Professor Gemstone has to choose... part 8 (40)

In the next couple days, Ezera had a handful of students coming to him, asking for lenses. Devices which he happily gave out.

In that time, he thought a lot. He was grateful for the space that Ilya was giving him. He used that time well, not worrying too much about Hortensius and queen Lenacia, or Onyx, even though he still tried his best to speak with the young boy.

At the term of these two days, Ezera made his decision. That night, he sat in front of Ming as they prepared for bed.

The boy looked at him with his eyes like blue ice, the deepest blue resembling a deep sulfur lake; beautiful, but careful not to fall into it. He blinked slowly, waiting patiently for Ezera to speak.

Ezera didn't make him wait too long. But he kept his words whispered, and measured.

"Ming. Do you remember what we were speaking of the other day, in the forest?"

He waited for Ming to nod. The boy's eyelashes had started to oscillate subtly. It was a sign of anxiety.

"I think... I will have to leave for a while."

He waited in silence, gathering his words. Ming also waited, as he processed the information. But he didn't seem surprised, it was something that he had been waiting for, in fact.

"Why?" Ming was the first to speak again.

Ezera took another moments to search for words, before meeting Ming's straightforward gaze once again.

"I have found something worrying, in my recent investigations. I fear the worst. You know that what I want the most is to protect you... Don't you?"

It took a bit longer for Ming to nod this time. Worried, Ezera pressed the matter.

"You know that, right?" He didn't want the boy to think he was abandoning them.

Ming hummed non-commitally. Yet, under the pressure of Ezera's gaze, he caved in, and nodded.

"I know," he muttered, and Ezera sighed relieved.

The answer was reluctant, but he didn't detect any lie in it.

"Good," he swallowed, and wetted his lips nervously. "Except that, to protect you from this threat, I have to go away for a while."

He struggled to explain the next part. How could he speak of the danger that they had discovered, Ming was just a child? But at the same time, he couldn't leave them without any warning to fend off for themselves.

He made up his mind.

"It is very important that, in my absence, all of you be careful of who you trust," Ezera warned, but he didn't feel good feeding the trust issues he had been trying to dissipate for more than a dozen months. "I know I shouldn't ask that of you, both you and your classmates, but what I will be investigating could turn out to be very dangerous for all of you. Especially as the kingdom that is hosting us might play a part in this."

He stopped, giving the boy some time to understand what Ezera was telling him.

"I trust you to keep that information a secret to a maximum. But you should rely on your classmates too, in my absence. Always count on one another, alright?"

Ming nodded slowly, hesitantly, his gaze now lost in the middle distance. Ezera exhaled, in once long controlled breath. Then, he smiled.

"Of course, this professor of yours is still worried. So I want you to have this. Give me your hand.

Ming relinquished his palm up toward the ceiling, limp in Ezera's delicate touch. The teacher gently pressed one of his three last lenses in Ming's trusting palm, closing the docile fingers around it.

Ming withdrew his hand and took a look at the gift. When he raised his head to meet Ezera eye to eye, he was frowning a bit.

"What is it for?"

"It's a scrying lens. Through it, I can see you, and look upon you. If you let me keep an eye on you thanks to this, I will feel more reassured. But that is ultimately your choice."

Ming stared at him for a long time, searching his features for any kind of give. Ezera made sure to keep them open and honest. Ming lowered his eyes to contemplate the lens in his palm. After an instant that drew on the night for an agonizing minute, Ming pressed it to his chest with a nod.

"Professor..."

Ezera straightened up, listening.

"Yes?"

"...You cannot tell me where you're going? Or what danger you are speaking of?"

Ezera's expression twisted in regret and he shook his head.

"It's safer this way. For both of us."

Ming nodded firmly, unsurprised and accepting.

"Then," his eyebrows were drawn once again, "Is Professor leaving on his own?" He sounded worried.

Ezera smiled to comfort him.

"No, Professor is not going anywhere alone, rest assured."

To his surprise, Ming's face scrunched up slightly in displeasure instead.

"Then, is Professor leaving with that man?"

Ezera almost failed to hold back his bark of laugher at the disdain in the boy's words.

"I am. Don't worry though, he's nice. He won't hurt me. I'm stronger than I look, you know?"

Ming looked up to him innocently, as though he hadn't just slandered someone else through the tone of his voice alone.

"Will he protect the Professor?"

"He will," Ezera nodded. "And I'll keep him safe too. That's how partnership works. You're supposed to do the same with your classmates."

Ming ignored the teasing easily. He looked thoughtful. But soon, a hand came to grasp at Ezera's jacket.

"One more question..."

"Yes?"

Ming took a deep breath. Then another. Ezera waited patiently, if a bit amused, for the boy to be prepared. After having taken his tenth deep breath, Ming spoke in a low, shy murmur, almost afraid. He didn't look up this time.

"Professor promised... You will come back?"

Oh.

Oh. Ezera was shaken out of his amusement. His lips shook slightly as he pressed them against each other.

Ezera wasn't going to cry.

He drew Ming to him, ignoring the boy's small yelp, and kissed the top of his head.

"I will always come back."

And it was the plain truth. For Ezera would never lie to his children.

He shushed the boy as they embraced, petting the chestnut hair falling down the boy's shoulders as they inspired and exhaled together, for a few drawn out minutes. It was appeasing.

It felt nice, and warm.

They had to separate, eventually, and Ming turned away to hide the wet shine of his eyes. In a sullen tone, he muttered out clearly:

"I'm still not satisfied."

Ezera blinked, taken aback.

"Huh?"

Ming roughly erased the nascent tears at the corner of his eyes before looking back, with a stubborn glint in his tired eyes.

"It's not enough that Professor can see us. What good is it if he cannot talk to us?"

Ezera blinked again. Then, he grinned.

"You're right, Ming," he ruffled the boy's hair. "You're right. I think that's a problem easily solved. Alright," his tone softened. "Let's go to sleep now."

Ming looked at him curiously, but he didn't ask any more questions.

They both fell asleep with a smile on their lips that night.

Just one more day.