The Haunting: Destiny (FF)

Chapter 31

Markus' POV:

My sword clashes with the instructor's shield. 'Train every day and you'll be the best.' being told that is as tedious as the training. I've got better things to do, better things I could concentrate on, I could be playing around... striking down the sword gets jammed into the wooden surface. Not again. I spot Leon at the entrance and leave the guy to deal with the issue. My session was over anyway. 

"Hey, how are you?" I ask, eyes landing on the hat, bound to a string that lies around his neck.

"Fina, can we talk... somewhere else?" He replies, glancing at the passersby. 

I nod, and we wander away from the main streets of the city. I know what he wants to talk about but I don't understand why he so agitated; arms folded and eyes nervously scanning everyone we pass. I'm sure he doesn't want others to hear us, being related to 'traitors' is never socially nice. Neither of us talk as we wonder through the only park in the city, it's a beautiful area, filled to the brim with trees of different types whilst bushes litter along the path and benches where people sit and chat. It's never empty since it's the only nice place in this place. As you get further down the path it get more overgrown, unkept and wild. Little to no one goes there as they fear getting 'dirty' or tripping up. So it's the perfect place to have a quiet chat. We stop at a bench; it's mossy with vines curled around it, trees are dotted around the back and the ground is wet, muddy and slippery. Leon stops, turning to me. 

"So..." he debates on what to say, fiddling with the string, "The mission, I've been told I can sit it out... and I'll probably do that... I'm sure you lot can do it without me..."

I nod, "I'll miss you but you take as long as you need... but why say that all the way out here?" I question.

"Well... that wasn't the main thing I want to talk about." He looks around once more, "I... I wanted to talk about my Dad, you never got a chance to tell me anything at the Keep so please tell me, please tell me the truth..." he blurts out.

I look at him, then look around everything looks fine but some branches are bent and the grass seems weird, though that could be due to the storm or is someone there? I'll tell him but I need to be careful, there's little to no privacy in the Empire, "I... I didn't want to, my goal was the thief, just like everyone else but I... I found Luke and I thought he would take me to them... he... he didn't." I fiddle with my hair as I debate what to say next, I can't talk about the panic attack, or trying to leave without him, "The person I was grouped with, she realised I was taking too long and started to approach, Luke decided to co-operate and go with me... he didn't want me to be punished..." hopefully that's fine, I'll tell him the real truth later, in a better position. I'm sure it'll be fine.

"Why didn't you lie? Couldn't you have let him leave? Why would he just co-operate?! That's not like him!" he pleads, his orange eyes bursting my heart. 

I was going to, "Lie? After what happened last time I... no, I couldn't... he... I still don't know why he co-operated, but I know he wanted to see you, to talk to you." I try to keep my posture as I feel a sad tear roll down my cheek only for it to be quickly wiped away.

"Everyone can lie, you're just bad at it..." Leon mumbles, "I wanted to talk to him too, I wanted to yell at him, shout, question, hug him. Why was he a traitor? He wouldn't just betray us... why would he leave us...? Why?" 

"I... I don't know..." I reply solemnly, refusing to make eye contact, "I doubt that was his intentions. From what I heard he was seen helping the thief... consolidating with him... he didn't mean to betray you, he loves you and only wants the best for you."

"Loved..." his face is strained as his orange eyes start to gloss.

What do I do? What do people do when others are in pain but there's no physical damage? Do I talk or do I keep silent? Words or actions? Which is better than the other and what will make it worse? Should I change the topic? No, no, that'd be insensitive, so would a joke, death isn't a joke. None of this is a joke, no kid should have to deal with this, we shouldn't have to be thinking of betrayal and death. We should be running around, eating ice cream and having fun whilst our parents scold us off for eating bugs or getting our clothes ruined...