6So, so sorry for taking so long, but I've been a little distracted, mostly by other fandoms. RWBY, ASOIAF, LOTR/Hobbit(I'm still not over it.* Captain Kirk voice* JACKSOOOON!. But for real. He botched up a few things. Sindarin elves were not prejudiced against Sylvan elves, and Thranduil was such a complex character in the book, and he didn't want to wage war over gold wanted to talk first, and most importantly elves love their children dearly and don't get me even start on the farewell scene. It doesn't even...I mean...Aragorn would be what? 10 years old then? He was born in 2931 Battle of Five Armies happens in 2941 I doubt he would be running around a-rangering. And of course it broke my heart since I love family relations and all, and I just wished, so so much for father/son in-depth interaction. If he HAD to have Legolas there, if we had to have him broken by war so much, why not give us a little hug or something along those lines and Legolas referring to Thranduil as "Ada/Adar" and Thranduil calling him "Ion-nin". But nope Thranduil has to be cold because HUMANS IN MOVIES HAVE TO BE ONLY ONES EXPRESSING EMOTIONS. OTHER RACES ARE SO COLD. Though for elves from what I remember it is not canon) so since I have the forementioned feels and since I can't-yet- write a Hobbit fanfic, and since I wish to add something to Huntik fandom, then we have this. A little hurt/comfort, family story with Lucas and Damian.
Lucas clenched his fingers around the cloth that covered his lap, and fixed his eyes on the table, listening to the posh voice of his stepfather. As it happened Armand Casterwill has returned to the land of the living, some few weeks ago. It happened out of the blue. Just one day, a letter from him had arrived. At first they'd scarcely believed it, however it had turned out to be true. Everyone had a bit of mixed feelings about it. Sophie went from angry to ecstatic and anxious. Lucas' feelings had been different. He was scared. He didn't want it to happen. His stepfather of course was as sweet and pleasing as humanly possible. Just like Lucas had remembered him. An exemplary Casterwill. Sophie was besotted. Especially when Armand supplied a very neat and satisfactory explanation for his absence. How he'd been traumatized by the fire, and hadn't known if anyone had survived, how later he'd been too scared for his daughter's life and safety to come and see her, and then how he'd been embarrassed and scared of her reaction to his appearance, that she would not want to know him. And finally how he'd mustered up the courage because he could not bare to be separated from her anymore. A very beautiful and touching story. Everyone had been taken in by it. Sophie cried a literal river and the rest of the seeker world declared Armand Casterwill the most loving of fathers. Lucas wondered briefly if he had revealed his secret and gave same explanation, would the reception be the same, or would he be condemned as a coward and jerk who only hurts his, poor sister.
"Lucas?" he was woken up from those musings by Sophie's voice. He lifted his head, to find everyone staring at him. He caught his stepfather's eye and saw a mix of anger and disapproval in the man's gaze. Well, it seemed not much has changed in those years after all.
"Yes?" he asked, trying to keep his voice as neutral and polite as possible. The show had to go on.
"Your lady sister has asked you a question" supplied his stepfather "you really should pay attention to the conversation at dinner table. Has those ten years really rid you, of all your manners, my son?"
It took all of Lucas' strength and restrain not to stand up and tell the man, that he is not his son by any means.
"I am sorry" he said instead "but I just got lost in my own thoughts a little. It happens sometimes. I'm deeply sorry and I promise it won't happen again. So, what was your question about Sophie?" he asked his sister.
"I wanted to know, what you think of papa's proposition" she answered "about rebuilding one of our estates. So we have our family home back. A place were could live all together. Like in good old days"
Like in good old days. Lucas barely kept his tears at bay. Like in good old days, when mother used to cry her eyes out almost every day, and when they would pretend for the sake of Sophie, other family members and LeBlanche that they're a loving family. Like in the good old days, when under the pretence of fairytale, they lived a nightmare. He checked himself however, and put on his mask of calmness, before venturing to reply.
"I really don't know" he said "keeping another house would be pretty expensive. Are you sure we can afford it?"
"Yes" answered Sophie "our fortune is only meant for the two of us. Other Casterwill nobles have their own money. So it's more than enough for now, and in a few years I'm going to be a lawyer, remember? I'm going to bring even more money. And papa is going to have pension. So you don't have to worry about money. It's no object"
"If you say so" shrugged the caramel-haired man "if you want it so much, and are at the same time aware of consequences then I have nothing more to say. I just wonder, why did you want my opinion at all, if you've already made up your mind"
"Out of fairness. You are an elder, and this house is going to belong to all of us" she supplied
Lucas only nodded in response. What was he to say? He couldn't just reveal the truth, and shatter his sister's world. She was on cloud nine, about having her father back. Father she'd always wanted, father she'd envied Lok. And now she got him back. Lucas simply couldn't bring himself to destroy all this happiness. Besides what proof did he have? None. Scars and bruises could be easily explained by fire and his life afterwards. All of the witnesses had been dead for a long time. It was his word against his step father's. Only the latter, had an excellent opinion of wonderful father and honourable Casterwill. Lucas knew that he stands no change against that, and that if he tried to do anything, it would only be his own opinion that would suffer. He never had a good one, and his stepfather was doing everything to keep it that way. In that situation, the only thing left to do was just to shut up and deal with the progression of the events.
The rest of the evening was spent on talks and plans of the renovation and rebuilding of the estate and Armand was describing how everything had looked in the past. As for Lucas, the meal had never been such a torture. The time was passing very slowly, and was filled with old memories he would rather forget. It took all his willpower, not to excuse himself and runaway, when the supper was finally over. To keep up the appearance of calmness, he even waited a bit and got up as second or third. However he approached the door at much quicker pace, and after separating himself from the rest he quickly headed for his room.
"Lucas" he suddenly heard his stepfather call after him. At first he wanted to ignore it, and pretend he haven't heard it, but it was too late "Lucas Casterwill" repeated the man more sternly "come to me right now young man"
The caramel-haired man stopped and turned around.
"Yes?" he asked, trying his best to contain his rising irritation
"Come here" repeated the older man, with reproachful look in his eyes "we need to talk. Now"
Lucas said nothing, but obeyed the order. His stepfather had a rather booming and loud voice, and he did not want to cause a scene. He followed the man into one of the side rooms.
"Yes?" he asked, when the brunet closed the door "what do you want to speak with me about, my lord father?"
"Don't try to be impertinent, you bastard" snapped the older man "and look at me with more respect in your eyes. Or I'll have you banished. You'll be homeless, starving on the street and none of the family will be permitted to help you. It's no idle threat. I can make it happen so you better shut up and listen"
The caramel-haired elder said nothing, staring at the floor.
"I wished to speak to you about your behaviour toward others" started Armand "I couldn't do it earlier, as I was too busy with my return. There was no time to call you to the side and speak to you privately. But now that it's all calmed down, we have some time"
He paused, to look at his stepson and his emerald eyes, were filled with contempt.
"Lucas" he continued "I am very disappointed with you. Your behaviour is reprehensible. You're mistreating your sister. She's your queen, your leader, your lady, and you treat her like a younger sister. Sure she is your sister, and you ought to have brotherly feelings towards her, but she's also your better. She stands much higher than you. And you owe her everything. Including your life remember, if it wasn't for her you wouldn't be born at all. You keep forgetting that however. And I'm not talking about today. Today you were behaving like you were raised by wolves, not listening to the conversation at the dinner table. It's really an appalling behaviour for an elder, but I'll let it slide. It's not important. What I really mind the most, is your attitude towards your sister in the past, when you'd first met. During the Spiral War"
"I've apologized" reminded him Lucas "every time it was due"
"Which doesn't cancel your previous behaviour nor makes it any better" interrupted his stepfather "it's not how we raised you. You weren't born, to play smarter than Sophie. And no, I do not care about whatever has happened to you" he added quickly "it's nothing. Sophie gained more experience in one year, than you ever had. She brought down the Organization. It's much greater experience than any of your little battles, with Blood Spirals. They've come to nothing in the end. The enemy only grew stronger, while Sophie managed to weaken her considerably. And in before you say anything about your famed loneliness. Sophie was lonely just like you, and even more so. She had no family. And she was exposed to danger all the time as well. Only she was out in the open, while you hid in the library. She was capable of saving the Lambert boy, and his precious journal single-handedly despite never being on a mission. Then, without being initiated and with limited knowledge she'd completed the mission and proved herself useful to Huntik Foundation. Her sixth sense and excellent judgement allowed her to sniff out a traitor, and her tender heart to forgive. She was even capable to cast away any sentiment and love she had for Dante Vale, and openly attack him, when he swayed to the dark side. She didn't need to give him a benefit of doubt. She needed but one glance at him, to understand the weakness of his heart. And she acted imminently. Like a true Casterwill"
He made few paces through the room.
"And then she went through the worst tragedy known to seekers. She lost her bonded titaness" he looked at his stepson again "can you say, you've been there? Can you say you know how it is?"
"No" answered the young man "I have never lost a titan"
"Exactly, and she had endured that. She had suffered a loss of self esteem. She'd lost herself. She went through greatest trauma possible, and still she kept on living. She kept on fighting, even though she though she was worthless. And then she got Sabriel back. Powerbonded none the less. And just as she regained her confidence, just as she got her family back and a chance to get to know the secrets you had to step in. She just got back from darkest of places, and you tried to deny her everything, that was due to her. Her bright right. To be honest, she has more right to those secrets that you would ever have"
Lucas clenched his fists. It hurt. He knew he wasn't a pure blooded Casterwill, but he also knew it was all his stepfather's idea. It upset him, that the man would bring that against him. As if he had any choice in his genes and birth.
"And as the time went, you only made it worse for her" went on he older man "you made her feel unwanted and unaccepted by her own family. You opposed her every step of the way, even when she passed the test. And you of all people knew she was destined to be the queen. After all, this was the reason you were born. That's what you've been raised for. Then again, it's not exactly surprising" he sighed "after all, what else can one expect from a damphir that can do nothing in face of crisis? What else can one expect from a useless piece of trash, responsible for so many deaths?"
The caramel-haired young man, listened to this monologue, feeling worse and worse with every word, that was spoken. Thousands of images were flashing before his eyes, his mother's face and her gentleness, Sophie, flames, smoke and heat, dead bodies, his mother's body and Sophie falling into the pit of fire below her feet. All those horrid pictures that haunted his dreams, causing him to scream into his pillow in the middle of the night, not knowing afterwards which one of them were true memories and which just children of his mind. Once again he felt the wave of guilt, that had troubled him for years, wash over him.
"Stop" he said "it wasn't my fault"
"You were supposed to be a protector, a keeper of your family" continued his stepfather "but you left them all to die. Including your mother. Sophie survived just because Santiago's resolve and bravery. And he is just a mortal. And he was a child, not much older than you. If it wasn't for him your sister would be dead too. A child would be dead because of you"
"Stop, please" whispered Lucas in weak, cracking voice. The memories were swirling around him in almost sickening speed.
"And despite all of that you still continued to undermine your sister's confidence. You've betrayed her" Armand's voice was getting angrier with every word "despite not being the one who'd saved her. Despite the fact it was all your fault. Because it was your incompetence, that caused Sophie to lose her family home, her mother and a chance for happy childhood. You had no right to open your mouth. And don't event try to start that nonsense about wanting to protect her. Because you're not fit for it. You're not fit to be an elder either. You should've died in that fire to be honest. It would've been better for everyone, especially your sister. At least she wouldn't have to suffer so much"
Lucas froze at those words. The emotions in his heart, were swirling like a storm. He barely registered his stepfather leaving the room. Only when the hollow thump of the shutting door, echoed against the walls he slumped down to the floor.
I promise fluff will come in second part. I needed a built up for it. I really need family fluff bits right now.
For of inspirations
-I'll keep you like an Oath(Sarahgotbored)
-Captain's Duty(littespider)
-Father and Son(AnyS)
-Slow Poison(HaloFin17)
-Thankful(Milady Oakenshiled)
-Simple Acts(HaloFin17)
-Return of the Raven(-II-)
all of which are in my Favourite stories list for you to check out, read and fell in love with as much as I did.