A/N: Again, Stonefangs are talking in their own language. It’s just written in English to save word count.
...
In the Stonefang Quarter, Kael walked with the boy beside him, the boy’s mother trailing behind, wringing her hands so hard her fingers looked pale.
The boy kept his head down the whole ti.
He looked like soone walking to a trial.
And in a way... he was.
They reached a smaller courtyard near the Stonefang Quarter’s edge. Two Stonefangs stood there already.
One was the woman from earlier. She sat on a low stone bench, her arms wrapped around her baby.
The baby was asleep now.
A faint red mark on his cheek was still visible, but his breathing was calm. Warm fur covered his small body. The mother’s eyes, however, were not calm at all.
They were sharp.
Wet.
Full of fear that had hardened into anger.
Beside her stood the Stonefang warrior, the one the boy had aid at.
He was tall, scarred, with a broad chest and a club strapped to his back. His gaze stayed fixed on the boy, like he was watching a snake.
When Kael approached, they did not bow.
They just stared at the boy who was with him, the sa boy who had attacked the baby.
The boy’s feet slowed.
His small hands curled into fists.
Kael placed a hand lightly on the boy’s shoulder, steadying him. He didn’t force him to move forward, he just... anchored him.
The Stonefang warrior’s eyes narrowed.
"Why here? Why bring the boy?"
He asked in his rough tongue.
"He ca here to apologize."
Kael answered in the sa tongue.
The warrior’s lips twisted.
His eyes flicked to the sleeping baby.
Then back to the boy.
"Apologize why?"
He asked, narrowing his eyes.
Kael then turned towards the boy and—
"Say it."
He spoke in a calm, but firm tone.
The boy’s lips parted.
Nothing ca out.
His eyes burned with the sa anger he had in the house. Anger that still said, they killed my father.
Kael waited.
The boy’s mother stepped closer, her eyes begging him, begging her son to just... live through this.
Finally, the boy forced the words out with a stiff and ugly look on his face.
"I... I’m sorry."
He said it in Velmourn tongue.
His voice was small.
He didn’t look up.
Kael translated it into Stonefang tongue.
The boy spoke again, more forced.
"I shouldn’t have thrown it."
Kael translated.
"And... I didn’t an to hit the baby."
Kael translated that too.
And that was when the Stonefang Warrior narrowed his eyes.
"Didn’t an to hit baby...?"
He tilted his head as he glanced at Kael.
After all, till now, he believed that everything that happened was a mistake.
And that was when Kael spoke, this ti, not as translator, but independently.
"I lied."
He began, looking at the Stonefangs with the sa firm look on his face.
"I lied when I said it was all a mistake. He wasn’t playing catch with the stone, he... actually wanted to throw the stone.
At you."
Kael spoke, looking at the Stonefang warrior.
"A Velmourn guard saw him, he tried to stop him and in his attempt, he pushed him. That’s how his aim swayed and he hit the baby instead.
So attacking the baby was indeed a mistake, but he did have the intent to hit a Stonefang, to hit you.
This is why I brought him to apologize.
To the baby, to the baby’s mother, and...
To you."
Kael explained the whole story in Stonefang tongue and when the Stonefangs heard it, they narrowed their eyes, especially the Stonefang Warrior.
"You lied earlier."
He spoke slowly, almost as if he wanted Kael to feel the weight of it, and Kael... he did not deny it.
"Yes."
He nodded.
The mother tightened her hold around her baby, her jaw trembled, but she stayed silent.
The Stonefang warrior’s gaze sharpened further.
Kael didn’t rush his next words either, he too understood how... complicated this situation was.
And while he knew lying wasn’t the right answer, he... he had his own strong reason to do what he did.
"If I hadn’t lied, soone would have demanded his execution."
He revealed his intention and in an instant—
The air shifted.
Even the Stonefangs stiffened.
Execution.
That word ant sothing heavy, even for them.
Kael glanced at the sleeping baby, then at the mother, then back at the warrior.
"And if a Velmourn child is executed today, tension will rise.
People will rember it.
They will carry it like a wound.
And if a Stonefang child makes a mistake tomorrow...
They will demand the sa."
He spoke in a heavy tone.
"And then... even I won’t be able to stop it."
The mother’s breath caught, her arms tightened around her baby instinctively.
The idea of her child being "executed" later, for so future mistake, so future accident, made her face lose color.
The Stonefang warrior stared at Kael.
His anger didn’t disappear, but it changed.
It beca... quieter.
"Why not make a rule?
Children not punished."
He asked.
Kael nodded like he expected that question.
"That would open a crack."
The Stonefang frowned, not fully understanding.
So Kael explained in simple terms.
"People will start using children as weapons.
They will push them forward, hide behind them, send them to start fights, because they know children are safe.
And I would rather not have children involved in this at all."
The mother’s eyes lowered.
She didn’t like hearing it.
But she... understood it.
Kael continued.
"And yes, I do plan to change the rules.
But not right now.
Not when the tension is at its highest.
We need the rules to be strong today. Then we adjust them when people breathe again."
For a mont, the Stonefang warrior didn’t speak.
The mother stared at the baby, as if she was trying to imagine a future where her child could be dragged into adult hatred.
She didn’t want that.
She didn’t want it at all.
Finally, the Stonefang warrior gave a slow nod.
He looked down at the boy.
The boy still stood there with his head down.
Still angry.
Still unwilling.
Still... small.
The Stonefang warrior’s face remained hard, but his voice ca out simple, almost blunt.
"I forgive."
Kael translated it.
The boy’s head snapped up so fast his scarf shifted.
He blinked in surprise.
He had expected the "monster" to demand blood, to hit, to shout, but...
Forgiveness...
That was the last thing in his mind. For a mont, the boy thought Kael was lying, but when he looked at the "monster" in front of him and his face...
He realized it was true.
And when he realized it...
The boy didn’t know what to do with it.
His lips parted, but no words ca.
Kael looked at him and, for the first ti since entering the house, his expression softened.
A small, quiet approval.
The boy had taken the first step.
Kael then looked at the Stonefang mother.
He spoke gently.
"I’m sorry your child was hurt."
He said it in Stonefang tongue.
The mother hesitated.
Then she gave a small nod. It wasn’t warm or friendly, but... it wasn’t hateful either.
And for now, that was enough.
Kael held the Stonefang warrior’s gaze and gave a silent nod of thanks.
The warrior grunted once, like that was all he would give.
And just like that...
The Water Point incident truly ended.
No blood.
No punishnt.
No revenge.
Kael turned and walked away with the boy and his mother.
The boy looked back once.
The Stonefang baby still slept.
Peacefully.
The boy didn’t understand why, but sothing inside his chest... loosened.
Just a little.
After about 30 minutes, Kael returned to his ho with Lavinia waiting for him.
The mont he stepped inside, his shoulders dropped. He let out a long breath he hadn’t even noticed he was holding.
Lavinia leaned against the wall, arms folded, her violet eyes calm.
"You did it,"
She said lightly.
"Barely."
Kael rubbed his face.
Lavinia’s gaze moved over him like she was checking for hidden wounds.
"You told them the truth?"
"I did,"
Kael nodded.
"The Stonefangs didn’t like it."
"They wouldn’t."
Lavinia nodded as if she already expected it.
"But we couldn’t lie to them."
Kael sat down slowly, like the chair was the only thing keeping him from falling.
"It’s barely the second day,
And cracks are already showing."
He muttered in an exhausted voice.
Lavinia’s lips curved into a small, wry smile.
"Cracks were always there,
Now they are just... more apparent."
Kael looked up at her.
"This was never supposed to be easy."
Lavinia muttered.
Kael let out another breath.
Then Lavinia tilted her head slightly, like she had just rembered sothing.
"You won’t be able to train today either."
Kael stared at her for a second.
Then he laughed.
"I know."
He admitted.
After all, today was the first day the Stonefangs and the Velmourns were supposed to work together.
Yes, right after the Water incident, the Stonefangs were now supposed to join not only the Velmourn Army, but their forge, their goathold, their farm terrace, their weavers’ hearth, and even attend Lavinia’s magic classes.
This was going to be a long, long day.
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