(Private - Solo. With some background mentions of
@Ercassie's characters)
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Ullothel |
Trevadir
About 6 years ago
Some point after
this post and shortly before
this post
His schoolbooks were left under a bush in the backyard. Not neatly stacked, of course, but in a disheveled heap. Ullothel wasn't surprised by the latter, but she was rather concerned by their presence in this particular spot. Of course, it wasn't the first time that her grandson had hidden his schoolbooks for one reason or another. One of the most common tricks those kids liked to pull was "oh, I accidentally got my books swapped with my friend's, now I have to go over to their house and swap back". As if the grandmothers weren't wise to that excuse to go over to the other's house.
If it hadn't been for the recent visit from their next door neighbor, asking if they had seen Unalmis... if it had not been for the concern about him apparently being
missing, then Ullothel would have merely sighed, picked up the books, and brought them inside to wait for her grandson's return from school, when he would undoubtedly return with some note from the teacher, scolding him for not having his books.
But it was only yesterday when they had been worrying about Unalmis. Asking if Trevadir knew anything about where he had been. And that boy had been gone for a few days now. Ullothel knew her friend well enough to know when she was worried. She and Odessa had been good friends ever since the other woman moved in next door. They'd raised their children together, living next door to one another. Babysitting for one another. And then, when those children had grown up and had children of their own, the two friends had then ended up raising their grandsons side-by-side. She knew without having to ask that her best friend was worried about her grandson.
She further knew her own grandson. Trevadir and Unalmis were also best friends, and she had a suspicion that Trevadir was also worried. He was a smart boy, and he could tell that the grown-ups were worried about his friend. And she also knew that he could be a bit impulsive at times. And that, if he had any reason to suspect that anyone was going to go off searching for Unalmis, he would probably want to join them.
All of this led Ullothel to hasten off next door to ask if
they had seen
her grandson, this time. It was a little surprising, however, to be confronted with a large guard wagon parked in front of her neighbor's house. The woman stopped in surprise and wondered what that was about. She knew that Odessa had tried to report Nal's disappearance to the guard, and that they had, more or less, disregarded it. Because the boy was always pulling such antics. But her friend was growing more and more frantic the more time that passed. Thel could certainly understand that, and she sympathized with her. Especially at the moment, with her own grandson 'missing'.
Speaking of... her eyes narrowed as she had a suspicion. Marching toward the wagon, Thel placed her hands at her hips as she frowned at the back part of it. While the wagon might be used, in an emergency, to transport prisoners, wagons like this were most commonly used, in these days, to carry supplies out to those posted at the Rammas, and to transport building materials like stones and morter for repairing the broken places of the wall. It might also, at times, be used to carry wounded back from the skirmishes and other such things like that. There appeared to be a few things there in the back now, covered with a canvas tarp. At least, the tarp covered some sort of lumpy mass that was huddled there in the corner, behind the seat.
Thel cleared her throat. "I suggest you come out of there
now, young man." She declared, addressing the lump under the tarp.
It did not stir.
She waited for a long moment, until one would almost begin to wonder if she was crazy, talking to an inanimate object. But she felt quite strong in her suspicion. Finally, she sighed. "Alright. Fine, you had your chance." She warned, before walking over to the side of the wagon closest to the lumps she had been speaking to. She carefully placed her foot into the spokes of the wagon, while her hands gripped the side of the wagon's side rail, and pulled herself up. Just enough to reach the tarp. With a little effort, she flung the tarp back to reveal a disappointed stowaway.
Trev sighed, sitting up. Now that his hiding place had been discovered, there was no point in trying to keep still and hope she'd go away. He'd cringed the moment he heard her. Kept as still as he could. Held his breath. Hoped she'd give up and think she was wrong. But of course, she didn't. How did she know!? He couldn't understand how she seemed to always know these things. "But Granny-"
"No 'buts' Trevadir," She lowered herself down to the ground and pointed emphatically to the ground beside her. "Get down here.
Now."
The tone of her voice would suggest to most people that this was not a point to be argued. That he was going to lose any attempt at arguing, no matter what he tried. But having just turned 15 a month ago, Trev clearly knew more about everything than his grandmother. She's old, after all. What do old ladies know about anything? "They're going to look for Nal, Granny," He explained, while rising up from the wagon, brushing himself off half-heartedly before swinging himself over the side of the wagon, to land beside her. "So, I'm going, too."
"The only place you are going right now, is to
school." Thel corrected him. "You're already going to be late, so you'd better get going."
"Granny," He groaned. "Who cares about school when Nal is missing?"
"This is not open to argument, young man." She informed him, feeling somewhat annoyed by his attitude. 'Who cares about school'? With how much she had to scrimp and save to be able to afford the tuition for him and his brother? She took a deep breath and shook her head firmly. "Your books are on the porch. Go get them, and then go straight to school."
"But-"
"You heard me." Thel insisted.
Trev folded his arms and scowled. "I won't go. I want to go look for my brother." He declared defiantly.
For a moment, the two stared hard at one another. Thel knew that the two were close. She knew that they called each other brothers. And she knew, that in this particular situation, it would likely only anger him further if she pointed out that Nal is not actually his brother, and that his real brother was currently already on his way to school. Right where he is supposed to be. She had to take a slow breath while giving the boy her sternest look. "I don't recall Addhor coming to ask my permission to take you along to Harlond to seek for his son." She pointed out calmly, at last. "And furthermore, if he
had asked you along, and had somehow forgotten about asking permission to take you along with him... you would not have been hiding in the wagon to keep him from discovering you." She raised an eyebrow, then sighed. "Trevadir, I know you're worried. I'm just as worried as-"
"No, you're not!" He retorted, angry that she didn't understand. "You don't even care. Or you'd be on my side about this."
"You watch your tone with me." Thel reminded him sternly. "This is not a matter of 'taking sides'." She glanced over at the neighbor's house, and realized that they probably should move away from here. She guided her sullen grandson back toward their own house, lest they disturb Odessa or Addhor, although she knew they wouldn't be asleep. Getting ready to leave, more likely. She turned to Trevadir again when they were in front of their own house. "Alright, do you know of any particular reason why they
should bring you along? Why you could be as useful in this search as a city guard? Or Unalmis' father?"
Trev frowned. "He's my friend, and he's missing. I want to help! I could.. I don't know, I just want to do
something. Why can't you understand that?"
Thel sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. He was already taller than her. "I
do understand." She told him softly, with a little catch in her voice. How keenly she remembered the time her sixteen-year-old daughter disappeared, without telling anyone where she went. How she had turned up a few days later, introducing Thel to the young man with whom she had
eloped. Devedir. Thel never did approve of him, and he had later proven her distrust to be well-founded. It struck her that Olthel hadn't been much older than Trevadir was, now, when that happened. She drew a shaky breath. "But I need you to understand that the most useful thing you can do for Unalmis right now, is to stay out of the way of those who are looking for him." She tried to explain. "I know it's hard, and you want to be doing something. But if you end up hindering their efforts, and delaying them because they have to send you back home or something.. then that's that much longer that it will be before they can bring him home."
Trev folded his arms and glared down at the sidewalk, sulking as she ruined any chances of him joining the search group. "It isn't fair, Granny. I'm
fifteen, I'm not a kid anymore. I can
help." He insisted. "I know the sort of places Nal would go. And I've been to Harlond plenty of times!"
Thel chose not to address the part about him having been to Harlond 'plenty of times'. Unless he'd been running off on adventures she knew nothing about, he had only ever been to the ferry, when making his annual trip to visit his paternal grandparents. "You say you aren't a kid anymore," She said, instead. "Then prove it.. by showing that you're responsible enough to do as you're told and not keep arguing about this." Thel told him in a tone that suggested she was done arguing. "Now go to school. You're already quite late for your first class."
Trev opened his mouth to protest, but the look on his grandmother's face convinced him that he'd get better results arguing with the wall. "Fine." He growled irritably, shrugging her hand off his shoulder. "Because, clearly, me passing a dumb ol' history test is more important to you than letting me help them find Nal," He retorted over his shoulder as he stomped over to snatch his books off the porch.
Thel inwardly winced as his words stung her, but she maintained her stern expression. "And don't even
think about trying to double back and sneak back into that wagon, or follow along after it." She added. "I'll be checking at the school when I come by to make sure you're there."
Trev paused and glanced back at her, scowled because she had so easily guessed his plans, then kicked a rock out of his path and continued up the road toward school. Why did she always have to ruin stuff? Here Nal was off doing something adventurous, and he'd left Trev behind! And now he had to go to school, while everyone seemed worried, and he
still got left behind. It just wasn't fair!
Thel watched him go, then let out a weary sigh once he had disappeared from sight. She sank into the chair on her porch, eyes closing as she fought tears. He was at a difficult age, and it was hard for him, not having a father around, nor any male role model. She sighed, telling herself that it was only a teenaged phase, and one day, this attitude of his would pass. Dabbing at her eyes, she sent a silent prayer up for Unalmis' safe return, as well as for some sort of help in dealing with her rebellious grandson.
She remained on her porch until the men came back outside, and then after a moment of hesitation, she ventured over. She only spoke with them briefly, just to warn them that Trev had tried to stow away and that he felt strongly about wanting to help, so they should probably keep an eye open in case he was to somehow try to sneak in again or something. It seemed unlikely, but with these kids.. one never could be too careful.
Then she wished them luck, and watched the wagon drive away. Sighing, she hoped Trevadir wouldn't pull another stunt like that. But for now, her concern shifted to her friend, Odessa, who must be worried sick by now. She retrieved her sewing basket from the porch before going next door to meet Odessa, so the two could walk together up to the upper circles, as was their custom. Surely, the other woman needed a friend around right about now. So, until they brought the silly boy back home, Thel would try to do as much as she could to help distract Odessa, to hopefully keep her from fretting too much.
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