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Chapter 3,"Mystery"
"The strongest link in the world,
Is that of brotherhood,
An oath so powerful,
Nothing can break,
The sacred oath,
Link by blood is not enough,
Love, honesty and trust is what it entails."
-Segun Kanyinsola Oluwa
Come Home
The days has pass and it was early Tuesday morning that Damon Salvatore is, for once, wide awake. He mentally curses himself, he had three days to tell Stefan he's leaving for the army yet he has to wait for the last minute to do so! Shame on him!
He gets up from bed, shaking his raven hair desperately. He still has no idea how he's gonna break the news to Stefan, and he clearly doesn't want to. Yet he must.
He slowly gets dress to some dark brown breeches with a white silk shirt and his riding boots. He carelessly slides the arm sleeves over his arms, wearing now his favorite black coat.
Damon slowly opens his bedroom door, careful not let it creak to much, he steps lightly on the wooden floor. Stefan's bedroom door is open, as usual, so Damon has to be extra careful not to make any sudden sounds.
Thankfully he manages to reach the den area, Emma, hearing his footsteps looks up quickly.
"Oh, its just you, Master Damon." She says, hand over her chest, feeling her heartbeat. Damon frowns, "Why? Thought it was Giuseppe? What are you doing, Emma?"
Emma's eyes flicker over to the desk top then back at him, "Nothing of the sort, Damon. Though you've receive a letter."
Damon, still eying her suspiciously, walks closer to the desk top. A small looking envelope lays there, imprinted with his name. He sighs as he reads the returning address,
"Confederacy Camp, Virginia Military Academy... wonderful."
He quickly grabs the letter into his hands, the texture is rough, not like everyday paper use by the nobles. He carefully opens the envelope and read its context.
Greetings Salvatore Family,
On behalf of the Confederacy Camp: The Virginia Military Academy, we would like to state that you're son, Damon Miguel Salvatore has been fully accepted into Camp. Our finest Generals will train your boy well to become a man and join the fight alongside our brothers.
A messenger and a couple of our graduation troops will be coming to Mystic Falls, Virginia for all the proper information, dates, and uniforms.
Our people will be arriving in City Hall for the sign-in this Tuesday July 16, 1857 ten-o' clock sharp.
Thank you for admitting your application, you do your country good.
Sincerely,
General Thomas Jackson
"Oh great," Damon growls, eyes rolling skyward.
"And what is great, on this fine morning, Damon." Came a voice behind him. Emma jumps up at the sudden appearance, "Master Salvatore, h-how may I be in service?"
Giuseppe's eyes never leaves his eldest son, "Nothing yet, Emma. Please leave me alone with my son."
Emma nods, curtseys then scurries away into the kitchen.
Giuseppe walks closer to Damon, who didn't turn around to acknowledge him.
"What is great, Damon? Is there something you have to tell me?" He says, though it came out more like a command.
Damon sighs heavily, "As a matter of fact, Father, yes I do have something to share with you on this fine morning."
He turns and hands over the letter to him. Giuseppe studies his son's face before eyeing the letter.
He quickly reads it, no emotions sneak out of his daily no-smiling mask.
Finally his eyes travel back to Damon's blue ones, "Why this is excellent news, Damon. I do suggest you going a soon as possible for all the necessary things you will need."
He hands back the letter to Damon before starting to walk by him. Damon's lips tremble, he shakes his head, back against Giuseppe.
"That's it?" he breaths out. "That's all you have to say?"
Damon can feel his father's presence still in the room, "What else do you want me to day, Damon? I sign you up for this...if I haven't I would have been saying more to you. However you don't deserve it.
A Salvatore never let's someone else live for them. A Salvatore is a noble! A aristocrat of society and we only learn and do the best! Yet Damon I had to do this for you. If it were Stefan, he would be already the first one to sign up for it. Because he is a true Salvatore!"
Giuseppe stares at Damon's tense back before shaking his head, "I honestly don't know what's wrong with you, you act too irresponsible too rebellious too must like..."
"Like her," Damon interrupted facing his Father. "Like Mother, right?"
Giuseppe's cold eyes bore a hole into Damon's own. "This conversation is over, I suggest you prepare you belongings already."
Then with no other word, he continues to walk out the door into the Salvatore entrance way.
Damon eyes still lock to the door that his father just pass through, a small tear escapes the corner of his eye, he wipes it away furiously.
"Danny is there something wrong," a sudden little voice calls behind him.
Damon rapidly wipes his eyes and puts on a smile. He turns to his little brother and hugs him, like he does every morning. "Hey there Stefie. Don't worry, everything is peachy. Come on I haven't eaten yet and I'm totally starving."
Stefan giggles he grabs his brother's hand, "You're always hungry."
Damon smiles down on his as he leads him to the kitchen, "What can I say, I'm growing. One day you're gonna eat as much as I am maybe even more!"
Stefan frowns, "Nah I don't thing so."
Damon chuckles and ruffles his hair, its become a habit to do that every time.
Once they enter the kitchen the table already has a two plates and orange juice. Stefan giggles and point to one of the plates, "I'm guessing that one's yours, brother."
"Ahhh, yup you're right. Just the way I like it."
The plate has three sunny-side up eggs with three straps of bacon, two heated up breads with a bit of butter accompanied by a separate plate with pancakes and a glass of orange juice.
Damon's mouth became watery as the scent of the pancakes reaches him. "Umm yum."
He quickly sits down and starts wolfing down his food. Stefan just watches his brother curiously, not eating his own breakfast which is oatmeal and a piece of heated bread with butter.
Just then Emma comes in, "Damon! Manners, dear!"
Damon stops in mid-bite, he puts down his fork and gives a small smile.
"Swrory Em"
Emma glares at him but cracks a smile of her own, "Ahh Master Damon, you never change."
Stefan smiles and bites into his bread when suddenly his eyes wide, "Oh! I forgot something! Be right back!"
He climbs off from his chair and runs into the living room and up the stairs. Damon and Emma exchange looks but shrug.
Then Damon also remembers something he forgot, he slowly swallows his food before calling out, "Emma?"
Emma, meanwhile is humming a song as she cleans the dishes, "Yes, Damon."
Damon sighs, "Uhhh you know that letter I go today? Well some of the Confederacy troops are coming to give us our uniforms and everything else at ten and...I-I haven't told Stefan yet."
Emma stops washing the dishes and looks at Damon in shock but then a scowl form on her lips.
"Damon! I've told you, your first priority is Stefan! You should have told him sooner! Now look, its late now and you have to get your uniform in two hours! Agh, Damon!"
Damon looks down sheepishly, " I know, Em. I know! But I couldn't do it! I couldn't break him like that...you did not see the puppy eye look he gives me every time!"
Emma shakes her head, rubbing her temples.
"I know what look you're talking about, he gives those to everyone when he want's something. Damon, child listen to me you have to tell him today! Not tomorrow morning, today."
Damon sighs again, "F-fine! Fine Em, I'll figure out a awa-"
"Look Danny!" yells Stefan as he comes again into the kitchen. Damon smiles right away, "What you go there, squirt."
Stefan hands him a piece of paper, Damon smiles again, "You drew a picture."
Stefan rolls his eyes, "Not just any picture, Damon. It's a picture of us! See? That's you and that's me and that's Casper!"
Now Damon can see it, Stefan always has the artistic skills. With more guidance and practice he surely can become the next Thomas Cole.
"It's impressive Stefie, its for me?"
Stefan nods enthusiastically , "Yup! You like it?"
"Of course!" Damon places the drawing on the table before grabbing his brother in his lap, "I love everything you do."
~Two hours later~
Damon pets his horse, Jack, smoothly, thinking of how in the world he's gonna tell Stefan. But for right now, Damon has to get into town, alone.
He double checks Jack's straps and saddle before mounting on his black stallion.
He grabs the reins, carefully turns his horse to the direction of town before kicking his horse lightly on the sides. "Come on Jack, to town, boy. Click, click."
Jack grunts a bit before obeying, steady fast pace walks toward town.
Damon didn't even notice Stefan was watching him from the stables, getting his pony, Marty groom. He watch confuse and worried why his brother left without taking or telling him where?
He descide to go look for Emma, maybe she knows something of his sudden departure. Stefan throws the brush next to the rest of them, gives Marty one last pat before running to the gardens.
Emma would be right now collecting the plant's fruits and vegetables with her own friends. Stefan quickly barges in, Emma and her four friends quickly quiet down but smile in realizing who it was.
"Hello there Stefan," calls Silvia, one of her friends. the others smile in acknowledgement.
Stefan smiles at well, "Good morning, ma'ams."
The five women chuckle, Stefan and his gentle manners. "Emma?"
"Yes, child?"
"Do you know where Damon when? I saw him riding off into town though he didn't tell me why though."
Emma sighs her dark eyes wouldn't sneak a glaze at him. "I have no idea, Stefan. But don't worry, he's be back soon enough. He must speak to you importantly."
Stefan frowns, but nods, scurrying away.
He knows Emma is hiding something, and she doesn't want to tell him.
Maybe is has to do with Damon wanting to tell him something...then why would he leave without saying anything.
Stefan shakes his head, he'll ask Damon himself what he was doing when he comes. Hoping he'll get answers and not more mysteries.
Thank you for reading! Next chapter is how Damon tells little Stefie he's leaving for war.
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