(Fol)

Deo recovered from his injuries much faster than the doctor anticipated and within a few days and though he was missing an arm and still had scars across his back he soon had more energy to play around than Kisee did.

Three heads of long, black hair, two messy, one neat, popped out of the tall grasses and disappeared again as Kisee, Anrhea, and Deo played a game with rules no one else could understand. Their shrieking giggles traveled across the swaying grasses to Wefyu’s ears. Wefyu lounged on the raised patio ‘watching’ his younger siblings, with one foot dangling off the wood patio, being tickled by the tall grass. His monocle was perched on his nose and said nose was buried in a book.

It had been sunny for weeks. Good for playful, idle children; not so great for farmers in need of rain. Normally, it was quite simple for the Fol to summon rain, but all attempts at influencing the Yelii were failures. No prayers or pleading worked.

King Rakii stepped out onto the patio. Wefyu laid the book down on his chest and looked up at his father, but he hadn’t yet looked down at him. Instead he was staring out at the three younger kids playing, “you said that kid was chosen by the Yelii?”

Before Wefyu could answer, Rakii raised his voice, “Deo, come here!”

After a moment’s wait, three heads popped out of the grass by the patio. All three red-faced and breathing hard, “yeah?” Deo asked, slightly nervous.

King Rakii crouched down but still on the raised patio, still towering over the children. “Have you ever tried asking the Yelii for rain?”

Deo frowned, “why would I? I want to play outside.”

Rakii tilted his head to the side and smiled with closed eyes at Deo, “don’t you also like to eat good food? Rain is very important for growing the food that everyone needs to live. Could you give asking for rain a try?”

Deo pouted but closed his eyes without a verbal protest. Rakii tilted his chin up to watch the sky. A few moments passed before he let out a low whistle, “well look at that...”

The twins and Wefyu followed his line of sight and watched as gray clouds spread across the blue sky. Deo opened his eyes just in time to meet Rakii’s dark eyes, shining with something that Deo couldn’t quite place, though it chilled him.