The Missing Kin

Mostly, most of the time and the ethic once told them; to fall silent relishing the feast before the still warm repast with thin fragrant and sweet smoke coming still from above the surface of this wooden table, and mostly filled its gap was by two of a kind - dish of side, accompanying the entrée. Light supposedly it was, for the side dish only composed from less than gravy but more than thick water flavored by nothing more than salt mixed with simply chopped vegetable, only to make up for the bland flavor of the entrée for this one seemingly big family to relish the dinner in silence, as they already took the suitable settles for each of them, while one seat was seen to be remained empty... where no dimmer shadow was cast on it from the crackling flame and calming nuance.

Sipping the supposed soup enriched by the salt flavor, from the wooden bowl utilizing the wooden spoon, one delivered the flavored liquid into his mouth of weary, namely he, another grown man in his twilight yet somehow seemed still able to preserve his prime---fit as a flea---despite the aging hair and skin and flesh, such prime condition which less than those of the young ones however, but more than those of the elder ones. It was his strong appetite, for the most part.

Sipping the supposed soup enriched by the salt flavor, from the wooden bowl utilizing the wooden spoon, he delivered the flavored liquid into his mouth already full of bites of bread... hence compelled the spoonful of such broth to enter albeit so, merely pushing the dry bolus went down into the stomach besides to cover its bland taste from the entrée of bread... and furthermore, with his left hand grabbing for another few slices.

From simply gazed at his look, of his gleeful face, enjoying the main as well as the side dish, relishing this quiet moment of crackling fire pit... perhaps he felt an urge to satisfy that strong appetite of his, or merely because the subtlety and tranquility of peaceful moments at long last fell upon the tragedy prior to this. Less distraction, hence eating in silence stimulated the process of consuming in peace... however not so much in term of table manners - the essential eating etiquette,

Either way, till his wife---having her own seat besides him---came to remind her husband of such a simple, the simplest ethic, even for a peasant to understand and to practice the way, "A-Alejandro my dear, could you please enjoy your dinner in more... peacefully? Don't want to see you get choked on the meal now, would we? After all, we came here to enjoy the dinner with Chief Jovier, remember? And you seem now lost in your own enjoyment, ignoring him."

Choking on the meal indeed the husband seemingly to occur later, once his wife finished with her muttering words of warning; and magically it was seemed, for such words in the span of seconds transpired into reality. The slight coughs occurred, and quickly relieved it by drinking a glass of water poured from the water jug, "A-ah... yes. I... I'm sorry. I just realized it, since I haven't got meal for the past few days, and exactly the peaceful time to enjoy it. My apologies, Chief."

"F-father... you embarrassed us in front of Chief Jovier."

The young-adult girl, the older daughter sitting before him was too, silently expressed her disapproval of her father's eating etiquette; muttering to herself, as well as the younger daughter who seemed instead carrying on relishing her own dish in peace, however in reality trying to hide the embarrassment as well without words to be uttered,

Meanwhile the chief, Chief Jovier, whom those couple were referring to, the middle-aged chief who had a seat at the end of this seemingly starting to be crowded dining table---by various voices and such---therefore the chief began to let out a low chuckle, "Kiya... don't be so hard on your husband. It's alright. We have this dinner here so that we can enjoy it, and seems your husband's doing it right."

"Yes, he did so, chief... by himself."

Rolling her dark-brown eyes, expressing the remains slight of annoyance through the subtle body language upon heard the did-not-mind response from the chief; Kiya, that middle-aged wife, insisted the opposite, for still thinking that her husband did so while seemingly ignoring others... which in reality however, it wasn't really that a big deal for her, since the silence was mostly what the attendances sought for.

But this kind of silence, she never sought for... it was all too quiet...

"It's fine, Kiya. I don't really mind it at all. He's a hard working one, and has done a lot for the village. He deserves a breathing room, don't you think? After all, you and your whole family already willing to come, is enough for me... and my son. Enough to crowded this feeble old table, ahaha. If it wasn't for you, it'd been just the two of us and bet it'd be... too quiet."

There was a slight sigh before the last words spoken through that old wrinkled lips... too quiet as that old chief said, exactly something that somewhat bother that middle-aged wife as she had noticed it since then... between son and father that seemed lack of father-son communication, and exactly something that she tried to at least ease the tension between them - the son, being that the little boy who never put his eyes away from his own dish; and the father, being that chief himself who had never uttered a word to him at the slightest since that early little greeting of theirs,

Despite so, she wouldn't like an idea of getting herself involved in their difficult affairs, for she was self-aware; she was an outsider, in a sense that she found it difficult as well, to evoke the convoluted feelings when the peaceful moments happened right before their eyes... surely there would be more than just a greet prelude between them, as she had thought it must be.

She, therefore, counted on her husband---same age, same old as that little boy's father---hoping he could at least set up a way out from this too-silent night, for this supposed to be a soirée anyway,

"Oh right, chief, about swords and armors which still can be used. We found seven steel swords and eight set of armors, mostly breastplates and few pair of iron boots, still in a good shape. Everything has been set for the field, as eight of our young men are volunteering themselves to carry out the task. And I heard that one of them is a former of noble guard, thus he can teach the rest how to use the basic of using weaponry. With time, constant practice, and discipline, I believe now we will able to defend ourselves from future threats."

"I see. Glad to hear that, Alejandro. That's Indeed quite an amount of weapons to serve us defending the village, and many men who are eager to protect the village... men we can count on. We finally able to fend for ourselves, and it's all thanks to Miss Erynew giving us this chance to renew ourselves... I---"

The very first dinner chatter eventually came into realization... into a voice which overwhelmed the silence of crackling flame beside the dinning table. For Alejandro, that middle-aged husband, had eventually followed his wife's direction not to ignore the chief's presence; in a sense that this laid back conversation might link into another one... one that was seemed unforeseen, coming from the unlikely source, however the reason should be able to be justified for,

"Renewing ourselves by no longer sacrificing anyone themselves anymore... after what Sis Gisalda did, especially. Great to hear that,"

It was the little boy who then mingled in between; interfering all of a sudden by finding himself a way into the conversation of two grown-old men when the outcome---the result of the initiated dinner chatter that wasn't Kiya, the middle-aged wife ever expected it to be... for her husband apparently was less sensuous in reading the nuance, and thus became her own wrong move to rely solely on his opening movement. Despite this father-son finally able to architect their own personal dialogue in the end, however... this was something she never wanted for, nor she hoped for,

It, hence, became something beyond control of her hands, thus the option she had left was to watch and listen to the two having their own time, albeit the inconvenient one it seemed.

"What is it, son? Something's wrong?" the chief, as well as a father then asked seemingly a chained inquiry to her son as he grew worried by the look of his son's face, showing somewhat still with that mournful eyes, "You've been quite almost the whole dinner, it's just now you seem wanted to convey something. So, son, is there something on your mind you'd like to say?"

Such a heavy-hearted conversation it might be turned into later, between father and son, seemed only just a mere illusion; when the boy lifting his face and turning his stare for his father with a reassuring smile and laugh which broke such a thought, "Why with that... heavy tone, dad? Quit with that already. There is no nothing wrong. As I already said, it's great to know that we finally able and have capability to protect this village as Sis Gisalda's successor preserving her legacy. What I wanted to say, that her sacrifice will not in vain... at last."

Indeed just merely an illusion, an excessive fear which---more often than not---fancied to overbear one's mind and heart easily with the inconvenient experience of the past, oftentimes did misleading till the silent lips broke into a smile; both the son's and the father's, answering his son gleefully, "Capability, a successor, preserving her legacy... well, son, you sure have grown up, have you? And sound... happier right now."

However when a mind kept telling the son enough is enough; staring at that father's smile which tried to reassure, tried to mimic a happy face of a father listening to his son's delightful statements when in reality the son could easily crack the thin disguise, thereby raising slightly in tone and voice the son was then, to reply the held back answer of a father with a little bit of snapping,

"Have I grown up? Yes, that I have, since long ago, you the one who like to treat me like a kid... numb-old father. I've learned, as Erynew has taught me so much, and gave me a chance you would definitely never ever give. About me being happier? What? You think I am? Sis Gisalda still won't and never returned, you know. But at least... I could send the happy news for the first time after such a long time to her. Well, maybe yes, I... I feel better now. So quit with that look of yours."

"You... you're right. I... I'm sorry." the father simply muffled and silenced; speechless, unable to give the continuation afterward, upon hearing such a surprising answer from his son yet felt grateful knowing that he now had changed, or merely being himself at last, as he, at a glimpse, began to saw his late daughter in him from that last words he spoken,

Then,

No one seemed to desire the continuation either---the middle-aged woman and her husband, and their two daughters neither---the current dinner conversation which had ended with progress at least, for that father-son... after the momentary gaps, and the utter silence once again crowded this feeble and old dining table, only the warming flame and its crackling fire that seemed to last... even that didn't seem likely to last long, for another utterance---the last one it would seem---a simple inquiry seemingly wouldn't be held back any longer...

...from a father to his son...

"So, son, about that happy news... did you send it too to your mother?"

...which utterly caught the son off guard, as he never expected this before; this kind of question came up out of nowhere. Even to the point he had to stop all of a sudden, in the middle of his little affair of spooning the soup which apparently was no longer warm, for such cold words soon he uttered,

"Haven't I told you? I don't visit an empty carved stone."

"Right, you do have said that. I was just... I.. I'm sorry... for asking it again."

And that seemed to be the last words ever spoken, between father-son, for tonight in this dinner which seemingly ill-fated to be calm and solemn all along again... for there would be no one who desire to preserve the noisy dining table till the end of this too-peaceful moment,

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The tummies were full, hence the cheerful face expressing phrase of the delightful moment within this heavy and thick darkness, however beneath the easy and light twinkling skies; up where no clouds still couldn't do its single job of sheltering these two souls of kids from receiving the showering starlight and moonlight alike while walking side by side in rhythm of merriment.

It was good and all however, for it was different and all,

This, thick and heavy black,

That, light and easy white,

Still cloudless as the day gone, as well the heat of sunshine was already absent for today, and being replaced by the sound of the night expressed itself through scent of night haze, bringing about this kind of appeasing feeling, of gazing directly at the countless light sparkling the gloomy skies above, as the two of them walked across land of grasses - swaying to and fro slowly, along with tiny feet and steps,

The little boy and the little girl who braved themselves into the subtle silence, surrounded by thick and heavy black yet accompanied by light and easy white... directing each of their steps toward their destination for tonight... with happy faces and all, for their tummies were full with such a good meal they had for tonight,

"That was really a nice dinner we had after quite some time," letting a long and deep sigh, instantly broke the silence of the night... the little boy only meant to express his content, both feeling and his tummy, "Don't you think so, eh, Maya?"

"Yes, I do think so, Gizado." quietly walking Maya---the little girl---was, only then began to say a words when her noisy age-mate rumbling nearly everything to his heart's content.

"The bread was perfectly baked, and that kind of... flavor and tenderness and that, uh... how do you call it again? Ah right, springy texture. As expected from your mother's cooking. Especially that soup. Never expected she'd add meat to it. Best meal ever after long time... right, Maya?"

"Yes."

"It's such unfortunate Erynew couldn't join us. We could have shared the fun, telling lots of things by the calming fire. Undoubtedly she has a lot to tell, living as the devil, well... that is... if she wouldn't mind telling it. But still, what kind of fun we could have if that ever happened. Hoped someday, we could have a bigger dinner so that Erynew would envy us and feel too difficult to say no to it."

"Yes."

Rumbling of thousands of words spoken through the excited little boy, in contrast to a mumbling of a constant one word... surely soon enough, Gizado, the little boy soon realized the polarity between the active speaker of his and the passive listener of hers,

"What is it, Maya? I know you've always been a quiet one, but now, you look... oddly quiet. Something's wrong? Or perhaps... it's just you being still hungry, huh?" asked Gizado, oftentimes or not with the teasing remarks he uttered his curiosity... making fun of her quiet demeanor more or less in such a situation...

...which being replied in such a quick manner, instantly snapped with the no answer from the little girl, "No. I had enough meal. It's just... I was just..." then seemingly slowing down, and her tone being lowered, as if trying to hide something behind the prior silence which she didn't feel like to talk about, especially right now in front of him, "I was just thinking of... what kind of... surprise Erynew will show us. Si-since, you know, I'm sure there's a solid reason why she declined our dinner invitation."

This; a little white lie that had been told through the innocent mouth of a little girl, surprisingly managed to bring her out from the curiosity of her age-mate... asking the reason behind her prior silence, which she then gave that reason of a simple white lie bringing her to completely a different topic of this laid back conversation...

"Oh, that's why... knew you'd be curious as well." the satisfied chuckle of the little boy, meaning the answer he just heard, had pleased his wonderment, hence the laugh, laughing it off thereafter, breaking the silence of the night even more, "Maybe she has found that devil portrait all along, and trying to hide it from us,"

"W-why would she do that?"

"Well, I said maybe..."

...a laid back conversation, went along with the starry night starting to appear breezy, appealing for those who walked beneath it... experiencing for it after went through everything the opposite of it. A space to breath, to laugh cheerfully as the little boy did, and his age-mate couldn't be help but to go along with him as well with simply a smile of her own... trying slowly to fade away that concealed reason for her concern and silence prior; about what happened before, which no longer became a matter in the end, as it seemed from that little boy's merry mumbling, thus rumbling a lot of chattering words for her to listen, and to spend the time needed for them to reach the wooden cottage on a small hill, where nothing seemed to have changed after their departure for dinner - still a quiet cottage on a quiet small hill.

"Alright, here we are. Wonder what she's got for us now."

The wooden door; where no gaps were found on its dark hue of rough texture... this simply closed and seemed to be tightly as well, as the two kids standing in front of it; where no light was visible from behind such a door but a pair of red lantern on either side to shine upon faces who embraced the curiosity in regards to what happened on the other side - inside of this cottage; where its window as well, had been shut for hindering them to peek inside,

Right in front of his brown eyes, however he seemed to be halted for a moment there in silence. Gizado, he wasn't thinking of knocking on the wooden door, since there was no such a habit in him, and because this cottage... he considered it as his own after the late sister, looking after and caring for it; ergo, he was more than able to feel its surrounding like the back of his hand, a hand he was about to use to push open the wooden door, however seemingly being halted, for he felt something was different within its surrounding - cold and oddly... a nostalgic feeling.

"So... what are you waiting for, Gizado? Aren't you gonna open it?" till Maya, his age-mate standing beside him, who wondered of his sudden halt and silence, began to startle him gently,

"Ah right. I just... feel things," without thinking too much of it, he further continued opening the wooden door, only then to be welcomed that kind of feeling he just met with before,

Colder it was, compared to what inside a cottage which being lit by sufficient amount of heat from a large fire pit, and crackling flame to warm the inside. The first thing that the two kids noticed immediately upon setting their feet inside, and the creaking door had faded into the obscure scene and the uncertain scenery of what they were witnessing inside right now. Baffled yes, and astonished as well, of what these eyes were seeing into. It wasn't red nor crimson and warm orange of the usual light of fire that welcomed them, instead it was pure blue, seemingly deep and heavy, perhaps this what was caused quite a difference in temperature inside; the quietness, contemplation and sadness, such a shade of cold shined inside of an entire room which was filled with this kind of light, as they started to stare at the source... the bright and cold blue flame being lit inside the fire pit. Besides heat, the combustion that didn't produce the crackling nor smoke nor smell,

Surely it was the handicraft of Erynew; the work of the one-horned devil whom they struggled to look for after the distraction had finally been broken... only then to be surprised yet again by quite a mysterious figure standing next to the blue flame and seemingly drowning in its cold shade, a figure they surely never expected it before,

It was a hornless figure, as opposed to the single-horned one they were familiar with. Staring at the figure's back wrapped inside quite a long and hooded brown cloak, making them unable to tell its hair color, only left to guess from the revealing part; the figure's pale mid-calf down to the bare feet. Such a peculiar figure, who seemed still to be gazing at that calming blue flame, had yet to realize the present of these kids, or perhaps the hooded figure only pretended to be,

"W-who's... who's there? W-who are you?"

Either way, up until the little boy braved himself to initiate the calling; calling the name he was familiar with,

"Ery---Erynew? Is... is that you?"

Just then that hooded figure began to move its gaze away from the azure flame, and staring at them in a way that nearly impossible to tell whether or not that figure really was staring back at them... for the figure's face apparently was also hidden beneath a white faceless mask with no other trace of face marking nor any decoration, but a simple and small red dot shaped of a gem on the center of the forehead, just above a single, long and narrow horizontal line traversing from side to side, creating a small gap where a pair of glowing yellow eyes capable of peeking outside, thus gazing at those baffled, nervous-looking kids to meet a new face,