CHAPTER 22 -COMPANY

Of course, the good in a place can only be appreciated after suffering. Everything I learned, all the people I had met, the advancements that I had made in my life during my time in Katentin… It all came at a cost. But let us delay the suffering and rejoice in my reunion with my family as I lay in that soft bed.

Terlan’s cautionary advice weighed heavy on me, but only for the briefest of moments. My status as victor of Chereba’s Arena had finally begun to sink in and it was a novel feeling. Pride and confidence swelled my chest as I recognized my own accomplishments for the first time. It reminded me of standing at the docks of Navitrag, towering over the low tide below. I saw the ground far below and the endless expanse of possibility ahead. Inside me I had the capability to fly over the tumultuous ocean and claim the waves to be of my making. I was at the peak of the mountain and I conquered the heights. I knew it was no easy feat, and I paid a price of appendages and blood. But now look at me. Congratulated by a princess, tended to by a skilled medic, laying in a fine bed, and ready to set foot on the next mountain to climb.

My own success reassured me, and I turned my mind away from unpleasant thoughts. Lest the feeling of being suffocated and showered in the blood of my victim drown away my happiness. Instead, I thought of my parents, and I asked the old physician if he knew when I was going to have lunch. But he shook his head. I suppose I should have asked Lady Bedia before she had left. Now it was only a waiting game. A sigh fled my lips, slow and calm. Having finished his lecture and words of advice, Terlan peeked up at me from where he sat.

Seeing his eye on me, I noticed he had no inclination to leave, but I was never one to start unnecessary conversation. Silence joined us, and the three of us enjoyed each other’s company. I found that most people were uncomfortable with silence, but the physician proved to be an exception. I wanted to ask him why he sat by my side, or if there was something he wanted. Maybe I should have asked him more about Katentin, or perhaps of his profession. But the question I asked was not the right one.

“Where is your family?” I asked, tactless as ever.

The change in atmosphere was palpable. His relaxed posture vanished as his muscles tightened like a hangman’s rope. His face too lost its softness, and hard eyes looked away from me. “They’re gone.”

“I’m sorry… I had no idea...”

“Don’t be. You had nothing to do with it.”

I closed my mouth. I was tempted to offer apologies once more, and make clear that I empathized, but his stony demeanor persuaded me otherwise. Still he sat in the room. No matter. I was fine with silence. Or so I had thought.

With Terlan next to me in a mood, I could not relax as I wished to. Come to think of it, why was he here? Did he not have anything else to do, or did he deem it best to stay with me for a while longer? I was unsure. To this day, I still am at a loss.

For well over an hour the two of us remained motionless until I was summoned for lunch. Lady Bedia offered to have it brought to the room if I could not move, but Terlan reassured her that I could, and I was itching to leave. Terlan helped me up and out the door. My body ached and moved stiff as a boat on land, but I was able to walk on my own. Traversing the hallways, it became apparent to me that I was no longer in the coliseum. This was a separate structure entirely. Much like the room I had been situated in, it was more orderly, more extravagant. It was a wonder that I was in Chereba. It would not have been surprising to learn that I had been transferred in my sleep. But despite the measured decorations, sweeping curtains and quality furniture, it all stank. I wrinkled my nose. The stench of Chereba was not so easily concealed.

Terlan eyed me and began another lecture upon seeing my features screwed up, “Fix your face. This is the royal manor in Chereba. Bear a pleasant countenance. Show some gratitude. What are you doing scowling and staring at everything as though it has offended you? Where is your mind, have you lost it in the arena? Perhaps when you were busy bashing each other’s brains in, some of it spilled from your ear. A word of warning. Listen, and listen carefully. Keep your distance. Avoid too much of anything -anger, happiness, distaste. These are not people you want to be associating with. I know not about the princesses, but take care around all the nobles, especially the Queen.”

I bit my tongue and barely held back a retort. I just lost my ear, why did he have to bring it up like that. And I was not making a face. ‘fix your face’ who did he think he was, honestly. The rest of his advice was useless, I was never going to meet the queen. The only people I was going to meet, were my family. How far was this dining room? As I wondered, the smell of food tickled my nose. Spicy peppers, likely grilled. Meats, also grilled. How long had it been since I had eaten anything other than the gruel and bread I was served in the arena?

My footsteps slowed and Terlan unknowingly left me behind. I wished to hurry forward and greet my family, to hug them as I had yearned to through the bars of the cage over a year ago. But as I drew closer, my progress towards the doors slackened. A multitude of feeling swamped me. What was it going to be like? Are they angry with me? More importantly, are they in good health? How have they changed? One mother and father will grow old, and I am not there to see it. What if they die while I am away? Is Garent doing well? Has he picked up father’s trade like I should have?

The physician noticed the absence and turned back to me. I do not doubt that my face was doing strange things, but he was kind enough not to provide another lecture. Instead, he simply said, “Come on, they have been waiting for you.”

I nodded, and together we stepped forwards. Before he gestured for the servant to open the large door, I stopped him.

“Terlan, I just want to say thank you. I don’t know why you have helped me, but I am grateful.”

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He did not have a chance to reply, and was caught openmouthed as the servant opened the door, exposing us to the room’s occupants. There were more people than I had expected, but I hardly saw any of them. Three faces stood out to me, and I rushed forwards, pulling them into a tearful hug. The rest of the people be damned.

As I held them in my arms, and they tightened their arms around me, the room emptied out around us. They smelled fresh. I could smell home. My chest constricted, and it had nothing to do with the three squeezing me. Garent was the first to pull back. I wiped the wetness from me cheeks as we stepped away from each other. I looked them up and down. They returned the gesture.

The meeting was very bittersweet. At first, emotion overwhelmed me and I was over the moons with my joy. But as I looked closer, the tell tale signs of time’s passing stood out on them. I saw the lines growing on the faces of my parents. I saw Garent’s wide shoulders, and how tall he had grown. Not only did he grow taller, but he also stood taller. He wore his clothing well, and it was an excellent fit. Above all else, his eyes were the most changed. There was maturity in them -more than there had been before. What could have happened since I was taken away? Why did they all look so… old…

Just as I gazed upon them in melancholy, so too did they observe me. Their eyes moved from my own, drawn away by the bandages that wrapped around my head. They saw where my ear should have been, they saw more bandages peeking up from under my clothing, and they saw my hands. Were they red to them too? I never did ask. It was my mother who freed us from our thoughts.

She pushed us towards the table, and it was then I noticed there were only four chairs. I turned to look for Terlan and the rest who had crowded the room, but it was empty. Only the four of us were in the large dining room. The table stood, comically large and overflowing with foods fit for royalty. But despite mother’s pushing us to sit, we had not had enough of each other yet. I wanted to see more of them, to feel their presence and take in the smell of home that miraculously managed to overwhelm the stink of Chereba. Nothing else quite managed that feat, but around them, I thought of better days. But there was a missing space between us.

My parents pulled me in for another hug. “Gelas…” My mother raised her hand and cradled my face. How can one touch soften a person the way hers had? Over a year, and the only physical interaction I had was suffered in the arena or at the hands of the guards. The tears I had just managed to stifle began to well up behind my eyes. She traced over my missing ear, and I let my head fall into her shoulder. I grit my teeth and struggled to keep the tears back, but when I separated from her embrace, I saw the wetness darkening her dress. My parents looked at me, and I felt like a child once more. The rainy days when I would be brought in by the city watch, soaking and dripping puddles on the floorboards as they gave me a stern talking to. I missed those days. But they were gone now, and this was all I had.

My heart willed me knees to crumple, to fall at my parents feet and curl up, but they did not obey. I remained standing until they pushed me into a char. My stomach which had been growling for food just moments ago, now rested silently. My tongue was dry and my appetite had left me. This was not supposed to be like this. I should have been happy.

Mother and Father sat across from me, and Garent was on my right. He had begun eating, not waiting for anyone else to even take food on their plates. Father was the next to take food, but my mother only looked at me in concern. Garent waited for a moment longer before making a show of filling his glass with cool water. But he filled it less than half-way. I looked at the glass, confused. Why pour from so high if you were only going to pour two dro-

Swinging the glass towards me, he splashed the cool water onto my red face. Gasping and sputtering, I felt it dripping down, soaking my shirt and bandages. I looked around and saw my father with eyes wide. Mother’s jaw was dropped and Garent sat waiting for me.

“Why would you- I’m soaked!”

“Well, I thought you needed to cool off.” He said, feigning innocence, “besides, its not that much water.”

Nonplussed he turned back to the table and pulled a leg of chicken from one of the golden roast birds. He put it on his plate but before he ate, he paused and whispered, “We missed you. So cheer up, okay?”

Then louder he said, “This is some damn good food, and if you don’t start eating, I’m going to finish it all.”

Leave it to Garent to be the mature one. A smile tugged at my lips, and despite my soaked shirt, I brought my chair back under the table. Sitting next to him, I shoved his shoulder. It was the closest I’ve ever felt to him. He had trailed me and cleaned up after my messes before Aryel had gotten sick, even afterwards… but this was the first time he faced me like that, the first time as equals. I reached over him and began to fill my plate. With one eye on my parents, I ate slow. My movements were painfully delicate, so as not to come off as a barbarian. But every bite of the food rekindled my appetite, and I wanted to eat faster.

My fears were unfounded, and I took my queue from them. The four of us descended onto the food ravenously and did not stop until our bellies swelled like waterskins.

Father was the first to speak up, “Look at you, Khaisar, conqueror of the coliseum. Who would have known all the trouble you got up to would lead to this?”

“I still prefer Gelas.”

My brother picked up, “Everyone was chanting your name, I could feel it in my bones. What a sight to behold. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people in one place. And all of them were there to see you.”

“To think that thanks to you we got to talk to one of the princesses.” Father said.

Garent continued, “She was quite pretty, wasn’t she ma?”

Mother nodded, but her eyes still maintained a distance that the banter was unable to bridge. I shot a quizzical look at Garent, and he replied with a small shake of his head. I learned my lesson with Terlan, so instead of asking a question that could have derailed lunch once more, I stayed with the safe option. And what could be a safer option than what was already the topic of conversation?

“You said a princess visited you?”

“Yes, Princess Yiriza. Younger sister of the Queen. Her, and the rest of her entourage that is. They were just here before you came and they asked a few questions about you, and us. You don’t know it, but your success here helped me out brother.”

“How so?”

“Our family is building a name. I can explain more on the way to Katentin.”

“What, on the way? You’re coming?”

“Of course, I can’t just leave you alone now.”

I blinked twice, and before I could ask for more information, he pre-emptively answered, “I’ll explain on the way, otherwise what else will we have to talk about?”

It was a sound suggestion, so I stifled my curiosity and nodded.

“So you think the princess was pretty? Personally I don’t see it. She had visited me earlier to congratulate me on my victory. What about her was special?”

“What about her? Everything dear brother. Her luscious hair, her deep brown eyes, and above all, her presence. It was a sight to behold. You always hear about how nobles are different on the inside as well. I never believed it until I saw her. Around her everyone stands straighter. Even mother found a woman she would not tussle with.”

At that mother’s face flushed and her eyebrows furrowed. She reached over to thunk Garent over the head as Father laughed. And for a time, I was whole, I was happy.