Breathe Violence (Ch.11)

"Is it hard?" Rehan Kalver asked as he lowered himself to seat beside Weylyn in the fields outside the Magoir Tower.

Weylyn leaned her head down on Rehan's shoulder, her eyes fluttering closed as Rehan encircled an arm around her and pulled her closer to himself.

The familiar warmth of her kin comforted Weylyn's heart and this was precisely why Weylyn had come out here to Rehan even with the knighting ceremony a few hours away.

She had come because her heart was greatly troubled and she needed strength, strength that only Rehan could provide her at this moment and she was the only one who could do the same for him.

Weylyn was quiet for a long moment, she could hear the tolling bells all the way from the Imperial Palace which marked the passing of each hour,

Soon, she would have to return and upon her return it would already be the knighting ceremony.

Once Weylyn was knighted, there was no going back, she would shoulder the responsibilities as Knight Kalver and protector of the Empire till the day she died.

It was a great privilege, a honor thousands sought after, a honor her family had carried for generations for over a thousand years,

Weylyn had thought this day would be special, that she would march into the imperial city with pride, that she would accept this great honor she had been trained for all her life,

But in each of those moments when she envisaged her future, there had always been Ronan right beside her, cheering her on as he always did,

He would pick her up and lift her onto his shoulders, as he always did whenever Weylyn achieved a great feat, much to the horror of their father the Grand Duke who would always reprimand him saying Weylyn was a lady of nobility.

But Ronan had never cared for that, it did not matter how old Weylyn got or that she was no longer a child but a lady, his joy and happiness for his little sister could never be contained.

His love was pure and all consuming and he had never ceased to remind Weylyn that she was the pride of the Kalvers and his pride also.

Sometimes Weylyn felt guilty to him, their mother had passed on early during the travails of her birth and for a time, the Grand Duke had spiralled into depression.

At that time, Ronan had been forced to take the place as the man of the family and as a parent figure to his younger siblings, most especially the tender Weylyn.

Although their father had quickly overcome his grief knowing his children needed him, while their father had taught and guided sternly but with all love and care,

Ronan had nurtured and comforted, filling in the space their mother had left behind for both Rehan and Weylyn, whereas he himself endured no less grief at their mother's passing than them.

He was always the one to make a sacrifice, even up till his final moments, he had still been the one to make a sacrifice,

The hero who gave everything to save everyone else, even up to his own life, yet succeeded in saving everyone but his ownself.

Weylyn had sworn to protect him as he had done her, it was the only reason she had picked up the sword in the first place, to ease the great responsibility of carrying on the legacy of House Kalver by himself.

She had trained night and day, forsaking sleep and all leisures noble ladies of her age enjoyed all for her duty to the Kalvers and for her promise to Ronan,

But in the end, she had stood right there and watched Ronan make the ultimate sacrifice and she had been unable to save him.

And now, everything felt bleak and futile and all Weylyn wanted to do was run away from it all and never return.

"Yes Rey... it is, I have only just arrived and I do not wish to stay another moment. I wish I could have been anywhere else, taken any other path but this." Weylyn croaked out, sucking in a deep breath to calm herself.

"Shhhh...I know your heart Lynn." Rehan comforted, heaving a sad sigh of his own.

"Do you wish to leave? If you want, I can take you away. Father will be angered but he would understand...Ronan too." Rehan assured.

"I do want to leave...but will I leave?" Weylyn murmured quietly,

"No, you will not, you are Weylyn Kalver...my little sister. It may be hard and it may be bound to get harder still, but you have never been one to run from difficulty...not ever and certainly not now." Rehan said knowingly,

Weylyn chuckled quietly, truly she wished she could turn her back on everything and leave till she found the solace she needed, but if she did leave...then she would not be Weylyn Kalver.

Weylyn smiled slightly as she nuzzled closer to her brother's chest, rolling her eyes as his chest vibrated in a deep chuckle.

"If only someone were to come by and see what a child their Knight Kalver is." Rehan teaser,

"Oh shut it. In a few hours, I will be knighted. Then even you have to address me as Sir Kalver."

"You had best cuddle me as much as you can right now, who knows when next I could be your baby sister again?" Weylyn pointed out, earning herself another deep chuckle.

"Lynn... Ronan is gone, but I am here and I will always be here." Rehan assured,

"As am I for you brother, and should anyone try to take you away from me. I will rip him to shreds and run his soul through." Weylyn vowed solemnly.

Rehan Kalver broke out into laughter, flopping down to his back on the soft grass as he laughed aloud.

"That is exactly what Ronan would say, you knights breathe violence, I see." Rehan chuckled, his golden orbs twinkling in amusement.

"Whatever, when you're done laughing, summon me a portal back to the palace. I will sleep for a time and I won't arrive in time if I ride back." Weylyn murmured with a roll of her eyes although her lips twitched in amusement.

Weylyn also flopped down to her back, her eyes fluttering closed.

And for the next hour, the Kalver siblings lay there, side by side on the fields of the Magoir Tower, hearts still overwhelmed with grief at their great loss but finding comfort in the presence of one another.