Bound By Blood [Eldon, Closed]

[Matasol]

76th of Winter 510AV When Matasol had looked into the web early that morning he had found a glaring hole. It was as if something had been ripped out forcibly, at first he had for any signs of malicious tampering, but the true cause had quickly become apparent. Though he refused to acknolwedge the cause even then, calming himself by saying that someone must have tampered with the web. There was no way his father could be dead. He spent several hours pacing the pavilion before deciding upon a course of action. He must go to his father. He had never before gone to his fathers pavilion and he must go at some point. Now he finally had an excuse that warranted direct disobedience to his fathers orders. So he started walking to the spot that he knew his fathers pavilion lay. He had seen it many times in the web. So it took little effort for him to find the home of his father. When he came up to the tent he drew in a deep breath and walked inside, wondering if anyone was home or if he would have to wait for his father to arrive.

[Eldon Sunkiss]

Eldon hadn't slept the previous night. Not an hour, not a minute, second nor moment. The young Drykas reimancer was utterly silent. It was his father's tent, now his own, that was eerily still. The place felt empty, despite being no different than the past decade of his life. His father was always gone, visit people, working, hunting, who knows. There was a difference though, a change in his life that could not be ignored nor banished from thought. His father was gone, he was there, cradling the elder's head as his life slipped from his eyes. Eldon was saved because of his father's sacrifice. Eldon sat cross-legged on the grassy floor of his home. His torso was bare, except for the linen bandaging that was tightly wrapped about his chest and stomach, as well as his bicep on the left arm. He was in rough shape, yet in comparison to his father, he was infinitely better off. Eldon's cold eyes stared idly at the necklace in his hand, the small iron shape of a makeshift stone, the blue curving shape. It was a gift from his father, a reminder of the bloodline he carried on his shoulders. Solely his shoulders. There was a soft rustling and a quick glare of light that hit Eldon's eyes as Matasol entered the Sunkiss Pavilion. Eldon didn't bother to look up. Various Sapphire clansmen, and even a few others, had come to offer their sorrows and words of wisdom, all of which were shrugged of in subtle hostility. "Come back tomorrow if you want water." It was unlikely that anybody would search their personal tents for water. The Watering Hole was the place to go. Eldon slowly forced his gaze from the necklace as he peered at Matasol. Perhaps his feature should have told him that he was related to his father, but he was preoccupied. It slipped past him.

[Matasol]

What lay before Matasol's eyes as he entered the tent was shocking to say the least. There was a man who's features were distinctly like that of his fathers and he was leaning on the floor in a position of mourning. The man held in his hand an exact copy of the necklace he wore, and what else could cause a son of the Sunkiss pavilion to be in such a state. His original fear came to the forefront of his mind. His father had been killed. All that Matasol could do for several seconds was stare blankly at the body of his father. Every moment that he had spoken with his father via the web. Every time his father had come to visit him, the times when he had taught him things like reimancy and webbing. It all rushed through the man's spirit all at once leaving him broken. The young Drykas fell to the floor and starting weeping quietly. He could not hold in the tears, his only strong point had vanished with no ability for any other meeting. His necklace identical to the one in the man's palm fell from his neck and lay upon the ground in a heap.

[Eldon Sunkiss]

Crying, Matasol, a stranger in his tent and a men he had never seen (or at least remembered seeing), but he came in and started to sob like a child. Sure, Eldon had been like this off and on for three full days now, but that's because he and only he had a right to be so. It was Eldon's father. There was something about this scene that angered him. Whether it was the thought that maybe someone thought they deserved to be as upset as he, or that they understood his pain. Eldon didn't think it was possible, yet it was how it was. Eldon stood up, only moments from grabbing him and pushing him out of his tent when he noticed the necklace that was hanging loosely around his neck. From under his shirt, it was the Sunkiss Heirloom, the Sapphire Stone his father made for him, yet his own was in his hand. Eldon choked a moment as he realized what his father told him, right before he died, that his mother wasn't the only woman he loved, but the only one he did openly. His other son, the one merely mentioned as a last breath. There was a lot that wasn't said in such a vital moment though. It must have meant something to him to mention his son, Eldon's brother. Eldon moved over to Matasol, his needless and inexplicable anger already falling from his shoulders. He knelt by the man, who looked to be nearly the same age as he. "He mentioned you in his last living moments." Eldon had pondered this constantly over the last seventy-two hours. Why would he keep his kin a secret? Was he ashamed of his other family? It wouldn't have been odd. The Drykas are known to take several wives, if only they had lived with them in the Sunkiss Pavilion, this whole situation would be normal. Eldon continue to sit in his kneeling position next to his newly acquired brother, and said nothing. The man needed to cry, it did wonders to cleanse the soul. Later, they could talk.

[Matasol]

Emotions coursed through Matasol like his very life blood. He could feel the sorrow ripping him to pieces, it felt like someone had reached into his chest and had cut chunks out of his very being. His whole body was wrecked with convulsions of pain and sorrow. Mixed in this were many other manifestations of his grief. The second most emotion was anger. He knew that somehow he could have prevented this, somehow. His anger was beginning to boil when a man knelt by him. Matasol lifted his tear streaked face, looked into the face of his brother, and all of his anger melted away. He could see so many lines of his father in this man. But he could not meet his half brothers eyes. It reminded him too strongly of their father. He was comforted by only one thing. His brother knew him, how did not matter. There was a recognition of shared pain in that dark and weary face. After several minutes of shared silence Matasol spoke, but in a broken voice. It came out abruptly and with absolutely no tact, but at least it had come out. "How did he die...?"

[Eldon Sunkiss]

Eldon listened to Matasol's question, the world around them was silent. He heard it very well, the screams of pain from himself, his father, the zith. The three combatants fighting with reckless abandon, for defense and utter ridiculous aggression. Eldon blinked, the world returning to him in that sudden shift of moments. How was he to answer that question? He died protecting me when I was weakened. Eldon thought to himself, but any Drykas would do that. His father, he knew, never hesitated though, never once worried about his own well being until he was certain Eldon would survive. "He died peacefully, knowing the greatest burden of his entire life had been lifted from his shoulders." Eldon looked down at Matasol, even though he seemed to be avoiding his gaze. He would pressure him to sharing stares, that was just foolish. "He wanted nothing else but for me to know about you, and even as he bled to death in front of me, he smiled." Eldon had felt like he was being very strong for several minutes, as if his newly acquired brother's grief was reason enough to force him into a calm, logical, hardened state. But then, out of nowhere, his body quivered as a long quaking gasp was needed. He was dried up, tears would no longer come, but if they could, these two would look no different.

[Matasol]

Matasol watxhed his brother through tear stained eyes. He was pondering an answer, and was obviously choosing his words carefully. When the answer to Matasol's question finally came, it brought with it a feeling of peace. His father had gone well and honorably. It was then that Eldon caught the his eyes, the emotion's Matasol saw in those eyes gave him a degree of comfort. He saw in Eldon's eyes a mixture of grief, mourning, and confusion. It showed him that he did not suffer alone. Without any thought as to what his brother might think, Matasol reached forward and took Eldon into an embrace. The embrace of kinfolk sharing in a common feeling.

[Eldon Sunkiss]

Eldon was shocked to find his newly discovered brother latching onto him, dragging him into an embrace that was common of family and genuine deep friendship. Eldon sat there a few moments, just trying to sort through the emotional storm he was desperately trying to understand. It took a few moments, and Eldon couldn't bother wincing as Matasol pressed against his aching, sore, and bandaged body, but he held his tongue and refused to release any audible sign of pain. Instead, he lifted his arms and offered the same for his brother. There was a soft sign to fall through Eldon's lips. This was comforting, the embrace of not just friends, not just those with bonds in the Drykas way of life, but with brothers. True brothers, blood and flesh of his own father. With his father gone, Eldon held onto a sliver of hope that Matasol would take that place, fill that hole. Eldon knew he wasn't a child, and didn't plan to treat Matasol like a father in anyway, but he would respect him, for he was his father's son. Perhaps Matasol could mend wounds others couldn't see. Eventually, when the two separated from their embrace, and Eldon was feeling a good deal better for now, he offered a frail smile. "I'm Eldon of the Sunkiss Pavilion, and I believed that I was the only male child my father had left. My... our older brothers were many years older than us, and all died out on the plains. Our two sisters live in Endrykas still, but they are wed and living with their husbands. What about you? Any brothers and sisters from your mother's side I am still unaware of?" Eldon smiled again, trying to seem as friendly as possible. New of their father's death was fresher to Matasol than it was for Eldon, he might need longer to grieve.

[Matasol]

Matasol was too full of sorrow to recognize the hurt that he was causing his brother, on a normal day he would have easily found the tell-tale signs of wounds on the man. But today, through the tears of a son mourning for a father these signs melted to the back of his mind and did not come to the forefront. All that he knew was that he was finally embracing his brother. Their father had always spoke highly of Eldon. Matasol had loved to listen to the stories of his brother that his father told him through the web. But he had always felt the emptiness that came from the lack of contact with Eldon. As he sat here embracing his brother, he was not only finding comfort from the death of his father. But he was also filling a place in his heart that had been reserved for a brother that he had never met. When he felt Eldon pull away gently, Matasol let him go with a barely audible sigh. He was beginning to feel like this day had not been a total loss. It had been hard, but just as it should be death is followed by new life. Matasol managed a hint of a smile when Eldon started to talk about his side of the family, and he made one comment "I know". This felt quite awkward so he cautiously continued. "Our father taught me in the use of the web. I would often have long conversations with him.. mostly about all of you." towards the end of this his voice trailed off. He bean to remember the talks and his chest felt like it began to tear once again. "Only my mother. We have lived in a small pavilion on the outskirts of the city..."

[Eldon Sunkiss]

"The web?" Eldon leaned back as he heard this. His own father, the man that was always waiting to the 'right time' to teach Eldon about Webbing, taught his hidden brother. Eldon felt a smile creep onto his face, though it was truly a frown in disguise. Even though his father was obviously and openly proud of Eldon, he wasn't ready to teach Eldon everything. Yet now that he was dead, so many answers were pouring out to him that he hadn't even asked questions to. It was like his father planned for this with flawless accuracy. The unity of him and Matasol would forge something, an alliance... no. It was brotherhood, something surreal that neither of them had before tasted. Now, the door was open for them. "We've met before. It wasn't long, but out in the plains, we've met, haven't we?" Eldon chuckled lightly, only now realizing that he had actually been in a conversation with his own blood bound relative, and didn't even know he existed. He wanted to laugh uncontrollably. He wanted to grab the nearest object and hurl it with all his might in frustration. He wanted to force life to return to his father so that he could interrogate with without mercy. Eldon wanted to know why. Why had Matasol been a secret? Why did his father have to die? Why did he not learn Webbing when his brother was obviously fit for it? Why were there questions, that when answered, only brought more confusion and further need for questioning? Why, indeed. Eldon stood up slowly, grunting lightly at the aching chest that plagued him. "Brother Sunkiss, what's your name?" Eldon continued to stare at Matasol, he had forgotten the name given to him on the plains several days ago. He was unashamed though, he had bigger problems at the moment. Like, what was going to happen to the Sunkiss Pavilion now that the Ankal had passed away. Perhaps, now that the truth about Matasol was out there, they should discuss this. No, neither of them were emotionally stable at the moment. Soon, they would.