(RE) Chapter 16: Family Reunion

Chapter 16:

Family Reunion

As Meath woke up, she slowly opened her eyes noticing Biff was no longer by her side. She continued to lay down while looking all over the room but sure enough, she was alone. Meath rolled over to the side of the bed and swept her ribbon off of the floor and sat in bed tying her hair.

As Meath slowly tied the ribbon she thought about all the moments that led up till now. Biff’s initial aggression towards her, the way he treated Polan, how him and Deki seemed to communicate without much talking and then she paused mid way through the second loop of her bow. The kiss she laid on him the night before.

Walking out of her room she began to smell eggs being cooked. As Meath slowly crept down the hall, she noticed Biff working away at the stove. Much like before they had eggs and toast, it was simple yet effective which was expected. Meath began to smirk to herself as she looked on from afar. Polan then walked out of her room, rubbing her eyes and mindlessly walking towards the kitchen.

“Morning Polan.” Meath said quietly.

   

    Polan said nothing and walked mindlessly down the hall, while Deki too walked out his room and greeted Meath,

“Good morning.”

Meath turned her head and looked over to Deki and smiled,

“Morning Deki, looks like Biff beat us to the kitchen.”

“...I think he's thanking you for last night.” Deki smiled back.

Meath looked on blankly wondering how Deki knew what he did. Regardless of how that was possible, she continued to walk down the hall and into the living room. As she reached the kitchen entrance Biff turned around and almost awkwardly muttered,

“Hey…”

“Hey… You’re up earlier than usual.”  Meath smiled back at him.

Biff turned back around and faced the stove which had eight eggs cooking atop a cast iron skillet. He smirked to himself and said,

“Yeah… Well, I felt like cooking breakfast when I got up, figured it would get an early start to the day.”

Biff shuffled around the skillet moving the eggs within the pan as Meath narrowed her gaze and blurted,

“I'm not mad at you Biff, I'm more worried that you’re mad at me for kiss..”

“Don't. I'm not. I'm just mad at myself. It’s not your fault Meath and like you said, you had to get through to me somehow. That sure did it.”

“...Biff. I didn't mean to…” She said feeling guilty.

“Meath. I'm not mad, don't worry about it.” He insisted.

She rolled her eyes and walked over closer to him. Meath was inches away from his back as she looked over his shoulder and noted,

“...Those do look good.”

Biff Smirked and asked,

“Why do you always think I'm mad at you?”

“I have no idea Mr. abrasive.” She shot back.

“...I'm working on it, alright.” He laughed.

Biff then grabbed a plate and slid the eggs off the skillet onto it.  At the same time Meath walked over to the toast roasting on a separate pan and sorted them onto four other plates.

With breakfast complete the other two entered the kitchen and sat down at their respective seats. Meath Set down a plate for both Deki and Polan. Before she could turn around for the others, Biff set down both his and Meaths plate and smiled. Meath had a split second blank reaction to Biff's rather out of character behavior. An awkward smile slapped itself on her face and she turned down to her food exclaiming,

“Are you feeling okay?”

Polan laughed aloud and said, “I know! Right?”

Deki chuckled to himself.

Biff looked around at the three and asked,

“Do you really think  I have a stick up my a*s or can't you take my cautious approach to people?”

“There’s being cautious and then there’s being a dick to the point of overkill Biff.” Said Polan before a bite of her eggs.

Yeah, Yeah.” He replied.

“So Biff…” Started Meath as she sat down at the table.

“Hmm?”

“We still need coal right? I was thinking Polan and I would go out today and get some.”

“Are those by the falls Biff was talking about before?” Polan ask excitedly.

“Yup.” Meath smiled.

“Yes! We’re going. I don't care about having to mine coal or whatever.” Polan nearly shouted.

Biff threw up his left hand and shrugged his shoulders saying,

“Was I supposed to object to any of that? Go for it. I still got more cabin to fix anyways.”

He continued to eat breakfast while Polan shook her fists in giddy excitement. She too continued to mow down her food as fast as humanly possible. Meath then looked over to Deki who was being rather silent the whole time. She asked,

“You looking to go too Deki?”

“I would love to, but I think I'm going to help Biff on this one.” He admitted.

It was therefore decided that Biff and Deki would hang back and fix the cabin, while the girls mined for coal.

Meath and Polan grabbed the pickaxes sitting in one of the closets at the end of the hall and made their way out the door. Meanwhile Deki and Biff blankly looked at each other wondering where to begin. The ceiling had been restored as best it could and the bathroom was in check. So, it seemed to them that the best place to start was the exterior of the cabin.

Biff collected his hammer and nails and began towards the front of the cabin while Deki went back to his room for something. Biff began to open the front door and head atop the roof when he noticed a figure in the distance drawing closer. It wasn't Meath or Polan so instinctively he dropped the hammer and nails and reached for his bow. Deki peeped his head out of his room amongst hearing the clamor.

Finally Biff knew who he was looking at. A fury welled within him and he stormed out to the deck, bow drawn.

“Zoey!” He screamed.

Deki from inside felt his heart drop. He immediately ran to Biff and saw that indeed Zoey had found them.

Zoey stopped in her tracks. She raised both of her arms and yelled,

“Biff, I come unarmed. I merely seek your council.”

Biff narrowed his gaze while still keeping his aim focused. Deki from behind, reached a hand over his shoulder and whispered,

“Hear her out before you do anything you might regret.”

Biff inhaled deeply and lowered his weapon slowly.  There was an uncomfortable pause between the three of them. For the first time in three years, Biff was face to face with the only other person he could despise as much as Nezo.

“How dare you.” He said with an untapped ferocity.

“Biff I..” Zoey started.

“How f*****g dare you show up like you have any sort of place here, council or not.”

Deki walked out more towards the railing of the deck. His hands gripped firmly on the rail as the tension in the air reached a boiling point.

“I’ve been a broken man for three long f*****g years because of you. What the f**k did you expect to find here?”

“I will not stop you!” She yelled back.

Biff looked cautiously towards Deki while holding back his initial thoughts.

“Whatever cursed you may be siding with, I will come for them. However, you and Deki are not cursed and free to forge the path you desire.”

“...You’re not here to make those calls.” Biff asserted.

“Zoey, is this some sort of ultimatum? We want this saga of the world to be done with, no more wars.” Deki yelled.

Zoey slowly walked towards the deck continuing to keep her hands in the air. She looked deeply upset and so, she fell to her knees.

“If it gives you solace, I haven't forgotten Agatha and the horrible things I did to her. This coupled with the death of Olphena and the slaying of Miani, some nights are restless.”

A deeply struck nerve sent chills down Deki’s back. For someone who fancied himself a pacifist, Deki broke all of his peaceful ways and exclaimed,

“You were to never speak of Olphena again. As was I.”

Biff looked unaware as to who this person was or their significance to Deki. He looked back at Biff, then down to the ground sighing.

“How do you think the position opened up for you to fill Biff? It was the loss of someone I cared for deeply but someone I ultimately watched die before I could express myself to her.” Deki briefly explained with a regretful expression.

Biff then looked to Zoey who was still pathetically kneeling just beyond the deck.

“And the one who killed her was cursed. Let us never forget.” Zoey added.

Deki began to charge Zoey, as he walked right up to her he knelt down in front of her and whispered,

“Much like the cursed, the Albethians hands are stained with blood. Let us never forget.”

“Stand up.” Deki instructed.

Zoey looked up at him with a cross expression but began to stand as directed. The two looked into each others eyes and Deki soon explained,

“I used to look up to you and your courage. Your commitment, your standard of excellence in combat, but I fear there isn't anything left of the you I once admired. I did hate the cursed for a while following Olphena’s death, but I’ve grown and learned. All you’ve seem to have done is rot away in your own regrets. These things happen when you care more about the cause than yourself.”

Zoey kept a stone face for the entirety of Deki’s “praise”. His words seemed to bounce right off of her. She looked down and began to turn away to the distance, then said,

“If I don't commit myself to my state and my people, what else is there for me. My sister is dead at my hands, The Royal Guard is whittled down to only me and without Narr I have nothing left to protect. I came here to tell you that I won't stop you from killing Narr. I also came to warn you that I must defend him from the cursed or every atrocity I've caused was for nothing.”

“Those are dumb f*****g demands if you ask me. You swear that you’ll stand by as we slay Narr but if our cursed allies intervene you’ll strike them down? F**k you.”  Biff snarled.

“You wouldn't understand.” Zoey asserted.

“Under-f*****g-stand what?”

Zoey remained quiet and in every second she did Biff’s eyes grew in rage. He got to the point where he walked straight off the deck and right down to Zoey. He shoved Deki out of his way grabbed at Zoey's hair pulling her head back into his chest. She froze, careful to not push him further as he said something softly into her ear.

“After I kill Narr, I kill you.”

He let go and both of them stood still. Zoey's head flung forward again and almost smiled as she said,

“You do what you must, as will I.”