Gridgor's Passing

Chapter 1—News

Theron had been in a meeting with Hezekiah and his barrage of Advisors with questions having no end in sight. The time had been relatively peaceful since they reclaimed Grayharte though there was no shortage of things to do. After claiming the position of the 9th Lord and receiving his own lessons of Magery and History, he had a vast amount of time to do what he pleased.

Most of the activities, anyhow, always having Hezekiah at his side or not. There were times where even he too had work to do in his own country.

As the eldest of the Advisors had concluded in briefing them in a building plan for extending the territory of Grayharte, a messenger followed by a very tall Amestrian man had come through the doors though it seemed that the messenger was trying to keep the tribal man at bay.

“Please! You must not enter! Not while there’s a meeting! Please! Sit! Stay!”The messenger begged.

“You, Lord Mage, I have a message.”The Tall man addressed to Theron. All heads turned to the Mage’s direction.

“I-I’ll take it then if it’s really that urgent…Um…What is your name?”Theron asked as he received a folded piece of paper. However, the Amestrian man pulled him from his chair as well.

“Calth’air. Please, leave the room. No one must see.”Calth’air noted, pulling Theron along with him. Hezekiah had not said a word through this action and merely just watched with interest. Whatever had Calth’air this urgent must have been of great importance to the Amestrians.

Calth’air had pulled Theron a few rooms down to a tea room that the Queen frequently used. It was dark so using a bit of his gifts, Theron lit a candle. Calth’air stood there, observing quietly as Theron opened the letter and read its contents aloud:

“Theron,
I am so sorry you must hear this terrible news in such an informal way. If there was any other way that we could in this time, we would have. During a heavy rain we often experience here in Silvanesti, we had a rockslide. Everyone was trying to get away and in order to save someone’s life…Gridgor threw himself into the path of the boulders. The woman he saved was unharmed but Gri was crushed. We have rescued his body and as you receive his letter, should be on its way to Grayharte to do with him as you wish. Magics have already been preformed to restore his body to previous conditions. We are all…deeply…sorry…Sincerely and with great apologies, Arua.” Theron read, his hands starting to shake.

Theron started inhale and exhale quickly, trying to calm himself down. Calth’air got down on his knees, bringing the mage into his arms and holding him.

“You must not cry…Whatever you do, do not cry…”Calth’air warned, petting Theron’s hair and giving him a tight squeeze.

It was against traditions of Amestris for a man to cry…even in the passing of family or a friend. It was only when all the duties and rights had been performed that they could spill their tears. Theron was having so much trouble trying not to cry and he knew that Calth’air was there to make sure he didn’t through this hard time. Right then and there, he let a painful yell, trying to exhaust himself to keep from trying to.

Hezekiah and several guards had heard the scream down the hall after the meeting had ended, running to the room only to see the scene of Theron on the floor with Calth’air holding him tightly.

“Theron…What is the meaning of this?”Hezekiah asked but shocked when he saw the petrified look on his lover’s face and just how pale his complexion was. “What…was in that letter…?”

“The Lord Mage’s brother has passed.”Calth’air said bluntly but even with Hezekiah’s dangerous gaze, he wasn’t going to let the mage go running to the King so he could cry but he could feel him try to push away.

“Then release Theron, he needs to rest and be out of the public eye.”Hezekiah said but Calth’air shook his head, pulling Theron up.

“I will take him. You will do well to stay away. I will watch him and when he’s calm enough, you may come.”Calth’air explained calmly, rising up. Theron was squirming, trying to push away but Calth’air was much taller than he was by nearly a foot. He was picked up and carried out easily to the nearest guest room that maid immediately guided them to at his request.

Theron screamed all the way down.

Hezekiah was left with only three choices: Command and take over the situation, ignore it completely, or wait is turn. Of course, there was a deep tightness in his chest that knew that he should be upset with this as well. Gridgor had taken care of their sons while they were at war. Gridgor had let them stay in his home even though he and Theron were at tooth and nail after a hard separation because of the war itself. Furrowing his eyebrows, he knew he had to break the news to the boys.

To where they were, only the palace staff would know. The guards slowly dispersed back to their position and left the King to walk the halls in search of the two boys. He found Ludwig, in his room sitting with a book and luckily, Mamoru sitting beside him listening to him read while he rested from a day of Magery classes.

“Mamoru…Ludwig…I have some bad news….”Hezekiah said as he closed the door behind him.

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It was the most painful feeling in the world. It felt like a giant hole had been punched through his chest where his heart was, leaving nothing. Theron lay on the floor of the guest bedroom, holding his chest while Calth’air stood warily nearby. He couldn’t scream anymore and he felt if he uncurled from the wretched ball he had coiled himself into, all of the pressure would be released.

There was nothing that Calth’air could do but watch him.

Damned traditions…

Rolling onto his stomach, Theron tried to see if he could force himself to stand to at least get onto the bed. Even that motion, it felt like everything was about to collapse.

~*”You won’t be able to move…Your grief is a heavy load.”*~Calth’air said sternly in their native tongue. The man rose, walking over and pulling Theron up by force, taking him to the bed so he could lie down.

~*”S-Shut up…" *~Theron growled through gritted teeth, curling up into a tighter ball once he was on the bed. Calth’air had enough sympathy to cover him up with a blanket. He knew the mage would not be sleeping for a while but at least he could be comfortable.

~*”You can’t make me in your position right now…Try to sleep. I will be watching.”*~Cal said with a nod, striding to one of the chairs in the room and dragging it over so he could sit and watch. How he got pulled into this service was beyond him…though he had known Gridgor briefly himself. Before they had ridden into battle, Gri had given him a bite to eat at the home he had been staying in. If there had ever been a kinder gesture that would have been one.

Theron lay on the bed, facing the opposite wall with his back to Cal. He was in so much pain. All he wanted it was to go away and he needed the three people he could confide in the most right there, right now. As he tried to uncurl, he could feel his joints tighten and restrain him from any further movement.

‘This is what they mean by ‘weight of grief’…’Theron thought, nuzzling the pillow slightly. ‘It’s unbearable…’

A small knock on the door brought Calth’air’s head up, his eyes narrowing. Two boys came in with worried faces. They immediately went over to the bed, Cal giving a warning growl but more directed to the man on the bed. Ludwig and Mamoru backed up a little but crawled onto the bed. Seeing the boys brought his hopes up a little and he managed to uncurl from his ball of pain, sitting up a little.

“Mamoru…Ludwig…Goodness…I’m sorry you have to see this…”Theron said, hugging the both of them. They buried their faces into his chest and sniffed.

“Is it really true? Is Gri really gone?”Mamoru sniffed, his voice slipping into a high pitched squeak.

“Yes…”Theron said, giving both a warm squeeze. “The funeral is in a few days do you…”

“They may not.”Calth’air butted in, rising to his feet. “No outsiders.”

“They are my—“Theron tried to argue but Calth’air shook his head.

“They are not of your tribe, not of your blood. They can observe from a distance but nothing else.” Calth’air said sternly, looking to the boys. His eyes fell on Ludwig. “I doubt you want to smell anything that is there….”

Theron fell quiet, looking down at his lap. He gave a heavy sigh, kissing the tops of the boys’ heads. “He’s right…I want you to be there but it’s too much…We will have a small ceremony together to scatter his ashes…okay?”He said, giving them another squeeze. The mage could feel the painful feeling rise to his chest and pool at his heart. The boys could see it, and slowly let their hugs slip away, wiping their eyes.

“We’ll see you later, okay?”Ludwig said, taking Mamoru’s hand and walking out of the room with solemn steps. Theron watched them, feeling his face contort and his eyes burn. Calth’air grabbed his face, staring at him and he quickly tried to calm himself down. He would not show weakness in this time.

Damn traditions…

His body let out a heavy shiver, sending him back down onto the mattress, curling up into a tight ball.

Sleep would not come to him.