Ezer's room was completely dark, only the sound of his breathing was perceptible in the darkness. The door opens softly and a shadow crosses it, he advances with hurried steps with a dagger at his waist, hesitates a few seconds and places himself next to his bed. His hands quickly approach him without his noticing.
“Ezer, wake up!” — His mother Laira shakes his body.
“Eh? Mother, what's wrong?” Ezer can notice the desperation in his mother's voice and movements.
“There's no time, put on your clothes and get ready to go out. We're leaving the castle” Laira lights some candles and hurriedly searches the room.
“Why? What's going on? Mother? Mother!?” Ezer was beginning to get scared, he had never seen his mother like this.
“That damn Viscount is back. Your father didn't do anything to stop him... No, I'm to blame too.”
Ezer's body froze when he heard it, remembering that man made his legs begin to tremble, his face began to lose color and he believed that dark eyes were looking at him from behind. But at that moment warm and gentle hands caressed her cheeks.
“Son, I'm not going to let anything happen to you.” She said it looking directly into his eyes, they were words to reassure both her son and herself. “We're running out of time, I have some people who are still loyal to me, but it's going to be dif..”
Before she can finish the sentence the door to the room opens.
A man with silver hair and a cane that supported almost his entire body weight stops and looks first at Laira and then at her son to stop at her again.
“You think I'm stupid enough not to know the obvious actions of a mother for her child.” The man is Leiner, the lord of the castle. His face was tired and he seemed to have aged several years more than he really was.
“He's your son too!” — Laira shouted with fury who tried to contain herself, but it was in vain, her emotions began to twist and desperation prevailed.
“And because he’s my son! Because he is my son, he must sacrifice himself and save us all!” Leiner also began to raise his voice, if his health allowed it at this time he would be kicking whatever he found in his way.
“Refuse! Do something! What happened to the Inmerlan , the silver-haired family and the last lineage that still preserves elven blood!?” The ancient elves had silver hair and the Inmerlan who have both human and elven blood also have this feature, Leiner and Ezer as well as their older half-brother have silver-white hair like the same snow that falls from the skies.
“It’s on the verge of disappearing! And that boy can save it!” His gaze shifted to Ezer. “Listen to me son, your family may die out. That includes your mother and sister, but if you go with the Viscount and carry out his orders you can save them.”
Ezer was motionless, he watched his mother who began to tear up recognizing the reality and impotence, and then his father.
“I-I'll do it... If it's for my mother and sister... I'm willing to do it.” He was trying to convince himself and face reality, but he couldn't help tears forming in his eyes.
“Okay, that's my son.” It doesn't bother him that he didn't even name him or intend to do so for him as well. “I'll be waiting for you in the salon, don't be late.” He left the room leaving behind nothing but silence.
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"Ezer... son..."
"Mother... I want to do it, for your sake and Elira 's ..." He tried to repress his tears with all might. His mother noticing his determination hugs him and whispers in his ear.
“For 13 years you were my son... and you will be forever. Remember, no matter what darkness you find, go ahead and walk through it, don't look for the light... be the light. Guide yourself and whoever accompanies you. Remember that your name means light, Eze'r in the ancient language of the elves.”
“Mother...” Ezer wanted to say a hundred things to his mother, but he expressed them by hugging her even harder.
“Here, it's a gift from me and your sister. Use it only in emergencies and when you do, you have to be determined to do it and accept its consequences.” His mother gives him a dagger whose blade is pure black and on whose hilt the initials of Laira and Elira are engraved. “The world is cruel, and there will be times when you must be too, but never accept cruelty, never be the darkness, because you are light.”
"Yes mother, I will never forget your words." He accepts the dagger, wiping his tears.
"Say goodbye to your sister."
“No, I don't want her to see me like that and I don't want to disturb her rest either, the cold never suits her. Tell her that she won't see me leave... but will see me come back.”
“Well, I'll wait for that day too.” She forces a smile and strokes her son's hair.
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In front of the closed doors of the great hall they find Leiner who was waiting for them to one side of it, supporting their weight with the cane with a clear expression of pain and discomfort.
"I want to talk to him for a moment."
"With your son..." Laira answers with a sharp voice and eyes that reflected resentment.
“Ahh ..." A soft sigh escapes Leiner's lips. “Yes, with my son.” He bows his head, and when he raises it again, it seems that all his tiredness had vanished, advancing with a firm step without the sound of the cane hitting the ground.
“Child.” Leiner places his hand firmly on Ezer's shoulder. “The Inmerlan are proud of your commitment, remember to represent us with the same level of vanity and honor.” Ezer hangs his head disappointed, he wanted a direct compliment from his father, at least once in his life. “Remember, there will be dozens of people who will want to hurt you and will express it openly. Others, on the other hand, will be friendly waiting for the right moment to stab you in the back, be especially careful with those vipers.” He seemed to spit out the last words while he was lost in his memories for a second.
“Y-yes... father...”
“Answer with confidence! They won't do anything to you... at least at first. We will exchange letters constantly. Do you remember the family code?”
“Yes, from memory.”
Every member of direct blood Inmerlan learned as a child a unique family cryptography technique which had a dozen possible combinations that changed with key symbols. It could be said that it was a language of its own that even the most intelligent took a year of intense learning.
“They're going to use you for some purpose. Do not believe the excuse that they take you to be your tutors and deepen the relationships between the families.”
At some point during the conversation, Leiner leans back on his cane, exhausted from pretending to have more strength and showing his son a strong front.
“This is also an opportunity for us. Learn from them as much as you can, anything works, rumors or even what foods they prefer. Do not omit anything, I will judge which data is important and which is not.”
"I'm not going to disappoint you father.”
Ezer utters those words to himself as well, this was his chance to be of use to the family and not just lock himself in the library to read old dust-covered books.
“You won't, you have my blood, you're already strong just for that.” With arrogant words Leiner lightly pushes Ezer toward the hall doors. "Now go ahead and show them that you can walk upright without having someone in front of you."
Ezer nods, and after subconsciously looking to his mother for reassurance, he takes a deep breath to open the doors and cross the threshold.
“How did we get to this...? Where did we make such a mistake to not even have the strength to defend our son?” Laira approaches her husband, taking his arm and helping him to distribute his weight.
“It started many years ago, but it was this.” Leiner strongly and angrily grabs one of his legs. “Which ended up condemning us. I was not or am not able to overcome this.”
“Come on, let's follow him. Only pride can show on our faces.”
Laira and Leiner walk together in perfect harmony crossing the threshold just like their son, it was imperceptible that one leaned on the other, you could only see the lord and lady of the castle walking with perfect dignity.