This chapter contains description of domestic violence . If such topics are triggering for you skip to next chapter! Take care of your brain chemistry !

"You seem distracted "

River snapped out of his thoughts to look at Einar. It had been two days since the night River discovered  his divine essence was gone. Today, he was accompanying his master down the mountain on a visit to his ancestral hall.

"It's nothing" he smiled "Just a lot on my mind "

Einar giggled "A girl?"

"What? No!" River laughed awkwardly.

"A boy ?"

What am I ? A maiden?!

River shook his head and gladly ,Einar did not push the subject.

River thought long and hard for past two days .What could have possibly caused this? When did this happen?

Last time he used  the power of his devine essence was..when he spied on Wolfram using the charmed ring . Since he woke up at Linchet ,he refrained from using it ,to keep his identity a secret from the Schulz.

How could  he not notice something like his connection to divinity gone ? What could even damage it? The scrap metal? But Wolfram was fine . But Raven and Aithan was not affected by its curse like he was. So River came to the conclusion that coming to close contact with it  must have caused this disaster.

"Sweet West god ! Whats that noice ?!"

River too heard it. It was the earsplitting noice of glass being shattered . They held their breath and listened ,frozen on their tracks .

Shrill voice of a woman yelling followed . Einar and River glanced at each other in confusion. Where are the gaurds? Did two maids got in to an argument ?

Somewhere in the distance ,a child started bawling .

Emby!!

"Go !"

River did not need to be said twice . He had already taken off in the direction of the commotion.

River ran , his heart thundering in his ears. Emby had never cried this loudly . Did someone break in ? Who could break in to  the home of Kaizer Schulz? Where were Onyx and Obsy?

River took a sharp turn and realized the clamour was coming from Kaizer's office. The door was wide  opened and the gaurd was nowhere in sight. River hurried over .

A glass water pitcher came flying at him ,whizzed past his ear and shattered on the wall behind him.

What the-

"YOUR HEART IS A BLOCK OF ICE !!  YOU HEARTLESS ,UNFEELING MAN!"

What greeted was the sight of Narin bloody screaming at her husband. Her red lip was smudged  , rouge lining her eyes running down her cheeks with tears like two bloody trails. Her satin gown was slipping off her shoulder but she did not seemed to notice. Narin's hair had come undone from her braid aswell.

Looks like what broke in was their marital issues.

"HOW DARE YOU !!! " Narin threw a fat book at Kaizer ,who let it hit him square on the chest "HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT TO ME! HOW DARE YOU ! "

Kaizer stood behind his desk, like he was seeking protection from the feral woman . There was a very obvious, bright red hand print on his cheek. Blood dripped down the side of his pale neck in to his collar from where Narin had scratched him. 

River made a mental note to never marry.

Emby was bawling his eyes out in a corner. Fat tears rolled down his reddened cheeks and he sobbed pathetically.

Your child is choking over here,madam.

River stood very awkwardly at the door. This was definitely something an outsider like himself was not supposed to see. 

"IM YOUR WIFE !! THE MOTHER OF YOUR CHILD !!" Narin jabbed herself on the chest "ME ! I MARRIED YOU!!"

"Narin,calm dow-"

Wrong move brother,wrong move.

Narin hurled a fresh flower pot at Kaizer,and it broke another window pane,right next to the first one."DONT TELL ME TO CALM DOWN GODDAMMIT!"

Einar chose this precise, very unfortunate moment to catch up to River. He panted as he took in the sight infront of him and blanched. He too ,probably was regretting his choice to show up .

"Einar," Kaizer said, unnervingly calm for someone whose wife was coming for his head " Get Ember"

"TOUCH MY CHILD AND DIE ,YOU FILTHY WRETCH!"  Narin snarled at Einar,making him flinch.

Einar pulled at Emby's hand regardless . The tiny baby came hawling and hid his face in Einar's robes,sobbing loudly. The child was probably scarred for life from what he had witnessed.

"Narin , you nee-"

"WHY DONT YOU JUST DIE!!" Narin snapped at Einar.

A very heavy silence followed,which was only broken by the sound of the child weeping .

"Get out " Kaizer said

"Kai, loo-" Einar could not get his words out.

"Out! Now! " Kaizer pointed a pale finger at the door .

Narin spat at Einar's feet and stormed out, abandoning her child .

Kaizer's previously  pristine office looked like Raven Alistair had visited  it. He sighed heavily and came over from behind the table, shards of glass crunching under his boots.  He picked up his very distressed child and nodded at Einar.

"There 's broken glass . Lets go out"

Einar followed him out ,mouth hanging open slightly . Kaizer locked the door behind them.

"Kai, I ca-"

"Dont " Kaizer sighed again, rubbing soothing circles on the sobbing child's back . "Not now"

Einar pinched his nose bridge and mumbled incoherently .

"Where are you going ?" Kaizer questioned .

"Ancestral hall" Einar sighed. He patted the wailing child on the head "poor thing"

"Will you be ok? Take Wolfram "

"Im going with my deciple " Einar said

Kaizer nodded and whistled , the sound high and clear. Soon the two black hounds came running along the hallway.

"Come back before it gets dark"

With that he turned on his heel and walked away,carrying his son with him.

*        *          *          *            *          *       *

They decended the stairs down the mountain side in awkward silence.

Ancestral hall of Einar's father's side of family was located in Whiolf. Einar's deteriorating health would not permit him to travel that far.

"My mother's side of the family is from Wesown " Einar started, sounding cheerful. But worry and distress was heavy in his voice .

Onyx and Obsedian , Kaizer's hounds followed them silently at Einar's heels. They sniffed and looked around ,in alert for any threats.

"They were a small clan. Whitlocks " Einar sighed heavily.

"Whitlocks?"

"That's right. They forged swords for Schulz for centuries"  he explained "only very few picked up the sword they forged to fight. They all became legendary warriors "

"Like you?" River asked in admiration . Einar laughed for a long while.

"You jest" he wiped tears from corner of his eyes "My most legendary battle is getting out of bed"

He sighed "Im talking about mortals on par with those who with devine essence. So strong and determined"

"Sounds like you" River smiled .

"I cant push open a door "  Einar laughed "Emby is stronger than me at five"

"Maybe ," he said ,his eyes gazing over at the clear sky "When I first picked up the sword I forged ,to fight , I too had such ambitions of becoming a great warrior "

"Why did you chose to fight ?" River questioned .

Einar smiled,his eyes sparkling "There was someone I wanted to protect"

"And what happened?"

Einar laughed again "Nothing happened . What are you three? Asking to listen to stories "

"Tell me story then" River chuckled "About a worrior "

"Hmm..." Einar thought for a while. "My aunt !"

"Im serious!"

"She was a great worrior! " Einar giggled "they called her the Wesown Avalanche "

Author has something to  say

Thank you for reading !!!!! Dont forget to comment your ideas !! Drop a vote as well!!

Its 11.00 p.m now and author needs her beauty sleep .
Thank you

Kaizer Schulz

Me after re-reading the entire book