34. Kal: An Invitation

  Cerci spent the next three days apologizing to Kal for trying to blackmail him.

  Kal, kind by nature, had already forgiven him after his first apology. But that didn’t stop Cerci. He kept coming back, again and again, claiming he didn’t know what gotten into him – that he was ashamed, disgusted with himself, and wanted to make it right.

  “There’s nothing to make right, Cerci.” Kal said from the beginning. “Just keep your mouth shut about what you’ve learned and we’re good.”

  But still, he continued showing up at their house – something Reinar was completely against, especially after finding out about the blackmail attempt.

  Logic clearly wasn’t Cerci’s strongest trait. He kept returning, bearing small gifts in hopes of earning Kal’s parents’ forgiveness as well.

  “You need to stop, Cerci.” Kal warned him one morning on the way to school. “Dad’s going to break your face one of these days.”

  “B-break my face?!” Cerci stumbled after him. “Surely you’re exaggerating, String-Kissed!”

  “I wish I was, Cerci. I really wish I was…”

  That only made the bard more nervous.

  Then – he vanished. For two whole days, no words, no visits, no apologies, no sighting in the village’s inn.

  Kal even wondered if he’d left the village altogether.

  But on the third evening, just as the family was settling down, there came a rapid, aggressive knock on the door.

  “String-Kissed! Mr. and Mrs. Varren! I have important news!” Cerci’s voice rang out from beyond the door – loud, dramatic, and far too energetic for the late hour.

  “I’m actually going to kill him.” Reinar rumbled, rubbing his temples.

  “Please do,” Elara said with a tired grin, “before he wakes Lucas, and I do it instead."

  Kal rushed to the door before Reinar could stand up. Better he open it first than have to explain a homicide.

  Cerci practically burst through the door the moment Kal opened it, waving a scroll in the air like it was a royal decree.

  Which, apparently, it was.

  “You won’t believe it! Well, you won’t, but I can!”

  Kal blinked. “Cerci, what - ?”

  “Baron Rodan!” Cerci announced, dramatically placing a hand on his chest. “The noble patron of music had spoken!”

  “And what…did he say?” Elara asked, exchanging a glance with her husband.

  Cerci handed her the scroll. “He wants Kal! I intercepted his herald in Estenford – A personal invitation to appear for his court in Lauring.” He turned to Kal. “He remembers you, String-Kissed! From four years ago, when he had passed through Terenhill or something? Apparently, he’s heard a lot of buzz lately – word travels fast, you know, especially when it’s me who’s been spreading it!”

  Kal’s eyes widened at his words. “He…actually remembers me?”

  “He does!” Cerci exclaimed, then turned thoughtful as if recalling something. “Well, he says he remembers the kid he never got to hear play, because of a broken arc, and now had become a local phenomenon. Anyways! He became so curious, he wants to hear you live in his estate. This might be your golden ticket, my young friend!”

  Elara gasped softly, finishing reading the scroll and passing it to Reinar. “Oh, Kal, that’s wonderful!”

  Reinar’s eyes ran quickly over the scroll. “Is it?” He crossed his arms, leaning back on the couch. “I don’t like the idea of Kal parading around in front of nobles.”

  “Reinar,” Elara warned, “it’s not like we have a choice here. It’s the Baron. Either way, recognition like this doesn’t come often...”

  Reinar groaned. “I know…”

  “Dad,” Kal said, barely able to contain his excitement, “this is a huge deal! I mean – Baron Rodan is the highest-ranking noble in the area.”

  Reinar sighed. “I know. And you deserve the recognition, son.”

  Kal lit up.

  “But,” Reinar continued, holding up a hand, “I will be joining you.”

  Kal’s eyes widened again. He was kind of hoping they would send him there on his own. “But what about the fields?”

  “The farmhands can handle them on their own for a week or two.”

  “But what about Mom and Lucas?”

  Reinar glanced at Elara. “Your grandparents will look out for Mom.”

  Elara smiled and nodded, turning to Kal. “Don’t worry about me, baby. Just have fun.”

  “Works for me!” Cerci chimed in. “We’ll make a whole trip out of it! Oh – we’ll need to pick an outfit for you, String-Kissed! But not something from Terenhill. We need a bigger town!”

  “You’re coming too?” Reinar raised an eyebrow, visibly not excited by the idea.

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  ***

  The morning sun had barely risen when the Varren household was already on their feet, preparing for the journey.

  Elara stood by the front gate, watching with a soft smile as Kal secured a small travel pack to the horse’s saddle. Mayor Barnes had assigned a single horse for them for this journey.

  “Did you pack the spare strings?” Elara asked.

  “Yes, Mom.” Kal said, for the fourth time. To him it felt like she was more nervous than him.

  “And extra clothes?” She pressed.

  “Of course.”

  “Honey,” Reinar called from behind the horse, adjusting the reins, ‘if you keep fussing over him, he’ll forget he can breathe all on his own.”

  “I’m allowed to fuss,” she said, grinning at him, then giving a smooch to Kal. “My baby is leaving the village for the first time.”

  Reinar snorted. “He’s not a baby. He’s walking. And so smart, Mrs. Keller had no qualms about letting him skip school for two weeks if needed.”

  Kal grinned, enjoying the compliments. “Thanks, Dad.”

  Reinar nodded in response.

  Then came the sound of hurried footsteps. Cerci arrived, panting and overdressed – a different, thicker pink coat this time around. A hat with three feathers, and a satchel on his side.

  “I’m ready!” He wheezed. “Let’s conquer the cultural stage of Lauring!”

  Reinar turned slowly, squinting. “God damn it, I thought you were joking about joining us…”

  “Why would I joke about something so important?!” Cerci exclaimed. “Kal will surely require my assistance – wardrobe, posture, etiquette, song selection – “

  “Well, we’re taking one horse, either way.” Reinar cut in, his tone flat.

  Cerci paused. “Ah, I see! Then I assume I’m sitting behind you two?”

  “Do you intend to kill the horse?” Reinar asked as he lifted Kal up and seated him on top of the animal. “Kal and I are riding. Together.”

  Kal glanced at Reinar, confused. “Wait, then how’s Cerci – “

  “He’s not.”

  Ceric blinked. “I’m not?”

  “You can walk.” Reinar said, giving a goodbye kiss to Elara, then climbing behind Kal.

  Cerci stood there, stunned. “But…it’s a two-day ride. Even longer on foot!”

  “Then you better start walking.” Reinar called out over his shoulder. “And maybe jog a bit, you know, so you’d make it to Lauring in time.”

  Kal felt that Reinar was unnecessarily cruel, but at the same time he could understand where he was coming from. Cerci threatened his family and so Reinar had to show his rough side to intimidate him – to ensure it won’t happen again.

  “Dad, we can’t leave him.” Kal whispered.

  “I know.” Reinar replied. “I wasn’t planning to. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let him have an easy, fun journey.”

  “I’m being punished for art…” Cerci muttered as his expression turned more determined than ever. “This is what history requires from visionaries like me! I accept this challenge!”

  “What the hell is he talking about…” Elara whispered to her boys, rolling her eyes.

  ***

  The spring’s morning air was fresh and cool as they rode the dirt path out of Terenhill. Kal sat at the front of the horse, reins untouched, while Reinar sat behind him, guiding the animal calmly.

  Kal tried not to shift too much in his place, but every step made him aware of how unfamiliar this was. Riding a horse was something he had never experienced before. And yet, he found himself enjoying it immensely.

  Behind them, Cerci jogged, already breathing harder than he’d likely imagined he would.

  After a stretch of silence, Reinar spoke. “Never rode much before myself. Our fields are not big enough to warrant a personal horse. And in the job itself, we don’t really need horses either.”

  Kal nodded. "That's true. We use mules."

  Reinar nodded back, smiling faintly.

  Kal glanced at him. “But you still seem to know how to ride a horse well.”

  Reinar nodded. “Got a soft spot for animals. Horses in particular.”

  “What about humans?” Cerci gasped from behind, jogging closer. “Any chance I get on that horse soon?”

  Reinar ignored him.

  “Your aunt was a horse rider.” Reinar said after a pause. “Leia took to them like she was born on one. She was friends with Jerren. Back then, he was the only one who could keep up with her.”

  “The stablemaster?” Kal asked, confused.

  Jerren Rox, the stablemaster, was one of the more secluded characters in their village. He lived alone, despite being relatively young, and didn’t like to interact with anyone.

  Reinar nodded. “Yes. They were close friends. We all believed they would marry each other one day, but that didn’t happen, of course…”

  Kal frowned. “I’ve…never really heard much about her.”

  Reinar’s voice turned quieter. “No reason you would’ve. She left so long ago, I didn’t feel like talking about her.”

  Despite his words, he didn’t sound bitter – just tired. The fondness and love were still clearly there. Kal could hear it clearly.

  “What…was she like?” Kal asked.

  Reinar grunted. “A pain in the ass and a crybaby.” He muttered. “But I loved her with all my heart. Even after she left, I couldn’t find it in me to hate her. I still can’t.”

  Cerci, still jogging alongside them, now with less energy, cut in. “My, my, what an intriguing story!”

  “Keep talking and I’ll tie you to the saddle by your ankles.” Reinar said.

  Kal laughed.

  Cerci, on the other hand, looked mortified. He then stumbled over a rock but managed to steady himself before falling face down. He straightened with a shaky pride, brushing off imaginary dust and glancing around to see if anyone had noticed.

  They continued riding at a relaxed pace, occasionally slowing down to let Cerci catch up and catch his breath. They shared a few jokes, even got a rare laugh out of Reinar when Cerci tried to play an uplifting tune on his lyroca and ended up gasping due to exhaustion through half the song.

  Then – everything changed.

  The road curved through a patch of trees, and just beyond the bend, something unsettling appeared.

  An abandoned cart.

  It was parked at the sideways of the road and was leaning awkwardly into a ditch. One wheel was broken clean off and lying a few feet away. Scattered goods – mostly sacks of cheese and meats – were piled up in the back. Surprisingly, nothing looked looted. The wooden yoke at the front hung limp, and the horses that were supposed to pull the cart were nowhere in sight. Just leather reins and trampled ground.

  Kal’s brow furrowed. “What happened here…?”

  Cerci stopped beside them, eyeing the scene nervously. “That’s the part where we get attacked from an ambush, right?!”

  “Highway robbers?” Kal asked.

  Reinar shook his head, his eyes scanning the area. “Unlikely. Not this far south. And especially not near Terenhill. The roads here supposed to be safe. Too quiet for that sort of thing.”

  As they rounded the cart, they spotted something that made Kal’s stomach churn.

  A trail of blood.

  It started near the driver’s bench, smeared along the edge of the cart, and led off into the woods. The droplets were thick, wet, and most importantly – fresh. Whatever happened – it hadn’t been long ago.

  Cerci took one look and immediately turned away. “Nope. That’s a big nope. We’re turning back. Let’s round this area.”

  Reinar looked grim. “We ride on. We’ll report this to the next military outpost. They’ll handle it. It could be a monster.”

  “A monster?” Kal asked. “What kind?”

  Reinar shrugged. “It’s hard to say, son. Either way, we’re not suited to deal with such things.”

  “On that I can agree!” Cerci chimed in.

  “But what if someone’s hurt?” Kal asked, his voice filled with worry. The trail of blood leading to the woods was fresh. “What if the bleeding person is alive out there and needs help?”

  Reinar met his gaze, shaking his head. “I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not our place to jump into danger, son. Not when we don’t know what’s out there.”

  Kal hesitated, glancing from the blood to the trees, then to the cart again.

  He knew he couldn’t just leave this place like this.

  He had promised himself that he would be different. That he would make his twin brother proud. That whatever price his brother had paid for his reincarnation was well paid.

  “What if we just…check?” He asked, activating his Emotion Magic, ensuring Reinar would at least consider it. “Someone might need help. Someone that can’t wait until we reach the next military outpost...”

  Reinar looked at the woods, then back at his son. There was an inner battle waging on inside his mind, only prompting Kal to focus on his magic harder.

  Finally, he sighed deeply. “Fine. But stay back and let me handle this.”