 Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 3:14 pm
Family Reunion Karothdra decides to finally return home to face and convict her father's real killer in the hopes of reuniting the family together. She needed to close this chapter in her life to return order to her family but also move on and start a family of her own. Karo swung the door to the building she had once called home. An older servant who was passing stopped and stared at her, vaguely recognizing her and who she was, but not exactly sure if his eyes were playing tricks. She was heavily travel worn, her hair in disarray and cut in all sorts of manners since she’d simply been doing it herself but it still tickled her collarbone. Her clothing... Well, she’d ditched any of her nice garments for travel friendly items, even now there wasn’t an inch of Oban colors on her. Some of her clothing was torn and lovingly sewed back by Tyiva, some still held holes form when they’d parted ways.
Karo touched the stitches longingly, she missed Tyiva.
But today was not about that, she was here to set her household straight. After over five years of running, she was going to face what she had known for the longest time. However she’d come a long way from that time.
“Miss?” The servant said, but Karothdra ignored them as she passed and headed to where she knew most of the family would be at this time.
In the den Karothdra found what she was looking for and more. Phaeb sat at the desk, much older and looking weary. She imagined the children she could hear screaming in the background were his. Taking over the family had done him well. Even Ysayu was there, she barely recognized the man cooing at an infant child in his hands. A hybrid. Zadahi, her true brother walked past her before glancing back.
“Karothdra?” He said in disbelief before taking her into his arms and squeezing her until there remained no air in her lungs. Karothdra hugged him back just as fiercely ignoring her mother who had been sitting in the corner working on something. He released her finally and held her at arm's length and smiled at her. “It’s been too long, sister.”
“It has, far too long brother.” Her other brothers had approached now, Tisiru’s absences felt heavy in the family home. She would fix that. Finally her mother came forward crying and taking her in her arms as if she had died and risen from the ashes.
“Mother,” Karothdra said tursely, the hug was not reciprocated. Karothdra gently moved her aside.
“Why do you treat me so after so many years of being gone? Do you know how worried I was?” Her mother cried.
“Yes, worried enough to send people to follow me,” she snapped. “I’ve returned to bring Tisiru back.”
The crying her mother had started immediately ended and her brows furrowed. “Why? He was convicted, he lives in the depths of the royal dungeons.” She sniffed, stepping back.
“I have my reasons,” Karothdra said. “Phaeb, would you mind setting up an emergency meeting with the highest authority you know that will listen to me for this?”
“Karothdra, I don’t think this is necessary.” Her mother said.
“I guess I could, this is not a simple task. Perhaps later in the evening...”
“That’s fine, I need to change. The faster the better. Tisiru has spent more than enough time in the dungeon.” Karothdra stepped back and headed to her old room to change and then head to the baths. She was going to get ready, change, and see a beauty specialist to get cleaned up.
-------------
Her family had not stopped staring since she’d returned from shopping and running her errands. She’d asked for a large sum of money and returned in the most extravagant noble dress she could find. She’d asked for drama, she’d asked for something that dripped Oban nobility. She looked old world as she returned home, but she commanded the room she stepped in and that’s what she wanted.
“Let’s go,” Karothdra said as she pointed to the carriages waiting for them outside.
“I’ll stay home I think.”
“Oh no mother,” Karothdra wrapped an arm around her mother’s. “I want you to have the front seat for this.”
Not sure what was happening, the family followed after her as they headed to the dungeon where their brother was being kept. They kept quiet, unsure of the tension between Karo and her mother but no one dared say anything. Perhaps Karothdra had gone crazy... Either way, as they all stepped out, the man in charge of the prison came rushing towards them, extending a hand as Karothdra stepped out. She ignored it.
“I wasn’t expecting you so soon after I received the special request from Phaeb. If I had known the whole family would come I would have made different preparations. We could have met elsewhere.”
“That’s not necessary,” Karo said offhandedly as she marched right into the large building. Inside, a few guards stood on each side and there was her brother. Too skinny, too dirty... Karothdra did not feel the anger she did towards him as she used to. She knew the truth now, she would pull it into the light. He looked up and stared into her eyes.
“The years have been good to you sister,” he almost spat the last word. “Did you bring the family here for my humiliation? That’s low of you.”
Karothdra tilted her head.
“I’ve come to fix the family before I step away.”
“Step away?” Her mother squeaked in the back. Karothda turned on her now before waving someone inside.
“Oh yes mother, I have no wish to take up my father's old position. That will be returned to Tisiru. I plan on living a quiet life with my future Alkidike wife.”
“Alkidike?” Some of her brothers looked around as if the world had turned upside down.
“But before I can do so, I need to make sure she and our future children will be safe. I can understand why you killed father, I can understand why you tried to kill Tisiru and then tried to kill me once I found out the truth.” Karothdra could feel her deep anger rising, Tyiva had taught her patience but she had held onto this secret for so long.
“Tisiru is innocent,” Karo continued pointing to the head guard, a man approached him with a stack of scrolls. “You will find all the evidence in there. My mother needs to be arrested right now before she burns this family to the ground.”
“I am so sorry, Gerdre I believe my sister has been away for a long time... Too long.” Phaeb said as he glared at her, walking over to the scrolls and grabbing some to read over.
“I’ve been gathering evidence for many years against mother. All the names on the list are still alive if you’d like to speak to them.”
“This is crazy Karothdra.” Her mother said. “Why would I kill my own husband.”
“I will kill all of his children, erase them and allow only mine to live on this earth,” Karo quoted sadly. “I want to erase all traces of his first wife, his first love, his only love so all that remains is me.”
“Where did you read that.” Her mother glared.
Karothdra slowly pulled out a folded piece of paper and held it up for everyone to see. It was extremely worn from all the times Karo had put to memory the words her mother had written.
“You killed father out of jealousy and for that I cannot forgive you.”
No one moved until her mother came racing towards her, Karothdra held the paper high and away from her until the guard came to grab it himself and had her mother held. She knew that it was still readable and signed by her mother.
Sorgtani was arrested on the spot and soon after convicted which enabled the release of Tisiru. Karothdra stood outside of the prison when they released him, hands neatly folded in front of her. He stopped in front of her.
“I’m sorry for everything that has happened, I am sorry that I did not come earlier. I had a lot of anger and self discovery to do before I could face this.”
Tisiru smiled and grabbed her to pull her into a hug.
“So an Alkidike wife huh? When do I get to meet your runts little sister?”
Karothdra smiled.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
