Dark Hunger

Every part of his body strained and he stilled. The sizzling of the portal was too loud. He wanted to rip the flap of the tent and go out and see who all was there, but because of his vow to the Lore, he stayed there. He heard men speaking, clasping their hands and greeting each other. The urge to see Cole enhanced. He took a step towards the exit of the tent and stopped himself by clenching his fist. After what seemed like eternity, with a shuddering body, he took another step. The voices grew louder and cheery. Auril wasn't able to stop himself. He strode towards the flap of the tent and opened it, but the flap wouldn't open. The fabric froze in its place. 

"What the fuck?" Auril's mouth fell open and he blinked at the flap with surprise. He tried to yank the cloth again but it wouldn't budge. The vow to the Lore. He would not be able to go near him or talk to him. Auril pressed his fist in his mouth. If his vow was working, it meant that Cole was there. "Fuck!" A smile crept on his lips, which turned into a chuckle and then a soft laughter. "He is here!" He wondered what Caleb, Daryn and Cole must be doing now and began pacing his little tent. 

As soon as Daryn stepped out of the portal, he found Caleb waiting for him on the other side. "Caleb!" Daryn exclaimed and launched himself on his elder brother for a bear hug. The two brothers hugged each other tightly. They were meeting after so long that they both felt emotionally overwhelmed. 

After their mother's betrayal and their father's disappearance, only these two were left in the family. The blood connection was stronger than before. With Pia gone, Daryn had melted a lot. Pia had done everything to keep the two brothers apart. She had created numerous misunderstandings and the worst was when she had faked her pregnancy and then blamed Dawn for aborting it. Caleb was shattered. 

"How are you?" asked Daryn when he pulled away and held his brother's shoulders to study him.

"I am well," Caleb managed to speak, feeling emotionally choked. His throat bobbed as he tried to stop the burn that was building behind his eyes. 

"'Well,' is an incorrect word, brother," Daryn replied with a grin. "You look radiant! It seems Elize has worked like a charm to you." 

He saw color rising on his brother's face and he couldn't help but tip his head up and laugh more. "Gods, I need to tell this to Dawn." The shameless younger brother immediately took his phone out and clicked Caleb's photo, in which his face was pink. 

"Daryn!" Caleb growled. "Delete that!" 

"Not happening!" He shoved the phone in his pants pocket. "I want to meet Elize and—" his expressions grew severe. "The druid prince." 

"Where is Cole?" asked Caleb. And as soon as he asked, Cole entered through the portal with his rugby ball in his hand, which he was whirling on his forefinger. He was wearing his rugby jersey, cleats and rugby shorts with his protective gear. Caleb stared at the young boy. 

When Cole tucked the ball in his arms, he looked around the place they had entered and then his gaze landed on Caleb. He nodded at him coldly. "Hello," came a casual word. 

Caleb understood his indifference. He hadn't been exactly nice with his sister. What was he expecting? That Cole would open up with him immediately? Greet him like old friends? A pang of guilt filled his heart because he regretted the time he spent with Dawn and Cole and Daryn. Pia and Sedora had put a veil of lies and deceit on his eyes and whatever he saw around him was filtered through that veil. The world was biased against him, his father was biased against him… His lips pursed. He looked at the young boy of sixteen in front of him. Just like Daryn and him, both Dawn and Cole had also lost their parents. And the two had fought against every odds. 

Shoving those thoughts, he extended his hand to Cole. He wanted to start anew. "Hello Cole," he said with a warm smile. "I have an old acquaintance waiting for you in the tent." 

Cole frowned at first, but then took Caleb's hand. "Hello Uncle Caleb." 

Uncle… The word sounded nice… A beginning… 

After shaking their hands, Caleb led them to the tent where Elize was waiting. She was sitting on a chair and sprung up. She bit her lip and was wide eyed. Her emotions were all over the place because she was now with her family. This was her family. 

"How are you, Elize?" asked Daryn as Cole simply circled past him and squealed. 

"Elize!" He hugged her. "Gods! How the hell are you?" 

Elize almost stumbled back and laughed in Cole's enthusiastic hug. "I am doing very good, little boy! How about you?" She felt like his mommy. She pulled back and said, "Did you eat food? It seems you are stepping just after the practice session. How is Dawn? How is your school coming up? What about your college applications?" 

"Woah, woah! Stop, okay!" Cole said. "And I am very hungry! So, first things, first." He smacked his stomach. 

"Good! I want you all to eat first. We will talk later!" Elize said, beaming. 

"Well, you go Cole. I will be here with Caleb uncle and Elize." 

"Elize aunty!" Caleb said with a growl. "She is not Elize. She is Elize aunty." 

"Oh! Get off old man!" Cole replied and after giving him a pointed stare stepped out of the tent. Caleb stared behind him with disbelief. 

Hungry as hell, Cole walked to the place where the food was laid on a long table. He walked to the table and then picked up roasted chicken, tea salad, saffron rice and stir-fried vegetables. He dug his teeth in the chicken and moaned. "This is cool!" he said, closing his eyes. He looked at all the soldiers and servants who were standing like statues and shook his head. He would have loved to go to Ixoviya because he had heard that it was a beautiful place, and the palace was just as lovely and luxurious. Suddenly, his eyes fell on the Yelgra trees. His eyes grew wide as he saw the silver and golden leaves fluttering along with the green ones. "Cool!" he rasped and was about to eat rice, when his eyes fell on a man dressed in a black shirt and black pants, standing beneath a Yelgra tree. His hands were in his pockets as he leaned against the tree and as the sun's rays dappled his tanned face. Cole's body froze. A cool gust of wind ruffled the deep auburn hair of the man. Cole gulped his food down when he peered into those arctic blue eyes, the color of which was so unnatural that he became flustered. He had seen such beautiful, piercing eyes once before, when he was eleven. Recognition came like an icy burst of surprise.. The memory of this man had imprinted on his mind. What was he doing here in Yelgra? Cole got up and—