The Offering

Chapter Twenty Seven - Alvaryn

"You're not drinking your usual morning concoction Aeris, should I be concerned?" Father asks, cutting into his breakfast.

Aeris smiles while filling his plate with eggs and bacon. "No father, your concern is not necessary. I just had a rather enjoyable afternoon yesterday, before I was interrupted that is," he looks at Demwyn with accusation. "and I decided to forgo a night of drinking and instead spent my evening reading." He looks at me with a smirk. I try not to take the bait and bite back, but already my mind is reeling at his words and the time he spent with Daella.

"You, reading?" Father scoffs.

"Yes father, I felt it would be wiser for me to spend a little more of my time expanding my knowledge rather than drinking myself away." Aeris replies.

"Is this your doing?" Father asks looking at me and I shake my head. I certainly couldn't inspire Aeris to read anything, he had stopped listening to my stories years ago. I knew what had bought about this new so called change, or should I say who. I only hoped it was in earnest.

"Well whatever keeps the bottle out of your hand is good news." Father nods. "We have the summer solstice this evening, I have noticed each of you making effort in choosing a woman for the selection. I hope you are all taking this seriously."

"Yes father," Demwyn answers and I still, holding my breath for his next words. "It might help if two of us weren't fighting over the same one though." Demwyn finishes, staring at his plate while gripping his knife and fork.

Father looks at each of us. Of course he would bring this up with now, he couldn't just let it be.

"No one is fighting brother." Aeris says reaching for a piece of toast, completely at ease after Demwyn's words.

"Yet." Demwyn bites, looking at Aeris.

"Is it true, both of you are interested in the same chosen?" Father asks looking at me then Aeris.

"Aeris and I have been spending time with one of the chosen, but we have both agreed that it is only as friends, and that we wouldn't let her come between us." I explain, looking at Aeris who smiles back at me buttering his toast and nodding.

"Exactly, Daella is our friend, we are brother's first." Aeris agrees. I knew much of his bravado and aloofness was an act but even now when it is just his family, still he maintains his façade.

"Why are you spending your time making friends with one of the chosen? You are meant to be choosing a bride." Father says the term making friends like it is something dirty, his expression growing concerned.

"I don't believe either of them has the intention of staying friends for long father, I have tried to persuade both of them to leave her alone and pick a different chosen, but neither of them want to listen." Demwyn says, setting down his knife and fork like he is admitting some great truth and we have been keeping dark dangerous secrets.

He has always held his place as eldest brother over us, mostly it was to teach us or help us, but now it didn't feel like he was trying to help us.

"Is that true?" Father asks, looking at both of us. "Alvaryn?"

"It is true Demwyn has insisted that I shouldn't be friends with Daella, or spend time with her if those are my only intentions." I answer doing my best to keep my thoughts in order.

"Is it true that you have other intentions for this Daella?" Father asks.

I couldn't lie, but my thoughts and feelings seem to spin and tangle inside me.

He lets out an angry sigh.

"And you, Aeris, what are your intentions towards this girl?" Father asks turning towards him and I watch as he leans back smiling and the picture of ease and confidence.