"Who else knows about this?" He asked, the question being directed to his first-born.
"I told Princess Merees", Risha replied. "I thought that maybe she'd be able to prevent the murder from happening. I think she was supposed to tell her brother, as well. The one in the wheelchair, not the one who was killed."
"Why didn't you tell your father or me about this?" Nasari asked.
"I tried to do that", Leorin protested in a frustrated tone, "but neither of you would listen."
Having said that, the small cat crossed his arms and turned his head side-ways, in a huff.
Nasari went over to her son, she sat down next to him and gently touched his shoulder. Then, she turned to her husband.
"What do you think is going to happen now?" She asked.
Jeraddin let out a sigh.
"Argath is going to find out who warned her sister sooner or later. Perhaps, she already has. She can't risk letting the truth come out, so whoever knows it will be in great danger."
At this, Nasari jumped up from the bed, she had been seated on, her tail swishing back and forth.
"If she touches a hair on my children's head", she said heatedly. "I will kill her, I swear it."
"Don't be rash", Jeraddin said. "The chances of you, or any of us, killing a dragon directly are highly unlikely. Besides, even if you were to succeed you'd end up being arrested and executed."
"I don't care", Nasari snapped, stretching herself up to her full height. "I would lay down my life for our children. Wouldn't you?"
"Of course I would", Jeraddin snapped back, he had not appreciated the somewhat accusatory tone in his wife's voice. He took a deep breath in order to calm himself. After all, there was no reason to be upset and besides, it wasn't as if he couldn't understand how Nasari felt.
"It won't come to that though", he continued. "I have another idea."
"What is that?" His wife asked.
"Simple, do you still have contact with those relatives of yours that emigrated to Leporia?"
"I haven't heard from them in awhile, why? You don't mean...." Nasari stopped, leaving the question hanging in the air.
Jeraddin nodded.
"Yes, my dear" he said. "I'm afraid that you and the children will have to leave Vinoli and not come back."
The tone of Jeraddin's voice as he uttered these words betrayed no emotions, but his ears lied flat on his head and there was a profound sadness lurking in his eyes.
Risha had listened to what her father had said with a sinking feeling in her stomach. Was she really being forced to abandon her old life and everything that she knew? It was so terribly unfair that she could scream, but she didn't, realizing that it wouldn't do any good. Instead, she just stared down at the floor and for a brief moment she wished that she and Leorin had remained ignorant about Argath's plan. Then, she realized that if they had, Merees wouldn't have been alive today and immediately regretted it.
"What about you, dad?" She asked. "Aren't you coming with us."
Jeraddin shook his head.
"I'm afraid not", he said. "I shall speak to the Princess and in exchange of my continued services and silence, I hope to persuade her to leave you in peace. However, in case that fails, I need you to be far away from here."
As he looked at his children, Jeraddin suddenly felt himself overcome with emotion. He crouched down and motioned for them to come closer. That was all the invitation Risha and Leorin needed and they both rushed into their fathers arms, where they were soon joined by their mother. For what felt like an eternity, the whole family remained pressed together, eyes shut. Then, with a deep sigh, Jeraddin let go, stood up and looked at his children.
"Children", he began and his voice was thick with emotion. "Whatever happens in the future, know that your father will always love you and that I know you will make me proud."
Having said that, Jeraddin removed the ring from his finger.
"Risha, this ring was given to me by my father. You are my first-born, so its only right that you should have it, as an heirloom."
With those words, Jeraddin gently grabbed his daughter's hand and put the ring on her finger.
"Remember to mind your mother and protect your brother when he needs it."
"I will father", Risha replied, wiping away a tear that glistened in the corner of her eye.
"Its time for you to go now", Jeraddin said.
He went over to the window, opened it and looked out.
"Its not a very high drop. You should be able to make it: Go to our house, take the money in the safe and charter a ship..."
"Wait!" Nasari interrupted.
Jeraddin turned and looked at his wife, her face was a canvas upon which conflicting emotions had been painted.
"What is it, my dear?" He asked, concernedly.
Before answering, Nasari grabbed her husband's collar and looked up at him.
"You've always asked me my opinion in all matters regarding the family", she said in a low voice.
"However, this time you didn't. What if I wish to stay by your side? Did you think of that?"
"You're right", Jeraddin acquiesced "I should have asked your opinion. I merely assumed that you wanted to go with our children, that is all."
Nasari turned and looked at her son and daughter with a tormented look on her face.
"Of course, I do, but I want to stay with you just as much. Oh, if only there was some sort of magic that could make me be in two places at once."
With those words, she buried her face in her husband's chest and sobbed quietly.
Risha and Leorin had looked on this scene with a feeling of unease. Their mother had always been such a calm, comforting presence in their lives and seeing her this distraught, caused their hearts to ache and they wished that they could do something for her. The empathy soon became too much for Leorin to handle and he began to cry his eyes out. Upon hearing this pitiful sound, Nasari's maternal instincts kicked in and she embraced her youngest child, stroking his head and whispering comforting words to him in a gentle voice. While her brother was being comforted, Risha had been looking at the ring, which she now wore on her finger. As she gazed at it, she knew what she had to do.
"You don't have to come with us, mom", she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.
"What are you saying, sweetie?" Nasari asked, looking at her daughter with saucer-wide eyes.
"I'm almost an adult. I can look after Leorin until we get to our relatives. So, if you want to stay with dad, that's not a problem."
"Oh, Risha..." Nasari began, looking at her daughter with both pride and remorse.
She didn't have time to say anything else, because at that moment, the doors flew open and Lorenzo stepped inside.
The fox's good eye scanned the room, before resting on the family, then he spoke:
"Excuse me for the disturbance, General" he said, greeting Jeraddin with an insincere tone in his voice. "However, I'm afraid that Princess Argath wishes to have a word with to your daughter. It has come to Her Highness's attention, that she may have valid information about our beloved King's murder."
She's only asking for Risha? Jeraddin thought. In order words, she's not aware that Leorin knows as well.
"I understand", Jeraddin replied out-loud.. "We'll be right with you."
"Um...the Princess merely requested for the girl to be present", Lorenzo said, somewhat taken aback.
"Too bad, I have things that I need to discuss with the Princess and believe me, its in her best interest that she listens to what I have to say."
"I'm afraid not", he said. "I shall speak to the Princess and in exchange of my continued services and silence, I hope to persuade her to leave you in peace. However, in case that fails, I need you to be far away from here."
As he looked at his children, Jeraddin suddenly felt himself overcome with emotion. He crouched down and motioned for them to come closer. That was all the invitation Risha and Leorin needed and they both rushed into their fathers arms, where they were soon joined by their mother. For what felt like an eternity, the whole family remained pressed together, eyes shut. Then, with a deep sigh, Jeraddin let go, stood up and looked at his children.
"Children", he began and his voice was thick with emotion. "Whatever happens in the future, know that your father will always love you and that I know you will make me proud."
Having said that, Jeraddin removed the ring from his finger.
"Risha, this ring was given to me by my father. You are my first-born, so its only right that you should have it, as an heirloom."
With those words, Jeraddin gently grabbed his daughter's hand and put the ring on her finger.
"Remember to mind your mother and protect your brother when he needs it."
"I will father", Risha replied, wiping away a tear that glistened in the corner of her eye.
"Its time for you to go now", Jeraddin said.
He went over to the window, opened it and looked out.
"Its not a very high drop. You should be able to make it: Go to our house, take the money in the safe and charter a ship..."
"Wait!" Nasari interrupted.
Jeraddin turned and looked at his wife, her face was a canvas upon which conflicting emotions had been painted.
"What is it, my dear?" He asked, concernedly.
Before answering, Nasari grabbed her husband's collar and looked up at him.
"You've always asked me my opinion in all matters regarding the family", she said in a low voice.
"However, this time you didn't. What if I wish to stay by your side? Did you think of that?"
"You're right", Jeraddin acquiesced "I should have asked your opinion. I merely assumed that you wanted to go with our children, that is all."
Nasari turned and looked at her son and daughter with a tormented look on her face.
"Of course, I do, but I want to stay with you just as much. Oh, if only there was some sort of magic that could make me be in two places at once."
With those words, she buried her face in her husband's chest and sobbed quietly.
Risha and Leorin had looked on this scene with a feeling of unease. Their mother had always been such a calm, comforting presence in their lives and seeing her this distraught, caused their hearts to ache and they wished that they could do something for her. The empathy soon became too much for Leorin to handle and he began to cry his eyes out. Upon hearing this pitiful sound, Nasari's maternal instincts kicked in and she embraced her youngest child, stroking his head and whispering comforting words to him in a gentle voice. While her brother was being comforted, Risha had been looking at the ring, which she now wore on her finger. As she gazed at it, she knew what she had to do.
"You don't have to come with us, mom", she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.
"What are you saying, sweetie?" Nasari asked, looking at her daughter with saucer-wide eyes.
"I'm almost an adult. I can look after Leorin until we get to our relatives. So, if you want to stay with dad, that's not a problem."
"Oh, Risha..." Nasari began, looking at her daughter with both pride and remorse.
She didn't have time to say anything else, because at that moment, the doors flew open and Lorenzo stepped inside.
The fox's good eye scanned the room, before resting on the family, then he spoke:
"Excuse me for the disturbance, General" he said, greeting Jeraddin with an insincere tone in his voice. "However, I'm afraid that Princess Argath wishes to have a word with to your daughter. It has come to Her Highness's attention, that she may have valid information about our beloved King's murder."
She's only asking for Risha? Jeraddin thought. In order words, she's not aware that Leorin knows as well.
"I understand", Jeraddin replied out-loud.. "We'll be right with you."
"Um...the Princess merely requested for the girl to be present", Lorenzo said, somewhat taken aback.
"Too bad, I have things that I need to discuss with the Princess and believe me, its in her best interest that she listens to what I have to say."
Lorenzo glared at Jeraddin, his eye narrowing to a slit. Then, he shrugged.
"Very well", he said. "Shall we go? All three of us?"
"Its going to be alright", Jeraddin said reassuringly to his wife, before kissing her on the cheek. Then, he, Risha and Lorenzo walked out the door, leaving Nasari and Leorin alone in the room. Alone with their worries.
"Its going to be alright", Jeraddin said reassuringly to his wife, before kissing her on the cheek. Then, he, Risha and Lorenzo walked out the door, leaving Nasari and Leorin alone in the room. Alone with their worries.
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