Chapter 9

  Hektor had a fitful sleep, but he arose with the gratification that only comes from waking up on your own time in a comfy bed. For a moment he laid eagle-spread and staring at the ceiling in blank thought. At peace.

  The tranquility was short lived. All too soon the events of the previous day descended with an almost tangential weight to them.

  His body tensed and went taut like a bowstring. Fear and trepidation seeped into him and he felt sandwiched between the mattress and a burden smothering him from above.

  Yet, a small part of him found that the affliction was less profound. Manageable even. The dread persisted, but it wasn’t as crushing. The hollowness in his chest yawned, but its edges were retracting. Fear and anxiety corralled him into a corner, but he wasn’t beyond looking for an escape.

  It was daunting still and Hektor was afraid still. But it was less debilitating and he would take what he could get. Cruel irony that his traumatic past had prepared him to face this new panic. It wasn’t his first ordeal, goodness knows he had his fair share, but in that he knew how to function under duress and work towards getting better. He had done it before. Perhaps he could it once more.

  Stoking the embers of that optimism, Hektor put his feet to the floor and stood. He trudged out of the room, numb and distracted.

  “Ah, morning,” Thadeus’ voice shook Hektor out of his torpor. “Just about,” he added.

  Sluggish, Hektor looked back to spot the clock and saw that it was ten minutes to eleven. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept for so long.

  “Eat,” Thadeus gestured to the small basket on the table. “From the eatery across. I thought it best that I spare you from my cooking. I have already eaten, so you can finish off as much as you can,” he offered.

  Mechanically, Hektor deposited himself without a word and took to devouring. He almost snorted the sandwiches whole, his attention solely focused on consumption. After his fourth half portion, he paused only to down the glass of milk Thadeus had edged his way.

  Thadeus kept quiet, watching the ravenous display half amused. Their roles reversed from just the previous morning when Thadeus had been thankless glutton.

  Dazed as he was, Hektor only stopped eating when he reached out and there wasn’t any food left. Patting his sloshing tummy, he decided it was best if he remained still for the moment.

  “So, how are you, lad?” Thadeus asked, deciding not to point out that Hektor had cleaned out three people’s worth of lunch.

  “I am,” Hektor pondered. “I am better,” he decided. “Better than before,” he shared truthfully.

  “Good,” Thadeus smiled in relief. “Time dulls all things. It also brings with it the wisdom for those with the temperament to find it. You will think better today than yesterday and better still tomorrow.”

  Hektor nodded vaguely, drowsy from waking and sluggish from eating. Eventually, he did remember of Thadeus’ most recent meeting with his mother.

  Hektor sat up straighter, forcing himself to focus. “What happened by your visit, Master Thadeus?” he asked timidly.

  Thadeus shuffled to sit more comfortably in his chair. “It was a small gathering,” he explained. “Just Sabina and Delia with Nazeer and myself.”

  “What happened then?” Hektor asked, even though he very much didn’t want to. By nature, Hektor was one to avoid trouble. He didn’t go looking for things that upset him.

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  Not looking for trouble was one thing, but when trouble chased him down and stared him in the face, Hektor was left with no choice but to confront it.

  “Sabina enlightened us of the state of affairs, much the same as you told me,” Thadeus answered, rubbing his chin. “The rest of the evening was spent mostly talking about you and planning your future.”

  Hektor kept quiet, anticipating more unpleasantness to come.

  “Unfortunately, it falls to me tell you that you are requested to stay at the castle,” Thadeus informed delicately. “I know you do not want to, but it is necessary,” he cajoled. “Foremost because your mother wants to spend time with you. It would be safer as well. And practical.

  “There is time enough to make you ready, but we need to make the best use of it. Your lessons will need to be condensed. Sabina wants you to join her in court so that you can learn from her. You need to make introductions and get acquainted with your future retainers,” Thadeus listed. “All of which would be easier if you were readily available at the castle. People would flock to you, rather than the other way round,” he reasoned.

  Afraid and angry, Hektor wasn’t ready to be persuaded. That place held the very worst memories for him.

  Oddly enough, even Thadeus appeared hesitant to insist. “This is unfair of me to say, but I have to say it and you have to listen,” he said softly. “You are very brave, Hektor. The bravest boy I know. Now, now you need to be braver.”

  Hektor was torn. On one side he could understand Thadeus’ honest plea. On the other, he was livid of what they were demanding of him.

  Seeing Hektor’s distress, Thadeus opened his mouth and then closed it without speaking. He hated to be the one to put the boy through this.

  “I will obey,” Hektor uttered in defeat, his jaw tense.

  “You do not have to go just now,” Thadeus offered, feeling pathetic in giving the weakest of consolations. “You have time.”

  Hektor nodded.

  “And before I forget, Nazeer wants you to visit him tomorrow,” Thadeus informed.

  “I will,” mumbled Hektor.

  “Do not be sad, my boy,” Thadeus pleaded to the depressed boy. “You know, Nazeer was profoundly right that things are simple when you look at it the right way. Tell me, Hektor, do you know why Sabina is allowing this to happen?” he urged, trying his best to drag the boy out of his doldrums.

  Hektor wouldn’t answer.

  “She is doing this because you are her son. Because she loves you. Simple, isn’t it?” Thadeus stated, almost as if he had solved a significant quandary. “She is giving you everything that she believes is your birthright.

  “A fit education. The right to rule. Respect adhered to your name. Marriage to a desirable woman. A life of prestige, purpose and responsibility. A legacy,” Thadeus ticked off. “She is looking after you. Doing what a mother would do for her son.

  “Sabina wants you to be happy. For you to grow strong and independent, away from the pain. Can you not see why she would do this for you?”

  With his head bowed, Hektor’s shoulders quivered as he tried to control his emotions.

  “Trust your mother, Hektor. She loves you and cares for you. Be a good son and believe in your mother doing her best.”

  Hektor coughed gruffly to hide his sniffles. Thadeus beamed that he had gotten through to the boy.

  Thadeus clapped once in surprise, “Oh, this is fortuitous! Hektor, would you please fetch the book I gave you yesterday.”

  Confused but willing to get away to dry his eyes, Hektor did just that and returned to give Thadeus the book.

  “The book contains a description on how certain Norish tribes took to educating their children,” Thadeus elaborated while flipping to the relevant pages. “I wanted you to learn about how their tribal society functions without conventional schooling. Rather, the children visit and stay with different families from the age of ten onwards, akin to apprenticeships,” he elaborated. “Sound familiar?”

  Hektor nodded, intrigued. The similarities were vague, but he could see the what Thadeus was implying. His own upbringing was unconventional and there were comparisons as to how he stayed over at his tutors occasionally or that he attended workplaces to observe as part of his lessons.

  “It is how they are raised, learning the Norish way of life from their adopted families. After they turn into adults, the tribe decides on the children they favor for bigger roles in their community. Such is their way.”

  “Rather prophetic of you, Master Thadeus,” said Hektor with a sad smile.

  “You miss the point! In this example, you are not being overlooked, but rewarded your place.”

  Reluctant as he was, Hektor could see Thadeus’ point. His mother, Aunt Delia and Thadeus, everyone had told him, stressed it even, that there were good things in his future.

  In his pessimism, Hektor was prone to forget about the positives. And evidently needed reminding quite often that maybe, just maybe, this could be good thing and that he could be better off for it.