North Ward

-Calix

Friday...

...I made it through the first week...unscathed for the most part.

Director Arun greets my parents at the front of the school, shaking their hands. The bell for lunch rang a few minutes ago, Elafi and Tacitus wishing me well as I won't be able to crash the party they are going to sneak off to in Prime Ward. I'll be there, unwillingly, maybe kicking and screaming if it wasn't for the fact, I am going to see Genesis.

"Always a pleasure," Director Arun separates from my parents as I approach.

Father replies, his stance altering slightly, "For your troubles, we'll be adding funding to the year one Arena team this year."

"Thank you!" Director Arun swoons like a girl, practically kissing father's feet. Now...I wonder where father got that brilliant idea, wouldn't have anything to do with me...now would it?

"Come now, Calix," mother ushers me around Director Arun, the car parked outside the school grounds, "we don't want to keep our hosts waiting."

The drive is a distance and at this rate, we just might make it on time.

Director Arun clears his throat and asks, "Should I email the remainder of Mr. Ravenend's class and homework after school ends, so he won't fall behind over the weekend?"

"That's an excellent idea," father nods, mother and I walking to the car. I hear him add, "We'll be staying the weekend at the Ocklorn's, so he'll have plenty of time to do his school work."

What...

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" I huff out the second I'm sitting in the back seat of the car with mother.

"Calix..." mother warns, her tone shifting as father approaches the car.

I glare at her and retort, "You wait to spring this shit on me? Really? When did you two decide to play kiss ass to the Ocklorns? Why are we even-"

Pain shoots through my right cheek, the bones shattering, my head spinning as I cough up blood. Father gets into the car, sitting across from us while he orders our driver, "Mr. Axel if you would so kindly take us to Prime Ward Citadel."

"Yes, Sir," Mr. Axel replies, my anger rising as I fume.

My bones heal, though my anger remains, looking up at my father to see his gaze locked on me. He releases a short breath of air before he tells me, "The expectations of you are quite simple," he pauses a moment, mother shifting in her seat beside me, "as an Offspring of The Synod, you are expected to act in a certain manner at all times. Whether you choose to express your individuality...understand that it falls back on us."

"You are under constant watch and scrutiny by those around you," mother continues when she sees my hands clenching in fists, drawing blood from the palms of my hands. My nails dig deeper at their words, my anger spiking.

I see Mr. Axel's gaze flicker to observe us all in the rearview mirror, my gaze falling away when I capture his gaze for a moment. Releasing a small sigh, I relax and attempt to reason, "I understand that...I'd just appreciate a little more than a split-second notice." After pausing a few moments, looking from mother and father, I continue with, "Aren't we supposed to be on the same page?"

"No, Calix," father reminds me quickly of my place, "your mother and I always need to be on the same page. As an Offspring, you are to follow the laws more so above everyone else as it reflects on you twice as much as others. If we can't follow the rules, how can we expect others to?"

This is going nowhere...

...I'm stuck, just like everyone else.

"Understood," I reply resentfully through clenched teeth. Relaxing my nails from the palms of my hands, father releases a sigh and hands me a clean wipe. Cleaning my face and hands, mother relaxes back in her seat and looks on out the window.

"Let's have a pleasant drive, shall we?" Mother ebbs the tension away, though father and I don't look at one another. He and mother talk about upcoming events, though I mostly drown everything out, slipping my phone from my pocket and turning to the car door.

Are you already bored out of your mind?

Elafi's text appears on the screen, sliding it open and responding:

Just fucking wonderful.

...

...

Calix?

I'm staying for the whole weekend. I'm so fucking pissed off!

I see father staring at me out of the corner of my eye. He asks, "Who are you texting?"

"Elafi," I reply shortly, my gaze falling back to the screen.

I know you can't come out tonight, but Tacitus and I could sneak off tomorrow and spend time in Prime Ward. You could get awa-

Father snatches my phone from my hand, a startled; "Hey!" leaves my lips as he quickly looks over the text messages.

"First of all, why is Elafi sending you pictures...like this?" He turns the phone so mother can also look at the screen. The back of my neck is hot, my skin flushing as mother looks from the photo and then to me with her brows raised. I can't say anything in return, my mouth dry as he continues, "You need to be more careful...do you know what would happen if this got out publicly? Do you want to have rumors spoken about you and this girl from all five sectors?"

I'm sweating now...from anger, from the way they continue to berate me for every choice I make because it's individually made instead of what's best for The Synod.

My voice holds a slight tone as I reply, "We were just having fun."

"Calix-"

"Wait, Julius," mother cuts father off, looking at me and asking, "Calix, do you believe that you'll take Elafi as a partner one day?"

"I..." my voice trails off as I feel a trap, "...I've thought about it."

Mother smiles and clears her throat, "You know the laws-"

"We're safe!" I finally snap, "I'm not going to accidentally have an Offspring!"

Father's muscles tense and I know he's about to react, but mother cuts in first and assures me, "Calix, it's not that we don't think you can't be safe, we worry about Elafi's status."

"Excuse me?" I retort with anger.

"What your mother is saying," father steps in when I lash out one too many times, my gaze landing on him as he states, "there's nothing wrong with an equidistant, but for you being an Offspring of The Synod, we'd really only approve of another opulent at the least."

Mother sees the tension escalating, her voice even as she breaks it, "Just promise us that you'll keep your options open. You've only just started year one, I'm sure there will be many that come and go until you find exactly what you want."

She makes it sound like I'm going to the livestock pen and picking out what I want as a possession...like everyone is just a thing.

Fuck them.

I'm so tired of this bullshit.

"Now, what is this about your friends trying to persuade you to step away from your role this evening and weekend?" Father breaks through my thoughts.

And the shit just keeps piling up.

"I know I can't hang out," my voice remains even, "I've already told her that."

"Good," father hands me over my phone, though we both clutch it at the same time, his eyes holding mine, "don't forget the only reason we are visiting Prime Ward is visitation with the Ocklorns."

"I won't," I snatch my phone back and lean into the side of the car door again.

Calix?

Elafi can see I've read her messages, but my lack of response causes her to stop responding. Responding to her is bittersweet...

I'll text you after dinner tonight.

I turn off messages and slip my phone away, not wanting to be tortured either way. Staring out the window, everything passes by, relaxing and clearing my head from the fight with my parents. I know they only want what's best for me, but they don't see what I want...they won't ever stand eye to eye with me on any of these choices. Over time, I might wear them down, though until then, I just need to be more careful.

"Master and Mistress Ravenend," Mr. Axel stirs me from my thoughts as the care comes to a halt before the large Prime Ward Citadel. Mother and father glance outside, Mr. Axel turning the car off before he comes around and opens the door for us. I'm the first out, taking a few steps away while my parents instructor Mr. Axel on their wishes while they are gone over the weekend. The one running North Ward Bastion while my parents are away are those who work for them. I'm not even sure who the lucky one is for this weekend as if often rotates, after all, we really didn't have much to talk about after the fight.

"Come on, Calix," father and mother are walking away from the car, motioning for me to follow along after their talk with Mr. Axel. I catch up, walking with my hands in my pockets as I glance over my shoulder to see Mr. Axel gathering three bags out of the back of the car.

They weren't joking about staying for the weekend.

Fuc-

"Revered Ravenends," a voice breaks through and I see someone standing inside the doorway of the Citadel. He looks from all of us, nodding as he introduces himself, "My name is Master Jesri Wren," he takes a step back away from the door and welcomes us inward, "your bags?"

Father replies, "Mr. Axel will bring them in," Master Wren nodding as he motions to the grand staircase that leads to a second level. I'm in awe, looking around as hardly recognizing anything.

"I will show you to your rooms," Master Wren dutifully leads us up the staircase. He walks around and leads us down a hallway, motioning to two doors and opening each, "You will find everything you need while staying here," he then motions to the adjacent hallway, "the Nelgans are around the corner from you."

Mother smiles as she glances around the room and admires, "It's wonderful."

"I'm glad it pleases the Mistress," Master Wren beams and turns to father and me, "dinner will be ready promptly in forty-five minutes. It is ill-advised to keep the Ocklorns waiting."

"We wouldn't want to impose," father replies, seeing Master Wren off down the hallway. When he's done, he turns to me and says, "Change into the clothes provided."

As he says this, Mr. Axel rounds the hallway corner and sets out bags in our rooms. With a last, "Is there anything else you need, Sir?"

Father shakes his head and shakes Mr. Axel's hand, "We'll see you Sunday evening."

"Enjoy your stay," Mr. Axel parts, mother heading into the room she's sharing with father. They both leave my sight, turning on my heels and heading into the room I'm staying in.

Sure, it's fancier...even a different level then what I'm used to.

Changing out of my school clothes and putting on the outfit my parents have selected for this dinner party, I'm quick to change and clean up. I'd rather not have my parents all over my ass about something tiny here...just need to survive the weekend. Setting my phone on the charger, I leave the room behind me, heading out into the hallway.

My parents are waiting for me as always, standing at the end of the hallway, though they are not alone. The second father sees me, he waves me over and says, "I'd like you to meet someone you haven't see for a while, my Offspring, Mr. Calix Ravenend."

The man and woman smile, greeting me back while the man replies, "It's nice to see you again, Calix. I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Master Aleron Nelgan and my partner, Mistress Cynara Nelgan."

"Please to meet you...again?" My tone turns more into a question then what I want, but it's been so long, they can't honestly expect me to remember.

"Genesis!" Mistress Nelgan calls and my features light up the second I see him.

Genesis hasn't changed much...except for getting older, but I remember him.

"Offspring, I'd like you to meet-"

"Calix!" Genesis cuts Master Nelgan short, though quickly looks up at his parents and replies, "Oopsie...sorry, I'm just...excited."

Mistress Nelgan giggles and smiles, replying, "We couldn't tell." She looks between my parents and me before saying, "I'm sure you'll have free time to spend with each other this weekend, but we need to head down for dinner now."

We all walk as a group, Ravenends, and Nelgans, taking the staircase one step at a time. While our parents chat quietly behind us, Genesis whispers, "So, I'm not the only one who has to dress up like it's a funeral."

He tugs at the suit he's wearing, like the one I'm fashioned in. Rolling my eyes, I retort, "Tell me about it. This trip so far has been a nightmare..."

"We'll have some fun later," Genesis grins and asks me, "do you still play cards?"

"I enjoy it more than Arena," I release a sigh, the nostalgia washing over me. There's not a lot I remember, but I do recall vividly the games we used to play, including the Undine Kingdom.

Genesis gasps though draws quieter as we approach the bottom landing. He turns to me and states, "I brought my cards and I have a deck made if you don't have yours on you...do you want to play later?"

"If we survive dinner," I pause a moment, the doors opening to a grand dining hall, "...yeah...let's play."

We all walk in, my gaze landing on the three that stand midway through the hall. What I don't expect, is when my parents and the Nelgans...they bow?

Wait, what?

Even Genesis is bowing...

...ah, fuck.

I'm quick and lower my head, only to be welcomed by a voice that carries, "Welcome, Master Julius and Mistress Avalon Ravenend, Master Aleron and Mistress Cynara Nelgan...and to the Offspring; Mr. Calix Ravenend and Mr. Genesis Nelgan; thank you for joining us for this dinner party."

When I lift my gaze, it lands on the smaller figure standing in front of the two. She wears a dark summer dress and flats to match. Her eyes lock with mine, though she's quick to immediately glance away, redness filling her cheeks in the process.

The man introduces himself, "Master Pax Ocklorn."

The woman, "Mistress Ekaterina Ocklorn."

Silence hangs in the balance a moment later. I see Mistress Ocklorn touch the girl's shoulder and she's quick to stutter, "I-I, uh...M-s. Kat-Katrina Ocklorn."

"Thank you for your gracious invite," father begins, my parents and the Nelgans greeting the Ocklorns on a much more personal level after a few minutes. I watch as Katrina side steps away and walks toward a chair.

It's only a few moments of chatter before Mistress Ocklorn calls out, "Let's take our seats and enjoy the evening, shall we?"

**
Updates: Mortality Mondays

Parents...?

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