Errel tightened his cloak around his shoulders, shivering involuntarily against the strong gust of wind blowing from the north. "It is cold today, don't you think, Ryke?" he murmured.

Ryke flushed an incredible red despite the cold. He had not realized the former Prince of Tornor had learned of his presence behind him. "Y-yes," he muttered, shifting his feet.

The younger man turned to him, smiling slightly. "Is there anything you want to say to me?"

The commander shook his head. "N-no," he stammered again, stamping his feet on the cold concrete of the watchtower floor. "I was...I was just thinking of..."

Errel waited patiently for his answer.

"I'm going back to the village for a visit," Ryke said finally, looking away to the window.

The blond boy looked puzzled yet he smiled. "Sterret's here," he said softly.

Ryke nodded, his black hair falling over his eyes for a moment at the action. He hesitated before pushing it away. He did not meet the other's eyes. "I'm to visit my mother."

"Oh. I never realized..." He stopped. Ryke knew what he was about to say. He had never thought that Ryke had a family of his own, still alive after the Col Istor invasion. Ryke couldn't blame him. He had been too willing to be a Keep commander rather than visit his birthing place. Errel simply did not know how they had managed before.

He nodded and turned around when he heard Errel say in a soft voice that could be a plea, "Let me go with you."

Ryke flinched and whirled around. The former prince was staring at him with a strange expression.

"I--" he started. He couldn't have heard that. The wind was too strong and Errel had no interest in the people that was no longer his...

"Let me go with you," he repeated.

The commander stopped; then relented, giving him a nod. He couldn't trust himself to speak. He couldn't understand it.

They saddled their horses from the stables, giving a wave at Gam who was mending the horses, having purchased some new stallions to be broken for Van and his companions' return to Vanima. Errel was to go with them. Errel will nevermore return to Tornor Keep.

They rode in silence. Although it was the dawn of spring, the winds from the north still brought back days of hard winter. Their horses snorted at the soft white petals that brushed against their noses. Powdery flowers drifting with the wind, taking with them the precious time...

They arrived at the village after a short ride. As usual, the people were bustling, going on with their work. However, some stopped and stared curiously at them, watching them as the horses cantered through the dusty streets. The crowds made way. Apparently, they still believed Errel to be prince and were curious enough to wonder why it was Ryke leading.

They stopped in front of an old stone house. Outside, the roosters were crowing, alternately pecking on the ground. Around them, the children, oblivious to the two men, drew nearer, trying to hide within their cloaks. Ryke noticed that his companion looked at them a little wistfully and wondered why.

He made a show of fumbling and tying up their saddles safely to an iron set to a stone. And when he was finished, he could do nothing but stare helplessly at the house standing before him.

A soft and warm hand touched his. "Ryke?"

He looked up; it was Errel, smiling at him softly. "Are you alright?"

He nodded, a lump in his throat. "Please, let me go first."

"Alright." It was a day full of changes. For once, Ryke was doing everything first.

The older man pushed the fence open. It gave a loud creak that sent the door flying open. Out flew some chickens before a young face poked out of the door. She gave a shriek. "Mama! Mama! Ryke's come back!"

The door slammed shut again. Ryke turned to see that Errel wore a stunned expression. He only smiled to himself as the door opened again, slowly this time. And it was his mother's face he saw, his old mother's figure. Her long gray hair was braided behind her back, and her brown hood fell away at the wind's blow.

She did not say anything and did not bow as they neared the threshold. Instead, she silently held the door wider and they stepped inside. Then, she closed the door and Ryke bent to touch his lips to her cheek.

"Art thou well?" she asked hoarsely.

"Yes, and thou?" This was their age-old tradition of opening.

She only nodded and called for the girl that had greeted them at the doorway. She had turned completely quiet, staring up at them with mesmerized eyes.

Errel turned to her and smiled. She smiled back hesitantly.

The old woman gestured for them to sit and they did before the table. There, she brought them barley bread and hot porridge from the small caldron that was burning by the fireplace. Ryke took off his cloak and quickly put it away to take Errel's from his hands.

"Mother, this is Errel." Ryke felt a little foolish for not introducing them earlier. "Errel, this is my mother." Funny, he didn't call him "prince" anymore.

Ryke's mother only nodded, never turning to them from her stirring of food. She poured one into a bowl and gave it to the youngest child before finally saying, "Kepi is also arriving this evening."

Ryke looked surprised. "Has there...been a problem with the healer's?" He ruffled his little sister's hair as she passed, quickly gulping the food from the bowl and running out of the door.

"No," his mother replied, finally turning to him. "No, in fact, she's been doing better than expected. That is why they are giving her an off-day."

"This means she will be getting more training?"

"Yes."

Errel kept quiet during the exchange, only eating his porridge. But his eyes flicked from Ryke's to the old woman, like a ball bouncing from two walls. Despite Ryke's high position in the Keep, his voice betrayed that sound of respect for this frail woman who birthed him. And the woman, although appearing old and weak, had that hard and determined look in her eyes that made Errel wonder if she had had training with weaponry.

"I am glad you have returned, my son." The woman's wordings were chosen carefully, as if she did not wish to betray her emotions. What are her feelings? Errel found himself wondering. Is this where Ryke got his controlled silence? His mother?

Ryke stood up and went to her as if he had already forgotten Errel's presence. "Mother..."

She turned to him, staring up to him. His shoulders were broad; his face now smoothened from the day's shave. He had not grown another beard. He was taller than her, yet the way he bowed indicated his regrets.

"Mother...I am leaving."

She waited patiently.

"I am going with Prince Ler to Cloud Keep." He, too, chose his words carefully. What was he afraid of? "Lady Sorren has chosen me to accompany his studies and training. I will work and live there."

Her expression hardened; Errel had not thought this possible. Her face was blank enough. "You will not return?"

"I will visit you."

She turned away. "I gave birth to twelve children."

Ryke knelt before her. "And eight died," he whispered.

She glanced at him sharply. "Seven," she corrected.

"Mother..." The commander fell silent, helpless, before continuing: "Mother, at the battle against Col Istor...Becke died, Mother."

Behind him, Errel was stunned. Ryke had a sister who died in the revolution? Why had he chosen not to tell him this? Why had he kept this from him?

Ryke's mother appeared shocked, then her face contoured into grief. "Oh, my child!" she gasped.

Ryke said nothing, only kneeling and bowing. His mother folded into a heap beside him, sobbing quietly into her hood, her arms wrapping lovingly around her son's shoulder. She pressed her face into his hair and he wound his arms around her waist.

It was a perfect painting of grief: a mother and her son, arms around each other, heads bowed and tears on their faces. There were no words; there was no movement of rocking, of comfort. They were like a statue, embedded into that position forever.

Errel stood and hid into the shadows. I should not have intruded, he thought guiltily.

Finally, the woman lifted her head and saw him. Ryke, too, shifted, as if he suddenly remembered his presence. His eyes softened and turned into something...Errel's breath caught in his throat. He didn't know what he saw in Ryke's eyes. They seemed familiar, but overwhelmingly new.

Ryke's mother lifted her hand and beckoned. He walked towards them and knelt, lifting his scarf to wipe her face. She smiled and said, "Thank you, Errel."

The former prince replied, "You're welcome." He did not know why she was thankful.

She looked at them both, finally composed. "You both shall leave Tornor, will you?" There was no answer, and she continued, "Both of your deeds are done. Ryke, your duty as a commander is finished here and will continue in Cloud Keep. And you, young Errel, where shall you go?"

Errel only shook his head and smiled. "Home."

"Cloud Keep?"

He shook his head again.

Her expression was momentarily confused, but she regained her composure once more. "Yes, I understand."

Errel stood and said, "I believe you would want some time alone with each other for a while." He smiled slowly. "Ryke..."

"Yes," replied Ryke.

The former prince took his cloak and stepped outside, quickly closing the door against the blast of wind. Ryke's youngest sister was there, quietly feeding the chickens.

The two stood and faced each other awkwardly. Neither was used to intimate moments between their family members as this. "Errel...he is...?" His mother sounded hesitant.

Ryke was wary. "He is the one I used to protect."

"Do you still wish to protect him, my son?"

He looked up, avoiding his mother's eyes. "He will not let me, and I will not make him."

"Do you...love him, my son?"

Ryke appeared startled and he looked down, seeing the genuine concern in his mother's eyes. "Mother! I--" He fell silent. "I do."

His mother bowed her head. There was silence. Then, she half-said, half-whispered: "God keep you in His arms, my son!"

It was a sign of letting go, and he accepted. He bent down once more, kissed her cheek, and squeezed her old, frail hands for a moment. "Tell them," he murmured, "to keep."

She nodded, suddenly silent. Ryke took his cloak and wrapped it around his shoulders. He, then, went out of the door and saw Errel sitting side-by-side with his younger sister. They both turned to him. His sister gave her brilliant smile. "Ryke!" she cried, scrambling up and running towards him.

He caught her and held her. She was eight, turning nine. Her name was Neela. "I'm leaving, Neela," he told her softly.

The girl embraced him. "Goodbye," she told him. "Goodbye." He put her down and she looked up to them. Errel patted her head. She giggled. "Goodbye," she said again.

They untied their horses and mounted. The door opened and his mother walked outside dutifully. She had no expression on her face. Ryke lifted a hand to her, a wave.

"Goodbye," Neela cried again, to be heard from the wind. "Goodbye, Errel! Our Prince of Tornor!"

Ryke turned to see Errel quickly smoldering his look of surprise. He smiled. He spurned his horse. It raised its two rear legs to the air. "Hayah!" he cried. Beside him, Errel did the same. They quickly turned and rode fast on the way to the Keep.

The next day would be different. Errel will make the necessary preparations to go home. Vanima. And Ryke will make the necessary preparations to go to Cloud Keep with Ler. Tomorrow, everything will change.

Errel found himself glancing at Ryke as they slowed to a canter. "Ryke," he said.

Ryke turned to him.

"You never said you had a sister."

The ex-commander was silent before saying, "She died in the Keep. It was normal. It was routine. She was buried with the other corpses."

"You sound as if you don't miss her."

"She and I fought. But she's my sister. We had the same mother and father." Ryke looked at him, shrugging. "She was Col Istor's woman."

Errel made no sound.

The ride was spent in silence. They were nearing the Keep. Finally, the former prince dared to say something: "Your mother cares for you very much."

"I am her son."

"My mother never cared for me."

It was the most personal thing the prince had ever stated to him. Ryke's glance quickly shifted to him, but he found the younger man staring ahead, expression grim. He kept silent, ready to listen.

"She was a Keep woman, too." Errel patted his horse on the head as it slowed down a bit to avoid a rock. "Father never loved her. And neither did she love him. I was an heir. I was only a prince."

"A prince's job is not only," reminded Ryke.

Errel countered, "But it is tiring."

"But you are not prince now." Ryke's voice was very soft, barely audible in the gust of wind.

"No." The other fell silent. "No, I am not." And there was a wave of sadness and relief, both at the same time, on his face, his eyes.

And Ryke looked away, keeping the hurt and pain disguised as he once again acknowledged their differences.

"We're here," Errel said suddenly.

Tornor Keep loomed before them, big and glaring. Home, was the first thought that entered Ryke's thoughts, but he quickly shook his head. This was not his home anymore. Not Errel's. This Keep and the villages surrounding it is Sorren's. Ryke and Errel would not anymore see each other within these walls.

Sighing, Ryke reared his horse inside the drawbridge.

"I wish..."

He stopped and realized that Errel had not gone ahead, had continued to sit a few meters behind him. His horse snorted and shook its head. The commander waited. "Yes?"

"I wish...you told me about your sister," Errel said quietly.

Ryke bit his lips and quickly looked away. "It wouldn't have changed anything," he muttered. Without waiting for his prince, he spurred the horse and they galloped towards the stables, leaving Errel staring at the retreating figure with a confused and sad expression.