BXBX NOVEL Chapter 455 - Passing By
"My, my, my, I've barely been gone for very long, and yet..."
Dad and Ash's fight was a lot of things, 'subtle' being one of the things it definitely wasn't. 'Quiet' was a very good one too. Obviously, it was bound to attract attention eventually.
And when it came to family, Mom was always the most curious of the bunch.
The aftermath of the fight, all the newly-formed craters in the dirt, patches of tall grass cleanly grazed… curiously, she stepped over the chunks of ice littered in the plains, between her fingers, she held up a smaller piece, its shimmer reflecting the amusement in her eyes.
"So who's the elephant that trampled all over the field?" She asked. "And who's the rhino that broke the ice?
I noticed Adalia was also trailing closely behind her every step, directing her misty white eyes towards me. The ruckus we made must have roused her… guess she didn't appreciate that too much.
"Blame Dad," I said, walking up to them both, feeling hard bits and chunks pressing against my feet. "For some reason, he just can't keep his hands to himself when it comes to Ash."
"Ahh…" She nodded her head, her smile forming with understanding. " He never was good at conveying his thoughts. Fighting was one of the only ways he knows how."
"That's not how I know him," I said.
"Of course. A new life means a new leaf, especially with a new family," She said. "But I suppose all these constant reminders of his old life staring him in the face has gotten him regressing slightly."
Constant reminders, huh? Well, I do admit that the status quo has kinda been thrown out the window ever since I came home. A Vampire in my bedroom, an Elf constantly at my side, and Sammy and I taking every chance to prod and probe at them with questions on end.
I can kinda see how it'd make someone act a little feisty. But still, I don't see Dad throwing hands with Adalia, and she's the ticking time bomb here... without my blood anyway.
"But you aren't like that, though," I pointed out. "In fact, you have been awfully calm at the fact that the secret you've been trying to hide this whole time is now sleeping under your roof."
"True," She acknowledged with a nod. "But, well, your father is only human, isn't he?"
"Your point?"
Her warm smile stared back at me. "I'm not."
Right… I forgot about that. I always forget that. When I heard Terestra, I picture a terrifying demon of indescribable power. But when I see her, well… I just see her.
And if a day ever comes when what I see and what I picture becomes one and the same… with what Harry showed me in the train, and what Ria's memories unveiled….
Well, I don't even wanna think about it.
"In any case, I dearly hope this encounter hasn't soured your perception of him," Mom said, addressing Ash at my side. "Elves aren't his favorite people, but I assure you he can be more open-minded than most. Give him a chance, won't you?"
With another dazzling glow of light, Ash's iron-clad demeanor disappeared in a flash, and along with her white sundress, returned also her courteous, gentle smile.
"I dare not even bear the slightest animosity towards him. He has my respect and admiration… both as a skilled warrior and a devoted, loving father."
"Devoted, loving father… I hope you heard that there," Mom turned her gaze at me with a chuckle. "And so I do hope you'd still also give him a chance too."
"So long as he does…" I muttered.
She chuckled even more. "Wow, you are awfully defensive of her, aren't you? Makes me wonder who's really protecting who…"
There was a peculiar sound to her tone that made me not want to touch that conversation even with a ten-foot pole. Knowing her, it can only go one way.
"I always did wonder when you were young how you would behave once you finally have someone to deeply care for of your own, and now that you have, and now that I know…" Her eyes drifted back towards Ash, the corner of lips curling even more than before. "Nilfa tere'n no, Nilfa tere'n nesh."
Ash broke. Completely. Like, beyond repair. Her ear twitching threatened to take her into the skies. Her face glowed like a coal, and I could practically feel the heat radiating off of her… leaving me only thinking one thing.
"What, what?" I whirled my head from left to right. "What did she say? What did you say?"
"Oh, nothing…" Mom said, feigning an innocence that wasn't at all well-acted. "Just departing some words of wisdom is all."
"It's an… an Elf saying, Master…" Ash managed to stammer, doing her utmost to regain her composure.
"What?" I felt crazy flicking my eyes around its sockets so much. "What saying? What'd she say?"
"I… I rather not say…" She replied, bowing apologetically… more like hiding actually going by how quick she did it. "It would be… unbecoming of my stature… to say the least."
In desperation, I turned to Adalia, who sadly just stared back at me just as cluelessly. Guess she doesn't speak Elvish too, huh?
Oh, this woman… this devil… doesn't she have more important things to do here than play cupid? Like there's a bloody soul eater snoozing in our barn for fuck's sake, and she'd rather tease the elf. I'm glad one of us has their priorities sorted.
Seeing a job well done, Mom then promptly returned to the beaten dirt path that led to the far outskirts of our home, Adalia silently skirting after her, leaving me with another question still lingering.
"Where are you two going?"
Adalia heard me first, slowly shifting her gaze back at me as she moved forward. "Just… walking…"
"It's been quite a while since we last saw each other," Mom said after her. "We have a lot of catching up to do, you see."
After they left, Ash and I decided to head back for him. Nothing else to do, a few hours till Harry wakes up, it was pretty much a no-brainer choice. She worked up a huge sweat, and was having a tough time plucking the icy debris tangled up in her locks… didn't help that they pretty much blend in too. A perfectly good reason to have a nice soothing bath after such a strenuous workout, and in the meantime, I can get back to work on dismantling the barrier.
That was the plan anyway… until, nearing onto the premises of the house, we stumbled upon someone trying to do my job for me, and by the looks of it, not doing a very good job at that.
I can recognize that ponytail anywhere, that shade of brown, so much like mom, except perhaps a little taller, a little rowdier… and pretty much not like mom at all when it came to anything but physical characteristics.
"Lady Samantha…" Ash whispered, sharing my mystified expression at seeing her with both her arms up reaching towards the empty air, and judging by how much they were shaking, with a lot of effort too. "I sense she shares much sympathy in your plight, Master."
That she does. I knew she cared about me, but how she cares usually went along the lines of her saying she doesn't care, while promptly proceeding to care in silence immensely. This was the first time, I had ever seen her be so brazen about it.
"And just how well is she faring in helping me out with that?" I asked.
Ash paused, closing her eyes, focusing. A second later, her eyelids fluttered back open. "Not too well."
With her aptitude towards magic, her talent for grasping its fundamentals and intricacies in record pace…
Not too well…
"I see," I said, continuing to simply watch at a distance, before eventually… "You need a shower, Ash," I began to walk forward.. "And I think I'm gonna go have a talk with my sister."