Morning came, the day passed, evening dawned, night passed, morning came once more. This cycle repeated for several days. Every morning the two children's father came in just as the sun dawned, and he left in the evening. Nights were long and cold, so alone. Blake remembered his mother use to spend time in the house with him when he was real little, before his sister was born. But it was like about six months before his sister came that his mother left at nights too. Father was there during the days even though most of the time he was asleep. Mother was there at nights to hold Blake through his sleep.
Days didn't matter to Blake very much in the past, he could run out and play. If it rained, he and the other boys splashed in the mud till there was no color in their clothing except for brown. If it was sunny, they took off their shirts and trousers and swam in the river outside the gates of Bree. But one day it began to change, when his mother whipped his back for coming in muddy. He assumed she was just grumpy that day, but she had been very grumpy in general at that time. She had also started to get sick a lot. Which at the time made Blake nervous for her health.
Father had changed too, he was a lot more anxious and angry himself. He started grabbing for the bottle more than usual, and he disappeared for longer periods of time during the nights till he never came back till after sunrise. His temper became out of hand, even Blake could tell. But it’s not like Blake could point out these things to his parents, he was always taught that they were right on whatever they said. Then as this went on, the youngest addition to the family was added. Little Eva, who would have had a last name save for the fact that the family didn’t have one. Her father and mother were from Beggar’s Alley and were only able to rent the house from money they stole.
But either way, Eva was Blake’s, he never let anyone touch her, even if it was his father. Blake never left his little sister’s side, and he loved to spend time with her. Though at first she was too small to be taken out of the house by Blake, since he was only six when she was born. She didn’t walk, nor did she make any sounds to be honest. The only time Blake could remember her fussing was when she had gotten too cold in the night, which is when he moved her to his bed and cuddled up to her to keep her warm. After that it became a nightly routine for her to share his bed, especially when his mother began disappearing at nights.
Blake began to spend most nights alone at home, with no one to watch over him. He was terrified when he didn’t know where his parents were, even after he hid a dagger away under his bed. Though again, he never said anything about it to his parents, he didn’t want them to worry about him. This carried on for a few months till Blake’s father became abusive in his drunken state. He had always been harsh towards Blake’s mother, but now his father’s temper also came down on Blake too. A slap there, a bruise here, but Blake didn’t mind it as long as his father never touched Eva. And of course he didn’t and the little girl was always safe from harm thanks to Blake.
As the bruises continued, Blake’s mother disappeared more until one day when she came home and told Blake she loved him. Which was weird to Blake, she had never said it to him before. And even though she never said it, he knew that she loved him. She was his mother, so that was her job, right?
“Over there is your sister. She will always be your sister, Blake. Never forget that, alright? Hold on to her no matter what she does or your father does.”
His mother then left, and that was the last Blake saw of her for awhile. He didn’t know where she went, or why she left. Maybe it was because father was so harsh and cruel. Or maybe because Blake and his sister weren’t enough to make her happy. But the memory of Blake’s mother’s face burned in Blake’s mind for years after she left, even though over the time, her voice faded from his mind. Though her last words to him stayed.
-Twenty years later-
He turned his gaze to the rough drawing of the little infant. Blake was an amazing artist, and his sister’s face also burned in his mind. He then turned his gaze to the countless of sketches of what his sister could have looked twenty years later. The memory of his childhood remained in his mind, even after all that time. He could remember what his mother looked like that day, what his sister’s sleeping face looked like. He felt a pang of guilt in his stomach as he ran his hand over the drawings.
Though a voice interrupted his thoughts, calling from outside the tent, “Blake, get your ass out here. We have work to do.”
He let out a long sigh, missing the night curled up to the innocent, little girl to keep her warm. But it was long gone. Blake reached out to grab his sword, buckling it around his waist as his gaze swept over the woman still fast asleep in his tent. When she wakes up, she’ll probably just leave, they all do anyways. Love didn’t exist in Blake’s world, not anymore. He sighed again and just pushed his way out of the tent.
He had a battle to fight, then another woman to bed. That’s all his life came down to anymore, it was his only purpose. Ever since he and his sister were separated, that was all he could do.
Life wasn't worth the hassle of love.
Blake in adulthood
By: Lightcircleart
