-Seeker-

“Clover, why would you ever think it would be a good idea to go on a mission without any proper supervision?” Bastille asked. His face was calm as if he wasn’t worried about his son’s near-death experience.

“It better be a good answer…” Maria snorted as she glared at the young teen in front of her.

“Mom...Dad...I know what I did was wrong. And that no matter what I say can justify my actions. But please, don’t punish Maya, Zen, and Michael! They only wanted me to have the best birthday possible!” Clover begged as he shot his mother and father a pleading look.

“You do not need to worry about them. They will get what's coming to them! Right now you need to focus on yourself!” Maria growled as she continued to stare him down.

“Haha! Come on Maria! The boy just wanted to have some fun!” Bastille laughed. “When I was his age I was doing plenty of worse things! This will just toughen the kid up!”

“You shut up right now!” Maria rebuked. “It is this exact attitude that put him in danger in the first place! You always say that we should let Clover decide what he wants to do, but it’s obvious that you want him to be a Seeker!”

“What?! When have I ever said that I wanted my son to become a Seeker?! I have always stood by your side when it came to matters concerning Clover’s future!” Bastille retorted as he faced his wife and crossed his thick dark arms.

“That’s crap and you know it!” She fired back, jabbing Bastille’s large chest with her forefinger. “If that was the case, then you wouldn’t constantly be telling him stories of your past glories!”

“What are you talking about? That’s neither here nor there! I tell him those stories because they’re entertaining; not because I hope to project myself onto him!”

“No! You are constantly projecting yourself onto him! Ever since he was a baby you would regale him with stories! For Adlan’s sake! This was the first year that you gave him a normal birthday gift! One that wasn’t Seeker related! In fact, I’m surprised that Don beat you to it and gave Clover an actual weapon!” Maria continued her barrage of accusations as Clover sat on the bed in silence, watching his parents dig into each other with wide eyes.

“That has nothing to do with it! That was all before he decided he wanted to be a minstrel, like Sven!” Bastille shot back. “Of course, as his father, I would’ve preferred it if he had wanted to become a Seeker...But I never held him to a higher standard because of it! I respected his decision to become a musician! In fact, I don’t even think this has anything to do with Clover in the first place!”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh please. Don’t pretend to act as if you don’t know…You’ve been like this for the past few days. Glaring at me whenever you think I'm not looking or purposefully ignoring me. In fact, I’ve been meaning to ask what has been wrong with you for the past few days!” Bastille exclaimed before childishly turning his back to his wife.

“Huh?!” Maria fumed. “What’s wrong with me?! I should be asking what’s wrong with you!”

“What do you mean?” Bastille queried as he cooly raised an eyebrow.

“Oh please! Don't pretend to act like you don't know!" Maria snarled as she turned away. "Tell me...What is her name?” Her long blonde hair shook with anger as she prepared to hear her husband’s response.

“Her what now?” Bastille flatly asked, his previous nonchalant expression fading away in an instant as he gazed at his wife in trepidation.

“Tell. Me. Her. Name.” Maria turned back around to face Bastille, punctuating each word with another jab to his muscle-bound chest.

“What,” Bastille repeated. His eyes becoming even more unfocused and confused, as he raised one hand to scratch the side of his head.

“Is that the only word you know!” Maria burst out in anger. “I know that you have been leaving the Guild every night for the past week!” Moist tears began to form on the corners of her eyes as she continued. “For fourteen years we have been happily married! And now all of a sudden you start coming home later and later! For Adlan's sake, you even smell different whenever you come back!”

“Oh...Is that all you mean?” Bastille sighed in relief.

“Is that all?!” Maria exploded as she started banging Bastiles body with a flurry of punches.“Is that all our marriage meant to you?! Am I just one of many cheap sluts that you have been parading around with all these years?! If you think I will just stand here and do nothing as you go around whoring every night, then your dead wrong!”

“Darling! Calm down!” Bastille blurted out in pain. Although Maria’s punches looked weak, they actually hurt a lot. After all, she was an ex-Seeker after all! Bastille tried his best to conceal his discomfort as he tried to calm his wife.

“I! Will! Not! Stay! Calm!” Each word was punctuated with a jab and an angry sob as Maria continued to pound Bastille’s large frame.

“Maria! Stop!” Bastille yelled as he grabbed his wife's porcelain-like wrists.

“Let go of me! Let go of me!” Maria yelled as she tried to bite her husband's thick arms.

“Ouch!” Bastille yelped as one of her bites managed to pierce through his armor like skin. “Maria! I can explain everything! There are no other women involved! I am simply doing an errand for Emeric!”

“Wha-What?” Maria stuttered in between sniffs. Her verdant green eyes glistened with tears as she looked up at him.

“I’m sorry. I really am. But it is a secret mission that I was entrusted with...If word of it leaked out, it may have put you and everyone else that I love in danger. Please, Maria, I hope you can understand that I did not have any ill intent when I snuck out of the Guild all these nights…” Bastille softly pleaded, his bright hazel eyes stared into her cool green pools.

“You’re not lying right?” Maria whispered as she stared up at her husband. Her soft white hands gently ran down Bastille’s thick forearms, as she rested her forehead on his large chest.

“It’s the truth. I would never cheat or lie to you. You’re the only woman I’ll ever love…” Bastille whispered as he gently held Maria around her curvy waist.

“Oh...Bastille...” Maria huffed as she embraced him, puckering her enticing lips as she lifted her head to kiss him. Bastille followed suite, awaiting the kiss in anticipation.

“Ahem!” Clover coughed. “You guys do know that I’m still here, right?” He muttered awkwardly as his parents flirted with one another. His face was a deep maroon as he looked away in embarrassment.

“Oh...That's right...You’re still there…” Bastille muttered regretfully, as the two of them parted.

“Anyways...You are the one who is in trouble here…” Maria blurted out in embarrassment. “Due to your selfish and dangerous actions, I have decided on your punishment long before I arrived!”

“Isn’t my near death punishment enough?” Clover squeaked.

“Haha…” Maria dryly laughed. “You’re going to wish you died after the hell I'm going to put you through…” She said, punctuating the word hell, by punching her hand, causing Clover to wince in fear.

“For an entire year, you will not leave the Guild grounds…” Maria started.

“What! But what am I supposed to do with all my free time!” Clover stammered as he interrupted his mother before she could finish.

“Haha! You will have plenty of work to preoccupy yourself with!” Maria sneered. “Bastille! Didn’t one of the Guild waitresses quit last week?”

“Yep! She was a hard worker too...It’s unfortunate that she got pregnant” Bastille nodded in agreement. “Damn kids! I always tell the younger Seekers to eat Silphium roots before they have sex! If they just did that, then they wouldn’t have to worry about any unwanted pregnancies!”

“Perfect!” Maria shouted before continuing. “The only problem is that the Guild is running low on funds...If only we could find somebody who would work for free…”

“Mother...I would just like to remind you that slavery is illegal in Vanden…” Clover whispered.

“Ah well… I guess we’ll just have to settle for the next best thing than…But what could that be?” She wondered out loud in an exaggerated tone, before locking her eyes with Clovers. “Oh! I just had a wonderful idea!”

“Mother...You know I don’t appreciate your sarcasm…” Clover mumbled as he could guess what his life was going to be like for the next year.

“Clover...Since you’re going to have plenty of free time these next nine months...I would like to hire you as one of our waitresses! And remember! You can’t say no!” Maria smiled sweetly.

“Dad!” Clover yelled, his eyes contained a trace of hopelessness as he stared at his father. Unfortunately for him, Bastille could only smile weakly and look away, leaving Clover to his fate.

“Not only will you be working for the next nine months, but we will also be increasing your tutoring! Edward has brought it to my attention that you have been slacking for a while now!” Maria slanted her eyes and curled her lips into a sadistic smile before continuing. “But don’t worry...You won’t be alone! Maya, Zen, and Michael have all graciously ‘volunteered’ to donate their time and help around the Guild!”

Clover shuddered as he heard the last remark. He could only imagine what punishment his mother had forced upon the unfortunate trio.

Wait a second…

Clover’s body stiffened as he realized something. “Mom...You mentioned that I’m not allowed to leave the Guild’s grounds, right?” He said as he nervously twiddled his thumbs.

“Yes, that's right.”

“Does that include visiting the Cathedral…” Clover whispered as he looked away. Although he asked this question, he obviously knew what the answer would be.

Maria stared at her son for a few seconds before finally coming to understand the meaning behind Clover’s words. “Sorry, Clover...But you won't be able to visit your girlfriend for a while…”

“I-it's not like that!!” Clover stammered, as his face blushed a bright scarlet. “ She is just a friend…”

“What a shame...Since she is a cutie…” Bastille playfully smiled as he rubbed Clover's head, causing the scarlet color on his face to turn into a dark maroon.

“Sorry, but you’re going to have to apologize to her for your foolish actions,” Maria said. “Well, If it's any consideration, you can always write to her.”

“Fine,” Clover mumbled without protest. It was obvious to him that writing letters were the furthest extent of freedom his parents would allow him. Arguing with them further would only make them revoke that privilege.

“Well, now that that's over with, we should go back to the Guild,” Bastille said as he yawned. It seemed that his nightly outings have started to take a toll on the aging Seeker.

“Very well.” Maria stood up before she continued. “Clover, we'll let you apologize to our future daughter-in-law before we leave...”

“She’s not your...Nevermind…” Clover mumbled as he followed his parents out of the room. But before they stepped out of the room, he spoke up.

“Dad...Mom...Ever since I’ve woken up, I’ve been having doubts about becoming a musician…” He began as he furrowed his brow in determination.

“Oh? Why’s that?” Bastille asked one of his eyebrows raised in curiosity.

“It's because of what happened in the Dark Forest! When I saw Maya, Zen, and Michael fight the mutated beasts. They looked so cool and confident as if they could do anything! But I could only run away...I felt so incredibly useless...” Clover mumbled as he thought of the events of a week ago. “If only I had been stronger, then maybe none of this would ever have happened.”

“Clover,” Maria whispered as her maternal instincts kicked in. Walking over to him, she gave him a gentle hug. “None of that matters anymore. We’re just glad that you're safe!”

“But what if it happens again? What if something happens where I don’t have Maya, Zen, or Michael around? What if I’m by myself?” Clover murmured. “The only way I can prevent the chance of a similar event is by becoming stronger!”

“Clover, it is true that if you were stronger than you might’ve been able to prevent it. But there is also the possibility that nothing would have changed!” Bastille bent down and reassuringly grabbed both of his shoulders.

“What I’m trying to say is that strength does not always assure victory. Believe me, I’ve had to learn that the hard way.” Bastille muttered.

“But if you want to get stronger. Then you are lucky that your father is the greatest Seeker in the world! All you need to do is give me the word and I can guide you into becoming the next greatest Seeker of all time!” Bastille boasted with a prideful smile.

“Yes! I want to become a Seeker!” Clover yelled out in glee, fist-bumping his father!

“That’s my boy! I always knew you would come to your senses and become a Seeker someday! Haha!” Bastille laughed and roared as if this was the happiest day of his life. The two of them grabbed each other's hands and started to dance in a circle, their boisterous laughs reverberating off the walls.

“Hell no!” Maria snarled. “ What the hell, Bastille! You just said that you never wanted Clover to become a Seeker!”

“No! I said I would have preferred if he did, and that I would never try to change his mind! But I never said anything about him changing his mind on his own!” Bastille jovially replied as he continued to dance with his son.

“Clover! You almost died! Why would you willingly put yourself in harm's way again!” Maria shouted again, this time at her son.

“Mom, If I become a Seeker that that situation will never happen again! You should be proud of me!” Clover shot back as he continued to dance with his father.

“You two!” Maria growled as she stared at the pair of imbeciles in front of her.

“Come on, Maria! This is for the best! Besides, since I am the one who will be training him then he will no doubt become a great Seeker! There would be no need to protect him!” What Bastille said made sense. In the same line of thought, a lion cub would be weak and harmless at a young age, but it would eventually become the king of the jungle!

Maria could only gaze at the idiotic duo in exasperation. Eventually, she came to the conclusion that what Bastille said was right.

“Fine...At the very least you will be able to get some exercise…”

“Perfect! Let's go back to the Guild and tell everyone the good news!” Bastille declared with a wide smile plastered on his face as he ran out the door.

“Yea!” Clover yelled out as well as followed his father.

I am surrounded by idiots…

Maria thought as she stood in the empty room.