“I will go to the Academy,” he told his father.

A week ago.

Even though he said that, it wasn’t easy to just up and leave for the Academy. There was the matter of handing his responsibilities over to Ronald and Dave. He handled a few small businesses and their accounts. He also dealt with the household finances and budget, since his mother was definitely not capable of it.

It wasn't because she did not understand or have an education, but because she could not be bothered to do it, all her mind and heart focused on hatred and venom. Before him, Dave handled them as the Butler. So it shouldn’t be difficult to hand off the responsibilities to him, with Ronald there to aid the man. Anything major that needed his approval could be sent to the Academy through mail.

Ronald wasn’t going with him to the Academy. No one who got admitted to the Academy was allowed to take a servant or attendant. They had to learn to live by themselves. They would live with people of all statuses. These rules applied to everyone, even royalty. So, a mere son of a Baron could not subvert these rules. Ronald was displeased about it, to say the least.

He took the time to prepare as well. Both physically and mentally. More mentally, in fact. As the day approached, he had to actively suppress his anxiety. Today was his last day at home. After this, he probably wouldn’t see his family… his people for months. The thought sent a pang through his chest.

Would he have felt like this if he had been a normal boy going to the Academy to learn magic?

He sighed. Regardless, he must say his goodbyes.

First, his mother. Best get it out of the way.

He reached her door and knocked. “Mother, it’s me.”

There was a long pause, during which he shuffled from foot to foot. He couldn't remember the last time he came to his mother’s room on his own. He knocked again. “Mother?”

No response.

He waited for a while. He was almost about to give up and go back - he was not going to go out of his way to meet that woman - when he heard a soft voice from inside.

“Enter.”

He flinched slightly. His mother sounded calm. Almost… happy. It made him uneasy. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

Baroness Anisa was sitting in front of the mirror, in her casual house robes. Her hair was down and she was gently combing through its ends, humming softly under her breath. She did not have the frown and anger that had always seemed to be a constant on her face. She looked beautiful. Emilio had forgotten how beautiful she was, what with her expression always filled with rage and hatred. But her grey eyes were as cold as ever.

“Mother,” he called, willing his voice not to quiver. Not a helpless child anymore, Emilio. “I will be leaving tomorrow. I came to say goodbye.”

She didn’t stop combing right away. After a few moments, she put the comb on the table in front of her and turned around. She opened her arms, as she used to when he was a small child.

“Come here.”

Emilio hesitated for a moment, but then he exhaled shakily and started walking forward. He was leaving the next day. He wouldn’t see her for a while. Let her speak her mind and do as she wished for now. From tomorrow, he wouldn’t be here. Though… he would have to make sure Jeremiah stayed out of her way.

Even as he told himself that, every step he took on the soft Zahirian rug was like stepping on needles. His heart thudded in his chest loudly and his throat dried up as he approached the woman, a complicated jumble of apprehension and anticipation building up in his chest.

He reached her and looked down. She beckoned at him to get closer… he would have to lean down. He sighed and knelt in front of her. He was a head shorter than her when kneeling. He looked up to see her reaching for him. He tensed on instinct but didn’t move away. Instead, he allowed her to cup his face - gently, to his surprise - caress his cheeks with her fingers. Her thumb moved across the thin line of scar he had on the right side of his cheek.

“My beautiful boy,” she whispered, her voice gentle and full of love. Emilio almost wanted to believe it. “You’re going to the Academy. You listened to mother, didn’t you?”

No. He didn’t. He didn’t agree to this for her. But he nodded nonetheless, playing along with her.

She allowed a small smile to grace her lips. “Good boy.” One of her hands moved up to gently run through his hair. He had to stop himself from tensing even more. He knew how strongly those hands could grab hair. “Why don’t you always listen to mother? Mother only wants what’s best for you.”

His breath stuttered. He did not answer her question. Instead he said, “I’ll be leaving tomorrow, mother. Please take care of yourself.”

She nodded. “Good, good.” She said softly, still smiling. That smile was almost unnerving. “Go to the Academy and learn how to control your powers. And then… and then, you can come back and take your title, your birthright, back from that little bastard.”

“Mother!” He protested on reflex and couldn’t bring himself to regret it. He pulled his face out of her hands. “Stop it! Jeremiah has nothing to do with this. I am going there to learn so that I can protect myself AND him. He is more deserving of the title of heir than I am. And he had no fault in or control over his own birth. Stop directing your anger toward him.”

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She didn’t get angry as he expected her too.

“Oh my sweet child,” she whispered, pity in her voice. “That little bastard has gotten into your head, ever since he was brought into this house. Just like how his whore of a mother got into your father’s head. It’s okay, it’s okay, you’ll be fine. The Academy will cure you of-”

“He was four!” He yelled at her. “He was four when he was brought into this house? And left to die in the stables because YOU wouldn’t let anyone take care of her. Mother…” The scared child inside of him told him to stop speaking but he couldn’t stop, the dam inside of him broken. “Where? Where do you bring all this hatred from? Towards a child? Towards a dead woman? Why has your heart become so rotten?! Is it because you never got father’s love? Or is it because he loved another woman? What else did you expect when you forced father to marry you using your grandfather’s powers against him?!”

Smack!

His head snapped to the side, his cheek throbbing from the forceful way she backhanded him. Ah, there she was. His mother. His crazed mother. He panted softly. Despite the pain, despite the tears gathering in the corner of his eyes, he felt so much lighter. Perhaps it was everything that was happening, perhaps it was the way Jeremiah became more and more subdued as his day of departure approached, or perhaps it was his inability to endure it anymore… he spoke all the things he had ever wanted to say to his mother, every time he flung abuses at them, verbal or physical.

Yes. He felt a lot better.

He took a deep breath and stood, looming over his mother. “Mother, I am leaving tomorrow. You won’t see me again for a while. Don’t try to harm Jeremiah just because I am gone. If something happens to him, you will lose me. Forever. That’s a promise. Goodbye, mother.”

With that, he turned around and strode out of the room without waiting for her to speak. He didn’t pay attention to anything as he kept walking. And walking and walking. Until he came out of the mansion and broke into a sprint. He reached the woods and kept sprinting inside, uncaring of the low branches that brushed harshly against his skin. He only stopped when he reached that Banyan tree.

He put his hands on his knees and panted loudly, trying to catch his breath. After a moment, he plopped down on the ground, curling up slightly. He heard some of the snakes slithering close to him.

“Why are you breathing so loudly, human?” That was the arrogant one.

“Oh oh, are you dying?” One of the kids.

“No, idiot! He ran here. Humans breathe loudly when they run.” Another kid.

“Oooooh!”

Emilio chuckled, feeling better. He lifted his head and saw half a dozen snakes around him. He smiled at them. “I came to say goodbye.”

“Goodbye?” Emilio had the distinct impression that the snake was tilting its head.

“Yes.” He nodded. “I am leaving tomorrow. I am going to the Academy.”

“Academy?”

He nodded, noticing more snakes starting to gather. “Yes. The Academy is a place where people learn magic.”

They hissed excitedly. “Are you going to learn magic?”

“Something like that.” He smiled. “I am going to learn how to properly talk to you guys and all your friends.”

“What’s so difficult about that?” The arrogant one. “You just talk. Humans are so dumb.”

Emilio chuckled at that. “I suppose they are. That’s why I need to go. You guys won’t be seeing for a while.”

They all hissed in discontent. Emilio had to take a few moments to placate them and convince them that yes, he would eventually come back. He spent a precious few moments with them before he noticed the sun starting to set. Gently, he guided them back to the tree. Once he reached the tree, Emilio hesitated. After that incident, he hadn’t touched the tree. But now… it didn’t feel right not telling it goodbye properly. After all, this was the tree that gave him shade, breeze and solace for years.

He stepped forward and gently pressed his hand against its bark. “It’s me,” he said immediately. “I’m leaving. Goodbye.” And then he felt it. A soft … something pressing up against his large, rooted body. It felt good. It’s that same thing that always pressed up against him, he could tell. Was it sad? Why was it sad? He shook his outermost branches, making some of the leaves fall on the thing. And then… the leaves fell on him. Emilio was abruptly brought out of … whatever that was. He pulled back, quivering a bit from the experience. That was … strange, to say the least. But at least he said goodbye to an old friend.

He sighed and then stepped back. He stood still for a moment, taking in the scenery, the breeze, the sounds… they were all still muted. For a moment, he wanted to understand them.

And he did.

“He’s leaving?”

“He isn’t!”

“He is!”

“I heard him too!”

“Ehh why are you guys going so mad over a human?”

“Let’s catch those fishes!”

“Where is it, where is it?!”

“GAAA, YOU ARE NOT STEALING MY PREY!”

Emilio winced slightly. Yeah, it’s too much. Stop. It muted.

He sighed softly and waved his hand as if saying goodbye to all of them. It felt right.

That night, he ate early and cleaned up early. Jeremiah once again insisted on staying with him. He did not even protest. It was his last night here after all. Even though they went to bed early, they chatted late into the night, when the moon was already high up.

It was only when both of them had become sleepy that Jeremiah spoke up. “Brother, when will you return?”

A pause. “I don’t know, Jer,” He said softly, using the nickname reserved for quiet, private … vulnerable moments like this.

“Will you be okay?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“You always say that.” The boy was pouting.

Emilio chuckled. “I really will be fine. I am going there under the protection of Archmaster Loren, after all.”

“Alright. I’ll believe you this time.” Another pause. “Promise me you’ll write me letters.”

“Promise.”

Jeremiah nodded and curled up next to him. “Make sure you keep that promise,” he mumbled, falling asleep not long after.

Emilio smiled and closed his eyes.