9. Trouble comes knocking III (Patreon)

It was agreed that we had to make sure that the hostile force that was after the land must not be alerted, so everything had to go with it's usual flow. His grandfather and he went to the workshop where they met Neiran and spent the hours they had working almost until lunch. His grandfather preferred working in silence and to be honest so did he, he had a mind designed in a single thing at a time kind of way and preferred it that way.

Some time after noon his grandmother brought lunch for all three of them, so they made a break, protected from the harsh sun in a shade. His grandmother made a broth to fill their bellies, something she made often these days much to his visible dissatisfaction, yet he understood the reason. His mother was in her last month of pregnancy and had trouble with some foods, but for some reason anything made in the way of broths created no troubles.

It was a different lunch experience than usually when his grandmother came over. This day they all brooded in silence which even Neiran found strange. When they all finished their meals, he packed the dirty dishes and he and his grandmother went towards her garden. When they had work to tend to in the garden they did it first thing in the mornings and today they only went to get some herbs for cooking and making tea.

There were some potent ones in the garden his grandmother curated and most of them thrived, because she knew what they needed, when they needed it and how to properly provide it. He had to prove to her that he knew all she taught him about a plant , before they moved on to a next one. Right now they were looking for three in particular. One especially powerful with it's calming effect called Tail of the Fox, then Sun Nose and finally Nouru.

He presumed the first one was to brew a pot to calm the agitated nerves, but these two others confused him.
"Grandmother why are you picking those? You told me those are poisonous and not to risk touching them." he inquired
"Oh, well I will be making a small brew with them, nothing for you to worry about. Go pick two larger leaves from Zepuh berry bush and bring those here."

***

House on the hill
Late night

"It seems he won't be coming this day." his grandfather intoned in his gravely voice. "Maybe he gave up on it."

"Maybe, but I think that our luck doesn't run that strong. More probable is that he waited hoping that today you do what he thought you would. I would venture to guess he will not be joining our table for at least two more days, then he will adjust his strategy. " grandmother mused." I think he hoped you send us all away, then he would either make you a prisoner for a time or outright kill you. In either case we would go far away to protect Tercius and the babies and with both of you out of the picture, this man could swoop in and take it."

"And he would get away with it?" his mother pale beyond usual sat on the stairs, pillows all around her providing her limited comfort. "I am afraid so Petra. If no one knew what was going on in time, even if years down the line someone found out it would be too late, the man could simply say he had no part in it, he did his job and got a reward for it. Now no more loitering, all to bed. Cirin you go take a bath, I can smell you from across the room, then you can come to bed. "

Like a small army all followed instructions from general grandmother, shuffling to their rooms, or in the case of his grandfather outside. He was probably right, this was probably observing them and waiting for them to react the way he predicted. He was not going to go for another move, until he was sure this one won't work. So better to come up with other ways he could influence them. He did fear one. What if that idiot, when backed in a corner, lashes out with violence? What if he kills them outright and damn the consequences? What if he took his mother and unborn baby captive and made them leave?

He only knew one person with answers for these questions and she gave him an order to go to sleep, so if he wanted to have any hope of getting the answers, then he better obey.

***

Two days passed. They lasted much longer than they had any right to, every moment expecting a knife in the back yet still having to pretend like everything is fine, acting your usual selves like someone observed you, because someone probably did. It was nerve wrecking for both of his parents and he tried to offer them comfort, yet he caught them giving him concerned glances, probably making plans of how to send him away should things go south. His grandparents on the other hand had things well in hand. Oh they were worried, but from his grandmother he extracted that this was not their first shake-down.

Apparently whenever someone got a larger amount of success things like these tended to happen and they had been in a similar situation before. That time they had to leave their previous home and wonder the world until they settled here almost a decade later.
"It is the way of the world.", his grandmother told him. "The big fish feeds on the small ones, only I didn't think we made it so far again..." his grandmother turned with wet eyes towards her mate and embraced him. He did the only thing he could have done. He gave her a hug of comfort.

"What matters is that we are alive Rona. Money comes and goes. I much prefer the old word for it. Currency. You see? While it goes away it will still come back, we only have to be here." his grandfather comforted her. For him this was all a big jumble of shit. He felt such anger towards these people who hurt his grandparents, and for what? For being successful? What kind of bullshit was that?

And now this. The same situation happening to his parents. And grandparents for that matter. And him. So yes, he wanted to tear something up, to scream at the fucker who wanted to take what he could not make. Yet the talk he had with his grandmother cooled his head, restraining his actions.
"Grandma don't worry we will think of something! " he said to her with a conviction so great it almost eclipsed this injustice. And he meant it. There must be something that could be done so that they come out of all of this alive and well and not having to put these dear elders once more through the same thing. He could see that the scars of the previous incident have yet to heal after all these years so how could he allow another set to be placed over those? How could he allow one to be placed on this sweet couple that had a baby on the way.

Yet who am I to allow anything? A child who had memories of another life. A life in which he gave up on anything when it got difficult and moped after it. Why should things be different this time?
Because he wanted to. Because he needed to. Because to go the same way he did before could mean life and death for these people who called him son and grandson.

In his past life he'd put on a smile even on his worst day and convince anyone trying to help that everything was good, their help while appreciated was not needed, and eventually even those people slowly pulled out. Worst of all is that he probably convinced even himself.
In the midst of these thoughts he didn't notice everyone coming over, so the hug he received was a complete surprise. Yet in his mind it cemented something. Because he wanted. Because he needed.

That was why this time thing could go another way. Because this time instead of empty words of a still heart and indecision something else flowed in his blood. And for the time being it gave him something he never had before. A purpose, a sword so sharp it cut bone and flesh, yet he would willingly use it even should it be used to cut him.
Is this how zealots feel? No wonder that they are capable of doing things of such kind.

When he saw what people like Darina could do, he wanted to be a healer, when he saw the work of his grandfather he wanted to build just like him, and now when violence came knocking on the front door he wanted nothing more than to punch it in the face.
But he could not be all of these things. Before long he would have a few more "want-to-be-s". He could be two, if lucky three of these things. Yet he could not imagine any combination that did not allow him to hit back, to not be able to defend what was his. There was only one way. He would have to go grab power and harness it. Then he alone could decide on his fate.
"How do I get powerful?" it slipped from his mouth in a soft whisper. No one knew what to tell to that.
" Why do you want to be powerful? " his father voiced the question of the crowd.
" So things like these would not happen again. To you. To us. To anyone. " he said it and meant it.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

...

Went three of those on the front door. They all stilled relaying on the solid body of the hug to allow them to stay on their feet, no one made a move save that initial drop when the knees gave way to fear. Not a breath to be heard when next three came.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

...

Father came to himself first and helped mother towards the benches while he yelled: "Coming! Just a minute!"
His grandparents looked ready to send him to bed, yet he looked at them and they must have seen the answer he intended to convey.
"I will go get the door. " he told them on his way through the hallway. The door opened inward slowly revealing a man with short black hair, skin much darker than he ever saw, waiting with a thin smile on his face and thumbs tucked into a belt, fingers of his left hand caressing what were, with no doubt in his mind, a sword and a dagger. His eyes observing the little child that opened the door as a predator would a small prey, yet Tercius stared back, something in him unwilling to yield, despite the fear that made his knees liquid.

"Good evening! Is there a Master in this house? " he heard the capital letter quite clearly. 

"There is. But first who are you? " he was annoyed with the man and his behavior.

 
"None of your business child. Show me to your father. " so this man knew who he was, yet he was at a disadvantage. This had to be remedied.
"You will stay there until I hear a name or my father comes here to tell me otherwise... " he said everything in the same monotone voice. The mans figer tightened around the hilt of the longer weapon, his nose expanding and contracting. 

"... Rala, officer in the Fourth Army!" he practically yelled the last few words through clenched teeth. Yet the fact that he was restraining himself seemed promising.
There must be a reason for that. There was a burden on his stomach that was just made lighter. It meant he had some rules he was under. Maybe this could be worked around.
"Father! There is a man at the door! His name is Rala and he says he is with the Army." He turned his head into the house and delivered the message with a yell.

"Where are you manners son, invite the man in!" his father came to him in his guise of a perfect host. It was a face he used when with customers who had deep pockets and a need for something he had. The amount of teeth was frightening.
"Please, forgive this son of mine, he is still young and had no training on manners. Would you come in? " Slick like an eel. You'd think the man was welcoming an honored uncle and not a thief.
Rala nodded curtly and came in, going straight through the hall towards the main room, Tercius closing the door then following behind them. His father may have sent him a look that promised retribution for this small rebellion on his part. What's the big deal? He just opened a door.

In the corner his mother sat on the benches, her stomach consuming the space she held before, his grandparents sat next to her, one on each side. His grandmother patted a place on her left when he caught her eye, as if to say : You sit here.
So he did. He had a role to play and play it he shall. He made himself comfortable and turned his gaze on the two men sitting in the middle of the room on their pillows, across each other. Each was observing the other, yet here we had the clear advantage. He did not count on four additional pairs of eyes in the room. Five brains were better than one. Well maybe in the case of Nicola Tesla the reverse applied.

Rala clearly expected to talk in private, yet he got us, and now he hesitated to start, glancing our way as if to signal to father to get us out. Tough luck there mister thief, we are here to stay.
When he figured out he was either ignored or not understood Rala gave up on it and finally started.

"I approach you today with an offer. A certain person, who prefers to remain unmentioned, has expressed interest in this parcel of land. I was given a very generous amount of money to acquire it, and most of it is to be turned over to you. I will be frank with you, this is not the usual way I do things, but for some reason I was asked to avoid a violent solution." he said in a voice that brought no doubt of the way he preferred to do things.
"I see. And how much is that amount?" his father was much more calm than he would be in his situation, probably following the guidelines they set up.
"A round figure of 3000 tretas, I think that is about double of the price you have paid for it so I trust you will know to do the right thing here. "
Tercius could see on the face of his father a look of surprise and when he turned towards the rest of the household he saw the same thing. They were probably expecting a big fat zero. Maybe this changed things. Treta was worth a lot.
" I will have to think on it. As you can see, my wife is pregnant and the birth is to be within a month. She is no state to travel."
"Such is fine, you can stay in this house for up to a half a year, but no more! Provided you sell, there will be no rent to pay, this I can agree on. I am glad you see reason Septimus."
"Yes, well not like I have much of a choice. And the money is more that I hoped." his father said.

"I was as surprised as you are now. It is not often I am called to make deals of this kind. You must have someone looking over your shoulder way up high." Rala said, probably fishing for that exact information.
"I suppose I must have. " his father replied yet his eyes unfocused from the army officer and fell on the table between them. He felt a shudder go through his grandmother, but she composed herself instantly. If she wasn't holding his hand, she would have successfully kept it a secret. Now he knew there was more to this story.
"Can I offer you food and drink? " his father asked the army officer. "It is a long way back to town."
"Oh don't worry about that, I and a few friends of mine are making camp on the other side of the river. Although I would appreciate some food, the army rations we brought are hard to stomach on the best of days, and I don't miss any opportunity for a real meal. "
Tercius took this as his signal to go get some dried meat and fresh bread, a couple of fruits and vegetables and a jar of fruit juice.
This is probably enough.

He brought it over to the table placing it around the man, while keeping his gaze away. He had no idea if his frustration could be seen. Sure this man was just a middleman and was only carrying out orders he received, yet because he didn't know the shadowy figure pulling strings in the background it was so easy to use this Rala as a focus for all of the weight that accumulated over the past few days.

"So you do know how to behave. " Rala said with a smirk looking at him. He kept mum not wanting to give the man the satisfaction of getting a rise out of him, so he did his job in silence and slowly returned and sat next go his grandmother. The two men shared the meal, his father eating just a few bites of everything, a custom in these parts, to show that all the food was safe.
When he finished his meal, Rala stood up and nodded to his father.

 
"Thank you for your hospitality and once again I am glad we could come to an understanding. I will bring the required papers in a few days to finish this." and then he went on his way into the night, leaving us to ponder about the past hour.