Outside - Part 2

After 30 minutes walking on the road, The group stopped in a well that supplied water to a village outside the walls of Dhacar.

— So, we'll be walking for one more hour, take a rest, and then walk two more hours until we enter the woods, fill your water canteens and let's keep on walking. — Hese commands.

As everyone filled their canteens, a middle—aged man approached Hese, opening his arms and giving him a hug.

— Hese! My nephew! It has been a while since you came here! — The man said.

— Uncle Ravar, hello, for sure, it's been a while. — Hese greeted him.

— How is Hala doing? Have you got a job? Who are those kids? — The man incessantly asked.

— My mother is fine, thanks for asking, I did get a job, I'm now a cadet in the city garrison.

— Really? So you're going to follow the military path that your father followed, right? Good to know.

While the two were chatting, Nodo approached Hese.

— Hey, Hese, who is this mister? — Insecure, Nodo asked

— Oh, hey, uncle Ravar, this is Nodo, my younger brother. — Said Hese, as he took Nodo by the shoulder and brought him close to Ravar.

— Younger brother, huh? Hey, Nodo, are you by any chanc-

— Are you my late father's brother? — Nodo interrupted Ravar.

— Hmm, it depends, Hese, has Hala got a new husband? — Ravar smiled.

— Of course not, uncle! Nodo was born three months after my father's death.

— Then yes, Nodo, I am the elder brother of your father. I didn't knew that Tracio was expecting a new child when he went to the war. You do look like him when younger.

— Then, why did you never come to visit us? — Nodo intrigued.

— Oh, that's because I am the doctor of the only clinic in this village, I can't leave my position unless something very serious happens. I have been working without a single day off since the end of the Hedaayat Revolution. — Ravar quickly responded.

— Hedeyet Revolution? — Nodo intrigued again.

— Not Hedeyet, the correct is Hedaayat, Nodo — Hese corrected. — It was twenty years ago, the father of our current Country's Emperor, Faso, the Emperor Arese, which at that time was an high noble of the court, Patriarch of the Ahangar Dynasty, revolted against the emperor of the time, Erfan, who was from the House of Deljou, the main reason for Arese's revolt was Erfan's awful administration of the empire, which resulted in the loss of major territories on the north, in a war four years before the revolution, against the Kingdom of Yamad, I think it is interesting to know that our father fought in this war and also helped Late Emperor Areso on the Revolution. Continuing, Arese started the Revolution in the capital Eriim, and after eleven months of civil war, when Arese killed Erfan with his own hands, he shouted: "Hedaayat!", which is an ancient word for "Let it be new!". seven years after that, Arese died from a disease, and his son, the current Emperor, Faso assumed the Empire. Taking advantage of the instability of the new reign, the Heians, that had long been under the rule of the Treians, revolted in search of independence. Our father at the time was the First General of the Imperial Army, and led the Treian army in the war, which lasted three years, until it ended in the Treian victory at the Jarza Explosion, which unfortunately took our father's life along with it.

After so much time explaining about the Hedaayat Revolution and their father, Tracio's death to Nodo, Hese finally noticed the excitement in Nodo's eyes. — Gee, I guess I overdid it in explaining it to you.

Unable to control himself, Nodo loudly said:

— Hese! Why did you never told me about those stories? About that revolution and about my father's military experiences!?

Hese crouched down to stare directly at Nodo, and with a firm eye contact, told him:

— Well, you never showed any interest in knowing who exactly our father was, so I felt like I didn't need to bother you by talking about it. But, it seems that I was wrong, huh? Don't worry, I will tell many, many stories about our father!

— That's nice! I can't wait! — Nodo responded cheerfully.

— Must say I didn't expect your father to be such a cool hero, Nodo — Eosaph, who was listening to the story with the others.

— He's right, I totally would never think you descended from someone like Tracio. — Eva added.

— Hey Eva, did you knew about my father's stories? — Nodo asked.

— Uuh, yes, sometimes when I was wandering around with Safi, she told me some important events of the country's history. But obviously we didn't knew that he was your father. — Eva replied.

— Is that so? I wonder what Safi's reaction will be when I tell her that I am Tracio's son! — Nodo shouted.

— Don't brag about it so much, Nodo. — Hese scolded Nodo, slapping his right ear.

— Ouch, sorry.

— So, uncle Ravar, nice to see you again, bye. — Hese said goodbye and continued on the road with the group.

— Nice to see you too, Hese, Nodo, bye bye. — Ravar said, going back to the village.

After walking for 1 more hour, they stopped to rest, and then followed the road for two more hours, and finally reached the woods. The place was exuberantly beautiful, was cut in the middle by a river, with tons of different fruit trees, in predominance, were the pear trees. They could hear countless birds singing above the branches of the trees, which were considerably higher than what you would expect for a fruit tree to be.

— There it is, the Pear Woods. — Hese said while drinking water from his canteen.

— It is so stunningly beautiful — Eva was completely admired.

— Woah, it's incredible — Eosaph said.

— Was that the place where the father brought the mother many times like you said? — Nodo asked Hese.

— Yeah, it is beautiful, huh?

— So much!

— Hey Hese, we should pitch the tents in the place your father built. — Gill, who was quiet all the way suggested to Hese.

— Okay, hey kids, Gill and I will put up the tents, you can, uuh... you can go wander around, but come back soon. — Hese said while untying the sacks with supplies.

— Right! Eva, Eosaph, you heard Hese, let's go grab some pears for Safi!

The three of them then ran to the area that had the bigger number of pear trees and started climbing them, to take the fruits.