The more personal tale begins three years before Revaed was even born. The daughter of Amarik S'Aehallh'Nveni and S'anra t'Radaik was their first child. She would belong to Hfihar S'Radaik, once she was named. On that same day a daughter was born to Hfihar S'Aehlived. Both Hfihrnn were closely aligned with Hfihar S'Deletham, which had recently been blessed with a son.
Revaed knew the story by heart. He didn't have to think. The details came to him as naturally as breathing. Hfihar S'Deletham was old and powerful and a union with it would have been beneficial for either Hfihar, but more so for S'Deletham. So much more so that its Hru'hfirh left nothing to chance. He hated Dhiem, Revaed's maternal grandfather, and the idea he had would deal two blows in one. Hru'hfirh S'Aehlived had powerful friends and relations in the military, ones who would also benefit from the union. And so the rrh-thanai began.
Amarik S'Aehallh'Nveni would swear that he could still hear his wife's screaming years later. Their daughter, too young to be named yet, stolen by mercenaries. Amarik's futile efforts to find the infant. The news, days later, was devastating. Na left for dead and not left among thieves and lowlifes. She was beyond their reach, abandoned amidst the wreckage of an alien colony.
The union came to pass between Hfihrnn S'Deletham and S'Aehlived. S'Radaik was not destroyed but neither was it ever the same. Another child was eventually born to Amarik and S'anra, a son they would name Revaed, but S'anra never quite recovered. She lacked the strength to recover from the fever she caught when her son was six years old. With his wife dead, Amarik took his son, named to Hfihar S'Aehallh'Nveni, and moved to the capital.
Even at that tender age, the boy Revaed knew enough to ask the right questions. "Di'nanov, why do we na avenge Ri'nanov and my sister? Lord Ry'iak tr'Aehlived hurt us."
"Patience, boy. You must learn patience."
~~~~~~~~~~Amarik S'Aehallh'Nveni lacked both the mental and physical strength to avenge himself upon Ry'iak. His son knew, even at that early age, that the burden of his family's mnei'sahe fell upon him. He took the burden up without complaint.
Revaed was all Water and not enough Earth. The Water was the sort that was rough and turbulent. The sort, Amarik used to tell him, that did before thinking.
"Calm down, boy--if you act rashly then you'll be cut down before your second breath. Still your Water and your Earth will settle so that you can see. You will know when the time is right," Amarik told him.
The impatient boy became the cold, calm young man. This was the man who planned, who made the choice to forego military service for service in the Imperial Guards. All the better to access my prey, he told himself.
Only once in Revaed's career did the stilled Waters threaten to stir up the Earth. The young Erein S'Aehallh'Nveni returned to the apartment he shared with his father sporting a fresh bruise on his face.
"What is this, Revaed?" Amarik asked, his thin hand gently touching the livid emerald spot.
"The enarrain disciplined me," he replied simply.
"Why?" The question was drawn out.
"It was either hit him or hit that wort. That son of a bitch--he didn't even know me! He has no idea what he did! He doesn't care!" Revaed shouted.
And to Revaed's surprise, Amarik slapped his other cheek. "Veruul! Acting rashly will cause you to fail at your task. Patience, son--you'll know the right thing to do when the time comes."
Eyes closed, Revaed took a deep breath to steady himself. "I'm sorry, Di'nanov."
He apologized to Tal, his enarrain, too. Thankfully, the enarrain was a veteran and used to the tempers that younger men could have. Revaed was struck by his kindness and vowed never to disappoint him again.
Seventy-five years is a long time to be patient, Revaed told himself as he resumed his patrol. Time enough for Di'nanov to die and for me to be the last of our Hfihar. Time enough for me to rise through the ranks and assume Tal's place as enarrain. And time enough for that son of a bitch to contemplate destroying the mnei'sahe of the Empire.
Revaed sighed so softly that no one would have heard. I am tired of being patient. Oh, Elements, give me sign on today of all days. Surely the time has come to take the right action. Let her know that I haven't forgotten.
And it came to pass that his patience was rewarded. Perhaps it was not Hfihar S'Aehlived that was destroyed but it may as well have been. The mnhei’sahe of its Hru'hfirh was destroyed, utterly and completely, however and the Enarrain of the Imperial Guards had simply stood there with a cold smile on his face. Patience was, indeed a virtue.
Patience
Muddy water, let stand becomes clear. The disciplined person masters thoughts by stillness and emotions by calmness. Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles, and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving until the right action arises by itself. Empty your mind of all thoughts Let your heart be at peace.*
from the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu *
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