Snippet #2560865

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”Minnow,”
"Minnow,"
"Minnow!"
Pale eyelids fluttered gently in confusion, the boy in question suddenly becoming aware of his surroundings once more. Blinking again, the man in front of him came into focus, and a sheepish little smile draped across Minnow’s lips.

“Where’s your head at, friend? It seemed an eternity before I got your attention!” The voice came in a friendly sort of quip, the other grinning amiably at the Protector, leaning against the wooden surface on both elbows with his chin propped up by one hand.

A little breath passed Minnow’s lips in something akin to bemusement, and he shook his head lightly, ”Ah, I was just… going over the shipment.” He lied easily other than the very slight pause in his words. No, he had not been thinking of the transaction he was currently working on with the man across the counter from him. He had had lost himself to darker thoughts- an occurrence that was happening more and more often as that commemorative day drew closer….

The Air Protector and Harbormaster exchanged further words and new pricings on Minnow’s shipments of herbs and the like- it had seemed prices had gone up in the last few months, no doubt in congruence to Reimrandian appearances in Iveir. While Minnow preferred to stay out of such governmental and political issues, it did bother him that people were trying to take advantage of the situation and these other-worlders. Which brought him right back to those morose daydreams….

After concluding his business with the other man, Minnow departed from the docks in order to make the tiring journey home. The boy paused as he returned to his horse with a small smile on his lips as he greeted the animal. He rested his hand against its lower jaw, guiding the large head towards his chest. Stroking the snout down to the nose a few times, Minnow let out a sigh, suddenly resting his forehead against the bridge of the animal’s nose and taking in a deep breath, finding a bit of solace in the familiar scent of the creature. He had been away from the Air kingdom for about two days, taking care of medicinal needs- he had been running out of a particular ingredient, one from a faraway shore on their continent. It had been about the time that he needed to restock anyway. Despite growing many of the plants himself and cultivating them, a lot of it was utilized in a short period of time, and some were not accustomed to growing in the sort of climate that they had.

Minnow lifted himself onto the back of the horse, throwing a leg over the other side and securing his feet in the stirrups. He gripped the reins lightly between his fingers and led the horse out of the town and back onto the road. It was then that he allowed himself those reveries.

It had been almost three years to the day, or so Minnow calculated. The sacrifices and the bloodshed…. They had lost so many good people that day… so many people that Minnow had known and cared for. From Lord Taki, with his bright and bubbly personality, never seeming to have a care in the world; to Damiano, the cool collected guy who would do anything he set his mind upon; to Reynard… one of the most devoted Protectors he had ever seen, quiet and reserved, but fierce and loyal to the very end; heck, almost even Lutchka once or twice along the way. Not only these, but those who were willing to risk their lives for Valrien’s cause, to keep the worlds safe and intact, who did sacrifice their lives.

Did… did the others remember them? It seemed as though every single time he ran into Siya- who had been affected the most, as both of his protectors had perished- the king was unconcerned, too busy in his library either studying or writing, seemingly more interested in jotting down world-changing events instead of the people who allowed them to happen. It wasn’t that Minnow was accusing him, or any of the sort, but he had thought out of everyone who had gone through those times, Siya would show the most. Maybe the Air Protector was just being unrealistic, ridiculous… it had been three years after all…. Everyone had a kingdom to run… Taki had to be replaced by somebody, as did the perished protectors. But still… everyone seemed to be so nonchalant about it, like the time for mourning had passed and they were no longer expected to hold up a standard of remembrance. Was he weak for remembering so long, for letting it consume his dreams when he had a particularly haunting day?

His horse nickered beneath him, sensing his sorrowful turn of emotion as well as breaking him out of his reverie. He had been dwelling on it much to long… he was acting like a child again, and he hated that, more than anything in the world. ”Let’s head home.” He mumbled to the equine, focusing on the roads ahead.

By the time Minnow had returned to the Air Kingdom, he was travel worn and well tired. But a huge grin was plastered on his face, a true look of delight filling his features and reverberating through his posture. He had travelled through many of the towns- had been met by so many grateful and affectionate people, children mostly, wanting to hear stories, and seeing that always made him happy. His uncharacteristically downcast emotions put far in the past and the back of his mind, and his normal personality returned. There was dirt smeared across his face in several places- he had taken the old saying, ‘stop and smell the roses’ quite literally a few times- he couldn’t help it, he loved seeing the earth. Dismounting, he led his companion to the stables and removed his riding gloves from his fingers.

One thing that had definitely been present on the Protector’s mind other than old friends was the mother-hen-like worry he held towards Amon and Kanan getting along without him for a few days. They always seemed to manage to mar up their skin in some fashion or other. And Amon always insisted on doing whatever physical training he wanted, despite any broken bones or terrible bruising. That had not changed one bit over the years. A wry little grin made its way to his lips as he thought on it. But Minnow also longed for nothing more than to go sit in his greenhouse, surrounded by his element and tending to the flowers and such, and taking a good nap somewhere in the near future. Instead, his feet led him to the castle to go announce his return.