'Vi Et Silencio.'
Strength and Silence.
These were the only words on the sigil of Blood Denegis. And one of the only truths they followed.
Those three words held many messages and no explanation. Letting the members of the Blood understand it in their own way.
Whatever meaning they came with was considered correct as long as it followed the teachings of the Blood and what it stood for.
What did Blanc understand by them? A great question one might have.
'Have the strength to back up your words or remain silent.'
That's it.
Whether it was wrong or not, nobody could say. Nevertheless, that was his truth, and that was what he followed, even now.
"Brother! Where have you been?" Lune asked as she came back up the stairs with Kael in tow.
"I went to take some fresh air and some wood for the fire," Blanc lied to her.
At least half the lie, since after crying his eyes out until no tears remained to fall, he really went and picked wood, otherwise, his lie would not stand.
"But why are your eyes so red then?" Kael asked, worried.
"Ah, while I was picking up wood, a splinter entered my eye, and it made me tear up. But not to worry, I am fine," Blanc replied, having a lie ready for all the questions he could receive about why his eyes were so red.
But he hoped that no further questions would follow.
But Celine had other questions for him, "Are you okay?" she asked as she sat at the table next to Miyanna and the freshly arrived Lune and Kael.
"Yes, my love. All good," he replied to Celine, offering her a warm smile. The only truth in that sentence.
"That's good. But there is an issue," Celine said.
"What issue?" Blanc asked.
"Our supplies of food. We are not yet low, we have a week's worth of dried meat and oats ready. But I think that might be best kept for times of need." Celine explained.
"Makes sense," Blanc nodded, as he placed the wood near the fireplace, "So, we are low on food that we can afford to eat. What about the mushrooms Miyanna picked?"
"What the? Those are mine!" Miyanna replied, angry that even her food was about to be stolen.
"Oh, are they now? Tell me, do you know how to properly cook them? Do you know if all the mushrooms you picked are edible or not? How many of them are poisonous?" Blanc asked.
"Who the fuck do you think I am? Do you think I can not take care of myself?" Miyanna exclaimed.
"Yes, I think you don't." Blanc nodded.
"Stop looking down on me!" Miyanna rose to her feet, sending the chair she stood on to the ground.
"I am not, I was just asking a simple question. How confident are you on your skills?" Blanc questioned.
"Let's make a bet, then, if you are so sure," Miyanna said, going towards her room, from where, moments later, she brought the handmade basket which held the mushrooms. "Check all of them. If you find any poisonous mushrooms, I lose. If you do not, I win."
"Fine," Blanc agreed, "What are we betting on?"
Miyanna smiled, a confident look on her face, "If you win, you can have the mushrooms. But if I win, you stop looking after me as if I'm a dog."
"Forget it then," Blanc said the next moment.
"What?" Miyanna replied, confused by how fast he replied.
"Do you think I would bet on such a stupid thing over some mushrooms? I'll go and gather them myself." Blanc sighed, turning around and heading towards his room to grab his bow.
"I have nowhere else to go." Miyanna began, "There is nowhere I will leave to, even if you stopped watching me. I was here before you, and I will not leave now."
"I'm sorry, but I cannot trust your words," Blanc replied, still heading towards his room.
"My love," spoke Celine, "And if I take responsibility for her words?"
Blanc stopped in his tracks, confused. But he turned around and headed back towards the table, "Why would you do that? You do not know her."
"It's irrelevant to the question I asked," Celine shrugged.
Ah, I see what she is trying to do, Blanc thought before speaking again, "I accept the terms, Miyanna."
"Good," she nodded, handing the basket to Blanc, "Do it here."
This bet was one-sided from the very beginning. That much was true. But only after minutes passed, in which, after each mushroom Blanc pulled out from the basket, his face darkened slightly.
Out of the forty-seven mushrooms Miyanna picked, forty-four were poisonous.
"Well?" Miyanna asked, a smug look painted on her pretty face.
"Well," Blanc began, "good thing I had the idea of questioning you, otherwise you would have been dead by the evening."
"What the fuck? What do you mean?" She asked, confused.
"Language. And to answer your question, these three are the only edible ones. The rest would have sent you to the Vita in mere hours. And if it did not, you would have wished they would." Blanc explained.
"You… you are lying," Miyanna muttered.
"No, he is right," said Celine, with Kael nodding along, "You have lost your bet, Miyanna."
"And here I was thinking we would have some food already," Blanc sighed as Miyanna remained silent, not knowing what words to mutter next.
"What now?" Celine asked.
"You three rest, take a bath, enjoy yourselves, you deserve it," said Blanc towards Celine and the twins. "I will go and forage what I can, and hopefully I can bring some meat as well. I should be back before dusk."
"So be it," nodded Celine, as she went towards Blanc, hugging him, "take care of yourself, my love."
"But of course," he replied, before kissing her, "Kael, Lune. Be good, and do not make issues for Celine. And Miyanna, throw the damn mushrooms away and do not do anything funny."
Kael and Lune nodded before giggling at Blanc's words towards Miyanna.
"Tsk," Miyanna clicked her tongue, before leaving and going to her room, leaving the four behind.
A few minutes later, Blanc made ready, bringing everything he needed, including the basket Miyanna carried, now empty of all poisonous mushrooms.
"Well then, I'm going. Take care of yourselves," said Blanc towards the three present.
"May the Vita keep you safe, my love," replied Celine, seeing him off.
"Be safe, brother!" said Kael and Lune in unison.
And with a nod, Blanc was out of the cave, heading back into the forest. This time alone.