Dinner that evening was something else but at least Catia, Vala and Vestia had enough preservation spirit in them to keep their mouth shut for the first part. I had almost thought that Arius warned them, including consequences of what their words and actions might mean for them but then again, when Sorens entered the room and smiled at me before sitting, it proved too much for them.
“How long are we going to continue enduring the presence of this person at our table?” Vala started wrinkling her nose to show her distaste for the situation.
“Vala, please Father was just laid to rest, don’t start up with this.” Severa begged, I honestly don’t know how she and Silana managed to share the same father with the rest of their siblings, they were the only good ones out of the whole lot.
“Exactly, I just lost my father, I am grieving. There should not be something that will stress me out or make me mad right now. Queen Gwenn…” She started.
“The next words that leave your mouth better be praises.” Orel growled out as the room went silent while Vala’s mouth was opened in shock.
“Did the foreigner…” She started saying again but Arius glared.
“Not another word, he is a king where he is from and I don’t want to start my reign with war from another empire who just increase their might by taking over another empire because my bratty sister cannot keep her mouth shut so she had to annoy him. Please Vala, I let you take the blame for whatever you are trying to stir up because I cannot handle the repercussion.” Arius cuts his sister shut and I couldn’t help but smile at that.
Vestae seeing my smile frowned and when my eyes meet hers, she gave me a cruel smile. “Faye, how is our future king doing?”
Orel glanced at Faye who was looking a little bit smaller. “Gwenn, what are they saying?”
Before I could replied, Themis laid a hand on her husband’s own. “It’s not threat.”
Silana who heard her words gasps as she turned her full attention to Themis. “You see that far?”
“Not really. I just get glimpses.” Themis shrugged looking uncomfortable at the subject, no matter how much Orel has accepted her gifts, she cannot forget the time of her life when her fellow villagers hated her or what they tried to do to her, in my opinion, that place and its inhabitants should have been burnt to the ground, they didn’t deserve to live not to talk of the freedom which Themis granted them in the end. Freedom which they did not deserve but Themis was good that way, same can never be said about me.
“Don’t be uncomfortable.” Silana continued. “I lived with these people and they think that I am crazy.” Silana laughed out loud as if it was the funniest thing ever. Me and Orel cracked a smile because we knew better. We were the crazy ones if we were given a suggestion from Themis or Silana and didn’t follow it. We knew better than to try that.
“I think you are crazy too.” Themis lips twitched like she was trying to fight a smile.
“Maybe, maybe not.” Silana shrugged as her voice turned wistful. “I have spent so much time being crazy that I don’t know what Normal feels like anymore, sometimes I wonder how I remained sane with everything that I have seen.”
“I have never being normal.” Themis offered to Silana who smiled at Themis like they just became best friends.
“So are we just going to take this like it is normal?” Catia asked as Arius closed his eyes in defeat. His sisters will never let him rest.
“It’s not normal they way they talk about not being normal, Gwenn is not normal having a pet that is a beast and using it to threaten us and now the visitor sees herself to be kindred spirit with our sister who should have been sent to live with a distant relation because she has been nothing but disgrace since birth.”
“He still didn’t like you.” Silana responded and just as before Catia face went flush.
“Silana is not a disgrace but you will be the sister who is a disgrace.” Themis said softly.
I knew what was going to happen before it happened, I watched everything as if it was in slow motion. Catia glared as Themis as Themis released a groan at the pain she must have been feeling in her chest. Arius, quick as a lightning drew out an order at Catia.
“Stop it now.”
“What was that?” Themis asked but I was not looking at her, everybody was staring at Catia either stunned that she had actually done what she just did or angry that she tried it. I belonged to the second category.
“She didn’t have any right…” Catia started only for her to jump out of her seat and backed away from Arius even though Arius had not stood up yet, his presence was so large, it coated all my nerve endings, suffocating me even though I was not the object of his anger.
“You didn’t have any right either.” Arius said softly as he stood up.
Catia voice turned panicked. “I was angry, I was upset. Silana throws tantrums all the time and you never punish her.”
“She didn’t try to kill a guest.” Arius returned as he advanced towards Catia who was shaking. I have never seen Arius in a silent rage before but it was clear that something terrible was going to happen.
Before Arius could reach Catia, Kastav sided between Catia and Arius, acting as a shield for Catia.
“You are no longer, a king. You are The Yama. I cannot let you do what you have in mind without you knowing your strength.” Kastav said as Arius raised an eyebrow at his brother.
“I know my strength and I know what I am.” His gaze dipped to his sister who was hiding behind Kastav. “I also know what she did after I gave a warning less than thirty minutes ago.”
“I cannot let you do what you plan to. I am sorry.” Kastav said forcefully.
Arius presence increased, I looked at Orel to see how he was taking it only to see Orel with a knife beside his plate as he ate like nothing was going on. Themis was watching the scene with interest but Orel was acting like he couldn’t be bothered with it but I knew better. If things became worse, Orel will be the first to kill anybody who tries to harm Themis or me.
“Brother, Let?” Arius asked looking at Kastav who refused to lower his gaze.
At once Arius suffocating presence eased and he want to his seat. “Let’s not brawl the Northern way brother, at least not in front of our guest. Next time you try to ‘let’ me do anything, we will revisit this topic regardless of who is present. Do I make myself clear?” Arius asked Kastav.
Kastav jaw clenched as he nodded his head. “Crystal.”
“Enough excitement for one evening, I would like to retire now.” Themis said as she stood up and immediately Orel stood up too.
“Pleasure meeting you all but Kastav, don’t do it. There is still time for a change. Don’t let it be too late.” Themis said, not making any sense before she left.
“Wow, she really is like Silana.” Severa said in the silence of Themis and Orel departure.
She had no idea how much alike the two of them were.