Storm
Dano–Norwegian Realm, Oldenburg Monarchy. Geiranger, September 3rd, 1616.
The outside's upheaval that the strenuous thunderstorm caused around their candlelit house wouldn't stop Anja's obligation to fix her family something to eat that night. From the events that occurred an hour ago, she realized there wasn't much she could do than to act like an ordinary housemaid would in terms of chaos. She tried to keep her thoughts away from her home's disarray as she swirled the fillings of her loose apron and she swayed from one end of her kitchen to the other, she smiled and she hummed an unusual ballad she heard from a homeless peregrine she encountered downtown.
The rain continued to roar outdoors, she serenely hassled to the countertops to ready the tableware and cutlery for dinner; as she retrieved those, her casual thoughts were interrupted by her distrait husband who leaned on one of the wooden stools, "Anja," he started, "Are we going to pretend that just didn't happen?"
Anja sighed, stares engaging as she lowered the crockery to nod candidly at him, "We must, sweet Erlend." At his irate gesture that announced his withdrawal, she walked in closer and reached over to pacify his impulsive outburst, "Darling," she whispered worriedly, "our Lars is a grown man now," she moved her head, "if that is how he positions us as parents then we ought to take it. There is nothing we can say to stop him from leaving, after all, I do think our job finishes when he draws the line, I suggest-"
"I've not once questioned any of his odd approaches and numbness towards us but I'll be damned if a son of mine disrespects me like that without any consequences!" Erlend derided angrily, "I've respected his boundaries and final resolutions, that's the education I've provided throughout these years, he knows that. If he wants to leave, fine, he can leave. If he isn't happy with the way we raised him, fine, he can say that. But throwing the furniture around to prove how poorly we have done for him is unacceptable-"
"Darling," she interjected, her eyes watered as she stepped even closer, she could clearly see how hurt were her husband's feelings "I know you are right but we as his parents must understand there is pressure to have more out there for young men like him; I've heard his generation is more stressed than ours was, you know money is a big deal nowadays-"
"That can also be damned," he scoffed, "Anja for Christ's divine sake! He just can't bail in what little we have-" his voice cracked and looked away from his wife, moving impassively as he tried to regain control of his emotions "Have you got an idea how much were those he destroyed?!" he slapped his own knee.
"Darling," she exhaled and followed him, closing her eyes as she embraced her husband, "Many, many hours of hard labor darling." Her gentle voice soothed him, "It is not me who does not realizes their father's efforts to keep a household stable."
He puffed out air as his anger subsided, his pained voice lowered as he returned the hold "…weeks on end, Anja."
"I know but we must try to understand him."
His frown deepened, "Understand exactly what?" he subtly pushed her away, "I've done my very best to keep food in our table. He should be grateful"
"I'm pretty sure he is… Erlend"
He moved his head "No, he is not. We are allegedly bad parents for being working class. Did we raise a belligerent insolent man? What else will we permit? Next time he just chimes in and murder us?"
"No darling, our Lars looked thoroughly disturbed? Maybe something happened to him?"
"I don't care," Erlend grunted, "he owes us an apology."
"He truly does," she agreed, seeking his eyes with hers as she barreled through his anger, "but I can't ignore the fact that our son is probably in pain, our-" The door knocked. The married couple turned to look at the front door where the knocking was coming from.
.
Erlend turned the doorknob and pushed it out, opening to be surprised alongside his wife by an odd-looking stranger. "Goodnight, my apologies for the late arrival. I'm-" lips trembling by the freezing rain, the stranger lifted a little the coat's dark hood to make his face clearer to the couple, "I'm actually here to see Lars Naess."
"A foreigner," Erlend questioned, skeptical at the whimsical and peculiar appearance of the stranger, "who are you?" his eyebrows creased even more uncertain as the stranger's gender became unclear even with the hood off, "A nymph? This is my house."
"Uh, hello," the stranger grinned amiably through bluish lips, "you might be his father," he looked to the man's left, straight at Anja's inquisitive expression, "And you, his mother, hello, I'm-"
"Oh darling," Anja interrupted his interaction as she reached over to grab the stranger's shoulders, judging by the size of those, Anja assumed it was probably a young woman she was allowing to drench outside their porch. "Please come in, Erlend where are your manners?" She smiled candidly as the coated stranger stepped inside the modest house. "I'll get you some dry clothes and a tea, please make yourself at home and my apologies for my husband," she giggled, "he has been a little bit stressed as of lately."
"Oh no, no problem, I understand." The coated stranger proceeded to remove the drenched coat and revealed equally drenched clothes underneath, "And please, don't worry, I'm fine being wet, hah," the stranger smiled. Leaving the married couple speechless. It sure looked like a young Asian woman was traversing in explicitly male clothes. The stranger didn't seem to notice their surprise.
Anja signalized the living room and motioned the stranger to take a seat on one of their sofas. The stranger complied after making sure the married couple would be fine by having a wet spot on the couch later on. Anja anyways ran for a dry, clean towel and suggested the stranger should dry their face and long purple hair as much as they could. The stranger expressed gratitude and stared at them after a long pause.
Slim size, soft facial features, and gentle eyes, Anja was sure that was a female. Masculine pose, Sharp eyebrows, and raspy voice, Erlend could have bet that was a young male. Being together for probably three centuries, the married couple eyed at each other, both mentally wondering who would ask 'the question' first. The stranger broke the silence, "My name is Nakura Rakuen and judging by both your stares… well, Yes-"
Both grabbed in air. Curious as to who was right all along. "I am one hundred percent Japanese." Both exhaled, not that it was their question in mind. "I am here to see your son, Lars Naess." Rakuen continued, "I was wondering if I could maybe, see him today?" he shrugged, "I know it's late and you were maybe about to dinner," he eyed the table, "but things got a little awful for him today… is he okay?"
"Are you a friend of his?"
"I would say so most definitely."
The married couple eyed once again at each other, Erlend grabbed Anja's hand in reassurance as she moved to sit on the largest sofa where Rakuen seated, "Well… he…" she hesitantly looked back at her husband, not too sure if disclosing her son's frenzied outburst was a good idea. Not that the stranger looked malicious, it was that both raised their son to keep their family issues, inside it. Erlend nodded at her and he leaned in for her to listen "Go on… it is fine, maybe this person can help us."
She mentally agreed as she placed both hands together and looked sadly at Rakuen, "He is not, unfortunately." She took a deep breath and silently motioned him to stand up and follow her; the three of them walked over to the entrance where a wrecked up pantry was clearly the least of their preoccupations.
"An hour or so he slammed the door open and demanded us to move out of this town, we-" her eyes watered and her husband placed a hand over her shoulder, "We don't have that much in our savings, I didn't know how to explain to him that we simply can't do that right now." she guiltily grabbed Erlend's hand in welcoming support, "I should have managed the issue better."
"We both should have." Chimed in Erlend, looking remorsefully down at his wife.
She dipped her head, "Our Lars is usually more serene and calm. Today he was exceptionally angry and distressed that I think that he lost control over his emotions… He ran upstairs after I told him that we wouldn't leave the town. Probably we wouldn't ever."
"What happened next?" Rakuen asked concernedly, there was broken glass that needed further explanation.
"I was preparing his favorite dish and my husband was down at the basement repairing a fence when we both heard a loud crashing, both hurried to where the sound was coming from and we both realized that Lars was destroying everything in the living room, from furniture to glass to walls. He even pushed his dad aside when he tried to stop him and then… he stopped for a while… then asked me if those pantries were the reason we wanted to stay."
Filled with sorrow, Anja continued, "Once I repeated we wouldn't move because we couldn't. He started yelling at us for having raised him in a 'miserably poor' household and after a while, he grew tired and ran upstairs, he is most likely locked up there… we don't know what kind of ordeal he went through today but we are in awe of what… happened."
Rakuen swallowed thick air, looking anguished at what he was hearing, "I am very sorry," he cautiously started, "this place is in no way a 'miserable poor household' let me start there. I am," he gulped again, "very, very sorry for all that happened. If you are fine with it, I can go upstairs to his bedroom and maybe then, I can talk him down a little."
Erlend moved his head, "Yes, you could but can you tell us what happened to him?"
…
…
Rakuen lowered his head and a nauseous feeling reeled inside his stomach, "…His Siberian Husky Edvin…" Anja placed both her trembling hands over her mouth, her tears were already falling as she eyed the dog's full plate, "…he was crucified a couple of blocks down the city." Rakuen sighed sadly, "This morning Lars went out to the stable in search for his dog as he does every morning. Instead of his dog, he found a note. It was not only a threat, but it was also a promise. He immediately ran to where they indicated they would be." Rakuen closed his eyes, pained by what he knew "It was too late, Edvin was obviously tortured alive..."
Both parents fell eerily quiet.
Erlend slowly broke his own engulfing silence "How did they… take a dog that size without making any noise?"
"Probably the night before that." guessed Rakuen, "Edvin was beyond friendly with strangers. He probably followed the culprits on his own four feet."
"Oh dear lord," Erlend puffed out air, placing both his hands over his ears. Teary eyes of sorrow distinguished a significantly disturbed heart. "I didn't even notice Edvin didn't come in for his meat. He would have been eleven in December… oh no, Lord…" he mourned.
Anja grabbed her chest "Years ago, he was our first gift to Lars. Edvin became an important part of our family."
"I know that and I am also very sorry for both your loss." Rakuen lowered his head.
Anja moved her head in denial, "Why would anyone do something so horrendous and inhuman?!" she cried as her husband pulled her body closer. Erlend looked at his aggrieved wife and then back to the sorrowed Rakuen, "How did you manage to talk to him in this state? I guess you two spoke about this?"
"Yes, just a little bit. I went downtown only after hearing about the commotion. Once the crowd dissipated, I finally grabbed a hold of him." He explained, "You may imagine that it was almost impossible to speak. He briefly gave me some details about it but that's it, all the while, he was silently cutting the ropes to bring his dog down, it just wasn't an easy scene for me to witness, I can't imagine how fathomless his pain was- is."
The cries of Anja were less inhibited as Rakuen described "He asked me to leave him alone with Edvin. I saw him from afar and a couple of hours later, he buried him somewhere far from the city." Rakuen moved his head. "He wouldn't bring his head up, not once."
'It broke my soul.' Thoughts that stayed silent, reminding Rakuen that it was not the place to talk about himself, there was an entire family in agony and he could not disregard them to be after him.
"I somehow lost sight of him." Rakuen admitted, "I spent half the day searching for him." his eyes looked painfully stirred. "I am here in hopes that I can talk him down at least if he lets me."
…
…
The room once again, silenced.
Anja sniffed, heartbroken and in emotional disdain. Her heart raced in wretched anticipation, "…Who did that to our son?"
…
Rakuen looked down, wishing he could have at least, hesitated "The whole city." He responded. "There is no name because I am sure they all joined in the subhuman way they did to affect him. There is a hallowed community of hatred beneath the chivalrous aspects of this city. They profoundly hate him, as much as they hate me."
'Why?' The clear uncertainty wasn't asked, yet it was the loudest question in the room.
"Because they all know that I love him and I'm pretty sure they know he loves me back."
.
Sitting on the living room's sofas, both were waiting for Anja to calm down as she said she would need a cup of tea to steady her nerves down. Every subject felt heavy underneath their cordialities. Erlend was intently looking at Rakuen, this time with less hesitation to question them, "I assume you are a male from birth aren't you?" the knot was still ever-present in his throat.
"I am," Rakuen nodded, looking at the cellar, he closed his eyes and readied for whatever response he could get "…Does it bother any of you? I would understand if that's the case."
"It is strange," Erlend admitted, "two men that love each other the way I love my wife. It is not natural," he moved his head in negation, "I am surprised he never said anything about it." He pursed his lips but continued, much to Rakuen's relief, "But do not fret. I don't find myself bothered young man, after all, we've had plenty of conversation and you seem to be good to my son."
"Thank you." He timidly smiled at Erlend. "Not everybody can accept that with ease."
"Not accepting such a thing would only add up to both your emotional burden. I think the people in this city already gave both of you enough of that."
"They did. Threats, spits, cusses. I just never thought they would go as far as to touch Edvin. Asides from infants, animals are the most innocent creatures there are to ever exist."
"I know, what they did is beyond inhuman. I also loved that dog." Commented Erlend, "But I think I'll have just enough of that this following week." He hunched sadly as both listened to Anja's inconsolable lament coming from the kitchen, Erlend lifted his chin nonetheless, "Say, young man, you came from Japan, didn't you?"
"Yes." Rakuen nodded. "My country has lived in constant conflict for the last couple of centuries. I thought I had a better chance to live when I moved in here since it became a little bit inhabitable for a man my age."
"I've heard about those never-ending wars in Japan. It must have been hard for you to take that decision regardless. You came from a ship?" he asked curiously, "You speak our language very fluently."
"Thank you. I've been learning the language since I arrived, a little bit over two years now. And yes, it was very hard for me to take that decision. Especially since I had a steady job a little bit secluded from the battleship, dangerous yes, but safer than one can expect. I was working as a sailor back there. Open seas, lots of fish and lots of oil sir, not a good smelling job." Rakuen smiled, "but at least cats thought I smelled good."
Erlend laughed quietly, "Then I can already tell you probably met my son on the ship's dislodging deck, I used to send him there on missions to bring us 'fresh meat out of the sea'." He recalled fondly, "He enjoyed those, were you the reason?"
"Well I don't know," Rakuen raised an eyebrow amused, "the first time we met, he said I reeked so to prove him that I didn't naturally stink, I asked him out. Long story short, I proved him wrong." He grinned, "Is really that simple."
Erlend beamed, the lighthearted and genuine air Rakuen gave him only guaranteed him that regardless of the turmoil of the day, everything would be fine. Suddenly and notwithstanding that his son hid such an important detail of his current life, Erlend could already feel that his thoughts of their love being unnatural dissipated like thin air, "It was also because of him that you decided to stay, isn't it young man?"
…
"Uh, yeah. I'm sorry." Rakuen sighed, positively charmed, "I omitted that because I just didn't want to sound too foolish to you." he blushed, "This is embarrassing."
"It is fine." Erlend chuckled reassuringly, "I'll talk for the two of us when I say that we are glad that you are in our son's life now, I hope that both find light between all this darkness, even the one that is ahead. Because I can't promise there is not more yet to come. It is a tough road you both chose when you allowed those peculiar feelings to bloom but I bet it will all be worth it when you both reach my age. Hopefully way sooner."
Rakuen nodded slowly. A smile genuinely painted upon his lips.
Finally, Anja seated beside Erlend, sniffing here and there with a white handkerchief to wipe off her tears, "Go now son, go talk to him," she urged Rakuen with a sad grin, "I bet he needs you."
Rakuen nodded again and stood up from the couch, "Thank you… uh, should I mention the disaster he made here?"
"Not at all," she assured him, "we understand everything he said. The anger was not on us." Anja grabbed her husband's hand, "Our son just felt powerless and he felt unmeasurable grief. We don't feel like he owes us an apology any longer. If anything darling, tell him that we are here for him. Unconditionally, always."
Rakuen smiled and he assented with his head. Slowly turning to silently go upstairs.
"Young man?" Rakuen turned around at the sound of Erlend's voice.
"Yes?"
"Nakura Rakuen right?" Erlend grinned, "A strange name so to say, I will not forget it."
"Thank you, sir."
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AN/ when I was older, I was a sailor, in an open sea… XD Part two is almost done. It's a two-shot :)
I just needed to write something in hopes my blockage disappears. I really want to finish 'A hooker's liner' as soon as possible lol
Ps: I did not fact-check, I don't actually know if huskies existed in that era at that time? Lol, let's pretend they did.