The heavy door creaked open, revealing the home’s owner. Kayel gulped nervously as Retvik stood in the doorway, looking pretty scary. He wasn’t sure whether Retvik had ever looked not menacing.
“Good afternoon, General Retvik!” Ksiel chimed as he lifted up a bag. “We brought sausages and mead! May we come in?”
A small smile sneaked across Retvik’s face. “Of course, please, make yourselves at home.”
The might Rethan stepped out of the way and headed into the kitchen. He was busy preparing an evening meal and was chopping up vegetables with a large knife. Ksiel nudged Kayel then happily walked in and had a quick look around, while Kayel awkwardly sat on one of the kitchen stools.
“I’ve always wanted a house like this!” Ksiel gasped, amazed at how big the place was. “It’s not normal architecture but it totally works. Open space and all sorts!”
Retvik glanced at Ksiel from the kitchen. “It is simply a converted warehouse. There are many on the market.”
“Yeah but it’s really nice!” Ksiel seemed way too chirpy about Retvik’s home, the former headquarters of the Dessaron. Retvik himself never thought much of it, but after his and Gath’s quiet little bungalow on the city outskirts burned down, this was all he really had left. But Retvik had no interest in bursting Ksiel’s bubble of unusual architectural taste, so he ignored him and turned to Kayel.
“Why did you bring mead and sausages?”
Kayel shook his head nervously. “I don’t really know, ser…”
“And why did you just call me ‘ser’? You are not part of the 270th Legion, you are technically my superior!” These two Threan-types were both acting weird. Retvik couldn’t understand why. Then again, they were both L-Class Ksa, a group of Rethans well known for their mental instability.
“I just… I don’t know. I feel uncomfortable being here!” Kayel almost shouted. “A birth mother meeting the adopted mother of a dead kid. How is that in any way comfortable!”
Retvik grunted as he put his kitchen knife down. “I think we should speak in private. Ksiel, do you mind if you remain in here while I take Kayel outside to our garden?”
“Oh, sure!” Ksiel seemed almost glad. “I’m only here for transportation and moral support anyway.”
“Thank you.”
Retvik nodded at Kayel, who got up from his stool and followed Retvik to the back of the house, past a living area and through a glass door into the garden. It was a very small garden, lined with a wooden fence only a meter or so tall, and had yellow, flowering plants at its base. In one corner was a table with a sun umbrella and four chairs. In the other was a small memorial with a dagger embedded in it. It was clear as day who the memorial was for.
“I’m starting to feel like I shouldn’t have come here…” Kayel muttered to himself.
“Why is that?” Retvik asked. “You were the one who wanted to talk.”
“I know, I know!” Kayel almost felt angry and he didn’t know why. He sat down on one of the chairs in a vague attempt to calm himself down. “But all I ever did was give live to Arkay. I had fuck all to do with actually raising him. Elkay raised him. You raised him. After I was deemed too mentally ill to raise Arkay, I lost all interest and only tried to get to know him when he was grown up! Why do I feel so damn broken and hollow over the death of a kid I hardly knew?”
Retvik didn’t answer at first. Instead he sat down next to Kayel. His breathing was calm, almost non-existent compared to Kayel’s heavy, angered gasps of air.
“I believe you have wanted to say that for a long time, have you not?”
Kayel blinked. He hadn’t expected that to be Retvik’s response.
“Yes. I have. And I’m glad I finally got to say it. Vok come up to me and say they’re sorry for my loss, but it wasn’t my loss. It was your loss…” Kayel paused, sighing. “Why am I shouting all of this at you? You know already. I’m just opening up and revealing all my weaknesses…”
“Weaknesses?” Retvik looked confused. “What do you mean?”
“I get… dreams. Dreams about myself and those close to me. Dreams that often mimic the future,” Kayel explained. “They are normally rather accurate dreams. I almost knew that Veeyel would end up the way he did. I’d dreamed it and dismissed it. I dreamed that Ksiel would attempt suicide. I see a lot of things. I did not see Arkay dying. But I did see myself dying. By your hand.”
The Rethan General blinked, almost dazed by Kayel’s words.
“You… believe I am going to kill you?”
“Yes.”
“Why would I do that?” Retvik seemed insulted at such a thought. “I admit my claws are not blood-free but… I hardly know you. Statistically, Ksiel in there is more likely to murder you than I am. And he seems rather… on edge as it is…”
Retvik tutted, then smiled. Kayel panicked slightly, then realised he was being stupid. Even if Retvik did try to attack him, Kayel was a fucking mage with the ability to set almost anything on fire, raise the dead and turn any threat into a massive ice cube. Still, Retvik was a rather scary-looking Rethan.
“Here is an idea, Kayel…” Was Retvik snickering? “While this conversation has been interesting, I can see why you would be scared. Luckily, the solution to your problem is simple. We must simply never see each other. You go back to working with Thraki in those infernal, draconic mountains, and I remain here, working in Palaestra. With half a planet between us, it is far less likely that I could even accidentally kill you. Assuming your silly dreams are even correct in the first place.”
“That… sounds reasonable…” Kayel muttered. “Perhaps… Perhaps I should get going…” Kayel got up from his chair and headed inside, where Ksiel was helping himself to some sausages and a glass of water.
Retvik followed, still rather amused by their conversation.
“You two done?” Ksiel asked as he finished his drink.
“Yes, we are. Apologies for keeping you waiting, Ksiel!” Retvik waved as Kayel grabbed Ksiel by the arm and dragged him outside. “You two have a safe journey home.”
“Thanks! And thanks for letting me look around!” Ksiel waved back.
Kayel slammed the door shut behind them and raced to the car. Ksiel glanced backwards briefly, then trotted after his buddy. He fetched his hovercraft key from his pocket and unlocked the car, and the two Rethans climbed in.
“Well I got what I wanted,” Ksiel grinned. “Did you?”
“Kinda…” Kayel admitted.
Ksiel shrugged, then started the engine. “Never mind. At least he didn’t kill you. Told you he wouldn’t.”