2 The call

"What do you mean war! What happened!"

"Father, what is going on? War? Against who?"

"A-A war?"

Ask all the three confused siblings, each one for different reasons and different worries. As they make all sorts of questions their parents just stay silent: Marya looking down, staring at the half empty plate before her; Erynth closing his eyes, using his forearm to sustain himself while covering his face with his hand.

The screams of the girl and the shouts of the man eventually become so loud to be unbearable, even for the lenient count. With just one word he brings order to the room.

"Silence"

The two hastily settle down and ask for forgiveness, recognising their foolness. Only then the count starts to explain what happened.

"Yesterday, late at night, a letter from the Insolum Duchy was brought to me"

As he begins to narrate the events of the previous night the two stay quiet, in absolute silence. They focus completely on the father's face, not even noticing the tear running down Marya's cheek; but luckily for her, little Cecil is still too young to properly comprehend the situation and just keeps eating her chocolate cake.

"It had the Golden Star seal. It was directly from the duke. He's warning us that the neighboring county of Freim is preparing to attack us. Their objective is to push the border back until they reach the western shore of the river Tervis, which is currently 10 km deep within our territory"

Melancholically says Erynth, visibly worried by the contents of the letter.

"Dear God father, you almost made me worry! If it's just Freim we will easily defeat them, rather, we could be the ones pushing the borders back! Considering the appalling state of their forces and the disparity in population I'm sure we will have no problem. The subjects of our fief are at least three times theirs and surely our morale is quite high!"

Proudly and delightedly comments the count's son, confident in a positive outcome of the upcoming conflict.

"Yes Quill, you are right about that, but let me finish. The problem is what followed in the letter. It also warns us that numerous bands of mercenaries and even regular units of the Truan Marquisate are crossing over Freim's border, probably to provide support. If Freim has the military backing of Truan we will stand no chance, do you now understand my worry?"

Having realized the severity of their situation Juliyva and Quill both stay in silence, petrified, scared to even open their mouths, not to worsen the mood. But an unexpected voice breaks the quietness.

"Can't we ask for help then? My teacher says that bullies always target lone people because they are cowards that only fight unfairly. We just need find a friend and they will leave us alone"

This intervention positively takes by surprise everyone, no one thought Cecil could speak such wise words. But this newfound hope is short lived, as everyone but Cecil knows, that after the signing of the Sacred Concordat almost 30 years ago, everyone in the empire was left on their own demise. Probably no one would come to their aid out of kindness, without a hefty price that is.

"She's right, dad! We can ask for help! … But, to whom …"

Shouts July, hoping for the situation to be somewhat saved, despite knowing deep inside that no one grants favours for free.

"That's right dear. I know you always wanted to be on your own but this time we have no choice. We must ask Duke Shtern for help, he's a friend after all"

Tries to reason the wife, even if she knows how heated the arguments get whenever someone mentions this topic. But, to everyone's surprise, Erynth has already accepted such a proposal. With an uncanny grin he starts a sinister laugh, putting unease in everybody in the room.

"Ahahah… A friend you say, well, that's what I like to think of him as. Because if he was my enemy, we wouldn't be sitting here having lunch would we?"

The mood seems to worsen by the minute, but at last, the count manages to put a bit of ease in everyone's heart.

"The duke in his letter has proposed to send us some, Relief Personnel"

As everyone is dumbfounded and unsure of what he might be meaning, Erynth proceeds to clear any misunderstandings.

"He's willing to send a contingent of 200 light cavalry, plus supplies and equipment, including unmarked weapons and armours for around 500 foot soldiers"

"That's great then! With Insolum's support the enemy combined army will stand no chance! We are saved!"

Jubilantly rejoice Juliyva and Quill, much less worried than in the beginning.

"Yes, saved. But who knows what the cost of our salvation will be…"

Are the last words of the count, tired and stressed out he excuses himself and leaves the room, his dish still half empty, his glass still half full. The remaining diners reluctantly finish what's left on the plates without speaking further words, one after the other they silently leave the table, leaving just Juliyva with only her to keep herself company.

In her mind she keeps wondering if Ortens was right, if her parents were right. If sometimes, it's best for you not to know.

---

"I'm home!"

The old wooden door slams behind her as the woman enters the house. Immediately she notices that something is off; usually whenever she comes home little Thale would be running towards the door, jumping and screaming he would announce to the entire family that Lua is back home. This was not the case.

"Honey? Drale? Alya? Where is everybody?"

"Lua we are in the kitchen, come. We need to talk"

Says a deep voice, from beyond the corridor.

Increasingly worried, the woman hastily moves through the small house to reach the cramped kitchen, where seated around the modest wooden table her family is waiting for her. As she enters the room no one looks up at her, no one greets her, no one speaks.

She stands on the doorway, silent, shocked and unprepared.

Her husband just points at the empty chair. Slowly she moves and reaches for the wooden seating. Finally, as everyone is present, the head of the family starts off the meeting by informing his wife of what happened earlier in the morning.

"At the marketplace there was an herald. It's an official decree, each family of the village must provide a man of fighting age. They didn't specify it but it's obvious we are about to go to war"

Speechless the woman looks around the room, searching in her sons' eyes for confirmation of what she just heard. As a matter of fact the people in the village are so detached from the region's politics that almost nobody even knows what fief lies next to theirs, to them the concept of war is almost mythical, unheard of. However, Lua and her husband know very well what war is.

"I should have seen it coming… It was obvious ever since they ordered the early harvest…"

Angrily mumbles the Father, his hand clenched into a fist and his teeth grinding in his mouth.

"What are we going to do dear?"

Worried asks Lua, still unsure who between Drale and his husband will be called to arms.

"At least that bastard left us enough time to complete the harvest! The herald said he will be back in seven days"

The man's anger rises for each sentence he speaks.

"That fucking bastard!"

Screams the man, his wife tries to calm him down not to cause any more upset, also not to set a bad example for their little son.

"If I ever meet Count Siga I will strangle him to death! That coward! He never leaves his palace and leaves us to starve! Not only that, but he also expects our money for his parties! And now our lives for his wars!"

"Dear, please don't shout"

Asks Lua sobbing, her eyes watery as tears run down her face.

"And what's even worse, is that your idiot son is looking forward to joining the army!"

Hearing these words the woman immediately stops sobbing and frowns. After composing herself she gets up from the chair and walks over to her son.

"You Idiot, what are you thinking about! Do you know what you are even saying?!"

"Yes Mom! I know very well of the risks, but I just can't spend my whole life hidden in this forsake village out in the countryside! This is not life, this is a slow death!"

-Smack

Lua, now vivid and even more enraged than her husband, slaps Drale, hoping to bring some sense into him.

"Are you crazy! Do you even stop and think of what we would feel if something were to happen to you! We are your parents, you idiot. I know how you feel-"

"NO YOU DON'T! You can't understand my feelings. For you it's easy, all you need is just some bread and water each day and you are fine with living just like that! I'm not like that! I want to see the world, I want to experience the world, I want to live the world."

Shouts Drale, his face red and his eyes watery. He storms out of the house and runs over the fields, over the hill, out of sight. Lua asks Alya and Thale to follow Drale, to calm him down and make sure he doesn't do anything rash.

Left alone the two parents keep arguing back and forth about what they should do with their loved but stubborn son.

"Dear do something about him! You must convince him! He's too young and reckless and I'm sure he will get into trouble! I don't even want to thin-"

As Lua rambles all she worries about, her husband interrupts her, speaking words that couldn't be truer.

"Honey, do you remember the first time we met?"

"Of course dear but what does it have to do with all of this?!"

"Do you remember what we were doing?"

"... Yes … How could I forget"

Lowly says the woman, having been calmed down by the deep, calm voice of the man.

"Say it"

Having composed herself and dried her cheeks she continues.

"... You had just entered the room, as you stepped in everyone in the inn shouted out loud your name: 'Reback!' 'Reback!' 'Reback the slayer of orcs!' they would chant; You had such a delighted smile on your face, still covered in mud and blood after the recent clashes, every girl was looking at you. And I, I was not an exception…"

"We weren't that older than what he is now… Lua, dear, you know better than anyone. He has our blood, he has our spirit"

"Yes, I know. It's foolish of me to even think this simple life could appease someone as 'the son of Reback, slayer of orcs'. But even knowing this my heart still hurts whenever I think of what you went through, when I think of the injuries you suffered. Please dear, I know we couldn't keep it a secret from him, about our past, not for much longer; and I know we can't keep him tied here, with us, not for ever; but at least, try to talk him out"

A passionate smile takes shape on the former adventurer's face. After a bit of consideration he replies to the former adventurer that is standing before him, the one he now calls his wife.

"Lua, I always agree with you, on almost every matter, but this time, I think I will disagree with you for once"

Resigned, the woman noods and lowers her head. She knows exactly what her son is thinking, because she was exactly like him, when she left the comfort of her house for a life of adventure.

"I'm going to talk with him for a bit. I'll be back with him just in time for dinner"

"Do you want anything in particular?"

"Meat and rice, just like our first time"