CHAPTER TWENTY. Making A Decision.

"The one and only," his brother, or at least what looked like his brother, declared, his arms spread out. 

His face held that broad smile he hadn't seen in years and Arud couldn't quite explain the warm feeling that had suddenly taken over him.

He felt happy seeing Drex all the way out here, but knew better than to let his guard down.

Drex would never come to a place like this unless he had a good reason, and Arud wasn't sure who had sent him or why. 

He couldn't trust anyone until he knew the whole deal.

With his arms folded, he faced Drex squarely. "Why are you here?" he demanded, his tone abrasive.

Drex's smile never disappeared.

"Ah yes, about that," he said, turning to the other rider behind him. 

The latter scrambled down from the dragon and scuttled over to them. With a quick bow, he handed Arud a letter. One with the Royal seal on it.

Arud stared at it for a moment. "What is this?"

Drex rolled his eyes. "It's a letter from our beloved sister, obviously," he replied, his voice loosing some of the light it had carried previously.

"She's asking you to come back to the Capital."

Arud stared at him. "You and the rest of your family," his brother quickly added.

Arud narrowed his eyes, suspicious.

"Why?"

Drex exhaled at this question, "look, I know you and Zarah had your differences in the past, but things have changed back home."

"We need you, for more reasons than one.

"Zarah wouldn't listen to reason, at first. If there's one thing you both have in common, it's a will that's stronger than any other. Nevertheless, I finally got her to agree to this, so, here we are."

Arud frowned. "When did you come back?"

Drex's expression sobered a little at this. "Not too long ago, really", he replied, raking a hand through his long blonde hair, "I've had a lot of things to deal with over the years".

"Like what? Why did you leave in the first place?"

His brother stared at him for a long moment before speaking again.

"You remember that ol' dream we used to have as cubs? About leaving the palace and finding a place where no one would tell us what to do. Where we could do what we wanted when we wanted. Where no one could decide what we did with our lives before we did," he paused, turning to gaze at the distant fields, as if he could read a world of memories in them, "that's why I left; to find that dream."

Arud waited for him to continue, knowing he wasn't finished. His brother smiled, wistfully. 

"I found it, after so many years, I finally found it... but I needed to leave again."

Arud was surprised, he couldn't stop himself from asking; "Why?"

"Why?... Why? Well..." Drex's eyes grew moist, he chuckled, his voice thick, "because of you two furheads, that's why. After being away for so long, I ... I realized I shouldn't have left you guys behind. I mean...," he took a deep breath, before he kept talking, "I... am the oldest after all."

Arud's frown didn't disappear.

Drex gave a frustrated sigh at this. "Look, I know that sounds strange, okay. I made some mistakes in the past and I'm sorry about that, all I need is a chance to fix things and I can't do that if you and Zarah literally hate each other now."

Arud stayed silent, letting his gaze settle on the far horizon. "We need you to come back home, Arud," it almost sounded like he was pleading with him now. 

"The entire Capital's waiting for your return as we speak."

"I really find that hard to believe," Arud quipped sourly, folding his hands, but he gave it some thought regardless. There wasn't much left for them on the outskirts, but then again there was no guarantee Zarah wouldn't pull the same trick against his family like she'd done in the past. 

At the same time, with each year, it was becoming more and more of a struggle to stay here. Moving to the Capital could be the one thing that would change their lives forever.

There was still one problem with all this though; Jaden.

Over the years since the accident, Arud could tell he was finally letting go of the past. Moving to the Capital could change all that.

"Should," Drex asked tentatively, breaking into his thoughts, "should I take your silence as a 'yes'?"

Arud met his gaze once again, "how do I know my family is safe once we get there?"

"It's all in that letter. Zarah promised you her protection, stamped with the Royal seal. Even she can't break that."

"So, ... are you coming?"

Arud closed his eyes, it was too good a deal to refuse outright. He couldn't make a decision yet, not without talking it out with his family first.

He exhaled. "Five days", he said, finally. "If we're not at the Capital in five days, then you know we're not coming".

 Drex beamed, nodding, as if Arud's reply was the best he'd heard all year. "Good. I'll see you then".

***

Later that day, right after dinner, when all of them were seated at the dining area, Arud placed the letter at the center of their chipped, old table, before meeting everyone's gaze.

When he looked up, it was almost like the kids already knew what was about to be discussed.

Jaden sat slumped in his chair, arms folded, eyes never leaving the table, completely silent. 

Cherry and their twelve year old boy, Cal, wouldn't stop bouncing around in their seats, excitement written all over their young faces.

"I take it, you guys already know what this is about, don't you?" Cherry hesitated, "maybe," she glanced at her brother. "Jaden kinda told us what happened." 

Arud raised an eyebrow at his eldest son, who shrugged nonchalantly, "they wouldn't lemme sleep otherwise."

Arud shook his head in amusement and smiled. "Well," he said, while taking his seat, "since you already know about it, what do you think?" he inquired softly.

"Do we leave... or do we stay?"

"We should go!" Cherry cried, speaking before Arud could finish his sentence.

"I mean.... we've already been through so much out here. I for one believe it would be a good chance for us to get back the life we had before." 

Eva chuckled at this. "Life at the Capital isn't all you hear about. It also has its own downsides as well as any other place".

Cherry stared at her mother for a moment, " I still choose the Capital," she stated.

"Alright, one tail down. Jaden, what do you think?" Arud asked.

His son didn't reply immediately, when he did, Arud could hear the reluctance in his words, "Yeah ... I... I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea," he said simply. 

He didn't share the same excitement his siblings did and Arud could tell he was struggling with something.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind for now, he turned to face his mate, "Eva?"

Eva shrugged a single shoulder before giving her opinion; "as long as you're sure we can trust them and everyone else agrees, then, I don't see why not."

"Yes!" Cherry exclaimed. Cal pumped a fist into the air as if on cue and also cried; "yeah! We're going to the Capital!"

All of a sudden, a look of confusion shrouded his grey-blue eyes and he frowned, "wait, what's the Capital?"

Eva chuckled again. "It's the city your aunt Zarah lives in, sprout," she explained. 

"That's where we used to live, before..." Cherry didn't complete her words and Arud knew she was thinking of Jaden.

His son pushed back his chair gently and stood up, muttered something about checking to see if Skipdiggers hadn't gotten into the store again, before walking out of the house.

"Dad ... you'll talk to him, ... won't you?" Cherry asked, hope echoing her words. Arud could understand her. 

Living like this, in hiding, for this long had to be nerve racking for someone like Cherry, and Cal deserved to at least see the place his parents had been born and raised. They both wanted more than this. To be a part of the world just like everyone else. Not away from it. 

It was the same with all of them, even Jaden. Though, his son would never agree to that, because of the resentment and fear he had for the outside world.

Which was why Arud felt leaving the outskirts would be the best decision. After all, the best way to get rid of fear was to face it head on. 

Arud smiled at his daughter. "Don't worry, I will, but for now I think its best we give him sometime alone."