Ellie Leywin
"Ellie, don't be mad at your brother, he's off in some dungeon, you know that." My father told me as I sat on top of Boo and stared down at him.
Virion and I turned ten two weeks ago, and he never came back to the Floating Castle to celebrate. I know he is fighting in the war, and I am okay with it, but I wanted to see my little brother since I couldn't see Arthur.
"Dad, all he had to do was come home for a day or two, and we could have had a family meal or something." I know I was pouting, but I felt like I had a reason to.
"Ellie, I know how you must be feeling, but you have to understand what Virion is going through." My dad was siding with Virion for some reason.
"Dad, why are you taking his side? You know he can return here whenever he wants to. Elder Virion would do anything for him, and it was our tenth birthday, a pretty big deal."
"I just know what he's going through, that's the only reason. He is fighting for his continent; I don't know what to say." He rested a hand on Boo.
"All I wanted to do was see him, dad." My twin brother has been fighting against mana beats for a while now, he could have afforded to come home. "Anyways, where is mom?" We were currently out on the balcony.
"She was trying to help out around the castle, I think that she will be back here soon enough." He gave me a meaningful look. "You know your mother is also mad about it, she wanted him home just as much as you did, maybe even more."
"I know." I pulled out my bow as I got ready to aim it at the target across from me. "Soon enough, I'll be fighting in the war, dad."
"No, you won't, Ellie, not if I have anything to say about it." My dad said to me quickly. "I will not have three of my children fighting in the war yet, especially if I'm not."
"Dad, I know I'm not as strong as Veer and Art, but I'm getting to a point, where I can handle myself." I told him straight as I pulled my bow back and formed an arrow out of my mana. "Watch." From the top of Boo, I released the arrow and hit the target dead on.
"Ellie, I know you are getting good with a bow, but that's not all you need in a battle." My dad started to run his hand through Boo's thick skin.
"You know I'm smart dad, way smarter than Veer." I replied. "I don't want to fight yet; I'm saying in the future."
"Hopefully, you won't have too in the future, the war might be over." We could only hope, but from what I've heard, that may not happen.
"If the war is over then, yeah, I won't have too, but I can when the time comes." I knew that I could help out in some way.
"No." My mother's voice rang out. "Stop bringing it up, Ellie, you are never fighting in the war if I have any say." She stepped out onto the balcony and glared at me. I knew my mother would never let me fight, it just made me mad that she was letting Arthur and Veer. "Let it go for now."
I shook my head and pulled back on my bow. "Fine." I released an arrow I conjured out of my mana and hit the target again straight on, I could do this forever now and never miss. "I overheard you guys talking last night, you two plan on helping out the Twin Horns when Arthur comes back."
They looked at each other as my mother circled around Boo, but my father was the one to speak. "You know we have to fight too, El, I understand that it makes you angry that you will be the only one here, but we have too."
"That's what you think makes me angry?" I was going to let it go, but now I feel even angrier. "Dad, what makes me angry is that everyone in my family is going to be fighting in the war, and at any moment, I could be an orphan or down a brother, I could even lose you all, that is what makes me angry." I felt a tear roll down my left eye, but I held the rest in.
"Ellie." My mother said as she reached up onto Boo and touched my leg. "You won't lose anyone, we promise."
"You know you can't make that promise." I told her. "How many times has Dad said that war is an unpredictable?" We don't even know what we are up against, let alone their true number of troops, well, at least from what I know, I don't get told everything. "Mom, I know you are a healer, but when the time comes, can't you stay here with me, so I'm not by myself?"
"I have said that, but we can't sit here and do nothing, Ellie." My father replied to me, I could hear his voice getting more angrier by the second, almost matching my tone. "Your mom has very special powers, she would be very helpful out there healing the wounded."
"Special powers, just like everyone else in the family except me." I laid down on Boo. "Let's go for a walk, Boo." I told my bond, and he gave me a snort as he got up.
"Come on, don't leave, we should talk this out." My mother went to grab my leg, but I moved it slightly.
"We can talk later." I told her as Boo started to walk. We entered the hallway and I just looked on ahead, away from my parents. I knew they didn't do anything wrong, I'm a little jealous I can't help out at all. I would talk to them later, and tell them that I am fine with everything, however, it felt good to get that off my chest.
"Boo, I'm not wrong, right buddy?" I rubbed my head against his, and he gave me a mental nod, telling me he understood. You and I would be an awesome duo out there, I know it, in time, we'll get our chance.
"Ellie Leywin?" Boo and I froze as one of the Lances stood in front of us, she said my name.
"Yes." I said as I bowed my head, I still had my bow in my hands, so I swung it around my back. "Lance Aya, it's a pleasure." I slowly got down off of Boo and stood in front of her.
"It's nice to finally speak to you one on one after all the time I've spent with your brother, Virion." Lance Aya sent me a smile. "He spoke very highly of you."
I was shocked by this, the same brother who would pull the stupidest pranks on me, spoke highly of me? "Really?" I asked her.
"Yeah." She continued to smile brightly as she spoke to me, like she was part of the royal family, she gave up this sense of awareness for some reason. "He was always talking about how he looked up to his older siblings, he said that he admired how smart you were, and brave."
"Veer, really said that?" I couldn't believe that was the truth.
"Yes, he did, Veer cares a lot for you and your family." The Lance stepped up closer to me. "I know doing nothing is hard, but sometimes doing nothing is the only thing we can do. If something would happen to you out there, I know for a fact that Veer wouldn't be able to recover from it, I don't know Arthur that well, but I would imagine the same would be said for him."
I looked at the ground. "So, you heard my conversation with my parents?"
"I did." Lance Aya placed a hand on my shoulder. "Remember, everyone has a part to play in this war, and yours is making sure you stay safe for now. I know that must be hard for you, especially with your family being who it is, but just think about all the people your brothers are going to be saving."
"That's what I hear all the time, think about all the people my brothers are going to be saving." I replied to her, forgetting that she was a Lance for a second. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude to you Lance Aya."
"It's fine, Ellie, your brother was rude to me every day, of course, I played along and was rude back." She started to laugh and for some reason it made me laugh as well. "I understand what you are going through, I can't say I know what it feels like, but I understand." The Lance removed her hand from my shoulder and took a step back. "I've seen you training every day I am here, give it time and get stronger, give your brothers time, with everyone's help we will defeat Alacrya together."
"Thanks, Lance Aya." I sent her a weary smile.
"Now, may I ask what this guy's name is?" Lance Aya put her hand out and laid it on Boo's head. My bond allowed it to happen, and closed his eyes as the Lance patted his head.
"It's Boo." I told the Lance.
"Boo, ha, what a lovely name." The Lance continued to pet my bond. "I've always wanted a bond, but that never happened sadly." Lance Aya stopped and backed away. "I have to go, hopefully, I get to see you two again at some point."
"I would like that, Lance Aya." I bowed my head to her again.
"Take care, and remember what I said, everyone has a role to play." The Lance sent me one last smile, and walked the way I came from, it looked like she was heading to my parents, there was another hallway she could go down, but I didn't stay to watch. I got back up on Boo and had him continue walking down the hall.
"She was pleasant for someone I thought to be so serious as a Lance." I told Boo as we continued on. I never really speak to the Lances, I may pass them in the hall, and bow to them, but I never speak to them. I'm usually too scared to do so, they are these all powerful people, supposedly the strongest mages in Dicathen.
I couldn't wait to see Virion and Arthur again, I knew I would see Veer again first, because I knew where he was, in the dungeons, but I wished Arthur would come home soon as well. I did have a few words for Veer though, and I wasn't going to hold anything back on him either.
I was going to give him the full force of my anger, I knew he could handle it, he was my twin brother, and we were ten years old now.