Indenuel was in the carriage, doing his best not to look nervous. It had been a long first day, and part of him wanted to go home. Then again, he wanted to visit Martin and his family. His was a familiar face, and Indenuel wanted to get to know more of his family.
Not Inessa, though. It would be wiser for him to not get to know her at all. She needed to stay a mystery and, more importantly, out of reach.
The carriage pulled up to Martin’s massive home. Tolomon got out first before Indenuel climbed out. The sun was setting as they headed toward Martin’s home. Indenuel usually didn’t eat this late, but it had been a busy day.
Derio opened the front door, bowing to them. “Welcome, honored guests.”
“Hello, Derio!” Indenuel said.
“Good evening, Warrior Indenuel.”
“No, no. You’ve known me from before my title. Just Indenuel,” he said.
“If you’d like, sir,” Derio said.
“Indenuel! Tolomon! Come in, come in!” Martin said, appearing from down the hall.
“Thank you, Martin, for this lovely invitation.”
“Come now, my boy. Enough formalities. I’m certain it has been a long day for you,” Martin said.
“It has, yes. And I brought my appetite,” Indenuel said.
Martin’s face split into a smile. “My wife will be pleased.”
Indenuel smiled back, but it started to faulter as he remembered, once again, that Martin had simply hidden the existence of Inessa from him. He wanted to talk to him about it, but he doubted this was the time and place.
“Indenuel!” Sara said, appearing at Martin’s side. Rosa and Ana were not that far behind. He bowed to them.
“Sara, thank you for your-”
“Oh hush. I already heard my husband tell you to forgo formalities. I am so pleased you are here.”
“You must have also heard he came with an appetite?” Martin asked.
“I did indeed.” Sara gave Indenuel a look over, and he was reminded of the insecurities at the bathhouse not that long ago.
“Hello Tolomon,” Rosa said.
“It’s good to see you again, Rosa,” he said, his voice quiet.
“A few helpings of this Dengrian pasta will certainly add a pound or two on you this very night.” Sara patted Indenuel’s belly, and he couldn’t help but jump from the surprise of it, and because it tickled.
“Please do not arrest Sara,” Martin said to Tolomon. “I promise she is not trying to assassinate Indenuel.”
Tolomon shook his head. “I wouldn’t dare arrest her, sir.”
Sara turned her attention toward Tolomon and beamed at him like he was her own son coming home. “It is so good to see you again! You came all the time with Nathaniel when you were younger.”
“I daresay Nathaniel and I got into far too much trouble in our youths. I’d think you and this house would be happy to have a break from us.”
“Nonsense. You and Indenuel must stop by more often. Do not be strangers. Especially around dinner time,” Sara said, patting Tolomon’s stomach as well.
He smiled. “We shall keep that in mind.”
“If you gentlemen don’t mind waiting a little longer, Adosina is late coming back from her visits. She lost track of the time, and will be here shortly,” Martin said.
“I’m certain she has a lot of catching up to do after her travels,” Indenuel said.
“Thank you for your patience,” Sara said. “If you’d like, you could always come into the nursery. The children are there right now.”
“I’d like that very much,” Indenuel said.
They used the time well. Indenuel got to know more of the children, and even got to meet Little Carlos, who he was far too terrified to hold. There was something incredibly fragile about babies that made him anxious. He couldn’t imagine already having a baby at his age.
It was the strange chaos that Indenuel enjoyed. The children were everywhere, and yet there was order. Ana spent most of her time holding Little Carlos, cooing and letting him hold her finger with his small hand. Tolomon listened to Rosa give updates, no doubt about Nathaniel. He said something that made Rosa laugh as Adrian came up with a wooden sword, pretending to stab Tolomon. He let out a groan as he gripped his pretend wound. Adrian giggled.
Inessa was nowhere to be seen.
“The children have already eaten,” Martin said. “I guess I cannot say children much longer, as Nicolas and Daniela are married with their own child now, but dinner will be for the adults.”
“I’m glad they don’t have to wait,” Indenuel said.
“Oh, they’d be complaining a lot more if they were still waiting to be fed,” Martin said with a laugh.
Indenuel laughed because he should, but he felt hypocritical for doing so. It had only been a month and a half ago, during the middle of the snowstorm, when Emilia and Isla stopped talking. The constant chatter he had heard from them simply shut off because they were so hungry. The aches in their bellies were too much, and the energy he thought would never fade in the two five-year-olds did just that. Fade.
The door flew open and Adosina fumbled into the nursery, straightening her pale-yellow dress before giving a curtsey. “Forgive me, father and mother. Forgive me Indenuel and Tolomon. I had quite lost track of the time.”
“I am happy you have returned safely. Your father said you were visiting some friends,” Indenuel said.
“One friend, yes. I dare say I missed him very-”
“Let’s have dinner, shall we?” Martin asked, interrupting Adosina.
Indenuel almost missed the flash of annoyance in Adosina’s glare before she smothered it. “Yes, I am quite embarrassed to be the reason dinner is late. I shall lead you to our dining hall.”
He followed beside Adosina. The dining hall was large, with two tables set up right next to each other. One for the women, one for the men, with barely a space between them that they might as well stick the tables together if custom didn’t dictate otherwise. The dining hall certainly was large enough to fit everyone in Martin’s family. Indenuel had a feeling the table could become larger too. Martin moved to the head of the table, beaming at Indenuel.
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“Indenuel! If you could sit here!” he said, pointing to the spot at his right.
“Thank you,” Indenuel said.
“Addy,” Sara said with a smile.
Adosina’s own smile was tight as she moved to sit next to Indenuel.
“I’m so sorry,” she said out of the corner of her mouth. “They are persistent.”
“Don’t worry. I know we’re just friends. That’s all that matters, right?” Indenuel asked.
“Thank you.” She patted his elbow.
Tolomon went to sit across from Indenuel when Rosa was there, apologizing as she tried to move past him. He easily moved out of the way, giving her a tiny bow as she passed. She thanked him as she took her own spot that was also right next to him. The divide in the table really didn’t do much. Sara sat at the other end of the table, beaming at Indenuel and Adosina.
The door opened and Inessa walked in, giving an almost imperceptibly small curtsey in Martin’s direction before she sat down next to Rosa. Right across from Ana. Indenuel almost wished Ana and Inessa would trade places. Indenuel couldn’t see Ana well, but he could see Inessa.
Tolomon gave Indenuel a pointed stare. He didn’t know what he could do. It wasn’t like he could just not look at her all night long. After all, she was wearing orange again. Not an attractive color. And yet why did it work so well on her?
He didn’t even realize he had gone back to staring until her emerald eyes almost caught his gaze. He forced himself to look away, trying to find something on the table to straighten, but everything was perfect. Again, he glanced up, his eyes naturally drawn toward her.
“Indenuel?” Martin asked. His gaze shot toward Martin, his heart kicking against his ribs. Was it blatantly obvious that Indenuel couldn’t stop staring at Inessa? Was Martin about to get angry? He waited, as though expecting Indenuel to do something. His palms started to sweat. “The prayer?” Martin asked.
“Right,” he said, sounding more like he was giving a sigh of relief. “Of course. Forgive me. It is something I am still getting used to.”
“Oh, no need to apologize,” Sara said.
Indenuel cleared his throat, thankfully remembering the prayer this time, trying to say it with some meaning.
“God be with us,” everyone said once Indenuel was done. The dish of white pasta was brought out and placed in front of him. Tolomon reached over, smiling as he took a noodle from the plate.
“I hope you take no offense,” Tolomon said, giving a small bow toward Sara. “I need to make sure Indenuel stays safe.”
“Oh, not offended in the slightest,” Sara said as Tolomon tried it and gave Indenuel a nod. “Though I doubt it has been poisoned, I would hate to be wrong.”
Indenuel took a quick forkful of pasta so everyone else could start eating. “This is delicious, Sara.” He didn’t dare look at her, afraid he’d look at Inessa again as Tolomon tested his wine.
“Thank you, Indenuel. There is plenty more where that came from, so don’t be shy,” Sara said. He smiled preparing for it to be given to him anyway.
“You must tell us about yourself,” Ana said. “Rosa, Adosina, and Martin have done nothing but sing your praises since they’ve been home.”
“Oh,” Indenuel said, playing around with his fork. “I, um,” he tried to think of something that didn’t hint at abuse and hardship. “I… is there anything in particular you want to know about?”
“What was the name of the village you grew up in?” Ana asked.
“Mountain Pass,” Indenuel said. “It gets colder during the autumn and winter months. I dare say I can’t even tell its autumn right now.”
“And you’re liking the city?” Ana asked.
“Very much.”
“We certainly missed you at the social after Sabbath Worship,” Sara said.
“Yes, the social aspect of high society is something to get used to,” Indenuel said, once again finding his eyes resting on Inessa, who was quietly eating dinner.
“An adjustment, I am certain,” Sara said. “Know you always have a friend here. Adosina, after all, is quite the fine dancer. She can teach you.”
“Ami,” Adosina said quietly with a stiff smile. “There are more important things for Indenuel to learn right now than how to dance.”
“Nonsense, Addy,” Martin said with a much more relaxed smile. “After all, working too hard in his duties as Warrior might tire him out. It is good to have balance in life. You must work, but you must also relax. Too much work, you exhaust yourself. Too much play, you-”
“Oh, right, Api. Forgive me. Indenuel, my parents are under the assumption that in order to relax, you must learn how to dance,” Adosina said before taking another bite of pasta.
Indenuel realized what she meant, and he tried his best to smile. “Dancing?” Indenuel asked, doing everything in his power not to make the nerves come through his voice, which made Adosina smirk.
“Mmm. It is the only acceptable time you can touch a woman’s hands. Doesn’t that thought just relax you? Holding a woman’s hands? Swaying to the music, taking a turn around the room,” Adosina said, a mocking tone coming to her voice that made Indenuel smile.
“Why, yes, Adosina. Completely relaxed. There is no way I’d run from such a situation,” Indenuel said.
Adosina laughed. “Oh, and imagine us dancing, then taking a walk through the gardens as we talk of furthering a relationship. Such a relaxing situation for you, wouldn’t it?”
Indenuel couldn’t help it and laughed before he caught sight of Martin’s face who was clearly disapproving of the entire thing. Indenuel changed his laugh to a cough before picking up his wine glass and taking a sip. Adosina was still giggling as she kept eating, completely ignoring the soft glare her mother was giving her.
A silence settled over them as they kept eating. Indenuel started to feel bad he played along with Adosina, but he couldn’t help it. It relieved the tension between them obviously sitting together.
“So it’s true you have all four of the holy gifts?” Ana asked before the silence could turn sour.
“I do, yes,” Indenuel said.
“I’m curious to know. There are times my own gift is so much a part of me I cannot even pinpoint where it is coming from. Can you tell the difference between all four?” Ana asked.
Indenuel forced himself to take smaller bites. He never thought of a hostess as any sort of skill, but now he realized Ana had that skill in abundance. She put him at ease, and he felt like he could talk to her.
“Sometimes,” Indenuel said. “Though trees and weather are quite similar in their own way. They deal with things on this world, therefore a similar muscle I need to pull, so to speak.”
Ana nodded. “What an interesting observation. Do you think there’s anything similar between healing and speaking to the dead?”
Indenuel was always nervous about talking about the dead in the presence of someone who had a loved one die, but Ana had brought it up first, so he figured it was safe. “Sort of. Healing deals with the physical body, but there are instances of sensing the soul. I guess healing and speaking to the dead deal with people, where tree talking and weather control deal with the earth.”
“Mmm,” Martin said as he swallowed. “There is a theory, a bit deeper in the doctrine, that the gifts sprang from the four elements.”
Indenuel frowned. “Elements?”
“Yes. Water, earth, air, fire. The four elements are things only God can control and manipulate, hence His ability to create this world. Though we can never control the true elements, we are able to brush the surface of it, and therefore, we have the gifts,” Martin said
“I’ve never heard this before,” Indenuel said. He realized as he said it, that maybe it was because of his poor upbringing, because no one else seemed surprised. “So water is…”
“Weather control,” Martin said. “Earth, tree talking. Air, speaking to the dead, and fire is healing.”
“Huh,” Indenuel said as he picked up his glass and took a sip.
“They all intertwine, of course. There are hints of other elements in the other powers, with weather control the most obvious of having all four, hence that being the only power that multiple people use together,” Martin said.
“Is it difficult? Having all four?” Rosa asked.
Indenuel set his glass back down. “To be honest, it was harder to keep it hidden.”
Rosa’s eyebrows lifted. “You felt like you had to hide them?”
Indenuel went back to his plate, trying desperately not to look uncomfortable. He shouldn’t have said anything in the first place. “I did, yes.”
“How very odd,” Sara said. “Why did you feel like you had to hide them? They are beautiful, glorious gifts from God.”
“Yes, well…” Indenuel gathered more pasta on his fork. “Mountain Pass is a place where to be different was considered a sin.”
“But certainly the outer villages had their traveling ministers,” Sara said. “The Prophecy of the Warrior has been talked about all over the world.”
“It’s, um. It was my mother. She’s… she’s the one that told me to hide,” Indenuel said, hating that he had to say it out loud. It somehow made it worse to vocalize it to these kind people. “I don’t know why.”
“These people in the outer lands simply are not getting the religious teachings they need. Your village was on the verge of hanging Lucia for witchcraft, and ignorance was at the root of it,” Martin said.
“Good heavens Indenuel!” Sara gasped as she clutched the necklace around her neck. “Is that how your mother died?”
“No, no, no,” Martin and Indenuel said at the same time.
“She contracted an illness I couldn’t…” The knot in Indenuel’s throat grew as he tried to casually explain what happened.
“If the village had looked on Lucia with compassion, we might have discovered Indenuel long before this,” Martin said almost on top of Indenuel.
Indenuel cleared his throat, trying to contain the knot. “God didn’t want her to be healed, apparently.”
“It all worked out in the end, though,” Martin said.
Indenuel tried not to stuff pasta in his mouth.
Sara lowered her hands. “Oh, you dear boy.”
“It’s fine,” he said, his hands visibly shaking as he tried to keep the nervousness out of his tone. He realized he spoke with some food in his mouth, so he forced it down. “I will be fine. My mother… she did nothing wrong. She was an incredible woman who raised me well.” His words didn’t have the same conviction he once felt toward them. Whatever excuse Lucia had for hiding him, for keeping him in the village, for blatantly lying to him about who he was and about Garen, he wanted to believe it was for a good reason. A reason he simply couldn’t understand yet.