CHAPTER 21: Family ties

The Kain's Residence in the City Of Lakod(Empire Phelon)

"What exactly are you trying to indirectly tell me, Hazen?" Mara asked in a low but brash tone, being the only one that had the confidence to speak to her husband in such a way, especially in their household, 

"You know exactly what I'm trying to say, woman," replied Hazen, Ashen's father in the same tone, but in a lower pitch while trying to tell his wife to do the same as he placed his index finger on his lips, 

"Woman?" Phrasing it like a question even though she was merely drawing her husband's attention to it, 

"You might use such a tone with me anywhere else but you would not disrespect me in my own house," Mara yelled with a cold but fierce expression on her face

"I apologize but don't tell me you have any objections about what I just said?" He continued, looking at his wife with suspicion, knowing the kind of person he married and having concluded in his mind that she would support him without hesitation, 

"You know me better than that. I was merely waiting for you to make up your mind. Do you know how long it has been since we had a hearty meal? We're down to only two servants and one carriage for daily use. If we carry on like this any longer, we wouldn't be able to feed ourselves," Mara said with an unhappy expression on her face sinking into the nearest chair beside her as she turned to look at her husband, who was already staring at her, 

A comfortable silence then ensured as they seemed to communicate without words, each of them waiting for the other to speak, 

"We are going to completely abandon him right? Mars asked wanting to make sure that concerning their son Ashen, both of them were definitely on the same page, 

"Yes...as soon as Kleastron, can control mana and use it," Hazen replied quietly, with a dark expression on his face as he remembered how happy they had been when Ashen had been accepted into the light academy only for them to spend half of their fortune and find out that he was the lowest in his class and wasn't progressing at all, 

"But...what if Klea is unable to?" Asked Mara unafraid to ask the bitter questions having gotten to a stage where she was more concerned about herself than Klea, her first son who was unable to use magic and Ashen, who she hadn't seen in two years, 

"Then we'll just have to wait and put all our hopes on May, she'll be older in two years," Hazen explained but he was barely done when Mara frightfully spoke up, 

"Two years?" She yelled in shock, 

"I can't wait that long to have a Magic Master in the family. We'll have to put all our bets on Klea by giving him everything he needs," Mara decided as she continued looking at her husband whom she was sure had already decided to support their eldest son, 

"Of course...I intend to give him all he needs, but the question is..." Hazen said with a shrug, dropping into the chair right in front of the one his wife sat on, leaning closer to her before he continued speaking, 

"What if he's unable to activate a full magic potential like Ashen and ends up at the bottom just like his younger brother?" Hazen asked, doubt lacing his words as he recalled how much money he had left and how they could only afford to bet one more time before their family was ruined, 

"What else are we going to do? We'll move to May or die trying. For our plans to succeed, we need a master Magician in the family or our success and safety would never be complete," Mara puffed out all in one breath, having experienced first-hand, how bad things were getting for people that didn't have magic or any magic-related person in their family, 

"We were once a big happy family," Hazen murmured to himself with a wry smile on his face, recalling how easy and happy things were in their family two years ago when they sent Ashen to the academy with pure joy and high hopes, 

"We still are...just one with higher expectations and need for survival," Mara replied hardening her heart as she eyed the missing thumb on her husband's left finger, resolute in the decision she made, 

"My family's survival is more important than their feelings," Mara thought even as she couldn't help but wonder how Ashen would feel when he heard of their decision.

They continued talking amongst themselves about how they were going to break the news to their children including May even though she was the youngest, but unknown to them, Kleasron ears were tightly fixed to the door hole listening to every word his parents had said.