artham’s face and he reached out to shake it. “Sure.”  “By the way,” Esben said when his brother let go. “You should pause training and come inside for another reason other than the fact it’s as wet as the ocean out here.”  “Oh?”  “Yeah.” Esben grinned. “Uncle Tal is here!”  Artham brightened at once. “Now I know why you apologized!”  Without waiting for a response, he raced towards the palace. Still grinning, Esben sprinted after him.  They spent the afternoon catching up with Uncle Tal over tea in his room. Once again, there was laughter inside Castle Rysen. A few hours later, Bonifer returned. 

Spoilers ahead! I loved the new episode…but something’s really bothering me. Did any of you guild members notice that one frame where it looks like Peet’s feet turn into bird claws!? **internally freaking out* Anyway what were your thoughts?