Nathan awakens as the sun rises for a new day. He rubs his eyes in an attempt to stay awake. He then goes downstairs to see his mother talking to his father on the other side of the door. She gave him a smile only he has ever been given, but it was more of a smile of security and assurance, assurance that what she is doing is right and doesn't create any friction in her son's life.
Nathan takes a step forward from the corner of the room, and the sound of a crack comes from the wooden floor, disturbing their conversation. She turns to see him wearing his uniform this early in the morning. She greets him in a pleasant tone, and as he greets back, he walks over to the door and sees his father holding his belongings and wearing a dark brown robe.
"So, you're already going, huh?"
His father responds with a warm yet fragile smile on his face,
"Yes, I've got some business to attend to outside the kingdom."
He observes the uniform and says,
"That uniform looks good on you. I'm sure the ladies always line up when you're around.
Nathan glares at him, and after a moment, he turns his attention to his mother and tells her that he'll make up with Noah before arriving at school.
"Oh, okay. Aren't you going to eat breakfast first?"
"It's fine, not really that hungry."
She swiftly shakes her head to disagree and rushes off to the kitchen to grab a freshly baked bun. She goes back and gives him the bun, nicely wrapped and warm.
"Take this. You can't learn on an empty stomach."
He nods his head and waves goodbye to her, ignoring his father. She notices this and asks him to go with him and talk things out to try and amend their relationship. He agrees to this and follows him to Noah's place.
Nathan feels his presence following him and stops on his way and asks,
"Why are you following me?"
His father tries to find the words to give a good reason.
"I'll be using the exit of the western gate."
He looks at him in suspicion and continues on his way with his father in tow.
During the walk, his father begins to ask a series of questions to try to lighten the mood.
"How old are you?"
"You don't know how old I am?"
"I have an estimation."
"And it's…"
"You're 17."
"Lucky guess."
"How is school?"
"Does my academics matter?"
"Of course not, I've never gone to school. The only thing I was taught was how to swing a sword and master the shadows."
Nathan takes some time before he asks,
"Are there other family members around? People like us."
Lawrence stares at the back of his son's head before he takes a deep breath to answer.
"Can't recall."
Nathan hears this and stops again, confused, and questions what he just heard.
"What do you mean you don't know? Are you saying that you don't know where our family is?"
"I know where they were."
"And where is it?"
"Last I remember, it was a place of ruins."
[I see where this is going.]
"So, they're dead right?"
Lawrence's eyes darken as he recalls his time with his family and only responds with one word. One word that carries so much emotional turmoil, it's hard not to ask for more.
"Yes."
Nathan sarcastically chuckles after hearing this, realizing he won't get much more details about the events that transpired, he changes the subject to ask a simple question.
"Who's my mom?"
"What do you mean? You've just seen her this morning."
"Don't play dumb, you know what I mean."
Of course, Lawrence knew what he meant; he didn't want to let him dwell and know of both families, from his father's and his mother's. Because they both had secrets and dark pasts, where if a person were to choose which one to be born into, not being born at all would be the better option. But Nathan asks him another question before he could answer.
"Is she dead too?"
Lawrence's heart sank to the deepest pits of despair; his eyes widened at the thought of it having happened. But not knowing or being sure himself, he gives him the only answer he could.
"I'm not certain."
"You don't know the state that my mother is in?"
"The situation was complicated."
"How so? Am I really your son, because the King said it himself that only our family possesses an affinity for shadow magic in this country, so I could be your nephew or something like that?"
"No. You are my son."
"And how can you be so sure?"
"Your eyes. They look just like hers, just like Emiko."
Nathan's eyes suddenly grow soft and vulnerable in an instant after hearing her name.
"Is that her name?"
"Yes. You take after her a lot, actually. Your eyes, skin, and a little bit of her cheekbones as well."
Lawrence looks at his son's eyes, eyes like a puppy hoping for more from its master. Nathan then asks,
"How long will you be gone for? I want to know a bit more about my mother and what type of person she was."
"I don't know, maybe a week or two."
"Oh."
Nathan was disappointed after hearing his answer.
"But I can stay a bit longer if you'd like me to."
His hopes and spirit were lifted up after his statement.
"I'm not going to force you to stay if you don't want to, but if you do decide to hang around for a bit longer, that would be fine too."
Lawrence smiles at what his son said. Cheerful that their relationship is finally getting better, he smiles and says,
"I'll stay a bit longer. I want to try more of Eliana's pastries."
Trying to avoid letting his father see the small grin on his face, he quickly turns away and ends their conversation with him going about his way to Noah's place.
Lawrence, seeing his son's flustered attitude, laughs as if it has been a long time for him.
"You really are like her."
Nathan then arrives at his friend's house. Without knocking, Noah rushes out of the house to avoid his mother's nagging. He then sees a joyful Nathan in front of him, but begins to ask questions.
"Who the hell are you, and what did you do to Nathan?"
"What do you mean?"
Blinding positive energy radiates from Nathan as Noah covers his eyes.
"MY EYES, THEY BURN! Such delightful energy, it's… astonishing."
Nathan chuckles at his friend's remarks and calls him an idiot.
"Come on, Noah, we'll be late. Don't forget about our plan from last night."
Noah snaps out of it.
"Oh, right. Let's go before we're late."
Nathan smiles at him before calling out his angry mother and greeting her.
"You fucking bastard!"
His mother's voice was coming from upstairs, sounding like a beast hungry for any prey it could find.
"NOAH, GET YOUR ASS TO SCHOOL THIS SECOND!"
"I'M GOING!"
Nathan laughs after their screaming contest.
"Very funny. Let's go already."
"Sure."