A Hero's Journey: Part Five

     "I'm ready when you are," said Sir Reynold, smiling. Before he could follow him outside to where their steed Fidelity was waiting, the Blumaroo turned to Melissa, Reuben and Rohane, who were wearing matching anxious, downcast stares, waiting for him to depart - and wishing that he didn't have to.

     The knight gave each of them a big hug. "I'll miss you all. I hope I can write, but if I try to send a message, it can get intercepted by one of Ramtor's minions, perhaps mistaken for secret plans. I'll be back as soon as I can."

     The youngest son gave the biggest hug back. "I'll miss you too, Father," he whispered with choked sobs. Reynold gave the yellow Blumaroo a small wink, and waved to the rest of his family. "Wish us luck!" he called, before mounting the Uni steed with the green Lupe and adjusting his sword so the sheath didn't disturb Fidelity's flight. The three remaining members watched sadly as he took flight, delivering the two defenders towards Meridell Castle. Soon, the little speck in the sky disappeared completely, leaving Melissa and the siblings behind.

     "Well, your father never breaks a promise, doesn't he?" said the female white Blumaroo, trying to be optimistic. But her eyes weren't optimistic at all.

     "Real knights don't cry, idiot," remarked Reuben, poking his younger sibling in the shoulder. "Our father will soon be back, anyway, then you'll be worried for nothing."

     Rohane glared briefly at him. "Shut up." But after he turned away from him, he muttered under his breath, "But why do I feel as if he won't come back?"

     ***

     A few days passed after the departure of Sir Reynold. Instead of getting their usual knight lessons from their father, Melissa's sons were at the garden fronting their house, having another one of their swordfights. She herself was in the kitchen, totally oblivious to the chaos that would soon ensue.

     "I still don't understand why we have to do this out here, Reuben," said the yellow Blumaroo, ducking as a wooden blade swung over his head.

     "So that everyone can see just how good I can be, little brother," sneered the older sibling as he locked swords with him. "And they will all see who is the better knight between the two of us."

     Nearby, Liwanag was picking flowers that were peeking out of the cracks and crevices from within a stone path. She looked up and saw Reuben and Rohane sparring outside their house. Quite intrigued yet interested, she ran over to watch. A few other villagers around her followed.

     "Ooh, are those Sir Reynold's sons?"

     "Yeah, they're having one of those practice duels. Who do you think will win this time?"

     The female red Aisha watched in awe as Melissa's eldest son attempted a slash at his brother, who jumped aside before the false blade could even touch him. Infuriated at this quick move, Reuben hit Rohane over the head with the weapon, causing him to become slightly dazed and distracted.

     "That wasn't fair!" declared Li, pointing to the older sibling. A nearby Ixi neighbor gave her a reproachful stare, but she ignored him.

     Reuben glared at her, but paid no more attention as he watched his rival recover from the shocking blow. He leapt up and tried to deliver a hit, but the white Blumaroo blocked it instantly with his own sword. The pair instantly locked blades again, with most of the crowd getting either excited or impatient.

     "They're evenly matched," remarked the Ixi, stroking his chin. "This could go on forever, till their father comes back and pulls them apart."

     "But will he ever come back? Ramtor IS one powerful advisor, and I have my doubts that Sir Reynold's team would survive the fight," said his Buzz comrade.

     Suddenly, as the dull noises of wood on wood continued, something broke the slight monotony. It was the sound of someone's behind making contact with the ground. Everyone's eyes were now on Reuben, who was on the ground, having sustained a hard strike on the leg that made him lose balance and fall, clutching his lower limb.

     Seth the shepherd gasped. "Now, THAT'S what I call one impressive comeback move!"

     "I can't believe it!" cried the Buzz. "This is going to shorten the odds on Reynold's younger son!"

     "Rohane…you may have your time of triumph, but I will reclaim mine!" howled the white Blumaroo, limping into the house. "You will regret the day you won over me, little brother! YOU WILL!!!"

     His younger sibling stared after him as he stormed indoors. He didn't even pay attention to the approving looks from the other residents of Trestin who saw the pretend duel. It wasn't until Liwanag flung her arms around him that he snapped out of it.

     "That was so cool!" she squealed. "I knew that someday, you would improve. And you sure did!"

     "Thanks," said Rohane gratefully, patting her on the back. "At least YOU'RE happy. I thought Reuben would be happy for me, but I guess I was wrong."

     Li just gave him her mysterious, optimistic smile. "Oh, don't mind him. It's just a passing phase, and it's just - no offense - one duel. He's won loads in the past, and maybe he's a little reluctant to accept the sudden turn of the tide."

     He grinned. "Guess you're right. See you." With an awkward wave, he retreated back into his house. But when the yellow Blumaroo stepped inside, he almost wished that he could just run back outside and stay there, if it weren't for the hunger inside him and his mother's meaty stew waiting on the table.

     "Congratulations," said Reuben sardonically, spooning his stew gingerly. "So you won something. Without Father's help, I might add." He raised an eyebrow and smirked.

     "You win some, you lose some," said Rohane calmly, trying to ignore the hostile air that seemed to hang around him and his older sibling. "To quote Li, it's all a passing phase."

     "Easy for you to say," growled his big brother, pointing his spoon threateningly. "I've had a great streak of success, and then you had to go and ruin it all. At least you've never felt what it was like to be knocked off the top."

     "I don't understand," he replied. "What do you mean?"

     Reuben glanced at their mother, who was so busy in the kitchen that she barely noticed her two sons arguing. He stood up from the chair and faced Rohane so closely that their faces were less than two inches away from each other. "Listen here, you little bubble-headed twerp! I'm supposed to be the best, because I'm older, I'm stronger, and I've been around here more than you have! I'm more exp - exp - "

     "Experienced?" his rival answered coolly.

     "AWRGH! Yes, that! I'm SUPPOSED to be better than you, not the other way around! It is un - uneth - that word our father uses to describe evil stuff."

     "Unethical?" said Reuben's sibling.

     "Look, will you stop interrupting me?"

     "I'm not interrupting you! I'm just…helping."

     "You're basking in the spotlight, aren't you? You're confident that you can beat your own older brother, am I right? Well, your confidence isn't going to do anything. No matter what I do, what you do, what I say, or what you say, I'm still better than you!"

     This time, Rohane stood up as well, making his sibling back away slightly in surprise. "I never said I was better than you! I was only happy for myself! Can't we just leave it behind now and move on? There's still another day waiting, and who knows? You'll beat my sorry behind on that day too!"

     "Are you challenging me?" yelled Reuben angrily.

     "I AM NOT CHALLENGING YOU!" the yellow Blumaroo shouted irritably.

     At this point, Melissa stuck her head in the dining room and saw her sons glaring at each other, at their feet and very, very mad. "Everything all right in here?" she asked. "I'm busy waiting for the turnips to boil, so be patient."

     Her elder son thought for a moment. "Mother, can I please be excused?"

     "That's 'MAY I', Reuben, and the answer is yes. Aren't you hungry?"

     "Not anymore, Mother." The white Blumaroo shot his brother another furious look as she turned her back. She didn't even pay any attention to how loud he had banged the door once he entered his bedroom. The older sibling hurled himself onto his bed, feeling exactly like he had when his parents first named Rohane - as if everything would happen all over again. He looked up at the ceiling, remembering the promise he had made as a little kid that he would always stay better than his brother.

     But the promise had broken.

     It had been broken ever since his little sibling's first triumph. Well, that didn't count, thought Reuben. He had help from Father. But this…in front of so many villagers! He felt his insides grow hot with burning anger. He had to reclaim himself…perhaps through humiliating his rival.

     But how can it be done?

     He rolled over and stared at the floor, a plan forming in his head. As he took out a small piece of paper from the drawer beside his bed and scribbled the scheme, the white Blumaroo experienced a slight pang of guilt. This next plan to embarrass Rohane was going to be quite difficult to carry out. Shaking his head, Reuben shifted to the other side of the paper and wrote something else. It was easier, but nonetheless hard to pull off. Well, it was better than nothing, he thought to himself. It was foolproof - or at least, he thought it was.

     With his scheme still in his brain, Melissa's eldest son slowly fell asleep, dreaming of tomorrow's triumph.

To be continued...