2 BITTER SWEET SEPARATION

They had set off early that morning, so as to reach their destination on time. "Here we are." Bhabu said upon their arrival.

"Good lord, this building is huge." Leomere said, blatantly staring at the huge building as if he was a hunter searching for prey.

"What is this place? Is it some kind of dungeon? Hall? What is it?" He thought aloud.

The building was humongous with tall black gates, guarded by two royal guards.

After episodes of averting gazes Bhabu Finally says."I have brought you here as promised, I shall take my leave now."

He hadn't pictured separating from Leomere to be this hard. His heart kept pounding hard and he only heard ringing in his ears. He felt so detached from the real world.

"I'm I even alive?"

"Why does everything feel so unreal."

But he couldn't shed a tear. Never! No matter what happens.

He didn't even cry the day his wife and daughter died.

The day he died. Along with his family.

He feels the same way today. "Why?" He asks himself ashamed of what he had become. Only an empty shell of his former self.

But who would blame the poor man. Raising a child for Eighteen years is a lot of work. Especially when that child decides to leave you and never return.

It hurts.

More than 373 punches in the gut.

Though they never express their feelings. They were both rigid and almost stone hearted.

Stone hearted in a good way of course.

So yeah... even despite all this a strong bond existed.

Bhabu stared into the empty space and turned around to leave.

Who does that? Only Bhabu that's for sure.

"Come here you weird old man." Leomere called out as he hugged bhabu from behind.

Despite this Bhabu doesn't react as usual. He remained expressionless. No one could tell if he was happy, sad, angry or anything.

Leomere would always act like he didn't care, but deep down he always wanted to get an emotion out of his Bhabu.

At least once before he leaves him forever.

Bhabu was just Bhabu. He would smile in any kind of situation.

"You should at least give me a proper goodbye."

That's the least

"My child I pray you don't get in, also remember you were trained by Sir. Maximus Ceaus, not Aeneas Ceaus."

"Don't worry bhabu, I'll be fine." Leomere replied with a reassuring smile.

"Thank you for bringing me this far Bhabu, thank you for everything." He said as rehearsed. Though he didn't say everything he had intended to say.

"Take care of yourself my child, remember you are a brave warrior's son."

"I will Bhabu." Leomere said as he watched bhabu leave.

"Farewell child, brave..."Bhabu's voice trailed off in the distance.

"Brave, strong and true." Leomere completed to himself as he approached the gates.

"Oops. I'm so sorry." Leomere apologized upon bumping into a red headed guy. "oh! Holy gods a red hair I'm definitely in for some trouble." He thought.

"Who do you think you are? Pushing me like that." The guy snapped.

"It was just an accident. I'm sorry."

"Just?" The guy interrupted. "Just?? You push me and you are saying just??? You nitwit."

You wouldn't wanna mess with a red hair.

"I said it was an accident!" Leomere's voice came out a shade louder than he had meant. But instead of responding immediately, the guy stroke his chin and smirked.

"Whether it was an accident or not?" The guy begins in a calm voice. "I don't bloody care!"

"Hey! Man you have a major anger problem." A voice said out of nowhere. Leomere turned only to find a beautiful 6ft creature looking down at him.

He had a strange appearance. He looked almost unreal one would say.

Leomere stared at him unblinkingly. The most beautiful man he had ever laid his eyes on. It was his first time seeing a man of color.

The young man had straggly unkept thick locks of hair that tumbled down his shoulders.

When Leomere looked harder. This young man's hair reached his knee.

What?!

Is this man what Leomere really thinks he is?

His face brimmed of innocence and youth.

Leomere stared at his beardless face, he was so tall but had the face of a teenager.

"How dare you poke your nose into our business?" The red headed guy yelled with his blood almost boiling.

"Temper, temper man." The guy arrived to intervene.

"You know what? People like you two, should not even be allowed to walk the streets." The red headed guy scoffed.

"Oh please!" Leomere finally spoke out after a while. "Skin me and salt me..."

"Hey! You there." One of the royal guards called out. "What are you doing over there?"

Leomere and the guys quickly went to the gates.

"Um...sir we are here for the contest." Leomere began.

The dark guy was barely holding himself from laughing at the guard's ugly military mustache.

"Names names and identity?"

"Sir I'm Leomere Gaza from Ramoth Iye Creek, 23 years old."Leomere said as he went forward.

"Training school?"

"I was home trained sir." Leomere answered awkwardly. Trying not to feel embarrassed.

He was the shortest among the three men. He was also tall but not as tall as the dark guy with the baby face, or the red headed guy.

There's no way any normal human could be as tall as a red hair.

"Pretty obvious." The red headed guy thought aloud. Making Leomere feeling smaller and more embarrassed.

"Home trained you say?" The royal guard gave leomere a stern gaze.

"Yes sir, I was trained by Sir. Maximus Ceaus."

"Oh!" The royal guard exclaimed. "That's good, he used to be a very skilled swordsman. Gaza you should wait here, you go in three's. Next!"

The red headed guy stepped closer. Carrying his cocky shoulders along. Feeling on top of the world, like every other red hair.

"I'm Joz Hezra." he began. "From fang peak. 25 years of age, I graduated from fire peak training school."

"Hmm...a red hair, next!"

"Ehem." The last guy cleared his throat playfully then continued. "I'm Parele Elias from Gibb's farm, I'm 19 and I graduated from the leaf training school for the gifted."

"Woah!" The guard's eye widened. "So we got a boy with the gibbers gift? The royal guard asked.

Leomere knew it! But how could a gibber look so young.

"Yes sir." Parele blushed.

"Great! But are you sure you are 19? You look 16."

"I'm 19. Don't let the good looks fool ya." The words came out too fast from Parele's mouth, as he realized he should be formal with the royal guard.

"Okay, you may go into the hall soldiers."

"Oh so its a hall, they have a hall this big outside the palace?" Leomere thought.

"Thank you sir." Parele said wanting to sound formal, as they made their way into the hall.

"Poor kids, they will definitely not last. The red hair maybe, but those two? Ha!" The royal guard laughed.

The hall was filled with many men of different cultures and backgrounds. There were men in groups and some scattered about. The three guys lowered themselves onto the floor with some effort, letting out a sigh of relieve as they leaned backwards.