Ivor sits on the couch, silently sipping coffee. He wasn't a tea person like Parz. But he HAD gotten used to the silence, and also had stopped filling the room with the slurping sounds, for the sake of Parz and me.
The doorbell rings, on this silent day; making both the men jump, and me sigh at that.
"I'll get that, relax," I say, getting up.
"We won't leave you behind, when escaping," Ivor says.
"Quite comforting, thank you."
They HAD kidnapped the General and investigating him in secrecy, all this time. But Dear General Tsach WAS the secretive type, on not giving information out and also being gone without notice – a couple times. But they were out to search for him, without making much panic.
As I open the door, my heart skips a beat, as it fills with joy, and my eyes full with tears. I hug the taller person, my dear brother, Tar. And he hugs me back.
"Tarragon! I missed you so much."
"Hey Min. Glad that you remember me, or it'd be awkward."
"The loss of moustache made me have doubts," I say, holding his shoulders in my hands while pulling away from the hug. "But I did send them to you, didn't I, you little myth buster?"
"Hey Mom," Max shrugs.
"Hi, Mrs. Blesthe," Sam says, waving while putting on a smile.
"Hey, you two," I say and pull them both towards me. They were bigger, even when it had just been what… eight months? But gladly both of them could fit in my arms still.
I kiss both their heads, and let them go. Max still was on his blank expression. Tar finds me finding his expression weird.
"Yeah… we have something important to inform to you," Tar says.
"Which even requires the dads' presence. So… is my dad with you guys? Back at our house… it was so empty. So we thought you may know," Sam says.
"Inside," I say, and pull them in.
Ivor hugs Sam, right after he sees her, and sits with her on the couch. Parz also gives somewhat of an awkward hug kind of a thing to Max, gladly it looks better than the affectionate ones he gives me… then again.
Max sits on one chair, and Tar on another. Parz sits with Ivor. And I sit on the arm of the chair which Tar sits on.
Important… what could be so important? Everything should be alright after Esterine and Alta.
"Good to see you three today," Ivor breaks the silence. "It was getting quite… without you guys."
"Did you just include me? That is nice of you, thank you," Tar says, making me a little sad.
"We needed to inform… something. Very important," Sam says.
"What would that be?" Parz asks, breaking to the point… already!
Sam looks at Max, but he stays quite. "We are getting married."
Oh… oh my. Wait a minute, if they had come for this then… I look towards Sam's belly, and am unsure. But I still squinting-my-eyes stare, as a silent moment passes.
"Isn't Tarragon too old for you, Sam?" Parz asks.
"Really, dad…?" Max sighs.
Yeah Max, I'm done too. But what can I even do about this man?
"Don't worry, that's just his coping mechanism," Tar says.
"And I can't figure out my words," Ivor says.
"Oh come on, Ivor, you knew this day would come," I bravely say.
"Wait, what?" Parz looks at me, questioning with each inch of him.
"We thought you could get all… protective father, and a villain… you know?" I casually say… ridiculously.
"You are kidding. Tell me you are kidding, Min."
"What exactly is the situation here? And is this like a… no, Parz?" Tar asks.
"Of course not. Sudden but… yeah, it's okay. But what in the hell?" Parz asks.
"I guess we overacted on THAT part," Ivor clicks his lips.
"Like hell, I would have understood. Even me and Minerva loved each other, and then got married, come on!"
"Ah… right. That… I never forgot that, but just… yeah, never brought them up together, I suppose," I smack my lips together, casually. Perhaps, again, ridiculously.
"I wasn't a part of this, before I get blamed," Tar says.
"Let's even forget that for now. Yeah? Maybe later. Now… when are you planning on the wedding?"
"Tenth of May… and I think that you need to know of how long-" Max says.
"-No. That'd probably just make it more ridiculous," Parz says, but in a funny-annoyed way. "Fine, but, since when?"
"Two years… now."
"That is… actually nice."
"Question: when is the tenth of May?" Ivor asks.
Parz sighs. "We are having days with no track of time, in all honesty."
"It's the sixth of April guys," I glare at the two. "Bit of an overreaction to all the continuous and safe work with Alta. Pressuring but… be real."
"In all honesty, Min. We both know of the clear things which we face, alright? It is a pain, all of it."
"No joke Minerva, he is a literal pain to us."
"Don't you mean 'she'? Even when she said she is not straight, 'he' would be an insult," Tar says.
"Not being sexist or something. I meant her brother."
"You caught an Alta?"
"Not an, we caught THE Alta. Esterine is just Esterine. She was just covering for her brother's name; when she said her name's Esterine Alta. Turns out Alta was actually our great General Tharizdun Tsach," Parz says.
"Your the-hardest-name-ever friend?" Max asks.
"And dad's best friend?" Sam adds.
"The first one yes, but for the second part you might want to re-check your facts, dear."
"Are you guys, hungry? I could make you something."
"Not really. Just hungry for some information on our terrorist friends," Tar says.
"It all is just… very unbelievable," Parz sighs.
And that's it. Silence. Silence always found its way in. It was quite frustrating, even after all this time. Quite ridiculous.
"Crickets guys, man up and speak up," Ivor sighs.
"Am I not allowed to talk then?" I ask.
"That is not what he meant of course," Parz sighs, face-palming himself.
"Okay, rather than the lame puns, I want to know how you found out that your senior is actually a terrorist or whatever."
"Well, Tsach visited quite a few times. Visited Esterine, I mean. I didn't think they were related in that way, but just had a hunch."
"But obviously, he was careful on the meetings. Very thorough, made sure no one was there. But… that only lead to Parzival's doubts on him. And after hearing them out, Parzival smartly made sure Alta didn't know that Parz knew, but just gave him the terrible thought, the fear of being found out. Yet, smartly handled with inviting Alta for dinner."
"How is that smart?"
"They tried to make him open up, and then he caught them off-guard and attacked them but me. He thought I wasn't a threat and spared me, I punched him unconscious. Took a couple hits though, pretty huge of a man."
"Glad the training is still with you," Tar says and looks at Ivor, from the corner of his eye. "Training I gave you as self-defense, just what it was meant for."
Well, such combat training could not defeat a dragon. Only make the possibility of escape better.
"What did you do with Alta after that?" Max asks.
"We have kept him in my house, since it's basically empty now."
"You know we can't be back there…"
"Don't worry, I was not complaining."
"By the way, what about Rustizen…?" I ask. He should have come too.
"He's doing great," Sam says.
"She meant about getting a girl," Parz reveals.
"Yeah, even I understood that," Ivor shrugs.
"Well… that is kind of complicated, we'll know when we know."
"Oh yes, what about those two Crystallized dragons?"
"Crystallized? That's new," I mumble.
"Well, Line and Tony now have an egg to take care of, and in the following week after that, they got wed. Now in the happily ever after," Max says.
"An egg, so you are actually reptiles?" Parz asks.
"Half reptile and half Primevel or human, it's even more complicated now," Sam says.
"Yeah, alien dragons part was heard from Ivor," Parz says.
"The what now?"
"Later."
"Normal wedding at least, no fireworks or something," Tar mumbles.
"Then… did you guys get anything about Saturn?" Max asks.
"In the starting days we tried to ask him rather politely, but he did not compel to us."
"And Ivor almost broke Alta's leg, with an iron hammer. When we decided to start the prying information scenario."
"I was trained for that, it would totally have worked. Though my trainer was violent, his ways always worked."
"Mr. Fredrick Myln, yeah, surely violent. He was the most calm trainer, and thought most-least non-violent methods of making criminals talk, you just didn't listen carefully enough."
"You must not look into everyone's history so much, you know. Your knowledge is scary."
"Can't help it. Besides, if I weren't thorough, I would never have doubted Esterine and stopped most of her… plans. So you're welcome!"
"Still you never doubted Tsach."
"He was patient, unlike Esterine. He covered his tracks."
"Then you must actually-"
"-ignore their completing each other's sentences, and the blabbering."
"Defined as talking actually," they say in the exact tone, without missing a beat.
"Okay, getting point to the topic at hand, guys…?" Tar asks, visibly frustrated at the two.
"Nothing too informative," Parz sighs. "Except, all of us are on their red-list, including the dragons, and except Minerva. Tarragon from further back than any, weirdly enough – I think even he wouldn't know why."
"Fingers crossed," Tar nods.
But all three of us knew why. And also that I was part of the list, not even thanks to Tarragon, his name being there was also my fault.
"And Alta made sure we don't try handing him to the military, by saying there are more of them in-there."
"Basically all armed forces have them, he said."
"Even common folk, rich, poor, many more."
"Planning on serious damage, I smell," Tar says.
"Not only to us… but themselves even. Their 'new world order' has no mercy to none. Alta joined, knowing he'd be killed," Parz says.
"Because they promised to make his sister some beacon to all of this, and spare her life. Something about some great power which only she can bring "
"What power?" Sam asks.
"Didn't tell. Even Saturn doesn't know much, just plans its use."
"They are going to transfer it to her, soon he said. And then-"
"-they will be superior beings," Sam mumbles while interrupting Ivor… who was about to say the same, so he looks at Sam – being a bit concerned.
"Probably a big fluke, he wanted us in."
"But if there is any chance in that being true…" Max says.
"Maybe the dragons will be needed for the help. We can't ask the military," Ivor sighs.
"I'm sure Caroline will be happy to help."
"You need to stop calling her that," Max giggles.
"It pisses Star, so mission accomplished."
"Then… I guess we go set the alliance up for it," Tar gets up.
"Not immediately, we'll let you know," Ivor stands up too.
"We still need to leave anyways."
"Can't you stay a bit longer?"
"Me saying we need to go, means we can't."
I just silently stare at him.
"I'll come back, Min. We will get another time."
"Take care… all of you."
After hugging them, and greeting them continuous byes, they leave the house. Once again with silence, as it was.