Majgen Ch. 018

'The Path is so new on Oaaa. After the issues with the Eieie on Naonun, we wanted a clean start here -- a steady well-controlled basis before communicating with the Eieie. The Eieie doesn't even know we have started spreading the Path on Oaaa. Now I am bringing a Winin. I should have spent more time explaining the Path to my brother, before he started feeling neglected.'

After landing the vehicle, the driver - one of Imaun's servants, stepped out and opened the door for the Winin of Oaaa and his brother.

"It doesn't look like much," commented Imaun, looking at the building. "I thought it would be adorned with that symbol you use. The heart."

"We don't advertise," explained Ennan, and lead the way to the entrance.

The outer door was unlocked. Imaun followed Ennan through it into a small lobby, where a solitary Follower of the Path stood guard. Upon seeing the Winin the guarding Follower immediately raised his mind shield and knelt respectfully.

"Greetings," said Imaun, "I have come to attend your gathering."

"I will not deny the wishes of my Winin," replied the door guarding Follower, and opened the door for Imaun and Ennan. The two brothers entered, and Ennan lead the way to the common hall.

"That was a strange comment he made. As if he wasn't happy that I've come." Imaun turned his eyes to his brother. "Like you aren't happy that I am coming."

Ennan stopped walking, to face his brother fully. "Brother, I have not truly explained to you what the Path of the Heart is."

"What is it then?"

"It is..." Ennan found himself at a loss of words, but tried after all. "The Path is like finding something which you never realised was missing. Like finding what you have always been looking for."

"That sounds a bit cryptic, Brother. Maybe you are trying to tell me that these gatherings allows the people meeting to drown their loneliness?"

"Brother." Ennan stepped closer to Imaun and lowered his mind shield. He raised his reaching limbs to hold his brother's shoulder while looking into his face. "It could be said that simply too. With other Followers I am never alone. But the Path is also inside myself. It is understanding. It is seeing and feeling."

Imaun studied his brother's emotions and lowered his own mind shield. "If this makes you so happy then why are you so sad, Brother?"

"Because I have been unable to share it with you, my own brother. Imaun, I can't begin to tell you how much I love you, and yet I have been unable to give the Path to you."

"You don't have to tell me that you love me, Ennan. I can feel it." Imaun reached out to pull his brother into a hug. "You couldn't hide your love for me even if you tried, Brother," Imaun whispered into his brother's ear.

The two brothers reached out to each other empathically to hug with their minds too. Imaun in the well-trained manner of the Eieie, Ennan like a Follower of the Heart.

"Please let me show you, Brother," begged Ennan.

The intensity of Ennan's emotions tore at Imaun's long practised empathic discipline. The love and need Ennan felt. The sorrow that filled Ennan at this distance between them. A distance which Imaun himself couldn't define, but sensed his brother understood.

'I love you,' thought Ennan.'Please, Brother, let me show you.' Ennan started crying, while hugging his brother - the Winin.

"Ennan, what is wrong?"

'Please!'

The love Ennan felt for him, cracked through Imaun's empathic discipline, and finally Imaun relaxed and let his brother's emotions wash over him.

'I remember,' felt Ennan, and took Imaun to the past.

#

They were a small boy, their adored older brother was playing with them. Their older brother had thought up a great game, but what mattered more than anything was that he gave them his full attention.

'My brother is the bestest brother in the universe,' thought the small boy, and looked into his older brother's eyes with worship.

#

"You don't know anything! Nothing! Don't try that with me, don't act like you know anything better than me!" ranted the boy, mind shield raised he attacked his brother Imaun verbally. "Ever since the Eieie took you in you've been acting like a retard. I don't know why they don't kick you out of that school. I really don't."

"ENNAN!" yelled one of the boys' fathers, preparing to scold the boy.

Rather than face one of his parents as well as his brother the boy ran from the room, and through the house till he reached the front door. He threw it open and ran on, as fast as he could. He was crying so hard he could barely breathe. Yet, he kept running till his legs gave in under him. Where he fell he cried into the dirt, feeling alone, all alone.

#

"Ennan," his brother said to him, gentle as ever, "it doesn't have to be this way." He looked at him with those gentle understanding eyes. "We are brothers."

'He still thinks he is better than me,' thought the young man.'The wise Eieie. I can't believe they made him a Winin.' "Don't talk to me! You are not my brother, I denounce you!" He stared into Imaun's eyes, feeling anger and hatred bubbling within himself, knowing full well Imaun would be able to feel that in spite of his mind shield. "I can only wish and hope you die soon, Imaun," sneered the young man, "so Oaaa can get a proper Winin."

"Enough, Ennan!" said Imaun.

"Enough, or what?" asked Ennan. "Are you going to report me for insolence towards an Eieie? Inappropriate behaviour beyond civilian lenience? Want to get me flogged,Brother?" He spat out the last word as if it was vile to him.

Imaun simply turned his back, and left.

'Brother?' Immense regret rose inside Ennan, now that is brother was out of his sensing range. But he denied it. "WORTHLESS BUGBRAIN, I HOPE YOU ROT BEFORE WINTER," he screamed it with all his might, to convince himself he meant it. Less than a miui later he left Oaaa, determined to never see any of his family again, especially Imaun.

#

Returning their minds to the present, the two -- now much older -- brothers wept, holding each other tight.

"Don't ever leave me again, Ennan," whispered Imaun. "Please don't ever leave me again."

"I never stopped loving you," whispered Ennan.

"I remember that day too," whispered Imaun.'Those words hurt so immensely. I cried for hours when I got home.'

The two brothers never joined that gathering they had gone to. They withdrew to one of the smaller rooms to talk about, and share, the past. Along the way Ennan shared with Imaun, the Path of the Heart.

*

Copyright of Nanna Marker

You all really spoiled me with comments and feedback after chapter 017. Thank you so much all. It made me very happy.

I am still not done with fixing the errors my primary beta-reader found in 021. Still hoping I will be able to get it ready before 019 and 020 are up.