[Flashback] A Better Place than Kalinor (Erzotol)

[Dhalvasha]

Summer 08 508 AV

He took the boy with him, borrowed horse and saddle out into the Sea of Grass. They cut strange figures, stark white against the grasses, ghosts on the back of an oblivious horse. The boy was old enough to sit up, scarcely old enough to understand the world around him, much less himself. Dhalvasha paused, feeling awkward on the back of the beast and even stranger still holding his son close to him. It wasn't that he did not love the boy, but the young Symenestra youth pushed at his father excitedly, a jubilant line of bubbles spurting from the corner of his mouth. He had purple eyes, strange among his family line but so reminiscent of Shai that Dhalvasha had forgiven that genetic jump. He was beautiful, a perfect child delivered of another dead mother.

And far from home.

Taking in the air, Dhalvasha worked at turning the horse, more at its whims than it at his. Endrykas continued to move in the distance, but the Symenestra had opted to leave the comfort of loud crowds for the singular ease of silence with his son.

Dhalvaika was a curious lad, already making connections with his eyes that his father would not make with his mind. The world was new to the boy, a wild place of opportunity and worth. Once he had known the darkness of Kalinor and now he was here, in the All-cave...outside the genocidal rule of Kalinor monarchs.

Outside of Hellebore's reach anyways.

Anyones.

He wondered if Shai cursed his name now, already aware his mark had faded to a blemished lacun on his body now. She knew he had betrayed her, she knew he had taken their son...did she look for him? Could she even hope to follow his trail?

The hardest part of his decision was not to inform his wife. She, precious creature of grace and beauty, she did not deserve this pain. Likewise, would she have refuted Dhalvasha's beliefs, perhaps even confined him again for a bout of hysteria. No...she couldn't know...no one could.

Dhalvaika gurgled happily, whispering his first word like a mantra and grasping at the light around him. It was always the same...mother, mother, mother, spoken in Symenos it might have been just a bit of baby nonsense if Dhalvasha did not understand better.

"No, no, my son," he found himself saying, tears straining at the corners of his eyes, "We cannot return to your mother." The baby seemed to understand, falling quiet and angling his head up sharply to look at his father. Dhalvasha was crying, tears coursing over tears as he looked out at the Sea of Grass. He had not come to eschew the loud Endryks...he had come to release that bit of himself still mournful of his actions. Was he right? Could anyone know for sure?

He ached, and perhaps he deserved to.

There was no one now, no one but the child he needed to leave behind somewhere, continue his work till he could return and bring his son back to Kalinor in Triumph...his son did not have to worry about murdering who he loved.

One day.

"One day," Dhalvasha murmured, staring out and holding his boy against his chest, "One day we will not be afraid...and then we can return to your mother."

He hoped he meant it.

Sometimes it was hard to tell.