“No. That’s is not what we discussed….” The look in his taman’s eyes began to change. His pupils trembled.

“It is the only way to protect ourselves, the only way to protect you….” his yermal turned to face his taman, then added in a voice thick with emotion. “I’ve already done it once.”

Vivin’s eyes widened, and a horrid silence descended upon them. Vivin’s mind reeled at the implication. No, never. His yermal couldn’t possibly mean what he was thinking.

Finally, his taman voiced the thought Vivin was too scared to think.

“Grion… surly… you,” a laugh like cracked glass escaped his lips. “Did you… did you k-kill her?”

A tear drop fell on Vivin’s face, and he gazed up at his father in disbelief.

“It was the only way to protect you and Vivin. I had to prove our loyalty.”

“Proving you’re loyalty?” Yural smiled and took an unsteady step forward. “Proving your loyalty would have been burning those letters when you found them… instead, you ran to the Hinfel and damned us all.”

Yural knelt beside them and grabbed the hand digging into Vivin’s face. 

“Yural?”

“Get off him.”

“Yural, this has to be done….”

“Get your filthy hands off of my son.” Before either Vivin or his yermal could react, Yural sang a wind song. He crafted the melody quickly and directed a blast of wind at Grion, knocking him back ten feet.

“Get up, Vivin.” Vivin numbly followed his father’s directions. “Let’s go.”

“I’m not going back there,” Vivin mumbled in a state of confusion as his father began half dragging him deeper into Guimol territory.

“We won’t. We will never step foot there again. This is all my fault… Come.” Vivin didn’t know what his father meant by saying it was his fault, but he followed him. As long as he was moving farther from his tribe. Before they could take one more step, the ground in front of them rose up, blocking their path.

“Stop right there.” They both glanced back to see his yermal. His antenna still buzzing from the song he’d just sung to manipulate the ground.

“Yural, have you lost your mind as well… do you know what you are doing right now?”

“I’m protecting our child.”

“You are following Rilan to the grave.”

“Oh, so you plan to kill me as well?”

“Yural…”

“You killed your wife, threatened to kill your son, and now your husband as well? All to protect your family? What family?” Yural’s mind was a complete mess. He’d received too many shocking revelations in quick secession. First, Rilan’s death, then discovering Vivin was missing, and now this betrayal from his husband. The only clear thought in his head now was protecting his son.

“None of this would have happened if not for Rilan..none of this.”

“Stop smearing her name, do not even speak it again. You destroyed this family!” Yural gripped Vivin tighter and pulled him behind his back. “I will not let it continue. If you want to harm Vivin. You will have to do it over my dead body.”

Vivin gripped his father’s clothes and peaked from behind him. His yermal was weeping, and a small part of Vivin still wanted to console him, but the distance between them now was one that he would never attempt to cross. 

“Yural, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I only did what I could to protect you. We can start our family again. One that is not tainted by wicked ideals.”

“Start a family on the graves of my wife and son… I have heard some stupid things in my life, but this has got to be the stupidest. Grion. The rest of the hunting party is not far behind. They will be here in a few hours at most. If you have any love left of Vivin and me, then let us go.”

“I cannot do that.”

“Then you will have to kill us both. The moment we are captured, I will confess that I not only knew of the letters but also encouraged them.”

“You would go so far.”

“Make your choice. Either way, you have already lost us both.”

His yermal hunched over as if he’d been punched in the gut. “I just wanted to protect our family.”

“Then protect us now.” His taman’s voice held no sympathy and was as dry as the ground they stood on.

Vivin sucked in a breath. If he didn’t let them go, he would have to be ready to fight. His taman was the most powerful of his parents, but Vivin knew he would never be able to fight seriously against his yermal. 

“I’m sorry, Vivin,” his yermal said, and Vivin braced himself for the fight. “Please forgive me. I have not shown it well, but I love you both so much…” his voice hitched. “Even Rilan, despite everything, I loved her as well. This tribe and our ways are all I’ve ever known. When I discovered those letters, I only thought to protect you both the only way I knew how. I’m so sorry.” He gave them a lingering look, then turned and began walking back in the direction of their tribe.

Vivin released the breath he’d been holding, then glanced up at his taman, who was trembling.

“Taman?”

His father’s watery green eyes turned toward him. “Let’s go,” his father said through tears. They turned around and began running in the opposite direction.

####

There’s so much left to explore with this story. I’m not sure when, but I’ll have to write a second part to this. I want to explore Yural’s emotions a bit more, as well as how his relationship with Vivin might change. Of course, I want to expand on the three blue lands as well. Thanks for reading!!