Chapter 4 – Blood bonds : A Brother’s Duty

The brothers didn't bury their mother that morning, instead they decided to stay beside her cold body for the day.

  Izaya began digging her tomb in the afternon so it would be ready the next day, and Oliver cleaned her face, arms and legs and threw the cleaniest cloth they had over her.

The morning came and they burried their mother in a small grave in the village cemetery under the shade of an oak tree. They said their final goodbyes, tears mixing with the freshly turned soil.

At midday they returned to their house , cleaned themselves in the pond then went back inside. Izaya kept close watch over Oliver as he climbed on the bed, the boy's eyes seemed lifless, it was to be expected as he had just lost his mother but his reaction was too severe to be simble sadness. But time heals all wounds, so Izaya decided to wait it out.

Two days passed, then three, then a week and Oliver didn't get better, in fact he had gotten worse, his cheerful demeanor nowhere to be found.

'He didn't eat much today either, has he lost his apetite? What should I do, mother?'

Izaya entered the bedroom where Oliver was sitting on a chair looking through the window, he appeared despaired and Izaya couldn't leave him like that anymore.

"Oliver, do you think it is your fault?"

Oliver flinched before answering, he lowered his head still looking outside and nodded.

Izaya's suspission grew and he continued, "Why is that? Does it have anything to do with your funny feeling?"

Izaya watched Oliver clench his fists, and hunch down, his breathing was growing louder,

'Is he hyperventilenting?'

"H-hey, are you alright? Oliver! Take deap beath, here, look at me, look at me, just like mom taught us, in and out, in and out, yeah like that, you're doing great, h-have you calmed down now?"

"H-hicc, brother, h-hicc"

"There, there shhh"

Oliver's face was a mess of tears and snot, but Izaya was releaved, 'Guilt was eating him from the inside, I am glad I noticed this"

"B-bother?"

"Yes?"

"Can I tell you ?"

'Is he willing to?'

"Y-yeah of course, go ahead"

"Y-yeah, s-so uh, I can, I can see the future. T-the funny feeling I told you about, that was a lie, it was that I can see a few seconds in the future, no, it is more like I get to experience it right before it h-happens.."

"What?"

'What, see the future, no he said to experience it? So the funny feeling was actually visions, how is this possible?'

"D-did mom know about this?"

"Y-yeah, mom was the first one I told before you?"

"Why didn't you tell me until now?"

"I-I wanted to, but mother said that it was dangerous, if father were to know s-she said he would kill all of us "

'I see, if it's father he would do that, if he knew of this, he would have suspissions and discover that  mom had an affair and Oliver wasn't his son and would lose all reason. 

So he was guilty over the fact that he could have saved mom from her illness or what? But he can only see a few seconds ahead..'

"Why do you think it's your fault? You couldn't have been able able to stop mom from falling ill! So how is it your fault that she died?"

"The cariage"

"What?"

"The c-cariage incident in the city, if I had handled it in a b-better way then none of this would have happened and mother would still be alive"

"W-what do you mean? Don't tell me, d-did you do that on purpose?! W-what did you see that made jump in like that?!"

"Y-You were dead, brother. 

Your body was lifless on the ground and your limbs looked broken, your hands were cold and your face was white.

That bastard had pushed you to demand r-ransom from the driver, and when I saw that m-my blood was boiling and my mind became hazzy. 

Then I saw you again, standing next to me, still looking around, and his hand was about to push you again and I found myself in front of the cariage before I could think. I heard you scream, and I blacked out.

When I came to my senses, I was in your arms and I felt r-relieved, you were alive and I had succeded in s-saving you. After we went back, and you were talking to mother, I couldn't shake off my happiness, until f-father returned and he began to beat us.

But, if I hadn't made that kind of decision in the city, m-maybe I could have saved both you and mother. I-I guess I am not smart enough, h-hicc, brother, am I just stupid?"

'W-what is this? Has he been thinking about this the whole time? W-what is this feeling? I feel worthless'

"Oliver, you idiot, how could this be your fault, if mom heard you she would scold you. 

Your decision was the best you could think of in only a few seconds, you are already a genius if you could act in such a short time, and I am now alive thanks to you! 

None of what happened is your fault so don't blame yourself, if you have bad visions and you prevent them, you did good, what do you mean you could have done better? You can see the furure but you're living in the past, you can't do that!

  Oliver, I am alive because you saved me, and mom's illness isn't something you could have forseen so don't feel guilty like this"

"I see, y-yeah, sniff*, I did what I could, t-thank you brother, thank you.."

'Seems he was tired, he felt asleep as soon as I tucked him in. 

I didn't think he was thinking like that, it really is a burdning gift.'

"W-wait, if he can see the future..." 

Izaya got up abruptly and went to the study, it was a bit dusty but still well maintained, it was his grandfather's office so their mother kept it especially clean.

He looked through the shelfs and found a book well hidden in the corner, his mother told him this was a rare book only bestowed to the gifted families.

It had names and paintings of all descendents of the heroes until today, a description of their gifts and some of the heroes's stories.

When he began looking through it, he found it.

"Haha, I was right, hero Oliver, forsight holder"

'Then, Oliver must be his descendent, and his father is the current duke kenwood, the one mother wants us to find... 

His estate is in the far south, can we even make it? Mother said members of her family were always targeted because of their gift. I am glad neither of us have it, but it will still be difficult to get there through the villages, child traffickers are growing in numbers in the past months, and passing by the villages is too risky, so the only choice is to to take a detour.

hmm, we will need to pass by Viscount Edmond's territory and then by the Cirus estate to arrive safely.'

"Huuh, I will have to prepare everything, this will be a long trip."