Chapter 14 Part 4: Arvad and Gramps

Jun remained silent, allowing his head to cool.

“Did you tell him?” It was the logical conclusion. But it did bother him. Amalie had warned against letting others know.

“Well…. Not exactly. He was an Alinta, so-“

“What? Wait. You said ‘was’.”

Mei squirmed. “…that’s the complicated part.”

‘Well child.’ A new voice resounded. Jun looked to the entrance of the healer’s grove and saw a new apparition hovering. He was old, long hair, and stroked his beard. ‘It’s not all that hard to imagine.’

“Who?” Jun started, but Mei overshadowed his word.

“Hi grandpa Frosty!”

Jun stiffened. She knew this apparition?

‘Ho…’ Their eyes met before the old apparition smiled and continued. ‘Hello dear one.’

“Oh come on. We’ve been over this before. It’s Mei. M. E. I.” She emphasized the sounds of her name. Jun smiled as he watched the exchange.

“And… who is your wielder?” He asked.

“Gramps! Oh.” Arvad appeared and Grandpa Frosty smiled as he indicated to Arvad.

“Arvad!” Mei smiled as she rose from her cot. Arvad’s eyes softened, his lips rising into a smile.

“Well that makes more sense.” Jun muttered. He noted the absence of an artifact—at least, a standard tool that could be described as one.

“Mei. It’s rude to reveal other’s secrets.” Arvad complained. Mei’s cheeks turned red as she thumped back onto her cot.

“And it’s rude to listen in.”

Grandpa Frosty hovered in between. His hands shifting up and down as if calming children. Jun subdued his snickers.

‘Now now. It would make sense she would share it with another trusted Alinta.’

“Anoth-“ His word cut off, Arvad’s eyes grew wide, his face shifting as his eyes met with Jun’s. Jun sighed and then offered a wan smile.

“Yes. I am an Alinta too.” There was no use hiding it. If Arvad was an Alinta, and he wielded an artifact, it would only be a few moments more before someone else said it.

‘Well. That makes things simpler. What is your relation to Mei? And what are your opinions about your betrothal?’

Grandpa Frosty sat back as if this was a normal starting conversation. Arvad hands flew up, trying to defend against those words. Mei partially jumped, her cheeks turning red. Jun’s face however darkened.

“Gramps! You are such a busy body!” Arvad growled. Grandpa Frosty bristled as he turned on the young man.

‘I’m old and your grandfather. I’m allowed to be a busy body.’

“A great-grandfather.” Arvad sought to add distance to the relation.

‘Yes, I know I am great. Now then. The betrothal. Opinions?”

Jun rubbed at his temples. His imagined world of secrets was shattering before his eyes. Just how many more would unexpectedly learn of this?

Mei shifted in her spot. Jun closed his eyes, shoulders dropping.

“Arvad. This is my father. Dad…” she indicated between them as she introduced. “Arvad.”

Jun raised an eyebrow. “Mei. It’s rude to reveal other’s secrets.” He parroted. Arvad and his eyes met, a slight smile graced Arvad’s features. A subtle nod passed between them.

Mei looked at them both, her head tilting.

“Still…” Arvad was the one who broke the silence. “You’re an Alinta?”

“And you were an Alinta.” Jun was growing more curious about that. How could someone be an Alinta but not be one now.

Arvad laughed, finding a seat and pulling it over.

“Okay. We both have stories to share. Guess I should settle in. Have you had dinner? This might take a bit.” With some food brought over for Mei and Arvad, they began their conversation.

Arvad listened as Mei cleared the air between them. He offered a pitying look as they shared about their past life and being betrothed by the Jinshari. Jun wondered how well he was taking the news.

“Ya. That’s pretty messed up.” Arvad laughed. His easy going nature was in contrast with his appearance. Rugged, sometimes fraying clothes, strange beads and a satchel he kept on him at all times. He looked every bit the wandering desert nomad, just without the head covering. Despite his long legs, he kept his feet off the ground.

With the lapse in conversation Jun changed course.

“So. How did you figure out she was an Alinta?”

Arvad smiled, a chuckle escaping his lips. “Simple really. I told her I didn’t like sand.”

Jun’s brow raised and he looked to Mei. Her brow was also raised but her eyes looked up into her skull, digging up the memory. When she had it, she clapped her hands together.

“Oh, you mean about your cinderella shoes?”

With both brows raised, Jun looked to Arvad.

“Yes. When you said that, I knew you had to be an Alinta. This world doesn’t have a tale like Cinderella. But, Earth did.”

Jun’s blood froze. None of the other former Alinta gave any indication about where they came from. He figured it could be from other worlds. After all, most things were foreign, even when they seemed similar.

“So you came from our world.”

“Yes.” Arvad sighed. “But don’t ask too much about what I did there. I don’t remember it.”

Jun blinked. An Alinta who couldn't’ remember their past? How could that be?

“And what was this about Cinderella’s shoes?” He managed to ask, opting for an easier question as he learned about the boy—Jun corrected himself. Arvad had to be older since he was an Alinta too.

It was Grandpa Frosty who answered. ‘Every morning, the sands of our desert would turn to glass around his feet. It was quite the sight to behold.’

“But they aren’t glass slippers.” Arvad began to bristle.

“Still you have to admit, that is pretty much cinderella.” Mei smiled, her mask slipped down to eat, allowing them to see her whole face.

“By the sands, Mei. If you start calling me princess, I am never talking with you again.”

Mei pouted, teased, but Arvad refused to let her nickname him that. Jun felt his heart ease a bit at the sight.

“Say… if your father is here. Then… is your mother-“ Arvad stopped as Mei held up her hands, shaking them furiously before looking to Jun. Her brows were pinched together, eyes blinking rapidly.

Jun shook his head. He wasn’t willing to talk about that. Arvad looked between them and then shrugged.

“Well sands. If you don’t want to talk about it, then that’s fine.”

“I notice you say that a lot.” Mei pointed out. Jun smirked. A quick change in conversation yet again.

“Say what a lot?”

“Sands. Why don’t you just… swear?”

“Oh. I don’t remember any swear words.”

“You don’t remember them? That’s so cute.” Mei laughed.

“By the sands, Mei. Quit it.”

“I could teach you some.”

Jun’s face contorted. He had tried to keep her mouth clean, and didn’t want to hear it.

‘Now lass, his mouth was so foul when he first got here. I do not need him saying those things again.’ Grandpa Frosty scolded.

“Fine. But why say ’sands’ all the time?”

“I grew up in the sands.” Arvad folded his arms.

“Okay, but why not say ‘by the flames’ or something like that?” Jun wasn’t sure he liked where this was going.

“Are you nuts?!” Arvad pounced on that idea. Jun watched silently. Was this how their conversations went? It made him feel… old. “Do you know how many religious zealots there are in this world? If I started shouting things like that… well have you seen what Amalie does when she get’s mad?”

Jun sighed and started to tune the conversation out. While interesting, it also seemed like they were heading off into their own little world.

“Kids.” He grumbled. Frosty sat next to him and winked.

‘When you get as old as I, then you’ll find things like this to be quite enjoyable.’ Jun waved the idea away.