Chapter 37:
Heart Dream - How I Got To Chase My Dreams and Myself In Another World!
As the demon left, Mazanlold again sank on his bed and Caoilainn sat down. It took some time before Mazanlold said:
- "You knew it didn't you? That he was a demon?" - Caoilainn looked down and said:
- "Yes."
- "It's alright. I kind of understand why you didn't tell me earlier." - he looked up - "as you saw, demons really push me over the edge." - he sighed - "it is no secret to you and Isabella that demons destroyed my family, so, it's okay" - Caoilainn, got up, sat by his side and asked:
- "Do you want to talk a little about it?"
- "No, I guess it... always hurts."
- "Yes, I can imagine that" - she paused - "but maybe it is better to deal with this before the demon returns, so you can be stronger to face him."
- "Stronger..." - he hesitated - "sharp again" - he paused again - "that's a way to convince me. I will be short, okay? I'm not too good with this stuff."
- "Whatever you think best" - she replied. Then, Mazanlold took a deep breath, looked at her and said:
- "You see, Caoilainn, as you know I come from a family of warriors. We always believed that fighting for a good cause is the best way to live, that dying for a cause is the biggest honor and that warriors should be revered after their deaths. And that is what demons took from us..." - he looked down again. Caoilainn simply stood there patiently, giving a look of comfort and understanding.
After a few moments, he looked at Caoilainn and continued:
- "So, my grandfather was a knight of Kitatik. He fought in many battles and was respected among his peers. One time, the kingdom was at war, my grandfather's last war before his retirement. For some reason a demon intervened. He planted a seed, an evil seed on the minds of the army, that my grandfather was a traitor supporting the other nation." - he paused - "with plenty of illusions, fake proofs, and gossip, the demon spread that idea. Then, when the kingdom was setting out for its last and victorious fight..." - Mazanlold started looking down - "one officer reunited a few soldiers, ambushed my grandfather and killed him as a traitor. As he was a traitor, not only there was no respect and celebrations, but there was no grave." - he hesitated - "we did not receive even a grave to cry on." - Mazanlold stopped. Caoilainn could clearly see something odd, Mazanlold wanted to cry, but no tears were shed. Instinctively, she hugged him and no words were spoken.
She felt his breathing, and after a time they couldn't calculate, she released him. Mazanlold leaned back and stretched, before continuing:
- "So, it is ironic" - he let a sad laugh - "that the same kind of thing would happen to my father." - he paused - "my father was a private guard for a rich bourgeois who lived on the edge of the kingdom. He was fantastic and held in high regard by his boss. However" - he hesitated - "again a demon spread gossip, that slowly poisoned the minds of his fellow guards, of the other servants and of his boss. That, with more fake proof, led to a order from the bourgeois, his boss and friend, to poison my father and pretend he was trying to poison him instead. And so, my father was killed and incriminated." - he paused - "this time we had a body, but no honor, respect, and no father." - Mazanlold stopped, looking down again. Caoilainn gave him some time before touching his shoulder and saying:
- "I cannot imagine how much this has hurt you and how much you fear something like that happening again" - Caoilainn paused - "all I can say is: I empathize with you, I care about you and if I can help you in any way, I will. And" - she leaned her head to look in his eyes - "I am amazed that even with all this pain, you are such a great and honorable warrior and man."
- "Hmpf" - he reacted. Then he laughed, from sad to quite happy - "you really think that, do you? Me, great and honorable?" - she kept looking at his eyes:
- "Yes. I have no doubt of that" - he hesitated before answering, noticing she was serious.
- "Well, I might as well believe you" - he again leaned down - "Even if I think I am still not worth it, I may as well believe in it a little."
- "Please do that" - she held her hands together. He took his time before continuing:
- "In a way it's funny. You say it like you admire me, but honestly, it's I who admire you."
Please sign in to leave a comment.