Family Matters

[Flamebird]

Close to the restocked fireplace, the small chest was used as a table. A glass of water was at Felicity's side as she placed another card down. "I change it to red."

Gwenael smirked as he looked at the cards. "You know I have to block my Thayne Sight to play this, or I'd know your cards."

Felicity scoffed, "How do I know you're not using Thayne Sight though?"

Gwenael placed down a red two card. "You've been winning."

Felicity had two cards, Gwneael had six. That Draw Four had been nasty...

The windows had been cracked open to allow some fresh air into the building. Crickets and frogs resounded outside as Felicity pulled out a red five and put it down. "Uno!"

Gwenael smiled. He was happy to be in this mortal's company again. As they continued playing the game, Gwenael was lucky to draw a draw two from the deck and save himself. As the game continued, Gwenael's treatment by the Thayne kept coming back to him. The reds and yellows of the cards reminded him of Hromagh's wrath. And when the color was switched to blue, he remembered Jomil's cold stature the whole time. He shivered.

"Gwenael?"

Gwenael noticed that Felicity was watching him. The excitement from slamming another draw four down had dissolved into a concerned, simple frown. "Are you alright?"

Gwenael looked down at the two cards in his hand. Both were green. Gwenael reached and pulled four from the deck, "It was rough, being back in Phantaria."

With caution in her cracking voice, Felicity tilted her head to the side. "What happened?"

The desire to spill everything flooded Gwenael's heart. He needed to pour his emotions out to somebody. He was thankful to be with her, saddened by the others he was forced to abandon, and chilled to the bone by Jomil's bitter silence. The rest of the Thayne, he was terrified of them. Yet, Jomil stood out to him more than anything else. His mother had muttered two words in that entire meeting, and her expression had never changed. Gwenael's wings hit the floor, sending dust clouds up. He looked up to Felicity, who had lowered her hand so low her cards were visible. Her concern was genuine, he was a genuine friend. Yet, the mess that was the Thayne Pantheon was too complex to let her in on - especially since she was a mortal. Besides that, looking into Felicity's mind, her own head was cluttered with the dirt and garbage of sadness, anger, and shame. No, he could not tell her.

He shook his head, "It's a Thayne matter. Not a mortal's business."