30 - Words Left Unsaid

  As they arrived back home, Valrion’s mother and Sergius led their horses to the side yard and stopped once they reached the stalls. Sergius dismounted first before helping Valrion down. Valrion’s mother followed shortly after, gracefully smoothing her dress as soon as her feet touched the ground.

  “Thank you, Sergius,” Valrion’s mother said, offering him a warm smile.

  “No worries,” Sergius replied as he led both horses toward the stalls. His tone was casual, but Valrion caught a fleeting glance from him—a look that carried a hint of frustration and worry from earlier.

  Valrion watched Sergius for a moment before turning to follow his mother, who was already making her way toward the house. The earlier events of the day still occasionally replayed in his mind, the tension from the market chase clinging to him like a shadow.

  He was tired and eager to head to bed soon, but he immediately ran to the kitchen to seek Octavia and Fina. When they weren’t there, he went to the backyard, where they were wiping and beating the dust out of the common room’s tapestry with cloths. It hung on a wooden frame near the clotheslines, swaying slightly in the cool morning breeze.

  Clutching the bag of candies in his hand, he dashed over to them. “Octavia! Fina!

  The two women paused their movements, their eyes widening as they caught sight of him. As he reached them, he held out the bag and opened it, revealing the treats inside.

  “Candies!” Octavia shouted, leaning closer to examine the bag.

  “Take some,” he urged.

  “Are you sure? These must have been costly,” she asked, hesitating.

  “Go take some,” he repeated.

  She exchanged a glance with Fina, a shared amusement evident in their expressions. She finally reached in, taking just one candy, and Fina followed suit.

  “Just one?” Valrion wondered, raising an eyebrow.

  “It’s fine. We’re not that fond of sweets,” Fina replied, though her words rang hollow. She baked far too many desserts to claim otherwise. Their reluctance likely stemmed from guilt over the candy’s price, as Octavia had pointed out.

  “All right,” Valrion said, letting it go.

  “How was the market?” Octavia asked as she put the candy into her mouth. Her face scrunched up at the sourness, while Fina’s reaction remained composed. It was obvious that everyone had different thresholds for strong flavors.

  Valrion’s gaze flickered briefly to the ground. “It was an interesting day.”

  “Did you enjoy it?” Fina was the one who responded since Octavia seemed to be unable to do so for trying to chew the candy.

  “Yes, I want to go there again soon,” Valrion said. There was no way he could be completely honest about what happened. Soon, they should know the truth themselves from Sergius or his parents.

  “I’m dying here,” Octavia muttered, causing Valrion and Fina to laugh.

  After a while, Valrion realized there was nothing more for him to do in the backyard. The maids continued their work on the tapestry, and he didn’t want to intrude on their duties.

  “I’ll go get some rest. I’ll help you later,” he said to Octavia and Fina. They both nodded in acknowledgment. With a small wave, Valrion turned around and made his way back inside.

  He set the bag of candies down on the kitchen table and went to look for his mother. As he approached her study, he noticed the door was wide open, a sliver of light spilling into the dim hallway. Peeking inside, he found the room empty and decided to head upstairs to their bedroom.

  There, he saw his mother changing out of her formal attire, slipping into a more comfortable dress for the day. Her hair, grown long over the years until it reached her waist, was let down and slightly tousled. As she glanced up, surprise shone across her face upon meeting his gaze.

  “I’m sleepy,” he admitted, stifling a yawn.

  His mother finished changing and smiled at him. “You’ve had a long day, haven’t you?”

  Nodding, he stood patiently by the cradle. When she was ready, she walked over and tucked him into bed.

  “Hey, don’t tell your father about what happened at the market, okay?” Valrion’s mother asked.

  Valrion’s heart skipped a beat. How did Sergius already tell her about him using his fire?

  “About that thief girl. All right? Your father will worry too much,” his mother continued, much to Valrion’s relief—and also his confusion. So, it wasn’t about his fire, right?

  “Okay, Mama,” Valrion replied, his voice small but obedient. His mother leaned down and kissed his forehead before he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

  When he awoke, the sun hung high in the sky, piercing his eyes when he opened them. He stood up in the cradle, gripping the edge as he looked down. For a brief, impulsive moment, he considered jumping off, but the idea quickly passed. He knew that would just hurt his legs. Instead, he waited patiently until his mother came to check on him.

  “Did you wake up, Valrion?” His mother appeared about five minutes later.

  “Yes,” he cooed. Nearly two hours had passed since then. His eyes searched her face for any sign of anger or disappointment, but to his relief, there was none—Sergius might not have said anything yet.

  His mother brought him downstairs, and they went to the kitchen to eat together as usual. In this house, the menus rarely changed: more bread for breakfast, fruits for lunch, and meat for dinner. Today’s lunch was no exception, but Valrion didn’t mind the monotony. Even in Heaven, he had spent centuries drinking from the same river.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  After lunch, Valrion joined Octavia and Fina in tidying up the house. They swept the floors and arranged the sacks in the kitchen. As they moved through the familiar spaces, they shared stories about Fina’s amusing mishaps, like the morning she swapped salt for sugar in her barley porridge and had to throw away the entire batch. Their laughter created a comforting atmosphere that distracted Valrion from his worries.

  When he had the chance, he also took a moment to practice at the hearth in the kitchen, focusing his energy until his mana dropped to nearly zero. The steady bursts of fire demanded precision and focus, and each successful attempt brought a small sense of satisfaction, though it did little to distract him from the impending scolding he should receive soon.

  As evening approached, Valrion once again joined the maids in the kitchen to prepare dinner. The recipe for rabbit stew was simple, but today’s version would be different—Fina had insisted on adding plenty of cabbage to use up the surplus from storage. The table in the middle overflowed with the pale green vegetables, showing Fina’s occasional habit of forgetting about items she had stored away.

  “Could you and Octavia wash all those cabbages for me?” Fina asked, her hands busy caramelizing onions in the pot above the hearth.

  “Of course,” Valrion agreed, following Octavia who carried two wooden basins to the well. One basin was filled with two large cabbage heads, while the other was empty.

  At the well, they worked together to peel off each leaf carefully, rinsing them in the cool water and discarding any that were blackened or spoiled. The repetitiveness of their task was soothing, and they exchanged lighthearted remarks about how it was good that everyone in the house would eat basically anything.

  Once the cabbages were washed and neatly stacked, they dried them off and each carried a basin back to the kitchen. They placed the basins on the table, and Octavia began shredding the cabbages with the knife she had set aside earlier. Valrion watched quietly from the side, thinking that one day, he should be trusted to handle those sharp objects himself.

  In about an hour, the stew finished cooking, its rich aroma spreading through the kitchen. Octavia went to call Valrion’s parents from their bedroom, while Valrion waited in the dining room with Fina, who had served everyone a bowl. Before long, everyone gathered around the table. Valrion’s gaze drifted to Sergius, who strolled in with an air of nonchalance, acting as though nothing unusual had happened earlier. The calmness made Valrion’s heart pound with confusion.

  “This is cabbage stew with rabbit, not rabbit stew with cabbage,” Sergius remarked after taking his first bite. “What’s the secret ingredient, Fina?”

  “Cabbage, lots of it,” Fina replied, understanding Sergius’ joke.

  “Just what I always wanted—more cabbage,” Sergius said with a grin, eliciting laughter from everyone around the table. Everyone, except Valrion’s father, who only managed a quiet chuckle. Would that man ever laugh aloud like the others?

  They ate together, sharing stories and enjoying the meal. The atmosphere was relaxed and jovial, but Valrion couldn’t shake the uneasiness crawling into his mind. Why was everyone, especially Sergius, acting as if everything was fine?

  After dinner, the workers cleared the table, and Valrion went to his room with his parents. His father asked about his day at the market, and Valrion told him it had been fun. As he lay between them in their bed, they spent the night listening to his mother recount the day—from their arrival, meeting her friend who sold fabrics, to buying candies. She skipped over the part where he had asked for bread for the misfortune entirely.

  Nearing ten, they washed up and went to bed. Even as Valrion settled beneath his blanket in his cradle for a good night’s sleep, his parents didn’t mention his use of elemental power. Either his mother had chosen not to bring it up, or Sergius had said nothing. Valrion leaned toward the latter—otherwise, his mother would have pulled him aside for a private lecture.

  The next day unfolded predictably for Valrion. He woke up, got cleaned up, changed into new clothes, and had breakfast with everyone, including Sergius, who remained his usual talkative self. Afterward, they headed to their regular bow practice, where Sergius provided guidance and encouragement whenever needed, his voice firm and his instructions clear.

  Was Sergius just bluffing?

  The question nagged at Valrion’s mind, troubling him as he fired arrow after arrow. He hesitated to confront Sergius, unsure if he wanted to hear the truth or risk reminding him of his mistake. The memory of Sergius’ rare outburst during the chase haunted Valrion, and he wasn’t sure he was ready to face it again. Perhaps Sergius had only meant to threaten him as a way of teaching a lesson?

  By the time practice ended, Valrion’s arms burned from the effort, but his aim had improved. Sergius tapped him on the shoulder, his grin as wide as ever. “Good work today, V. You’re getting better.”

  “Thank you,” Valrion replied, leaving his weapon for Sergius to handle and retreating toward the house. He would have usually spent more time talking to Sergius, but he was too confused to try.

  The rest of the day blurred into a series of chores and quiet moments. Valrion assisted Fina and Octavia with the housework, which always led to preparations for dinner. Much like the previous day, Fina asked Valrion and Octavia to clean two more heads of vegetables. This time, however, she transformed them into potato pies, served alongside roasted venison.

  “More cabbages?” Sergius deadpanned.

  “Today will be the last,” Fina assured him, and everyone laughed as they had the day before.

  Later that night, after both his parents had fallen asleep and the house settled into its usual quiet, Valrion climbed down from his cradle, which was surprisingly easy. He regretted not trying it sooner. Getting back up might have been difficult, but he could think about that later as he headed down the stairs, carefully gripping the banister for balance.

  Before long, he found himself standing outside Sergius' room, just near the kitchen. The soft glow of a lantern spilled through the crack beneath the door, casting a faint light onto the hallway floor. If it were the colder seasons, the room would have been further illuminated by the glow of the fireplace inside.

  He hesitated, his hand hovering near the doorframe. Should he just let this go? Would confronting Sergius be the right choice? What if bringing it up only made things worse? The Son of Heaven will always find the answers he needs, he reminded himself. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.

  It took Sergius a few seconds to open the door. His eyes widened slightly, though they were heavy with sleep.

  “How did you get down here?” Sergius asked with a gasp.

  “Hi,” Valrion greeted.

  “What—oh my, you terrify me sometimes. Just come in.” Sergius opened the door wider, stepping aside to let Valrion enter. The room carried a faint scent of leather and wood, a comforting combination that reminded Valrion of the stable.

  After closing the door, Sergius sat on the edge of his bed, his posture relaxing as his expression shifted from drowsy to mildly curious. “What’s wrong?”

  Valrion’s fingers curled into fists at his sides. The words then tumbled out before he could stop himself, “Why didn’t you tell my parents about what happened?”

  Sergius raised an eyebrow before chuckling. “Did you come all the way here just to ask me this?”

  Valrion nodded.

  “I did tell your mother,” Sergius revealed.

  Valrion frowned. “Really?”

  “Yes,” Sergius confirmed. “I told her everything. She listened, and I think she decided not to make a scene. What mattered most was that you were safe.”

  Valrion felt the weight of Sergius’ words as he considered them. It did sound like his mother to be that kind, but it was still a little hard to believe.

  “I see,” Valrion said, despite not fully comprehending the situation.

  Sergius shrugged, his gaze drifting to the lantern on the bedside table. The flame flickered, casting shadows across his face. “I think she trusts that you won’t do it again.”

  Valrion opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He was unsure of what to say next. There was something else he felt he should bring up, but he couldn’t find it. To make it worse, Sergius stared at him, clearly expecting a follow-up.

  “O-Okay,” Valrion said. “I’ll go, then.”

  As he turned to leave and almost reached the exit, Sergius’ voice stopped him. “Valrion, wait.”

  Valrion halted, his hand resting on the doorframe. Slowly, he looked over his shoulder. “Yes?”

  “Sit next to me,” Sergius ordered, motioning to the space beside him on the bed. His tone had changed slightly, a hint of something more serious threading through his words. “Let me tell you something very important.”

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